Merry Christmas!

Did you realize it has been an entire year since I last wrote in this blog? I didn't. I thought about things to blog and wrote them out mentally. Just never put fingers to keyboard.

This year - 2009 -- has been an odd one. I was blessed to have a seasonal position while many friends were jobless. I discovered taxes are endlessly fascinating, so much so that I began studying to become an Enrolled Agent.

My seasonal position was to end April 20. Given the recession, I wasn't hopeful I could find another job quickly. I had battened down the financial hatches and was confident I could survive until the job market improved...or until tax season arrived again.

Much to my surprise and delight I was approached shortly before the seasonal position ended and offered a full-time position in another department. Wow! What a relief!

During this past year there were many weeks when my studio work was neglected. My focus was on survival during this recession.

I realized I'd better get busy quilting for the arrival of my second grandson. That's a separate story so I will end here with a smile and a wish that everyone has a Merry Christmas. As with last year, my Christmas Eve was spent enjoying my family via Skype. What a joy to see my older grandson dash around opening and enjoying presents while the newest edition, born December 5, was part of our circle of family.

Now it's time to head out for Christmas dinner with friends!

Virtual Christmas

Christmas had a twist this year! I was able to share it with my son, daughter-in-law and grandson "virtually" via my laptop computer and Skype.

Skype is a program that has the capability of serving as a telephone (though the definition of phone has changed over the years) and as a video chat. I installed it on my DDIL's laptop and we've been using it since August to have family chats. It allows me to be a presence in my grandson's life between visits.

For Christmas Eve the laptops were at the ready. My DDIL set hers to give me a view of the tree and all the presents. I had the joy of watching them open their presents and they saw me open mine. From time to time their cat walked through the scene and I had to hold up "So-gent" for my grandson to see.

Other than not being able to actually reach out and touch, this was amazingly like sitting in a chair in their living room watching my grandson zoom around with delight as he opened his presents.

And I was thrilled when my son gave his wife a progressive gift. That was something I used to do ... have him follow clues or open items in sequence until the actual gift was received. For my DDIL the gift started with a babysitting certificate and ended with almost front row tickets for the Nutcracker! Seeing that was one of her family traditions and I'm delighted my son is continuing it for them.

Christmas is a blending of traditions that grow as the years pass. I know now that when I can't be with my loved ones "in person" I can be there virtually.

May you and yours have a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year. Whatever holidays you celebrate this season we share good will toward all.

-- Joanna

The Best Things....

When sending a new acquaintance a link to my blog I realized it has been a very long time (too long!) since I have written. I really didn't intend to leave this as a downer with the thought of being unemployed.

The day after writing the previous post I received a call offering me a seasonal position at my employer. I turned in my badge August 1 and had three weeks of unpaid "vacation" before entering training for my new job. I used part of that time to go to Colorado and spend a week with my dear son, daughter-in-law and grandson. For the first time, I took Sargeant with me. He has turned out to be a terrific traveler!

My new job is a combination of what I did in the past as well as learning new things. There are things I miss, such as my former 4-10 schedule with Friday, Saturday and Sunday off. There are things I really, really like, such as interesting work and a paycheck. I'm also learning tax preparation. No matter how bad the economy, we're going to have to pay taxes!

I've taught a few classes and worked on a few projects. I've rekindled my interest in doing really good photography. My cashing out a a few shares of company stock (sell or lose them) at a market high gave me the funds to buy a Canon G10. Egotistic person that I am, I believe I purchased the first one sold in Tucson. I like firsts!

My delight this Thanksgiving was to drive to Colorado, again with Sargeant. That's my favorite holiday because it is the time to give thanks. I have so very much to be grateful for! Among my blessings is my grandson. You can see how we enjoyed sharing a laugh in the photo.

Driving home was quite an adventure and one I would have happily avoided. However, I know that it isn't the easy things that are remembered. So I shall always remember this as finding the "good weather" report turning into 8+ inches of white and fluffy. I thought I was being smart leaving at 5:30 am to drive home. It took 3 hours to get past Colorado Springs! And 18 hours total to get home. Despite that I was at work my regular time the next morning. It's been years since I've driven in snow. I'd just as soon avoid it, but I'm glad I haven't forgotten how to drive in it.

There's Nothing Like a Retreat!

That's my friend and retreat roommate on the right. Lynda and I are taking a break from quilting to enjoy a prickly pear cactus margarita at the Tanque Verde Guest Ranch. If you click on the link you'll see photos of the ranch and, much to my surprise, the room we had! I also went on a Sunday morning breakfast ride into the beautiful Rincon Mountains. What a great time! I hadn't been on a horse for almost 15 years but quickly remembered how to ride.

Later this week I'll be posting photos from the retreat to a Webshots album. For the time being I'm focused on finishing my projects for the Fast Friday Challenge. The link has a photo and the story of the challenge.

At the retreat I regained the creative spark that has been missing for more than a month.

The company where I have worked for the past 5 1/2 years has experienced a reduction in force of 7%. I am one of the hundreds of employees impacted. I turn in my badge on Friday. So this week contains both sadness and joy.

-- Joanna

Preparing for the Retreat

One more day of work and then a day of vacation to prepare for Camp Wanamakaquilta, the annual retreat held by The Quilters Market at the Tanque Verde Guest Ranch.

The Ranch is a true Tucson treasure. It is one of the few remaining dude ranches where one there were hundreds. It has had many accolades and is considered a top vacation destination.

One of the many blessings of living in Tucson is that we do have some wonderful resorts. During the summer, when temperatures remain firmly in the low 100s and the monsoon rains bring welcome respite, the resorts are a bargain. It's hard to understand why most people don't take advantage of the ridiculously low (comparatively speaking) rates. But "shhhhh!" that means we can enjoy the good life without being overrun by too many tourists.

The Ranch is known for fun and food. Last year I gained five pounds! This year, well, let's just say I'm prepared to start dieting on Monday!

For the retreat we have the huge ballroom all to ourselves to set up machines and all equipment needed to quilt, quilt, quilt! It's a grand time to share with old friends and to make new friends. This is the second year and almost everyone who was at the Retreat last year is here again this year. Indeed, the Retreat proved so popular a second section was added and held last year. At least one of my friends made plans to attend both sessions!

Last year I barely knew my roommate. We made a quick decision to room together while talking at a Girls Night Out. We discovered we have much in common and have become fast friends since then. I'm going to write a blog entry just about here as she's also become a teacher at Quilters Market.

I'll be taking many more photos this year. In the meantime, enjoy some of the Ranch photos I took last year.



Tanque Verde Resort

Teacher's Reward

There's a reward in teaching that I didn't fully realize until my students started coming back to show me how they'd applied their learnings.

Pictured above is Michelle, one of the students in my fabric bowl class two weeks ago. Michelle expresses her creativity in a number of ways. I've admired her crocheting. She is not a quilter. She's not even much of a sewer. Her machine is an older Pfaff that her mother gave her. For making fabric bowls it is more than sufficient.

This week, Michelle walked into my office holding the bowl you see above. The blue isn't the traditional quilter's cotton fabric most students use. Instead it is a scrub suit top given to her by my boss. It looks great and is a superb way to "repurpose" fabric.

Michelle asked for a critical review of the project. I went ahead and nitpicked it. All in all, she did a fabulous job with this, her second bowl.

I am thrilled with her. I love it when my students take what I've taught them and then go out and experiment and grow on their own. It's a wonderful reward for me. Thanks to Michelle for giving me permission to include this photo on my blog.

-- Joanna

The Eye of the Beholder

I belong to a wonderful group of quilt artists who participate in the Fast Friday Fabric Challenge. The last Friday of the month we are presented a challenge. Similar to many challenges with a twist: we have just one week to finish the challenge! We have to think out of the box and we have to work fast.

It was the working fast that tripped me up last month. I lacked inspiration for most of the week then got into a creative frenzy. The challenge was to take or a quilt and then deconstruct it. I had a small project that I had done for another group and disliked it so much it almost went in the trash. Instead, I took my cutter and had great fun cutting it apart. The reconstruction was a series of "what if?" What if I did a loose weave? What if I experimented with different threads? What if I added an inside border?

Lots of fun and I rushed to get it finished. Problem is, I rushed too much and made a horrible mistake. One that couldn't be corrected. No way. No how. What to do? I decided to go ahead and finish the quilt. Could someone see the mistake? Doubtful. Could someone feel the mistake? Possibly. Do tell ...when was the last time you saw someone go into a home and take art off the wall?

As I usually do, I took the quilt into my office to be admired. All artists like to get ego-stroking and I can rely on my co-workers to give me appropriate stroking. No one said "hey, I see a mistake!"

Now that you have admired, it's time for me to confess what I will use forever as a "teaching moment" with my students. I had dutifully spent a few minutes practicing my free mothing quilting. Being rushed I wasn't quite as careful as usual. I didn't realize I had very neatly quilted a section of my practice piece to my top! Ouch!

I cut as much away as I could then fused on a back and applied a binding.

Now you know the secret. Can you see it?

-- Joanna