Let me Introduce Myself

Hello, I am Lesley. This is not my first rodeo...I mean my first blog. I started blogging years ago as an avenue to share my love for all things mixed media. Even though I revisited that blog a few times over the years, it finally dwindled down and it remains there on the world wide web.... just sitting there like an old friend. I tried to go back there several times and reignite that blog but though it is a part of me and my journey in life, it just does not seem to fit anymore.  

Fast forward to now.  I'm a West Texas girl transplanted in the Austin, Texas area. My family has lived here since 2014 and we absolutely love it. Although I was a working nurse when we moved here, I have since retired. I retired in 2021 and it took me a while to figure out how to manage all that free time. More about that later. My husband and I have our dream retirement part time  jobs. He works at a local vetrenarian clinic and I work at a Long Arm quilt shop. 

I grew up surrounded by creative women. My mom always had some craft going. Among her many crafty and creative talents, she could sew. She made a lot of my clothes. My grandmother sewed for the public for years to help provide income. She was very talented. She also quilted. I remember she had a quilting rack that hung over her bed that she could bring down to hand quilt her pieced tops. I don't remember seeing her hand piece her tops but I'm betting she did. Her quilts were made from scraps from clothes and anything she could find. She was a resourceful woman. 

Both Mom and Grandma let me play on the sewing machine and they taught me how to sew a bit. I took sewing in Home Economics in Junior High and High School. I remember taking on a project that was beyond my skill set to create a jacket with shoulder pads and matching skirt. The skirt came out great but the jacket....er..uh...let's just say I had to walk a certain way to make the shoulders seem to be even. LOL

Over the years, I dabbled in sewing. My Mom gave me my first sewing machine. I think it was her old one. I made curtains for our home, baby blankets, some simple garments. Then in the years of the Funky Art Queen, I discovered fiber arts. I used fabric in my collage art and also played with fabric sculpture. 

Finally, back to my retirement. I found myself with plenty of time to explore my creative side. I discovered quilting last summer. I was at a local dollar store and as I was leaving I saw a sign for a quilting shop. It was Over the Top Quilting Studio. I thought I was just go in and have a look. I met one of the owners named "Susan". She explained that they were a longarm quilting studio. She was so warm and friendly explaining how the machines worked and before I knew it, I was signed up for the certification class so that I could quilt my own quilts. 

I was hooked. I think I have made about 15 quilts since then. Maybe more. I have lost count. I tried to keep a scrap book of all my quilts but I could not keep up with myself. LOL  I think I needed the community of quilters as much as I needed the outlet for my creativity. Since I started, I have met some amazingly talented people. I would say "amazing women" but not all quilters are women. I have met some amazing male quilters too.  

I will use this blog to share my adventures in this quilting journey. I hope to introduce you to some amazing people I meet along the way. Just know that I am Fixin'ta Quilt.  

Love and Light, 

Lesley