"Ahhhhh" Part 2

Back to Virginia.....by way of Rwanda....sort of.....these are not real spears used to catch dinner, rather decorative spears and they grabbed my attention while at Beth's house.  Aren't they neat?

Imagine my delight when "that girl who can COOK" served a South African Bobotie (Bob-boo-tie) for dinner last Thursday evening.  This was my first experience with African food and it was amazingly delicious.  Malva Pudding was served for desert.  After such a delicious dinner I was so very tempted to stand and shake my bah-boo-tie!

I felt so very spoiled, not only by the food, the surrounds but also the amazing company I was enjoying.  Frank, Beth's husband, has been making his own knives and I must say they were a bit scary to see at first  (I didn't know he made knives when I first saw them).

They grab your attention don't they?  When I learned Frank made these knives I took the time to look over the craftsmanship and they are absolutely beautiful knives.  A house full of creative energy....yep....absolutely full.

I left Friday early afternoon to travel to Virginia for my Wonder Woman Weekend and on the way I stopped at Jinny Beyer's Studio.

I had an extra 45 minutes to stop and soak in the beautiful fabrics and quilts.....more soul food :)

 I asked and was given permission to take these photographs....enjoy!

Imagine several of these shelves full of Jinny Beyer fabrics.....yes and I was fortunate enough to be standing within arms reach of every last bolt.  I behaved myself....only because I didn't want to have to unload the entire shop into my housed...LOL.

 This handy gadget caught my eye....it is a "Golden Gauge Calipers from Jinny Byer."  I'd never seen one before

This handy tool allows you to find proportions without doing the math.....spanky indeed :)  Impressive gadget and I'm so glad no one asked me to develop that tool....you'd still be waiting.

The sky was very different than the day before....the clouds were just beautiful.

 

It was only a 45 minute drive from Leesburg, VA to the Bolger Center in Maryland where my weekend would begin.   I passed some houses that looked like a small nation could live comfortably inside and the one below made me stop my car and get out for a photograph.

This will be someone's home....the large window in front brought a wee bit of envy....but now the housework that will need to take place to keep that home up....well....lets just say I'm so pleased it does not belong to me!  If they plan to plant grass on that hill....you know I'd be laughing until I leaked watching someone mow that....better to plant some of that crazy growing ivy and leave well enough alone.

My first time to the Bolger Center and I was pleasantly surprised by all the lovely gardens and patios.  The rooms were very nice and the food was plentiful and delicious as well.  The weekend was all I needed it to be and more.  

A wee bit of digression:  When my mother passed last year I knew I needed to find a time and place to get away to recenter myself and I wanted to spend some time with with someone or some people that I admired and respected.  There could be no sewing....this was going to be "soul time" for me.  Time to BE and not DO....know what I mean?  That's when I learned about Iyanla's Wonder Woman Weekend and I immediately signed up.  I was filled with anticipation and excitement and could hardly wait for my weekend in October 2013 to come.  Life did what life does....a week before my trip a nasty black rug reached up and grabbed me causing my left foot to dangle from the bottom of my leg....it was U G L Y.  I told the folks at Iyanla's Institute to hold on to my money because the first chance I got to attend the weekend in Virginia....I'd be there.

The first time I heard IyanlaVanzant speak, I think it was on the Oprah program, I knew I had found a kindred spirit.  She is a woman who says it like it is...what I call WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get)....my favorite kind of people.   What ever the weekend would bring, I knew one thing for sure;  my mind would be stretched and I'd more than likely leave with a big smile on my face and in my heart.  That is exactly what happened and that's all I'm going to say about my weekend.....you'll have to go for yourself if you want to know more.  If you go, please tell them all that "Ownership" Class of Spring 2014 says Hello :)

 a portion of Beth's studio

At Beth's invitation, I returned to her home for Sunday evening to rest before making the 7 hour drive on Monday morning.  She is one smart girl because I really did need that rest and having more time with she and Frank, well....lets just say I was like a pig in mud.

 Pure Inspiration

Above and around the doorway there are postcards that Beth has received in exchanges.  They were all special and a few really grabbed me:

          

      

This was a gift from a friend that Beth framed, it is a landscape of Africa.  Ummmmm, yummy isn't it?

 The right side of Beth's studio....pretty darn inviting I have to say.

I'd love to have been able to stay and stitch for at least a week if not a month....my co-workers were waiting and I wanted and needed to get back to IHAN® Headquarters.  

I'm here now.....just in case you were wonderin'.

Happy Smiles,

Kelly

Ahhhhh

Yep, that's what I have to say about going to Virginia and Maryland this past weekend, "Ahhhhh."  Possibly preceded by a "Ohhhhh Ahhhhhh."

Driving out of  Ohio on Thursday, I said to myself, "It is raining giraffes and elephants out here."

The heavy rain came down with an urgency and there were some cars and trucks pulled off to the side of the road for a period of time.  I pressed on through those large animal size rain drops because I had an agenda.

 

The view outside the car was lush and beautiful from Ohio to Leesburg, VA.

Yes, I do hold my phone up without looking and snap photos of what I'm passing....will ya look at those clouds....they look so very pregnant.

We live in a country that is so very abundant with beauty.

Fortunately, I live in a community, the quilting community, that is also so very abundant with beauty :)  Before and after going to the Wonder Woman Weekend hosted by Iylana Vanzant, I stayed with a blogging friend, Beth Hunter.  She and I met blogging while she lived in South Africa.  Many of you know on the top of my bucket list is going to Africa so there was a natural attraction to hearing about Beth's life while she lived in South Africa. 

What I learned about Beth: She is the daughter of a wildly wonderful, creative, artistic  and colorful woman, the wife of a deeply caring and talented man and the mother of two beautiful and playful German Shepards.  Beth has embraced her creativity and I found her energy to be electric and magnetic.  Did I mention she can cook?  Damn that girl can cook!!!  Gotta love friends like that :)

The bed I slept in.

Contents of the room I slept in......

 The wall hanging I looked at while laying in that beautiful bed.

The jacket pictured below was made by Beth's Mother (wildly wonderful, creative, artistic  and colorful) who now lives without her earthly body.

The photo is dark....but you can certainly tell that those colors are right up my alley!  Check out all the hand stitching she did on this jacket:

This is not the only stitching either...there was lots of beautiful stitching.

 Beth comes by her talent and creativity naturally.  The "H" above was not done by an embroidery machine, nope!  Beth thread painted that piece....I just love it.

 More of Beth's work....

 Hand pieced and quilted by Beth....breath taking isn't it?

Now, I've got to stop here so I can go and package up those very special IHAN ® orders....there are folks waiting right now for the "Elves" to inspect their order!  More to come.....

Joyful Smiles,

Kelly

Self Care

 my new friend

Thank you to everyone who has called or e-mailed to inquire about my well being, I am very well and have been engaged in self care :)

I think my 50's will be a season of inner focus and caring for this body I've been given.  I think that's why I've been a bit quiet here on my blog but I've not been quite with my inner circle....we talk by phone and e-mail and actually visit in person and I'm all the richer for it :)

So, what's life been like at IHAN ®?  Thanks for asking :)

 

 Waldo came over the other day to get my assistance with shipping this amazing quilt to her son.  She hand quilted it and I'm telling you it is a heirloom treasure and I was jealous.  The thought did occur to me to ship it to myself and say it got lost in the mail...ROFL.  Can you see her face when she came to visit the next time and found me curled up under it?  Fun thought....unforgivable deed...good thing I know the difference!

Another Waldo project....this was her charity quilt....way too much fun.  I will definitely have to make a chicken quilt soon!

Sleeping in this bed makes me uber-joyful.   I've been to PA to stay with MJ for 5 days as she has been under the weather.  We watched Downton Abbey each night and enjoyed just being together. 

My youngest co-worker, Zach, turned 10.  As you can see he was very excited to have 2 friends spend the night.

Mr. McSteamy and I celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary....flowers compliments of MJ :)

The trees are blossoming in the most beautiful fashion at IHAN® headquarters :)

 Yes, I'm still having tons of fun :)

Speaking of fun....I'm staying with a blogging friend in VA and going to the Wonder Woman Weekend in Maryland today.  Wanna know who I'm staying with?

Smiles,

Kelly