Quilting by the Lake 2016 - Off the Wall Friday

Well, a week home and I'm still basking in the creative glow of Quilting by the Lake.  What - A - Week!!  Honestly, I know that people like to go on fancy vacations and explore new lands, but I'll take a week of quilting summer camp over that any time!

Rosalie Dace & Jeannette DeNicolis Meyer

So some of the highlights:

• A great opening lecture by Jeanette DeNicolis Meyer on the "If. . . Then" of creative ideas.  Many a year, I'm so tired on opening night that I barely can listen to the lecture.  This one was so good, that it energize me into all the possibilities of the up coming week.
• The best classroom EVER!  No seriously, the best classroom of all time.  20 ft ceilings with a full wall of windows and amazing acoustics so you could hear the teacher no matter where you were in the room.
  
• Rosalie Dace at her best.  That woman was constantly teaching.  Each day started with a 45 minute lecture and then she went around the room checking on the progress of each student giving equal attention to everyone (harder than it looks).  The thing about Rosalie's class is that she creates a safe environment for you to create no matter where you are in your artistic journey!!
• A Great Quilt Show at the college itself and an amazing exhibit at Schweinfurth Art Center in Auburn featuring work by the Surface Design Association
•  I was productive just enough to be happy with myself and not too much to drive myself nuts (that's harder than it looks too!)  I was VERY happy with my piece since its an idea that I've had for a loooonnnnnnnggggggg time!

  

  First time I've gotten to actual Quilt at QBL!

• The food was better this year than in recent years.  There was always something good to eat - salads, grilled sandwiches, pizza and of course two entrees every meal.
• I met some new friends and reconnected with some old ones.  

The BEST part of the week is that I feel totally refreshed creatively.  It was like a damn burst and it all came out of me!  Now don't get me wrong, OMG - its a very physical week.  The campus is spread out and I try to walk everywhere which I never minded before.  But now being heavier, its that much harder. Its given me new motivation to get  this weight off for next year!! The 12,000  steps a day was a good jump start into a new exercise regime let me tell you!



But creatively, it was like putting on your favorite jeans and having them fit perfect!

So if you too are looking for a new creative adventure  - next year's class schedule is already set and will soon be up on their website.  By the way - I was happy to see KATHY LOOMIS  is set to teach next year.  What a nice addition to the QBL faculty!

Next year will be my 15th year at QBL and I can't wait!



So What Have You Been Up to Creatively?