Heidi Kaisand
Creativity and quilting go hand-in-hand at my Iowa house. I am a busy mother of Henry and identical twins Goldie and Virginia and a wife to Jeff. Visit my web site at www.heidikaisand.com to learn more about my retreats.Sign up for Newsletter Now!
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A Little Different Routine
Each year my husband Jeff attends the AASV conference, with the location changing each year. This year we're not far from home...just across the border in Omaha, NE. Attending these meetings is always fun for me, because I get to play while he goes to classes! It's a family-oriented organization so there are lots of kids around. I'm especially excited today as the quilt I made for the AASV auction will be auctioned off tonight! I'll update you on how it goes.
In the mean time we're enjoying the fresh flowers on the tables at the zoo events that were held.
Swimming with the penguins.
Playing.
And hanging out!
In the mean time we're enjoying the fresh flowers on the tables at the zoo events that were held.
Swimming with the penguins.
Playing.
And hanging out!
It makes me wish I could sing!
During the 2010 APQS Rep Rally this past week, nearly 30 sales reps from across the country joined the APQS staff in Des Moines, Iowa, to learn how to better sell our long-arm quilting machines. After hours of filling our minds with technical jargon and sales pitches, we had to have a little fun!
And, no better way to do that than with a little musical talent from NW Iowa. This quartet, know as Voice Exchange, includes APQS sales rep Mark Caraher from Glidden, Iowa. They perform at lots of events, so if you need some good entertainment let me know and I'll put you in touch with Mark. There were good Iowa jokes. Lots of smiles and laughs.
Voice Exchange--That's APQS sales rep Mark Caraher on the far right.
And, no better way to do that than with a little musical talent from NW Iowa. This quartet, know as Voice Exchange, includes APQS sales rep Mark Caraher from Glidden, Iowa. They perform at lots of events, so if you need some good entertainment let me know and I'll put you in touch with Mark. There were good Iowa jokes. Lots of smiles and laughs.
Voice Exchange--That's APQS sales rep Mark Caraher on the far right.
Spring is almost Here!
My attention is focused on Spring. We've had so much snow and ice. Nine days of missed school. Even though I like winter--this is enough! So, I'm looking forward. Looking past the next few weeks of more snow. Keeping my eye on the prize. What is that you say?
The Hen and Chicks Quilt Studio "Spring in to Action" Retreat!
On Friday, March 19...just one month away...I'll be greeting quilters at the Comfort Suites in Urbandale, Iowa, for three days and two nights of quilting. I'm going to pamper them with gifts and homemade treats. They are going to have uninterrupted time to work on projects they want to finish. A personal instructor will assist them in finishing quilts on the APQS Millennium. I'll be there to lend them help however they need. We'll enjoy making new friends and re-connecting with old friends.
Can you envision it? A room full of quilters chatting about their projects, giggling over a story about their child, or sharing in the excitement of someone accomplishing something during this precious quilting time. Oh, and of course, there will be the bowl of peanut M&Ms that everyone wipes out during the weekend. (Not to worry, they don't know I got an extra 4 pound bag to make sure we're covered.) Hugs will fill the room on Sunday as participants start to head for home, wishing this weekend went on forever. But, no, it's just a few hours of fun in everyone's busy schedules, including mine.
Wanna come? There's still a few spots remaining. E-mail me at heidi@heidikaisand.com for a registration form. I'd love to take care of you for a few days.
The Hen and Chicks Quilt Studio "Spring in to Action" Retreat!
On Friday, March 19...just one month away...I'll be greeting quilters at the Comfort Suites in Urbandale, Iowa, for three days and two nights of quilting. I'm going to pamper them with gifts and homemade treats. They are going to have uninterrupted time to work on projects they want to finish. A personal instructor will assist them in finishing quilts on the APQS Millennium. I'll be there to lend them help however they need. We'll enjoy making new friends and re-connecting with old friends.
Can you envision it? A room full of quilters chatting about their projects, giggling over a story about their child, or sharing in the excitement of someone accomplishing something during this precious quilting time. Oh, and of course, there will be the bowl of peanut M&Ms that everyone wipes out during the weekend. (Not to worry, they don't know I got an extra 4 pound bag to make sure we're covered.) Hugs will fill the room on Sunday as participants start to head for home, wishing this weekend went on forever. But, no, it's just a few hours of fun in everyone's busy schedules, including mine.
Wanna come? There's still a few spots remaining. E-mail me at heidi@heidikaisand.com for a registration form. I'd love to take care of you for a few days.
The Perfect Gift
Are you always on the search to find that perfect gift to give to someone special? I am. If I can't make something for a friend or family member, then I want the gift to have some meaning. Maybe it's something I bought on a trip or it's something I know the person collects. Or simply a gift that I know will bring delight to the recipient. Not every birthday or holiday gift I give has profound meaning, but I aim for that more times than not. There's something about watching their faces light up when they open that kind of gift. Where tears well up in their eyes, or maybe even stream down their cheeks. Or the smile on their face is so big that you know you hit the nail on the head. The squeal of excitement.
What's even better is being on the receiving end of that kind of gift. This past Christmas I was.
Iris are my favorite flower. I have irises in the flower garden. I collect Iris and Herringbone depression glass. I have a collection of other iris things--postcards, prints, boxes. And, now to add to my collection is this gorgeous hand-painted iris window frame.
It's painted on both sides of the glass, giving it interesting depth. Can you imagine the thought process involved in painting from two sides?
I haven't decided quite yet where to hang it. I keep moving it around, auditioning various locations. It's so pretty with sun coming through it, but equally stunning with a wall behind it. Thanks to my cousin Anne for making my heart pound with excitement as I enjoy the beauty of this artwork.
What's even better is being on the receiving end of that kind of gift. This past Christmas I was.
Iris are my favorite flower. I have irises in the flower garden. I collect Iris and Herringbone depression glass. I have a collection of other iris things--postcards, prints, boxes. And, now to add to my collection is this gorgeous hand-painted iris window frame.
It's painted on both sides of the glass, giving it interesting depth. Can you imagine the thought process involved in painting from two sides?
I haven't decided quite yet where to hang it. I keep moving it around, auditioning various locations. It's so pretty with sun coming through it, but equally stunning with a wall behind it. Thanks to my cousin Anne for making my heart pound with excitement as I enjoy the beauty of this artwork.
Woof, Woof
My camera goes with me everywhere. So, when I saw what my friend Sarah was making and selling on her Etsy site--I could not resist! Doesn't everyone need an animal camera cozy?
Sarah customized my cozy to be the color of Winnie, our beloved yellow lab. It's just so dang cute!!
If you have a minute, check out Sarah's blog, too. She's so creative. I'm trying to figure out when I can use the photo booth idea. Thanks for the inspiration Sarah!
Sarah customized my cozy to be the color of Winnie, our beloved yellow lab. It's just so dang cute!!
If you have a minute, check out Sarah's blog, too. She's so creative. I'm trying to figure out when I can use the photo booth idea. Thanks for the inspiration Sarah!
Have you had a chance to listen?
On Monday, February 1, I had a great time talking to Pat Sloan live on her new internet radio show. It's an hour long show and the time absolutely flew by.
Don't worry if you missed it, as you can listen to the podcast anytime you have time--isn't that cool? And it's not too late to still leave a comment on Pat's blog and have a chance to win books from C&T Publishing. The deadline for the contest is February 5. Click on the February 1 podcast and let us know what you like best about the program.
Don't worry if you missed it, as you can listen to the podcast anytime you have time--isn't that cool? And it's not too late to still leave a comment on Pat's blog and have a chance to win books from C&T Publishing. The deadline for the contest is February 5. Click on the February 1 podcast and let us know what you like best about the program.
Listen to me live on the Radio
I'm going to be a guest on Pat Sloan's Creative Talk Radio show! This is an internet show and you can listen live, or come back and listen to the podcast afterwards, isn't that cool? The show is TODAY--Monday. February 1 at 4pm EST. If you are listening live, Pat is having a call in during the 3rd part of the show... I sure hope some of you give me a call!
Here is Pat's show page where you can listen the day of the broadcast or download afterwards.
http://toginet.com/shows/creativetalkradio
The other EXCITING thing is that we have a give away from C&T Publishing of two books and a quilt calendar! Here is how you get in on it the giveaway. Go to Pat's blog today--February 1 post
http://patsloan.typepad.com
Leave a comment telling her your favorite part of my interview! The comments will be open until noon Friday, February 5. At that time Pat and I will select a random winners... yeah!
On the Road Again...
Beginning last Monday morning at 7:45 a.m., that catchy Willie Nelson song "On the road again..." was my theme of the week. APQS Director of Education Dawn Cavanaugh and I were slated for a trip to Texas. The plan--I would be doing three Road Shows and Dawn would be teach long-arm quilting classes at Quilt Country in Lewisville, Texas. Sounds simple enough, right? When I arrived at APQS offices in Des Moines to pick up Dawn, the snow was flying.
We struck out at 40 miles an hour in the loaded Dodge Sprinter (then Fedex Ground delivery truck). Once we hit the Missouri state line we left behind the snow and only had wind. After a quick stop at a customer's house in Edmond, Oklahoma, we headed into Dallas for our first stop. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday all went as planned. I greeted and talked to nearly 40 prospective APQS owners in Dallas, Austin, and Houston, while Dawn taught her classes in Dallas.
When the trip should have been winding down and we should have been pointing the Sprinter North, the rain storms came and Oklahoma was being hit by ice and sleet. Then mix in that during the last leg of my trip from Houston to Dallas that the oil light came on in the Sprinter. We checked it before pulling out Friday morning, only to find we needed an oil change and some oil!! My heart sank as I was ready to head home, but I knew we were safe and better to be late than to have problems along some country road.
Our gracious host Connie got Dawn and me to the Dodge dealer and when we found out it could take 2 hours, she took us back to Quilt Country for a warm, dry, place to hang out. This was really the first time in five days that I had taken a break. So, how wonderful to be hanging out here....
where the fabric colors are sure to brighten your day and your spirits.
A little retail therapy was in order for our day. That's Dawn on the left, and Connie helping her!
Once the Sprinter was done we headed for home. The trip was not fun because of the weather, but we made it home safe and sound...just a day later than planned.
We struck out at 40 miles an hour in the loaded Dodge Sprinter (then Fedex Ground delivery truck). Once we hit the Missouri state line we left behind the snow and only had wind. After a quick stop at a customer's house in Edmond, Oklahoma, we headed into Dallas for our first stop. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday all went as planned. I greeted and talked to nearly 40 prospective APQS owners in Dallas, Austin, and Houston, while Dawn taught her classes in Dallas.
When the trip should have been winding down and we should have been pointing the Sprinter North, the rain storms came and Oklahoma was being hit by ice and sleet. Then mix in that during the last leg of my trip from Houston to Dallas that the oil light came on in the Sprinter. We checked it before pulling out Friday morning, only to find we needed an oil change and some oil!! My heart sank as I was ready to head home, but I knew we were safe and better to be late than to have problems along some country road.
Our gracious host Connie got Dawn and me to the Dodge dealer and when we found out it could take 2 hours, she took us back to Quilt Country for a warm, dry, place to hang out. This was really the first time in five days that I had taken a break. So, how wonderful to be hanging out here....
where the fabric colors are sure to brighten your day and your spirits.
A little retail therapy was in order for our day. That's Dawn on the left, and Connie helping her!
Once the Sprinter was done we headed for home. The trip was not fun because of the weather, but we made it home safe and sound...just a day later than planned.
A Book of Memories
| As a magazine editor, my job for 17+ years was to put together words and pictures that would bring happiness and delight and inspiration to our readers. My heart pounded with excitement when I'd read a letter from a subscriber telling me how they couldn't put the magazine down until they'd read every page. I'd always think, "Wow! I liked the stuff in that issue, too." Yet be amazed at the difference we'd make in someone's day. I left the publishing world in 2007 to be able to put our family at the top of the priority list. Instead of taking pictures of quilts and writing instructions for making quilts, my camera is pointed at the bright and shining faces of Henry, Virginia and Goldie. The stories are of the funny things they say and do and the memories we are creating. |  |
 |
For Christmas I decided to make a 5x7" book for each child. Henry's focused on the alphabet. Each page featured either one or two letters. The outside of each page had words that either he knows or uses running around the it. In the middle of the page was a photograph from 2009 that had some signficance to the featured letter. For the girls, the pages were about colors, shapes and a few important words. Again, I pulled photos from 2009 that illustrated the word on the page. To the left you can see the "pink" page featuring their Miss Kitty pink boots. |
| Having all of my photos organized in Creative Memories Memory Manager made it so easy to pull them together and drop them in Story Book Creator Plus to actually create the books. It was so simple and easy. And, the looks on their faces were priceless. My heart pounded all over again, because these "subscribers" are my precious angels. |  |
The Tulip Tango
Over the past year I've been challenging myself to design my own quilts. And, that's a pretty easy task when I'm inspired by original artwork that my friend Maureen has been working on.
Here is a picture that we had taken recently by our friend Perry Struse.
Maureen Miller and Heidi Kaisand
She has so much creativity and art abilities that I don't have! Check out this doll (in progress) that she made in a class this past week. So fun. You can tell the doll has a great personality.
Maureen and I worked together many years ago, she as art director, me as editor. I'll never forget how thankful I was that we hired Maureen. (Maureen will chuckle at the story behind that sentence. If only I could share that story with you all...) For seven years we created quilting stories, did photo shoots, planned magazine issues. We were a team. We even had a joint credit card. We often said we spent more time together than we did with our spouses. Then the corporate world we worked in made some changes, sending her in a different direction professionally and our friendship into new territories. It wasn't easy, I'll admit, because I was not only loosing my art director and partner, but my friend. Well, then you have to remind yourself that friendships are much more than working together and seeing each other daily. It's about sharing a passion for similar things, it's about truly caring what the other person is doing. It's knowing that she'll listen to me rant about whatever, she loves my kids, it's me wanting to push her beyond her comfort zone of creativity, and SO much more. So like any good true friendship, the storm was weathered and we came out stronger than ever on the other side.
In 2007 when I wanted to start blogging and create my web site, I turned to Maureen. I knew she knew me and could help me express that in the look of my sites. Thanks to her, I have a charming logo and coordinating pieces. She hand-painted the hen and chicks. If you haven't figured it out, I'm the hen and the three chicks are my children. Today, she's helping me create the cover sheets for my patterns. We've got great ideas for a fabric collection...we're hopeful we've found the fabric company that will help make that happen.
In the meantime, I'm inspired by Maureen's abundant collection of motifs and patterns to create quilts. The Tulip Tango features an appliqué motif that has tulip leaf stems coming together to create another motif. I like how it feels like the tulips are dancing around. This pattern will be available for purchase soon!
I know as the years move forward, Maureen and I will only continue to grow and strengthen our friendship. Whether we work together or not, I treasure her being a part of my life. Thank you for being my friend, craziness and all. Love ya, Maureen!
Here is a picture that we had taken recently by our friend Perry Struse.
Maureen Miller and Heidi Kaisand
She has so much creativity and art abilities that I don't have! Check out this doll (in progress) that she made in a class this past week. So fun. You can tell the doll has a great personality.
Maureen and I worked together many years ago, she as art director, me as editor. I'll never forget how thankful I was that we hired Maureen. (Maureen will chuckle at the story behind that sentence. If only I could share that story with you all...) For seven years we created quilting stories, did photo shoots, planned magazine issues. We were a team. We even had a joint credit card. We often said we spent more time together than we did with our spouses. Then the corporate world we worked in made some changes, sending her in a different direction professionally and our friendship into new territories. It wasn't easy, I'll admit, because I was not only loosing my art director and partner, but my friend. Well, then you have to remind yourself that friendships are much more than working together and seeing each other daily. It's about sharing a passion for similar things, it's about truly caring what the other person is doing. It's knowing that she'll listen to me rant about whatever, she loves my kids, it's me wanting to push her beyond her comfort zone of creativity, and SO much more. So like any good true friendship, the storm was weathered and we came out stronger than ever on the other side.
In 2007 when I wanted to start blogging and create my web site, I turned to Maureen. I knew she knew me and could help me express that in the look of my sites. Thanks to her, I have a charming logo and coordinating pieces. She hand-painted the hen and chicks. If you haven't figured it out, I'm the hen and the three chicks are my children. Today, she's helping me create the cover sheets for my patterns. We've got great ideas for a fabric collection...we're hopeful we've found the fabric company that will help make that happen.
In the meantime, I'm inspired by Maureen's abundant collection of motifs and patterns to create quilts. The Tulip Tango features an appliqué motif that has tulip leaf stems coming together to create another motif. I like how it feels like the tulips are dancing around. This pattern will be available for purchase soon!
I know as the years move forward, Maureen and I will only continue to grow and strengthen our friendship. Whether we work together or not, I treasure her being a part of my life. Thank you for being my friend, craziness and all. Love ya, Maureen!
