Really, I thought by now the elk would be finished. but I am putting SO much quilting on it, it is going very slowly, And I am only working sporadically between other things, so there is not a lot of progress to report. I’ve been busy shipping things out, getting things back and catching up on the entries as well as sorting and packing for the next trip. I can’t believe it is September already!

This time tomorrow I will be at the airport waiting for my flight to Maryland and my visit to the Nimble Fingers Quilt Guild for a lecture and workshop. I see from the weather channel that it will probably be raining the whole time I am there! Here in Kansas we could really use some rain.  At least the weather is cooler at 53 this morning.

Driving to Springfield, MO on Monday, the skies were at times threatening with dark clouds and at times sunny with blue skies – you never know in the mid west! I only encountered a few raindrops though.  This was my first trip in the new car and it was quite comfortable, I’m still getting used to the differences from my old one which I think I like better, but this one is gaining favor!

Could this be the spot that inspired the “Longhorn Splashdown” quilt? There were no longhorns visible this day.

Roadside wildflowers are beautiful this time of the year.

My time at the Ozark Piecemakers Guild for two lectures and a Coneflowers workshop was delightful! Had a bit of an equipment malfunction but nothing that couldn’t be fixed. My hostess and everyone I met there at the meetings and in my workshop couldn’t have been nicer!  If I lived closer that would be a guild to join!

When I tried to take workshop pictures I discovered that my camera batteries were dead. Again.  I had packed the charger but it was in the bag that got left at the venue, not the bag that went with me to my lodging. I guess  I need to start making packing lists!

I arrived safely home yesterday (Thursday) afternoon to a huge backlog of email and stuff to put away so  today will be spent catching up and hopefully tomorrow I can get back to quilting on the elk!

This morning I will begin my drive to Springfield, Mo for my visit with the Ozark Piecemakers Quilt Guild, where tomorrow I will do two lectures and Wednesday, a workshop on Introduction to Picture Piecing. Looks like a good day for a drive and yesterday I got most everything packed so the hard part is done!  I probably will not post here until my return on Thursday.

YES!! There was NO spam this morning, just real messages from real friends! What a relief…… Loretta, all three of yours came through fine.

Yesterday I had a machine quilting class at Stitching Traditions in Topeka, what a fun group of ladies. Makes me want to get sewing again and I am nearly ready to get started.

What’s up next? I’m planning to do an Elk.

Photo by Tammy Patterson © 2009 all rights reserved.

The photo was taken by the same photographer that took last year’s Mountain Goat Kids and it needs to be finished by fall for another “Inspirations” exhibit. That’s the collaborative one where the artist interprets a photographer’s work and I am so lucky to be working with Tammy again!

The workshop finished today and everyone did such a good job! I am always amazed at the beautiful coneflowers in all different colors, and the variety of wonderful fabrics that are piled on the tables. Everyone did Coneflowers except one–she had already taken that workshop and so wanted to do the bluebird instead. I hope to see many finished projects soon as they really got a good start!

It took two shots to get everyone in, there were so many participants!

I have been busy putting away and getting ready to take off early in the morning for Denver and the SAQA Conference. Doubt very much that I will post during the trip, technologically challenged as I am!

Monday evening and Tuesday morning, I did the programs for the Kaw Valley Quilter’s Guild in Lawrence, KS. Kaw Valley is my home guild and this is the third time I’ve presented there! It was the first time I’ve presented with the new Keynote setup and it went well. Especially in the evening one. The room has skylights so we couldn’t get it dark enough for the morning one and everything was real washed out. Too bad because no one could really appreciate the colors and details in the quilts. But I did bring some actual quilts to show as well. After lunch we started the Coneflowers workshop that runs through today. Everyone got a good start and I’m anxious to see how things come together today! One lady flew in from Boston to take the workshop with her friend!!

Two of my quilts were awarded Viewer’s Choice prizes at the recent quilt show, but I think one of them had been put into the wrong category and the prize should go to someone else. “Just Dandy” was VC in the wall category and “Spring Encounter” was VC in the lap/crib category and it is NOT a lap/crib quilt. I am trying to get it sorted out.

Early tomorrow morning I fly out to Denver for the SAQA Conference. I will meet a friend there and we will drive back to KS together next week, so I may be rather out of touch for awhile. Oh, wait! I HAVE been rather out of touch for awhile!!! I have just too much to do!

Yesterday I taught a Picture Piecing workshop in Topeka, that ended at 3 o’clock, which is exactly the time that my very first great grandson’s first birthday party started. Everyone was kind enough to hold up the important parts til I could get there. I am not at all sure this will work, but maybe— I tried to take a few photos with my new iPhone  (because I forgot the camera AGAIN)  but I don’t know what I’m doing and I got videos instead!  Nope, sorry, that didn’t work, I don’t know how to post videos. Why would I even think I could?

On a brighter note, I was able to get a good start on the Keynote program and some other computer glitches are getting worked out.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Late Thursday I arrived back home from my trip to the Rocky Mountain Quilt Guild in Fort Collins, CO. They are a great group and I had a wonderful time there; they took great care of me! The two day “Coneflowers” workshop was a lot of fun for all of us, I think. Some beautiful work was started and I hope to get finished photos to share with you!

Yesterday I had another commitment so I don’t even have all of the quilts put away yet – that is on the agenda for today.

Bad news arrived while I was gone – “Longhorn Splashdown” was not accepted to go to Houston this fall. This will be the first time that my work has been rejected there, and since they send their cattle up here to get fat, it’s not very nice of them not to take one back!!! Oh well, it will go somewhere else, I hope.Click on Longhorn in the side bar to see a photo.

It’s been a busy weekend, starting Friday afternoon with a trip to Lawrence to deliver quilts for the Kaw Valley Guild show. That’s over 90 miles, round trip.

Then Saturday I taught a Coneflowers workshop. I always look forward to the workshops as there are always enthusiastic students excited to learn a new technique! After that, a nice visit with a hospitalized friend before heading home to unload the workshop stuff and crash.

Sunday afternoon, back to Lawrence to see the show, shop the vendors and collect the quilts to return home. It was a lovely show with lots of interesting props reflecting quilting over the past century or so, numerous vendors where I spent more than expected and a silent auction and boutique to tempt more spending! Not to mention a wonderful array of quilts from antique to brand new. I have not been able to show there, or even attend the last few years due to my busy schedule so it was fun to be there once again. I showed “Watermelon Wine”, “Bittersweet Memories” and “Lazy Afternoon”.

Between these activities and rain showers I’ve fitted in some weeding which is getting out of hand with all of the rain lately – but the moist earth makes weeding easier so it’s a mixed blessing. As I get the weeds out I apply the Preen mulch and cross my fingers that it will help!

I hope to get started on quilting the Longhorn piece very soon and have been doing a little on-line research as to how the growth lines appear on the horns. Around and around apparently, as opposed to linear.

I flew home from Atlanta on Wednesday and it’s good to be home. Thursday was spent unpacking, putting away, doing paperwork and general catch up. Yesterday I had to get up early for my annual physical Dr.’s appointment, then to the bank, the library, etc. In the afternoon I got the outside house plants ready to come inside and the gladiola corms dug because we are in for some killing frosts. Busy, busy!

The GA trip was good. I experienced the best and the worst of weather there, as I was there during the horrible flooding. I saw the torrential rain but I personally did not see any flooding where I was. When the rain cleared it was just perfect! Beautiful fall weather with no humidity and comfortable temperatures.

I visited with four different quilt guilds in the area, doing “Easy Design Play” and “Coneflowers”workshops and presenting programs which were well attended and fun. Many new Coneflowers wall hangings were started and Show and Tell at the last meeting included four finished tops from the earlier workshops already finished!! Too many photos to show but if anyone sends me a finished jpg I’ll share!

In between working, I got to visit some quilt shops, tour points of interest including the gala re-opening of the Carter Center which coincided with the celebration of his 85th birthday, so Jimmy, his wife, extended family and dignitaries were there.

There was lots of security of course, including these guys, a bomb sniffing dog and men in dark suits and sunglasses scanning the crowd.

We got to tour the museum and have lunch there.

This is a view from the grounds from the hill where General Sherman watched the burning of Atlanta.

One day I met with a friend and we had lunch at her favorite Chinese restaurant and then spent some time in a large oriental grocery store. So many exotic choices- what fun!! Thanks, Robin!

Today is the first day of Quilt Market in Houston and for the first time in over ten years I am not there. It’s sad to miss it as Rose and I always have such a good time in Houston but this year it was not to be.  I do have works on display there though, and there is always next year!

Now that I am home I look forward to getting back to a routine and sewing again. It’s been a long time since I created anything new.