Appraisals, and workshops and QUILTS, Oh My:) -part1

This year has been crazy right out of the gate!

This is my appraisal booth at the Quilter's Workshop 

of Tampa Bay quilt show in February.

I also appraised the Sunbonnet Sue Quilters 

show in Vero Beach the week before.

Both shows were fabulous with lovely guild

members who were a joy to work with.

Then I hit the road these past 2 weekends in a row

to shadow Brenda some more because I can't have

too much training with her!!

We stay with hostesses from guilds sometimes 

and our last 2 were Amazing!! 

Fun, accomplished women who were so gracious to 

open their homes to us and feed us:)

THANK YOU Hilary and Susan!

It is exhilarating meeting new people and hearing

new stories especially since I work alone.

Quilt show season here in Florida is wrapping up 

and now I will get back to designing 

(a couple of magazine layouts coming up), 

lecturing, training, and teaching.

Hope to see you at one of your guilds.

http://nestlingsbyrobin.com/lectures--workshops.html

With a little help from my friends...

I have amazing friends who

 want me to succeed!!

Whenever I see them, they

have some little item to 

help me along my appraisal

study path and I am 

extremely grateful!

These goodies are from Teddy Pruett.

Fabric samples are all well and good in a 

book, but touching them and seeing 

them in person is so much more 

educational and it sticks in

your memory better because you 

development a relationship with it

through the sense of touch.

Cigar Flannels

Fabrics from the 1950s

Fabrics from the 1970s

When I become certified, it won't just be

an accomplishment for me, 

it will be a group effort!!

Day 29: Quilt Appraising Adventure

Yesterday I was at my friend, Brenda Grampsas' house and we started reviewing the upcoming Quilt Show season here in Florida.  January, February, and March are very busy down here and her appraisal schedule gets very full which also means my schedule since I have been her little shadow for 2 years now:)

I have tagged along to over 10 shows and seen hundreds of quilts!
Thankfully the "overload" exhaustion that used to accompany these trips has waned and I can enjoy the pure exhilaration over seeing so many quilts. 

Here is Brenda in her appraisal booth in Jacksonville, FL 2016.  This was the first time I tagged along to see what it was all about:)

Here was my appraisal booth at the Manatee 2018 show.  This was my first solo booth and the ladies were lovely! The quilt on the back wall is my design that was published in Quiltmaker and titled, "Love in Bloom".  The quilt top on the table I found in a shop.  The red/green was sweet and the design intrigued me. After some research, I found out the design name is "Ragged Robin"- LOLOL!!

I will always have it with me now!

This February I will be out on my own again as I keep training for my test this coming August.  This is both thrilling and terrifying but I am ready for my new adventure in this wonderful world of Quilting! 

If you have some treasures that need valuing (and you live in Florida:), I am just an email away....

Pop over to see who else is blogging...

http://muppin.com/wordpress/index.php/the-2018-31-day-blog-writing-challenge/

Happy 2018 and BOOM, September already!

Why do we always say that we don't know where the year went already?  HAPPY NEW YEAR......Boom.....March...Boom
SEPTEMBER???!!!!

We do know, we just can't believe that time goes so fast!  I have been SUPER busy this year and no signs of slowing until December.
Here is a quick run down of the year so far.....

We were given tickets to see Jim Gaffigan on New Year's Eve at Amelie Arena here in Tampa.  His opening act was hilarious!  It is great to see so many people come out to see a comedian vs. watching free online.  Live is always better for the shared community experience.

January was quite chilly down here in Florida.  We were way below average temps and although we weren't as cold as the rest of the country, for Florida is was brutal!  We have tile floors that little dog usually sleeps on so we let her up a few nights.  Doesn't she look like she is never leaving?!
I had a quilt to finish hand quilting so I was very cozy:)

Took a trip to St. Louis for a quilt retreat with friends from when I lived there.  We stay in a lovely quilt shop, ROSEMARY'S, in Highland, ILL. There was also time for antique shopping:)

 Plus 2 appraisal events with Brenda!

FEBRUARY

"Robin's Wreaths" had been finished and sent off for photography

Our trees started getting some leaves back after IRMA last September and we had a brief warm up where we could go sit for a beer by the water...I know, Boo Hoo:)  I needed the break after 2 more appraisal events (First one on my own this time) and being chained to my computer to finish writing, "Robin's Wreaths" for AQ magazine. 

MARCH

More commission quilting, another pattern written, another appraisal event, and then my guild's annual charity event for the COC!  

 ALL the quilts up for Auction

 New postcard for guild Advertising

One of my donations to the effort:)  This is a block from one of Sue Garman's patterns.  Hope I get to make the whole quilt someday:)

There was also some time for necessary Spring Cleaning!

You can read how a blog hop helped me get a move on! 

APRIL

April blew in the same way March went out with more work:) 

I was starting to do some appraisals on my own, which is exactly what I needed.  The hand quilting commission was coming along and I finally was able to meet the great lady who had been entrusting her family heirlooms to my hands!  We had a lovely day.

I was also trying to get as much done on my part of the guild Opportunity quilt as I could so I could get back to my work.  It is going to be a beauty!

BABIES!  I look so forward to our April lunch meeting at a guild member's house every year and this year did not disappoint...SO Stinkin' Cute!!

I volunteered to help with the applique for the center portion of the OPP quilt. This is P3 Designs, "Baltimore Autumn".

Here I am with Brenda, my AMAZING Appraiser Mentor, in front of my quilt in Paducah.  We had quite a road trip but that is a story for another day:)

MAY

The month of Snake Lovin'....EEEWWWWW!

The LIGHTNING were in the play offs-Very Exciting for this hockey fan!

My husband and I went to a concert...outside...after dark:)))

My parents went on a trip to celebrate their 50th Anniversary and I went to pup sit.  I think she likes me:)

Before getting to my parent's, I stopped to see this cutie.  We went to a comedy night and got DRENCHED on that way back to the car!! I LOVE her!!!

While in VA, I was able to visit the Williamsburg museum and do a little antique shopping where I found another lovely to add to my Red and Green lecture: "AN EVENING WITH WELL LOVED LADIES".

JUNE

This month was lots of catch up after being gone and lots of company:0  My BIL came down to help his daughter with a project so he and Jim spent some time together.  Then my brother and nephew came for a visit.  I had the honor of riding with my nephew on his first Roller coaster...Fun.  I hadn't been on one in ages.

This is becoming an annual tradition for him as well.

Lastly, our niece got married so we had a lovely family visit in Georgia at the end of the month.  I had never been to St. Simon's Island and it was lovely. Great margaritas and another outdoor concert:)

JULY

We were back on the road in July with a trip to Chicago to visit my other baby girl! The pups travel relatively well. And this trip brought a Momentous Occasion....My First EVER trip to Wrigley Field, the home of my husband's lifelong favorite team, The Cubs!
When asked, he said I was the first girl he had ever brought there:)
Another "first" after so many years together is endearing!

AUGUST

All the usual work has been getting done with one quilting commission finished this summer and another one into the hoop!

In case you have missed one or two along the way, here is one to read about.....

SEPTEMBER

This month started with a Fabulous trip to San Antonio to celebrate our 30th Wedding Anniversary.  A bit frustrating that this is the only pic I have of us from that trip. Oh Well, we know what we look like:)

Thanks for following along and see you again soon!