It's storming outside.....

and the quilter's dog (Bandit) is a little nervous - under the table nervous! 

So this will be a short blog this afternoon.  My lovely new assistant, Lindsay, has had a productive day.  The classes are on the website and she is writing a procedure manual for the Boarding Kennel.  She is also writing the brochure and the manual for the PQ3000 quilting frame.

We are so close to launching the PQ3000 - a few last minute quality changes (better wood for the base and some molding) and a test run on the manufacturing which puts us ready to roll next week.  I have some costing work to do in the morning to determine the final price and start negotiations for demonstrations at the quilt store - I am really excited.

So after sleeping on it and chewing on the decision for a couple of days, the decision is 'Karma Sensibility' will be the next six part series.  The patterns will be geared to using your stash - you all have one!!  And there will be a twist on borders - watch this space.

So following a serious crash of thunder, it's time to go - I will get pictures of the PQ300 on the blog soon, as well as 'Karma Sensibility One'. 

My thought for today is that I have some very special friends and their support has kept me going and got me to this place - you know who you are and I love you.

What a weekend....

I ran my first trail 5k race through the trees at Sesquicentennial State Park on Saturday morning and it was a blast!  Much more interesting than a flat road race - more to see, plenty of shade in the trees and softer on the knees.  There were a few uphill sections so my time was a little slower at 42:59, but I will definitely do more of these races.

Now the race on Labor Day is a 5 miler, so there needs to be a bit of serious training this week!  That one is a road race.

So today has been very frantic - new assistant, who did very well, Joan D. finished all but one block of her Simplicity Six.  The block she did today was the Weathervane block with the 16 Y-seams!  She did a really good job with them so now she only has the Sawtooth block left to complete.  It looks fabulous.

 

And this in Joan P.'s finished Simplicity Six with the borders added - stunning!

 

And this is my new pride and joy - an electric tea kettle - red and shiny and boils water for my tea!  Probably six or more cups a day!  Always tea time.

 

 

So the Simplicity series is complete and Six will be on the website by the end of the week.  It's a little sad, but there is a tickle of excitement as I decide which series to do next - Sensibility, Illusions or Traditions?  Or should I tackle the missing quilts in the Sensation series - all stack and whack quilts?  I'll sleep on it.

 

I will get all the classes scheduled on the website on Wednesday.  I am teaching at Pieces and Patches, Lexington, SC as well as in the studio.  This evening I will be organizing the EQ7 series of classes that start soon - I'll get that information out as soon as I can - it will be a four part class, mornings only.

 

Always plenty to do, but I saw a wonderful Tony Robbins quote today 'I challenge you to make your life a masterpiece.  I challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach, who walk their talk.'  Love it - going to try it!  And tomorrow is another day........

Still on the couch.....

Watching America's Got Talent and a good glass of wine at my side.  I have spent a productive day in the studio and I am making progress on the documentation for the PQ3K.  At least seven more are being made and we are very excited about promoting them.  We have worked very hard at resolving any issues that might occur and we think we have a truly superior product - watch this space!

I am really enjoying the iPad - it's like having another computer to cover email, internet and my schedule.  I have yet to work out how to post pictures, but I'll sort it out.

The quilter's dog - Bandit - is doing well. I have finally found food that he will eat and he seems much more lively.  I have to remember that he is 13 1/2 years old, so he is getting up there in age.

So finally for today - I will sort out pictures and blog better but for now I have some thoughts:

A friend discussed behavior with me today and we decided that we were both suffering from 'constructive procrastination'.  In other words, we are avoiding the big job that needs doing (that scares us) and get busy, busy, busy to, avoid the task - I bet that sounds familiar!

My new iPad....

Here I am, sitting on the couch and blogging - I am so excited!  I am also drinking a glass of wine and watching TV.  Part of me was all about 'how much for that tiny thing!!!!'  but now that I have set it up it's an amazing piece of technology.  I now have a cloud and it's a happy thing - any changes in my calendar are updated to the iPad.  So finally I can get my reminders and organize my life - it just may take a few hours to set it all up!

So today was my day to take completed quilts to the store and meet up with my customers.  It's so nice to put faces to names.

Then I had lunch with R. and of course we sorted out the world.  She has so much faith in me and she inspires me to keep going and get it done.  And I think I encourage her too.

So - as the day nears my bedtime (after a hot tub) my thoughts are focused on where I am headed.  To succeed at anything takes focus, commitment, and drive.  There is a day now and again when some of that is missing, but as long as it comes back tomorrow life will be good.

Oh and even though I have not achieved as much as I would have liked today, yesterday I FINISHED  writing the Simplicity series - one through six is written and ready to publish, teach and already many quilts have been made using these patterns.  Visit www.quiltersexpress.com to see some of the series - I will make sure that they are all there by the weekend.    Www.quiltersexpress.com

A wonderful weekend...

I had the best time this weekend.  Stayed up much too late every night and slept late on Sunday - a real treat!  But Monday morning rolled around again and we had a fabulous class today.  Almost sad to realise that Simplicity Six is almost complete - everyone is close to a completed quilt (except the brave soul making the queen size).  It has been a journey to see how different they all are, despite being made from the same pattern.

Just one more square - and what a square!  Weather Variation with 16 Y-seams.  Funnily enough no-one wants to make a whole quilt out of this square.

And there it is - and what a stunning quilt it will be when it's put together. 

So finally for today, since I am playing tennis tonight, it has been a day full of laughing, learning and joy - let's make sure that there are more like that!

About forty five minutes late.....

But it has been a wonderful day.  Started out with a three mile run which felt good and was a lot faster than Monday's three miles.  I also found another 5k race for August - so now I can get the T-Shirt for a race I actually will run, since I was not well enough to run the first August race.  So I am back on track (no pun intended) for my 12 shirt quilt entitled 'A Year in Racing!'

So during class today, once everyone was busy and knew what they were doing, I finished my Simplicity Six sample.  And I am exceptionally pleased with it (and if you know me, you know that that is rare!) and I can't wait to quilt it.  I gave a few moments thought to putting an all over pattern on it, thought again and added it to the pile that's accumulating behind Nora for custom work.  Oh well!

Then Joan P. almost got hers together in class - she will finish it on Monday.  It never ceases to surprise me how a quilt made to the same pattern can look so different depending on the fabric choices.

Joan D. brought this quilt to class today.  It's a completed Simplicity Four and it's stunning - brighter than the picture and is so much fun.

 And while we were all having a blast in class (including me as the teacher!) Abby was busy working away in the background, singing her little song (she has a quiet little tune that she plays while she is working - when I get the video equipment I'll tape her) and stitching a beautiful pattern in the 'Wildflower Rhapsody' quilt.

So I'm goofing off to Charlotte NC tomorrow to see the Miami Dolphins play the Carolina Panthers in a pre-season game.  I am so excited!  I will, of course, be wearing my Dolphins shirt - making me a lone green, orange and shiny thing in the middle of a sea of black, white and blue!!  But I'll take my Panthers sweatshirt along in case it gets chilly later in the evening.  Then a Shakespeare play in Rock Hill on Saturday night before heading home to get back to work on Sunday.

So my final thought for today is .............  do I really want to run a 5 mile race on Labor Day?  They gave me $5 off the entry fee because I ran the 'Born in the US' race on July 4th....... should I?  Why not?  Got to go and get the credit card! (and for those that know, you are allowed a little giggle at the British girl running in that race on July 4th!)

Ok - new plan - maybe!!

So I have spent two days catching up with paperwork and administration - not my strongpoint, but essential.  So that is my current excuse for not blogging - sorry, probably not good enough, but all I have got!

My plan is to review my schedule and blog every day at 4pm - let's see how that works.  I have a bunch of pictures of the new classroom to show you, which I will do tomorrow. 

I had a wonderful day teaching class on Monday and I have another tomorrow - it's so relaxing to teach at the studio.  Anything I need for teaching is here and I don't have to carry it to the quilt store. 

So - on a totally different topic - I have finally got the quilter's dog (Bandit) to eat.  I can't remember if I have mentioned this, but my gorgeous Working Sheepdog (Border Collie) is gay, blonde and recently added anorexic.  You have to know him to get all this, but the anorexic has come about because we have been feeding him table scraps and now he doesn't want to eat dog food.  I have tried a number of different foods and now we have settled on Fresh Pet Select (out of the fridge).  I am cutting it up on a dinner plate and then scraping it into his bowl - and he loves it - thank goodness!

This is the last block of nine for Simplicity Six and it has sixteen Y seams in it - you will be a real expert at Y seams by the time you have finished this block.

Here they are - studiously working on their blocks in the new classroom - it got moved around after this first class - pictures to follow!

So - good night all - my final thought for today is that I am so very fortunate to be working at what I love - not everyone gets the chance.  I have no reason to complain - I love my life!

It has been so long.....

But that weeziness that I mentioned in the last post after running turned into full blown Bronchitis and laid me up for two weeks.  So when I got better I was struggling to catch up!

So here I am again - better and finally running three miles and not feeling too bad!

Today was an absolute milestone.  I taught class in my studio for the first time.  I had four lovely ladies and they were totally wonderful.  I had to cancel a class while I was feeling sick, so this was a chance to get them caught up and we had a fabulous time, and the quilts that they are making are all so differrent, even though they are all using the same pattern.  And that is what I love about designing patterns and quilting - and why it's impossible to make just one quilt!  I will post pictures in my next post.

So - South Carolina in the summer - torrential rain and amazing lightening and thunder and the power just went out.  So time to turn off the computer, watch the light show with a glass of wine and eventually go to bed.  No hot tub tonight!

Much more to tell you tomorrow and tons of pictures.

So - final thought for the day - get as much done as you can while you feel good because it's hard to do anything when you feel rough.  I hope everyone feels good!