The Academy of Applique

At last! The big reveal. This is the applique project that saved my sanity during our crazy month of family comings and goings. I've been invited to teach at the Academy of Applique in Williamsburg, Virginia! If that's not cool enough, I'm going to be teaching two multiple day classes, giving us a chance to really explore and savor the applique process.

 This is the class sample for the three day workshop at the Academy of Applique. The class descriptions are on line now and registration will open on September 2nd. This class is called Gather Ye Rosebuds, and in the three days of class we will have the time to play with design and color. We'll concentrate on the more flexible, modular aspect of my applique technique in this class. I'll have dozens of preprinted flowers in various sizes and shapes with which to fill our vases. We'll even have time to design and sew our own custom backgrounds to give our bouquets just the right setting. I had so much fun playing with color values and shapes I am already planning another version.

I will also be teaching a two day workshop, Autumn's Bounty. This class will be a great introduction to the basic "Hand Applique by Machine" technique. We'll have time to audition and select just the right fabrics to show off our lovely harvest. (I'm in love with the grapes.) I'm expecting that we will be able to go home with our applique pretty much finished, which is rather amazing for applique workshops, if I do say so myself.

As I've mentioned before, I've really cut back on my teaching schedule, and I haven't done much teaching on the east coast. The Academy is a wonderful gathering of all things applique. Come on all you applique artists, this is the place to bond with your people, learn new things and generally have a great time.

Time Travel

Do you ever wish away time? Do you try to mentally project your thoughts to a date and time where life will return to what ever is normal for you? I have to admit that I do. It's not so much that I'm wishing away time, I know life is too short for that, but it is sort like casting out an anchor for getting through challenging times. In a way, it's like envisioning my victory over the current situation.

It's been like that for the past month. I've tossed a marker to today, knowing that our wonderful, but hectic, family gatherings will have been enjoyed and survived. Ironic, isn't it, that not too long ago I was deep in the throws of empty nesting, and now I look forward to being back to my quiet life. That's the thing about life, I suppose. It's always changing. Normal really is just a setting on the washing machine.

Our Kansas kids were back in town for about ten days. While we were home base, they were here to celebrate weddings and reconnect with friends. We saw them in the mornings on their way out the door, and sometimes in the evenings as they regrouped for nighttime activities. We did have a lovely time on the drive down to Detroit Metro, for their return flight home. Yeah, I cried a little when they left. It's a mom thing.

Our grandchildren stayed with us for a week. They are now seven and four, and delightful, well mannered kids, and exhausting. I don't know how folks our age manage young children of their own. But, we had a great time together, and I'm grateful that they live close enough that we can be a part of their lives.

Of course, in the middle of all the excitement, I had a class sample to finish. As usual, I stressed out about it way more than necessary, but it too, is done and gone. (More on that in a couple of days.)

It won't be back to happily boring though, for a few more weeks. I'm looking forward to three days of tapestry workshop this week, where I get to be a student. And there will be autocross for Kent. From there we will blissfully slide into our familiar routine of work and play. Not that I'm counting the days or anything.