I recently was invited to New York City for the weekend, and wanting to keep my mind occupied (more on that in a minute), I couldn’t have picked a a more picture-perfect weekend to go!

A view of the Freedom Tower in the distance. (Picture taken from the top of the Empire State Building.)

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I took advantage of three beautiful days in the city, starting every day with a run through Central Park…

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…where I came across a most ambitious (and strong) dog walker. (That’s 10 dogs she is walking together.)

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I also visited the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, spending a somber three hours there. There are no words for this…

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On a more cheerful note, I also went to Mood Fabrics of “Project Runway” fame, and I was so overwhelmed by the stacks and stacks of bolts towering over me, I didn’t buy a single thing. I also went to the Museum of Sex because 1) such a museum actually exists, and 2) you never know of you will learn something. 😉

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And on a G-rated note, I saw my best friend’s little sister perform as Mary Poppins in “Mary Poppins, the Musical.” If you are in the tri-state area in the next couple of months, I highly recommend bringing your family to see this production!

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Lauren Blackman as Mary Poppins, playing at the Westchester Theatre in Elmsford, NY.

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I also spotted someone in Times Square who has gained so much notoriety for playing his guitar in nothing but tighty whities,  he recently gained national endorsements from Fruit of the Loom. Yes, I’m talking about the Naked Cowboy. Below we are scheming a pose for a picture.

And here’s my 2014 Christmas card!

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That’s a joke by the way! (And if you are wondering if I had any Purell in my purse, I am always packing.)

All in all, a great trip! One of the reasons I was trying to keep my mind occupied for the past few days is I had just made an offer on a property in Northern California, my homeland.  Knowing that it could take several days to hear anything back, I was very glad for the Big Apple distraction.

Just a couple days ago I found out my offer was accepted, and I am now back in California for two days to begin the due diligence process. This property isn’t just a place where I can live, but where I can work, too. (Hey, I can’t play and travel forever!)

The zip code? 94558.

Napa Valley.

I hope this works out,

Since I announced my resignation, I have been overwhelmed with the outpouring of letters, emails, FB messages, and kind gestures  of support. Thank you for being so understanding and for taking the time to reach out! I am really looking forward to a bit of a break, and time to think about next steps. So as they say in Hawaiian…Mahalo. Thank you.

Speaking of Hawaii, I went to Maui last week and attended the wedding of my best friend from high school. She is going to throttle me for posting this particular ephemeral bit of embarrassment from more than 23 years ago…

I think we look a lot better today, laugh lines and all…

Meet Cindy–one of the kindest people I have ever met. She has been through so much in the last few years, and on top of keeping it together, raising her two girls,  (and doing it all with an exemplary positive attitude), she is a nurse in pediatric oncology at UCSF. She is–quite simply–resilient.

Fortunately, her kind nature was noticed by a similarly nurturing and humor-loving person: a research doctor, “Dr. Rob,” in pediatric oncology, also at UCSF. Cindy and Rob have been in a relationship for several years, and at long last he got a ring on her finger.

Luckily for all of Rob and Cindy’s friends, they made it a destination wedding in Maui so we could all take some time off, chillax, and celebrate with them.

After a nearly 10-hour flight, I arrived to this view…

I spent time with old friends and meeting their children for the first time. Below is Rose, Cindy’s college roommate from Georgetown, and her daughter Kiera. I was hell-bent on getting Kiera to like me…but it wasn’t easy and it took me a while.

A couple days later, I was honored to help watch over Kiera on the beach when she felt “sleepy,” and when she asked me to be her escort to go to the public bathroom, well…I’ve never felt so important to anybody or anything in my life.

I also watched my friend’s kids giddily do the hula on stage at a luau.

And the night before the wedding, the adults toasted with Pokey Pours.

The morning of the wedding, we took the groom for a 7:00 AM Cross Fit session (where I got my ass kicked).

Before the ceremony I caught up with an old friend from high school days (and we toasted you, Bud Chatham)!

And when it came time for the ceremony, we all got our tissues ready. Below, Rob is escorted by his two daughters.

Then Cindy’s two daughters made their way up…

And then I saw Cindy make her way, flanked by both her parents. If you thought I was crying and putting my waterproof mascara to work, you’re right.

And Cindy, always the ham, did this when she got kissed…

I am so glad to see my friend happy.

And the best news of all, by the end of the trip I had won over a new BFF!

An incredible time.

I’m staying the course. I am keeping to my promise of welcoming new adventures, embracing change, and exploring new opportunities.

Mahalo.

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I have been incredibly fortunate the last two (plus) years to work alongside some amazing individuals who have been nothing but family to me:

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I have loved being Chief Creative Officer at Quilts Inc., but I have been giving it a lot of thought lately, and have decided to be the Chief Creative Officer…of me.

Last week, I submitted my resignation, and after teary hugs with coworkers, and a wonderful meeting with Karey Bresenhan who has always been so supportive of me,  I departed, and am officially now my own CCO.

I resigned for no other reason than I am ready for a break after a lot of change in my life the past few years.

My bucket list over the next few months:

• See if I can train Tyrion, my new puppy to be a service dog, and go to hospitals to bring smiles to children’s faces.

• Finish the baby quilt for my great nephew who was born last October. (I hope to finish it before he turns five in 2018.)

• TRAVEL! To date, the roster for the next couple of months looks like this:

Hawaii next week, with a trip to San Francisco, Napa, Marin County, and Monterey the following week. Later in May, I’m heading to Costa Rica, and in June, I’m going to Zurich, Amsterdam, and London…where I will sit court side at Wimbledon (and eat strawberries and cream).

While I replenish my creative tank and embark on my Eat Pray Love adventure, I will always remain a friend of Quilts Inc. Although I am sitting Spring Market out, I will attend the Festivals…but as a civilian. 😉 And of course I am going to champion Festival’s Pet Project at the 40th anniversary of Quilt Festival this fall!

As I make this transition in my life, a picture from my childhood came to mind:

Above, I am at the helm of Freedom, the 12-metre racing yacht, which a few months later, won the America’s Cup in 1980. (Skipper Dennis Connor, my dad’s friend, is cheering me on behind me.)

I am ready to be the skipper of my own adventure.

Thanks to all of my quilting friends who have been so supportive of me over the last 14 years. I hope you’ll continue to read my blog and stay friends as I craft a new life.

With love,

Pokey

I got to do something pretty sweet this past weekend: hang out with Leslie Jenison and meet Tim Jenison of “Tim’s Vermeer” fame:

For those who don’t know,  art quilter Leslie Jenison is married to Tim Jenison, an incredibly gifted and talented inventor who took a sabbatical from his company, NewTek, to take it easy and relax (::::cough::::):  and attempt to paint Vermeer’s “The Music Lesson.”

The original Vermeer painting resides in Buckingham Palace. After some cajoling, Tim was able to go inside the palace and have a 30-minute audience with the painting (no camera equipment allowed).

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Never having painted before, Tim had a theory about how the 17th century Dutch Master was able to paint such photorealistic paintings, and surmised that Vermeer used optical lenses and mirrors–technical aids–to help create his masterpieces.

The documentary chronicles Tim’s journey to recreate a Vermeer in the exact conditions Vermeer painted: everything from constructing the actual room in “The Music Lesson” (from scratch) in a warehouse in San Antonio; mixing pigments (only pigments that were available to Vermeer); creating lenses using 17th century technology and tools; carving furniture (which Tim had never done before); making the windows (never did that either)…everything.

In the documentary, Tim’s first attempt to test his theory was by painting a picture of his father-in-law, and angling a mirror in such a way on the canvas, that he could essentially match the tone of the paint to the photograph, and recreate an image.  When the edge of the mirror seamlessly blended with the color of the paint on the canvas, then he knew he had a perfect tone, and that’s how he painted. (Go see the documentary…he explains it much better than I am trying to!)

It took Tim seven months to finish his Vermeer masterpiece, but in total–including building the actual room–Tim’s Vermeer took five years.

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Above: Bizzi the schnauzer guards Tim’s Vermeer.

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And the painting now resides in his bedroom.

It was incredible having the chance to see the painting in person!

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And of course I loved the quilt on the bed. Leslie shared with me that she purchased an antique quilt top (a grandmother’s flower garden pattern), then had a friend free-motion quilt it with black thread in whimsical designs.

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It was a memorable experience, too, seeing the documentary in San Antonio not only with the Jenisons, but with one of my very favorite artists, Jane Dunnewold.

All in all, an incredibly inspiring weekend, and one of those experiences that makes you do a life inventory. Any quilter or creative person reading this post, I highly recommend seeing this documentary.

Trust me, you will come away changed.

It’s been a long week, but I am thankful three fantastic things happened in the last few days:

1. Bruce Springsteen released his latest album, “High Hopes!”

2. Virginia Spiegel demonstrated her fundraising prowess yet again, and with the help of fiber artists, exceeded her goal for Fiberart for a Cause and raised more than $5500!

3. And the best news all week? LIBBY LEHMAN GOT TO GO HOME! Read all about it here!

In celebration of the above events, I thought to do a little Friday giveaway, this time a sampling of Painter’s Palette yarn from Koigu that they generously gave me at TNNA this past weekend. Yarn lovers know these skeins offered in sumptuous colors are fantastic for garments, but they work well for hand stitching, too.

Answer the following in the comments area, and I’ll choose a winner on Tuesday. My question is one you’d expect on a Friday afternoon:  What kind of stitching or surface design trouble do you plan to engage in over the weekend?

Me? I’m leaving on a jet plane in the morning so I am packing a small plastic bag with my English paper-piecing project.

TGIF!

I was watching The Today Show yesterday morning where they were launching their “Shine a Light” program, a year-long initiative focused on service and giving back to communities in need. Each co-anchor is choosing a worthy cause to support throughout the year, and this week they’ve been unveiling those causes. Al Roker is joining a U.S.O. tour to entertain our troops overseas, Matt Lauer and Savannah Guthrie are building playgrounds, and Natalie Morales is running the Boston Marathon to raise money for last year’s bombing victims.

Well! Fiber artists and quilters are not to be left out of the running, so to speak. Virginia Spiegel, fundraiser extraordinaire, is yet again launching a campaign, this time a virtual race to to the finish line, a 5K-race to raise $5000 January 15th for Fiber Art For a Cause to benefit the American Cancer Society.

As this is a virtual race, you can give your knees and achy joints a break! All you need to do is mark your calendars for the 15th to be in the running for some pretty fabulous fiber and quilting prizes and donate money to the American Cancer Society.

And if you leave a comment below (by this Sunday, January 12th at midnight EST)  letting me know what other good deed(s) you are doing this year to help someone, volunteer, raise money, etc., I’ll match each comment (one per person) with a $1 donation for the American Cancer Society. So mark your calendars for January 15th, and let the comments and good deeds commence!

Some people have New Year’s Resolutions, some have anti-resolutions (i.e. “I refuse to diet this year!”)…and some simply find one word they hope will guide them through the next 365 days.

While on my last 2013 run yesterday morning–and realizing as I get older I’m not as spritely a runner as I used to be–my word came to me.  I thought about how I could best illustrate this word in a blog entry, and one of my very favorite children’s book came to mind. Remember Charlotte, the little arachnid, who, through her love of linguistics and weaving webs, saved a pig’s life?

Channeling my inner Charlotte, here’s my word:

Acceptance is understanding where you are in your life…and you Accept. To me, Acceptance is celebrating your achievements, taking stock of your life, and accepting your disappointments and mistakes along the way. With Acceptance, you don’t capitulate, you Accept, and if necessary, you recalibrate. And you learn to take one step in front of the other with grace and humor.

My New Year’s wish to all is to Accept where you are in your life, to recalibrate if needed, do what you love–and to make sure above all else–to surround yourselves with the people you love. Accept nothing less!

Wishing all a fulfilling, accepting, (and of course a stitch-filled) 2014!

Pokey

It’s Christmas Eve, and from one quilter to another, I thought now is as good a time as any to share my five favorite decorating and stress-relieving holiday tricks and tips this holiday season.

5. Embrace quirky.

When I decorated my home this season, I wanted to make sure friends and family would know they’d find like-minded company inside.

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4. Be inclusive! Make certain the pets participate in the holiday festivities too.

This costume was on sale–I’m pretty sure because it was too reminiscent of Thanksgiving with that Pilgrim belt.

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3. Make sure your pets are faced with edible temptation over the holidays–just like you–every single day.

Spray paint and hot glue some dog bones onto a wreath. Then hang the wreath in the dog kennel just out of reach from the dogs so that they look at it longingly all day long. (Wreath credit goes to Marilyn Barrow.)

2. Remember that the holidays can be for the birds, too!

With the owl craze over the last few years, don’t we all have some fabric owls lying around? I strung holiday lights in my wishing owl bird cage and installed a tiny Christmas tree, too. (Owls are by Lynn Krawczyk that appeared in Quilt Scene a few years ago.)

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1. If you are feeling a little blue at times over of the holidays, then my greatest advice to you is…GET THYSELF INTO THY STUDIO and surround yourself with all of your favorite (quilt-y) toys!

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Wherever you find yourself over the holiday break, I wish you a peaceful and festive time with friends and family. And, of course, I also hope you can find some time to stitch.

Hugs to all this holiday season,

Pokey

It’s late afternoon on Tuesday, the eve of the eve of Thanksgiving, my absolute favorite holiday all year.

I am yearning to take a few days off, gorge on turkey and all the fixings (or as they say here in Houston, the fixins’) and vedge out for a few days. I have no plans except spend some quiet time at home, continue moving my studio upstairs, and haul out the holiday decorations. (And hey, if I can swing a ticket to the New England Patriots-Texans game on Sunday…all the sweeter!)

Thankfully today I had a little visitor come to my office for a short while. Her name is Emily, and she is my coworker Rose Reyes’ six-year-old granddaughter. Emily wanted to join me for “arts and crafts” and although I had stored all of my Open Studios supplies for the year, I was able to quickly find some Great Art Finds in the form of googly eyes, neon pompoms, and a glue stick. She pulled my blue velvet chair up to my desk, grasped a handful of Sharpies from my pen mug, and put her industrious self to work pretty quickly. Admiring my chalkboard and colorful chalk sticks, she then proclaimed that she first needed to create a “Thanksgiving mural” before she could add a “pompom googly-eyed turkey.”

It was a great visit, and one that reminded me how fantastic this time of year is.

Happy Thanksgiving.

I hope yours is lovely,

Pokey

Since I am still recovering and regaining my strength from the fall shows, I was a totally home body this past weekend and I loved it.

I unpacked my goods and adorned my bar with some of the pet postcards I bought:

I unpacked a vintage quilt top I bought at Festival and mulled over what I plan to do with it. (Have any ideas?)

And I found a warehouse furniture sale in my neighborhood and bought a vintage hutch from Belgium to put upstairs in my house. Khaleesi gives me the “paws” up on this purchase…

Getting this hutch got me thinking. I have not shared my studio space yet on my blog, because frankly, over the past two years since I moved to Houston,  my studio space just has never gotten to the point where it has worked for me. So I am going to gut the room it’s in currently (and turn said room into a super swank TV den/library), and put  my studio upstairs in a larger area that has more promising lighting. This means I have a PROJECT, and I am very excited to create a new space that will work! It’s not going to be easy, I am going to have to tear down (rather carefully) an enormous custom-built shelving unit for my quilt fabric to then re-mount on a wall upstairs. I will have to move several tables plus a fragile vintage pantry unit upstairs  (but hopefully I can find some brawn to assist). I will have to do a lot of painting, possibly re-wire some lighting to get the lighting where I need it to be for working, and gut a closet/ redo the shelving to turn it into a storage room for equipment and dye supplies.

As soon as this idea came to mind, I knew that my studio space was going to be so, so much better, and I cannot wait to embark on this project.

So that was my weekend. I can’t wait to get cracking on this…