Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Summer Re-cap..............

OK........

Now, I know I am getting older......the BIG 4-0 this year.........

And, I have heard that as you get older, time goes by faster.........

I have also always heard that time flies when you are having fun........

Well, apparently, all of the above apply to me and my summer, so, let's review, shall we?

(LOTS O'PHOTOS..........be forewarned!)

JUNE
June began with the closing of the block drive and the beginning of a busy summer!

I love cooking with fresh herbs from my garden.

Playing with patriotic scraps!
Hmmm.....I wonder what this may turn into?

 Happy Father's Day to the world's greatest dad!
He is always so serious, it's hard to get him to have some fun!  NOT!

 I am not their daddy, but, I sure am a proud uncle to these two!
Curtis is getting so big, and will be going into the 6th grade.  He has expressed an interest in quilting!
It is really hard to believe my niece is driving, and is going to be a junior in high school!  She now has a job at a veterinarian clinic which will help her gain valuable experience as she would like to become a veterinarian one day.

Who knew Kevin the Quilter loves to go fishing?????

JULY
July remained very busy!

I was invited to judge the Miss Texas' Outstanding Teen Pageant in Richardson, TX during the 4th of July holiday.  It was very nice getting to know these wonderful individuals I judged with.  I was able to reconnect with my friend Michelle (second from left) whom I had previously judged with in another state.

 While in Texas, I was able to visit several quilt shops in the Dallas, Ft. Worth area.
I escaped the Quilt Asylum!

My friend Michelle's curiosity has been perked ever since she found out I quilt.
Here we are visiting Happiness is Quilting in McKinney, TX.
By the way, this was one of my favorite shops to visit while in Texas.
Michelle is getting a hands on demonstration by the very helpful staff.
Not only did Michelle buy the items needed for this little project, she has already started on it!
WAY TO GO MICHELLE!

The quilt my friend Bev and I collaborated on was quilted by Quilts of Valor, Eastern Missouri.
It was hand quilted beautifully and is the group's 1500th quilt!

Quilts of Valor, Eastern Missouri issued a Marine Panel challenge.  Here is my submission.
See anything wrong with it????? Well, I DIDN'T until I looked at this photo!
I retrieved the quilt, and it is now fixed! (Sorry no photo of it fixed!)
Yikes!  Just another part of getting older!!!!!

My friends and I have had 3 work days since the closing of the block drive.
I am happy to report 79 quilt tops have been pieced.
13 quilts are completed.
5 have been presented.
THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
Please see my PREVIOUS POST about the 5 presentations if you haven't already?

My "girls" keepin' it real while working on these blocks from the drive!
I don't know what I would do without these close friends!

 July also allowed me and my friend Ann of ATTIC THREADS to take a class by my friend
Victoria Findlay Wolfe.  We were able to attend her lecture and trunk show as well.
What a beautiful story she has to tell, and we saw some AMAZING eye candy!

Here we are with her Star Splitter Quilt, and my version of her design.
How cool!


 My friend Kelly of O'SewPersonal was able to hand deliver the quilts she 
received from her shop's block drive to Quilts of Valor Eastern Missouri.

These quilts will soon be receiving their own personal hand quilting by the group!

And, to top it all off in July, "Radar", my collaborative quilt with my friend Ann, made it into the International Quilt Festival in Houston this fall!

YAHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


WHEW!

AUGUST.........keeping very busy still!


How many of you receive Quiltmaker magazine?

My version of Victoria Findlay Wolfe's Star Splitter quilt made it in the "sew to speak" section in the September/October 2014 issue!!!!!
SO COOL!!!!!!

Dad's birthday is in August, and it has become a tradition for my whole family to come to my house
and celebrate!  Dad loves the decadent chocolate cake from Cost-Co!
And, just so you all know.......dad cut this piece for himself, and my mom politely cut it in half again for him! LOL

We all went to the St. Louis Zoo this year.


And, I do believe I have found my quilt lecture ensemble!
LOL

If your quilt guild would be interested in having me do some Quilt of Valor Presentations from our very successful block drive, please drop me an e-mail!  My work schedule is somewhat chaotic, but, what isn't these days?  I am sure we could work something out sometime?

I have been very busy as you can see, and I do apologize for my lack of blogging this summer.  I promise to do better from here on out.  Hopefully, I can learn a thing or two on how to blog from my "smarter than me" phone!

As always,
Thanks for all of the encouragement!
Thanks for sticking with me through my blogging dry spell!
Kevin the Quilter





13 comments:

  1. So great to hear from you. Sounds like a fabulous summer. Keep up the good work!

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  2. You are one busy guy. Happy BIG 40!

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  3. Thanks for the update. I was only thinking recently that it's been a while. Glad your time has been filled with so many fun and exciting events including time with your family. Boy is there a family resemblance going on with your niece and nephew. They look so much like you!
    Congratulations on hitting the big 40, your quilt appearance in Quiltmaker AND your fabulously successful block. I think life really does begin at forty. Can't wait to see what you get up to in the next three months.

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  4. Remember 4-0 is YOUNG! Wait until you pass the 7-0 and then you will start feeling your age. You have had a busy summer !!

    Love the sport coat too!

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  5. Your version of Star Splitter is SO a Packer quilt! I need to add it to my Packer Quilts facebook page (or you can)! Love it and need to check it out in the magazine! WHOOT WHOOT, what a summer!

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  6. Great post!! Love to hear about all that you have been doing. Personally, I like posts packed like this rather than a post every day talking about nothing much. Awesome that your quilt got into the magazine AND getting that fabulous quilt into the show in Houston!!! Love the quilting on it (can you tell that's what I look at first??) and the colors/movement...how did you ever come up with such a cool idea??? I know, you are just creative like that!!!!!

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  7. Oh my - way too much going on to even comment on my friend!!! But I love all the fun and family and friends - you are having a lovely summer!!! Tell Curtis to go for it and learn to sew like his Uncle Kevin! And we have a granddaughter just going for her license next week. She spent 2 months this summer with us and it was such a joy to really spend time with her again. You have a great group helping you with the QOV blocks - I wondered if perhaps they had found you buried underneath the pile LOL!!! Where on earth do you find time to fly? Keep on having fun - no one does it quite like you do!

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  8. You have had a busy summer. Victoria came to one of my guilds after she visited your area. She is always so nice. Congrats on having your quilt in the magazine, and the other at Houston. I thought about you as I drove thru earlier today, on my way home from vacation. Hope all the violence is far away from you and your family.

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  9. Sounds like an excellent summer, with lot of fun quilty and family stuff going on. It doesn't get much better than that. Congrats on the acceptance of Radar into the Houston Quilt Festival, that's very, very cool.

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  10. Sounds like a lot of fun!! COngrats on getting so many tops finished. And the fish... yum!! Who knew...?? Glad to catch up with you!!

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  11. Good to see you again, Kevin! You've been very busy! And yes, time does fly as you get older. Love your star splitter and radar quilts, and congrats on having your quilt in a magazine! Woot! LOVE the jacket! Happy birthday to your dad!! I'm an August birthday, too! Hope he celebrates the entire month like I do :)

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  12. Kevin, I made it to both of those shops at the end of July and I must say, Happiness Is...may be my new favorite shop up in North Texas! I loved that back wall with the solids and grunge! And all the fat quarter displays were gorgeous! *sighs* Wish it were closer.

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