Crazy busy week so far...

Opps, missed posting yesterday. I have been slightly busy... Interview in town on Thursday morning at 9 am, back home around 10:30 am, change and out the door around 11:15 am, stopped for coffee at the local Starbucks, then stopped for gas,  and then on the road to New Hampshire.

I arrived in Nashua, New Hampshire around 12:30 pm and promptly got lost.

Thank goodness for the maps on the iPad or I would have never found the Radisson Hotel! The Quilter's Gathering is having a quilt show there this weekend. I volunteered to sit and sell raffle tickets for two hours. In the meantime I was able to see the show before I sat at the guild table, and shop the different vendors afterwards.

The two hours I sat at the guild table flew! I was joined by another guild member for the entire time, and we got to meet, greet, and chat with other members whom we don't have the opportunity to do so at meetings.

It was great to see so many quilters! Some wonderful quilts. Meet new and known vendors and chat with them. Always a fun time at a quilt show. It was also nice to see a RSQ guild member's quilt being shown with a ribbon! Nancy belongs to several guilds and this quilt had been also shown at the RSQ show last month. Still a very nice tribute to a fellow quilter who has passed away this year.

"Helen Taylor, member of several N.E. quilt guilds. Much loved and missed. Moment captured during one of her last quilt excursions to Lancaster County. Helen Taylor, Nancy Wasserman, Ellen Liberman, and Mary Elzabeth Palumbo. On loan from the collection of Ellen Liberman. Original photo by Clare Keane." Techniques Used: Machine Quilted. Quilted by Nancy Wasserman.

It is always nice to see a wonderful memory saved within a quilt. The picture does not do justice to the wonderful depth of this quilt.

Some more quilts that I fell in love with at the show...

   

   

 

On another note...
Today, while checking out Facebook, one of my Canadian friends posted the following:
"I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy your friendship! You are such a joy, with your insight, your quirky personality, your far-ranging interests and your caring for other people. I hope you soon find the employment of your dreams at a salary beyond your hopes or expectations, and until that happens, that you find joy in every day."

Of course I needed to mention "my quirky personality..." Still, the words are to be treasured, she is a special person and it is nice to have such positive words and thoughts sent my way. :)

Another note...

This morning I needed to take the cat to the vet... it is his annual check-up. Due to the fact that he has to be sedated every time he goes there, he was not to eat or drink after midnight last night. He was not a happy camper this morning... when we got to the vet's office he started to growl. The vet called to say that he is now ready to be picked up. Yes, he was growling and giving the evil eyes while under sedation! 

This is Tuxedo, as he does appear to be wearing a tuxedo. He only gained a 1/4 of a pound, bad enough that he is now 13.75 lbs of cat! He will be happy to be back home.

And yet another note...
In the meantime, I received my fabrics for the online class that I am taking with my friend Gwen. Now to cut like a mad women!!! I am behind on the class, so it is time to play catch up!

I am excited! I was waiting for the Little Apples fabric... this is what I will be using for the p.s.i quilt class.


I'm off!


Thank you for joining me on today's coffee break :)
Ciao for now !
J :)

On the Road Again...

The Quilt Show was a success! One of my girlfriends quilt came in 3rd! She is giving it to a much loved aunt as a Birthday present, so I'll be quiet on that one for a bit. The quilts where amazing! Inspiring, and for some of my friends who have never been to a quilt show, a bit overwhelming. I am very happy that a few of my old friends got to see what I have been up to of late. :)

Speaking of Birthday presents... The package to Puerto Rico has been picked up at the Post Office... I don't know if it has gotten to my cousin's house as one of my sister suggested I touch base with one of my cousins family members to pick up the box before it was due to be shipped back... The PO sent a notice that it had been picked up on Saturday morning. :) Sweet! (10/18/2011 Note: I got a text message that my cousin LOVES the package! Glad to hear! Very glad they got it before it shipped back North!)

I am off to NJ this morning, my aunt has another test tomorrow. To say she is tired of doctors is an understatement... This test seems more along the line of the Dr's covering their collective butts than anything else, but still it is a pain in the butt for my aunt to have to thru all of these once again to cover their collective rears!

Still for me it is great for me that I have the opportunity to spend some time with her. We have done some things I would have never had the chance to do on my own! The trip to the Meadowlands on my birthday was fun!

So off to get ready to take the bus to Newark and onto New Brunswick.

Hope you have enjoyed your coffee (or tea as someone reminded me Not Everyone drinks as much coffee as you do!) and my rant :)

Ciao!
J :D

Quilt Show!

I feel like a kid in a candy store... I have two quilts in my 1st quilt show! I know that I should not be as giddy as I am, but what the heck! I am loving it! I have gone to this show over the last few years as I have friends who belong to the guild, and now so do I.

It was wonderful to hear the comments of fellow quilters mention the 'out of the box' thinking for the thread painting for the quilt challenge.

I was showing my sister-in-law's mom the large quilt (the fish) and she was enjoying the quilting. The quilter, Georgette Gagne, the owner/operator of Black Wolf Quilt Studio's in Webster, NH, did a fantastic quilting of this quilt. I'll need to post some pictures of the quilt... 

 

So the label reads: "Completed August 2011" "Made with love by Jean Necheles, For the love of my Life Paul Donovan"
Yes, this is Paul's quilt. In the book and on the label attached to the front of the quilt, it says: 


     I took a Stack-n-Whack class with Karen Pulaski, of Hudson, MA. The blocks are a unique kaleidoscope design, with the border of the same fabric. My husband loves Asian fabrics and just mentioned that he loved this fabric. This was his Christmas gift and yes, he loves his quilt. Pattern Name: Stack-n-Whack. Machine Piced, Machine Quilted. 70 x 80.


 The label on the front says Georgette's name and Studio. Paul overheard some people saying how this quilt (and the quilter) have gotten around. I guess I have. 


So the 2nd quilt is the "Birds of a Feather" Challenge quilt. There are a few other's who did submissions to this category.

There is my Swan's quilt :D Did I say that it is so weird to see my quilt hanging among other quilters who I know have shown over the years? I'm doing a happy dance :)

There where so many people! It was wonderful to see them all! The best part for me was seeing family and friends :)  I am so glad that my step brother Keith was able to stop over and see the quilts. My sister-in-law's mom, whom I was able to spend a few moments with before we left, was there. I am working tomorrow afternoon, and am hoping to see more family and friends then. I know that my daughter is very much looking forward to attending. 

Thanks for joining me! Hope you have enjoyed my rants and your coffee :D

Ciao! :)

J :)

Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative - Challenge Quilt

I had posted earlier that I was working on a Challenge Quilt for this years Rising Star Quilters quilt show. It is done! And not a moment too soon! As the show is this weekend!

I will take pictures and share as I am volunteering both Saturday & Sunday. I am looking forward to this show as it is the 1st time that I have one of my own quilts being show. But I'll take pictures of other quilts. :D

This is the Challenge Quilt that I have done.

This is Paul's quilt that I just finished and will be hung at the quilt show this weekend.

I hope that you come and see the show!


The 2011 Rising Star Quilt Show

The 24th annual Quilt Show and Sale will be held on
Saturday & Sunday, October 15 and 16, 2011

Times:

• Saturday: 10 am to 5 pm
• Sunday: 11 am to 4 pm

Location:

• Cary Memorial Hall
• 1605 Massachusetts Avenue in Lexington Center

Location notes:

• The front of the building says Isaac Harris Cary Memorial Building
• The building is between the Police Station and Town Office Building
• Free Parking at the rear of the building*
• Handicapped Accessible

*Please be sure to avoid the parking spaces reserved for the police!

A little bit of everything...

Welcome to Monday...

Ah yes, the question that every new/young/newish blogger asks... "How to attract readers to your blog and make them stay" I was reading this article at TNW (The Next Web) Social Media Part of The Next Web family and it was giving all sorts of ideas on how to attract readers (you can read about it here), how to keep them, and how to bring them back...

Not sure if that is where I am at presently. Right now my blog is keeping me on track to get some projects done and share where I am at with the ones that are not there just yet. More than anything, this blog is to have fun! To help me keep my spirits up and find different ways to express the joys of fabric art, family, friends, and life! So with that said, I am not going to have a give-away, or blast the news via Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or any other social media. I am just going to enjoy those who follow because they are special to me.

So, Thank You all of you!

Now off to the sewing machine once again to work on my challenge quilt for the quilt show.

Oh, the quilt show? Did I not tell you about it? Shame on me! I am a member of the Rising Star Quilters Guild http://www.risingstarquilters.org and the Quilt Show is in October! The information for the show can be found here.

I have a quilt that I am showing, so I would love to have you come and vote! And of course I have the challenge quilt...
The 2011 Challenge Quilt Theme is "Birds of a Feather" We are to create a quilt that is our representation of "Birds of a Feather". The reason is that this size will allow quilts to be donated to the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative.  While RSQ members are not required to donate our quilts to the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative in order to participate in RSQ's Quilt Show Challenge, it is for a very worthy cause.

With that in mind, I need to read the directions as the dimensions must be no more than 9 inches by 12 inches. Per the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative, "Quilts may be Alzheimer's-themed, but don't have to be. They DO have to be quilts: that's three layers, and the middle one is batting of some sort." If you have time, it is really worth a look at the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative

So it is off to the sewing machine, with coffee in hand.
Ciao! :D
J :D