Goofin' Off and Getting in the Zone

Have you ever heard anyone talk about being "in the zone"?  I feel like the past few weeks, as I have been focusing more on my personal goals and projects, I have been able to get "in the zone" more often.  For me, getting in the zone means a nice focus on the project at hand--everything else around me seems to disappear.  I set my timer and get to work...or maybe it's get to relaxing.  When the timer goes off, I can look at what I have been working on and smile at where I have finished my session of stitching for the day.

Getting in the Stitching Zone with Music

I know everyone gets "in the zone" differently.  What helps me get "in the zone" is listening to music.  I enjoy most types of music, but when I am working on a project, I enjoy listening to movie soundtracks and movie scores.  Can you guess what type of movie scores I like?  Ten guesses...anyone,  anyone?

If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you can probably guess that I love to listen to soundtracks and movie scores from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, etc.   I even got a few new ones for Christmas this year.  My family knows me so well.  I got the music from the new Lion King movie that was released...as well as Jumanji.

I am sooooo excited I got these.  I have already ripped them onto my laptop and added them to my MP3 player.  They are now mixed in with my playlists and I am excited to have these added to my collection.  More music means more stitching...right?

My question to you is...

HOW DO YOU GET "IN THE ZONE"?

Let me know below in the comments, if you like.  I'm always looking for new ideas and ways to be more productive and get in the zone.  I love it when my friends share their ideas.  

Christmas Fun

I had a really nice Christmas this year.  The gatherings were a bit small, but the time spent with family was priceless.  I spent Christmas Eve with me and my boys.  Two days before Christmas Eve, Mr. Goofin' Off decided he wanted to prepare Christmas Eve dinner.  My plans for dinner went out the window, but I was more than happy to let him do all the work.  He was in the kitchen all day long preparing food and washing dishes.  What a Christmas treat.  You know what I did while he was doing all the hard work?  I was upstairs in my office/craft room doing some stitching.  Yay for me!!!

Christmas morning we had my son over and opened up stockings.  Santa still delivers Goofin' Off Jr.'s stocking gifts to our house.  Maybe he hasn't received a change of address yet?  Not a problem.  We love having him over.  About noon the boys headed out to pick up my dad.  It was his second Christmas without my mom, and it seemed to go a little better than last year.  He told me he didn't want a Christmas dinner; he wanted a Christmas brunch...so Christmas brunch it was.  We opened gifts with him and he and Mr. Goofin' Off watched some TV shows about cars while Goofin' Off Jr. and I took a little nap in the chairs next to them.  It was absolutely perfect.  

This Christmas was packed with lots of stitching and quilting gifts...all the more reason for me to get my act together so I can have more time for relaxing with my projects.  I received five 3-yard quilt kits from Fabric Cafe.  Their quilt kits go together really quickly and are the perfect size for Project Linus quilts...and each kit comes with their own pattern.  These was a fantastic sale for Black Friday, so I think Santa did a great job picking these out for me.

Star Trek 3-Yard Quilt Kit

Fishes 3-Yard Quilt Kit

Forest Animals 3-Yard Quilt Kit

Vintage Aircraft 3-Yard Quilt Kit

Floral 3-Yard Quilt Kit

Santa brought me this Ott light...well, technically this was my mother's Ott light that she had in her sewing room.  The lights had been broken out at some point while it was at my dad's assisted living facility.  Santa's elves got new light bulbs for it and got it working for me.  It will be an eye saver for me because the days are so dark here in the Pacific Northwest during the winter.  

Standing Ott Light

My last gift was from my dad.  He gave me money to purchase gifts for my family and wrap them up.  I chose for my dad to buy me the fabric and about one-third of the thread needed to get started on my Randal Spangler Sundae Delight pattern that I purchased from Heaven and Earth Designs several years ago.  My dad was tickled that he got to watch us open the gifts he gave us rather than just giving us money.  I hope to get started on this piece in the very near future.

Fabric and About 1/3 of Threads Needed for Sundae Delight by Randal Spangler

Sundae Delight by Randal Spangler - Charted by Heaven and Earth Designs

The past few weeks, I was actually able to get a jump start on 2020 and do some tweaking to my schedule.  I found a bit more stitching time and was able to make some progress on my newest stitching project.  Here it is:  

Last Update on Mystery Project - December 16, 2019

Current Progress on Mystery Project - December 30, 2019

Any guesses on this one?  I really am enjoying all the pretty colors of this piece after working so long on my Mickey and Pirate Friends piece that is full of browns, dark grays, and oranges.  These purple, pinks, and greens are just what the doctor ordered for me.  This pattern is four pages, and I will rotate after I complete a page finish.

Now it's time to step away from the blog and prepare for our annual New Year's Eve party.  Thank you all for being such a big part of my stitching world.  You all make the world a better place for me.  

I hope you all have a fun and safe New Year's Eve!  

Goofin' Off When Fabric That Slips Into Your Shopping Cart

I may or may not have let some Dixney/Pixar Cars fabric slip into my shopping cart yesterday evening. Just sayin'...  You know you've been there, too (although maybe not with Cars fabric). Admit it! More about that later. (And if Mr. Goofin' Off is reading this post, he's probably doing a little bit of eye rolling as he reads this.)

For progress on the Captain America quilt.  Here are the steps I was able to complete during my sewing session yesterday:

Step 4 - H

Step 4 - I

Step 4 - J

Step 4 - K

The blocks are certainly beginning to build up.  I am still hoping for a complete quilt finish before Independence Day.  Nothing like having some red, white, and blue on the bed...and Captain America protecting us from all the evil villains out there.  The pattern for this quilt comes from the June/July 2014 issue of McCalls Quick Quilts.  I am making a few small changes to the pattern so it fits our bed.

I've got a quick little update on my Mickey and Pirate Friends cross stitch piece.  I am still working my way through the top of Goofy's pirate hat, so there isn't a whole lot that is recognizable at this point.  But one day soon, you'll be able to see the image slowly begin to appear.  I still haven't seen the new Pirates movie, but I have my fingers crossed for this weekend...maybe...

Mickey and Pirate Friends - 06/15/2017

Now, as I was mentioning before, some Disney/Pixar Cars fabric may have just happened to slip into my shopping cart last night.  I was catching up on e-mails and read one from Fat Quarter Shop. It's one of my favorite online places to buy fabric.  I am not affiliated or sponsored by them, and they certainly aren't the only shop I buy from, but this deal was too good to pass up.  It was a special that they were running for the day where if you buy $100+ in fabric, you got $25 off.

I've had my eye on some of the Cars fabric since the new movie is coming out.  I donate a lot of my quilts and/or quilt tops to Project Linus and other charities, so I love to pick up fabric with themes that are currently popular.  As luck would have it, the fabric was also on sale.  Here is a picture of it:  

Disney/Pixar Cars Fabric

While I enjoyed the first movie and haven't seen the second movie, the third movie looks quite enjoyable.  We might just have to try to see it...after we see Pirates in the Caribbean, of course.  If you've been to Disneyland in the past couple of years and been able to experience the Cars Land area, you may know why I have a new love for the Cars characters even if I wasn't in love with the movies. That place is amazing.

My favorite ride and/or attraction is Radiator Springs Racers...at least I think that's what it's called. It takes you straight into the heart of the first movie.  You are in a car racing along the old Route 66 highway with another car.  You never know if you'll be in the winning car or not.  All the while, there is all this great music playing providing a nice background and setting the mood for experiencing all of the scenic valleys along the highway.  

Entrance to Radiator Springs Racers

Above is a picture of the entrance.  The sign says there is a 10-minute wait.  That means it must be either right at opening or possibly even before opening.  It's not uncommon for this baby to have a 3+ hour wait later in the day.

And below is a picture taken from one of our favorite spots right outside Flo's V-8 Cafe.  It's a great place to sit and eat a snack, usually pretty quiet, and you can watch the cars race by every 30 seconds or so.  

Taken From Just Behind Flo's V-8 Cafe - The Cars are Racing

Okay, now it's time to get back to reality and off my Cars tangent.  I'll post a picture of the fabric when it arrives...along with all the other pretties that I happened to let slip into my shopping cart. I had to hit that $100 mark, you know, to utilize that full discount...and qualify for the free shopping.

What are the items most likely to "slip" into your shopping cart? Fabric? Patterns? Clothes? Books? Or am I the only one that happens to?  Inquiring minds want to know.

Linking up with Can I Get a Whoop, Whoop?  Found here:  Can I Get a Whoop, Whoop?