After a long break from teaching I am back at it and enjoying my classes very much. I taught several classes at Taylor's Sewing Centre in the fall including a beginner class and look forward to some new classes starting in January. I will keep you posted.
Last weekend was originellie's Fall Retreat at McIntosh Inn in Morrisburg with 25  wonderful quilters. I am always surprised at how much work we get done. My favourite event is show and tell. What a creative and productive group of women.
I'm taking a 3 week course on Surface Design with Christine Baker in Ottawa. We are really enjoying the class and learning so much. It feels good to do something a little different.
Be sure to visit our website www.uppercanadaquiltworks.com to see all the newest patterns that we have designed. We have had a busy year!

I just finished reading the new "Artful Blogging" magazine and was inspired to take some time to update my blog. I have never been one for New Year's resolutions but I do get inspired when spring is just around the corner. I make a big list of things to do and attack it head on. I started a major clean sweeping of my studio and found a pile of UFO's so I decided that my spring resolution was to finish the things that I still liked and wanted to finish and give away anything I didn't. We have a long and very harsh winter so I look forward to opening the windows and creating new things with the smell of spring, the sound of birds and a warm breeze. My camera is coming up to the studio with me and I will track my progress!

Spending a creative day with my granddaughters is one of my favourite activities.

Creativity begins here

Cut, paste, collage.....life doesn't get any better.

Summer is finally here. I have spent the past 9 months recovering from shoulder surgery and am anxious to get back in my studio full time. Forced time off can be a good thing in the end because you come back with your creative juices flowing and your energy renewed.
This past spring I joined a few friends and we had a quilters' yard sale. It felt so good to clean sweep my studio and get rid of stuff I am not likely ever going to use. Sometimes you just have to purge. It was interesting to go through all the things I have lovingly collected and recall when and where I got them (and sometimes why and what was I thinking??).
I look forward to working in a space that is a little less cluttered. I have a wonderful 4' x 8' cutting table and that is the place where I spend most of my studio time. I have a stack of projects just waiting to be started and a head full of ideas. I can't wait to dig in!

Winter Quilt Retreat

In two weeks I will be knee deep in projects at originellie's annual Winter Quilt Retreat. Once again the retreat has sold out with a waiting list. It should be a wonderful weekend. Donna Taylor has worked her magic and donated two boxes of wonderful treats for the loot bags. I can hardly wait to fill them.
I am keeping my fingers crossed for good weather and looking forward to visiting with everyone. I am hoping to get some quilting done. Christine was kind enough to cut out 2 projects with her Acucut which was amazing. I still can't rotary cut so this was a great way to get a quilt cut out and ready to sew - I'm even attempting curved piecing!

Winter News

It's almost the end of January. I've had a long 4 months recovering from shoulder surgery and have been out of my studio the whole time. I am anxious to get back to work. A couple more months and I should have full use of my shoulder and arm. I was so sure I would be able to get tons done during my "time off" but that was not the case.

February is going to be a month of slowly catching up. The Winter Quilt Retreat is full and everyone is anxiously planning which projects and how many projects they will take to work on. I have yet to finish all the quilts I take - I am always very ambitious but not too realistic. I am looking forward to seeing everyone and having some time to visit and catch up on all the news. Once again Donna Taylor of Taylor's Sewing Centre has outdone herself with loot bag donations. I know I speak for everyone when I say how much her efforts and generosity is appreciated.

I have taken this year off from teaching which was needed but I really miss seeing everyone. I hope 2012 will be a time to come up with lots of new and exciting workshop ideas. A whole year in my studio should be a very creative and productive time for me. I hope that 2012 is a creative year for everyone. Take a little time each day to live your creative life.