..........grateful for....My Town

Okay so technically, Brampton isn't really a town.

It's city. With over 640,000 people in it.

That's a lot.

And we're part of the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) here in the southern part of Ontario.

So, thats like, another 6-9 million people. Thats a lot of people.

But the cool thing is, Brampton is like a small town.

We can go places and run into people we know.

I like that.

Hey look, it's the Mayor Linda J!!

Farmers Market

My street; the heritage section. Brampton's as old as Canada is.

"New" City Hall

Chingcousy (Sheen-coo-see) Park

At Ching Park

Downtown Brampton,  Garden Square. Always all sorts of things going on down here in the Summer.

"Old" City Hall

 Canada is celebrating being 150 years old as an official Nation! Woot!

 Farmers markets, Winter Markets, Horse drawn carriage rides, Bands, entertainment, movie nights...

and two of the BEST ice cream shops around. Pizza Cones (what?!? YASSSS Pizza cones), amazing restaurants, B-town is the place to be.

I like it, anyway.

2015 Skillbuilding - January's Goal - To get Organized

**Warning. Terrible, terrible photos are at the bottom of this post.

 They may be disturbing to some readers!!!**

I will admit it. I make messes when I work.

And...I *really* need to get into the habit of cleaning as I go.

That is, putting things back where I got them when I use them. Not leaving things out, in piles. Everywhere.

Is this anyone else or is it just me? 

What are your surefire ways to stay organized?

So this is January's Skill to build, you may or may not  need to work on this. 

But Link up!

Let's encourage each other to stick with it!

 1. Go through all my tower shelves. Decide what stays and what goes.

2. Fold up neatly any fabric I pulled out and place in the correct colour bin.

3. Clean off my desk, put all notions back in the correct drawer.

4. Clean off the shelves and put things where they belong.

5. Place ALL UFO's into the proper wicker bin.

6. Continue the Closet Cleanse. Get some garbage bags and put stuff in it immediately.

7. All donatable goods to go INTO back of car immediately.

8. All trims, lace, notions back folded neatly into their drawer.

9. All thread back onto their hanger or in the box.

 ***

My sewing room is technically our guest room. And we had guests over Christmas.

So all my sewing stuff was crammed away. 

Now, in my New Year's Closet Cleanse, somehow it all got piled in there.

And sewing projects. And UFO projects. And knitting projects. 

And ...clothes to mend/alter.

So.

Here it is. I am putting it 'out there' and letting the world see.

(deep breath)

Yep. This is my creative space. I think I need to work on this.

I'm totally cringing right now. But I'm being honest, this is me. Although it doesn't ALWAYS or usually look like this. I swear.

So....yeah. You can see why Organization needs to be a focus for me this month!

What are your surefire ways to stay organized?

Tips?

 

Join the fun! Link up!

Our own special hashtag -   #skillbuilding2015  to IG/Tweet progress!

Know a great tutorial? Someone who nails these skills?

Post links in our comments & let's get sewing!

Blogathon Canada!!

From the Sew Sisters Quilt Shop Blog!! 

Let's Celebrate Canadian Quilting Bloggers!

Find new blogs, make new friends and win amazing prizes!

Here's how it works:
Each day host bloggers will introduce themselves and their work on their blogs. They will include links to more blogs from their province so you can visit those blogs as well. The host bloggers will also host a giveaway of some of their favorite goodies from the Sew Sisters Quilt Shop so you have a chance to win every day of the week!

Not only can you win prizes from our store on the host bloggers blogs, you can also enter giveaways  the Sew Sisters blog during Blogathon week!

These prizes are sponsored by their fabulous co-sponsors:

Wait....where did Summer Go???? Warning; lots of photos!

SO I've been off work for two months now. 

And at first, while scary, I was super excited to be able to actually get work done, finish off my UFOs, fix up stuff around the house, and above all, CLEAN up and out my sewing room.

 

(And I'm not gonna lie. Having the summer off?? This is the stuff dreams are made of.)

Garden Shed before Painting

 I had a long list of Things To Do.

This is my tiny but mighty back yard. All Primed up.

 Repaint the Garden Shed??

Check.

All done, painted nicely & clean looking. And lookit all dem birds!

Learn how to use my new zoom lens.

Flowerbeds at Chingacousy Park, Brampton.

Check.

Spend quality weekend time with Mr. J & Family

The family cottage is up on Lake Huron, in a small but gorgeous
town - Grand Bend, ON.

Mr. J is camera-shy.

Having Weekends off has been an absolute treat.

We hiked up the Niagara Escarpment. Wow. Stunning.

On top of the world!

Met a new friend!

We even went to the Zoo!

Baby Humphrey; the Polar Bear.

I love the otters.

Optical illusion!!!

Mama

Baby

Nice kitty.....biiiiiig teeth

And I spent countless hours watching the birds out our back window...including watching the Blue Jays & Robins fledge, AND we even had a very rare Albino Sparrow visit.

Our Albino Sparrow with friends.

Fledgling Blue Jays; family of Four. Learning how to balance!

Sparrows got it all down.

Albino sparrow with fledgemates

All in all; it's been a great summer.

 

Checked off a lot of things to do on my list. Getting the house tidied, mouse-proofing our back mudroom. Painting the shed; making lots of yummy food with fresh summer veggies, cleaning, organizing....and mostly, getting back in touch with Myself again. I kinda felt like I'd sold out to the Man for a bit too long. It's been great to just sit quietly with no real demands.

 

And yes, I sewed and sewed and sewed away. It's been great - I haven't had the drive or desire to sew in months so catching up has been wonderful. I've cleaned up my sewing space and organized by colours. Now I'm going thru my stash and trying to stashbust by working on scrap & string quilts....not too bad! Still lots to do, though. Isn't there always?!

How about you? What're you working on this week? What'd you do on your summer vacation?

This Week: 

 

Working on: String Quilts/Stashbusting

Quilting & sending a Surprise BDay gift for a good pal

 

Cooking: Stuffed Pasta shells with spinach, cheese & sausage; some to eat some to freeze

Listening to: Jukebox Oldies -50's & 60's music

Watching; Austenland (again!), Emma, The White Queen

Reading: Finished "The Red Queen" started "Austenland"

Misc: Sending out Resumes to Agents!