It was a special day for me. I hosted a group of nine quilters at my studio for a show and tell visit. I got the house ready, made room in the drive for lots of cars and set up a coffee and tea center in the kitchen. All the rooms got the doggie-hair-disappearing-treatment and then I filled one of my design walls with a sample of recent and not so recent work. 
I didn't have an exact head count, but now that I have seating in the same room (patting myself on the back for this one) it was simple to bring in a few more chairs in case these weren't enough. 
The studio got cleaned up after my weekend creating but I kept out my box of fused fabrics. I assumed I would be demonstrating fusing and quilt as you go techniques, so I also located my recent class samples.The visitors were the gals from the group I was hoping would be my local quilting home, but since I am not into hand quilting, I let that idea go. But they took me up on my offer to visit my studio and I was thrilled to have them all here. There was lots of show and tell and Q&A, and it was wonderful to be able to feel like a teacher again, without having to travel. It was sort of a dream to have them all in the studio and so worth cleaning up the house!
One gal I had not met before, Taylor, a 20 something, is a student of graphic arts and is interested in learning to quilt. We connected. She may return for some in depth apprenticing. How great is that?
I brought out a box of small quilts and was surprised that I still had some that I had thought had long ago been sold. It was great to see them again!
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The weather this week is turning balmy and we expect to have temps in the 70's by Thursday.
So of course the fish are active and so visible in the clear rain-filled pond.
Sounds like a fun day...wish I lived closer! And 'how great is that?'? ~ pretty great for Taylor!
ReplyDeleteLove your work, Melody.
wow, if I lived anywhere near you I would come over for some in-depth apprenticing on fusing,dying,art...
ReplyDeleteLucky women!!! And isn't that fish pond just gorgeous?!
ReplyDeleteYour whole post is great! Fish, quilts, studio, apprentice, all! Now, excuse me while I go see how far I am from Palmer, Tenn.!
ReplyDeleteYour fish are beautiful! I knew someone who spent a lot of money for Koi fish only to lose them to wildlife and domestic predators (birds and cats). How is it that your fish are thriving when you live in a rural area?
ReplyDeleteWEow, the colors of your fish in the pond and light look like some of your art and quilts! You get your favorite colors even there.
ReplyDeleteand the colors of fish and pond and garden bloom agian in your quilt choice of colors and design. i see this pattern clearly. you are teaching folk to see what they look at if they can hear. age has little to do with that, openess does!. color is everthng to us! aloha, Sonja
ReplyDeleteSounds like a wonderful day!!
ReplyDeleteThat fish pone is asking to be a quilt, don't you think? Great post.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun way to share and to get a good look at all of your work. It must have been fun! Wish I could visit!
ReplyDeleteSo where are the quilts of your visitors?
ReplyDeleteSounds like a perfect day! Wouldn't it be fun if you could offer classes in your studio? No travel, everything at hand, and at the end of the day, the students go home and you get to put your feet up and relax! I'll bet you got a lot of heads spinning with your lovely collection!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun visit! Makes me want to get into the studio. Right now I am concentrating on home improvement projects - bummer! Love the fish!
ReplyDeleteJust looking at these pictures of your studio and I get filled with a sense of joy. They almost make me giddy. You work is so incredibly beautiful!!
ReplyDeleteFish pond looks like one of your quilts. All the blues and greens excited by flecks of bright orange.
ReplyDeleteHugs
If Taylor is a student of graphic arts, she's certainly in good hands with YOU.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lot of changes at your place in such a short time - really.
What a stunning display of quilts. They seem to glow.
ReplyDeleteLucky Taylor! And how nice to see some of my old favorite quilts again...
ReplyDeleteSounds like a satisfying day! It's always fun to share our work with others. I loved seeing the quilts myself. Even the pond matches your style. :)
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