Intercession

Do you remember January break during college? Either you could take a mini course or spend 4 weeks at home doing nothing, hanging with your friends, or getting on your parents' nerves. As an adult, I now view January as Intersession and an opportunity. Being away from home frees me from all the routine and mundane chores of regular life, leaving extra time for enrichment.

I always try to do something new and different. Sometimes I stick it out, sometimes I don't. This "intercession" I've signed up for three classes! I'm hoping I find the discipline to follow through, because I'm also trying to launch a new quilty product (Woo Hoo!).

I'm taking Painting Bootcamp at The Studios of Key West with Rick Worth. The first class was yesterday. You walk in empty handed and leave with a painting. This was my blank canvas and my paint ( in the upper right corner).

Rick is a self taught painter and has quite a unique technique, not the least of which is using high gloss latex house paint in only 5 colors - red, blue, yellow, black and white!

He uses his clothes as a rag, during his demo, which I of course found endearing.

And I can't believe this is what I left with after 2 1/2 hours.

And, of course, I had to wear my work!

I'm also taking an on line class at Sketchbook Skool called How To Draw Without Talent with Danny Gregory. It is broken down into 26 very short videos. The mini promo video was sketching a dog. How could I resist. My goal is to be able to use a sketch as a jumping off point for a quilt. I really want to be able to do collage type dog quilts. (Bailey and Abby, are you listening?)

The third class I am taking is also an on line class with Abbey Glassenberg, of While She Naps. The topic is email marketing. Growing my newsletter subscribers is my goal. (If you haven't yet signed up, it would be a good thing for me if you did, by clicking HERE, or sharebthis with a friend.) I'm sure to some of you that sounds very boring, but it is fascinating to me. There are so many facets and parameters to this topic. It is so essential to my business of sharing my quilts, techniques and products. The behinds the scenes goings on of the quilting business is certainly fascinating to me. It's a small industry with lots of intertwined relationships. Some segments are shrinking while others are growing.

I'll try to share my "Intersession" experiences as the month progresses. Do you take classes other than quilting?

 

Posted with Blogsy

I Felt Like A Liliputian

I felt like a Liliputian in the land of giant lily pads. 

I was at Longwood Gardens for their Nightscapes special exhibit. I wish I could share photos of this amazing exhibit. It started at 8:00PM and it was dark. I felt I wanted to be in the moment rather than looking through my iPhone taking photos that probably wouldn't work. All I can say, if you get the chance to go, do it. There were 2 outdoor exhibits in particular that were teamed with music and were absolutely amazing. The entire exhibit went from ethereal to eerie to other worldly. 

I went early to visit the orchid room and see the giant lily pads. The lily pads are seasonal, so I look forward to seeing them. Boy was I surprised when I looked up and saw a fellow quilt guild member in a green Longwood guest. Holly is a docent and she shared a bunch of Longwood tidbits with me. 

I'll save my orchid photos for another time. I have a project in mind for them. But here are some from the lily pad courtyard. Just as a frame of reference, those pads must be around 4 ft across. Wouldn't you love to float on one?