Daily Blog

  0

fShare

Tweet

Just before the very first taping of The Quilt Show back in March of 2007, Alex arrived in La Veta, went up to the ´Control Room´, found a corner and a table and set up her ´office´! She even put down a strip of tape and wrote, "Do not cross!" on it. Since then that corner has always been called "Alex´s Office." We´ll, if the truth be told, that room had tons of wasted and unused space. The filing system was a piling system and I could not function, edit, create... well, frankly, I just could not stand it any longer. Something had to be done to provide some sort of storage.

So, this weekend I purchased the necessary lumber and paint and spent a couple of days putting in a real desk and shelves. I accomplished this all by myself. So here it is Alex - your new "Office!" I´m going to really enjoy it! Now, may I please add carpenter to my resume? Note the alligator beads hanging on the doorknob.

P.S. Looking at the photo, I realise that little table is begging for a lamp. Hmmmmm, I wonder where I could find a lamp that is not being used anymore....?

  0

fShare

Tweet

Seasonal Sisters

Many of you watched when Annette Hendricks (USA), Gail Thomas (Canada), and Helen Godden (Australia) began working on this quilt here at Tims Art Quilt Studio in La Veta this past March. I´ve just received these photos from Annette with the message, "It´s Finished!" She added, "The piece ended up to be 99” x 55”…..definitely the largest one I’ve ever worked on….and was it ever exhausting!" Congratulations to these three very creative and very determined quilt artists!

If you missed seeing the beginnings of this quilt, there are several videos in the Daily Blog Archives (scroll down) beginning on March 7 - Three Sisters in La Veta - Part 1.

Now that it is finished, what you you think? My reply to the "sisters" was - "IT IS STUNNING _ STUNNING _ Absolutely magnificent!!!!!

I´ve got chills!!"

  0

fShare

Tweet

Skagway Moonrise, by Ricky Tims

I´ve just learned that there are four spots left for on my 15-day tour to South America in February 2009. We´ll be heading first to the Galapagos Islands, then to Machu Picchu, then to the Amazon River. This trip is not a sewing cruise, but rather a creative development cruise. Most of our time will be spent enjoying the mysteries of these ancient places, but our time together will focus on creative development. The immediate results will be realized by the way you use your camera to take photos. As quilters, you´ll undoubtedly take that information and translate it to your quilting design when you return home.

As an example, the image above, Skagway Moonrise, is a montage of four photos that I took while on my Alaskan cruise in 2005. It represents images reflected in a window, a plank of wood, and a hard, round, ping pong ball sort of object that was embedded in asphalt. In my creativity lectures, you´ll learn to see the world around you with new eyes.

For many, this is the trip of a lifetime. Jim West, our tour director and founder of Sew Many Places, has limited the trip to only 40 travelers, so the event will be more intimate than most typical theme-based cruises. Get one of the last four spots! To register, or for more information, please click on the image below.

  0

fShare

Tweet

Kat Bowser (see The Daily Blog Archives, December 24th concert) has been in La Veta all week training for her new job. That´s right, Justin and I welcome Kat to the Tims Art Quilt Studio (TAQS) - not to be confused with the The Quilt Show TQS) fold. This means that many of you just might get the chance to see her because when we do the Ricky Tims Super Quilt Seminars - or when we trek off to Houston or Paducah, it is likely that she´ll be there working with us. That means I can have her sing a song or two during the concerts. Yee-haw!!!

Because the concert last December was such a success, we presented two shows to full houses last night here in La Veta. It was a Broadway/Cabaret specacular. Kat performed a few classics like New York, New York and Cabaret, as well as Broadway favorites such as Memory from Cats, Send in the Clowns from A Little Night Music, and I Dreamed a Dream from Les Miserables. Two shows and two standing Os.

We´re off to the airport this morning so she can head back to Nashville and begin working in her new "home office." Congratulations Kat, we´re looking forward to seeing you here on TQS too. Her new profile is KatBowser.

  0

fShare

Tweet

I heard that the wild Iris on the Cuchara Pass (about 15 miles up the road from La Veta, CO) were spectacular this year. It was predicted that they would be at their peak this past weekend. So, with camera in hand I took the journey to see what all the fuss was about. I was not disappointed. As you can see, the show they put on was absolutely amazing! I was surprised to see so many different varieties, including white and pale blue. These eight photos are just a sample of some of my favorites. I'm hoping to try printing them on fabric.

Beth Wheeler's show, Episode 211, has inspired many TQS members to try printing imagery on fabric - then quiltling it. If you were inspired by Beth's episode and you have added quilts to your profile page that feature digital imagery, let us know so we can go take a peek.

  0

fShare

Tweet

Occasionally we have wonderful musicians come through town. Accoustic Eidolon was in La Veta last night and Kat Bowser (see Blog Archives, December 24, the concert) went with me to hear them. I just had to tell to our TQS members because their music is so wonderfully crafted and many of you would really enjoy it. Joe and Hanna are husband and wife and travel the world with their music. Hanna plays cello and Joe has a custom two neck, fourteen string guitar. We are very lucky to have had them return to La Veta for a house concert.

To hear their music and order it online check out the Acoustic Eidolon website. They also have a newsletter that goes out about once a month with their touring schedule - who knows, you just might have the opportunity to see them in your neck of the woods - and yes, that included foreign countries!

  0

fShare

Tweet

Marian Pierce (gypsyrivergang) from Durango, Colorado is attending my La Veta Quilt Retreat this week (the second of two back to back retreats). She brought her TQS BOM blocks to share with me and I though you would like to see them too. It seems each month the excitement about the BOM grows. I can't wait for us to create a special page just for you to upload your completed BOMs at the end of the year! Sound like a good idea?

  0

fShare

Tweet

photo by TQS member, DLQuilter

While Alex is at her Summit, I am starting the second of two back to back La Veta Quilt Retreats today. Last week we had eight wonderful quilters experiencing all sorts of new quilting techniques and making beautiful projects. This time of the year we always warn the quilters about the bears. Of course, they mostly think we are just teasing, but we assure them we are not. The trash dumpster between our studio and the Inn is enticing to the bears because the Inn has a restaurant. DLQuilter (read more on her Member Blog - Pieces of Life) attended last week and, as she walked over for her morning class, she snapped this photo of a yearling.

Last night as we were finishing our get-acquainted dinner, the same bear was walking down the sidewalk in front of the studio. He/she finally ended up in the dumpster again and we watched for quite a while. Now that's inspiration for a quilt! I'm thinking Bear Paws. What about you?

  0

fShare

Tweet

Now some of you have been thinking that we are on the road right now. NOT! So, don't let the cold fool ya.

What's BTS? It's producer talk for "Behind the Scenes." The Production Files we do are BTS footage. It is not shot with the 'real' video cameras or fancy microphones. Instead it is usually nothing more than a home version camcorder. Sometimes I hold it - sometimes Alex holds it - and sometimes it is in Beverly Prices' hands. Here is a bit of BTS that will not be in the Road Trip show that posts midnight Sunday night Eastern time. We think of BTS footage as a treat for those who like a little extra insight into what we are REALLY like. Get hip - learn techy talk and start saying BTS.

What has surprised you most about Alex and I so far on TQS? And - Who wants to start the Justin Shults fan club?