HAPPY NEW YEAR!

What a year 2010 was in many ways. As I reviewed what I had accomplished it didn't seem all that impressive compared to 2009 and then I realized I made huge strides in confidence....and though the list may appear a bit shorter in length, it was in no way smaller in the depth of the accomplishments.

Last year my word was Diligence. I was diligent in rewriting my book proposal even though it has been rejected for a second time. I was diligent in not letting opportunities pass me by and that enabled me to be published twice along with having a design be included in the Quilter's Club of America promotional CD. When the gallery that had been representing me closed, I found a new gallery. I know I could have done much better but I also see how much forward progress I made.

My word for 2011 is Transition. Transition number one:

Meet Junie (short for Juniper)

Our beloved little Schmoopy died last February and we were completely heartbroken. She was the sweetest little beagle ever and the only dog I have truly loved! Just saying her name, Schmoopy, made me mushy inside.
We swore that we wouldn't get another dog for years so that we could travel, get settled, blah blah blah:) A couple of weeks before Christmas my husband stated that he missed having a dog--I agreed. After a couple of other beagle opportunities fell through, we found an ad for a pure breed beagle female, 3-4 months old, $50-family couldn't keep her.
We got there and she is so NOT a pure breed but she was also so malnurished and unwanted (wanted a hunting dog and she was too skittish) that I couldn't leave her there. She came to us the Sunday before Christmas and everyone loves her.

How could you not? Look at that face:) Having said that, I had forgotten how much work a dog---especially a puppy is! My nice quiet work days are gone for awhile as we all take turns on puppy watch.

Transition number 2: We received our official transfer orders 3 days before Christmas. We will be moving to Clearwater, FL in June. This will be our first move without our daughters and feels very strange to be considering what items will stay here with them, getting the younger settled into an apartment, and making sure they are prepared to be on their own. It feels against nature to me that the parents should move away from the children. So far I have been great at stuffing the feelings but June will be miserable for me....so bittersweet! I am so proud of them moving forward in their lives and I don't want to miss any of it. The military will not allow for that I am afraid. We have always done everything as a family and this will be a major transition for us all.

Transition number 3: This will take place in my work although I am not 100% sure of just how yet. I have been sitting on the fence for the past 2 years about how to balance my time between the artwork and the quilt patterns. I love them both and at times one is progressing further than the other. Sometimes I feel that I should choose one over the other and I am getting closer to a decision. Moving will also put a crimp in what I can get accomplished this year due to the lost time from packing up and then unpacking.

Transition this year will involve my work, my friendships, my living environment, my schedule, my family. I have some wonderful goals set up to guide me so that I don't get too off course with everything else that will demand my time.

Setting the goals is a great opportunity for me to always feel that I am moving forward since although it doesn't all get done, more gets done than if I didn't have it:)

What will you make happen for yourself this year?

Welcome 2010

HAPPY NEW YEAR

This picture was shot at the end of the WINTUK Cirque de Soleil at Madison Square Garden on Christmas Eve. We ended up with much more blinding tissue paper snow than this image shows and I am still picking snowflakes out of my purse. It is so worth it...every flake brings back a magical memory.

Now that the holidays have wound down, it is time again to turn to business and look to what can be accomplished in 2010. On the Quilt Art list there was a lot of discussion about picking a word of the year. As I read every post, I realized that I had subconsciously picked the word 'Diligent'/ 'Diligence'. As I wrote my goals for the new year and thought about what didn't work in 2009, I noticed that if I had been more diligent in every aspect; time, money, promotion, etc. I would have been more successful. I will carry this word into everything I do this year.
I hate to go into a new year without looking at where I have been. Below is an abbreviated list of what 2009 brought into my life:
2009 Accomplishments
January
Applied to Art Quilt Transitions (3 pieces) -------------------Rejected
Applied to Mancuso MidAtlantic (2 pieces)-------------Both Accepted
Applied to Paducah AQS (1 piece)-----------------------------Rejected
Created and wrote pattern for Scissor Case for local Shop Hop
Finished Fractured Flower Challenge with Artrageous and blogged it.

February
Worked the local Shop Hop
Created 3 leaves for International Fiber Collaborative
Wrote a Press Release about Mancuso acceptance (was p/u by Carteret News Times and Arts Alive)
F/U with a reporter from Jacksonville
Started QA entries
Art from the Heart Exhibit/ Business After Hours/ and Gallery sit for this event
Started on LinkedIn and Twitter but not sure what to do with them yet.
Attempted a new technique w/ Eileen
Wrote Merit Award letters for quilt guild show.

March
Finished and Mailed 2 entries to QA calendar challenge--------Rejected
Wrote a new workshop
Bead 2 House blocks and write a Bead Class for QBP ’09 (29th)
Created and made a beaded DICE bag for ACCC fundraiser
Taught my first Workshop on the 14th….success!
Tried Threadpainting very successfully. I have a knack for it.
Created 3 Threadpaintings for an up coming show.
Applied to and was accepted to the Seafood Fest Poster unveiling event to show art.

April
Created and ordered Rack Cards with the gallery
Created and ordered 5 year Anniversary postcards for a mailing
Finished art and display for Seafood Fest (9th)
Started mentoring a Senior from the HS for Senior Projects
Entered local Quilt Guild show (2 pieces + challenge + group with WUTW)
Biopsy and positive result of melanoma (all good only a stage 0)
Wrote the statement, bio, resume, etc for an Artist in Residency program
Finished Mariner’s Compass for Jim
Joined online gallery America Creates

May
Finished WUTW
Mailed Residency package
Created a guild challenge piece and blog entry for
Press Release for Mondays at the gallery
Applied to an outdoor event (scary)
Organized a bead demo for the guild show
Worked the guild show at 4 diff times
Received 2 awards from show
New art for outdoor show on (24th)
Helped with Raffle quilt (redesigned my block last month and this month helped with assembly)

June
Picked up another lecture booking so….
Write lecture and made 4 new samples for the 15th (out of town)
New Candle Mat designs for a magazine submission. Mag was interested and then ----------------Rejected
Made a Floral Windmill shop sample
Finished 2 new small art pieces
Designed and created(3) a new ornament of the Cape Lookout lighthouse
Created 4 more Holly ornaments as well

July
Made a fusible house for the raffle quilt..very cool
Organized 1st book proposal and chose 16 out of 70 designs
Made 4 redwork designs for book proposal, bordered and quilted.
Wrote book Introduction
SOLD first piece of artwork!!!!! 2 more sales followed
Wrote and organized my first Trunk Show

August
Printed more business cards and notecards, cutting, packaging, pricing
Purchased http://www.threadscapes.com/
Learned dye painting with artrageous group
P/U kid from summer session
Moved one kid into new apartment
Moved other kid into college dorm
Presented my first Trunk Show (out of town)
Toured YLI
More art sales

September
Tweaked April Bead class write up for class this month
Made 8 bead kits
Started mentoring a woman who wants to finish a quilt her sister started
Finished top for 2010 show quilt
Lots of design work
Helped edit a friend’s book
Attended 2 workshops (business)
Finished 1 book proposal and mailed it off
Ordered ACEO packaging
Spent a weekend with my girls in Raleigh where I also saw Nancy Cooks work
Applied for an art show in Nov.
Hang art in 2 businesses through Adopt an Artist program
Prepared 2 pics for larger art quilts
Finished one UFO for me

October
Multiple Dr appts (severely anemic…transfusion levels)
Painted and thread painted a new art piece for an art show…ACCEPTED….Won Honorable Mention
Flew to St Louis, drove to Houston, worked a friend’s booth at Market, talked to 2 book editors with great
Feedback, met new friends, have opportunities to f/u on.
Learned Facebook
Cut out and appliquéd center panel for personal piece.
Organized Dream Rocket project with 3 other quilt artists

November
Printed and stitched 5 ACEOs
Registered Balloon piece with AAQI
Lighthouse ornaments—YES, 12 of them to be exact including 2 new designs
“About Artist” labels for art and ACEOs ( 2up at 5x7 and 4 up at 2x5)--YES
5 new art pieces including stitching, framing, and paperwork
Attended art show
6 new ink sketches
Worked on a new art display
P/U and put out artwork at one business for Adopt an Artist
More Dr appts.

December:
Opened 1000 Markets
Website updates
Started my Cleaning of the Studio
New photos for website
More Dr appts
New quilt design
Worked at a Gallery Open House
Trip to NYC
Bulletin Board Labels for 2010 reorganization!!!!!!!!!
Finished stitching all the appliqué on the new 2010 quilt

Some YEAR END Totals:
51 Journal entries vs. ZERO in 2008
Sold my first artwork!! Sold 7 all together up from ZERO in 2008.
1 New Workshop
3 New Lectures
Finished a Book proposal—Rejected and waiting to be reworked
I entered 3 new opportunities for my art
27 blog posts up from 14 in 2008
New art= 23 new small pieces (under 11x14) and 3 larger pieces (under 30”).

Even with all the 'rejection', I learned so much and accomplished artist goals that had been waiting for me to catch up. My mom always tells me that education is never a waste. Everything I learned this year will help me down the road in some capacity... of that I am sure. All in all I feel FANTASTIC !!!

If you actually stayed to the end, here is a pic of Times Square taken on Christmas Eve. In the distance at the top, you can see the ball that was dropped on NYE. I love the vibrancy of this place and hope to keep it in my heart all year long.