Monday Musings

Waiting to tempt me in my Inbox Sunday morning was this email.  Anthropologie joining forces with Liberty London spells trouble for my pocket book!

I walk by this stack of books (some new, some not so new) several times a day, each time telling myself I really should take a minute to sit and peruse them.

Wideback fabric designs have improved since I began quilting.  As much as I love a pieced quilt back, having the option of Kaffe 108" wide fabric, for example, to put on the back of a quilt is so nice!

I am growing my collection of EPP Happy Flower Blocks. Love this picture of a few I pieced out by the pool.

The move to SquareSpace is still in transition.  If you have an extra minute, please click here to take a look and tell me what you think.  Thanks in advance.  Have a wonderful Monday!  Happy stitching,

Friday Finish: Blog Makeover and a Quilt Top

Happy Friday, friends! I am publishing this post both on Blogger and Square Space.  Hopefully if I didn't screw this up, you will soon find me on Square Space.  I am still renecreates.com but after the Photobucket issue and other blogger blips, I made the move that I have been contemplating for a while.  The site isn't 100% complete, but the blogging basics have been set up.

Edited to add:  Currently, my URL directs readers to Blogger.  I am unable to make the transfer until 8/15/17.  If you want to see how the "new" blog looks on SquareSpace, you can click here.

With that out of the way, let's get to quilting!  My daughter's graduation quilt top is finished and now the quilting agony begins.  Sometimes I believe I drag on the piecing process longer than necessary because I dread the quilting design decision.  

My friends at Crafty Tuesday helped me get a picture of the entire quilt.  The day was quite sunny so the colors are a bit washed out.  Hopefully I will have a better picture (and of a finished quilt) soon.

Please let me know if you experience any issues with accessing, commenting, or clicking through my blog.  Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Facebook Communities Summit

I recently had the privilege of attending (with two other guildies) the first ever Facebook Communities Summit, representing Orlando Modern Quilt Guild.  What an amazing opportunity for our guild to be invited to attend along with admins of 100 other groups!

I won't go in to all that was discussed (click on the link above if you want to read the press article), but the focus was on "meaningful groups" and building a sense of community.  I will say the three day summit was an experience I will never forget.

As you can tell by the graphics, the groups were an eclectic mix.

We were in workshops all day, and treated like VIPs during the evening events!  The workshops covered topics including Engaging Your Community, Creating Shared Purpose, and Fostering Safe Community.  Mary, Michele, and I had the opportunity to share our guild story, meet other group leaders and hear their stories (including Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg), and learn from an amazing array of speakers.

The venue designers Must Be quilters.  Our workshops were held in rooms such as the Hex Room, the Triangle Room, the Circle Room, and the Heart Room!  I kept seeing quilt designs everywhere I looked!

We were the only quilt group represented at the Summit, but that didn't stop us from finding other quilters!  We met Shelly on the plane who had joined our Facebook group days before the event.  Ann was at the Summit with a pilgrimage group; we discovered she had made a Quilts for Pulse with her LAMQG!

Dawn had put the word out that she wanted to meet us and could be found carrying a hot pink backpack!  We found her the last day and had a great time discussing quilts and seeing her recent finishes on Instagram.

Lighthearted workshop in the vein of late night comedy.  See the HSTs in the background?!

This got me thinking about community and quilters and how the two just go hand in hand.  Am I right?!  Quilters tend to seek each other out and instantly connect like no other group of people I have known.  It's a beautiful thing!

Look at these bar tiles!

So it seemed appropriate to start a Facebook Group where ALL quilters could connect in one place; a place to discuss anything quilty, regardless of style, skill level, or location.  If you are on Facebook, please consider joining Quilty Friends Rock and/or inviting quilt friends to join.

Thanks so much for stopping by,

Safety First!

Take it from me, you can't be too careful when it comes to using your rotary cutter!  

"Keep your hand elevated, Rene'!"

Even though I practice good habits, always closing my rotary cutter immediately after each "pass" and keeping my fingers away from the edge of the ruler, somehow my rotary cutter managed to jump over the ruler and slice my finger.  It was not a pretty sight.  Of course, I had just changed the blade that morning so it was super sharp.  The incident happened during a guild workshop, and my friends took really good care of me!  That trusty blue painters tape can also be used to wrap bandages ;-)))  Forget bandaids....keep painters tape and gauze in your Sew Together Bag!!!

Four stitches and a finger guard and I am good to go.

For now I am staying away from sharp instruments; not to mention it's difficult to hold a ruler steady with a finger guard on your index finger.

 I find that I can play with Legos though! 

Before slicing my finger in class, I did manage to make a block or two.  

It was a great workshop!

Happy (and safe) stitching,

Really Random Thursday: Celebrations

I'm so happy Cindy has reinstated her weekly random posts.  My life is a series of randomness!

Saw this on Instagram...I NEED this!

This past week we celebrated Mother's Day, a couple of milestone birthdays and my middlest's graduation from college.

Proud family!

We weren't all together on Mother's Day Sunday, but the next best thing was seeing the grandparents attend Eric's graduation.  Here we are at the Honors Medallion Ceremony prior to the graduation.

Vanilla, Italian Creme and Red Velvet

Making the honorees serve their own cake

A few days prior to graduation was cousin Zach's 16th birthday...a few days after graduation was Ally's 16th birthday, so it was only natural that we celebrate with three cakes!

I think that's Eric!

Back to the graduation...our son is right there...can you spot him?!  Not content to graduate Summa Cum Laude, he was only one of thirteen that graduated with a perfect 4.0 (did you know an A- is not a 4.0?...crazy).  He worked extremely hard and earned every one of those A's.

He did it!

Thank goodness for the jumbotron when it came time for him to receive his diploma!

Class of 2015!

Eric's ceremony took place at night, so we had to get the classic picture in front of Westcott Fountain another day.

The school could make a lot of money by providing professional photographers here.

We waited until Sunday when the line wasn't that long.

Throwback Thursday to when I graduated from FSU.

Thirty-one years ago the line obviously wasn't an issue.  I told my husband we started a trend...ha!

Found on Facebook

At another college graduation ceremony there's a trend to decorate the caps.  I scrolled through quite a few to find our friend's son's cap and found this one that is my favorite.

Throwback Thursday to when Max was a cover boy

Oh, and Max also had a birthday.  He's a whopping 11 years old.

Hilarious!

Clever book title spotted at Barnes & Noble while gift shopping.

experimenting with the meme generator

If you made it this far, I thank you!

Tune in tomorrow....

Come back tomorrow for blogger's quilt festival where I reveal pictures of Eric's graduation quilt.
Thanks for stopping by,

Hello 2015!

Goodbye 2014!  Hope everyone enjoyed a safe and happy New Year's Day!  I don't know about you, but I am ready to start a new year.  Originally, I was not planning to do a 2014 recap because I'm not pleased with my lack of creating and blogging.

Quilty New Year card

Then I got to thinking about all the wonderful quilty experiences from 2014 and what I DID create.  Here's a quick recap (in no particular order):

Good times after a weekend of workshops

SewDown Nashville was a blast!  Four wonderful teachers, reconnecting with quilty friends and meeting new ones.

My spiderweb quilt made with the help of my MCM Bee buddies

Our Mid Century Modern Bee's second year was full of fantastic blocks, and my first completed bee quilt is my favorite finish of 2014!

One of my favorite blocks

I'm thrilled the Wish Circle of do.Good Stitches welcomed me to their group in February.  I have long admired this charity bee.

Collaborative quilt made for Doris

Hard to believe 2014 was the fifth year retreating with my friends at Gruber's.  I love these girls so much!

I attended several great classes and workshops in addition to SewDown.  Here I am hanging with Carolyn and friends at Bok Tower Gardens for Carolyn's Quilting Florida exhibit.

Me and Jacquie

It was fabulous seeing Jacquie again in Florida where she gave a lecture and workshop at a LQS.  Of course I attended both the lecture and workshop!  Can't get enough of Jacquie!

Love this one!

So happy my sister drove down for one workshop

Our OrlandoMQG brought in Victoria for two days of workshops.  It was an inspiring couple of days!

Destined to be my first finish of 2015

Joined others in Rachel's Angled Camp class as well as a pillow swap.

Heart warming to see children enthusiastic about sewing

Participated in Maker Faire Orlando where our booth won a ribbon.

Festival of Trees quilt

Our OrlandoMQG presented a collaborative quilt to The Orlando Museum of Art's Festival of Trees.

32 Dear Jane blocks pieced in 2014

Started the Choose Your Own BlockAlong with Cindy and Michelle.

I did not complete as many projects as I would have liked in 2014, but you can see a few shown on my quilty New Year card (first picture in post) and by clicking on the link on my sidebar.

Looking ahead to 2015, I am excited about...

Attending QuiltCon again.  This time my sister is going as well!

Gruber's retreat in Minnesota!

My sister will be sewing with the OMQG in 2015!

The OrlandoMQG's sixth year.

Continuing with the MCM Bee and Wish Circle as well as joining a new Sew Sisters Bee.

Participating in several sew alongs and online classes including, but not limited to, 12 Months of Christmas, Choose Your Own BlockAlong, Pile O' Fabrics Skill Builder and EQ University.

Of course, I would like to finish more projects and be a  consistent blogger.

Whew!  This turned out to be a long post.

 Thank you for continuing to stop by and an ever bigger thank you to those who leave comments ;-)))

Happy New Year!!!