Showing posts with label Amy Butler. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Amy Butler. Show all posts

Friday, May 8, 2015

QST Progress & Pet Project Show #19


First, Happy Mother's Day to all! 

Second...

 The Tula Pink teal blue won out, but I had
so many other good suggestions. Thank you 
to everyone for your help. Although I 
thought a solid might work, it made things 
look 'flat'. The tiny diamond print was 
subtle, and seemed to work best.

shared with me a free app available for both 
iPhone and Android called Quilting Calc by 
Robert Kauffman. Also known as 
The Quilter's Little Helperit allows you 
to enter measurements, and it calculates 
many options for you. It was tremendously 
helpful in figuring my setting triangles 
and corners. I highly recommend it.

While you're app hunting, check out
Block Fab. There are 50+ traditional 
blocks in its library, and you just enter
the size block you'd like to make. 
You'll have all the cutting measurements
at your fingertips.

Today I worked on pressing seams open,
and adapted a table to use as a very large
ironing board. I used my queen sized batting
folded into four layers over my Lifetime table, 
and ironed on that.


The finished top measured 86"x94" so the backing
had to be pieced. I had used many Amy Butler
prints from my stash in the top, and found a 
lovely print called Sari Blooms. Another Butler
print complemented it, and the raspberry
is another Tula Pink diamond print.



The project is starting to take on a new 
feel with the backing, and I'm
getting so excited to start quilting.

A very interesting turn of events has 
happened, and I'm going to get to quilt
this on a long arm. A very kind neighbor
who has her own long arm has offered
to help coach me through the process.
I'm overwhelmed, and very grateful!


Everything is pressed and ready, and tomorrow
we're off to get thread. Pink and yellow aren't
something she uses everyday. (wink)

Creative Space Tag

the hostess this week for Creative Space Tag.
She's done a wonderful job showcasing her
work space, and tagged the next hostess.
Pop over to see how she's utilized her 
area to best fit her quilting needs, and 
who's next!

Woohoo, Doxie Girls!
It's Saturday, and time for the weekly 

Pink Doxies 

Pet Project Show. 

Pet Project Show

Add your link here every Saturday. 

Rules


Do we have to have rules? 


No worries! It's EASY.



1. Use the blue 'Add Your Link' button (below)
to upload a picture of something you've created 
in the past week. Any kind of handiwork--
share it now! It can be a work in progress, 
finally finished, or even your fab new fabric. 
Whatever it is that inspired you to create this 
week, we'd like to see it here. 

2. Please link to a specific post, and not just your
blog address. It makes it easy for anyone following 
your link to find the project.

3. Provide a backlink to Pink Doxies with a link in
your post, or pick up our Pet Project Show
button in the sidebar. Copy the code, then 
create a Pet Show widget with 'Add by HTML' 
on your Layout page.

-OR-
1. You can link up to your Instagram. 
Click on the Instagram icon at the bottom 
of the link up screen. The URL of your Instagram 
feed will be your link. 
Please hashtag #pinkdoxiespetproject


Either way you link up, remember it's a party
here, so schmooze with the crowd! Visit others 
who've linked up. Leave a comment so they 
know what you like about their work. 

Don't miss a post! 
Follow me on Bloglovin' or by email. 

The Linky Party starts now, and runs until
Monday, May 11th at midnight. 
Spread the word, and tell all your stitchy friends.
*The first Saturday party of each month will
feature several of the Doxies' and my
favorite link ups. 

By linking up, you are giving permission for me
to post your picture with a link back to your 
blog or Instagram account. 







Monday, April 13, 2015

Weekend Retreat with Amy Butler and Hilde Dunn


Image copyright Amy Butler tm, all rights reserved

Amy Butler Workshops and Seminars

I am at a loss of where to start this post today
so allow me to start at the beginning.

The Pink Doxies blog started on a whim one
day, and carried me along for months. It was
a slow and easy ride. The start of 2015 found 
me navigating some rapids. I loved the speed, 
and the need to think about my direction, but I
had no map or idea what laid ahead. Suddenly
I had good readership, but now I was
responsible for delivering solid content and 
unique projects. People were asking if I 
sold the things I was making. Did I? It became 
bit overwhelming making choices
that had so many consequences. Did I 
want to paddle my boat in the small pond off 
that river, or would I rather take my chance 
to see where the current might take me?

That may have been an easy choice for you, but
I agonized over this decision for months.

What did I want for ME?

We who live for years putting the 
concerns of our family first rarely ever
have the option of asking what we want
for ourselves. I was definitely out of practice.

A friend called me about a retreat she saw
online with Amy Butler and Hilde Dunn. She
said it sounded wonderful, and by some odd
luck she got in. By the time I checked it out, 
that wasn't the case for me. They were 
definitely full. I got on the email list, and 
resigned myself to thinking about a time next 
fall when there would be another. Oh, well.
I wasn't crushed--just in a funk then. I had
felt like I was supposed to be there.

The afternoon before the retreat I got a 
call saying there was a spot if I could make
it. Someone had missed a flight. I scrambled
to make it all work, and could barely sleep the 
night before. I was out the door the next morning 
driving the 1:15 to get there early. 
I really didn't know what to expect. 


This was a combination retreat. Life coaching 
by Hilde Dunn using the Handel method was 
one part. We met in here for long sessions. 
We listened, we shared, and we journaled. 
This was a soul-seaching journey that each 
person applied individually to her life. We 
passed the tissue box, and felt safe to share.



And then on to improv piecing with Amy.
We gathered here, and sewed together. 
Even those with no previous sewing 
experience pieced together their own
masterpieces. There was no pattern to follow
meaning we couldn't mess it up. It freed us
up to talk, and, Oh, the stories we told!
I believe this was a magical gathering, so
to speak, of people who all felt compelled
to be there for different reasons. We
felt a deep, pulsing energy among us,
and that's what I'll remember most.




We each brought fabric from our lives,
and we combined it together for communal
use. Amy added scraps of her own. The rule 
was to piece using fabrics chosen for
you blindly by a partner, but there were some
fierce and secretive deals made at the 
cutting and ironing table when no one
was looking! Don't tell, but I think 
Amy was doing the same thing!



We met at the Granville Studio of Visual Arts
in Granville, Ohio. It was the ultimate space for
the venue. GSVA is a non-profit center for art 
education, and also offers the Orange Couch
program for kids online. It's SO cool! Check them out.

Over the course of a few days, our blocks
gained dimension. We shared our process, and
Amy shared positive thoughts.



Lunches were catered, and even those of us 
with food sensitivities were accomodated, 
thank you so very much. Dinner with wine 
was provided Saturday evening, and then 
we had a loud session of decoupage. 
Did I say loud?







Things were getting a little crazy, as you can see,
but it was a wonderful, Good kind of crazy.
This is Amy playing in the fabrics again!




I've purposely kept private some of the 
activities we shared like dinner in downtown 
Granville. We were all instant friends, 
Creatives, and inclusive of all.

Also, we visited the Butler's home and studio on 
Friday evening. It was so lovely, and I'm grateful 
Amy shared her home and evening with us. 
There were 4 sweet cats that could sense how 
allergic I was, and wanted dearly to be near me. 
I wiped my eyes in between listening 
to her talk about her design process, and seeing
the rolls of fabric for her new line coming to
stores in the fall. (It's gorgeous!) It was a memorable 
evening for me in spite of the kitties.





So after the decoupage on Saturday night, I
packed up my delicious goody bag, and said my 
farewells. There was still another day left, but 
my cup was already full, and my direction so 
clear. My Dream was written, and I was ready to
take the journey to make it Real. That's what
Dreaming in Color is all about. 

If you ask me if I would do it all over again,
in spite of the fact that I left early,
I would tell you...

in a Heartbeat.

This was a life changing weekend for 
me, and thank you to everyone there 
for just being who you were.

Come on, Doxie Girls.
Let's go sew.


Linking up with~
Freemotion by the River
Sew Cute at Blossom Heart Quilts
Quilt Story
Handmade Tuesdays
TOO Cute Tuesday
She Can Quilt Scraptastic Tuesday
Show and Tell Monday with Bambi
ayliN-Nilya: Monday Makers
Making Monday
Cooking Up Quilts
Hug-a-Bit Quilts



Sunday, April 5, 2015

Giveaway & Projects for 2015 OTWS Q2 Finishes



Happy Easter to all this morning!

This post is to document all my intended finishes
for the 2015 On the Windy Side Q2. Rules and such 
at the link if you'll join me. I'm almost 
pink-cheeked at all my WIPs, but there will 
be more confessions than just mine this week.

Above is a project I will be telling you about
this week. A Variable Star block that will 
become a pillow for a Giveaway at the end of 
the month, and is also my April goal for A Lovely 
Year of Finishes. The Pink Doxies Pet Project 
Show linky party is going on right now here
and will last until Monday night. We have the 
same link party each weekend you can link up to.
I will pick one random winner at the end of 
this month to receive this pillow. I'm happy
to ship anywhere in the world for you!

Are you interested in winning?

Enter the Pet Project link party for one chance.
*Each weekend means another chance!
Parties #14, 15,16, and 17 count.
Follow me on Bloglovin' -or- by email for another.
Following on Twitter gives you one more,
and Instagram another.

You can leave me one comment here on this 
post telling me how you're following, and I'll
count up the linky party entries at the 
end of the month and add them to your total.

All buttons are to your right in the sidebar.


HST Quilt




A Kate Spain laminated fabric bag for shopping



Another Pie Quilt with some 
Pam Kitty and other cheery fabrics.



A Love block lap quilt from A Quilter's Mixology




The quilted iPad cover I promised after Christmas!




Tula Pink jelly roll quilt I started over a year ago!




My Pojagi-like hanging for my window.




Dare I even say the Daydream Quilt?




My daughter is getting tired of waiting on 
this hexagon quilt.



Jelly Beans and Chocolate. I love this backing!
Why can't I just finish it?



 Aquiltic


Sashing and backing fabric just 
ordered for this beauty from 
Modern Tradition Quilts Charm
Square Quilt Along.

Whew!
Okay, I actually have a few more, but
I will hold off until the summer quarter.

Actual link ups to the second quarter start
in a few days, but I thought a few of you 
might want some time to get ready. You
know who you are!

Let's bust those WIP's together this quarter!

Come on, Doxie Girls.
Let's go sew.

Linking this post to~


Friday, March 13, 2015

Join for FREE! Pet Project Show #11

Compassion
                                                                            
What do you think when you see a sign
with "Free" on it?

I have a tendency to think there's got to be
a catch, or in the case above, 
it's going to cost me a lot. 
'Cuz nothing is free! 

Really?