tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-268822772024-02-07T09:51:17.033-08:00Kwiltin' MommaKarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08955987940824422810noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26882277.post-30487183997240770982010-01-18T12:06:00.000-08:002010-01-18T12:37:09.026-08:00I thought that I had only left this blog a few months ago but see that I last posted on Aug of 2007. Where has the time gone.....<br />You may have noticed that the blogs leading up to the last one were busy, in fact, overwhelming... and that's what happened. I took on too much and burned myself out. But I think that I am finally back again. Older and maybe a bit wiser........<br />Since Aug, 2007, I thought to sit down and write many times but I never seemed to have anything to say once I sat down. The same thing happened when I sat at the sewing machine to quilt.... nothing.....so I took up a past creative outlet. I went back to knitting. Wow!! Has that world ever changed in the time that I was away.....the fibres, colours, pattern choices and so much more....I haven't knit anything earth shattering or breath taking but I have knit myself back to creativity and wholeness......<br />I did it mostly by knitting for others. I began by knitting socks for myself, then my husband. Soon I was making them for DD and SIL - do you know much yarn it takes to make size 15 socks?? Then I ran across a charity group on Yahoo called C4C - Caring 4 Canadians. I found my charity to knit for. This is a very non-profit group - they collect no money - buy the yarn, etc from their own pockets - pay their own postage - and that's the way they want to keep it. Because it's not about the money raised, or the books to be kept or the organization to be run, but about one person helping another in need.<br />What do they do? They knit preemie items for Brantford General Hospital, McMaster University Hospital and St. Joseph Hospital. Work with the KW Our Place and Pregnancy Centre as well as teen pregnancy centres in Quebec. We have liasons who work with the Canadian military to make hats, soap savers, cool ties and other items...... The list goes on and on. Why did I chose this as my charity? Because I wanted to do something that I knew would affect someone personally. I wanted what I did to matter to someone and that's how I feel as I knit a preemie hat, a baby blanket or a hat for one of our soldiers serving overseas......and this knitting helped bring me back to creativity......<br />It's been a bit of a journey but one that had to be made, to learn about balance in our lives, appreciating life's small joys and finding out what is really important in life. Take the time to live life, it sounds trite but it isn't.......Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08955987940824422810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26882277.post-119718029867341562007-08-31T06:48:00.000-07:002007-09-04T07:20:22.700-07:00<strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvmA1aSw-dDKgHCGvb2AyE8dJD-adfB4T8UIOtY049OUp-s6BR0g4VQMzeDsKJ0_QAkPbHBFmDK2vH574ca-dNd3kZ2It_W_EwEC6Gb2SWxIDhWechvSlZ_Nd2SU1Th6STQdh-/s1600-h/IMG_2019.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_" style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 257px" height="205" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvmA1aSw-dDKgHCGvb2AyE8dJD-adfB4T8UIOtY049OUp-s6BR0g4VQMzeDsKJ0_QAkPbHBFmDK2vH574ca-dNd3kZ2It_W_EwEC6Gb2SWxIDhWechvSlZ_Nd2SU1Th6STQdh-/s320/IMG_2019.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a> Ah, back to almost normal...</strong><br /><br />After a very busy summer, I am almost back into the swing of work and sewing/quilting. The distractions were all great ones - an anniversary/graduation celebration and a wedding. But now it's time to get back 'real life'.<br /><br />This small crazy quilt piece is my July BJP - before the beads are added. This has been an interesting process even thought I am REALLY far behind at this point. I haven't even started June or August and here it is Sept.<br /><br />I was going to put off starting July - even though I knew exactly what I wanted to do because I didn't have June done - then I remembered Robin saying that there are no BJP police and I jumped the line...... I do know what I want for August and will prepare the base for that one in the next few days. All of the bases will be crazy patched, it's the embellishments and stories that will change.<br /><br />This is also becoming an ever changing work in progress. Each time I think I have worked through all of the kinks something seems to happen and I am back to re-thinking. Right now I am back to trying to figure out if I want to be able to display these pages as one whole unit or do I want to display them as individual pieces? Initially, I had decided that I wanted to be able to hook them together into a 'whole quilt' using the borders as a form of sashing. The problem is finding a border that will suit the different color that I already have in mind.....and until I figure the single vs the whole out I can't finish the edges......a proverbial Catch 22.<br /> The next blog will have some pix of the piece with some of the beading done and an explanation of the fabric/color choices......<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHb3GL4Bn5szdSWL8azxh9QU9tSR1bteLGQJflSo5BSf6j0foEeLj6Zq3UFHKZk3xUP-ZZdPXYf9YWbIFH9LgwP7Ic6yHPb-aqbz2ZgiPHEd6Wk8aTSg03R9ZIhEzdm923EylT/s1600-h/IMG_2021.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_" style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHb3GL4Bn5szdSWL8azxh9QU9tSR1bteLGQJflSo5BSf6j0foEeLj6Zq3UFHKZk3xUP-ZZdPXYf9YWbIFH9LgwP7Ic6yHPb-aqbz2ZgiPHEd6Wk8aTSg03R9ZIhEzdm923EylT/s320/IMG_2021.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="CLEAR: both; TEXT-ALIGN: left"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: 0% 50%; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; moz-background-clip: initial; moz-background-origin: initial; moz-background-inline-policy: initial" alt="Posted by Picasa" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" align="middle" border="0" /></a></div>Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08955987940824422810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26882277.post-49555463773982410522007-08-31T06:36:00.000-07:002007-08-31T06:46:21.728-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0gbIDz2OVVV6opu6RUS703y24r1EQBOZLoGgXBWRiYw5u1dnUJJyFGYfh23fn2aoCXu6kHZGtuUXHnROq1-Quzgv8IPwwfgHZ8zGMgPXHExT0oDDqosgADsDmWGhNb59UpmVj/s1600-h/DSC_9267.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0gbIDz2OVVV6opu6RUS703y24r1EQBOZLoGgXBWRiYw5u1dnUJJyFGYfh23fn2aoCXu6kHZGtuUXHnROq1-Quzgv8IPwwfgHZ8zGMgPXHExT0oDDqosgADsDmWGhNb59UpmVj/s320/DSC_9267.jpg" border="0" /></a> It is with great pride that I introduce you to the beautiful Bride and the handsome Groom!!<br /> I wrote in my previous blog about our daughter Katie getting married this summer. Here she is with her handsome husband Jimmy.<br /> We couldn't be happier for them!!<br /><br /><br /><div style="CLEAR: both"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: 0% 50%; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; moz-background-clip: initial; moz-background-origin: initial; moz-background-inline-policy: initial" alt="Posted by Picasa" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" align="middle" border="0" /></a></div>Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08955987940824422810noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26882277.post-80518200370189964732007-08-31T06:25:00.000-07:002007-08-31T06:43:18.945-07:00<strong>Where has the summer gone??</strong><br /><br />In my last post I thought that I had life in hand - I didn't. What I thought were bruised ribs were actually broken ribs and from there an entire new set of problems arose. But all is finally well and I'm back to about as normal as life gets.....<br /><br /><br /><br />Since that last post I attended the Vermont Quilt Festival.www.vqf.org. This is an annual trek for me - some people go camping I go to Vermont. The show was as wonderful as usual and the time away was rejuvenating.<br /><br /><br /><br />Once I was back it was time to get into the serious work of having a large party to celebrate our 25th Anniversary. Since our two children had also just graduated from their respective universities we decided that we would celebrate that event as well. Katie received her Honors B.Sc from Western here in Ontario and Mike received his BA from TRU in BC. Whew!! The icing on the cake was the upcoming nuptials of our daughter Katie to Jimmy McLean. Talk about a month of events. All went well and we all had a lot of fun!!<br /><br />The picture of Katie and Jimmy will appear in the next blog as I am having trouble figuring some of this blogger stuff out.<br /><br />I am also going to post my BJP in another blog as it too is in another form....this techie stuff is great when you get it but the learning curve can be steep for us non-techies.....<br /><br />Be right backKarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08955987940824422810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26882277.post-14137232121863044242007-06-04T06:13:00.000-07:002007-06-04T06:29:52.517-07:00<strong>Argh!!!</strong><br /><br /><br /><strong></strong>I have decided that bruised ribs are more annoying than serious. They allow you to do mundane stuff - like washing dishes without twinging - but don't allow you to do fun stuff - like crazy quilt patch sewing - pain free. Seems there is a motion in there that I have been totally unaware of before, that pulls on side muscles as I use the rotary cutter and raise and lower the presser foot on the sewing machine.<br /><br /><br />This wouldn't be really annoying if I weren't signed up for the Bead Journal Project - BJP - <a href="http://beadjournalproject.blogspot.com/">http://beadjournalproject.blogspot.com/</a>. And I have my June page all figured out, but I need my base or crazy patch to stitch on.....double argh!! The hand sewing of the beads doesn't bother my ribs, so once I have the base done I'm off to the races.....<br /><br /><br />I have had a few setbacks to my original focus - which is to try and translate embroidery stitches into beadwork. Seems it's already been done and is in a published book - Embeadery by Margaret Ball. I'm still going ahead but also plan to pick up Margaret's book and see how she approached the stitches. Just seems to re-enforce the feeling that there aren't any truly new ideas out there.....just different interpretations....<br /><br />Oh, well - that which doesn't kill us makes us stronger......one way or another I will figure this out......Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08955987940824422810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26882277.post-15726110011427495492007-05-29T08:31:00.000-07:002007-05-29T09:18:07.646-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirL2SI0Ve77RkBWFVuhUCkdIHazZmxwrbYsd4TlyI7v_IHiedozDrJCm-yK652oWI_F7QBnoxGx7YvEhZ0rqc33BIMyD1V4mYN419huJfl7eykIeQJVcJU5w0sweRWxdux92TL/s1600-h/IMG_1748.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirL2SI0Ve77RkBWFVuhUCkdIHazZmxwrbYsd4TlyI7v_IHiedozDrJCm-yK652oWI_F7QBnoxGx7YvEhZ0rqc33BIMyD1V4mYN419huJfl7eykIeQJVcJU5w0sweRWxdux92TL/s320/IMG_1748.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5070017045561063330" /></a><br />I'm In!!<br />Yesterday I wrote about two other blogs that had caught my eye - the TAST - and the Bead Journal Project. I contacted both of the list masters and was accepted. <br />You will see the link to the TAST ring on the sidebar of this blog - and a BIG thank-you to Debra for wading through the techie stuff for me and putting that link in. I sure have a lot to learn about blogs, links, rings, etc.....but if you learn a little each day it amounts to an awful lot by the end of the week, the month and the year!!<br />I also got accepted into the Bead Journal Project - I didn't realize that there was a cut off date of May 30 - so I slid in under the wire. I have posted my intentions on that blog but will also keep track of my progress and work here on my own blog. In reading some of the intro blogs I can see that I'm in with some pretty amazing people - here's hoping I can live up to the standard!!<br />Basically I will be experimenting with beads and embroidery stitches and creating a beaded journal page about it once a month....now I just have to figure out how to get my camera to take better close up pix than it does so that I can post some of the WIP (Work In Progress). The pix above is of some of my previous crazy patchwork but the photo doesn't do the work justice.....<br />Here we are again with that two steps forward, one step back....Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08955987940824422810noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26882277.post-80459246631303205052007-05-28T07:45:00.000-07:002007-05-28T08:10:27.393-07:00Two Steps Forward, One Step Back<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Ever feel like you're a hamster on a wheel that just goes around and around but you never seem to arrive anywhere?!? I'm feeling a bit like that these days....<br /><br /><br />The physio that I have been taking to rehabilitate my back has been wonderful - but it turns out that the bruising in my back may not be what slows my recovery - a strained rotator cuff - that's a muscle in the shoulder - may be my downfall. Seems when I flew back my arm/shoulder also whipped back, straining the muscle and like any muscle that hurts - you don't know that you are using it until it hurts.....but I am dutifully doing all of my exercises as I can't afford the downtime.....<br /><br /><br />What does any of this have to do with quilting? Lots - it makes you very aware of just how lucky you are <em>not </em>be be suffering with any of the many ailments that are associated with aging or overusing joints. Ask anyone who uses their hands what it's like to deal with carpel tunnel syndrome, arthritis, strains, MS, fibromyalgia - the list goes on. This little injury has been a wake up call to make me realize how lucky I am to be able to enjoy quilting as I have for the last 20+ years - relatively pain free.<br /><br /><br /><br />On to other thoughts..... I am using this more sedentary time to catch up on my reading and stitching handwork. In following some blog links I came across a group that is doing a TAST - Take A Stitch Tuesdays - an embroidery stitch is listed and the members of the group learn that stitch and then they try and come up with new variations of it. Too cool!! Then there is the group that are going to do a year long Bead Journal like the Quilt Journal. I have been playing with using beads to replace embroidery in crazy quilting - I call it Crazy Beaded Patchwork - and I am playing with the idea of joining both groups - the TAST to get the basic embroidery stitches but then 'play' with the variations while journalling in the Bead Journal. I find that I need deadlines to make me get the ideas that I have in my head into the fabric/fibre I see....and the journal sounds a lot better than the sampler book idea that I had come up with to try out the stitches in..... I'll contact each of the moderators, get their permission and let you know how it goes......Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08955987940824422810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26882277.post-64416944999333792672007-05-20T12:34:00.000-07:002007-05-20T13:04:38.672-07:00So Much for Resolutions....<br /><br /><br /><br />I looked back at my last blog and realized that my last posting was not just a few weeks ago - but almost a full 6 months ago.....some of my resolutions remain - others went quickly by the wayside.....<br /><br /><br /><br />In my quilting life I have been busy but not as busy as I would have liked. It seems that I caught a Catch-22 type spiral. I had hoped to have a bit more time for personal stretching and growing in my quilting, but when a big proposal was rejected and a number of classes cancelled due to lack of sign-up I went into a funk. I should have just picked up my socks at that point and said - there, the fates have given me the time to play!! But I didn't do that.... I futzed and putzed and can't even begin to tell you what I did with that precious time....but time - once spent - is gone - never to be returned or replaced.....<br /><br /><br /><br />Now it's serious sock pulling time!! Some deadlines have passed and still others are looming. And are coming quickly! I did manage to get my work together and shipped to the International Quilt Festival in Waterloo - the opening is this next week, May 22, 2007. My Crazy Beaded Vest and Clutch Purse will be there - I won't. I did also get my article written, directions and samples done for an upcoming issue of A Needle Pulling Thread. So I haven't been all bad - just not as productive as I could have been......<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I also had a bit of a wake up call these past few weeks. While leading a bus trip to Intercourse, PA , I suffered an injury on the bus that left me with bad bruising in my back and very painful muscle spasms. A word to the wise - when you see the sign that says 'No Standing On The Bus' - there is a good reason for the sign. I finished up leading the tour - we didn't miss anything except the Framers Market in downtown Lancaster - and promptly went to my family GP upon arriving home. The injury was 10 days ago and I already feel a lot better - but still have a way to go.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />What does this have to do with wake up calls - since I have been home I can't use my left arm/shoulder fully and that is affecting my ability to rotary cut and use my sewing machine. Something that I hadn't expected - so now I have to re-arrange some of my classes and work that needs to be done. If I had used that time that was 'given' to me in the winter - I would be in far better shape.....so there is my wake-up call - use your time wisely - and if the fates appear to conspiring against you - well, maybe they are just reminding you that you should adhere to the premise of making the most of each day...<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Carpe diem........Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08955987940824422810noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26882277.post-17399161957486352762007-01-02T08:36:00.000-08:002007-01-02T08:55:38.932-08:00<strong>Ah, New Year's Resolutions.....</strong><br /><strong></strong><br />What an amazing time of the year - it's out with the old and in with the new - but wait - that also seems to happen when we spring clean and for those who still have family in school, it's September that marks the new year!! Whatever category you fall into it's good to take a healthy look at your life - both where you have been and where you are headed to.....<br /><br />I have made my share of resolutions over the years - to lose weight, get organized, get things done well <em>ahead </em>of the deadline date - not right up to it. Like so many fellow resolution makers, I am still working on these.....<br /><br />So this year I decided to make a New Years resolution that was attainable - to adopt my Father's adage ' Carpe diem' - which translates to 'seize the day or the moment' .... this doesn't mean that I am not going to continue to plan ahead and set myself goals - but that I am going to try and seize those moments that pass us by while we're too busy trying to get all of our 'got to do its' in. Whether it's taking time to smell the roses, taking time to spend a quiet moment with a friend, or taking time to just stretch physically or artistically - I am going to try and steal some of those types of moments......<br /><br />What are your resolutions? Where do you want to be a year from now? What do you hope to have accomplished in this next year? You don't need to have climbed a mountain to feel good about yourself - just chose an attainable goal and strive for it. The journey is begun with a single step....<br /><br />Having said that, the sun is shining, the air crisp and clean and the puppy is full of energy - I think it's time to take a walk - one step at a time......Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08955987940824422810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26882277.post-1163441042497758792006-11-13T09:46:00.000-08:002006-11-13T10:04:02.513-08:00<strong>Stepping out of the box!!</strong><br /> <br /><strong> </strong> I was reminded of how much creatures of habit we are as I taught this past week. One of the students was having trouble 'seeing' what it was I was trying to say and I had to rethink how I was approaching the lesson. This is a good excercise for all of us to do now and again. To stop and think about what we're doing and why we are doing it a certain way. Is it because it's the only way we know how, or because we've done it so often that we don't even think of trying another route??<br /> <br /> If you think this doesn't apply to you , stop and think about the millions of things you do without 'thinking'. Do you always drive the same way to work, the library, the grocery store? Do you favor one style of book or magazine over another? Do you do just one craft to the exclusion of all others? Do you think there is only 'one' right way to do things? If you really want to shake things up , watch children who don't know enough yet to know there is only one right way to do things. They approach problems in a variety of ways - they'll try and put that round peg in the square hole.......and sometimes they succeed.<br /><br /> Many inventions have come about because someone questioned why things were as they were or were trying to find a better to way to do things. One of my favorites for quilting is the rotary cutter! Wow!! Has that ever changed the face of quilting - accuracy and speed have increased - sometimes to the detriment of the whole process. Just because you can make a quilt faster doesn't necessarily mean that you should. Sometimes it's the journey that brings the most pleasure and not the final destination.<br /><br /> And in a long winded way , what I'm trying to say here is - stop now and again and re-evaluate what you're doing and why you're doing it. Consider new ways to do things, whether it's teaching, learning or just living!<br /><br /> Step out of the box!!Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08955987940824422810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26882277.post-1163008135731189982006-11-08T09:35:00.000-08:002006-11-08T10:11:28.083-08:00<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7873/2818/1600/IMG_1862.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7873/2818/320/IMG_1862.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><strong>What a month!!</strong><br /><br />I know that I'm not the most consistent poster - but life has been full. Since I last posted, Marley, the new puppy in our lives has doubled in size! I had my car stolen out of my driveway, but thanks to an alert police officer on the Barrie force now have it back. Have taught at the CreativFestival as well as being asked to be one of the designers involved in the Jewels and Jeans fund raiser for the Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto. See, life is never dull!!<br /><br />Marley has been a good addition to the family - once you get past the puppy stuff - like house training and bouncy critters who just love to play. He has tons of energy and a fun personalty, but like many intelligent dogs such as poodles, he can also be stubborn. We just have to remind him who the alpha is in the house - and it's not him!! Marley has provided us with many hours of laughter and fun!!<br /><br />The CreativFestival ran from Oct 19 to 22, 2006 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. It's a large event featuring all kinds of creative endeavours - my favorite being the quilting, of course!! I am also now enjoying beads and beading and I did manage to see one or two things that caught my eye in those venues as well ;-) I taught 4 classes and was one of four teachers who taught in the Quilting Round Robin. It's always fun to get to the Festival and renew old aquaintances - some of whom I only see at the Festival!! It's amazing how much life there is to catch up when you only see people twice a year.<br /><br />My favorite new class this year was my crazy beaded patchwork. I get to mix my two loves, quilting and beading, into one project. The feedback was very favorable and there will defintely be more classes coming out of this style of quilting. The enthusiasm of the students is very infectious.<br /><br />I was also honored to be asked to decorate a pair of celebrity jeans for the Jewels and Jeans Auction. The proceeds will go to the Sick Kids hospital in Toronto - an amazing place that makes miracles happen for kids! My celebrity jeans came from Shayne Corson - former Toronto Maple Leaf - to check out these jeans and those of other celebrities, go to :<br /><a href="http://www.sickkidsauctions.com/jewelsandjeans">http://www.sickkidsauctions.com/jewelsandjeans</a><br />There is some pretty amazing stuff there!!<br /><br />Now I'm back in my sewingroom working on projects for the spring show and a few other ideas that I have percolating in my brain.....<br /><br />See you soon......<br /><br /> KarenKarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08955987940824422810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26882277.post-1159920575263512682006-10-03T17:06:00.000-07:002006-11-08T09:49:22.100-08:00<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7873/2818/1600/Karen%20Portrait%202.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7873/2818/320/Karen%20Portrait%202.jpg" border="0" /></a>Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08955987940824422810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26882277.post-1159800501701859122006-10-02T07:33:00.000-07:002006-10-02T08:01:45.816-07:00<strong>Sad Endings and Happy Beginnings</strong><br /><br />What a whirlwind this past week has been - physically and emotionally. We said good-bye to a very dear quilting friend on Tuesday afternoon, Eileen Chorley. Even though I didn't meet Eileen until 2002, I felt as if we had been friends for years. She always had a ready smile, a funny line and a mischeavious twinkle in her eyes!! Eileen was a war bride - although the fellow she married was British. She told me that she thought marrying a Bristish soldier would keep her at home in Britian, little did she know that her new husband wanted to emigrate to Canada. But being the determined lady that she was, she made a new home here and we are all the better for it. Fast forward many years and Eileen is a mother, wife, grandmother and friend and most importantly a quilter. That is how I met Eileen - she joined our quilt guild with her grandsons' kindergarden teacher, Loretta. I always looked forward to hearing of her latest adventures and projects. Eileen was a very proud breast cancer survivor, but also a lady who believed in giving back. One of her 'spare' time projects was to make chemo caps out of polar fleece for cancer patients at our local hospital. Unfortunately, her cancer returned and we lost Eileen. Good-bye dear lady, you're sorely missed!!<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7873/2818/1600/IMG_1826.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7873/2818/320/IMG_1826.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The same day as we said good-bye to Eileen, we added a new life to our home. Welcome Marley to the McCleary family!! Marley is a standard poodle pup and is about 11 weeks old right now. He is full of curiosity, energy and a cute ball of fur. Now begins the fun of house training, etc. We had a standard poodle named Dusty who was with us until last April when he passed away in his sleep at the age of 13. He was such a wonderful breed of dog that we thought we'd stay with the same breed. Right now I'm somewhat brain dead as we have bathroom needs in the wee hours of the night. My husband and I are sharing the duties, but since I have been out a lot this past week he's had more than his share of puppy patrol. We just keep reminding ourselves that he's a good pup and in the long run will be a wonderful addition to our family!<br /><br />Add into this mix that fact that the CreativFestival is just weeks away and that we have Thanksgiving this upcoming weekend - and you get the whirlwind feeling. Ah, life! Ain't it grand?!?Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08955987940824422810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26882277.post-1159114002710702532006-09-24T08:42:00.000-07:002006-09-24T09:07:38.783-07:00<strong>Warm Fuzzies</strong><br /><br /> Well, I am certainly not going to win any awards for being a daily or consistent blogger. But I guess I am only driven to write when I fell I have something to share.... and I'm not sure that I could make my daily life either interesting or funny enough to share every day. When I do write it's because I have something I want to share.....<br /><br /> As I was teaching a class the other day I noticed the wonderful synergy that happens when quilters gather - well, not just quilters, but that happened to be the group I was with - the support that flows out of these gatherings is wonderful. Whether it is simply a safe haven for someone to just breathe and relax - or for a mother to rant about the antics of her child/children - especially to hear that she is not alone and they usually grow out of it - and if they don't, how to cope. Or for someone who is dealing with a life altering disease - how to cope or just to get a badly needed hug and shoulder to lean on for awhile.<br /><br /> Now before you think that we don't get anything done and just sit/stand around in big, huggy groups, we don't. All of this love and support is filtered in between cutting, sewing, pressing and ohhing and ahhing at whatever color choices our neighbour made..... These exchanges usually happen over a day, a succession of days or evenings, or even months and years of gathering in the same groups. In between the tears and sadness there are also stories of joy and happiness - celebrations of healing, graduations, anniversaries and births to balance out the sad events.<br /><br /> In our hurry up, cell phone, pager, beeper society we seem to have lost that human touch. These classes, groups, sessions - whatever form they may take - fill in the very real need we all have for a bit of human contact - a real person to talk to !! And if you are having a hard time believing this - just phone any large corporation that has automated answering systems and feel the relief that you get <em>if</em> you finally get to talk to someone at the end of the maze of options, numbers and beeps that you have gone through.....<br /><br /> The point of all of this ? Maybe our grandparents were smarter than us with quilting bees, community socials, barn raisings and the like - yes, they were purpose driven - but they also built a strength into their lives and their communities because they were connected and felt connected......no lone gunmen, so to speak......Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08955987940824422810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26882277.post-1156605171677776152006-08-26T07:51:00.000-07:002006-08-26T08:30:52.220-07:00<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7873/2818/1600/IMG_1812.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7873/2818/320/IMG_1812.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><strong>The dog days of summer......</strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong>I don't know about you but when June rolls around it seems as if the summer will go on forever and as I make plans I always think that <em>this </em>summer I will actually get some of the things done that I think I will....... you'd think that I would know better by now but being the eternal optimist I don't.<br /><br />Mind, I am a bit further ahead than I usually am - just not where I thought I'd be. But some of the stuff that I have acomplished is better than I thought - so all things being equal I guess I'm not in bad shape.....<br /><br />Have I gotten you totally confused - I almost am and I'm writing this..... so let me back up. When the summer starts I usually plan to have all of my samples done, write-ups and supply lists done, etc for the fall season. Well, I'm partway there.... I do have 4 of the 5 samples done for the Creativfestival ( <a href="http://www.creativfestival.ca">www.creativfestival.ca</a>) in October - the last I hope to finish designing this weekend. But I still have some shop teaching samples and write-ups to finish and they should be done by now. How do I get sidetracked?? It's so easy in the summer - it seems to go on forever so I always think that I still have lots of time and I procratinate!! Not good but I admit it. Sometimes good things come out of that - it seems with some of my projects that the longer that I let them percolate<em> </em>in my thoughts the better they come out. It's just knowing when to stop brewing and start the physical production.<br /><br />The pictured quilt is just one of the classes that I will be teaching this fall . 'Circling the Stars' is one of those quilts that looks far more complex that it really is . I think that's why I like it so much. It also has the added bonus of stars - I have come to realize that I really like stars - I am drawn to any object with stars - I design quilts with stars - even one of my favorite machine quilting 'doodles' includes stars......<br /><br />Well, I should sign off for now - quit procratinating and get that last design done......Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08955987940824422810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26882277.post-1153833341954568112006-07-25T06:04:00.000-07:002006-08-26T07:50:20.293-07:00<strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Hazy, lazy summer days.....</span></strong><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Ah, the joys of summer in Canada - the days that we dream of all winter long - well, at least I do. Being able to roll out of bed and step right outside and feel the sun warming my face.....ah, heaven!!</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">It's also the time that classes tend to slow down as everyone else is also engaged in outdoor summer activities - golfing, gardening, camping, cottaging, walking and just generally being outside and soaking up as much sunshine and fresh air as we can. The slow down in classes opens up a window of 'free time' to devote to samples and trying out new patterns for the fall and winter classes. So while I do enjoy my outside time I do have to devote a certain amount of time to inside sewing.....a part of teaching quilting that many people don't realize. I'm not complaining just stating a fact. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">This is the same with show promoters, magazines, stores - anybody who works in any of the industries that deal with seasons. In the magazines they work about 6 months ahead - so while we are basking in the sun they are thinking of Christmas.....I personally am busy getting basic samples and prep work done for the The Creative Festival in October - <a href="http://www.csnf.com">www.csnf.com</a> - and have been thinking about the fall show since the spring one ended. I also have some long term work in the preparation stages - or idea stages for the spring 2007 show. Sometimes it's hard to think that far ahead - to know what students will want to see and do. On the other hand it does give you enough lead time to re-think a design or process in case it doesn't go the way you think it will. And believe me that happens more than I'd like sometimes - although with practice it happens less often. </span>Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08955987940824422810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26882277.post-1152799021731512422006-07-13T06:45:00.000-07:002006-07-13T06:58:29.360-07:00<strong>Inspiration - Where does it come from??</strong><br /><strong></strong><br />I often get asked how I decide what quilt I'd like to do and how I chose my colors. Sometimes I don't really have as many choices as you'd think - students ask for very specific classes so I do quilts to fit the requests. Same thing with colorways - if the quilt is for a class then I will chose colors that are most likely to appeal to a variety of people.<br /><br /><strong>BUT </strong>when I am choosing for myself - an entirely different set of 'rules' take over. Unfortunately I don't always have a lot of time left over after class samples to make things specifically for me. That is the reality of being a quilting teacher - what you want to do for yourself takes a back seat to what needs to be done first. This is not a complaint because I love what I do and I get so much pleasure from teaching that it is a small trade off. When I get to the point that I no longer enjoy teaching then I will stay home and sew just for me!!<br /><br />Surprisingly having to sew for others tastes has actually made me a better quilter. It has forced me to use colors that I wouldn't have used - pastels - I love bold contrasts - and it has made me look at patterns not the colors that were used in a quilt or project. It has also made me re-evaluate patterns and the ways in which we sew our quilts together. There is nothing like the challenge of a student to ask why you are doing something this way to make you think about just why you do sew in the way that you do...... are you doing it this way because it's the only way you know or is it truly the best way to do it??<br /><strong></strong><br /><br />If you are feeling very comfortable and haven't done anything challenging in a while - get out of that comfort zone and tackle something new - a new colorway - a new quilt pattern - take a class - anything and you'll be surprised at what it does for your creative juices......Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08955987940824422810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26882277.post-1152040194627082722006-07-04T11:49:00.000-07:002006-07-04T12:43:04.193-07:00<div align="left"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7873/2818/1600/IMG_1787.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7873/2818/320/IMG_1787.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><strong>Flying High!!<br /></strong><br />When I started this blog I thought it would be so easy to post something every day or so - well, it wasn't as easy as I thought. Between life committments and then being tongue tied or is it keyboard tied these days? I just haven't posted but I am starting again and hope to do better....starting now.<br /><br />I just got back from attending a great quilt festival better known as the Vermont Quilt Festival - to find out more about it visit their website at <a href="http://www.vqf.org">www.vqf.org</a>. I have been attending this festival annually since 1991 - this is my girls version of the guys going off to a hunting or fishing camp. Only I think this one is a lot more fun!!<br /></div><div align="left">When I first attended I was in total awe of the quilts that were entered in the contest portion of their show and felt that I would never be good enough to enter a quilt myself. To this day I am still in awe as I walk the show and see the caliber of quilt that is entered into this non-juried show. </div><div align="left"><br />Two years ago I plucked up my courage and shushed the little voices that said that I was over stepping my bounds and entered a quilt in the competition. I took a second place ribbon and I was one very happy quilter! Last year I had nothing to enter as the quilt I had thought of entering was elsewhere. But in checking the criteria I saw that I could enter it this year and did so . Drum roll please - not only did I get a first place ribbon but I was also awarded the prize for the entry with the most points from outside the US <strong>AND</strong> I received a Judges Choice award from Libby Lehman. I am still 10 feet off of the ground.<br /><br />I have included the photo above of Libby and I standing in front of my prize winning quilt - I'm the one on the left. So to all of you creative people out there who think that you'll never be good enough - keep plugging away and remember you'll never know if you're good enough unless you enter the contests.</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">I sure never thought that this could be me!! ;-)</div>Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08955987940824422810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26882277.post-1146667973338219392006-05-03T07:45:00.000-07:002006-05-03T08:02:50.566-07:00Exciting, exhilarating and Exhausting<br /><br />Whew!! I survived yet another weekend of lecturing at the Creative Sewing and Needlework festival in Toronto, Ontario.<br /><br />It's one of those amazing experiences that take a lot of prep work and a lot of 'show' time but it's also a great time for renewing and rejuvenate the creative juices. I have yet to attend the show either as a consumer or an artist and not come away without at least one new idea, thought or process. Sometimes I wish that I had come away with only one. ;-)<br /><br />To those who attend my lectures - thank-you, you are the reason that I continue to get invited back and the reason that I love to do what I do. For the most part what I do is quilting but it has taken on new directions in these last few years. Especially since I have found ways to combine a new passion with an old one - beads and sparkles with quilting. Your feedback and continued support help keep me fired up !<br /><br />It's also interesting how at one show I can see a technique and see no potential in it and at the next show it sparks a whole new thought process......I'll let you know how it goes and if what I saw in my head works out in reality...if it does I have found an interesting way to get shimmery water into my quilted landscape pieces.Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08955987940824422810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26882277.post-1146057425999070632006-04-26T06:02:00.000-07:002006-04-26T06:18:22.050-07:00New Kid on the Block<br />What to write as the first blog in what I hope will be an ongoing process?? Weighty stuff....do I try to tackle the meaning of life? Or do I just bore you with the mundane minutia of my day to day life??<br />Mainly I plan to tell you about life as a quilter - the ups and downs - the joys discovered and the projects that take on a life of their own....and not always in the direction that you hoped for....<br />At this moment I should be writing handouts to accompany my lectures at the Creative Needlework Show coming up this weekend in Toronto but I've hit a writers block on my thoughts - and these ones are the ones blocking the way - so I think if I get these words out I can write what needs to be done.....<br />I teach a variety of quilt classes from beginners through to intermediate but one element remains the same - we are all looking for an outlet for our creativity. And usually the only thing that stops us is our fear of failure or being something less than perfect in our attempts. When did our fears overcome our sense of adventure and wonder?<br />I was reminded in a lecture that I heard years ago - and I wish I could remember who it was so that I could thank them for waking me up - that we didn't learn to walk, talk or run in a day - so why do we assume that as adults we should be able to learn any new craft or artistic endeavour in a day??<br />So the next time you embark on something new - remember to be gentle with yourself and to give yourself permission to make mistakes - it's part of the learning process.<br />I'd like to end with this quote from Albert Einstein who I think sums this up so well,<br />" It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer. "Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08955987940824422810noreply@blogger.com1