Sunday, May 13, 2018

Welcome to Lizard Creek Quilting!!


Hi all and welcome to Lizard Creek Quilting!! Where sunsets in the fall are just breath taking!!

Today is my stop on the New Quilt Bloggers 2018 Hop. Make sure and check out all the other stops to meet new quilting friends you didn't know you needed in your life!!

Click the Happy Stitching Team button on the sidebar to find out more information and where to enter for some amazing prizes!!


I have been quilting for over 25 years. But for many years before that I was into all kinds of country crafting items and sold them at local craft shows around the area. This gave me the opportunity to be a work from home mom, which I am very grateful for!!


Basically I just love to make things--anything!! Even if I have to digitize it myself...who knew I could make felt food!!


Ten years ago, I convinced my husband that I needed to add a long arm quilting machine to the mix of things I do. After coming up with a business plan, showing it could be a reasonable buisness--Lizard Creek Quilting was born!!

There is a small creek that runs through the farm we lived on, and also a piece of property we owned about 1 mile from the farm--you guessed it--Lizard Creek is the name of it.


I just love living in small town rural America!! Having a float in the local parade was a great way to advertise--and all it cost was the 2 five gallon buckets of candy that we threw to kids along the route!!
You can read more about it here.


Designing quilts based on deeply personal events in my family life has been the most rewarding part of my quilting so far. This quilt is called Promise Kept. It is a journal quilt my husband and I took along to Hawaii for our 25th anniversary. On our wedding day he promised me we would go to Hawaii for our 25th. Well I made him keep that promise!! I designed this quilt with spaces where we could journal about our trip. Every night we would each write what we did and thought about the day. Then when we returned home I appliqued pictures of the trip onto the quilt. The background fabric in the center blocks is fabric from our bridesmaid dresses. I made this quilt just for us--but loved how it turned out that I entered it into several shows where it won several ribbons. How cool that was!! It was even a semi-finalist in Paducah!! You can read about my experience to Paducah here. There are a few posts about that trip--just look in April 2013.


Lots of life happened the year I turned 50!! Became a Grandmother for the first time--super cool!! And we built a new house--with space for a new sewing space and an amazing long arm studio attached to the house. The previous long arm space was in a remodeled garage stall in the machine shed. While I felt super blessed to have this amazing new space--it took a while to get my creative mojo back. You can read about that here.


What started the journey back to my creative space was taking a class with Lisa Calle--Divide and Design. I highly recommend taking a class to jump start your creativity if you are in a slump.


This quilt is called--Cultivate your Creativity. It has photos of 6 generations of creative women in my life along with written stories of their life. I pieced the lady blocks over 25 years ago when I was just learning to quilt. They sat languishing in a box until I was cleaning out my sewing room to move. I decided to put them in my guild's rummage sale booth at the quilt show. While going through the booth, I just couldn't part with them yet--so bought them back. Well now I decided they had to be put into a quilt and not back in a box. So--this quilt was designed special to showcase the ladies and how we were all connected through our different kinds of creativity--gardening, canning, keeping a home with a very limited budget, knitting, sewing clothing, quilting, interior design and a budding artist!!


My creativity had come back!! Entering the AccuQuilt Barn Block contest was something I had done for many years--but in 2016--my block--Point of View was the grand prize winner!!
You can read my thoughts about that here.


Being an Island Batik ambassador has been soooo much fun and given me amazing opportunities. Sending off my first printed patterns last fall was a dream come true. Check out the Shop my Patterns tab for what is available now. There are more coming so check back often!!


Something I have always tried to instill to my kids is that--You never know if you don't try!!
I want to encourage you to try something you think is outside your box--or something you think you are not good enough for. Send in a design to a magazine--you never know if your name and quilt might be in the next issue!!


If I am not entering another quilt contest--Runner-up block AccuQuilt Barn contest 2017.
You can read the inspiration behind this block design here.


I will be loving on my grandchildren--add one more born this spring!!


Helping my husband--in this oh so sexy coverall outfit--with all that is required to raise a quality pork product--Hormel is where our hogs are processed--so the bacon you had for breakfast could have been raised by us!!


Or riding motorcycle with my husband. Finding inspiration for new quilts in all the beauty that is around the country.


Life is a great adventure.

What dream do you have that you think is too big to attain?? Tell me about it--if it is written down it might not seem so big--all it takes is one step and the adventure is started!! Where it ends is up to you!!

Below are the blogs for this week. Enjoy!!

Tracy        http://itsatsweetsday.blog
Joni        http://fortheloveofthread.com
Cherie B.    http://cheriesquiltingjourneyblog.wordpress.com
Cindy K.        http://graybarndesigns.com
Karen        http://thequiltrambler.com/blog
Sarah        http://9658textiles.blogspot.ca
Terri        https://meanderingsalonglizardcreek.blogspot.com
Liz        http://www.savoreverystitch.com

46 comments:

Havplenty said...

You have quite an active life along with your quilting. It is up to us to savor every moment we can with the lives we have. You seem to be doing just that.

Rozz01 said...

Wow, how do you find time to quilt. I'd like to be more proficient at machine quilting my quilts.

Lisa England said...

I enjoyed reading about your quilting journey and life adventures. Your quilts are just gorgeous! I have also been quilting for many years but it never gets boring and there is always a lot to learn and discover.

Dione Gardner-Stephen said...

Oh, I just love the thought of a quilt float in a parade! Your have had so many successes in quilting, thanks for sharing.

Karen E Overton said...

I've enjoyed being an Island Batik Ambassador with you and have loved your inspiration there. What amazes me is how much you get done - hog farming takes a lot of time and yet you produce such lovely quilts (and beautiful grandbabies!) Enjoy the journey!

Jan @Cocoa Quilts said...

You are one busy lady. I enjoyed reading your story and plan on following you on your next steps. Congratulation on your Barn Quilt win. It is beautiful!!!!!

Tish Stemple said...

I absolutely enjoyed reading this post and learning more about you. Love your brand new quilting space! I'm like you and love living in rural America :) Seeing you in the parade with all your beautiful quilts...what a great idea! The 25th anniversary quilt is just breath taking. It's been great to read more about you and I look forward to reading about more of your journeys :)

piecefulwendy said...

So fun to read this post and get to know you more. You have really nailed some great goals -- love the photo of you with the barn quilt wins! I live about an hour north of Hormel's home base, and my nephew and his wife both work there. I even went to Spamfest once. Haha! I love living in rural America, having grown up in a very small town in South Dakota. Thanks for posting!

Anonymous said...

Wow you are a busy person. Your quilting space is great and I definitely think that it’s important to have a dedicated space to follow your dreams. Thanks for sharing your story. Freckledfoxquiltery@gmail.com.

Tracie said...

Terri, what an amazing quilt career! I'm going to take time to click every link and read more later today. I'm amazed at all you've accomplished, especially since work on a farm never stops. The story of Promises Kept was beautiful. Have a great week with the NQBBH!

Cozy Quilts by Linda said...

Thanks for sharing a small portion of a very busy life. Your machine quilting is an inspiration. Linda cozy-quilts.ca

Sue said...

Wow! Those barn quilts! Congrats on the win! You certainly have a lot of interests! Great post!

Kathleen said...

So much fun to learn more about a sister IB ambassador! Love that barn quilt.

Kathy H said...

Beautiful quilts. It was fun to see them.

Home Sewn By Us said...

Hi Terri,
What a wonderful post to introduce yourself to us! I love the vision of a float in the 4th of July parade – and the five gallon buckets of candy. LOVE! Your journal quilt, Promise Kept, just gives me the chills. Drawing from your own personal experience is so unique and meaningful, and no one else except your husband could possibly have come up with that special quilt. We all know designing that quilt could only be done by you! All those feelings and love that you sewed into that quilt are why it won ribbons – people can FEEL the experience and love that went into it. Your new studio looks amazing, and being a new grandmother happening at the same time is just so fabulous – like it was in the grand plan or something. And your Barn Block – I can absolutely see why you won!! I am running out of superlatives to use to express my admiration and love. WOWEE – I always buy Hormel – I’m glad to be supporting you in even that previously unknown way. HAHA! This is an adventure and a grand one at that. I am so glad I got to meet you and get to know you from this hop. ~smile~ Roseanne

CVOChristi said...

Great pictures!

Kathleen said...

My dream is to have a sitdown longarm ( no room for a longarm) OR maybe to have a longarm some other way!!!

Marie said...

impressive quilting!
Thank you for this introduction

tac73 said...

Thank you for sharing your busy life. Love the parade float and your barn quilt.

anna said...

i dream about quilting on a longarm. maybe someday.

Carol Andrews said...

I really enjoyed reading your blog and hearing of your adventures. I so agree wi you about dreaming. I have a dream, too. I will have a longarm one day. At present I am downsizing because DH has MS and our home is too big. The good news I'd after all the work and getting moved Iwill have a studio and space to fill with my dream product!

Gray Barn Designs said...

I really enjoyed reading your blog and getting to know you better! What an adventurer you are...AND a very accomplished quilter! I appreciate your advice about taking the first step because we never know where it will lead us.

Unknown said...

I love that you are active in a variety of areas, I’m sure it helps your creative process! Your quilts are beautiful! Thanks for the inspiration!

JANET said...

Love the picture of your grand kids. They are both beautiful, but I am still not sure if the baby on the table is a real baby or a doll! She looks so perfect.

Barb said...

I like the "Lizard Creek" name of your blog and business--thanks for an interesting post.
barbkaup(at)(yahoo)(dot)(com)

Sharon said...

Hi Terri,

I enjoyed reading your post and learning about your quilting adventures! Keep quilting and having fun.

Happy quilting,
Sharon

Beth @ Cooking Up Quilts said...

Your post is full of so much fun and I loved reading about your active life and quilty activities. Your quilting is gorgeous! I agree with you about saying your goals out loud. It makes them seem not so scary and more achievable. Thanks for sharing so much of your story, and for participating in the blog hop this year!

Brenda said...

Your post was such a positive and fun post! You are very talented indeed and I look forward to seeing and reading more of your posts!

GranChris said...

I love that you love life! Keep going on and you will be blessed every day. Beautiful quilting.

laughing gas quilts said...

You are nailing this quilting business! Is it wrong that it's the barn blocks that drew me in? The designs are fabulous- uncluttered and modern looking, but still traditional in spirit. And the longarm quilting is wonderful. No wonder there's a ribbon on the quilt. Thanks for joining the hop!

Christine said...

I love the story behind your 25th anniversary Hawaii trip quilt. Looking forward to reading more of your stories.

Terry Carney said...

Wow! You are a busy lady. Lots of adventures.
Thanks for sharimg.
Cheers
Terry

Angie said...

Wow You're busy! Lots of cool things going on. Have a wonderful day! angielovesgary2 atgmail dotcom

Nancy A: rangerer@sbcglobal.net said...

Congratulations on all your great quilting. This has been a fun blog hop.

Danette said...

Love the "lady" quilt and how you finally put it all together. You are having much fun and adventures in your life. Plus, congratulations on your 2016 Win in AcuQuilt! Your grandbabies look so happy, also.

Laura said...

Thanks for the introduction. Will be fun to follow your adventures.

Sharon Aurora said...

What an adventure you've had. I love the story behind your Promise Kept quilt.

When I was young, I wanted to write and do art. But then life happened. Raising kids didn't leave much room for pursuing those. Now that the kids are grown, I'm thinking about that stuff again, but I still keep putting it off. I'm just not as sure of myself as I was when I was young. I know I will do it. I just need to push myself to start.

Rochelle aka Bella Quilts said...

I love the name of your blog and I think you are one busy lady. I love that you get out there and try everything. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I kind of let myself get sucked into a head trip about how hard things can be. Then I have to have a serious conversation about the fact that I really can do whatever it is I'm afraid to try. Look forward to reading more of your blogs.

Rashida said...

You have such an awesome life. I love your quilts and all you have achieved. Such an inspiration!

Nancy J said...

A super name, and the story behind it, wonderful to read, and see all your photos. Grandmotherhood is the best graduation degree of all. My dream, to visit all my blog friends in the Northern Hemisphere. Maybe never to be a reality, as with health not up to air travel , and age prohibiting a lot of things now,I can still dream.

Anna brown said...

Wow busy lady and great looking quilts and crafts ty for sharing..... happyness04431@yahoo.com

@lutzcats said...

Too big? A STUDIO!!!! Thanks for sharing your adventures today!

Nancy @ Grace and Peace Quilting said...

Hi Terri! Your Promises Kept quilt is wonderful and your hubby's promise is just great. I voted for your barn quilt. So amazing. We lived near you in Hills for 4 years. We've moved to the Twin Cities to be near family now. But I did love small town life. Thanks for sharing your story!

Kathy C said...

Wow - found your blog via the hop and I love your photos!

Karen McMahon said...

Wow you are busy! Your quilts are beautiful.

Janice Holton said...

Wow! You have a LOT of variety in your life! I love your barn quilt designs. I didn't even know there was such a contest like that. Congratulations on the Grand Prize! I really enjoyed reading your blog and look forward to future posts!