It's official!

THE HOUSE IS SOLD!!!!!!!  I should be thrilled and I sort of am but now I have to plan the move......ugh!  It's really a good thing that most of the small stuff is already gone or I would be a mess!  Okay - so now I can move on! 

So what did I do to celebrate?!?!? 

Well, I organized The Farmer's Wife of course!  I had planned to do this a year ago when I started the project but as usual, other things took precedence and it didn't get done.

I would like to point out that I do not do this with ALL quilts, only "long term" projects.....and this is really a long term project (I mean it's already a year - lol).  Also, I want it to be as portable as possible.....

First I went to Staples and had them cut the spine off of the book - $3.00 + tax, then I asked them to make a copy of the spine on card stock for my binder......in colour of course (I'm anal that way!) - $0.49 + tax!

Here's the binder......

I purchased the kind of binder that has clear pockets in the front, back and spine and put the cover on the front, the spine from the book on the side and the back cover on the back...... I think it's a 3" binder.  This way I can find it in a bookcase or if it's lying on it's side (since I tend to misplace things!  Like books full of blocks!?!?).

 I also purchased page protectors - 100/$6.49 + tax.  They are the Staples brand and they are acid-free, archival quality.  In the first one I put the pages with the letters from the farmer's wives which is what the book was written about.....

 The next section are my spreadsheets which list the blocks and template numbers......the yellow ones are the blocks that are done!  There are "only" ten!

The next section is the template section, of which there are 106.  I have split them into 10 per page protector in order to keep them more manageable and easier to find.....I also purchased a package of yellow circle labels to mark the numbers on.....$4.96 + tax. 

 This page holds a copy of the block placements in the quilt - the back of the page is block 1......

 And finally the blocks, also marked with the yellow circles.....the finished blocks slip into the page protectors as they are done.  Keeps them clean and pressed and at hand.....

All I have to do now is organize the rest of my life like this and I'll be laughing!  I have to say it will be hard to misplace this binder(I'll  probably still manage to do it though!).  It cost around $25.00 including the binder but for a project like this I really feel it is well worth the extra cost to keep it organized.  I imagine it will be another year before this quilt is done and all of the blocks will be protected and in pristine condition when I'm ready to do the sashings and corner blocks.  Well worth the time and effort!

So now I can start planning my "big move" and paint colours and decorating and all that good stuff that comes with moving!  Okay, seeing the bright side again!

Have a great day everyone!

Jo-Ann

Back in the bowl......

I got home and had some fun quilting.....but then realized, even though I was really on a roll, that I had to go back into the "fish bowl"!

So, I have enlisted Jonathan to move some quilting stuff down to my studio and out to the car and here we are back again!

I think the coolest part of this exercise was that it took less than half an hour to get it all back in order!  I am fighting it, but I feel a resolution coming, it would be so cool to have the new place set up so that I could do that!  I think I know the secret too!  I was only working on one "major" project, so it was a snap to put it all away in my plastic container and have it moved AND it will also be really easy to pull it out tomorrow night in the studio and keep working on it.....this could become a HABIT! 

The kitchen is going to take a bit longer since we've been cooking and I really need to give the floor a good wash but no more than an hour!  The bedrooms are already done and I just have to go over the bathrooms......this is just too cool!

Well I better get going, I just hope it pays off really soon.....

Have a great day everyone!

Jo-Ann

Here goes nothing.......

I decided it was time I had my own "Jo-Ann" blog!  I write a journal and keep it up pretty well, as a matter of fact, I have 3 journals right now.  The first one is my "personal" journal where I just right what's happening in my life and how I'm feeling.  The second one is my "quilt" journal where I keep track on all the projects I'm working on and how they are progressing, and the third one is my "decorating" journal for the townhouse I've rented and hope to be moving into shortly once my house sells......hopefully very soon!

This journal is somewhat a combination of all three written journals and maybe a little more.....

So, let's start off with the house!  This is the house I am selling!  I thought I would be smart and try selling it on my own, hence the Property Guys sign on the front lawn.....On Sunday I met with Gord Bartozzi and Tansie Fenton, friends of my friends Libby and Lorenzo, who are ReMax agents and the new signs went up yesterday......

My friend Rich's original idea was to put signs on the tree that said - "Tree for Sale - House Included"!  Cute idea and may have peaked some interest but for all intents and purposes will not necessarily sell the house!  I finally admitted to myself that I couldn't give it the time and effort I needed to in order to make it happen.....

Tomorrow I have new carpet coming for the hallway and two of the bedrooms upstairs so tonight I will be, with help from Rich and my son Jonathan, moving furniture out of the two bedrooms and hall closets so they have clear access and it doesn't cost me an arm and a leg......You know what they say, sometimes you have to spend money to make money......I believe that Tansie (who prompted me to do this) is right, it will pay off in the end.

Right now I am at the store (Cock A Doodle Quilts),  Kathy is working today and we are going to go through all the store samples we have and price them for sale.  If you're looking for a handmade quilt to give as a gift this Christmas, these are gorgeous quilts.....however, we no longer display them because the fabrics have been sold out or we are no longer teaching the classes that they were made for.

I'm not sure how often I will be posting here (hopefully often) but I hope you will enjoy reading it!  Will also try not to be too verbose! (my word for the day!)

Have a great day everyone....

Jo-Ann