Getting Back to a Lovely Year of Finishes

I've been so busy with my recent move, that sewing has been cast to the wayside. But I'd really like to get some things finished, so my goal for  May is to quilt and bind my Black & White Quilt.

I have the backing I want, and it's just a matter of getting it done!  Most of the fabrics in this quilt came from a swap I did with a group of quilters from Spark People a couple of years ago. It really deserves to become a quilt!

So, I'm linking up to A Lovely Year of Finishes with Melissa and Shanna.  This makes me accountable!

Quilting Time Again

Just a quick note to let you know that we have successfully completed our move. All the boxes are unpacked, pictures hung, long arm machine is set up again, and I'm ready to go! Especially when the weather looks like this outside:

It's April 17th, for crying out loud (my grandmother used to say that all the time, hee hee.)

Gotta go - time to quilt!

March Musings

Dang - I really liked Google Reader. Why mess with a good thing? Oh - probably because it's free.
So I'm adding this link so I can be in the Bloglovin' excitement! I may also check out Feedly one of these days when I have more time.   But for now, here's the link to migrate over to Bloglovin': Follow my blog with Bloglovin

I finished a custom quilt yesterday and feel quite accomplished, thanks to the good tips by my blogging friend Cynthia Brunz.  Now I need to get all my tax papers together (oh, joy) for our annual visit with our accountant, and then it's back to packing boxes. I'll just leave you with a little sneak peak of the quilt:

In The Midst of Change

Sometimes events just take you by storm.

Such is how my life feels that past two weeks. We have had our house on the market for four months and had made an offer on another house, contingent on the sale of this one. Well, the contract was just about up and we didn't believe the owners of the new house would extend it for us, so we had given up on the thought of moving.

But one evening, our realtor called with an offer, we countered the next day, the buyers accepted, and then we went out of town on a scheduled vacation. The weirdest part, as if that whole scenario isn't weird enough, is that the buyers have never stepped foot in our house. The realtor showed it to them through Skype and they bought it! What a different world we live in these days.

So we got back Sunday from vacation and immediately stepped foot in the chaos of  planning, making lists, signing papers, getting our ducks in a row. Not to mention - packing!  What a week.

We are just moving out in the country. We decided that when the time comes to retire, we will just stay in our valley - we've been here more than 30 years and love it, so why move? My long arm will be out of commission for awhile, but our new house has a bedroom big enough for it and my sewing room. Guess it will be my Quilting Studio.

I am finishing up another quilt this week before I tear down my Gammill. I'm excited to be doing it as it will be published in an upcoming book by Janet Houts and Jean Ann Wright.  Can't wait until it's revealed at Spring Market. Maybe I can show you then. Their first book was Circle of Nine and they recently had a second book some out, Log Cabin Quilts, The Basics and Beyond. Both are great!

So if you don't hear from me for awhile, this is why - I'M GOING CRAZY!!!!  We haven't moved in 17 years, and we are experts at 'keeping' stuff. So my work is cut out for me the next two weeks. Wish me luck!

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Howdy, neighbor! Good to meet you here in Blogland.

Marleen, over at Stichin' By The Lake, has started an old-fashioned welcome committee of sorts so that we can meet our neighbors. What a great idea! So let me tell you a little about myself.

I'm a 50-something gal from Idaho who still has a Day Job but who would love to retire from it and quilt full time. Or at least 4-5 hours a day.  Each day that goes by I get a little bit closer to that big 6-0 number and I feel a great pressure like never before that now is the time to really do the things I'd like and want to do because, well, one just never knows how many days one has left.

So to that end I began quilting in earnest about two years ago.  I love creating beautiful quilt tops, but really, really hated trying to push and shove a quilt through the throat of my Viking. So a year ago I took the plunge and invested in a long arm machine. Boy, what a difference it has made for me!  I'm still on the learning curve of things, but I've got my back log of quilts almost quilted, and am quilting for others now. How fun is that!

On the home front, I am an empty-nester. I have a son, 30, who lives in Portland and a daughter, 26, who lives in Seattle. Neither are married. Hence, I have no grandkids!!!  Which makes me awfully sad at times, but of course, I definitely don't want to rush them. On the other hand: they'd better get on the ball SOON. Here again, my time clock is ticking away. . . .

My husband and I live just a hop, skip and a jump away from the Sun Valley ski resort. I used to downhill ski, but a hip replacement seven years ago squelched that activity. I still cross country ski, hike, bike, and walk, and I love to do most anything outdoors.  When I tried to come up with my business name, I finally thought I'd make it as simple as my love for the outdoors - Mountain Quiltworks.  It doesn't take too much effort to look at any of our mountainsides, mountaintops or scenic panoramas to see glorious 'quilty' possibilities! The colors, angles, depth and hues are amazing.

I guess the other thing that I'd like to share with you is the joy that I have found in being a creative person. I have a business degree in marketing, and so my career has been spent in both the insurance and accounting industries, as well as a long stint (while raising kids) as a freelance writer for a regional newspaper. The writing offered a wee bit of creativity, but nothing to satisfy my inner desire to think about a project, develop it, create it, tweak it, finish it and then step back with a smile on my face and say, "Yep - that's what I envisioned!"  Guess you could say I'm pretty much hooked on quilting!

So how about you, neighbor?  How did your love for quilting develop?

Be sure to check out Marlene's blog so you can visit your other quilty neighbors.

Barb

Oh - just for the fun of it, here's a self portrait of me in my favorite fishin' hat. I'm positive that it helps catch more trout if I'm wearing it!

And we have a winner!

Time to announce the winner of my giveaway with the Dresden Blog Hop!

Mr. Random did his thing this morning after I got back from a long work weekend away.  And the winner is:

#31 - gtcoursey

who said:

"You so lucky to have the blocks from your grandmother. That is definitely a project your have to complete. Can't wait to see it when you finish it."

She has been notified by email.  Thanks to all of you who took time to comment on my table runner and my grandmother's Dresdens. Really made my day!

Barb

Short Survey for Oregon Drivers

This is definitely not a quilting post, but my son has a college project and needs to find people to answer this short survey.

I know some of you are from Oregon.  If so, please take half a minute to answer 8 simple questions. Thanks!

Oregon Drivers Survey

A special thanks to all you commented on my Serenity Dresden wallhanging and Giveaway this week.  I got so much great feedback from you all!  The giveaway is still open until midnight Sunday night, so there's still time to enter. Just visit my Dresden Blog Hop link. I'll announce a winner next week!