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!

Floating on Cloud Nine

No, it's not the name of a new quilt... it's how I'm feeling!

For those of you that are facebook friends this is going to sound like bragging.  It's not... well, it is, but it's not! Really!  I have a lot of people over here in blogland that want nothing to do with facebook, so I've got to tell them all the fantastic news too, right?  And it's not bragging - it's tooting.  Yep, if I don't toot my I'm-so-freaking-proud horn who will?

Okay, back to cloud nine...
Over the past couple of days was a quilt show in Portland, OR... MQX West to be exact.  Wow, just to be accepted and to hang at this show is an amazing accomplishment.  BUT (there it is), to win a ribbon... honor!  Hold on... it gets better... two ribbons!  Both of my quilts took ribbons -- I am beside myself with joy.  BUT (another one) hold on again... it gets even better than all that!  I persuaded one of my customers (Cathy) to enter her quilt and she took a ribbon as well!  OMG... three ribbons - two of my own and one on a customer's quilt -- the quilty angels are definitely looking down on me, and I do believe they might be singing!

Here's a peek at all of them (again, thank you to Teri Lucas for taking the photos and for sharing them)!!

Stella Luminosa - 1st Place Wall Hanging Small

some older posts about Stella Luminosa:

http://creativelongarmquilting.blogspot.com/2011/11/world-quilt-show-florida-iii.html

http://creativelongarmquilting.blogspot.com/2011/10/not-quite-as-crazy-but.html

http://creativelongarmquilting.blogspot.com/2011/05/over-challenged-under-idead.html

Clouds in My Latte - 3rd Place Wall Hanging Large - Traditional

some older posts about Clouds in My Latte:

http://karenmarchetti.blogspot.com/2012/08/super-secret-1-revealed.html

http://karenmarchetti.blogspot.com/2012/06/tribute-honor-credit.html

http://karenmarchetti.blogspot.com/2012/03/quilts-shows-and-schedules.html

http://creativelongarmquilting.blogspot.com/2011/11/world-quilt-show-florida-iii.html

http://creativelongarmquilting.blogspot.com/2011/10/not-quite-as-crazy-but.html

http://creativelongarmquilting.blogspot.com/2011/08/quilts-shows-ribbons.html

http://creativelongarmquilting.blogspot.com/2011/05/another-mqs-ribbon.html

http://creativelongarmquilting.blogspot.com/2011/03/name-finally.html

Lavender Bouquet  (Cathy Landon, quilted by Karen Marchetti) - 3rd Place Custom Heirloom Show Bed

Click here for a post on my customer blog about Cathy's quilt

The MQX West winners list is available here.  Congratulations to all the winners, there are some amazing quilts and quilters on that list -- I am absolutely honored to be included!  Also, make sure you take some time and visit the MQX website -- they have two shows East and West.  I must send a shout-out to Teri Lucas, she graciously took and posted photos of my quilts (as well as Cathy's) as I couldn't be at the show and now I get to share them with you!  Take some time and swing by her blog and check out her winning quilt, Tilde (photo to left) - gorgeous!  I borrowed this picture from Teri (I don't think she'll mind)!

See, now you understand why I'm floating!  Happy Day Quilties!

Oh, and I almost forgot!  Right after MQX West Clouds in My Latte is getting overnighted to Lisa and hitching a plane ride to Houston!  You'll be able to get up close and personal as it will be hanging in the Machine Quilting Unlimited booth at both Market and Festival!  Make sure you swing by their booth and check out a really great magazine and take a peek at Clouds while you're there!  Oh, and my other quilt, Wonderlust, will be hanging on the other side of the Brown Convention Center - on the show floor!

Okay, now.... Happy Day Quilties!!!