Chronicles of Karen...

Chronicles of Karen, now that's a walk down memory lane! Many years ago, 1999 to be exact, I began an email journal of my families wanderings "The Great Overton Adventure" when we were modern day gypsies living in an RV working on the road...back then email was my way to reach out and touch...at least verbally of my ramblings. Time marches on and here comes blogville, and I can add photos!

Hum...I sometimes have wondered why I want to chronicle my journey...I mean after all, do I really think someone is going to write my life story and need all this material for their book (grin). No. I've decided that I chronicle for selfish reasons - to be reminded of the blessings that have come my way when my way is clouded and I have lost focus.

Life can get busy, it can be boring. Life can be troublesome, it can be joyous. But pretty much it's all the above and everything in between.

Life happens, memories are made, some are forgotten.

It's been quite a long time since I've journal-ed my journey. .. Truthfully I had to go through my photos to refresh my memory of what has happened since I last posted. Thankfully there are a lot of photos so I plan on letting them tell my story.

As I've reflected over this year that is just totally flying by I've sometimes thought that it's been a difficult time. The first of the year was mixed emotions as we started out with my father-in-law in the hospital as we planned my youngest son's wedding. What a whirlwind! Trying to catch up on quilting and then it was time for the Dallas show and setting up A1 quilting machines. As my home was being repaired and remodeled I relinquished my quilting time to a time of waiting .... lots of Tiki Hut hours racked up that's for sure.

Finally the day came where this became my morning view...

Oh the joy of being back to work in my cheerful studio. Seems I was starved for anything quilt-ie and yet found myself in such need of inspiration to get me back in the saddle.

The opportunity presented itself in the form of a workshop with Ellen Anne Eddy, a fiber artist who was a guest of one of the local quilt guilds.

Ellen Anne's work is inspiring to say the least. And soooo far from my comfort zone it's not even funny. Thread play? on a domestic?

I truly enjoyed her trunk show and getting to see her work up close and personal. I loved her hand dyed fabrics (and came home with a little stash to call my own). It's my hope to take some time in the new future to attempt a little thread play myself, both on the domestic and then try to translate it to the longarm...

I have always loved nature and have tried to capture the beauty around me with my camera, even though I don't get professional results with my attempts, it's the memory jog that I relish. Who knows, after Ellen Anne's class I might be inspired to capture the memory in a quilt...

Here's a glance of my backyard critters this summer..

Do you think any of these are quilt worthy?

I'm not really into bugs, but I do love lizzards...and have to admit, I used to collect the discarded shells of this bug..

Some critters are more welcomed in my backyard than others....but God did make all creatures big and small...

Maybe I should stick to flowers for my inspiration, like the ones for my birthday...

Yep, July was my birthday month, and in keeping with tradition I celebrate as many times as possible. Including going to the circus (that explains my opening photo!)

The Island Quilter's Guild has an annual sew in and it generally falls on my birthday. I missed last year, in fact had missed all the meetings this year (I mentioned that it was crazy). But I decided it was time to join back in the fun, so I went this year!

Also keeping with tradition, I like to make a quilt on my birthday, so this is the 2011 model.

This quilt not only was my birthday quilt but also a quilt I made for my A1 reunion (more on this later).

Meanwhile back at the studio...my youngest son had been working on a wall mural for me and was determined to finish it ON my birthday so he could date it 7.23.11

By the time I came home with my finished quilt top and hung it on the design wall he was signing his name to his art....

The next morning I went back and put into practice a technique I learned from our guild speaker during the sew-in...I'm making a rug to go in front of the lime green door in my studio. It's still a work in progress, so more on that in the future.

One of the joys of being a quilter is having talented quilting friends. A greater joy is seeing their work, especially if it's in a show. Several of us took time away from the sew in to take a side trip to view fellow guild member, Peggy Baldwin-Clayton's quilts featured in an exhibit there on the island. Story Quilts
I took a ton of photos, and truly, this side-trip deserves a blog post of it's own.... Peggy was inspired by Mary Lou Weidman in her style of story quilts....many of Mary Lou's quilts were on display in addition to Peggy's. The show runs through the end of September so if you are in Galveston you owe it to yourself to take the time to view.

Peggy's story quilt documenting her 50th birthday was very inspiring...I think if I were to make a quilt of my birthdays I'd have to include this year's surprise photo!

Yes, Pixxie actually took a taste of my birthday cake!

But we left her at home when we had the family celebration at La Brisa

Did I mention that I really like to celebrate my birthday? Never just one cake or one party (grin).

All too soon July has turned into August and my, it's more than halfway over already! Here's a few photos from my A1 Reunion held the first weekend of the month. We invite all our A1 customers to join us for a couple of days of training and fun.

Johnny teaches part of the maintenance class, and I share my tips of the trade... and then we shared our LaBrisa with several that wanted to join us for dinner.

Several of our customers couldn't stay for the second day of design class...I regret that I didn't get a group photo the first day....but here's a glimpse of part of my A1 family, and the star of our show Pixxie.

We really had a fun two days together and ended it with those who wanted to join us at Dickinson BBQ.

Inspired by my customers or just the first opportunity since the remodel... Johnny is quilting his first quilt!

And Pixxie is proud of him.

As someone has said, if Pixxie wants to model with your quilt that's a high stamp of approval!

Like I mentioned earlier, this year has just flown by and been nothing but unusual...the only guild meeting that I attended the first half of the year where those held in my own home (longarm guild). I've not been able to attend any local quilt shows either until I visited the one featuring Peggy...I've committed to try to change that! Actually visited a show last weekend where one of our longarm guild members had several quilts in the show.

Here's Barbara Staten with one of her quilts. Many of her customer quilts had ribbons as well.

It was a nice show. Very refreshing. Made me stop and realize that it's good to take time to refresh. Many times we get so busy in trying to juggle what life throws at us that we forget to take time to refresh. For some, like me, it could be taking time out to be among like minded folks (quilters for example) or just being outside enjoying the beauty of God's creation... Simple things like a ferry ride across Galveston Bay....

At sunset...

Letting the wind and the waves bring a comfort to a tired and weary soul...

with the beauty of an almost full moon...

Yes, I think I truly blog for me. It's nice to have an audience, but it's really my chronicle. My reminder of the things that God has placed in my life. The friends who come along side me and encourage me, the peers whose work inspires me, the beauty of my Lord's creation which is truly the only encouragement and inspiration I need...to know that He loves me.

The Quilters Come Marching Two by Two Hurrah, Hurrah

The quilters come marching two by two, hurrah, hurrah...some far, some near, but all here on Saturday for the quarterly gathering of the Bayshore Longarm Quilters.

This is an informal guild made up of quilters who have a longarm, shortarm, midarm, quilt with their home sewing machine on a frame or just wanta'bees...the one thing we have in common is our love of quilting and finishing a quilt on a machine, either hand guided or computer guided. We recognize and celebrate it all, including hand quilting, quilted purses, wall quilts, bed quilts, show quilts, charity quilts.... just any thing quilts!

Our group is made up of many members at various stages in their quilting passion. Generally our gatherings are just an organized show and tell, although at times we have had guest speakers or a general topic of discussion. But mainly...we love show and tell and the opportunity to ask questions.

We go around the room, introduce ourselves (always new members, and due to distance some aren't able to come all the time). As a way of introduction we usually share what type of machine we have (or if we are still in the research and planning stage), whether we quilt for hire, or for just ourselves and perhaps a few friends and family.

Members are encourage to bring show and tell and sometimes will share a quilting tip or a new gadget they have found as we go around the room with our "introductions".

The talents of our group is amazing. I love seeing different colors, different styles of not only piecing but how something was quilted.

It's so much fun to get to exam the quilts up close and personal.

To be amazed at the custom work, to see a new panto design and ask "where'd ya get that?" And always the request "we want to see the back!" Yes, after we have admired the visual impact of a quit, longarm quilters really want to see the quilting and generally the back is where that shines!

Sometimes we don't all have show and tell, but we still share the laughter, the ohhs and ahhs, and the community spirit. I always love having my quilt-ie friends over, many I only see at the gatherings or our annual pilgrimage to the Houston International Quilt Show.

As mentioned, many of our members drive an hour or more to join us. Several make a day of it, some planning lunches together afterwards and more times than not, a shop hop to this area's fine quilting establishments.

We are blessed to have several award winning quilters in our group who share their talents and wealth of knowledge with us, as well as our "resident celebrity," Tom Russell. Tom is the most down to earth celebrity I know (and he's going to fuss at me for calling him a celebrity), we all just love him. He speaks words of wisdom encouraging us to all be the best we can be, to take time for our own quilting (and not just focusing on our customers for those of us with customers). And he amazes us with his creative mind. His quilts are simply amazing, many having won awards in national shows, and one that will be published in an upcoming book on Texas Quilters...

In the above two photos Tom was sharing an inherited family heirloom that he will one day quilt. Then he surprised us with blocks from a current project...one that he has shared photos on his blog...if you aren't already subscribed to his blog, then you need to be! What inspiration! Tom Russell Quilts

Nothing like see works of art in person and still on the "design board" - Tom, we can't wait to see the finished quilt - but as you have taught us, the process is the true journey.

After everyone had their turn it was my turn, and my show and tell was my newly remodeled studio...

It was sooo much fun to share my joy! My only regret is that I didn't have personal one on one time with all the attendees. Ah, but as they say, the road to a quilting friend's studio isn't long....

After everyone had headed out to lunch or the area quilt shops I asked Tom if I could pick his brain...I had a project that needed help...

I'm putting together a sampler quilt using the Block of the Month patterns from AccuQuilt for an upcoming class...I knew I wanted batiks, but other than that I just pieced, didn't really take into consideration the color flow, etc.. Tom is a master of color...

And he matched my room! Don't you think he just belongs here? Oh I can only wonder what creations would come out of my studio if I had Tom as an in-house mentor (grin).

I pulled out my stash of batiks and then we started playing. I am sooo glad I listened to him and my friend Dianne Anderson of The Quilter's Cabin about adding a design wall to my newly remodeled studio...even if it's a design DOOR to my laundry room ...

This is my 8 blocks before Tom came...I knew something just didn't feel right...and I needed a little help from my quilting buddy...

He suggested that I take out the lower block in the 6 o'clock position and helped me pick out new colors to replace it...

Then I asked him to help me with the center blocks colors...I wanted to try my hand at applique, not something I do, and something Tom is a master of...Okay, so I'm "cheating" I am doing all my blocks with the AccuCut Go!Cutter, but it's a start... Armed with instructions I pulled out the fabric and Go!Cutter after everyone left and had that machine a humming..

Taking advantage of my new design wall I auditioned the background fabric we had picked out..

Hum...

I didn't care for it as much with the cutouts on it as I had thought I would. If I'm going to try my hand at applique it's going to show up by golly!

I liked this much better, so now the little parts are all fused down and I don't know what to do with them (grin)... but look Tom! I've actually almost made an applique block!

So here's the design wall by the end of the day....the 6 0'clock block position has been reworked and I have a new center block...Stay tuned for the finishing setting solution!

I plan on having it ready for the next Bayshore Longarm Quilter's gathering!