Way overdue on catching up...

My apologies! I am so overdue for a blog post - it has been entirely too long. Where to start?...

I'll start with my last post - the pelicans (Just the Two of Us). This piece debuted at the World Quilt Show Florida Competition. Well... just say my critique wasn't so good. I should rephrase, it was okay, it had good points but also suggested I should crop the background down (quite a bit).  That comment had my brain flying -- should I have gone with the more dramatic water, was the soothing water too plain?  Too many questions, self-doubt, etc. Then, True Colors (aka White Lines) hung at Road to California - again, a less than desirable critique. No, nothing devastating, just thought-worthy. We all know the problems this quilt went through, and yes, black thread on black fabric, along with my needing a new prescription for my lenses added up to not-so-perfectness - this is life. Critiques usually don't bother me - I take the good and the bad and learn from both. I guess I was a little down as I was stressing on preparing for back-to-back teaching events as well as getting the Build-A-Stitch workbook ready for print - not to mention being insanely behind on client work. Not a worry though, I'm now over it and have entered Just the Two of Us in other shows - too bad if someone thinks the background is too much. It very well may detract from the pelicans, but that was the photo I took and that was the quilt I created -- I LIKE IT! And as with all forms of art, that is all that matters.

So on to the Build-A-Stitch workbook.  YES, I finally finished it - some of you have been waiting for over two years way too long! If you are interested in grabbing your very own copy, there is a link in the sidebar of the blog or you can click on the photo and be taken to the website. Either way, check it out. The book covers everything from my Build-A-Stitch class as well as other tips, tricks, and goodies. I'm already working on the next two -- Build-A-Stitch: Even MORE Stitches (workbook #2) and Build-A-Stitch: What to Do With All Those Stitches (workbook #3). It'll be a short while before the other two are done, but definitely not as long of a wait as this one (I promise)!

And just to let everyone know that ordered from the website - all orders went out on Friday. Thank you all so much, I was overwhelmed with the amount of interest in this workbook - you are all wonderful! I hope the workbook keeps you stitching and doodling away! If you want to leave a comment and/or review, feel free to add it here in the comments - I might share it on the website too!

Okay, back to catch-up...

The end of January brought me to the East Coast Gammill/Statler Conference in Richmond, VA - I'll just start by saying I love teaching, but this place - the students, the hosts, the atmosphere, the venue - it is soooo cool and I'm thrilled to be a part of it!  Here are a few pics in no particular order:

Then I had two days to do laundry prepare for teaching at the Port St Lucie Crazy Quilters biennial show. Another great show - I must admit this is my local guild and they asked me to teach kind of last minute (well in show prep last minute, I had a couple months notice).  Again, some pics in no order:

photo credit: Theresa Olson

photo credit: Theresa Olson

photo credit: Theresa Olson

photo credit: Theresa Olson

photo credit: Theresa Olson

photo credit: Theresa Olson

photo credit: Theresa Olson

Many thanks to my left-brain, Nancy!

photo credit: Theresa Olson

And even quilty teachers need to eat (and check email)...

photo credit: Theresa Olson

photo credit: Theresa Olson

photo credit: Theresa Olson

 And there she is, Theresa Olson - the one who manages to get all the pics when I forget!

So a really awesome thing happened at this show.  My quilt, Thought Process, was awarded the NQACJ Award of Merit by Certified Judge Pat Harrison.  Whoa! This is a really big deal!!

For anyone that doesn't know, The Award of Merit is (at the certified judges discretion) awarded to one quilt achieving recognized standards of quiltmaking excellence.  And... as we all know, the NQA has been dissolved (unfortunately), BUT, the NQA Certified Judges will go on as the National Association of Certified Quilt Judges (NACQJ). So to make this even better, Pat Harrison has since contacted me and would like to award one of the new logo'd ribbons to this quilt - how freaking awesome!!! So once I receive the new ribbon I'll be sure to post a pic!

Well, that's the full scoop. I think we're caught up - for now! I know it was a really long post and thanks for reading through all the way to the end.