Please join me in welcoming today’s guest blogger Lindy Weber. You might remember that Lindy had been planning her Adventure of a Lifetime and the last we heard she was waiting to hear back about her Visa applications. I’ll let Lindy tell you what happened below …
Lindy is giving away a some of her gorgeous hand dyed fabric too, so be sure to enter the give-away below.
Let’s see, on the bright side…
- I get to move closer to friends and family in the few months.
- I will get to attend my 40th (40th!) High School Reunion.
- I get to keep my Max Cat until the day he or I die.
- I get to be closer to my Granddaughter until she moves somewhere far away.
- I get to buy workshop videos by my favorite artists and learn their techniques.
- I get to attend the Holy Grails of quilting, Houston and Paducah, this coming year.
- I get to take a few select workshops from big name artists here in the States.
- I get to sell my house myself and keep the $$$ saved by not having a realtor.
- I get to work on promoting my fledgling art business sooner than I thought.
- I get to be more involved in the quilt guild I belong to and enter my art in their fall show.
- I can re-join the co-op art gallery and become a much more active member.
- I can get almost all the money spent on the dream trip year in Scotland refunded, except the Gilda Baron workshop. Oh, well.
Yes, the bright side list means there is a major downside, perhaps not the death of a dream, but serious rerouting. The Powers That Be informed us that our Academic Visitor visa did not fit the criteria for an extended visit – visa applications turned down… Online research indicted an appeal would not be successful, and to apply for a General Visa at this point would be seen as a ‘back door’ attempt to enter the UK. Either way could/would take months, solicitor advice and the accompanying fees. We had to make the difficult decision to not sink any more of our limited funds into this venture.
Dreams are very exciting, very hard work but they buoy the spirit, set the heart to singing, put smiles in your footsteps. Letting go of ‘A Year – A Broad – UK’ is painful, I kid you not. But my husband can finish his book here in the States. I can continue my growth as an artist here at home.
My soul wanted to overlook the sea from the Isle of Skye shoreline. My eyes wanted to personally view Stonehenge. The artist in me wanted my work to by influenced by the antiquity of structures, land and history – but it is not to be. Not this year. Not at this stage of life.
I thank you all for letting me share the planning and excitement of my dream journey. And for sharing your own dreams and excitement with me. Keep dreaming, and may your dreams come true!
Give-Away
And a little dark humor. Although I am not literally dying from disappointment, I have been dyeing this week, so the giveaway prize will be a yard’s worth of my hand dyed fat quarters, your pick of the litter!
To enter the give-away, leave a comment below answering: What did you do this past weekend? One winner will be randomly chosen June 1st, 2012.
Winner
Congratulations to #14 Ramona.
P.S. Editor’s note: I must apologize to Lindy as she sent me this guest post a couple of weeks ago and I just got too busy and forgot to get it posted for her. I was so sad to learn that her adventure had ended to abruptly. I only hope that one day she can realize her dream. It really was exciting! In case if you’ve missed the full story, read her earlier posts here and follow her on her blog too.
When one door closes another one opens.
I had my Granddaughter in the studio with me. She is 3 and loves to sew and quilt with Gramma. She also loves to climb on my long arm table, her “monkey bars”.
Thank you for the give-away, I would love to win the purples!
I work weekends, but I was able to squeeze in some time at the park with the kids, helping to cook dinner and some knitting.
Your fabric is beautiful. I’m so sorry to hear that your dream did not work out the way you planned. My husband and I have a dream, but of course requires that we save money… it’s hard to think about the realization happening in years.
I am so sorry your dream year did not work out. This weekend was my birthday so we went out for breakfast which is my favorite meal.
One of those weekends with a little bit of everything: a visit from my best friend for morning coffee and a catch up, followed by helping husband to find vermin in his aviary (2 rats – yuck), housecleaning, Sunday sleep-in, putting binding on a quilt for said friend’s Mum (secret!) who is being treated for cancer, visit to aged Aunty to help with some household chores, back home for tea and the dreaded mending jobs. Hmm, now I know where the weekend went! No wonder I didn’t get much quilting done!
After a long week at work I had planned on working on a quilt I am making for my husband and myself. After a long week my husband decided we would go explore the beaches in our area, Homer Alaska, on 4-wheeler. I have to say it was really fun driving across the sand and rocks during low tide. I saw places I have never seen before. After each day of a long ride I did get the planned date with my sewing machine. So with that said, I have had a great week-end so far.
I am jealous that you have been living in the UK for a year and am equally sorry you have to leave. Safe travels back.
My niece and 2 of her children came to spend the weekend with us, and to meet our new grandson for the first time. It was a wonderful surprise visit!
I am so sorry to hear of all your plans falling through! But these things do happen for a reason, all will turn out ok.
What did I do this past weekend?
I sewed and sewed and sewed! I finished piecing a monster quilt for daughters birthday next month. It is a Queen size and completely covers the whole bed right to the floor!!
Lots of fun yet to come – it has to be machine quilted yet!!!
My weekend was full of gardening…now my body aches..
I love the dyed fabrics!
While it’s truly sad to see your dream put away (maybe just for now), it’s just as great to see that you have soooo many things that ease the grief! Keeping your cat beside you is right where it belongs too – up at the top of the list!! It’s nice that you can celebrate the brighter side!
What did we do this weekend? We looked at campers – new & used, since we’ve decided that our “dream home” is going to stay that – a dream. And from the looks of things, our current camper is going to remain our camper, too! Ah well, we still have our pup & each other!!
spent time with family. Thanks for the giveaway!
This weekend I saw the movie Avengers and finished up a purse I had been working on!
How very sad, but remember ‘When God closes a window He opens a door’.
This weekend I did both the embroidery and applique versions of Dasher for the Reindeer Games and made 4 charity blocks for a Quilt of Valor.
We went on a family cook out at my SIL’s place on the intracoastal waterway in Ft. Lauderdale. The kids barely got in the pool and the meat just on the grill when the heavens opened up. It was a glorious windy rain. It was fun and funny for awhile , but then we retired to her condo for an indoor picnic!
Im so sorry your plans didn’t work out as hoped. Many times we are blessed in unexpected ways by things we DON’T get. I hope this is one of those times for you.
I’ve been sewing on a top, cleaning and rearranging my sewing room and planning a quilt back this weekend. Your fabrics are beautiful. Thanks or sharing with some lucky winner.
Yoga, bike ride, computer work, wine tasting, and of course fiber art work on a current art quilt for an up coming show. Love your fabric.
On Saturday I mowed lawn and weeded all of my flower beds. Yesterday we made the rounds to visit family. Today…. quilting!!
I went to two cemetaries and photgraphed the American Legion volunteers do flags and gun ceremony. I was quite proud of my husband in his uniform holding the Navy flag.
I had a lovely visit with my niece and her family. My lovely granddaughter joined it to make it extra special.
So glad you can see the bright side.
This weekend we drove up to our summer cabin in the woods of northern california. We had company, a family of four. It has been delightful.
I relaxed! Did some cleaning, and gave my sewing machine some TLC and prepared for sewing up a quilt top.
It was a day to catch up on those things that haven’t been getting done. But I took my time doing them and squeezed a nap in as well.
I spent the long weekend finsihing ufo’s! I was able to finish 3 of them. i am soo escited to be finishing stuff, so i can start more, of course! havent ventured into the hand dyed realm yet…but can easily take a glorious part of that crazy quilt i have been imagining!
Hi Lindy,
I am happy that I completed piecing the blocks of a Block A Month from a local quilt shop. I am now working on laying out the blocks and the sashing and cornerstones. Hope to have it put together next weekend.
Thanks for sharing, Debbie Landt
I sent my daughter up north to her dads for the summer (new quilt and mommy sewn wardrobe in tow of course :)
Beautiful hand dyed fabrics. I spent last weekend working on a cross stitch for my son.
Happy days.
Bev.xoxo
I love your thoughts on the “bright side,” even though there is a down side!
This weekend, I started a new quilt for a bride who was married May 5, 2012!
I was going to mention the door closing/opening thing but I was beat to the punch line. However it still has merit. Keep your eyes open for the new doorway… As for my weekend, I was camping up by Sedona, AZ this weekend. Lovely! Thanks for the chance to win some beautiful fabric.
My grandparents visited to get some with the great grandbabies (and me). :)