HenandChicks

A Little Different Routine

2010-03-08T22:25:00Z

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!

It makes me wish I could sing!

2010-02-27T21:48:00Z

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.

Spring is almost Here!

2010-02-18T11:33:00Z

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 Perfect Gift

2010-02-13T20:17:00Z

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.

Woof, Woof

2010-02-06T17:07:00Z

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!

Have you had a chance to listen?

2010-02-04T11:54:00Z

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.

Listen to me live on the Radio

2010-02-01T19:36:00Z

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...

2010-01-31T20:39:00Z

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.

A Book of Memories

2010-01-23T20:11:00Z

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

2010-01-19T12:07:00Z

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!

Snow + Friends + Perfect Day = SMILES

2010-01-17T22:23:00Z

Frosty Morning

2010-01-17T18:08:00Z

Moving cows on a frosty morning.

Almost as good as Christmas

2010-01-16T23:01:00Z

There is nothing better than the UPS man dropping off boxes of quilts! I was so excited I ran down stairs and opened them up immediately. After looking at each one I took them to the laundry room and began to wash and dry them. The feel of a washed and dried quilt is so comforting.

You've been watching the progress on two of these quilts. Next, you'll find the patterns for re-creating them yourself on my shopping cart.

Here's Pigs in a Blanket, which will be auctioned off at the 2010 annual AASV meeting. Check out all of the items up for bid. There are some pretty cool things.

Carol Rodibaugh is one of my favorite artists featured at AASV. Every year I try to buy her painting and every year I get outbid. They are beautiful. This is her 2008 artwork, Pigmentation.

My experiment in batiks and needlefelted flowers has turned into Tropical Burst, a colorful wall hanging. I loved all the comments and suggestions my blog readers gave in how it should be laid out.

Organized Chaos

2010-01-14T18:24:00Z

About four times a year I change the quilts that I have on display on ledges that are near the front door. I'm sure that sounds weird...but its an architectural feature of the house that worked out pretty cool for decorating. Well, it requires that I get out the large ladder. We had the large ladder out to take down Christmas decorations and I had Jeff leave it up. I wasn't inspired immediately as to which quilts I should use so the ladder has sat inside the front door for two weeks. Last night I finally was moved to get them changed! Henry was a big help. He wanted to climb that ladder so bad. "Mom, I'll carry the quilts up to you." It's a tall ladder so I wasn't about to let him climb to the top, although I knew he could! And would. Instead, he met me half way up and handed me the quilt I needed. As I dropped quilts down, I asked Henry and the girls to take them to the dining room so they were out of the way.

After a good shaking I'll refold these and find a new place to display them in the house. Note the red-and-white basket quilt in the background. I decided to hang this newly finished antique quilt in the dinning room for the Valentine season. Two-color quilts capture my attention and I have a few in my collection. So one ledge was made the blue-and-white snowflake corner. The cabinets with stuff on top that you're seeing in the foreground are the top of the kitchen cabinets. The kitchen is free-standing in the middle of the great room.

These are all antique in some form. The Irish Chain, left, has new binding, but is otherwise all original to when I purchased it. The airplane blocks were antique blocks I purchased and made into a quilt. It was hand-quilted by my Amish friend. The Churn Dash on the right is one of two quilts. While attending a pig meeting with Jeff in Nashville I found these blocks at an antique mall and the bag was marked "would make great potholders." Instead, while visiting a quilt shop in Clarksville, KY, on the same trip I found coordinating blue fabric on sale and decided I had enough stuff to make matching twin quilts. This was long before the girls were born...but I had just purchased an set of antique twin brass beds and was thinking they would look nice on them. The quilts are hand-quilted by my Amish friend.

On the second ledge I had spring in mind with a pastel pieced antique quilt top, that was machine-quilted in the last few years.

Christmas Reminiscence

2010-01-10T22:28:00Z

Here we are more than a week into the new year and I'm still lingering on last month. My niece likes to do scrapbooking, so I sent a handful of photos to her local Walgreens store for her to pick up. (Isn't that great...in just an hour she can go pick them up nearly a thousand miles away from me.) Well, this got me to looking at all of the photos again.

The beautiful table at my parents.

My mother's beautiful decorating touches.

The attempt of taking the photo of the grandkids.

But what really got to me were the memories of my own childhood Christmas' with my cousins. I cherish the relationships that I still have with my cousins today. Rather than just cousins I think of them as siblings. There were seven of us--4 boys, 3 girls. Seven years between the eldest and the youngest (me). My brother and I lived 18 miles from the other five cousins, so we saw each other regularly. I looked up to my two girl cousins--and still do. One is a successful gift shop owner and the other a successful Pampered Chef consultant. I was proud back then of knowing them, too. I loved having matching dresses.

We always had fun together. (Aunt Marilyn, I thought about cropping the photo to just us three girls, but I loved your hair style and velvet dress. I thought you'd get a chuckle, too!)

Fast forward to 2009 when a simple project of decorating gingerbread trees created new memories for a new generation of cousins.

I think I see some of that same pride in Henry. Or, wait, was that a goofy grin because his mouth was full of gum drops?

Precious moments we're all to remember for years to come.

An activity that might just become a new tradition.

Henry's Big Bed Quilt

2010-01-08T12:26:00Z

Just before Christmas our household did a major bed shuffle. The girls moved from cribs to youth beds and Henry moved from a youth bed to a double bed. If you can imagine this inspired lots of cleaning and organizing and re-arranging. And, it has created a to do list for when I have more time. I had the girls youth bed quilts ready to go (see my last post). The fabrics had been gathered for Henry's next quilt. Tractors are included, of course.

I gathered my inspiration book, some graph paper and Henry's new colored pencils. Having written quilt instructions for nearly 20 years I like to get things sorted out before I start cutting.

I did a few test blocks to work out the pressing, then took off cutting and sewing.

The graphic pattern that forms when blocks are turned is wonderful. I think Henry will be able to use those squares as his fields and roads when he's playing farmer.

A Look Back at 2009

2010-01-03T20:37:00Z

Our Christmas holiday is officially coming to a close today. Tomorrow will bring five days straight of school and work! Can we do it? We are routine people, so getting back into our little routine will be good. At least for me! As I've been sewing over the past few days I've been reflecting over 2009. I pulled out my 2009 Quilt Block plan to review where I thought I was going and where I actually went. I chose the word clarity for my word in 2009 and I can tell you several times I found myself asking for clarity.

Nothing in my 2009 goals was earth shattering...but none the less important to me. I must give you a couple of highlights. Henry started school in August and has been loving it. He asks lots of questions about how to spell words. Just last night we spelled on a dry-erase board he got for Christmas. I'm so proud of him. Goldie and Virginia continue to grow and change. Just before Christmas we made the switch to big girl beds...they are the best little girls staying in their beds. I'm moving potty training to goals in 2010! When it comes to food and health for 2009, I've held my own in the weight department but it hasn't been easy. I love food too much. In the fashion area I have fully attained my goal of wearing more jewelry. And, have I had fun! My dresser is filled with new treasures and I look forward to wearing them all in 2010. Including my own line of jewelry. Creativity has been dancing around the house...from scrapbooking to quilting it's been here. My personal goal of getting an on-line shopping cart up and running was met. My sales haven't allowed me to retire yet, but the satisfaction of "I can do this" has brought lots of personal rewards. The quilting retreat took a new twist in 2009 but was a success. Facebook, Twitter, and social networking has rekindled all sorts of old friendships from home, school, 4-H, and quilters around the world. The Kaisands have definitely had lots of adventures this year and I've photographed most of them! (Only 9,047 images and 60 videos to add to my Memory Manager archive for 2009--gotta love digital cameras. And, thank goodness for Creative Memories.) The projects I've worked on have been fun, challenging, and rewarding.

From the wedding quilt for our friends.

To the big girl bed quilts for Goldie and Virginia.

Echo

Reflections in the Pond

To starting Henry's new quilt, which will be finished in 2010! (More about that in a future blog.)

Where will 2010 take me, the kids, our family? What will our adventures be? Maybe tomorrow as I'm driving to work at the APQS showroom, I'll have that clarity in the car again and 2010, or at least my hopes for 2010, will begin to unfold. Should I pick a word for the year? If you picked a word, what would it bed? Do I have specific goals I want to put in writing? I can tell you no matter where our lives take us, I will appreciate each and every day and savour every moment. Because I AM the luckiest woman on earth to be loved by my family and to have the best family in the world to love.

Project Update

2009-12-29T19:14:00Z

After four straight days of celebrating Christmas is was nice to have a down day yesterday to try and play catch up and to relax a few minutes. This morning I started sorting through the more than 900 photos I've taken this holiday season...so many favorites, so many memories.

Today I'm going to keep it simple and update you on two projects that got completed. The first is one I've written about in past blogs.

I've named the quilt "Friends Take Flight." It will be a gift for a friend that loves to pheasant hunt. Emily Keller did a nice job quilting it on her APQS Millennium quilting system.

This is an antique quilt top I purchased several years ago. The outside border was shredding so I cut it off. Emily Keller did a great job working with the misshaped quilt. The backing fabric is a little wild...but I thought it was fun! It's been washed and dried (used my favorite Shout Color Catchers to ensure no bleeding of that red) and is now ready to be used. Just need to figure out what I want to do with it.

Next up...Henry's tractor quilt!

Mooooving Cows

2009-12-27T13:22:00Z

While many of you were moving from store to store finding great after-holiday bargains, we were moving cows. It was a sunny day, but cold. My Explorer said 16 degrees. Not to mention the ice that is out there making it difficult to walk. (Ask me how I know!) The girls and I loaded up to meet the boys at the farm. After discovering the cows wouldn't cross the creek because of the ice, they turned them around and headed the long way. Once they hit the road, it was about 3 1/2 miles to their winter vacation spot.

A little bribe of hay never hurts.

They stop and wonder if this is where they belong. Nope, move it along girls.

"Are we suppose to go straight or turn? Anyone have their GPS turned on?"

"Guess we'll go this way. "

"Did someone get the mail? There's nothing in here. I was expecting an important letter."

And, for some, the 90 minute process is just exhausting.

I Believe!

2009-12-24T11:58:00Z