Humming Along

It's a quiet Friday night and I thought I would take break from a stitching marathon to post an update. I have been working on more cross stitch projects for Just CrossStitch Magazine and a new AccuQuilt design, so things are humming along. I've been trying to clean up my counter of customer projects, so there are piles of project bags cut and ready to sew, along with a couple small quilts and a wall hanging...and multiple piles of needlework finishing, all in various stages of completion...there is also a tray of Stitch Starter Ruler sleeves and several project/tool bags prepped and ready to sew for my Etsy Shop. I'm still trying to find a balance with the puppy requiring quite a bit of attention while my husband is traveling.

...and since when it rains, it pours, there were a few challenges this week. My web host tried to move my website to a new server and (of course) my e-mails are tied to my website, which caused a bit of an issue - no e-mail for a couple days, then it all started pouring in my inbox in large batches...and when a new batch would arrive, the old batch would disappear (poof!) - it seems to be fixed now and I think we recovered everything, but if by chance you sent me a message that needed a response and didn't receive one, please re-send it! I managed to get my 2017 sales taxes completed this week and started preparing our income tax paperwork for the CPA - something I dread all year, even though I am quite organized. It was just one of those super busy weeks where it doesn't seem like anything was accomplished. I got back on track yesterday and the to-do list is starting to look manageable....hopefully this coming week will run smooth (fingers crossed)!

Last Friday, I was able to have lunch with my dear friend Mary - it felt great to get out of the house and just breathe. Since the puppy arrival last October and then the holiday rush, I have been on scheduled autopilot - I really only make it out to go to the gym and to run errands, so "me time" has been pretty much non-existent - to be able to relax, even if only for a couple hours, was pure joy. After lunch, we walked over to a local quilt shop and picked fabrics for a couple small projects....and I felt refreshed and ready to tackle more of what life has been throwing at me. I have been doing quite a bit of needlework finishing for Mary and was able to return some of her beautiful stitching (these photos showcase her stitching and my finishing):

This piece has been getting quite a bit of social media buzz and we are trying
to figure out the designer/title - the consensus is that it was in a magazine,
 but I don't have specific details - if you know, please leave me a comment!

Don't you love it when seams line up perfectly!

This shows the back and the side seams...

...and for those who have been patiently waiting, I was able to get another 50+ Stitch Starter Ruler Sleeve Sets listed in my Etsy shop...they have been selling out very quickly (thank you!!!) and I am always trying to keep them in stock. I have another 50 ready to sew...

Time to get Garin out of the kennel for one more play session with Schatzi before bedtime. Wishing you a creative and productive weekend...