Challenges & Lessons: So, I looked at the Laughing Cow box for a week. I picked it up. I measured it. I didn't want to do something with the box just for the sake of doing something with it. Now, this box is fairly flimsy. And shallow. Then I looked around for something that would fit in the box, something I would actually want to put in a box. This was not an easy project I had challenged myself to. Here's the finished product, an embroidered box in which to keep the little pins that I've picked up at embroidery events. 
I used Alphabet XPress to create the text and add the picture. The purse is from Dakota's Paint the Town Red.
Some things I learned along the way:
1. If you go ahead and start stitching with the cover on the bobbin case loose you will hear a loud noise and a grinding sound. You will have to slide a pair of scissors under the hoop to cut the bobbin off the bottom.
2. If you don't push the embroidery arm on firmly and securely the feed dogs will remain up and catch on the bobbin thread. You will have to slide a pair of scissors under the hoop to cut through the bird's nest and release the bobbin.
3. Remember to adjust the stitch count when you resize designs, especially if you're making them smaller. Should have used Catalog XPress to re-size. What was I thinking??
4. Don't try to "eyeball" centering a design on a round thing, but if the design is seriously off center, you'll probably find something really cute in your button box to balance the design.
4. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. And again. Sometimes the 3rd time is the charm . . .
5. Fabri-Tac removes fingernail polish.
I guess you have a good idea by now of how my afternoon was spent! I'm blaming the whole thing on being in a hurry but, in truth, I just wasn't paying attention to what I was doing and I paid the price. No matter how long I've been doing this, or how many projects I've completed, I have to remember to get all my ducks in a row before beginning.
Still, I did end up with a pretty handy little box that's fulfilling a real need so it was all worth it!
Check Back for Answers: I wanted to remind people that if they post a question or concern in response to a blog they should check back to see itf there's an answer. That gal with the new Happy machine got lots of responses, and there were some great tips on thread breakage, both in the post and in our Today's Top Tips forum.
Pictures!! It's been a week since I requested that you send me your pictures from our Community Circle. So far zero, zilch, my email box is empty. I reached all the way to the back and looked in all the corners. Nothing. 
I can't scrap 'em if I don't have 'em. It was a great event and I had a great time. I really do want a little memory book so I can, well, remember it. I notice that there is one picture up in our Community Circle picture gallery (thanks, Sue), but it's getting lonely, so I'm going to post an embarrassing one of Beamish Boy to keep it company
. BTW, the tote bags are looking wonderful! Take a look, if you haven't already.
BB Blog: Speaking of Beamish Boy, you owe it to yourself to look at his latest post on his Magic Bookshelf blog. His blog is an absolute joy for those of us who are still getting used to this blogging thing and all its accompanying terminology.
Reality bites! Those of you who attended the Thursday night dinner at Community Circle may recall the last question Eileen asked me in that thoroughly embarrassing interview, "What is something we don't know about you?" and my response, "I watch a lot of reality TV." So, to that end, here is my quick dish on American Idol and Survivor:
AI- I like Brooke, I really do, but honestly she and Jason Castro should have been in the bottom two this week and Jason should have gone home. JMHO
S - Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me three times, what was I thinking. I can't believe that 3 fools have been finessed out of their hidden immunity idols. What next?
Here's hoping your own reality is just as interesting as what passes for reality on tv!
Ann