All Tied Up

Roxy's Quilt

I was recently hired at my favorite local mountain establishment as a barista (coffee maker). As usual, within due time I found myself not only a barista but a waitress, line chef, pastrychef, and early morning bartender. It is fun and I have been creating breakfast menus and doing anything else to get used to this new job. Funniest thing about it all is they hired my husband as well. Long ago, he and I met at a coffee shop we worked at. And, we actually had our wedding reception at the Stage Stop where we now serve coffee again together. I love life's little circles.
The quilt to above is one that I finished for my husband's mother. It incorporates my late father-in-laws wonderful tie collection. My husband dyed the backing and I quilted it all together with lots of love. Now Roxy can have all of us snuggle with her at once regardless of distances apart. That is one of the best things about quilts. They completely embody the love of the maker and this love is seen and felt by others. That is just way too cool don't you think?

Happy Thanksgiving

This holiday is more meaningful each year to me. It might be because I have so much to be thankful for, especially the last few years. My web of family and friends mean so much to me. Not just for their warm hearts but for the amazing support they have shown me. Sometimes, I wonder why they haven't given up on me. It is the people who love me no matter what that I am the most thankful for. Love is what makes the world go around, nothing else. Without these people I wouldn't be writing, quilting, living in my mountain paradise, or able to share all they have given me with everyone I can. That is the best thing, sharing. Whatever is given is usually returned somehow. Food, Wisdom, Laughter, Warmth, Love, Smiles, Music, Dance... the list of things to be thankful for and share is endless.
I hope everyone has a wonderful day with their friends and family. Eat, Share, and be Merry!

Preparing for the Holidays

I have been very busy lately trying to get all sorts of little things made to put on sale on my Etsy store. I have been making soaps, cards, quilts and anything with lavender in it. I wanted to share the cards I have been creating with everyone. Up here when the wind howls through the winter, I like to think of this blessing. It is something I made up and goes like this: "May your homesteads be joyous and May your hearth fires burn bright." It gets me through my winter nights and hopefully will bring warmth and joy to others around the world. I'm off to get quilting. Maybe another piece of last nights apple pie first though. May all of your creations bring you joy!

Winter Tie Dye Woes

Tie-dyeing at altitude in the winter can be quite a challenge at times. My husband woke the other morning and found his bucket of clips looking a little funny with some snow on top. When he dumped out the contents, this is what it looked like. It was pretty funny so I snapped a photo to share with you all. It is a good thing he found it early enough to thaw outside. During the nice months, he dyes outside. When winter really sets in, he will convert his bathroom into a studio. You see, he has to keep the dyes thawed. He gets great textural effects by putting the dyed products outside to freeze. The dyes run in ice channels and look really cool, kind of like a salt effect. When they come out really good, I call them "freeze-dyed". It is always fun experimenting with dye technique up here. One time, he stood about 7 feet away from the shirt he was dyeing and let the wind carry the dye to the shirt. Well, it was better than having the dye go on the ground 7 feet further than the shirt! These aren't really woes. They are challenges that keep us learning and life interesting. Laughter is always good for the soul and art work. Trust me, we laughed when we saw the frozen bucket of clips. Can you remember your last educational mishap? If not, I highly recommend having some.

Confessions of an Overquilter

This long arm quilting is the shizzle! I've been at it since March and I still can't believe how much fun it is. Most things this much fun are illegal. I can lay down hundreds of stitches per minute with great accuracy and ease. This is what is leading me to my confession. I can't stop sometimes. Even if I plan a quilt to be lightly quilted, I just keep laying down stitches. I am happy with the work, it looks good. But does a baby quilt need over 20,000 stitches? I mean really, it will hold together with less. Quilting has taught me patience, maybe it is time to learn moderation.
I have been growing my quilting service business the last few weeks. It is coming along nicely. The junk you get in your email when you advertise on craigslist is phenominal. It will be worth it though if I get a few clients through it. I lost my DSL connection for a few days there. I was completely at a loss. I never thought I would get that used to (and need) my Internet connection. It is time for me to be listing on Etsy and promoting my business. I am so glad I am hooked up again. It isn't like I truly missed anything, I just feel better knowing I can reach into cyber space when I want to.

Winter Has Arrived

Well, I had a lovely winter day here at Mountainjoy. The snow finally started falling in big, wet flakes from the grey sky. I enjoyed it immensely looking out the studio windows as I quilted. Dancing along to celtic music with my long arm sewing machine is so much fun. I made a table runner and placemats out of some gorgeous materials. They are to go on my Etsy site soon. I am trying to prep for the upcoming holiday season.
With the beautiful day I was given, I also decided to make split pea soup and fresh Challah bread for dinner tonight. I guess that truly means winter is here officially. The wood stove has been fed all day and it is going to be a cozy night.
On the wildlife scene, last weekend we had a mountain lion wake us at four in the morning. It was in our yard screaming with all its might. It circled the house and came right by the bedroom door. We listened to it shivering in our skins with all the animals up in bed with us. It went on for about ten minutes and then wondered off further into the woods. Wow, that was exciting. Have you ever heard a mountain lion's scream? I assure you, that it is an unnerving sound.

Back and In Business

This quilt was made as my brother's wedding gift. I started it at the engagement and finally managed to give it to the lovely couple just after their fifth anniversary. Talk about a labor of love. It was the first large quilt that I quilted on my Fusion long arm. All the fabrics were dyed by my husband. I love making him dye white-on-white prints-the effect is so interesting. The quilt came out so beautifully, I thought I'd show and tell it here.

My summer has been a whirlwind of activity. I started with a week of family vacation in New Hampshire at my wonderful Aunt and Uncle's house. I was home for a week in which I quilted the wedding star for my brother. Then, I was off to Washington (with quilt in luggage) to see my immediate family. My mother and I attended the Innovations Quilts Convention. We took classes for three days straight and volunteered as well. I learned so very much about how to run a long arm business, how to fix 'problem' quilts, and I even received a PhD in Threadology. I met several wonderful quilters and made contact with many good souls. I arrived home very inspired and ready to start the business I have been creating since last March.

My business plans were still on hold for a little while due seasonal work and visits from family to my home at Mountainjoy. I had a lovely visit with my husband's mother when she came for a weekend. She was very happy to see that her quilt (another long-timer) was on the long arm and being finished. I also just had a visit from my parents, it was short and full of fun as usual.

Okay, now that we are all caught up, I can move forward. My seasonal work for Long's Gardens has come to an end and I am really ready to open up for business as a long arm quilter and quilter in general. This was the plan for surviving my snowed in winters, let's make it work!

I will be adding new stuff to my Etsy site later in the week, these will be small gift type items for holiday sales. If any of my readers have enjoyed the quilts and need/want me to quilt for you, you can now contact me at Mountainjoyquilts@gmail.com for more information.

That's plenty of news for the moment. Happy creating everyone!