Favorite Things

 I did clean up my studio a little bit so I won't come home from Houston to a mess. 

There are a few special things in my studio I thought I would share. First, are two beachscapes I bought from my very talented friend, Eileen Williams. I love everything about these. The top one is 5" x 8", the larger one is 9" x 12".  Having shells and beads sewn on makes them so special, and I love the driftwood hanger on the bottom one. I don't get to the beach near as often as I wish so these help take me there:

Be sure to check out her beautiful work on her website: Fiber Art Quilts. She has had several gallery exhibitions this year so many of her pieces have sold. She has won numerous awards for her work over the years.  Read more about our lifelong friendship in this post: A Visit With Friends

The other item on my studio wall that makes me smile every day is this:

Garth Brooks, the inscription says "Barbara, sure love your boy--God bless your family, Garth". 

My son, Joshua Black Wilkins, is a professional photographer in Nashville, TN. A few years ago he was working on a shoot there with Garth Brooks. As it happened to be my birthday, I told Joshua to tell him his mother is a big fan. I have loved Garth's music from the beginning. During a break, Joshua did tell him that and Garth instantly asked for my address. A few days later I received a large box from Oklahoma. Not knowing anyone in OK, I was surprised and curious. It was full of all the merchandise sold at his shows. Lots of t-shirts, coffee mugs, key chains, stickers, all that stuff. Included was this signed photo. And a 3-CD set of all his music and a DVD of a big show. Pretty sweet and unexpected, for sure.  I hung this where Garth can watch me at my pressing station:

The Flying Geese quilt above is called Snowbirds by Jinny Beyer--I made it in 2000. On the left is a tiny twister quilt made by my friend, Ellen, in 2013. 

So, while I'm off to Houston, I will try to post a few simple posts about quilty things.

Be sure to check out the Tutorials tab above to find lots of helpful posts for quilting issues/techniques.

Let's quilt.

Barbara

Post-Festival Busy Time

Last week I got home from 15 days in Houston--13 days of work at International Quilt Market and Festival, and 2 days of fun and sightseeing on the Post-show tour--this year we went to San Antonio.  It is so  good to see something of Texas besides the Houston airport to the GRB convention center and back again. 

I've been going to Houston since 1996 and absolutely love my time there.  Market is exciting--let's see what's new and upcoming--and Festival is vibrant with over 60,000 visitors from all over the world.  My schedule keeps me on the 3rd floor most of the time, in the Education office, but every chance I get, I head downstairs to see the quilts and visit the vendors.  My job is to handle faculty check-in and manage all the freight they ship in--lots of fun getting to know more than 120 teachers, again from all over the world. 

In January I will be giving a Power Point lecture to my guild:  An Inside Look at International Quilt Market and Festival.  So this year I had to remember to take my camera every time I left the office.  While I could talk for hours about "Houston" as quilters know it, a Power Point lecture needs images.   Here are a few:

One of the TWO Founders Awards--by Janet Stone

A photo exhibit I call "If Quilters Ruled the World"  quilts on the SF Bay Bridge and US Capitol
 

Honu Harmony by my long-time friend, Eileen Williams--spectacular!

Two of my teacher buddies, Charlotte Angotti and Debbie Caffrey

There is always so much to do after being gone from home this long--laundry, mail, newspapers, etc.  Today I hope to unpack my goodies and cram them into the closet along with all their friends I brought home in the past years. 

 

 I also have to get a few samples finished for upcoming classes, like this:

 



Two applique' blocks from Mrs. Lincoln's Sampler, by From My Heart to Your Hands, Lori Smith

Enjoying my crazy kitties too--yes, they've grown while I was gone and Stitches, the male, is now able to get on top of everything--including the refrigerator and then the cabinet tops.  When we point the spray bottle at him, he just smiles.  Patches, good little girl, jumps down. 

 

 Stitches



Patches

I'd better get to it if I hope to get much done today--Let's Quilt!

 

Barbara



 

Support Your Local Artist

Those of us who create stuff know the feeling when someone else likes what we have made.  And if someone buys one of our works, that's a great feeling--knowing the art we made touched another person enough that they wanted to own and enjoy it.

I have an old friend, from kindergarten as best we can remember, who is a quilt artist with several awards to her credits, several large commissions in public spaces, and terrific small quilts for sale at Tidewater Gallery in Swansboro, NC.  Her name is Eileen Williams and you can see her work here.

As someone who loves the beach and ocean and rarely gets there, I wanted a piece of Eileen's art to admire and remind me of the sea so I bought this piece:

Reach for the Stars
9" x 12"
 

Eileen is featured in the current issue of Quilting Arts magazine, June/July 2013--a terrific article about her and her work. 

We have a few interesting things in common:  we grew up just a couple blocks from each other and went to the same elementary, junior and high schools in Philadelphia.  After college, she went in the Navy and I joined the Marine Corps.  We both married Marine Lieutenants from Alabama, and raised sons--she has 3, I have 2.  And we both found our artistic outlet in quiltmaking--though our styles are very different, our passion is the same. 

Now I have to find the perfect spot in my home for this beauty--somewhere I can see it every day, smell the salt air and hear the waves. 

If you get the opportunity to support a local artist, do it!  It's good for the soul--of both of you.

Let's Quilt!

Barbara