Saying Goodbye to 2015

It's time to say goodbye to yet another year.  Inevitably, I find myself thinking that not that much happened... and then I start looking at photos and blogposts from the year and discover just how much really did happen!  Here's a look back at my year.

Participating in the CQJP 2015 was a huge part of the year.  It's been a challenge to work in these bright colors and to create the tapestry effect that I was looking for with the embroidery on these blocks!  I'm still a bit behind on them, but hope to finish the blocks by the end of January and get them assembled!  

There was a lot of stitching this year!  Not just the CQJP blocks, but round robins and some other projects as well!  It's a lot of fun looking back over the year's work! 

Though I didn't think I'd do much traveling this year, I managed to get in several trips, both near and far!  Places I visited included, Bandelier Natl. Monument; Albuquerque, NM; Monte Vista Natl. Wildlife Refuge; Morristown, NJ; New York City; Lambertville, NJ; Brattleboro, VT, several locations in Massachusetts and one in Connecticut; Camp Verde, AZ; Sierra Vista, AZ, Hubbell Trading Post Natl. Monument; Rocky Mountain National Park; Pawnee Natl. Grasslands; Cheyenne Bottoms Natl. Wildlife Refuge in Kansas; Kansas City, MO; Weston; MO; Mount Evans, CO; and Pagosa Springs, CO .  

On my travels, I got to see so many interesting birds and lots of wildlife!

At home, the garden bloomed beautifully due to our moist start to the summer.  Just glorious!  Unfortunately the mosquitos also grew well, so I wasn't able to enjoy the garden as much as I would have liked.  I enjoyed seeing the fields of sunflowers in eastern Colorado and Kansas along with other interesting wildflowers on my travels! 

Here are a few of the photos that I feel are among the best that I took this year.  It's always hard to choose and the little thumbnails of them, don't do them justice. 

It was a joy to spend more time creating art!  Lots of new watercolor sketches and a few oil paintings!  

Probably the sentinel event that I will always remember 2015 for, is that this was the year when my beloved Mollie Kitter passed away.  The loss of her is still so terribly hard to bear and the grief still knocks me off my feet.   I miss her so. 

I will also look back on 2015 as the year I got to reconnect with my cousins Jeff and Tracy whom I hadn't seen in far too many years!

I have a dear group of friends that I met many years ago, online, through the old Victoria Magazine chat room.  They are an amazing group of women and we live all across the U.S. and Australia.  Every now and then, we get to meet up!  This year I was blessed to be able to spend time with several of these lovely and amazing ladies!

Gail and Lisa

Judy and Lisa

Lisa and Heidi

Being able to spend time with my Posie friends was such a treat as was having my cousin Nat, join in on the fun!

Another amazing group of friends that I've met online are the lovely ladies and phenomenally talented stitchers, Allie Aller and Susan Elliot!  Ever since I've gotten to know them, I've longed to meet them in person.  2015 was the year!  

At long last, I got to meet Allie face to face!  And better yet, got to spend almost a week with her!  

And to make things even better, I also got to meet Susan in person and spend 3 amazing days with her and Allie on an incredible road trip that Susan planned out for us!


Susan took us to Delectable Mountain Fabrics where we got to meet the incomparable Jan and her amazing shop!  Truly a magical time!


As a bonus, Susan arranged for Allie and I to meet and spend time with an amazing group of talented Crazy Quilters!  What a thrill it was to meet everyone!  From left to right: Susan, Nicki Lee, me, Allie, Maureen, Betty, and Shirlee.  Wow!  

There were also new friends to meet at the Slow Stitching Retreat!  Amongst the larger group of "sane" quilters, there was a great core of wonderful Crazy Quilters!  From left to right: Jocelyn, Mary Anne, Elaine, Allie, me, and in front, Lydia, and Arlene

Getting "discovered" by Mark Lipinski at the Slow Stitching retreat was an experience I will never forget!  He was an amazing host for the event!  

In September, I met lots of new CQ friends and got reacquainted with old friends at the CQI Annual Retreat in Kansas City, MO.  

There were lots of family gatherings this year as well as events to celebrate! I especially loved having all my kids around the table at Thanksgiving!  Though we all live fairly close to one another, our complicated work schedules don't allow us to all gather together at the same time very often, so it is a treasure when it finally occurs!


In May we celebrated my foster son Gary's graduation from college!


We also celebrated two wedding ceremonies for my oldest son Jonathan and his new wife Becca!  The first was an intimate, parents and couple only, ceremony.


The second was a large friends and family ceremony!  Lots of fun to celebrate twice!


My sister Holly retired from her job as a firefighter with the Forest Service!

I had the joy of seeing my work published in 4 different magazines throughout the year!  A wonderful article in the European magazine, Magic Patch, and in the Spring, Summer and Fall issues of Crazy Quilt Gatherings Magazine!


Sometimes, the best times are those simply spent with those we love!  Like a spur of the moment camping trip with my youngest son Zach!


Or painting with my daughter in law Amanda!


And time at the Greek Festival with Jessie and Zach!

There were so many delights and other friends and family members that I was blessed to spend time with this past year that there simply isn't space here to remember all of them, not to mention all those lovely times spent with people when no photographs are taken, such as my monthly brunch/lunch outings with my dear friend Julie, or the walks and coffee with another friend Julie.  I'm so very grateful for all the dear people in my life!

Despite the sadness of losing my Mollie Kitter, it really was a delightful and amazing year.  At the end, it's not the things I stitched, or the photos I took that I'll remember, but the time spent with family and friends.  It's all about loving one another!

On that note, I wish all my dear blog readers 

A Very Happy New Year!  

My wish and prayer for you is that you will be surrounded 

with loving family and friends during the coming year! 

Blessings and Peace to you!