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Sunday, June 24, 2012

THIS IS MY LIFE . . .



Mark Lipinski was kind enough to allow me to use his quote over here at the Pond.

It was years before I learned that I was fine the way I was as long as I was happy with me.  I spent way too many years trying to please too many people who really did not want to be pleased by me.

In the last ten years I have been on my own creative path to happiness and fulfillment.

I am my happiest when I am teaching and when I am producing.  I make lots of quilts and quilt projects.  I have often been asked "who are you making that quilt for?"  My answer, "No One".  Making a quilt is how my life is lived.


Each day is planned around how I will spend my creative time in the studio.  It has made me calmer and more tolerant in times of stress.


Sometimes a project is chosen to encourage me to trust my instincts of being an artist.  I used to think I was creative, but not artistic.  As the years are going by, I am finding myself a bit more artistic.

Stepping out of my box has been very liberating.  It has given me self confidence in the person I truly am.  I know I am not like some of my friends, but I like me and I like them.


Some things I am working on are making me set my goals and aims much higher.  It is even changing the level of my benchmark.


I was invited to be a pattern tester for a quilt pattern designer.  At first, I was flattered.  I think most people would be. As I worked that year testing the patterns of someone else, I began to see how her work evolved.  It gave me a new perspective on my work.

Life for me has taken so many twists and turns over the years and I have loved the journey.  I have been saddened, disappointed, and sometimes devastated.  HOWEVER,  from those experiences I have received some of the greatest joys I have ever known;  I have been uplifted in my own faith; and I have found amazing strength to carry on with my life. 

I often tell my quilting students that making a quilt is not about the quilt that you have when you are finished.  It is about the journey you took getting to the finish line.

Thank you, Mark Lipinski, for setting my thoughts in motion today to share some things I have had on my heart for a while.

I have truly embraced what makes me happy!!  I create quilts every day.  I love my family dearly.  I live each day.  I believe my "happily ever after" is happening at this very moment.



                                   -sandi

Thursday, June 21, 2012

NICK'S VISIT TO TENNESSEE


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I am like every other grandmother on the planet --  I absolutely love and adore my grandchildren.  They are both boys and have distinctly different personalities.  It is so much fun to spend time with them.  Since we have limited time for their visits we put a lot into each day.

Nick came up for a three day visit this month.  The first day he got up really early and went with Papa to yard sell.  They both love flea marketing and rummaging in
"stuff".


A bite of bacon to tide them over until they finished their browsing and shopping.
A boy just gets thirsty doing all that buying.  He was helping these kids make some money at their lemonade stand.  Nick's comment "The lemonade was not good, but I didn't tell them."

Favorite find of the day --  a golf putter for 25 cents. 

Nick and Papa are entrepreneurs who are always looking for something they can re-sell at their own Yard Sales.  These ceramic dolls were the choice of the day.

To finish off the adventure they have to go to Lillie Mae's Place for breakfast.  This is our neighborhood diner where a country breakfast with all the fixin's is less than $4.  Nick loves to eat here!






 Nick likes to make jewelry when he comes to our house.  This time he made key chains/backpack pulls for everyone.


All of our grandchildren's grandparents live in the same town so they get to visit both sets on every visit.

He gave Nana the key chain that he made for her.

He and Papa George are having a laugh over some story they shared.
Nick giving Nana and Papa the "lowdown" on some adventure of his.

No visit is ever complete without time spent at the swimming pool.  This time we had lots of rain and had to dash to get a swim in between showers.

Our visit came to a close but we know there will be a "next time".


-sandi

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

QUILTING RETREAT WEEKEND

There is nothing as much fun as getting together with your quilty friends and spending three days sewing, laughing, sharing, and eating.  I went to Red Rooster Retreat in Cullman, AL this past weekend with a group of gals from Tennessee, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi.  We had a blast!
I packed up my sewing table, my machine and at least five projects to work on.  Oh, yeah, I did take my pillow and my suitcase.

The greeting at the front door.  We are here and ready to get sewing.

Here is where I made my "nest" with all my "gear" to sew the weekend away.  My travelling partner is Jan, and she was across the table from me working on one of her "scrappy" projects.

Barbara, our organizer, adding a binding to her Batik Puzzle.  Barbara is one of the Georgia gals.









Melba and Bobbie (Mississippi gals) laughing about something.  They laughed about a lot of things all weekend.  In the background is Bren (Tennessee gal).

The Louisiana corner with Kay, Reena, Sharon and Kim.










Barbara and Kathy working on the friendship block for Renea.












Martha, Becky, and Bren, all gals from Tennessee, working on different projects.


Reena completed her Southwestern looking wall hanging.  I love those flying geese in the border.


The first project I finished was my quilt that I called "Life's Orchard".  It is Bonnie Hunter's version of the Tree of Life block and it looks like an orchard to me.


On the left is Diana's Windmill Batik quilt and on the right is Bobbie's quilt she made for her granddaughter.

Bren was making this quilt for her BIL for his boat.  The boat is named Salsa and Bren used fabrics that are ingredients for a salsa to make this project the perfect gift for taking on a boat ride.


Audrey and Diana are admiring Audrey's Tulip Quilt, a gift for Audrey's granddaughter.

Sewing and Quilting make a gal thirsty.  We had lots of good food and good wine.











My second project was my paper-pieced Kaleidoscope quilt.  I only finished about half of this one.








My third project I worked on was the Dresden Plate.  It is the WIP for the month of June.  I finished the top and am now working on the pieced back.  I will feature it in its own Blog Post a little later in the week.

One final look at the Red Rooster Retreat as we drove away with plans to meet these gals again next year to sew, laugh, share and enjoy another weekend together.

                                                  -sandi

Sunday, June 10, 2012

CHAT MQG IN JUNE

The Chattanooga Modern Quilt Guild meets once a month at Sew Bee It Quilt Shop in Ringgold, GA.  This group of quilters enjoy sharing their modern take on quiltmaking with each other and having a wonderful Saturday morning of fellowship, laughter, and learning.
This month was no exception.  We had several members who shared their string quilts as well as some other projects.

Martha showed her String Quilt blocks which were the monthly project for June.

Pam made two quilts for her doggies, Emme and Ethel.  Shown is the front and back of both of them.





Gerry showed her String Quilt she made for her grandson.


Joanne has been busy making herself a lovely tote to carry all of her techie devices.  Large tote with a smaller case for Reader, Laptop, and phone.

Gayle's version of this month's String Quilt.

Martha introduced another string block made as a rectangle.
Here are Sandi's String Blocks for her newest project.

Denise introduced the Project for July.  This is a Modern version on Pinwheels.
We all admired Denise's Free Motion Machine quilting by looking at the back of her quilt.




We welcome you to join us on the Second Saturday of each month at 10 AM at Sew Bee It Quilt Shop.  If you would like more information, you may contact Sandi at  sandiqltr@comcast.net  or Ava at  Moore25992@mindspring.com  .

                                    -sandi

CARLI AND VIVI

Two cute little girls from Austin, TX
These are my grand nieces whose mother, Kerry, is my brother's daughter.  The girls are now three years old and I had not met them until this week.  They are adorable and each has such a cute personality. 

We took a walk around our gardens and down to our lake for them to see what all we had here.

Carli and I are discussing some of the plants we see.


Vivi is enjoying the scenery around the lake and looking for the snapping turtles.









Sandi, Nick, Heather, Vivi, Carli, Jere, and John  all looking for the bass and snapping turtles on the dock.


Nick is our nine-year-old grandson who is here for a summer visit.  He lives in Birmingham, Alabama.  This was his first time to meet his second cousins.  They are enjoying an ice cream cone after the long walk in the summer heat.

My son-in-law, Byron, Kerry, and Heather, my daughter, catching up on the news.


Two cousins, who were childhood friends, back together for a visit.

All of us, except Carli and Vivi, were all smiles.  Carli and Vivi were getting tired of all of this picture taking. Three generations of us.  What a wonderful visit.  Looking forward to our next time!

                              -sandi