To-Do Lists and JOT

I like lists... they help keep me on track, getting necessary tasks done.  I usually make daily lists, normally with only a few tasks per day, or I wouldn't get them done at all...  For some reason, this week I made a plan for the week, starting yesterday (Monday the 30th)... I've actually managed to complete 4 of the 10 items on the list so far!

I also try to do things concentrating on JOT ('Just One Thing') so I don't get distracted and go off on a tangent and subsequently get nothing done at all. 

I didn't have a JOT thing for today, but if I did it would have been to finish the tablerunner top I started last night.  I got a bit carried away I guess.  Here is what I've done today:

• finished the tablerunner top
• pieced the backing for the tablerunner and cut batting to size for it
• made a scrappy binding for the tablerunner out of leftovers from the body of the runner.
• did 7 (yes seven!) WITBs* (2 boxes, 5 bags)... flung some stuff, put the rest in donations or put away where they belonged (*What's in the Box  - or Bag - a fun way to encourage cleaning and organizing)
• found sashing material for an old UFO and packed it all to take to class tomorrow to work on
• in a slight misstep, I found a fabric I had to have and ordered it online (naughty!)
• cleaned the goo off my window from the new car sticker on car I bought last October
• label FQ drawers
• prep for President's day weekend convention
• pack for class tomorrow

Went into the sewing room to start labeling my FQ storage cabinet drawers and realized the cabinet is all beautifully polished wood with no label holders... for some reason, I thought there were little brass plaques for labels on it... so I ordered some off ebay and I'm waiting for them to arrive... should be at least a few days before they get here, and then I have to put them all on before I can do the labels... this project is going to take much longer than I thought it would. Scratch one task! 

I did pack for class already, so now, it's on to preparing for the convention... (It is a gaming convention and I will be running a Dungeons and Dragons game there, so I need to read the scenario and prepare the maps, all that kind of stuff... it's fun, but there is a lot of work to preparing!)  If I start now, I might even be ready by Feb 18th, a hard deadline!

I'm feeling ambitious, and accomplished! - A good feeling that encourages getting yet more things done.

Another Mystery Quilt

This one is the Thimblecreek Mystery from early last year... or maybe the end of '15, not sure anymore, but I finished it tonight, putting the final stitches in the binding and label. 

Sometimes it seems hard to find time to sew these days... I have so many UFO's it's almost overwhelming, but I've been trying to get through them all... This makes my 7th finish this month!  I think it will be my last, since January is over tomorrow and I know I won't finish another one by tomorrow night.

I should be spending more time at my sewing machine, but I find I really don't have the heart to do so  .... I am too worried about my puppy, Chewiee... He has been diagnosed with severe dysplasia and luxating patellas and he needs total hip replacements on both sides.  Not sure if we can afford this, but we will explore all possibilities before making a decision.  I have multiple surgical consults in the next 2 weeks, so a decision will have to be made soon I think.  Poor baby is limping and  though he rarely complains, I'm sure he's in pain or he wouldn't limp. 

Here is Chewiee trying to share Maggie's new bed (Chewiee got a new bed too - identical! - but he wants to be with her).

Obviously, they don't both fit easily... and Maggie is taking her half in the middle, but Chewiee is doing his best.

Going to try to sew tomorrow and call it therapy... we'll see how that goes.