Organization When Sewing With Molly

Kalamazoo is five weeks away, and I have begun feeling the pressure. But, after reading your comments to yesterday's blog post, I am feeling better. Thank you. 

Today is Wednesday, and that means Nashie and Mama will be with us all day. I love those days. It might be hard to move because the pack insists on going everywhere we do, but I don't mind. We both love having them here.

Sadly, a fairly recent development is that Molly can no longer manage our stairs. So, when she is here, one of us always stays downstairs with her. Craig and I trade places every couple of hours and I can get my sewing done that way. 

When it is my turn to stay downstairs with her, I cut out patterns on the dining room table. I make beeswax ornaments in the kitchen. I get out my pliers and sleeve button making tools and make more pairs of sleeve buttons. 

Molly snoozes away nearby as I work, safe and content. The work time is not lost and the bonus is that happy time is spent with a sweet and beloved doggy, time that we cherish.

I am an organized person, and when I finish sewing for the day, I prep for the next day's work. That helps me to jump right into that day's sewing. 

Yesterday morning, my sewing table looked like this. From back to front, those are sleeves, a collar, cuffs, and a placket for the front slash in a trade shirt. They are ironed and ready to go. (The fabric clips hold the ironed sides in place until I can stitch them down.)

The front and back pieces have been ironed and are ready to sew together.

That organization helped streamline yesterday's work

and I finished that shirt by the end of the day.

Sleeve buttons were added, the shirt was entered into the inventory, a price tag was created, and the shirt is now hanging on the rack in my office, ready for the trip to Kalamazoo.

And once again, before I headed downstairs for the day, I prepped for the next day's sewing.

This is what my sewing table looks like this morning. Sleeves, collar, cuffs, and placket, all ready to go.

Front and back pieces, pressed and ready. And the daily sewing circle begins again, although today there is a twist in that Molly and Nash will be with us.

Being organized and then using my time well by finding Jolis Chevaux things that could be done while I stayed downstairs with Mama has been key in getting prepped for KZoo.

It ensured that I got all those chemises sewn and ready to go, and it is helping me restock my trade shirts.

I have four more trade shirts to make and then I will start working on bedgowns. Like the chemises and trade shirts, I'll cut them out while Mama keeps me company. 

Lucky me. It's going to be a good day.

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Thanksgiving 2023: How Do We Get Organized? Communication!

Third Post of the Day (that's a first!)

Since our home is Thanksgiving Central for the family and we have so many people coming who are bringing food, etc, organization is key. An even bigger key, though, is communication. You can be as organized as you like, but if the people joining you don't know the plans, things can fall apart quickly and stress levels can rise.

In light of that, I sent this email out to the family this morning. I thought you might enjoy seeing how we get 'er done!

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Hi, All, 

1)  I could not get the following emails to pop up or find them in my contacts. Please pass the word on to them! (Andrew, Cindie, Rick. Also, Todd and Eric's emails don't look right to me.)

2) Sad news: Todd, Sarah, and Trinity won't be able to join us due to illness. I am working on a way so they can participate in Dirty Santa via zoom. Fingers crossed.

3) Below is the menu that is current as of this writing. If you did not send me something, I guessed. :D 

Craig & Lynn: 2 turkeys, mashed potatoes, applesauce, cherry pies, rolls & butter, paper products

Leslie & Rick: pumpkin pies & whipped cream

Jenny: green bean casserole, lemon blueberry bread

Steve & Cindie: cranberries, cheese & cracker plate

Jessica & Andrew: lemon meringue pie

Lisa & Frank: corn casserole, cheeseballs, cheesecake pumpkin pie, several cases of pop, ginger molasses sugar cookies (?)

Curt & Vanessa: brussel sprouts, autumn harvest salad

Cole & Emily: sweet potato casserole, chocolate chip cookies (?)

4) Don't forget your Dirty Santa gift if you are participating. Please put those in our bedroom when you get here. And NO PEEKING at any other gifts already there! Coats can also go on our bed. Baskets and carriers in the laundry room, please.

5) Arrive any time, appetizers will be put out at 10; dinner served around 12:30, Dirty Santa, Grammy Gifts, and ??? after we eat/clean up. Pies after that. Open kitchen the rest of the day - if you're hungry, grab something!

Can't wait!

Love, Mom/Grammy/Lynn/Grammy Biscuit

Past appetizers that have been set out in the morning for those arriving early. Like I said, I can't wait!

Indy Blooms Weekend 2023: Documentation Storage Idea

Angela Morlock was one of the new hobby friends I made at Indy Blooms. Our tables were side by side with our chairs close enough for conversation, and we got a lot of time in between classes to talk.

Well, as much as we could while Angela showed not only her models but her daughter's as well. Her daughter had been unable to come at the last minute, so Angela brought her models and proxy showed them for her while she showed her own at the same time.

Those two tables with red tablecloths were all the horses she was showing for the day and Angela was HOPPING! I was amazed at how skilled she was in getting models to their classes, removing them when done, and then packing them back into their tubs when they were finished!

Clearly Angela is very good at organization, and she shared a tip with me that helps her find documentation and other things throughout the day. With her permission, I share it here on the blog.

Most of us put documentation into binders, full sized ones. Not Angela. She puts them into half sized binders. This saves space and makes them easier to carry.

She gets them at places like Staples and other office supply stores. (The teacher in me was hooked right then and there; teachers are known for their love of school and office supplies for their classrooms - ask any teacher!)

Angela has several binders, all labeled according to what is within.

Certificates, breed documentation, and other items are put into clear sheet protectors and then as the show progresses, NAN cards and ribbons are slid in alongside that documentation. (As someone who sorts out awards after I get home and occasionally can't remember who won what, I love this idea!)

 

Angela remains organized as the show progresses, so there is no end-of-the-day struggle to sort it all out - it's already done!

And that is why Angela was able to show two full show strings at the same time on the same day!

My guess is that Angela's show, River City Classic, is just as well organized. It's held in Evansville, Indiana (on the border with Kentucky) and the next show will be in April, 2024 (date TBD.) It fills up fast so if you are interested in going, I'd keep an eye on that web site!

As someone who stores all that documentation and other items that come with models into one big binder, I love the idea of several smaller binders pre-sorted by breed or other (resins, minis, etc.) and then sorting awards immediately while that information is fresh in your mind.

Thanks, Angela!