Wow

Wow I it seems I am truly turning this into a yearly blog. I can believe that I have not posted as life as been a whirlwind for me this year. After my successful quilt show I have had numerous request for quilts but have not had the time to complete them. It's a jungle sometimes it make me wonder how I keep from going under. In and May I took a 3 week vacation via Mega Bus, Amtrak, and Southwest Airlines.

Places I visited were Atlanta, Fayetville, Atlantic Beach, Indian Head, Washington DC, Morrisville, Long Island, Philadelphia and so many other cities I can't remember right now. In July I started a new part time job as a technologist teaching senior citizens computers, Ipad, and anything technological in Port Neches, TX. I have met the most interesting people working this job. They have retired from some interesting fields, are enjoying life, they travel a lot, they party a lot, they have fun and I enjoy hearing their stories and seeing their enthusiasm when they talk about their lives.

In August I participated in my first vendor show and had an awesome time meeting people, exposing myself as a quilt artist and I even sold a few items.

In October I made history with my face being exhibited at the International Quilt Show as a FACE of A Quilter. I along with my Quilting DIVAS Red Hat Group and a pic of my twin Lenora and I also.

Tomorrow God will bless me to turn 55 and I hope to celebrate it with my brother and church family enjoying The Gospel according to Jazz.

I've Come This Far By Faith

My one woman show at the Port Arthur Public Library was a success. I could not hang all the quilts I wanted to due to space so at my Meet and Greet I delighted my guest with more quilts and a lot of unfinished quilt tops. I did a brief talk on where I started and where I would like to go on this quilt journey. I also talked my exhibit and answered questions.

OMG It has been a long time!

OMG I had not realized I have not placed anything on my blog since 2012. 2013 was a year for me. 1. Passing of my oldest brother Leroy James Colbert 2. Employment for six months @ Port Arthur Public Library teaching computer classes 3. Gullah Festival 4. Family Reunion 5. 35th Class Reunion 6. Red Hat Outings 7. Hawaii

OMG 2012 is almost over and I am almost 53 years old. The Lord has been good to me and I thank him everyday. My quilting is not where I want it to be but despite all of my sickness and financial hardships this year I have managed to work on several projects. This year I launched the Quilting DIVAS Red Hat Group and I am looking forward to the fun and fellowship of this new group in my life. I continue to trust and believe that God will bless me with employment in his time as I continue to do his will. I have just discovered a FB friend Nancy Cash beautiful work and have fallen in love with her Circle quilt entitled Quilting Circle.

IQA almost over

Well it has been a wonderful experience again at the quiltmarket and festival. Of course I have met new friends and quilters from all over the USA and the world. The African American exhibit was outstanding and I was able to meet three of the artist. Carolyn Crump, Glenda Richardson, and Michelle Flamer.

The African American Yahoo group was represented also.

Oh My Time Flies By When You Having FUN!

Well I guess it is time for me to chat about what has been going on with me. Somethings good some not so good and some great. In May, 2011 I had a lump removed from my breast and is was non cancerous (yeah). I was also told I have the cancer gene in both of my breast and at some point in my life I will develop breast cancer. I did opt to monitor myself and have bi-yearly check up in hopes of catching the cancer at its onset. No chemo pills for me only monitoring. In August, 2011 I graduated from grad school with my Masters of Library Science. August, 2012 has come and I am still unemployed but faithful that my job is out there. In December, 2011 I had a hysterectomy and spent the New Years recuperating in Dallas with my twin. I don't know what I would have done without my twins help and encouragement at that time period of my life. My surgery had some complications and there were several mistakes made by the hospital staff during my recovery.Fast forward to July, 2012 and I end up back in the hospital for a 5 day stay. From what I am told my incision has developed scar tissue that has attached itself to my lower intestines. My intestine made several loops until it stopped my food from going down. Oh the pain... I thought I was just having indigestion but everything kept coming up and my stomach seemed to knot up each time I was hanging over the sink. Needless to say I am still working my part time jobs and full time job searching. Oh I forgot my best news is that in July I purchased a 2008 Chrysler Town and Country van. I was oh so tired of getting to work soak and wet from perspiration and changing clothes just to have a comfortable ride home. I have not been able to take a road trip in it but will as soon as the finances get better.

Master's Degree in SIGHT!

I received word on July 1 my portfolio passed so graduation is in sight for me. Yes, Yes, Yes! I thank God for my editing sister Lenora who makes sure my sentences make sense, my grammar is correct and the papers flow. I spend the holiday weekend with friends and family doing what I love best quilting and resting. On Saturday a good friend had an early December birthday celebration in Tomball, TX at Quilters Cabin retreat center. I was able to talk through a demonstration of Gyleen F. pineapple ruler and demonstrate a postcard technique to a few ladies. On Sunday I worked the Astros vs Boston Red Sox game and then headed to the Ensemble Theater to see the season finale play called Blues In The Night. The four performers were highly talented in vocals and their acting ability. Being a southerner I was a little sleepy on the blues they were singing I wanted the down home blues songs with the blue blues beat like BB King or Bobby Blue Bland. On Monday I went to my storage and got rid of a few more items then headed home to sleep, work on literature review due Tuesday and clear up some emails.

Outstanding Class on Yesterday

I successfully finished a wonderful quilting workshop with Gyleen Fitzgerald of http://www.colourfulstitches.com/ . Her Trash to Treasure Pineapple blocks are truly a stash buster. I opted to do her bonus block called Pineapple Chunks.

My first class pineapple block using some scraps from an "UNFINISHED Project"!
My featherweight started out with tension problems, my thread kept breaking and I had major bird nest on the bottom.....As Gyleen would say this is truly a label block...Everything got better as time went on...for the best workshop I have had in a long time.

Hello World

After the arrival of my sweet Londynn I was busy trying to finish the semester with two B's. I evidently was caught up in her arrival that I half-azzed on my school work. I am happy to say I did successfully make those B's and now I am in my last and final semester of graduate work. I am interning at the University of Houston in a digitization project for my practicum. Londynn is almost three months old and is now 13 lbs and smiling a lot. I am working on my daughter to finish her college degree plans since I will soon hold two degrees on her and I thought we would both be finishing our masters together. So much has happened to me since Londynn's arrival. I will list them.

1. March 11 - Londynn's Arrival In this Great World
2. May 6 - I had a lump removed from my left breast .
   
3. May 12 - completed last class requirement other than practicum for Master of Library Science degree.
4. May 17 - Followup visit to Surgeon with good and "bad" news. I was told I was cancer free but that I do have the cells that will develop into breast cancer. Option given was double mastectomy. The surgeon thought it was bad news I did not because she could have been telling me I was in a stage of cancer so I am preparing to have my breast removed within the next 6- 12 months. I think my doctor is proposing radiation treatment first I will have that consultation visit in a few days.
   
5. May 26- very good quilting friend suddenly was sick and placed on life support. Prognosis is not looking good but I know God is able.
   
6. June 7 - began my internship at UH working on a woman suffragist collection named Minnie Fisher Cunningham out of Galveston, TX. I am excited to work on a project that has some interest to me. The interest being that I am a woman who does take my voting seriously and I appreciate those that worked hard for that privilege.
   

New Status G-Mama

On Friday, March 11 at 7:26pm I watched my first grandbaby take her first breath. Londynn Stephanie was born and was definitely one of the most beautiful babies born that day. She came in at 6 lbs. 7.9 ounces and 18 inches. Events up to that point were disappointing with the mother acting ugly but having to rely on me for her ride to the hospital. I wonder if it is some truth to pregnant women having some mental problems at that time and afterwards?????? Mother and daughter are home now bonding with each other.

Awaiting G-Baby

Lordy, I don't think I was so anxious about my own 23 years ago as I am about the arrival of my first grandchild. My daughter Lauren is anxious and getting irritated thinking she would have delivered by now (I wonder why). Her estimated due day is today March 6 and the full moon has come, a cold front is here and we waiting. She has her bag packed and I almost have mine. My e-reader, iPod, and a paperback will be my entertainment just in case the labor is a long one. I am finally going to read Hidden in Plain View the story about the Underground Railroad quilts. So much controversy over the years I have decided to finalize my own opinion about it. I do know that our culture has lots of oral history that has never been written and I also do know that some folks don't want history written as it is. I also have cashews, and my apple/carrot juice I made this past morning. I have taken naps, cleaned up and finally told myself lets work on a project. So at 2:13 am I am preparing to make some templates for a fusible dress patterns quilt. I am anxious awaiting also my lesson on beading from a quilting friend soon because for some reason I want to try and make beaded hair on my girls. Slowly but surely getting into mixed media. I finally started playing with dyeing and painting fabrics with dyes and markers. I haven't had a chance to play with it much but have the stuff for when I do.

Happy New Year

Well I just can't believe it takes me so long to get here. I think of my blog daily but never post. Here it is the end of February and so much has taken place. I have started my last few hours of graduate school this January. My daughter Lauren has decided to become a mother and in a few short days I will be a G-Mama. I anxiously await with Lauren the arrival of Londynn Stephanie my first granddaughter. My trusty and valuable to me 93 Chevy Astro Van transmission has gone out and I am also anxiously awaiting its return with another transmission this week. On Saturday Feb 26 I was fortunate to see Charles S. Dutton in his one man show raising funds for the U.S. Dream Academy. What an awesome actor he is. My college buddy Melvin was able to attend the performance with me and we were able to catch up on things with each other and our families. I am preparing to start my locks again and I am oh so ready to began the journey. Being natural is my thing and I love it. The pictures in this post are of a quilt top I am putting together to celebrate Lauren's First Born and Londynn's arrival into this world. Plan for completion are by Londynn's one year old celebration.