C'est Fini!

The 2010 NBAQG Holiday Magic Quilt Show is in the history blogs - or at least it will be once the organizers tie up several hundred loose ends.  Our show has 3 co-chairs and when you sign on, it's for 3 shows.  We have our shows every other year so it's a long term commitment to say the least.  These 3 women co-ordinate the renting of the facility, set-up, take-down and everything in between and our guild members as well as the general public contributes the quilts for the show.  We had over 200 quilts this year!  From 8"x8" miniatures to large queen sized bed quilts, all were constructed by the artists who showed them.  If you are inspired by such things, you would have been just that at this show.  I know I was.  I showed 3 quilts.  Because I have sold quilts and taught others to make things, I have to show my quilts in the category "Master Quilter."  I hardly consider myself a master quilter - I keep trying to refine my work, but I'm no master quilter.  Rules are rules, however, so I just enter my quilts and hope for the best.  No ribbons for me this year.  Maybe 2012, we shall see. . .

Here are my entries:

Fiesta Animals - I designed this one.

This one is called Holiday Yummies.

This one has the fuzzy back.  Fabulous naps are guaranteed!

The back of Holiday Yummies.

Hollis and I love the Fiesta Animals.  They will be hanging on the wall in the living room as soon as I have time to put them up.  The pink one needs a home.  It has micro-plush backing so it is a a very cozy nap quilt.  I hope to sell it.  The Christmas quilt needs a home too.  The back of it is just amazing - guess I'd better find a photo of that too.

T

Mr. Tom

Alexis Anne, an unidentified friend and equally unidentified pup.

Then on the other quilt front, I have two new satisfied customers.  Tom picked up his quilt last weekend when he was in town to hang with the cousins and Katelyn went to Fairhope this weekend and delivered Alexis' quilt to her.  Wanna see the pix?  This is why I quilt - how can you go wrong wrapping those you love in something warm and beautiful.  I may not be a master but I sure am happiest creating, making, finishing and presenting my quilts.  Next up is Mr. Kagan - he wants plaids - not a problem.  I'll take some photos along the way.

Thank God It's Monday?

Okay, we've all had them - weekends so chocked full of activities that we begin to look forward to Monday so that we can get some rest.  Mine started Thursday!  I went to see Toy Story 3 in 3D with Morgan and Des and the boys.  One boy was entranced, the other, not so much but we did see the entire movie and the credits!  I mention the credits for 2 reasons.  The first is that all Pixar movies have something fun during the credits.  Sometimes it's outtakes.  I love the irony there - they take the time to generate incorrect lines and miscues to make an outtake reel - cracks me up!  The second is that this particular movie kicked my emotional butt!  I would have been bawling had I not been in the company of two young men who had only ever seen me one other time and I really didn't want to freak them out by sobbing in the theater.  It's a rough last 20 minutes or so for this one - don't say you weren't warned!  I was glad to have the credits to cheer me up before the boys could see that I'd been crying. Then on my way home, a friend asked me to help her alter a bridesmaids dress that she needed for a wedding on Saturday.  We worked on that until about midnight.  When she left, it fit - mission accomplished! 

I managed to remember all my contributions to the pot luck at work on Friday and since said pot luck was my idea, the pressure was great to show up with some main ingredients.  Mission accomplished!  Hollis and I ran an errand after work and grabbed some dinner but I knew Saturday was full to the brim and I was beginning to stress about my last show quilts' completion so when we got home, I set about to finish it.  I had to bind it, sleeve it and label it and PTL, I did!  Mission accomplished!  About 10:00 or so, my whirlwind child arrived.  He came in in filthy clothes, introduced me to the buddy he brought with him, showered, ordered his buddy - Cody Smith, by name - to shower, and the two of them were off to find a Friday adventure in New Braunfels.  They were both "asleep" in Clayton's truck on Saturday morning so I guess we can call that - Mission accomplished.

Saturday morning I had my monthly quilt guild meeting.  Everyone seemed calm.  I guess I was the only one who finished her last show quilt the night before - we turn them in for the show next Wednesday.  Next on the agenda was a facial.  Of course the card I got in the mail for $10.00 off my facial, was on the dining room table at home so I had to grab some drive thru lunch, drive home, get the card and drive back to New Braunfels to be at the spa by 1:15.  I was on time, the esthetist was running late.  I got my facial and a fancy hair do for the evenings event - Chris and Casey's wedding!  I've known the groom since he was in 8th grade and he and his lovely bride had a wonderful, traditional, beautiful wedding and some really great bar-be-que at the reception.  I am so happy that they included Hollis and me on the guest list.  Hollis and I wish them all good times and happiness in their life together.  3 events on Saturday's calendar - mission accomplished!

Sunday, I kinda dropped the ball.  Didn't make it to church but did get something else done.  Clayton and Cody's good buddy Garnet will be a dad next month and Clayton asked me to make a quilt for a baby boy.  I commenced gathering materials and then this morning, I decided to go ahead and get started.  Funny thing happened then.  In spite of having Harris (who lives here all the time) and Clayton and Cody and Tom (nephew from Houston) and Barrett (another of Clayton's pack) moving in and out of the house all day, I managed to FINISH the baby quilt top!  Baby Rhett (whom Clayton has already nicknamed DoBro) won't arrive for a few more weeks but when he does, I will embroider his name and birth date on this quilt top and get it over to Wonder Wilma for quilting.  Mission accomplished and I didn't even get the mission until last Wednesday.  There is one more load of laundry that needs to go into the dryer and a couple of household chores didn't get done but hey - I had a busy weekend!  So I will go to work tomorrow to get some rest.  Bet it doesn't happen like I think it will. . .

Summer Reflections - 2010

I think it's much cooler this summer. There are facts to back it up but I can just feel how much cooler it is than last year. We had nearly 60 days over 100 degrees last year. We have higher humidity this year, but I am really enjoying the cooler afternoons. Mom, Kate, Chelsey and I floated down the Comal River last weekend and it was sure warm enough for that. I don't mind at all if we wait another week or two, or even until August for triple digits. The tradeoff for this coolness, besides the rain and greenery and flowers, is the mosquitoes. They are abundant and mean as ever. Ahhhhh - balance. . .

The New Braunfels Quilt Show entitled Holiday Magic, will be the weekend of July 23-25. I hope you'll come if you can. It's going to be a great show. I hear there are well over 200 quilts in the show. We have vendors, silent auction and lots of inspirational works of art. It is held at the New Braunfels Civic Center on Seguin St. I have 3 entries in the show. I'll post photos of them when the show is over. It's lots of fun getting ready for the show. Hope to see you there. . .

We are getting used to having just one dog in the house. It's just not the same. Cricket seems lonesome but I may just be projecting that on to her. My kitten, Batik, is very cuddly and entertaining so I'm trying not to be so sad. I can hear the cicadas outside. Must be summer time. . .