Where Have I Been? Just about Everywhere!

 

As the universal question goes, "Where has the time gone?" My apologies to you, gentle blog reader, for leaving you hanging since October! You may not have wondered where I've been since then. But I have! A lot has happened that has kept me away from my blogging routine.

First off, I now have a website that promotes my speaking and teaching ventures! I'm so excited about this because it makes me feel official. If you are part of a guild, please consider me for a program and/or workshop. My website is called The Heartful Quilter by Kari's Creations and you can find it at theheartfulquilter.com. My goal is to share my enthusiasm and "heart" for quilting with other quilters. With 35-plus years of quilting under my belt, I have a lot to share!

I suppose the most impactful thing that has happened in this six-plus months has been my mom's health issues. I've been back and forth to Guntersville and the two hospitals in Marshall County, helping my mom through procedures and a surgery to finally amputate her left big toe. But, she is now doing much, much better, and we are looking forward to a summer of good health and lots of fun at the lake. 

So, fast forward from October to now, with these highlights in the rear view: 

Boyd and mom with me in Savannah.
* Went to Savannah, Ga., in October with my husband and mom and her friend on a bus that broke down on the way there and then went to Cocoa Beach, Fla., during a very cold week in January that nearly blew me away!

Boyd, Anna and Tyler with me
at Cocoa Beach.

My cousin Theresa and her husband Al
have a condo in Cocoa Beach.


Tamara, Elida and Beverly
with me at retreat.
* Went to the guild quilting retreat at a new location -- Camp Sumatanga! -- and had a blast with long-time bestie Elida, and tablemates Cheryl and Maria, and 70-some other quilting friends. Some of the fun was super hilarious, like when I realized I had my pants on backwards and the funny comments around the supersized bathroom mirror!
With Elida and Sandy
at the supersized bathroom mirror!
With Elida!
With Maria!


Sheree with her version of Message in a Bottle.
There are Bible verses in her vases.
* Taught the final class in the Message in a Bottle series of classes, with one student completely finishing her quilt and other students making great progress on their quilts. Also taught a workshop for the Lakeside Quilters in Guntersville.

Lian with a
Message applique.





Ann with Message blocks.
Tamara with a 
Message applique.



* Hosted the spring Stitchers Retreat at Camp Maranatha. 
Our spring Stitcher retreaters at Camp Maranatha!
A spring retreat photo with Liz!


DeeDee, Sheree, Sandy and Pat
joined me for a walk to the lake.


Amazing Grace
* Finally quilted Amazing Grace! It is a quilt I made based on the Jen Kingwell pattern Sweat Tea and Green Beans, only it's made in Kaffe fabrics. Mine is called Amazing Grace for these reasons: the border fabric includes verses from Amazing Grace, which was my mother-in-law's favorite hymn, and I need a lot of grace for all the errors I made in this quilt!



Cheryl and I at
AQS Paducah!
* Went to AQS Paducah to see my two quilts in the show, and to shop and have fun with friend Cheryl and others from Huntsville, including Donna, Laura and Joan.

Love Blooms 
at AQS Paducah.
Friendship Baskets
at AQS Paducah.

Cheryl and I with national teacher
Nina Clotfelter.






Marie signed my books!
* Attended an author event with Marie Bostwick, who wrote the Cobbled Court Quilts series that the Stitchers Book Club is now reading. 

Stitchers Book Club members with Marie!


Making Mended Hearts!
Marsha and Sandy working on 
Mended Hearts.

* Made Mended Hearts at the Southern Charm Vintage Club. The club adopted Mended Hearts as it's charity project. We sew on Mended Hearts once a quarter. They are given to heart patients at Huntsville Hospital. 





Jen Kingwell's
Pick A Petal.
That sort of brings us to today! And, here I sit ...

* Planning my next class at Southern Charm (Pick a Petal beginning in July).

* Working like crazy on quilts I want to put in our next guild quilt show in February. To help me along, I've joined the StitchIts/Sit and Sew meetings at Southern Charm every Monday morning.

May Blocks with Kaffe fabrics.
* Leading a Stitchers Sew-a-Long with friend Sam based on the Dazzling New York Beauty Sampler.

* Being happy about finally launching a website to promote my programs and workshops to the quilt community at large.

* Getting ready for the "Big Trip" across the pond to tour England and Scotland with my husband, my daughter and her husband, and a couple other family members.

So stay tuned! I promise not to keep you -- or me -- hanging for so long until the next blog!

Hugs and Hope

Kari




Comments

  1. Denise :)May 8, 2025 at 6:30 AM

    So busy! And such a fun summary of all the good times!!

    ReplyDelete

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