There has been a lot of complaining in my family about endings this week. The kids are so sad that summer has ended and they are back to school. I have been reminding them of all the fun and exciting adventures they will have this year and that "when one door closes another door/window opens"....one good thing ends, another one takes begins to evolve in the empty space. They sure don't buy it! I believe it when I am saying it to the children, but it's so hard to practise what I preach!
I feel sad myself. Not about school starting though (we all know how I am doing the happy dance about that!!!) I found out this week that the Waterloo County International Quilt Festival, which I have enjoyed every May for the last 12 years, has "ceased operations". That's right. The last one was this past May, and when I was there enjoying the international quilt displays, Ontario Juried Show, and vendors, I had no idea that it would be the last one! (You can read about my fun at the May 2007 festival here.) The three reasons cited for this decision are decrease in attendance, lack of volunteers in leadership roles, and decrease in the financial sponsorships.
So now I have to hear my own advice, practise what I preach, and hope that new ventures in
the quilting community will evolve to fill this empty space.
My own quilt beginnings - I am starting a new project next weekend! I know that I should be finishing one of my numerous UFO's instead, but I just want to start something new! Here are the fabrics I picked from my stash. I bought the green fabric to coordinate and am ready for the mystery to start. Well, not exactly "ready"...I still have to wash the fabric, precut the pieces and sew some HST's. I am making a fall-like wallhanging for the dining room. The fabric requirements can be seen here ... join in the fun if you can.
And for endings - I have to finish my President's Challenge this weekend since the quilts will be shown at Tuesday's guild meeting. I am close to finishing the quilting and just have to do the binding.
I feel sad myself. Not about school starting though (we all know how I am doing the happy dance about that!!!) I found out this week that the Waterloo County International Quilt Festival, which I have enjoyed every May for the last 12 years, has "ceased operations". That's right. The last one was this past May, and when I was there enjoying the international quilt displays, Ontario Juried Show, and vendors, I had no idea that it would be the last one! (You can read about my fun at the May 2007 festival here.) The three reasons cited for this decision are decrease in attendance, lack of volunteers in leadership roles, and decrease in the financial sponsorships.
So now I have to hear my own advice, practise what I preach, and hope that new ventures in
the quilting community will evolve to fill this empty space.My own quilt beginnings - I am starting a new project next weekend! I know that I should be finishing one of my numerous UFO's instead, but I just want to start something new! Here are the fabrics I picked from my stash. I bought the green fabric to coordinate and am ready for the mystery to start. Well, not exactly "ready"...I still have to wash the fabric, precut the pieces and sew some HST's. I am making a fall-like wallhanging for the dining room. The fabric requirements can be seen here ... join in the fun if you can.
And for endings - I have to finish my President's Challenge this weekend since the quilts will be shown at Tuesday's guild meeting. I am close to finishing the quilting and just have to do the binding.
The lack of volunteers in leadership roles is affecting a lot of areas. I know that in our regional quilt guild there are always problems getting board positions filled. In fact there was nobody for the Hospitality chair (door prizes) and for the first meeting there were, of course, no door prizes. The prez announced that there would not be any and why and if door prizes were wanted, why then somebody had better step up to the plate and volunteer. The next meeting there were door prizes.
ReplyDeleteWe struggle with volunteers too.
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame that such a large show is folding in Canada...where there aren't many shows to start with. Hopefully something else with pop up in its place.
Take care,
Jane
Good job you starting something so pretty to cheer yourself up! Sunflowers will do it every time! They are like daisies in that respect for me- the happy faces of the flower world!
ReplyDeleteBeginnings and endings . . . life is full of them. I've started 3 small projects this week myself. Only I haven't had any endings.
ReplyDeleteAGHHH! I am devestated. I had to miss the last 3 years because I was being the good MOM/WIFE instead of the selfish quilt fanatic I had been the previous million years and all I could do to surive was to remind myself that 3 misses was never going to happen again? Well, so much for being the nice wifey (DH Birthday is always the same weekend), MOM (DD decided May 27 was a great day to get married) and oh yeah - wife again (DH decided to turn 50 on May 28 this year).
ReplyDeleteI will greatly miss the whole event. I hope the auction will still occur so that we can get together and enjoy strawberry pie eating with our fingertips in the arena.