Because I was in the mood to play with my camera today, I thought I’d take a few pics of some of my favorite things in my sewing room.  I’ve only owned this camera for about 25 years (OK, maybe I exaggerate a bit) and today was the first day I actually read the instruction manual.  See what blogging does to me?  It has forced me to stoop to the level of actually reading the manual.  But I had a really fun time playing with the camera on something besides the “auto” setting.  You’ll be getting to see more and more pictures (and some special effects that are pretty cool too) in the coming days/months/years?  Yeah, well, we’ll see how long this lasts…..

So I looked around my sewing room tonight and piled up a few of my favorite things.

OK, OK – so maybe this wasn’t the best way for you to view them.  But isn’t that a pretty cool picture?  Pretty clearly focused…. and no flash used.  After dark even!  I didn’t think that was possible with my camera.  And definitely not on the “auto” setting.  In fact, let’s just get this out of the way, right now.  I think I only took one photo on the auto setting.    I’ll let you know which one that was when we come to it.  Like you care or something.  Like it’s important to your life today that you know what my camera was set on.    Well, it’s important to me and you get to come along for the ride…… so there.

On with the show!

Two huge favorites here.  A seam ripper and a stiletto (not the shoes, silly!)  I use my stiletto “awl” the time.  Get it?  Stiletto/awl – a stiletto is also called an awl?  All the time?  Sigh….I’m really digging for the humor today, aren’t I?  Anyway, I LOVE my awl!  It is my friend.  I use it often…… frequently…. I barely set it down when I’m sewing at my machine.  I probably should buy a second one, because if I ever misplaced this one I wouldn’t be able to sew.  My right hand wouldn’t know what to do with itself at the sewing machine!  My seam ripper is also my friend, but it’s the friend I’d rather not use too often – even if I love it.  But when I do need to use it, this one here is my favorite.

Next up – marking pencils!

These are the best marking pencils ever!  They come in lots of colors…. pink, yellow, green….. but I figured if I had black and white, I’d have all fabric colors covered.  And it’s the lead color I’m talking about.  Just in case that made absolutely no sense to you as you looked at red pencils.

And then just because having one black one and one white one wasn’t quite enough…..

I had to have this one too!  It has black lead and white lead all in one!  Because it’s just so important to have them together.  All in one.  You get it, right?  Did I say these are the best marking pencils ever?  You can erase the marks or they wash right out.  Fabulous for marking fabric.

Scissors are very important to a quilter. 

I’ve got a million of them.  At least.  These are just my favorite small ones.  Well, really they are just the ones I found for the pictures.  I’m sure I have more – lots more.  I was just too lazy to look for them tonight for the picture.  And I love the cool little fobs to hang on them too.  Just so everyone knows these are my scissors and doesn’t try to claim them as their own.

And these little babies are the best of the best.  Fabulous scissors.  I couldn’t live without them.  They are spectacular.  I could tell you why they are so good, but I’d rather you just take my word for it and buy a pair.  They are great!  I promise you’ll never regret it if you get some.  You need them.   Really.  Trust me.

What?  How did this get in here?  I do not use this in the sewing room.  But it is my favorite knife in the kitchen.  Just in case you wondered.

These things are super for storing bobbins.  Your cat can even play with them, knock them on the floor and everything, and the bobbins will not unwind all over the room.  (Ask me how I know that.)

And I can’t live without these……

I’ve got lots of these too.  They are a must have all over the house.  And see the little lights reflecting in the left lens?  That is not a flash.  It’s the lights on the ceiling fan in the room!

And now for some special effects…… just because I can.  And because I have to show off what I learned today.  So that I have something to show for the 12 hours I spent reading about the camera today.  When I should have been quilting.

OK – this is before………

And this is after!  Did you know that you could pick just one color and your camera would turn everything else black and white except that color?  I just thought that was the coolest thing!  OK – so I’m easily amused.  And I may never be able to figure out how to do this again.  But wouldn’t it be cool if I could?  I could have all my friends put on bright red lipstick and then do this and only their lips would be red.  Well, unless they were wearing a red shirt or something.  I am definitely going to use this one again!

So maybe tomorrow I will actually sew something.  Since I’m on a deadline and all.  I actually did stitch a little today.  And tomorrow is a day of stitching with my quilting Bee!  But for me that usually means a day of eating, chatting, eating, chatting and now…. taking cool pics of everyone to post on my blog.  And eating.  Mustn’t forget that eating.  I’ll be sure to share pics of it all with you….. including the food.

Hugs,
Barb