I"m not a busy person ~

Well, I'm not busy in the sense that many are busy.  I hear it often "I'M SO0000000  BUSY"  uttered in half-out-of-breath gushes.  I'm wondering if busy makes one more important than non-busy people.  I'm also wondering that perhaps I blogged about this topic recently.  If so, then here it is again.  Apparently self-important and very busy people have been on my mind.   

You see, I've had a couple of things happen in the past few weeks that reminds me that while I'm not out-of-breath busy, I do keep myself busy and while I've no importance in the big scheme of things, I am a very important person.


So, here is my spin on things: 
I've been sooooooooo busy this week that I quite  forgot my hair cut and color appointment this week.  Now, really, that must be either super busy or just damn forgetful.  It's not so much the cut that I miss, but I definitely miss the color.  And, as I told my friends yesterday,

I miss very much that my eyebrows have virtually disappeared.....

you see, I also have the white/gray brows tinted at the same time I have my hair tinted, which naturally improves my looks. 

 Eye brows are significant when it comes to finishing the look of the face - don't you agree.  So, anyway, I called the hair salon yesterday with a huge apology and a promise of a significant Christmas tip.....and for that I got re-scheduled for mid-December.  Three weeks is a long time to wait for tinted brows.  

It isn't I who has disappeared....just the brows!  Keep looking. 

They'll re-appear in a few weeks. 

 

 

 

Some folks just put way too much importance on themselves.    It happened in my yoga class on Monday.  I arrived a few minutes early and settled my mat and gear on the floor ready to do some mood-altering, before class begins, stretches.   I'm a little hard of hearing, but I heard her coming.  Loud voice and all, she informed me that I had her place and could I move my mat.  Since moving over wasn't an option without crowding the other class participants, I bundled all my gear up, crawled and wallowed my body up from the floor,  moved to another open spot, re-spread my gear and then fumed the rest of the hour.   There is a lot to be gained by positive yoga vibes, but they just passed right on by me that day. 

 

Well, bless Pat (as Mom used to say)....the same thing happened again Wednesday....same important person.  I went in as always and spread my gear, getting into the zen frame of mind when again I heard her coming.  She just wondered if I could scoot just a bit so she could get into position.  Again, seeing there was not room, I collected my gear and moved.   I know smoke must have been blowing out my ears by this time I was so hot under the collar. 

 

You know, she's not really my problem....it is I who am my problem.  I'm so mad at myself, wondering why I allowed a total stranger to intimidate me?  I guess I thought her crass rudeness must be because she's a very important person, and one who probably has gotten away with that behavior in her past. 

When next we meet, I'm just going to ask her the who, what, when, where and why questions and will definitely be asking myself the HOW? question.

 

Who are you, rude person in my face?    

What makes you so important to justify your rudeness?

When are you going to apologize for being so demeaning?

Where were your manners on Monday and Wednesday?

Why do you think this space is your space?  The room is quite large and would accomodate all of us without crowding. 

Now, let's talk about HOW I  might be able to help you become a nicer person...one who is very important, but with less self-importance attached. 

And finally, the HOW question to myself:  HOW did I ever allow this person to threaten my self-worth?    It will not happen again.  In my most polite voice with a huge smile on my face, I'm going to tell her that if she  wants a particular place on the floor, then she should arrive early because I'm not crawling or wallowing around on the floor again just because she wants the square footage that I occupy. 

 

At peace with self.....having a busy moment while being  a very important person. 


 

 

 

 



I've recovered from Glamp....thank you ~

It took me several  full days of nothing, but I've recovered from the whirlwind long weekend trip to Glamp Stitchalot - a wonderful fun-filled improv workshop weekend hosted by Pink Castle Fabrics in Ann Arbor.  

Fab teachers - Nydia Kehnle, Nicholas Ball, Luke Haynes, Latifah Saafir, Dan Rouse and Sherri Lynn Wood.    While I'm an improv quilter from way back, I learned so much from each of these teachers.  Each one was so comfortable in their diverse improv skills. 

Nydia was a whiz-kid at needle turn applique and demonstrated how to quickly free cut a design from a 2 1/2" square and applique it back onto a 2  1/2" square for a delightful mini- or larger if one chooses.  So simple, so purely inprov, so versatile to make each block my own....each quilt my own. 

Nick Ball, oh so personable, travelling from Cardiff, South Wales, says he rarely sews from patterns or templates and we totally got his drift when he showed us his vegetable patch quilt (not pictured).  I'm still smiling. 

Nick had us gather fabric - four pieces approximately the same size - I had all prints...some in the class had all solids.....some had a pleasant mix.  Really didn't matter with this 'cause in the end anything could be added to balance the improv mix.  Here's what I came away with after an afternoon of play. 

 The most versatile quilt blocks changed on a whim by adding those little corner black and white zigzag scraps. 

Last teacher, first day was Luke Haynes.  Luke had us deconstruct two large shirts - cut and sew, cut and sew, then cut again until we had the most fun 4" x 4" blocks to use in designing and constructing our own improv quilt.   I found two thrift store shirts....puke green and red.  Love this combo.  Loved the freedom to cut 4" blocks  at will on almost free fabric. 

Second day began with Latifah Saafir and what a great beginning that was.   With large paper template in hand, we pieced and patched to begin one of her quilt patterns, the molehill quilt.  Can hardly wait to have time to piece and patch more molehills.  Can you see that I included a snippit of Latifah's fabric with selvage intact....she signed for me. 

Just before lunch, we had plenty of time for the fabulous self-taught improv quilt maker, Dan Rouse.  This is Dan's second trip to Glamp Camp, so you know he is good. 

I've had time since being home to finish this one....ready to quilt posted on my martymuses instagram. 

Finished the day with the queen of improv, Sherri Lynn Wood.  It put some weight in my carry-on but I did take her Improv Handbook for Modern Quilters for her to sign.

Sherri Lynn had us pulling from a bag  filled with strips and without skipping  a heart beat, we had to gulp air and sew it to the next strip pulled whether we agreed with it or not.  What an interesting way to be filled with improv fun. 

Now that I've gotten a taste of each improv technique, I would love a full three-day workshop from each....starting with Nydia and ending, last, but certainly not least, Sherri Lynn. 

 Home and fully recovered, my newest mantra.....I can Improv ~

Quilt Festival moments and afterthoughts ~

Was it just a year ago that I blogged about Houston Quilt Festival 2015?  How quickly the year passed and now I've just returned from Festival 2016.  Oh, my, what fun this year visiting and shopping my favorites. 

I had a nice visit with Malka Dubrawsky and came away with some of her 'blues'.  I've been one of her stalkers for a number of years and normally purchase from her online shop,  A Stitch In Dye,  so it was a joy to buy and bring it all home with me.  I was so sorry that I had not taken her book "Fresh Quilting" to get her to sign it for me. 

Oh, and Hannah's.  Hannah has a quilt shop near me in Choudrant, Louisiana,  and I go there as often as I can because I CAN always find fabric.  Hannah loves to travel and vends her shop at many quilt shows throughout the country each year.   Her quilt show booths are always beautifully decorated with the Kaffe Fassett fabric along with other designers of the big and bold and floral and graphic from England, Australia and New Zealand. 

  

If you haven't, then do so - purchase Kaffe Fassett's Bold Blooms (with Liza Prior Lucy) -

 it is beautifully filled with mouth-watering pictures  - quilts, needlepoint pillows and more.

  Patterns and templates are always included. 

  I lucked up on an autographed one which, by-the-way,  was no more expensive than those not personally signed by Kaffe.

I found this little wall hanging quilt in the show,  holding its own against all those large ones - a wool applique made by a quilter who had taken a workshop with Sue Spargo.  My apology for not noting the quilters name....I am shamed....but  just look at the border she selected for her very traditional folk art applique style - a Kaffe Fasset fabric.  Love this. 
 

I'm not a people stalker, but stalking quilt shop booths is another story.  I do search and usually can find Cherrywood Fabrics.  They'll also be at QuiltCon East, 2017 Savannah:  I asked.    I arrived too late to grab a grab bag filled with what they call the outtakes but I did come away with these fat quarter hand dyed jewels. 

 

My three favorite quilts in the entire show: 

drunkards path, clam shells and orange peels - who knew improv with traditional could be so fun.  Made by a quilter out of Japan, Junko Sugahara.  This quilt's title is "My Mother, My Daughter & Myself" made from family kimonos. 

my favorite Millefiori - one of many Millefiori quilts in special exhibit sponsored by QuiltMania

It's a hot spot  - This lady kept telling me she didn't want in the picture - but she never moved!

She's in the picture with this hot quilt, like it or not. 

I especially enjoyed the special exhibits  this year....very artsy, very modern, very unique.   A favorite "Artful Improv" by Cindy Grisdela.   Her quilts were spectacular. 

Another favorite display "Inspired by Color:  Art Quilts by Kathy York.   There was a story behind each of Kathy's unique art quilts.   Visit  Kathy's blog - Art Quilts by Kathy York - and visit her quilt galleries for more color punch. 

There was so much to see and so little time to see it all

but I lingered for quite a while at the hanging display of

 Swiss Childrens' Wear. 

It's good to be home to enjoy my quiet time sorting and fondling and smiling over all my fabric purchases.....smiling as I flip page after page of  new books added to my library....getting inspired and planning for the next one.

Until next year, Quilt Festival Houston....it was a blast.