Update on the goings-on in my little world...

Today is setup day for AQS Grand Rapids.
If you are there, you'll notice I'm not...

Yes, it is true, as much as I would love to be there, things have happened and plans have changed, and my cute (albeit chubby) face won't be at AQS Grand Rapids or OSQE Pittsburgh.  I would have been showcasing my talents as Quilting Artist in the Gammill booth sharing how awesome their machines are but life happened and crazies have landed and no... I'm not there.  I know this is a bit disappointing for a few of you who I was hoping to meet, but I am sure we will meet soon, at another show perhaps.  I'm not sure where I'll be next, but no worries, I will definitely let all of you lovely quilties know as soon as I do!  As disappointing as it is, it is also kind of neat -- it's like I've found two weeks that I didn't have.  That's cool, I might actually be able to get ahead of myself... hahaha... wishful thinking I know!

But loads of stuff are happening anyway!  Just adding to the fact that I am totally insane so why not just let the pot boil over with craziness?... right?

I'm trying to catch up on client work -- ehhh, that is a never-ending battle.  You get ahead only to fall behind again.  It is good though, it keeps life interesting and kinda keeps me on my toes.  And I do try my best to keep 3M in business with my plethora of post-its!

A quick run down on everything I have going on.  If you don't remember my last accountability post was on June 6 (check it out if you don't remember) -- and... not much has happened since, okay I lie, a lot has:

Kaleidoscope Quilt (aka Dance in the Rain)
I did manage to work on this for a couple of days.  I finished all the strata and started assembling the pie pieces.  Not too bad for less than a weekend's worth of work.  And the good thing is I managed to work on it -- it was stuck in that bad never-gonna-get-this done place, so some work is good!  Still have oodles of stuff to finish on this one.  I love the designs that are happening.  I totally did not plan any of my fabric placements -- just made the strata and hoped for the best.  I will be adding some applique -- the eyes might need a spot to rest every so often!  And, I still need to piece the border - more strata - have to grab some more fabrics from Natalie. Once this beauty is finished it WILL be amazing!  Right now it's still getting there!

H2O Challenge
My project for this years Journeys Thru Art challenge.  I'm calling it Drops.  I am so excited!  I spent a few hours and made some drops.... now to find a gazillion more hours!  But aren't those drops freaking amazing?!!!  I love when I impress myself -- it scares me sometimes when things turn out so perfectly that those little hairs on the back of your neck stand straight up!  IDK, maybe that's just me -- but it happened, they stood straight up and tinglies went up and down my spine.  One of those wow moments!  I can not wait to find more time to finish this quilt!



Martin County Quilters 2013 Member Challenge - Black and White
Just wait until you see this -- it is totally amazing and cool!  It is just about finished being colored and then needs to be quilted.  It turned out so amazing that I actually entered it into MQX Quilt Festival - Pacific Northwest!  It is a wholecloth which I am using fabric markers to color in one of my zentangly doodles that I drew specifically for the challenge.  I'm calling it Down the Rabbit Hole, and this is the only picture I can share at this point -- just wait though, it'll knock your socks off.  Well, unless you don't wear socks, then perhaps your flip-flops will fly?!!  Now I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that my quilting will accentuate my drawing and I don't mess it up!

PSL Crazy Quilters 2014 Member Challenge - fail... I have nothing more than the last update.  The entry deadline is still in November.  My idea board is still blank.  Hoping my last minute magic kicks in on this one!

True Colors - I have drawn out the quilting design and I'm quite pleased.  That's it though, I still need to transfer the main lines to the quilt and then squeeze it into my schedule somewhere!  Soon!!  This quilt wants so badly to be born.

New Un-Named Quilt
Progress!  It has been named - Arachne's Dauntless Spin - why you ask?  Of course it is a long story, here is the short version... one of my besties said it looked spider-webby, which you can't see just yet but yes, some of it really does resemble spider webs.  So me and my little researcher brain had to find a name to match the spider-webbiness of the drawing.  Hmmm.... well..... wow.... not much.  Then I found the story of Arachne and Athena... and hey, the quilt is made of silk and spider webby and and and... there you go, that's how my brain works!  So while I can't share the drawing with you (only a few have seen it -- its going to be a surprise), I will share the fabrics with you -- beautiful aren't they!  I can not wait to work on this quilt!!

Un-Named, Yet-to-be-Designed Fantastic Idea for a Quilt
Absolutely no progress on this one at all...
my idea totally matches the Up Up and Away theme for MQS and I think it would be totally awesome.  The only problem I'm having is drawing it out, fabric'ing it up, quilting it... you know... T I M E.  Ahhhhhh, we'll see, this is on the back burner for now.  Even if I don't finish it for the Up Up and Away challenge I will still finish it because it is awesome in my head!

Where The Heck Did That Come From? - new un-named wonder
I have had these fabrics for forever and a day, or two... they were originally planned for something else and well, that something will never happen -- the one block took me an entire day to make.  I don't know about all of you, but I do not have enough time to devote an entire day to one block... ever!  So scrap that idea and the fabrics are now available for this amazing thing that just popped out of my head -- no name for this one yet but it is total coolness!  So again, I can't share the quilt just yet but here are the fabrics.  But here's the weird part.  I am not a print person -- lately I have been trying to rid my stash of all these crazy prints I've picked up over the years.  I think part of it is I like to see my stitches and prints don't always allow that.  But amazingly, this quilt will be using two prints!  Proud of myself in a weird sort of way.

I think that's it... probably not, but I've made blogging progress and added reminders to my calendar not to ignore you wonderful peeps!

I know it's been a while since I had a meaningful post.  You know other than a recap of my photo a day challenge.  It's just so much has happened -- both good and bad -- and it is kinda' hard to combine the two, so I will try my best.  You'll just be reading along, me on the other hand will be going through an emotional roller coaster over here...

We'll start with the bad - Mabel, our most loving fur-girl! ...and here come the tears.  Some of you know how hard this past year has been and how much we have gone through.  But, everything turned for the worse back in the end of January and we had to make the hardest decision ever...

Mabel was just shy of her 9th birthday.  Mabel was my favorite dog -ever.  Mabel was diabetic.  Mabel was full of both cancerous and non-cancerous tumors.  Mabel lived a great life.  Mabel never knew she was a dog -- she thought she was one of us and Peaches was our pet.

We will miss you Mabs!

Here's why I said roller coaster... where do I go from here.  I always like to start with the bad news - it's done, it's over - now on to the good!  Me, I'm taking a quick break to get a cup of coffee -- you all can keep reading...

Yummmmm, that's a good cuppa' coffee!

Where to start... 

Wonderlust and The Choice both hung proudly at Road to California.  No ribbons, but I'm sure lots of people enjoyed looking at them just the same.  Which leads into more good news.  Two of my quilts, The Choice and Stella Luminosa, will be traveling in a special longarm exhibit with Original Sewing and Quilt Expo for all of their 2013 shows - how freaking exciting is that?  What an honor to have been asked to participate.  So, if you're at any of the OSQE shows (and there are a lot of them) make sure you check out the exhibit!

AND.... as if all of that wasn't big enough news.  Here it comes -

I am now a Gammill Quilting Artist - whoa, this is big fantastic news!  The formal announcement has yet to be made, but you can visit my artist page on their website and check out all the other good stuff as well!! They have a great new forum which is fantastic for those needing help and advice.  Click here to check it out!  And, if you happen to be visiting Gammill HQ you can visit four of my quilts while you are there -- yes four, Oliver, Clouds in My Latte, Iron Acanthus, and Simon's Folly -- they are living there for a little while.  Lots more big news coming up about this awesome-ness so stay tuned!