It's been WAY too long without a post...and believe me, I have a month full of fun/creative things to share. Let's start with a general update today with some basic highlights (scroll down for more Garin photos and a video)...then get into some creative posts over the next week...
Our trip to Nashville was a great getaway...this trip proved to be a wonderful sightseeing adventure, even though what I probably needed most was a simple beach or lake vacation with a good book to clear my head. My favorite outings included The Grand Ole Opry Show and Backstage Tour (we got to see Luke Combs perform), Cheekwood Estate and Gardens (https://www.cheekwood.org) and the Belle Meade Plantation tour and wine tasting (https://bellemeadeplantation.com/)….but that is just a small sampling of our journey - we also went to the Nashville Zoo (which was lovely), the Jack Daniel's Distillery in Lynchburg, TN, the Parthenon, and visited an array of other attractions/museums - plus we listened to some incredible live music. Talk about cramming a lot into just five days - we made great use of our time. We drove ten hours each way – so it was a lot of car time too...which was actually nice, because it was some "one on one time" with my husband, who has had an insane travel schedule for over a year. Oh...and how could I forget...we stopped at Hancock's of Paducah in Paducah, KY on the way home...my quilting friends will understand how exciting this was for me...and I only bought four yards! (Click on any image to enlarge...)
Grand Ole Opry - Luke Combs on stage...
Instruments backstage at the Grand Ole Opry
A favorite image from one of the Cheekwood gardens...
Cheekwood - Carell Woodland Scupture Trail - "Crawling Lady Hare"
Cheekwood - "Intrude" Exhibit by Australian Artist Amanda Parer
Cheekwood - "Intrude" Exhibit by Australian Artist Amanda Parer
Belle Meade Plantation
Sampling the good stuff at the Jack Daniel's Distillery in Lynchburg, TN
A glimpse inside Hancock's of Paducah...
After being home about a week (working round-the-clock on Quilt Market deadlines),
I headed to Lake Summerset, IL for an extended weekend with my mom and Dan. It was another long drive, but there is nothing like time with family. Unfortunately, it stormed quite a bit of the time...but we did manage to get the boat out on the water the first evening and have a campfire (and a s'more!) before the rain started pouring. We also made a special trip to Wisconsin
to the Fireside Dinner Theatre (https://www.firesidetheatre.com/)
for a Saturday matinee dinner and Broadway performance of 42nd
Street – it was WONDERFUL – my mom and Dan have season tickets and were able to
add me to their reservation. The trip seemed too short, but work deadlines were calling my name back in Iowa.
Fireside Dinner Theatre in historic Fort Atkinson, WI
Another FULL week of work and then we were off to Minnesota to pick up Garin from his three months of puppy boot camp. What a joy it was to see him again - he is doing GREAT – etremely well-behaved (for a puppy) – and I am quite impressed with his training - I sure am happy to have him home!! He definitely obeys commands and walks perfectly on heel, but is obviously still a puppy...we work with him daily to keep up with the training and keep him sharp. He knew who we were right away and that made me smile - he is going to be the best companion...and he is very protective of me! It was an all day trip - we left at the crack of dawn to get there by 10:00 AM and got home late into the evening. Here is his graduation video and photo...and if you can't see the video below, you can see it on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/lxp2-zSQKWg.
Once Garin was home safely, we headed to Boone, Iowa the next morning to run the Gladiator Assault Challenge (a mud run with with a bunch of challenging muddy obstacles) with a small team from our local gym (http://www.gladiatorassault.com/). I was a bit concerned when we pulled up and could see some of the course from the Jeep...but yet, I persevered. It was definitely out of my comfort zone - I got SUPER muddy, soaking wet, and winded...and I finished!! It was actually a great experience and I would definitely do it again (with more cardio training!). Several weeks before the event, I had started running each day after lifting to train for mountainous inclines, and now I am motivated to keep running. I feel healthy - I feel good.
So May was gone in a flash - seriously, where did it go?! I think I crammed something into just about every minute of every day. The good news is, I met all my big work deadlines (I can't wait to share some of the projects with you!) and I am now back to making TONS of project bags and completing piles and piles of needlework finishing...my studio counter is covered in organized piles for some very patient customers! I will be back soon to start sharing some of my recent creative finishes...there are A LOT of them...so many in fact, that I made a list of things to share so I wouldn't forget anything. Make sure to stop back in the next few days to see some gorgeous needlework pieces, several quilting projects, and a plethora of custom sewing projects...
Continuing on our "day to play" in Franklin, TN - our next stop was The Quilting Squares Quilt Shop & Knit Emporium. This cozy quilt and knitting shop had a a nice selection of fabric and notions...a wonderful wool room...and for those who knit and crochet, a lovely yarn room. The staff was delightful and helpful - and we all had a pile to purchase! I had been searching for a special binding tool (The Binding Tool by TQM Products), that they actually had in stock...and I found some adorable fabric with my favorite motifs - birds, owls, trees ("Let The Sunshine In" designed for Exclusively Quilters)....along with a couple fat quarters, a couple patterns, a pair of scissors, and a tomato pin cushion kit. While we were there (not to name drop) - we ran into several of my favorite designer friends - Cathy and Theresa from CherryWood Design Studios and Tracy from Ink Circles - which was so much fun - always a special treat spend a little time with such creative and talented people!
After leaving the quilt shop, we were on a mission to find "Bead City"...and we did, but it was disappointing and not photo worthy...but it did lead us to a Chinese/Japanese Restaurant next door, where we had a good lunch.
After lunch, it was time for cupcakes - we visited Gigi's Cupcakes...and oh my goodness, it was spectacular! I know they have multiple locations in the south...and they are welcome to open one here in West Des Moines, IA....what a TREAT! It took me a while to decide - they were all so beautiful and decadent. We picked up a box of six...one for each of us and several to deliver. In the box you see: (top row L to R) Chocolate Salted Caramel, White Midnight Magic, Miss Princess (bottom row L to R) Scarlett's Red Velvet, Lemon Poppy Seed, and Carrot Cake....can you guess which one is mine?...I know, too easy...mine is the Miss Princess (white cake with fresh strawberries baked in, topped with a cream cheese frosting, pink sugar crystals & a pink fondant crown)....and yes, I was in sugar shock after finishing this amazing sugary confection! Seriously - this was one delicious cupcake and my "sugar high" lasted for hours (but it was oh so worth it!).
It really was a marvelous trip and I am so glad I got experience the Nashville Needlework Market and Franklin, TN...I couldn't have asked for better traveling/shopping companions...and I learned so much and met so many wonderful people in the needlework industry!
What a treat it was to have a "day to play" in Historic Downtown Franklin, TN with a couple of my very dear friends! It was great weather for this time of year (a little cloudy in the morning, with comfortable temperatures...and the sky turned blue later in the day) - perfect for strolling down Main Street and visiting the quaint specialty shops.
My favorite place we visited was called The Iron Gate - it was filled with stylish home furnishings and accents - and is one of the most unique shops I have visited. My jaw dropped the second I walked in the front door - and I immediately asked if I could take some photographs. This shop was so stylish and classy, yet shabby...vintage, yet fresh and new...and I adored the neutral and white color pallet. There was an abundance of unique and creative items - with chandeliers hanging throughout - and two adorable (very friendly) rescue dogs (Sophia and Bentley) perched on a sofa keeping an eye on the place. I absolutely LOVED everything about this establishment and was very inspired by the atmosphere! Here are a few of the photographs I snapped...
First view when walking in the front door...
LOVE the branches hanging over this large birdcage...and look at one of the dogs posing...
Sophia and Bentley (so sweet)...
I adored this crown...
A spoon chandelier - so unique!
Another great home decor shop we visited (across the street) had an upstairs area filled with warmth and character! Here are some photos from Rebecca's Furniture and Design - the brick walls and paper lanterns made this showroom so inviting:
It was a marvelous morning perusing Main Street and doing some window shopping...and we all found a few goodies to bring home (shocking, I know). Tomorrow I will share our afternoon with you - which included a trip to the local quilt shop and a delicious visit to Gigi's Cupcakes!
It was a wonderful weekend at the Nashville Needlework Market. This was my first attendance at a market and it was kind of a whirlwind - and although it was a fabulous learning experience and I met so many "greats" in the industry, it was a bit overwhelming and intimidating for this Iowa girl. Luckily I made the trip with dear friends who were kind enough to show me the ropes and let me tag along on their adventure. The Nashville Needlework Market is an industry trade show - it is held at an Embassy Suites Hotel, where designers and manufacturers set up their own suites as merchandise booths. It was wonderful for me to visit with Norden Crafts and Hoffman Distributing, both who distribute and showcase my designs...and a real treat to visit with Weeks Dye Works, The Gentle Art, and Crescent Colours - who all supply me with quality materials...I even had a chance to talk with the girls from Just CrossStitch Magazine - after almost ten years of designing, it was about time I got to meet all of these creative people in person! I had a long list of shop owners I wanted to search out in the crowd, which proved to be a bit more of challenge - they were all on a mission...shopping to fill their establishments with new and exciting designs and materials - I spent most of my weekend looking at name badges and trying to put faces to the wonderful shop owners who support my design work - I ran into many, but unfortunately, there were some on my list I did not cross paths with...it seemed I blinked and the weekend was over. It was also a dream come true to meet many of the designers who had their work on display - I am such a "fan" and was almost starstruck meeting some of the designers I have admired over the years. Some of my favorite booths were SamSarah (and Patti had some of her GORGEOUS quilting, as well - my jaw dropped in her room!), Just Nan (who's new pieces were fresh and fabulous - especially in person), Blackbird Designs (they never disappoint and I was so thrilled to be able to take a look at their suite and the new designs), Summer House Stitche Workes (it was very fun to meet Beth Ann and see her designs in person), Praiseworthy Stitches (amazing, AMAZING models) , Shepherd's Bush (so beautiful, so fun - and so friendly), and The Stitching Parlor (Clara was delightful!)....there are just too many to mention them all - in fact, I didn't even have a chance to visit some of the rooms. Make sure to check out your favorite needlework shop and see all the new releases - including three from Blue Ribbon Designs - in fact many online shops already have market reports posted!
Although photography is pretty much prohibited at market, below is a photo that includes a small selection of the exhibitor banners...exhibitors took up four entire floors of the hotel.
Tomorrow, I will share a bit more from my trip...including some great photos from shopping in downtown Franklin, TN....
