>>>>

Monday, December 30, 2024

When One Good Clean Deserves Another!


Is it Monday already?

It was just Saturday when I went through that whole lovely discovery of finding that not just one, but two cans of diet coke had frozen solid and exploded in the mini fridge at my QPO Studio.

What a mess....

But do you know what cleaning up a mess, which leads to cleaning out a whole area can also lead to?

Before I knew it, Saturday was taken over by gutting out and cleaning up my QPO office!

I went through years of files and old paperwork, pitching SO much redunant stuff.

I found things that had been missing or misplaced for YEARS.

And you know what? It feels so much better. So much lighter.  Not so stifling.

This is the big school teacher desk that Hubster Dave found on Facebook Marketplace for me when we first acquired the building with the purchase of the inn.

Yes, the door had to come off its hinges to get it through the doorway, and we both agree - when we sell this place, the desk is STAYING.  LOL!

I have the extra large monitor for quilt designing.  

And once the office was clean, I was able to get caught up on procrastinated end of the year paperwork and deskwork and I feel like I am moving into the new year feeling a bit more at peace with myself.


I spent a LOT of time working on this!


And there will be a lot more of this -

I tend to be an assembly line sewist.  I will work on one thing until that thing is done, and then move on to the next step rather than complete one unit at a time.

It helps minimize mess for one thing, and I only need to keep one process on my mind at a time.

Aqua is the next color up again, to finish filling the paper foundations.

It's not likely that I will be back into stitching with the aqua strings before I leave for Australia, but they will be here waiting for when I get back.


That mess thing? well...at least it is with just one color family at a time!

For those asking about my machine table: It's a Janome table Hubster Dave retrofitted for my Juki.  He had to put a platform in the bottom to raise the machine, and drill out the hole where the knee lift goes. (Not a pretty hole but it works.)


This is something that IS coming with me to Australia.  Not the big assembly stuff, but I'm kicking around with the idea of just taking the neutrals to make the neutral fill in "triangles" that go at the top/bottom/sides.  It would minimize the different colors I'd need to take, and wouldn't overload my suitcase.  Each one takes a couple of hours to stitch. 

Those plane flights are going to be LONG. 

The triangle units are kind of boring to stitch, no exciting colors or patterns happening there, but once they are done I can cross those off of my list.  Do you work this way, too?

Quilting travel strategies!


Which reminds me....I need to get the BLOOM kits made for my travelers this week. The PDF pattern will release in February for everyone else.

Huka Falls will be releasing Mid-January while I am in Australia - it's on my list of things to get that photography done today and dig into getting that pattern ready.

Already the to-do list is getting much longer than I want it to be.


Morning sunrise.

It was actually much more orange-red, more vibrant than a photo can show.  I sat behind the sliding glass door between the dining area and the front porch and just watched it evolve rom orange to red to pink....and then, just like that it was gone.

We have two days left in 2024.  What will you do with them?


Quiltville Quote of the Day -

They're probably in the same place as the missing socks, extra Tupperware lids, and wherever it is that lost marbles go.

Have a marvelous Monday, everyone!

 

15 comments:

  1. Anonymous9:10 AM EST

    I had a desk like yours the first year I taught, then they moved my classroom, but didn’t move that desk. It had more drawer space than any future desk I had. I liked it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Monday… I guess I plan to sew a few more blocks together for River Star. Bravo on cleaning your office!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you Bonnie. I so enjoy your blogs ! I wish I had half the energy that you do. You just inspired me to straighten up my sewing room today!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous10:02 AM EST

    You are so inspiring in so very many ways! I am all caught up on my old town mystery, Hooray! I think I will do a tidy up in my quilt loft. Waiting for the next clue!! Perhaps I will find some of MY lost marbles as well ;)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Cassie Staggs10:09 AM EST

    If I only had your creative juices! I would never leave my sewing space! Happy traveling.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous10:18 AM EST

    Is the cute blue mittens kit available from one of your recent trips? Tammy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The PDF pattern for Warm Hands, Warm Heart is found in the Quiltville Store at Quiltville.com/shop Kits are not available, just the pattern.

      Delete
  7. Anonymous10:34 AM EST

    I woke up late this morning. I have ben enjoying the mystery quilt journey a little too late into the night. I seem to have started changing my sleep/wake schedule in the wrong direction. So as I walk to the kitchen I decide I have to regroup. Myself and the house. Sitting in my recliner with a cup of coffee, your blog appears! You just threw a little push into my new years clean. As I read the blog I kept thinking..... oh not another clue just yet. Lol. Have a lovely vacation. I will keep the tidy here happening till you co.e ho.e.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous10:43 AM EST

    Bonnie, love your quote of the day. Once I put a coffee scoop in a safe and it stayed hidden there for years. The quilt in the background of the quote has an unusual shape of EPP’s, do you know what the shape is called? I’ve never seen it before. It’s very intriguing. Happy Quilty New Year! Fran in Pa.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous2:31 PM EST

      the shape is called a kite, I have seen templates for it in stores.

      Delete
  9. Boxing up 3 memory quilts to send back to Oregon.... then maybe some longarming while the sheets are in the washer?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous12:24 PM EST

    It is such a beautiful day here in southern Virginia, I will be outside in my gardens as much as possible and save my quilting for the cold days ahead👏👏😊

    ReplyDelete
  11. Cindy Smetters1:04 PM EST

    Expoding cans has happened to me many times unfortunately. I guess I don’t have your energy to go on and clean everything else!

    ReplyDelete
  12. My teacher desk didn't look like yours but I did have a large one that was really nice and heavy. Wish I had it now!
    I hope to get caught up on the Old Town Mystery parts over the last 2 days of 2024 but I kind of have my doubts. I was in the hospital with my husband for a week (he's good now), and then my daughter and grandkids came to visit Christmas week. I think if I skip cooking and cleaning, and only sleep a little bit, that I can get a lot of sewing done before 2025! :-)
    Happy New Year everyone, and safe travels Bonnie. Jenny

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hi Bonnie, I would so loved to have met you but timing is not on my side. I have followed you for many years and you featured my quilt of my son. MY PIXILATION…. I was also a member of NOTY and was to attend the classes when you were to come to AUSTRALIA last time. Unfortunately something didn’t workout for you. Hopefully this trip will be brilliant. I moved away from the area as my husband was ill. Times have changed since then and I am now full time career of my husband who suffered a stroke 4 months ago. I do still read your blog daily but miss your quilt cams. I understand why but still miss it. Travel safe and enjoy Australia. xxxxx Jo

    ReplyDelete

If you are commenting as "anonymous" please leave your name at the end of your comment.

Did you know that ad space on this blog provides for all of the free patterns and free mysteries and challenges at no cost to you? Without ads, this blog would not be possible.

Thank you for understanding the many hours that go into this blog 6 days a week, 52 weeks a year. :)