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.

Sarah from Confessions of a Fabric Addict

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 Helper, it 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

Sandra at Musings of a Menopausal Melon is

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. 

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. 

An InLinkz Link-up

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 
a 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

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~

2015 On the Windy Side Q2

Show and Tell with Bambi!

Hug-a-Bit Quilts

Cooking Up Quilts
Design Wall Monday

Join for FREE! Pet Project Show #11

                                                                            

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?