There was a nice article in the Sunday paper yesterday about me and my quilts that did NOT start out with “Not your Grandmother’s quilts” as so often is the case with art quilts. That’s a GOOD thing! If you want to actually read it click here.

The only thing I wish had been added,  is that the photo cited was used with permission of the photographer.  But all in all, I think the reporter did a fine job!

Saturday I had a Machine Quilting class at Prairie Pieces which is about an hour away that was very well attended – we were really stacked in there! A great group of ladies and we had a lot of fun in spite of a few machine problems. Added bonus – I found some great fabrics to start replenishing my “rock”fabric that the mountain goat project ate up!

Yesterday I began the 12 x 12″ piece for the SAQA Auction.  I’m hoping to get it finished today as tomorrow I plan to take my Bernina in for it’s annual checkup while I am away to PA and the AQS show next week. Busy, busy!!

http://cjonline.com/life/2010-03-13/womans_quilts_make_the_cut

It occurred to me that I never did show you a full image of Spring Burning. I didn’t want to show it before it was accepted somewhere, but it will be at “Celebrate Spring” in Chicago and is already safely in Houston to go there.  It has a lot of beads that really don’t show up well in the picture.

I felt badly about keeping it so under wraps and that’s the reason I decided to open up the process with the next quilt “Colorado Kids”. Go back to Jan 25 the follow along with the step by step making of that one.

Well, I have been busy! Busy trying to get my entry for Tactile Architecture done in time to meet the deadline of Feb 20. Sunday I finished the piecing and decided that it was not going to happen and I would just submit it to Town And Country instead. Monday morning I checked to see the particulars on that exhibit and found that it is not offered this year – must have been a one time thing. So I thought what the heck, I may as well try to get it done after all. In the past 48 hours I have quilted 30! Everything hurts and still it is not done so I am throwing in the towel. I could probably still make it if I put in another long day and Expressed the entry, but TA is just an exhibit with nice exposure but no monetary rewards so I will forego it this year. Won’t have anything for In Full Bloom this year either and it is the first year in a long time that I will not have entries in these two exhibits.

But on the brighter side, “Spring Encounter” was juried in to Celebrate Spring! and will be in Chicago in April.

This morning AQS informed me that the images I sent them were not big enough, (nothing that explicit about size in the entry instructions) so I am not sure where I stand with them. but I will have a piece in Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival.

You know, sometimes I wonder if it is worth the hassle!

Here we are a week into 2009 and I hardly even know what day it is, I have been so busy meeting deadlines. In fact I missed a much anticipated meeting with friends because I simply forgot to look at my calendar!

If I was one to make resolutions I guess I would have to make one to try to keep up better, but in fact I know that I already do the best I can, I just have too much to do, but nothing that I want to give up. I have enough stress without imposing resolutions on myself!

This morning when I tried to get into my blog to post, I could not get in. Now I can, but it looks entirely different so I guess this will be a new challenge to conquer – can I figure it out?

The deadline for “Celebrate Spring!” is quickly approaching so yesterday I tackled that. They require a photo,  but when I got to that, my photo printer ran out of ink so that necessitated a trip to town to buy more.  My little HP Photosmart prints the best pictures! So now that entry is ready to go out today.  One to AQS went out last week. So, early in the year already, I have two entries pending.  “Form Not Function” opening tomorrow with “Mon Grand Pere” and a couple of things in the mail, both coming and going. So with a little luck you’ll find my stuff out there somewhere.

2/18

Nearly two months gone already this year, but I have three works done and quite a few entries made, two acceptances in with the quilts shipped, one rejection and the rest pending. Not too bad!

This photo shows a portion of the nasturtium piece, I’m loving how the hand dye worked in the leaves! I see there are still some threads to clean up, though……

Today I must get some more entry forms, etc. off, as time is quickly running out, then on to the books to prepare for taxes. Last week we had one of the patterns reprinted so they are waiting to be folded and packaged as well. If only this business of quilting was only the fun stuff, but alas that is not so!