The Walk

I wanted to share some thoughts I had during my morning walk this past Monday, July 4th. As I walked and took in my surroundings the Lord showed me deeper thoughts.

Let me explain.

The area in which I walk sometimes has a lot of barking dogs. Most of the time they are harmless (behind a fence) and are easily defused when I answer their bark with a sweet response (with no fear in my voice) calling out "hey puppy" as I continue to walk past their teritory. But to be on the safe side I have this big stick I carry with me as there are many dogs not behind a fence. Armed and dangerous (grin) I'm prepared for my journey to the bay and back.

As I'm walking along the pavement I noticed that my stick was in rhythmic timing actually off the road, and at time the ground was rather uneven making my steps difficult.

It was then that I realized not only physically but emotionally and spiritually I'd been walking on the edge of life, teeter-tottering along trying to appear that all was well.

As I neared the bay this caution cone caught my eye, more importantly it caught my heart - reminding me that some of the road I'd been traveling recently had caution warnings that I wanted to ignore...but if I would look further down the road I'd see that the caution cone was really a precursor to the stop sign - these warnings were not to be ignored as they were for my protection.

Many times in my life I've ignored the warning signs....The pot holes on my path were my reminders.

Even things we enjoy and that are good can sometimes need warning signs for our protection. (Our area was under a burn ban, so no fireworks for the 4th of July).

The good news, repentance leads to repairs (forgiveness in a believer's life) and restoration.

He leads me besides still waters and restores my soul. Yes, Lord, I'm listening Lord....

On my return from the bay my spiritual eyes were opened. I began seeing all sorts of analogies on my path...

How sometimes my journey seems dry and barren.

How many times I'm at a crossroad and unsure of the path, or which way to turn.

Then I recognize that I've been down this road before, the brokenness over repeating the same sins, and the grace that patches up my life and covers those sins.

Many times I forget to stop and dump all the worries, cares, concerns, problems and feeling of hopelessness in God's trash can. I forget that all I have to do is clear out the clutter, the unconfessed sin, to continue my journey in restored fellowship with Him.

He gives us pleasures along life's journey, breaking up those hollow times, those times we feel abandoned or that we can't go on. Sometimes its in nature, sometimes through special friends and family.

The sweet fragrance of His grace and mercy....

Many times those wondrous blessings seem scattered and too far in the past...but He calls us to remembrance. To remember the good things He has blessed us with. He reminds us that He heals the broken hearted, that our greatest blessing is His forgiveness. That He allows trials in our lives to draw us nearer to Him. And yes, that there will be blessings again!

And when the way seems unclear, all we have to do is truly look and there will be a path provided, for He has promised to never leave us or forsake us.

The path leads home.

Tour My Studio!

Welcome to Quilts 'N Kaboodle, my name is Karen and I'm going to be your friendly tour guide (grin)

It's been a little over two months since my remodeling began...and finally, tonight I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and honey, it's NOT a train!

I may be a little premature in showing off, as there are still items that need to be done...but as with most things it's a work in progress...and I just need to share the progress!

So take a little trip, take a little trip, take a little trip with me...(did ya' sing that with the Low Rider voice? - if not, go back and do that, we'll wait)

I'm starting this tour at the entrance to my studio instead of meeting you at the front door of my home. If you were a customer coming to drop off a quilt top to be quilted I would have met you at the front door, holding a wiggling Pixxie as she gets so excited when we have guests....she just thinks everyone comes to see her... But since the other areas of the house are still impassable I'm going to begin this tour at this location, the entrance to the studio off my living area.

OH! Interruption. A big thank you to my sister-in-law who came over to help me today. She certainly helped keep me on track and encouraged me. Interesting side note, she's a teacher, has been for a long time. Longer than she's been my SIL...so as we were working together and I'd go from one side of the room to the other jumping from one thing to another I asked her...do you think I'm ADD? .... I think I've just got a busy brain (grin) and get easily distracted. Anyway...walk with me through my studio and enjoy the ramble...

As you enter the studio and look to your left you will see the longarm side of the room (to the right is the sewing side, but hold on, that's later). Above is the view of my 10 foot A1 Quilting Machine - this is my new baby, the one I received just days before the remodeling began...

The white cabinets are pretty much full of thread, except the first one with doors - that's full of prepackaged batting. How do you like my wall cabinet? I've always wanted an antique pie safe, the kind with the pretty glass doors. I have thought that would be way cool to house my quilts all neatly folded up showing off their colors....well, that dream has never materialized, besides I really don't have the floor space - so this cabinet is my reality, and I love it!

It was so much fun folding my quilts and adding little fun things to the shelves. The top shelf in the bottom picture has a big Polly and Ester quilt my grandmother made. Sitting next to it is a stuffed bear that I made her, and he's sitting on a little quilt I made for her with the same fabric - the label says " To the best quilter in the world, this is my first machine quilted quilt" I did it on my domestic in 1997.

Part of the reasoning for enlarging the studio was my desire to have two longarms. The one on the left is the new 10 foot one and the one on the right is old faithful, my 12 foot table. In the middle is Pixxie (grin) asleep on my sleeper sofa.

These photos were taken about 10 PM, Pixxie is so sleepy she can barely keep her eyes open. She worked really hard decorating too ya'know.

Okay, back to the tour...

I've shared this little corner before...

Here's a view of some things that cheer me...including the most fabulous tree frog in the rain screensaver...I want my very own tree frog, right here in the studio...the thoughts of simple things like this bring a smile to my face.

This is the sewing side of the room. I just love my new island - so much room for sew many creative fun stuff!.
Here's another view...the fun end piece on the island is actually a bulletin board of sorts - if I wanted to I could stick pins in it..had thought of using it for my schedule and cards perhaps, but then I decided I liked the lime bubbles too much to cover them up. Yes, this is a happy room and I am going to love sharing it.

Just another view....I can already tell that this area will probably stay cluttered with many creative projects...ah! but that's why I have it, room to work!

And yes, those are giant M&M's...they are tins that hold only dark chocolate M&M's - I'm on a strict diet.

Eventually I will have my sewing machine inserted in the cabinet .... or not... I might like it this way. I do love my A1 saddle stool, it will go high enough for me to sit at this 36" table and it's so comfortable to sew with as well as quilt at the longarm...

The ironing station is 3' x 4' - I covered a board with padding and a fun stripe fabric. Below is an inside peak of one of the cabinets - this is where I keep my Go!Cutter dies and my two Go Cutters (the original and the Go!Baby). Behind them are plastic shoe boxes with fabric shapes cut with the Go - instant scrap quilt waiting to happen.

Eventually there will be a storage unit added so I can move my freezer out as well as have a place for all my extra batting...right now things are a tad crowded, but I'm not complaining! I've gone from a 20 x 20 room to a 20 x 30 room and am loving it!

This Faith banner has been around a long time, like a faithful friend. It's only right that it continue to have a place in my life.

And here's the lime green door and the lime green laundry room. Again, a work in progress. The doors will eventually be covered to make a design wall and the surrounding wall will be covered in a tropical mural.

Here' a close up of my son's future masterpiece...

And if you look real close at the bottom you can see his sketches for the next phase... I can hardly wait!

Right next to the laundry room is this section that is actually to the right of the entrance door. This little area packs a big punch. The rod is for hanging completed quilts for photographing. Behind it I will have my TV mounted so I can watch all those cool quilting DVD's I've been collecting. Did I mention that I plan on having fun in this studio!

I played around with my camera and took a video with my rambles as the view changed around the room. It's totally unscripted and I have no way of editing. But if you've made it this far then perhaps you'd like to see a full 360 tour of my studio.

For grins you might want to check out views of how the studio has changed through the years. Visit my webshots and look for My Ever Changing Studio Album

Thanks for stopping by...ya'll come back now, ya'hear?

Taking A Break From Remodeling

Nope, this isn't my studio. And it's not outside my studio. This has absolutely nothing to do with my studio.

In fact, I'm taking a break from my studio. I'm several hundred miles from my studio.

If I'd of had these sort of deer in my studio instead of the deer on the paneling in my studio I think I would have liked the way my studio was before the remodel... NOT!

I'm just messin with ya' ... are you curious yet? Wonderin where this Quilt Rambler is...well, I think you've figured out I'm not in my studio!

Yep, taking a much needed break from the remodeling....how about a road trip? One that is shared with friends....

When Quilter's Gather:

Ever wonder what longarm quilters do when they get together?

Yep, we show off our newest panto patterns and then pull out the show and tell!

I just loved the way the embroidery was incorporated into the quilting on this quilt...I really hoped Ellen would have donated this to my new studio, the colors were certainly perfect don't you think?

Vonnie has been mastering feathers! When I saw this posted on her facebook I commented that I just had to see it in person! The photo just doesn't do it justice. It is fabulous!

Yep, girls just wanta have fun! Again, I though perhaps Vonnie had made this one just for me, it's my colors!

I hope she doesn't mind a sneak preview of an upcoming quilt that will be in one of the guild shows....the quilting is stunning.

Both ladies have done an excellent job with their quilting....but the party wasn't all about show and tell - it was about sharing among quilting friends... friends who are welcoming another friend into the A1 family!

That's right, we were all gathered to set up Janie's new A1. A story that started with quilting friends who decided they needed longarms....Vonnie got her's first in March 2010, Ellen welcomed her A1 October 2010 and now Janie has hers. These ladies are going to have sew much fun together with many many more quilting show and tells in the future!

Thanks for a fun filled day Janie, Vonnie, and Ellen. I look forward to you "heading south" in a few weeks to visit my studio and can't wait to see more show and tell!

Okay...so you've figured out that I'm not in my studio, I'm not even in my neck of the woods....so where have I been this week?

Enjoying friends and family that's where!

And playing games! While out of town we stayed with cousins Jimmy & Linda and enjoyed several intriguing games of Jenga along with the lots of good food and the joys of deer in the driveway every morning. It was truly a thrill to have one eat out of my hand!

So, how about a little Where's Karen ....can you tell anything from this photo that would give you a clue...yep, I'm enjoying the sunshine....

Probably a better hint with this one... Don't you just love the beautiful trees? Hum... deer, old twisted trees...any idea yet?

Perhaps a little checking up on mom by my son on his cell phone will give you a hint...

We truly enjoyed a little time away from the gulf coast with our fast and furious trip to the hill country. Wishing there were more days to play, but the laughter and fun was larger than life and we welcomed the much needed break from the remodeling of the studio.

But there's no place like home....and the welcome committee is outa this world!

And what a welcome that was! Including a surprise in my studio! My youngest son has begun my mural and I couldn't be more excited about it!
Stay tuned, there's more fun planned for the studio....