Victorian Stitchery Retreat in Wichita

This was the first, but hopefully not the last, Victorian Stitchery Retreat that I attended.  Hosted by Val Bothell of The Pink Bunny.  We had a super lineup of teachers and a fantastic venue at The Hotel at Old Town. Gerry K and I shared a suite, and it was to die for!

The Atrium area where we had breakfast every morning

View from our suite looking south through Old Town

Oh my, where to start?

Our class for the first day was Candace Kling’s Ribbon Flowers.  She is so awesome!  You will see pictures of some of her flowers scattered throughout the backgrounds of some of the pictures I post.  You can also see many on Candace’s website. Naturally, I won’t post all the pictures of her work that I took for my own personal use. But if you every have the opportunity to take a class from Candace, take it!

Some of my near-completed flowers

Candace explained everything thoroughly, clearly, and was so organized. She kept the class moving along and yet had time for everyone and their questions. I want to be like her when I grow up! Truly, I have had her book for over ten years, and learned my first ribbon flower from it. I used to pour over it while I took candlelight bubblebaths (soft music, white wine). That seemed to really tickle Candace!   I could’ve kicked myself for not bringing the book for her to sign, but I do intend to take more of her classes.

By the way, next May Candace is teaching a “miniature” ribbon class, which are smaller-sized forms, perfect for CQ. It will be held at at Nancy’s Sewing Basket in Seattle (there is, however, a pre-requisite of having taken one of her classes previously).

Allie’s Class Sample

The next day was Tuesday, and we had Allie’s Curved Piecing Class, which was so much fun! The eye candy was almost overwhelming. Allie’s simple method of piecing was a delight to me, because I had used the same technique to piece my “I Love Paris” purse. Naturally, Allie had some helpful hints (like leaving a wider margin, which is ALWAYS my downfall).  And she uses a knit interfacing, which I tried for the first time and loved. Now I am a believer, and will try anything Allie suggests (short of jumping off a cliff, LOL!)  She also showed us curved flip-and-sew, and was a kind, patient teacher.

Allie working with Rhonda Perry.  At left:  Toni J

Below is my center block, completely pieced.  The surrounding darker border is about 2/3 complete. I can’t wait to finish piecing this future wallhanging.   Hopefully during the next week.  And then I have to get back to my Seascape Valance (more in a coming post).

The third and fourth days of the Retreat were our long-awaited 2-day stitching class with the one and only Miss Carole Samples.   Oh my!  I wish I could just record her lovely soft voice and play it as background “music” when I work!  She must be about the sweetest, most gentle soul I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.

Gerry K gave Miss Carole one of her paisley Victorian Pin Cushions. Paisleys are her favorites, and Miss Carole was brought nearly to tears, but was definitely speechless and overwhelmed.  Then Ingrid gave her a crystal-headed pin to put in it!

Miss Carole and me

Over the two days, we learned how to use her templates to not only “decipher” complicated stitches, but to design our own.  Miss Carole also taught some varied and more unusual stitches, and generously shared her work and time with everyone.

Miss Carole with Ingrid and Freema

In July my friend Wilma from The Netherlands had gifted me with lots of pieces of gorgeous fabric from Austria (a country we both love).  You might remember my post here.  Anyway, I used it to piece a 17x12” cover for the notebook in which I will keep my stitch designs.  This was my working piece for Miss Carole’s class.

Above and below:  Some of the seams I stitched as class exercises. They are not complete.

I have lots more to show you tomorrow, like candid photos of old and new friends, some gorgeous eye candy from the Show and Share, pictures from Miss Carole’s talk on Wednesday evening, and from Gerry’s button class on Thursday evening.

But for now, nighty-night.  I snapped this picture of the building next door from out the window by my hotel bed. I think it could pass for 1938 (or whatever).  I kept expecting to see Dick Tracey or Humphrey Bogart or some other character strike a pose under the street lamp!

The street lamp illuminated the stark, cold evening . . .

Until tomorrow,

Some Cool Things - and then Off Again!

I have been so busy this last week with Retiring (yessssssssss!  Last Day was Wednesday) and preparing for the Victorian Crazy Quilting Retreat in Wichita, Kansas.   I have so much to share, that I have actually started a LIST.   And with this post I can cross off two of them - they are the Cool Things.

This lovely CQ block was made by my dear friend Diane Matheson of Canada.  You may remember that she came to visit me for a few days in September before we drove off to the CQI Retreat in Colorado.  While she was here, she finished up this block.

“Mother” Block made by Diane Matheson

This block had originally been a challenge for Diane in another online group where someone else had picked out some of the fabrics, and Diane had to Do Her Thing with it.  Upon completion, she donated it to the Crazy Quilting International “Making Memories” fundraiser for the Colorado chapter of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.  CQI auctioned them off on Ebay, and I bid on this one, and won!  I am so thrilled to have this, and I got it arrived last week, which was eerie timing. October 31 was the 5th anniversary of my mother’s passing, and November 4 would have been her 83rd birthday.  Naturally, I`ve had it hung up and have been contemplating it, saddened because my mom is gone, but warmed because of the love I know my dear friend Diane put into this.

And while I am on the subject of Things That Dear People Have Made, my friend Jennifer at Wheeler Farm made this lovely bobbin lace rocking horse for me as a going away present.  Isn’t it to die for?  It is about 8” square.  I will put it on my next CQ for sure.

As always with the pictures, you can click on them to “embiggen”.  

I will take lots of pictures at the Retreat and give a full “Show and Tell” when I get home.

Hugs,

Catching Up

At Wheeler Farm where I work (for one more week), we got a call from a guy (sorry I don`t know enough to give proper credit) who bought the largest pumpkin grown in Utah this year.  That would be the bottom pumpkin in the photo below.  He also bought two other huge ones, and made this pumpkin snowman in front of his house.  Pretty cool, eh?  Well, he is donating it to Wheeler Farm, and they were setting it up today (think cranes, bobcat loaders). I hope to get some more pictures of it in situ at the Farm. 

If the bales of straw don`t help you appreciate the scale, notice the can of coke sitting near the stem of the middle pumpkin. The snowman is over 10 feet tall!  It will be placed inside our pumpkin patch and hay maze compound where people who come to enjoy the fall festivities there can have a photo opportunity!

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Late flowers from my garden. The leaves are falling quickly now, and we had our first COLD north wind today. Hang on, autumn, HANG ON!!

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My Facebook page has a couple photos on it of Bruce and I with our new granddaughter Remi (short for Remington).   Bruce`s daughter Stacy and her husband now have a boy (Hunter, age 2 ½) and Remi.  His other daughter Emily and her hubby are in town visiting for about 10 days. Their children are Deacon (3 ½) and Abbie (turning 2 this week).  We will see everyone at a birthday party this weekend for Abbie, so we will get lots of updated Grandkid pictures. Fair warning!  LOL

In the meantime, we still tend DGD London every Tuesday. My son Shane had a “challenging” morning with her before he dropped her off.  Not unlike a typical 2-year-old, she first got some maple syrup in her clean hair, then INSISTED on dressing herself.

She looked like a little waif when she arrived:

Fugitive from the Fashion Police

So, I plopped her into the bathtub, which is easy-peasy if you say the word “Bubbles”.  We washed her and her hair, played with bubbles and gave each other Bubble Kisses, and just generally had a fun time.

Dressed with a new outfit from Grammy, plus a hair bow. Things are looking up! 

 A clean new “mommy”, London tucks her “baby” into its crib.

The next couple pictures are blurry (she never holds still), but I wanted you to see how darling and curly her hair is when it dries.

She will probably hate those natural curls as a teenager, but at least for now, she`s my darling little Babycakes!

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And finally, check out my Etsy (link on sidebar).  I have added some new Christmas-themed venice lace appliques.  I am having trouble keeping the shop stocked, which is a good thing.  Sales are good, and I am grateful. Thank you to those of you who stop by!  :-)

And in my next photo session (as soon as I clear up the lace mess, LOL), I will get pictures of some of my current CQ projects and estate sale finds.  Must make room in the studio, which I THINK is still there, buried under piles of fabric, lace, holiday decorations, supplies.  *sigh*.  I need a maid!

Hugs,

Crazy Quilts for the Cure

In celebration of National Breast Cancer Awareness month, Crazy Quilting International has listed three quilts for sale on Ebay.  Ninety percent (90%) of the proceeds will to to the Susan G. Komen Foundation; the rest is just to cover administrative and material costs.

These quilts were assembled from blocks stitched with love by the members of CQI (an online Yahoo group for crazy quilters; see link on my sidebar).   Leslie Ehrlich did the assembly, binding and backing.

Golden Crazy Quilt for the Cure:
*http://tinyurl.com/3ny5kpa*

Crazy Quilt for the Cure:
*http://tinyurl.com/4yntky9*

Another Crazy Quilt for the Cure:
*http://tinyurl.com/3zzfyma*


A Tribute to Mother Breast Cancer Wall Hanging:
*http://tinyurl.com/3en8ybr*
 
At this point, they all have at least one bid on them, so they will all sell.  But I would like to challenge you all to dig deep and if you can afford to, make a bid on one of these lovely pieces!  (I have, and I have my fingers crossed!).

Hugs,

And the Winner is . . .

Thanks to everyone who entered my celebratory drawing for a $25 gift certificate to my Etsy Shop!  After submitting the 128 entrant numbers to Mr. Random Number Generator, he spit back this:

Min: 1

Max: 128

Result:

40

Powered by RANDOM.ORG

And then counting down the entries, the winner is………. DOLORES from Canada!   Congratulations, Dolores!  I have sent you a private email so that we can “take care of business”, LOL.

Again, thank you to everyone for participating.  I would love to be able to gift every single one of you, but that would about break the bank!  ;-)

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One of our daughter’s (Bruce’s daughter Stacy) had a baby girl last night!  After only 3 hours of labor, Stacy gave birth to Remington (she will be called Remi).  They already have a little boy named Hunter who is 2 ½.  Tonight we get to go visit them in the hospital!  From the only picture we’ve received (by cell phone), I can tell she is a cutie.

I have some goodies that I unearthed at an Estate Sale last weekend.  I’ll show pictures of that later this week, along with a cool vintage brooch I found on Etsy.

And autumn (Indian Summer) has arrived here in the Salt Lake Valley. I’m trying to get some good  pictures of our yard, the Farm, and the mountains to share. We had the chimney swept, the furnace got its yearly exam, and Bruce is off to get wood tomorrow.  Hopefully it will be soon be cold enough to have a fire in the fireplace during the evening!

Hugs,

It’s time for a quarterly review of my artistic goals for this year.  I am finding that a lot of my goals have changed over time, and am now questioning the wisdom of yearly goals.  Maybe quarterly is better to allow flexibility?  Quilters, sewers, embroiderers, actually any crafter in general, knows that eventually some things will end up as UFOs. We lose interest or momentum, and the desire to see it finished.  Into a drawer it goes. I’ve read in several blogs that people are realizing that the reason some projects become UFOs is because interests and tastes change.  If they didn’t, I guess we’d all still be wearing poodle skirts!

So let’s quickly review:

1.  Goal:  Participate in 3-4 CQ round robins.   100% complete.

2.  Goal:  Piece my “CQ by 2012” quilt and have half of seamwork done.
Progress:  Nada.  I will still call it 10%, since I have my ideas and color schemes in mind.

3.  Goal:  Enter at least 2 CQ or quilting competitions.
Progress: 50%  (CQI annual handbag contest, entered and won first place).

4.  Teach a CQ class locally.
Progress:  0%.  And it will not happen this year; too many other irons in the fire. One of the things I'm thinking of is teaching basic sewing classes to girls in the neighborhood, next year.

Sandy and Cathy at CQI Retreat

5.  Goal:  Attend 3 CQ retreats or gatherings.
Progress:  I have attended two of three retreats, and will be attending the third, Val Bothell’s Pink Bunny in Wichita, next month.  67%.

6.  Goal:  Take a class with Carole Samples
Progress: I’m enrolled to take this at the retreat next month (Oh Happy Day!) and will soon be 100%. But for now, let’s say 50%.

7.  Goal:  Finish or give away at least 3 UFO’s.
Progress:  100%. This was done at mid-year.

8.  Goal:  Finish Seascape Valance. 
Progress:  Seriously? I HAVE been working on it. My first step is to stitch seam treatments over all the fused seams, and I worked on it at the CQI retreat, getting quite a bit done. I will be doing a post later this month to re-introduce this project to my readers and show my progress.   20%.

9.  Goal:  De-stash.
Progress: 100%.  I took several garbage bagsful to the CQI retreat in Colorado for the Stash Dash, and donated more stuff to the fire relief effort for Texas stitchers being coordinated by Shari at the Yahoo StitchMap group. I have even dug into my tubs of fancy fabrics to sell assortments on my Etsy.

10.  Goal:  Sew a quilt for granddaughter London.
Progress:  Well… I am getting antsy to do it, does that count?  LOL.  It’s getting colder here, and London loves to nap with blankies.  One of these days I may just whip out fabrics and have at it.  Everything is gathered, though.  25%

Need to get this listed!

11.  Goal:  Ramp up Etsy presence.
Progress:  My sales have been going great, and I have rearranged my schedule (have quit my bookkeeping job at the Farm) to accommodate more time with Etsy. I have over 100 listings at any given time, and I still have so much more to do.  But my goal (ramping up) is met 100%, even though I plan to keep growing. Especially with the Holiday crafting and gifting season coming!

12.  Goal:  Begin reselling vintage fabrics, linens and collectibles.  Progress: Rolled into #11.

13.  Goal:  Conduct a local sew-for-charity event.  100%.

14.  Goal:  400 blog posts. Nope, I just don’t talk that much, LOL!
       Goal:  3 Giveaways and 2 Tutorials:  100% (counting current giveaway)
       Goal:  Reach 250 followers.  100%.   Thank you, dear friends!

Overall progress:  roughly 62-65%, about where I should be. And it probably won’t get better than that, considering my abandoned goals.  But I am happy,  especially as I recapped it all, because it represents a lot of work.

Next year: no formal goals.  Maybe some quarterly targets to shoot for, but that’s it!

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Don’t forget to enter my 250 Follower Giveaway!   You just need to leave a comment on yesterday’s post (link here) and you will be entered to win $25 of merchandise of your choosing from my Etsy shop.  And I add new things every day!  Deadline is Sunday the 16th and the drawing will be on Monday the 17th.  Good luck!

Hugs,

Giveaway Time Again!

Better late than never (which seems to be the story of my life, LOL), it’s time for the long-promised Crazy by Design Giveaway, which I promised to have when I reached 250 subscribers. So let’s get to it!

Golden Dyed Venice and Tulle Butterfly

The Prize:   A $25.00 e-gift certificate to my Etsy Shop.    The winner will get a special coupon code to enable them to select $25.00 worth of free merchandise from my Etsy Shop (see link in sidebar). You will be able to select from my hand-dyed golden venice laces and appliques, DMC perle cotton threads, zippers, twill tape, or other sewing supplies; other laces and trims,  fancy fabric assortments; vintage sewing patterns, and whatever else I can get listed between now and the deadline!  :-)

How to enter?  Just leave a comment on this post.  Make sure that you leave an email address if your comment does not link back to your blog or email address. I must have a way to contact you!  Entries without a means of contact will not be considered.  

Deadline:  All comments must be made on THIS POST and THIS POST ONLY by Sunday evening, October 16, 2011.  Midnight my time (Mountain Daylight) or as long as blogger time stamps it before midnight of the 16th.

On Monday afternoon (can’t get to it before then), each post will be assigned a number in chronological order.  Then our old friend, Mr. Random Generator, will select the winner.  I will post that name and number on Monday evening.

That`s all there is to it.  No extra entries for being a subscriber (although if you’d like to subscribe, we would love to have you!) and no other hoops to jump through. Easy is Good.  :-)

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Next post:  My 3rd Quarter Goals Assessment for this year.

Until next time!