Freight Trucks, Friends, Family & Furniture!

So, what's the deal here? Freight trucks? I'm kidding, right?

Friends and Family is easy to figure, but Furniture?

What's the common denominator here? It had better be quilt related you say...

Well....get comfy at your computer, pour yourself that second cup of coffee, perhaps nibble on a (healthy) snack for a bit - sit back, relax, and reflect with me on the happenin's in the life of this Quilt Rambler...

Okay, so you saw the truck..but you'll have to wait a tad to see what was inside. The above photo is the friends part and you'll have to wait on that part too if I'm going to tell this tale in chronological order..

And before anyone wonders, here's Pixxie - my blog/life wouldn't be complete without including a photo of my favorite pup preforming her job as a Professional Quilt Model (thanks Dot for understanding that she's just got to pose, I hope there wasn't any Pixxie dust on your beautiful quilt)...but this too is out of order...so let's move on to FAMILY!

Here's my girls, and my guys --- I just love it when we can all get together and enjoy our favorite local establishment...A night out at LaBrisa is always a night to remember! We started the month of April off in style!

Yeah, yeah, that's part of the family part, but the big news this month was getting all of us together ( my guys and gals) along with my sister, brother-in-law, nephew, nephew's girlfriend to celebrate my mother's 75th birthday.

And yes, I can publicly declare that mom's a cute 75 - in our family we've always been proud of our age, counting each year as a special blessing from the Lord. No one denying all those years of His grace. Mom loves the Astros - when she and dad lived in the Houston area they would go to a lot of the home games, especially around her birthday...so it was only fitting.....

Now you have to know, we are known for being cheap dates and don't mind at all sitting in the nose bleed section...hate to admit the stairs took a little longer to navigate, but exercise keeps one young, right?! Up until this date the Astros were on a losing streak...they must have got the memo that it was mom's birthday celebration and they rewarded her with a fine win! It was truly a good birthday celebration (love those Super Pretzels!)

Adding to an already busy month, on Tuesday April 12th we celebrated our 31st Anniversary with a lunch date at Joe's Crab Shack in Kemah on the boardwalk. My how time flies when you are having fun!

And yes, that's my hubby cleaning the carpet in my studio....what a guy! The story behind this photo had to do with some clean up due to my precious pup's few rough days of tummy upset....Nuff said (and yes, she's back to normal, thank you for asking). Of course, if furniture gets moved for any reason it's my excuse to move more!

You guessed it, this is where the furniture part of this ramble comes in.

Time to re-arrange the studio...below is just one of many messed up studio photos. My youngest never understood why I messed up to clean up...but that's how I operate. Move everything to the center of the room, find a new place for it and before you put it up sort through to organize, discard, rearrange, etc. Spring cleaning at it's best...

Ah, but I'm not telling the whole story behind the rearranging...that's where the freight truck enters back in....This is one of several rather large crates that arrived this past week...can you guess what's inside this 10+ foot crate???

My new longarm! Actually my Second A1 - yep, I love my machine so much that I bought a second one (grin). This one is 10 feet whereas the first one is 12 feet... And how convenient that my studio is right off the carport....

My fellows must love me.

My youngest has been wanting to go on a set up with us to learn how we put together the longarm tables...well, he got his training this week by being his dad's helper. I got the day off (yea, right - that studio was all tore up remember?)

Oh, and did I mention that I have guests coming so the machine has to be put together AND the studio all put back together...by the next day!! ah, but I'm getting ahead of myself again (grin)

Normally the Professional Favorites package with A1 comes with our patented Eurgo-Lift hydrolic system already installed on the table - since I special ordered a 10 foot table instead of a 12 foot and since the company just happened to have one already crated without the Eurgo-Lift installed and since we are dealers......well, we had a extra step, a good learning experience on how to install the Eurgo-Lift to the table, something that is normally done at the factory....It wasn't hard, but took more time that normal so it made for a long day...

Oh! I neglected to mention why a second machine....

drum roll please....

For several reasons....one because my husband would like to join me in the quilting adventure (above is his "training" on how to load a quilt)...other reasons include work load - having one longarm for all over/edge to edge quilting and the other one for custom quilting - this allows me to have two waiting lists - since all over quilting is typically faster that line will move faster, where as custom quilts can sometimes tie up the frame for weeks....my idea of working more efficiently which will reflect in a better turn around time for my customers...

AND! One of the exciting reasons - to be able to offer more open studio days for demos to those inquiring about longarms and offering longarm classes here in the studio! Two machines means more hands on time for students. Plans are to begin this summer. (If you are interested in either a demo or classes please visit my website www.quiltsnkaboodle.com and let me know of your interest).

So, back to my narration... by the time the machine was together, the studio cleaned it was well into the night. But there was still a little time to train on using the panto (edge to edge) side of the machine...other lessons will follow. By the way, he was a good student (grin).

Here's a look at the new studio red0....less than 24 hours old as of this writing - and subject to rearranging as I live, work, and settle into a new layout....

The above view is at the doorway coming from the kitchen entering the studio. The first machine is the 10 footer with the 12 footer behind.

If you were to look directly right as you entered the room you'd be at the sewing side of the room...this is a temporary arrangement as the wall behind the tables will "come tumbling down" soon as we enlarge the room to take in the laundry room behind it. For now, a little crowded, but it will do (grin).

Standing at the edge of the sewing side (by the laundry room door) you have the view above of the larger longarm - again, still some work to do - I've got to rearrange the quilts on the wall too!

The photo below shows what's behind the machine...my "tunes", necessary fan (this is hot humid Houston remember), and plenty of fun fabrics to encourage me to finish up my work so I can take time to sew!

Here's another view from the laundry room vantage point that shows both my machines. There's a love seat/sleeper sofa at the window which is fondly called "Pixxie's perch" - she loves to look out the window, so when shopping for a new couch we had to audition the back to make sure it was wide enough for my precious pup.

Here's a peek behind the new longarm - the top shelf is loaded with my personal quilts (and batting) with part of the lower shelf housing finished quilts as well as my personal "quilts in waiting" - again, a visual reminder that I want to finish what I've started...don't want my kids inheriting unquilted tops...but then again, they'd at least inherit the machines to finish them (grin). The drawers behind are my thread drawers - the same ones that used to be behind the original longarm (see photo where the carpet is being cleaned for reference).

Okay, here's a look at the unfinished area. The door to the right with the lilac trim leads into the kitchen and the door to the back is the wall that will come "tumbling down" (I keep thinking about Jericho and the song I learned back in vacation Bible school as a kid). Needless to say, this is a work in progress. But hey, never let it be said I hold anything back! I show the good, the bad, and the ugly - er - potential!!

Whew, if you've hung on this long through my ramble you are to be commended! Now comes the friends part....getting the studio back together last night was well worth is as the Bayshore Longarm Quilters joined me this morning for our quarterly gathering.

Not everyone that came is in the photo....a couple of gals had to leave early and if you'll refer back to the photo above you'll notice that two of us "switched places" to take the photo (grin).

A little history...I founded this group as a gathering of like minded folks who wanted to be "community instead of competition" And we are true to our motto! We gather, share, encourage, laugh, talk, breath quilts! My favorite part is show and tell....I'll let the photos speak for themselves of the many talents of our group - many driving well over an hour to attend!

Show and tell includes "how would you quilt this? (above)

(This pattern of Texas above is an original of Mary pictured below - if you are interested email me karen@quiltsnkaboodle . com and I'll put you in touch with Mary to purchase the pattern)

Some of us really get into sharing our show and tell (grin)

After show and tell we moved to the studio and several were able to play on my new machine...yes, my mom taught me, "it's nice to share".

I realized today, and not for the first time, how truly blessed I am. I'm blessed with a fabulous network of friends and family who love me, support me, encourage me, and sometimes "set me straight" (grin). It's truly amazing how many things have come together just recently for me to see a light on the path I'm on. Sometimes things haven't been as clear...but all God asks is for us to trust Him one step at a time. It's my goal to continue to grow - in my skills as a quilter, as a quilting teacher, as a person, and in my faith. I like the way Paul put it in Philippians 3:12-13.

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected, Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended BUT RATHER - I forget those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.

Truly the days ahead are full of unending joy - because I walk with the Lord and am grateful for the precious gifts He's given me. The gift of life and enjoying His creation!

My Colorful Past

If you are thinking this is going to be a blog of true confessions you are partly right (grin) - however, it's not what you think!

These blocks are part of my colorful past...bits and pieces of leftovers from previous quilts or parts that didn't quite make it in design and were discarded - what we as quilters often refer to as "orphan blocks".

My goal - to make these orphans into a family, how be it, with the chance of being a dysfunctional family - but these blocks needed to feel loved and needed, proving that they indeed had a purpose.

So out of the hidden places in the studio they came. Blocks that haven't seen the light of day since being carefully packed away waiting for "some day" when they could be used as intended.

Some day came today. An opportunity to remember the past and rejoice over all the fabrics. As my friend Annette said today "you certainly aren't afraid of color!" Yep, all these fabrics were -are - my friends. I bought them because I liked them, so if I chose them then they ought to play together nicely shouldn't they?

I like the memories too. There's a couple of blocks that were the results of classes with national teachers at International Quilt Festival(s). There's the log cabin block from one of my very first quilts- make 10 years ago! There's parts of quilts that I no longer own - one was gifted as a baby gift and blocks from a quilt that was given to a family after a fire. Two blocks aren't mine - they were a gift from my friend Delores, the pink basket and the blue basket. These are adopted orphan blocks (grin).

Little by little parts and pieces were added together as the puzzle began to take a life of it's own. Try this, try that. Trim this, add to that.

Back to the design wall, try again. Nope that one just doesn't seem to want to work out for now.

Finally all the ones that were suppose to be in this quilt top found their place.

There were many that were hopeful of being in the quilt, but they just didn't make it.

Next came the audition of border fabrics. It's a good thing I had a nice stash in the back of my car to choose from. Who would have thought? It wasn't prearranged, but it came together.

By midnight the borders were pieced but haven't been added to the quilt yet. I plan on mitering them and that takes math. Something I love, but am better at fresh in the morning.

Yep, it's a quilt I call "My Colorful Past" because it holds memories of other quilts or just favorite fabrics that I've picked up along the way of my quilt journey. Somehow they fit together - a little crazy for some people's taste I'm sure, but the blocks are now functional in a quilt as they were created to be.

In a way, this reminds me of God and us as His children. He created us to spend eternity with Him. He wants us to play together nicely as a family. Some of us are a little wonky. Some of us shine the best in supporting roles where others stand out boldly as the leaders of the pack. Each of us unique. Sadly, some of us wander off the path and are like the blocks that were discarded - not making it into the family...perhaps to be given another chance another day. That's the neat thing about God - He's a God of second chances...adopting us into His family, where we belong, fitting us in and making it all come together....to be useful as intended. And to be loved.

Oh how He loves you and me.....

Off on another adventure

It's amazing what one can pack in a car if one has the desire!

I'm off on retreat this week - and I have high expectations.

The blue fabric bowl is full of scraps from recent quilts that are waiting to be "tamed" with my Go Cutter - that's what all the green things are - dies for my cutter.

See, I dearly love scrap quilts. And I hope to put together a really wild and wonderful one this week.

I've also brought several project boxes (far left) with UFO's to choose from. You can never have too many projects when you go out of town on retreat...cuz ya'never know what mood you'll wake up in and which project will catch your fancy that particular day.

Notice the drawer system in the middle? Well, that top draw is all my 2.5 strips and it just seemed easier to bring my drawer system (there are four drawers) with some of my fabric stash and work out of the back of my car instead of trying to pack things in a suitcase and lug it all in...

And behind all this is two suitcases with fabric bolts so I'd have some yardage to choose from as I work through my scraps.

Today's project was a UFO - I had already completed all the blocks from Debbie Maddy's Simple Stars Beautiful Quilts book - the pattern Broken Star - I adapted it to be cut with the Go Cutter and actually pieced the blocks using Bonnie Hunter's Leader and Ender technique - in other words, the blocks were pieced as I worked through other quilts (customer t-shirt quilts over the past few months). My goal this afternoon was to use the design walls at the retreat center for the proper layout. A task that took much longer than I anticipated, but happily accomplished while chatting with my fellow retreaters.

The beauty of a retreat is not only having uninterrupted time to work on personal projects, but to share the journey with my fellow quilters. Everyone works on something of their own...some are finishing up a project previously started while others have chosen a new project just for the week.

We love to celebrate the "ta-da" moments when someone has all their blocks together. It's a shame she forgot the border fabric. Oh well, on to the next project!

I can almost guarantee by the end of the retreat this t-shirt quilt will come together very nicely.

Mission accomplished for day one - by 10:30 PM the interior of this quilt is now complete. I too forgot the border fabric, so it's still a UFO, regardless, I'm a happy camper!

Stay tuned....there's more to come!

Website UP and we're in DALLAS!

We are in Dallas at Quilt Celebration - set up on Thursday...opened today. What fun! I have more photos and will catch you up on things in the next few days, but today I'm just plain tired, happy but tired.

The big news is after hours and hours of hard work my website is actually up! Only right now it's at .co and not .com

LONG story. Seems my new host isn't allowed on the company who owned my domain, so I've had to transfer domain providers. I've got a .com, .co, .us and .net with everyone pointing to .com

well....the transfers are extremely slow and for some crazy reason the .co got through the process first --- so! Please please go visit. www.quiltsnkaboodle.co and tell me what you think. If you find a typo or have suggestions fill out the contact us form on the site and be my editor(s)!

There are a few pages that I didn't have time to develop prior to the show...so hang on!

And I do promise more photos from the Dallas Quilt Celebration - it's a fabulous fun show and the quilts are amazing!!

more later

Still working!

Progress is slow going sometimes, but anything worth doing is worth doing right!

That said, I've been glued to my laptop for over 15 hours today (with a nice outdoors lunch break) uploading data, resizing images, editing my thousand and one typos (grin) all in an effort to regain my presence on the world wide web - and hopefully before the Dallas Quilt Celebration next weekend! I'm eager to share with quilters the beauty of being an A1 Quilter! If you are in the area, stop by booths 154-155 for a proper Texas howdy and a hug to boot!

Yep, progress equals change, and change sometimes takes professional help! I'm so pleased with my web design company Lew Sew Websites. We've worked over the phone

and through email to get the background design of my new website "just right" - now it's up to me to fill up the spaces. Not an easy task for this chatty lady! I've got so much to share!!

Currently the site isn't "live" - but again, I hope it will be within the week. I am certainly

enjoying learning a new content management system. It hasn't been painful at all, I guess because I'd created and managed my last website...oh but this one is sooooo much better! I'm no longer limited to someone's template, I'm able to add design/layout elements to my little heart's content! Pages and pages, images upon images...and with this new host I'm not limited to a certain number of pages! I can even have PDF files for my viewers to download! How exciting!

Lest you think all I've been doing is webdesign...I've managed to kick out a few customer quilts in addition to some personal quilts to hang in the A1 booth in Dallas next week...

This beauty occupied my frame for more hours than I'd care to admit... and yes, this is the back...I sorta like looking from that side first (grin)

The one pictured on the frame is one of mine....there's a story behind this one....10+ years in the "quilts in waiting" category... it's finally finished...that and two others...

....hum...somehow I've got to factor in time to do the binding on three lap quilts before Dallas...oh my...no rest for my wrists that's for sure!

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord....

I just love my job ....er....this passion called quilting!

Quilting Around the World - Or Where in the World Is the Quilt Rambler!

If I could have music playing on this post it would be good ole Johnny Cash singing:

I've been everywhere, man.
I've been everywhere, man.
Crossed the desert's bare, man.
I've breathed the mountain air, man.
Of travel I've had my share, man.
I've been everywhere.

I haven't quite achieved "everywhere" yet, but I'm working on it! And trying to keep it quilt related (grin)

If you've been keeping up with this Quilt Rambler you know that 2011 began in a whirlwind! New Year's Day was spent in Midland doing a set up for our new A1 Quilting Machine owner and straight back to H.town to join my husband's family at the ER where Pappaw was being admitted to the hospital with double pneumonia... I'm happy to report that after many weeks of illness that he is daily improving (thank you so much for your prayers!).

And if that wasn't enough to spin my globe my youngest son made his life commitment to the prettiest young bride on Jan 26th.

We couldn't be happier! Here's a family photo to prove it! My hubby, myself, my mom, the handsome groom, the beautiful bride, the proud big brother and his lovely lady. Yep, one happy day!

Oh, and to keep this quilt related - instead of a guest book at the reception the guests signed 5 inch fabric squares with their well wishes - this will later become an heirloom quilt for the happy couple as photos from their special day and their honeymoon will be added...

So, what's a busy gal to do after all this excitement? Take a tropical vacation of course!

As the honeymooners went on a 7 day cruise out of Galveston to the Bahamas and Key West, momma and dad took a 5 day cruise out of Galveston to Progreso and Cozumel looking for some relaxing time away from all the craziness. Bring on the sun!

Cruises are a lot about the food - my weakness, BREAD! Don't you think somehow this could be worked into a quilt design? Hum? I don't know....

I posted a lot of cruise photos on facebook and one friend commented that they weren't too surprised that I brought my own quilt...Yep, I truly am a quilter through and through!

I mean, how many gals can sniff out a fabric store in a foreign country!

Or bring their quilt magazines to read by the pool....(what else was I going to do on the deck? you certainly wouldn't have caught me in a swimsuit!!)

Cruises are a wonderful time to relax, regroup, and refresh. I'm so thankful that we were able to make this excursion. And the weather couldn't have been nicer - especially when we returned to find that the Houston/Galveston area had experienced extreme cold including ice on the roads! Yep, give me a tropical vacation any day.

Patiently awaiting my return is a beautiful batik basket quilt. This beauty has been on the frame for quite a while. In all fairness, it's HUGE! 98 x 112, a good sized king being quilted with a double layer of wool batting, creating a faux trapunto look, especially in the vase of the baskets..

Stay tuned for more photos as the quilt should be finished this next week.

Today was the quarterly gathering of the Bayshore Longarm Quilters here in my studio. We welcomed several new quilters - it's always fun to applaud their first quilts. I just love show and tell! It's also been a good time for me to get back to my roots so to speak...

Do you ever get somewhat overwhelmed with so many things going on that you find you've forgotten some of the simple things that bring you joy....I know on my cruise I took a jillion photos of sunsets and the beautiful flowers....nature brings joy. So does being around fellow quilters, sharing knowledge, ideas, inspiration. I've been reflecting this afternoon on the blessings I've afforded due to quilting - the people I've met, the things I've learned, yes, the places I've been that I wouldn't have gone if it weren't quilt related. Things that I sometimes take for granted.

I've also been contemplating where I want to go in the future....instead of floundering around direction-less, what is it that I want to do with my quilting? Sigh. Those thoughts are still swimming around in my busy little brain, but I do know that I have way too much fabric and way too much fun to retire my needle and thread (grin)!

Thoughts of doing more teaching: piecing classes using the Square in a Square technique as well as developing patterns that make use of my Go Cutter and Go Baby Cutter; and longarm classes to help beginners get off to a good start not only with the knowledge of using their machines but design ideas to help them not freeze up when handed a pieced top with all those spaces that need to be filled (grin)...and lots of thoughts of continuing to do customer quilts, further develop the t-shirt quilt business and definitely finding time to use up my own stash, finish up some UFO's and then go shopping for more! Sounds like a plan don't ya'think?

Oh, and I really really really want to be more grateful for every day that the Lord has given me. I want to try not to measure my day by what I achieved or marked DONE on my To Do List, but to measure the day with simple joys and appreciation for what I have instead of wishing for things I don't have. I want to be as kind to my family as I try to be to strangers. I want to focus more on what my friends are saying and doing instead of what I want to share with them that I'm saying or doing. I want more time in my hammock (grin) Okay, that might not be a lofty goal, but this gal is sooo ready for warm weather!

Simple joys. A walk on the beach (or memories of such), a day in the park with a friend, the feel of fabric, the hum of my machine, the sunshine on my puppy as she sleeps on the back of the couch in front of the window, nights with a full moon, and ice cream (grin) for the record, Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough is my all time favorite.

And to you my dear friends, I wish you beautiful sunsets! May they be a reminder to you daily that God is an awesome creator. Next time you see one will you think of your Quilt Rambler friend? I'll be enjoying it too and reminding myself that it's the simple joys of life that matter most - and we don't have to go around the world to find them!

This is the First Day of the Rest of Your Life

Time marches on. Every day is a new adventure. Some days I feel like mountain climbing, other days I want to climb back into bed!

When I started this blog several years ago it was with the commitment that I'd ramble once a week....last year it was more like once a month (sigh). I'm repenting.

Typically between Christmas and New Year's I take time to quilt my own quilt. This year was a tad different....our Christmas came late, celebrating with our sons and their lovely ladies on 12/30 due to conflicting work schedules...the following morning we headed to west Texas and on New Year's set up a new quilter with her A1 Quilting Machine.

Our return trip was to include a stop over at a cousin's in San Antonio for a little relaxing time. That was cut short as we drove straight from San Antonio back to Houston, without going home but straight to the ER. My husband's father was being admitted for double pneumonia, fluid on both lungs, and a blood clot in one lung.

Prior to our belated Christmas celebration I had loaded a personal quilt, thinking it would just take a day or two to complete....that quilt became my therapy during the 8 day hospital stay....in the evenings I'd try to quilt for 20 or 30 minutes just to unwind. Needless to say, the quilt was on the frame much longer than my previous "between the holidays" intentions. But quite honestly, it would have been difficult to try to focus on a customer quilt, so I continued to quilt it a little at a time. I took a lot of close ups as this was the first time I tried out this new border design

Personal Projects 2011

Here's a link if the slide show doesn't work.

Sometimes boo-boos make for creative flow. I had originally planned on curly Amish feathers in the outer border, quilted in the circle spines and then discovered I had the wrong ratio - no way would I rip out seams...so I decided to use the circles for my feather puffs - if I messed up, oh well, it's only fabric and it's my quilt!

Finally things appeared to be normal again, my father in law came home to recover, my personal quit was finished and I quickly loaded up a customer quilt to try to redeem the time....but who am I fooling?!?!?

My youngest son is getting married! They have been engaged since the fall and are having what I call a "planned elopement" - they are going to the justice of the peace (by themselves) and having a wedding reception afterwards to celebrate with friends and family. Did I mention that this is happening next week?!?!?! Somewhere between now and then I will find time to alter her wedding dress. What a privilege to be included in this special time of their lives!

Yep, now you know my excuse for being AWOL from my ramblings. As soon as I catch my breath and get caught up on customer quilts I'll return to my chatty little self, at least that's the plan!

I'm excited as I look forward to a new year - lots of beautiful customer quilts already lined up, some personal quilts that I hope to squeeze in, especially before the next show (will have an A1 booth at the Dallas Celebration in March), along with sprinkling in some fun classes this year (my favorite tote bag, piecing a quilt using the AccuQuilt Go Cutter, design ideas on the longarm)....oh, and I am soooo looking forward to warmer days so I can enjoy my hammock again!

But right now, it's time to reflect and be thankful for all that God has given me - a wonderful family, a future daughter-in-law, supportive friends, and just the joy of living. Today IS the first day of the rest of my life, and I will rejoice in every breath!

Taking time to enjoy the journey!

karen