I just realized it’s been nearly 6 months since I updated the blog.
I apologize for that everyone! It’s been a really up and down several months. I thought I’d update you on some of the larger points. Continue reading Sand slipping through my hands – A 5 month update
Tag Archives: life
Learning how to fly with a broken wing – Taking care of myself after the damage is done
A personal diary/ accountability type of post today folks.
Please note: there are a lot of links in this post but none are affiliate links. They are all informational and to support what I’m saying in the post
For years, I’ve dealt with food allergies and gaining or having difficulty losing weight. It never got out of hand but I could feel how the extra weight made sports harder and I was a lot more tired than I should be after relatively little exercise. And getting the energy up TO exercise? Yeah, that becomes a vicious circle. Add to this a couple of compressed disks in my back and it’s a recipe for a sedentary lifestyle.
Lately even lifting a vintage sewing machine has become cumbersome. Continue reading Learning how to fly with a broken wing – Taking care of myself after the damage is done
A little wizardry – overdue maintenance on Archaic Arcane
Last week, support for the operating system on the computer that brings you ArchaicArcane.com was discontinued. This is not unlike when Microsoft said no more XP.
What this means for AA is that I need to do some behind the curtain maintenance before I can do the on-stage updates. I’m working on many things at once and you’ll start to see some posts hopefully this month.
The server and a quilt I was working on last month were the top priorities keeping me away from the site. Now though, I have lots to say, I just need to take care of the server first so you can read about it when I tell it! 🙂 Continue reading A little wizardry – overdue maintenance on Archaic Arcane
More of it – Happy New Year!
“The only thing better than a good thing is more of it.”
Happy New Year Everyone! As we go into 2015, I haven’t exactly made any resolutions but I have decided that I’m going to finish some projects that I’ve been working on and start the ones I’ve been thinking of. What this means is that I’m planning on taking on only a couple of very focused projects this year which is a huge departure from previous years because last year left me pretty burned out.
I’m still going to be making posts – it’s one of the main things on my list of things both started and in contemplation. I would really like to see the 34 drafts finished and out to you all to read.
In the effort to get an early start on the projects, I started 5 projects at once in the past week. LOL! Typical for me, overkill, right?
It’s OK – these projects are easy to stagger and it’s actually not as overwhelming as it sounds. 🙂 Continue reading More of it – Happy New Year!
Message to myself
It’s OK, read to the end. 🙂
I apologize for the huge absence. I’m still working on posts slowly but I thought I’d update the blog on why I’ve been away. (I have been posting a little on the facebook page if you’re a FB’er.)
I won’t be sad to see 2014 go. It started out great. A great trip to Willam’s Lake to teach. Certification as a Brother technician for Sparrow Studioz.
The summer though….
The summer in particular was beyond “character building” for both Ryan and I. Continue reading Message to myself
A Million Miles – traveling to speak and teach!
Note: Amended date! I goofed ladies and gentlemen, April 16th is the date, not March!
Update: 2014-04-09 – It looks like the Evening class is tentatively full (may be able to open 1 more spot) and there is one left open for the morning class. If you wanted to get in, now’s your chance! We’ve been chatting about the possibility of me doing the class again in the future in William’s Lake, but there’s no firm timeline for it.
OK, so it’s not quite a million miles but I bet it feels like it by the time I get home.
I’m going to be teaching people just like you how to service and restore their vintage machines in BC next month! 🙂
Beauties like this:
The Cariboo Piecemakers quilt guild has asked me to speak to the group about vintage sewing machines at their Tuesday meeting. The following day I will be doing a marathon training session.
The class is in William’s Lake, B.C. Canada (approximately 3 hours out of Kamloops) the Wednesday before Easter (March APRIL 16th) at the Pioneer Complex, and we have just added a second session and there’s currently a little room left. The tentative times for the classes are 10am to 3pm with a break for lunch and 5pm to 9pm. If you’re interested in attending, leave me a comment below or contact me here.
Here’s what I’m planning to cover: Continue reading A Million Miles – traveling to speak and teach!
Throwback Thursday – Project F-250 Revamp
Here’s my version of “Throwback Thursday” 😉 This is a post I made back in 2009 when I was still in charge of BanditAlley, as a blog post there. Recording it here on AA for posterity.
Seeing that I can do this, you’d think I could polish up a sewing machine like nobody’s business, wouldn’t you? Not so. Though a lot of the process is the same, I just can’t seem to bring up the shine on a sewing machine the way this truck finally shone. It’s probably because I can’t use a power polisher on the machine like I can with a car or a bike.
The victim: A 2000 Ford F-250 Diesel. Previously dark green in color, but likely painted when it was recovered as a roll-over in the first year of its life. Continue reading Throwback Thursday – Project F-250 Revamp
It’s for you – not me – and other lessons learned
Happy 2014 everyone! I’ve been fairly absent for a bit here. First, trying to get Ryan’s Christmas present finished. I almost made it on time! Then catching up on the corporate books. I don’t recommend a 5 month absence from those. Ugh.
At the end of it all, he got his gift before New Year’s Eve, which considering all of the hurdles I cleared to do it, and the fact that I started it WAY too late, I’m accepting of.
I’m told that the significant other is often the last one to get a quilt. Not in Ryan’s case. He actually managed to get the second ever quilt I’ve made.
Continue reading It’s for you – not me – and other lessons learned
Back in the Saddle – Take care of your back
Ergonomics Part 1: (This post ended up far longer than I’d intended (yeah, shocking, I know!), so I will split it into 2, and offer you part 2 tomorrow.)
Lately, I’ve noticed that I hunch a lot when I sew. This is on the longarm or at the domestic machines. The result of this is that I “hurt” and I can’t sew for long periods of time. So I thought I’d talk today a little about ergonomics, both at the stand up and sit down types of machines and your cutting table. Continue reading Back in the Saddle – Take care of your back
Been a Long time – a new quilting studio!
For the last several weeks, I’ve been virtually absent from both any sewing projects and the Internet. Other than answering urgent emails and the occasional post on the QB, I just haven’t been dedicating the time.
Why? I decided to reorganize the basement. Previously, it was a dumping ground for everything we didn’t want to look at anymore, but didn’t have time to get rid of. There were 15 years of company and personal financials down there. There were 16 parts sewing machines, 9 sewing cabinets, our old TV, actually, our last 2 tvs, and all manner of other things. In addition to this, the webserver that serves archaicarcane.com to you lives down there, as does my very neglected wet darkroom. All of it had to be put in order, and fast.
Why? As some of you know, I created a space crisis in the house.
How? I traded up. No, not Ryan. 😉
I sold the Juki and frame and put that money toward a brand new …. Kangaroo! Continue reading Been a Long time – a new quilting studio!