Gratitude

Lots of you are probably busy getting ready for the big day. I am busy getting ready for the annual sojourn to Key West. It's a drive that I dread, but oh so worth it. I am vending at 3 big national quilt shows on the way home, teaching 3 classes at one of the shows and visiting a guild. I plan on launching a new pattern and a new product at these shows. I think most of my time will be spent prepping for the launch. However, I always make time to rejeuvanate and feed my creative spirit.

The Studios of Key West is a wonderful place that offers all kinds of classes, concerts and art exhibits. I plan on signing up for Painting Bootcamp with Rick Worth. I've wanted to take a class with this iconic Key West painter for years. I'm finally planning ahead and there's still room. I will also work there as a volunteer doing everything from bar tending to decorating for special event dinners to working at the front desk. I could be an usher at concerts, if I could only stay awake until 11:00PM!

There's nothing better than gifting with quilting friends. I had so much fun making these Kismet Trinket Boxes. The pattern is available HERE. It's from Sew Sweetness. I have never made anything like this, but the directions were pretty clear and I was so happy how they turned out.

I spent a bunch of time in my basement spray painting these magnetic pin holders.

This was one of my favorite gifts to give.

If you're on Instagram, these sweater quilts are all the rage from Kid Giddy. Most of them are Christmas themed. I love this one made for me by Pinkadotquilts. It will look perfect in my place in Key West. (If you want to make one you can buy the pattern from the Craftsy website Here.)

And so will this pin cushion, made by my friend Stephanie. It's a mini tuffet! So cute, with Allison Glass fabric.

It's nice to give and get gifts, but this year, the gift of friendship has meant the most to me. It has been both a wonderful year and a crappy year. With friends by my side I have been able to weather it all. From friends who helped me with my sweet Curvalicious business to those who leant an ear and sometimes a shoulder.

And family! Having my husband and best friend taking over the shipping, and accounting, and other bureaucratic' stuff has freed me up to focus on the creative side. And I love that my family is so proud of what I have accomplished.

And to all my fellow quilters, old customers and new customers, your support has kept me going through it all. Visiting guilds and quilt shows, sharing my stuff, brings me such joy. You've let me know that you like what I'm creating and offering and that means so much to me. Even when I am exhausted at the end of the day, my heart is singing!

So thank you to everyone. Thank you for your support. Thank you for your encouragement. Thank you for friendship. If I haven't met you yet, I hope to meet you one day. You all mean so much to me.

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Gift Bag Recycling

 

I accumulate gift bags. They are either bags that I buy, bags that I receive or bags from purchases at stores. I just hate to throw them away. I have even come p with a way to store them so they aren't overflowing out of my cabinets.

It's a rack made for baking sheets. It works great to store the multi sized bags and tissue paper.

I had 2 gifts that I needed to package and I just happened to have 2 kraft paper bags in my bag stash.

After cutting up a bunch of strips from green fabric

And ironed fusible web to the back side, to the count of 10.

 

I cut them and played with the strips to make a tree. Then ironed them to the bag.

I added some bling in the form of sequins and seed bees .

Added my gift and some tissue for a great presentation.

Sometimes it's as much fun to make the wrapping as it is to make the gift.

 

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Field Trip!

Who would have thought there would be such an amazing exhibit of Chihuly glass in Reading, PA? I should not have been surprised. Reading is the fifth largest city in PA and also home to GoggleWorks, a factory building turned into artists' studios.

The Reading Public Museum is host to the Chihuly: Venetians Exhibit until January 8, 2017. The glass works came from the George Stroemple collection in Oswego, Oregon. There are 60 pieces of blown glass which were done in collaboration with Murano Italian glass artists Lino Tagliapietra and Pino Signoretto that were created in the late '90s. There was a wonderful video showing these Masters turning glass into liquid taffy at the entrance to the exhibit. Here's a snippet of a video:

Many of them were large amazing pieces of art. My favorite ones, however, in this exhibit were his piccolo, smaller series.

 

 

 

It's just amazing how they coil the glass. You have to watcmake h the video.

Here's one of the flatter pieces that I liked. The color is so rich and deep.

There were other galleries in the museum. I am a big fan of religious art. It's usually about the shape of the frame.

 

This one is Russian and is a combo of a metal repousse and a painting.

I also loved the gift shop. I found lots of beautiful items made by local artists that were very reasonably priced as well as other items. I did some damage and got a great tip from the gift shop manager for a restaurant for lunch - Say Cheese. It was in West Reading with lots of cute shops.

It was indeed yummy. I love topping off a cultural visit with food.

And this was my favorite window eye candy. Wouldn't that be a great view outside your window?

 

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