It's been a very long time since my last blog entry. I'm always amazed at how fast time flies when I'm working hard and having fun.
But, the main reason that I haven't been blogging isn't that I haven't had the time - we ALWAYS find the time to do the things we really want to do - it's that I wasn't sure of where to go next with the blog.
Here's the thing about blogs - at least how I see it - a lot of folks blog just so they have an audience to say what they want to say or to advertise what they need advertised. I just don't want my blog to be about either of those, I want it to be a place for you to find inspiration, to showcase new ideas and new techniques. I loved doing the machine quilting thing with you, but I needed a break from it for a while and once I was ready to come back, I just didn't know what direction to move in.
Well, I'm still not sure what direction to move in so for now, I'm just going to share with you some of my newer work and let you know when and where I'll be teaching next (which may very well be nothing but out and out advertising - you let me know!) So, here goes;
I'm working on a new Quilt & Color piece which is the technique used in the bird above. This new piece is very large, 72" x 44". It was my hope to get it done for Houston this year (I never, never enter that type of show because I detest the idea of "competitive quilting") but then I looked at the entry date and it is at the end of this week - so, that's out, but I'm still really enjoying working on it, whenever I get the chance, which right now isn't very often. Why you ask, well, as my mean ol' aunt used to say, "be careful what you wish for, you just might get it".
What have I been wishing for; success - business success, personal success, financial success, SUCCESS! Well, it seems to be coming my way. Earlier this year I decided to quit working with my wonderful publishers and go out on my own and add book publishing to my plate. I've found a lovely editor and book designer as well as a printer (thanks to Carol Ann Waugh) and am putting the finishing touches on my third book (my first as publisher and author), "Quilt & Color; Creative Quilting with Stitch, Ink & Paint". It should be ready for release in late August.
I also decided to see if I could find a larger market for my hand dyed products, so last month at Spring Quilt Market in Kansas City, I met with a few distributors and showed them my wares. Brewer, who has always been my supplier of choice, decided to pick up 7 of the 10 lines that I showed them and placed a HUGE order with us. We are working our collective butts off (with the help of my daughter/assistant Haley, good friends I.V. and Tamara and a few other helpful gals and guys) we're on schedule to get the order out to them by the end of this month just in time for me to introduce all of the goodies at Bernina University the first week of July in Washington D.C!
So, I've tooted my horn and now I need to get out an email then get to bed. Tomorrow is another day - it will be filled with a much needed visit to the Denver Art Museum with my artsy friends, an afternoon of packing hand dyed bone beads and an evening teaching color & design. Life is good, LIFE IS GOOD!
Till next time,
Heather
