Power of Positivity

I mentioned it briefly in my last post and newsletter that I'm learning (relearning, actually) the power of positive thinking. I can be a negative Nellie sometimes. But this past week has been pretty awesome, though not without challenges.

As I opened this box the other day, I was struck by how awesome it is to try to earn your living doing work that is an extension of something you love. I mean, seriously? How awesome to open this box of quilting gloves, Sew Slip mats, rulers, and my favorite marking pens.

Then there's this wonderful machine in the corner of my shop for me to work my quilting magic on. I have a proclivity to rearrange my shop often to optimize the small space, so the machine is no longer in this little spot, but it's still good.

I also get to preview books that I'm thinking of getting for the shop. Of these four, I can really recommend Amanda Murphy's Free Motion Quilting Idea Book. It's full of ideas for how to quilt various blocks and shapes. I haven't gotten around to the rest yet.

I've been a little nervous about my shop and my online followers. I know it looks amazing to the long-time customers of this local business as little about it changed over some 30 years that it was operated by the original owner. But if you were new to the shop, especially if you've been to some of the gorgeous, large, colorful quilt shops that are out there, this shop is a bit of a let down. (There's me of course, but I'm not entirely sure where I rank in the scheme of things. LOL I promise I'm not getting a big ego.) I've had a few blog followers and Craftsy students come (sadly, I missed the most recent couple.) and I doubt it was really worth the trip.

But then one day, I was driving up the road to the shop, listening to my favorite Christian radio station and feeling all kinds of full with gratitude and I spied two young men wrestling this table (below) to the curb. Why do I forget the synergy that comes with feeling grateful and positive so easily? When you're in that flow of looking on the sunny side, things just fall into place. Sure, it still takes a lot of work, but it sure helps to have that positive attitude.

Here it is after I cleaned the top and before I moved it into position. I got it for free! It's huge and sturdy. I rearranged the whole shop and everything just clicked into place and it looks so much better!

The shelves on the wall then got nearly filled with fabric in the last few days. It's so exciting to finally offer customers fabric. It will sure help me plan classes too.

Above, the fabric awaits being unwrapped and shelved. The table the bolts are sitting on used to hold machines in the center of the shop. It blocked the flow of traffic and looked dingy. I'm going to make a fitted cover/tablecloth for it and use it for displays and samples.

Tada! My nearly full fabric shelves. I've got even more coming. This step in our business has turned out to require a bigger leap of faith than actually buying the shop. BTW, your support of my Craftsy classes and online shop made that first leap possible and continues to support us. Thank you so, so, sew much.

Here's another cat picture! Miss Bootsie has settled in quite nicely, though a trip to the vet and a round of worm medicine has her feeling a little puny. Poor thing. (Yes, that's a Walmart quilt. Oh the Shame. Oh the practicality! Give the kids another year or two and I'll make a nice quilt for my bed and maybe even replace our couch. Moms, I bet you understand.)

Imagine my delight as I cut fat quarters of this newly arrived fabric by Moda duo Bonnie and Camille. I'm making my happy life for sure. (With a lot of help from above!)

How about you? Life is hard. But it is harder when you let the myriad of blessings slip your notice. So keep looking on the sunny side. Keep quilting and don't give up.

Of Paisleys and Positive Thinking

In the midst of this busy shop-owning life with kids and all, I was able to get some sanity stitching done on this paisley piece.

I shot a video and loaded it to YouTube as well. I didn't notice it until after I shot the video that I had left the ruler foot on it which makes it hard for you to see the stitching as I'm making it. I have no trouble seeing it, despite the bulk of the foot, but the camera can't see exactly what I do.

I also got a long overdue newsletter sent out this weekend to those of you who have signed up to receive them (over there on the right of the blog is a sign up widget). I wrote of teaching and being a student. I'm doing quite a lot of both these days. I got some wonderful responses to it as well. Thank you so much. If you haven't seen it, read Amy's Quilting Adventures Newsletter here.

One of the things I'm learning (OK, truth: learning, forgetting, relearning) is the power of a positive attitude. Yesterday was an absolutely amazing day and I'll tell you about it soon. Some was rather mundane, but it was just good. I want to remember it, so I'll share here.

One of the good things was this little cutie coming into my life. I'm in love. I've got a baby again and she's the sweetest little thing. I promise my new social media strategy is not going to be cute cat pics.

But she's cute enough for it isn't she? This is our first pet since the death of my beloved pug nearly 9 years ago. (Not counting a brief fostering of my mom's cats that didn't work out too well. They are happily back with my mother.)

Now, back to work in my shop. I've got fabric to unbox!

Quilting with Rulers: Diamond in a Block

Managed to stitch out one of my favorite ruler work designs for in a block the other day and shot video while doing it. It's kind of funny quilting away while talking to the camera. It's become sort of natural and makes me wonder....how long until I find myself quilting while giving a running commentary even when there is no camera? LOL!

This a great design for larger blocks even when you don't have a large/long ruler. It can be dressed up with additional quilting inside and outside the diamond. I'll have to show that some other time.

This week, my hubby tells me that I had blog followers come to the shop before I arrived in the morning on two separate occasions. I am so sorry to have missed you, whoever you were!

Rip It!

Have you ever sat there, pick, pick, picking away at a seam that needs to be "unsewn" and wondered why your seam ripper isn't called a picker? It's because you can actually rip those stitches out, if you know how to use that little red ball that you find on many seam rippers. Some of you may know this, but those who don't have been tickled by my little video below.

This was part of a Facebook Live video I did on my shop's page, so the intro and outro are a little choppy.

Have you checked out Craftsy's new look? It's been a bit of a difficult transition, but it looks great! They are doing a scavenger hunt on the site so you can learn more about how it's laid out. Navigation is different, but once you get used to it, it's meant to be much more user friendly and laid out better.

To make it worth your while, find all the treasure and you'll be entered to win 5 classes of your choice! Click here to get started: craftsy.me/scavengerhunt