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Nellie, Clarence, and Tyrion chillin’ on the front porch.

I have not updated this blog since mid-September, and it isn’t because I haven’t had much to write about. On the contrary, I have so much to write about…beyond quilting. (And yes, I’ll get back to focusing on textile arts, but for right now I have a lot of other things on my mind.)

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Vines along Highway 29 in Calistoga this past weekend.

I am hyper-focused on launching Crafting a Life, LLC, a media and retreat business that I will base out of my newly acquired digs in Napa. The issue is, I am going to have to exercise something that I am horrible at: patience. I’ll akin this construction process to the slow cloth/ slow stitching movement. This is slow building, which means I have to enjoy the process. (I am trying very, very hard but it isn’t easy!) I envision the end result so clearly in my mind: after a day of creating (with a lunch-time hike thrown in), sitting in rocking chairs on the front porch, stitching and taking in the views, and later collectively cooking poolside on a cool California evening. I am also trying to devise a program for children, too, and that has been a lot of fun drafting a mini-sewing and quilting curriculum together.

When I am a bit further along, I will post pictures and share more details, but in the meantime, Judy Coates Perez posted this behind-the-scenes blog of the photo shoot from September.

Since I am horrible with a hammer and a nail, right now I’m working on a lot of the boring business-y stuff to cross off my list: meeting with lawyers, website peeps, and insurance folks.

I am also trying to do something I am not very good at: slowing down and enjoying some time off.  When I went to Quilt Festival (which was so fantastic this year) several people came up to me and told me how relaxed I looked…and they’re right. I feel a sense of calmness, purpose, and focus that I haven’t felt in a long while.

I hosted an impromptu party when many were in town, which was so much fun…

IMG_0162And I invited some former co-workers from Quilts Inc. who have since chosen different work challenges but wanted the opportunity to reconnect with their quilting friends.

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Left to right: artist Leslie Jenison, Amanda Schlatre (now Coordinator, Exhibits & Attractions at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo), artist Jamie Fingal, and Carmen Beck (now Manager, Convention and Meeting Services for the Pediatric Academic Societies).

We took a lot of photos that night but this is one of my faves:

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This shot includes Allison Cooper (left) who is turning her wish of being a chef into a reality and now going to culinary school.

This past weekend I flew back to the Bay Area for some meetings and to visit my grandmother, but took in some downtime too. A must in the Valley is this little restaurant in Calistoga, the Calistoga Kitchen. If you order the grilled cheese sandwich, the cheese is melted literally into the slices of sourdough bread. I think it was the naughtiest thing I have ever eaten, and the ambience outside was pretty terrific, too!
IMG_0318 I also spotted four community tag olive trees that cracked me up. The first of four, the “I Want Less” tag tree:

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The “One Thing I am Grateful For” tag tree (more populated with tags):

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The “Past Loves” tag tree, also well decorated:

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I loved this past love in particular:

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And “The Best Decision I Made Was” tag tree:

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My favorite response:

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While at Quilt Festival, I visited with my friend Wendy Richardson of Quilt Tapestry Studio. I bought up the rest of her over-dyed Napa fabric and would like to give one yard of it away to a randomly selected responder to my question below, inspired by the Napa tag trees:

Question: What has been the best decision you have ever made?

I’ll keep this open through this Thursday night and randomly select a winner.

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Happy creating!

**Blog update 11/17/14**

Giveaway winner: Congrats to Craftygoofy49! I will email you for your mailing address. Thanks to all who answered…I LOVED reading them. 🙂