| Photo of the Month | 
One of my spring rituals is the hanging of this mosaic sun. Bring on the summer! |
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July 22-25
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Harpswell, ME
October 12-15
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2015
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Downsville, WI
September 14-18
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 Serendipity Quilts | |
by Susan Carlson
Signed by the Author
8.5 x 11 inches, 96 pages
$27.95 plus S&H
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Newsletter Archives Now Available
Miss a previous issue of News from Susan Carlson? Are you a new subscriber? Now you can catch up on all you've missed. Visit my newsletter archives by following the link below.
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On Mother's Day weekend I hosted my first quilt retreat of the year. Our winter, which never seemed to end, limited the color outside, but the color going on inside more than made up for it.
It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces in class. Like a mini-reunion! Eight of the ten were returning students, either from a previous retreat or from Portsmouth Fabric Company in "local" Portsmouth, NH (a great stop for any fabricaholic!). Some students were finishing quilts they'd already started, while others chose new pieces.
It was a full two days. We worked hard and made great progress. It was one of those classes that immediately bonded and spent the time helping and sharing with each other. Such a pleasure from my end as a teacher. We parted with hopes to see each other again.
NEW: Retreat Dates for 2015!!
Speaking of which, I've received many inquiries about Maine retreats for next year. I was inspired to check the calendar and here they are!
May 8-9, 2015
June 9-12, 2015
October 11-14, 2015
Don't forget, there ares still 2 more retreats this year--July and October--those dates and retreat descriptions are in a box below.
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The month of May also caught me with time in my studio and I made good use of it by getting a good start on a new project (which I can't show you yet). I get asked if I work on one quilt at a time, and usually that's the case, but right now I have five of them going! Yikes!
Spring cleaning is not something that's often on my schedule, and we've managed to put it off until summer is breathing down our necks. For those of you who can identify, here's what Ann Lamott, author of my favorite book on creativity, "Bird by Bird", has to say about obsessive cleanliness:
"Clutter and mess show us that life is being lived...Tidiness makes me think of held breath, of suspended animation... Perfectionism is a mean, frozen form of idealism, while messes are the artist's true friend. What people somehow forgot to mention when we were children was that we need to make messes in order to find out who we are and why we are here."
-Ann Lamott
There you go! The house and studio aren't messy, they're just my creative playground!
Happy creations and take care,
Susan
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Where in the World is Susan Carlson?
Teaching Schedule Preview:
June 2014 will be a busy month! I'll be teaching three of the four weeks. I'll have to leave my gardens to be tended by my family. Fingers crossed! June 2-6 I head back to Canada to teach in London, Ontario. I'll be visiting the Canadian Embroiderer's Guild where I'll teach a five-day Fabric Images Class and present a slide and trunk show. I LOVE these extended classes and can't wait to see what these students pull off! June 18-29 will find me in Kalispell, MT at the Quilt Gallery, a wonderful quilt shop, with 2 more five-day classes! This will be my second year in a row in lovely Kalispell, from where last year I brought home what my son, Sam, calls "The best souvenir ever!"--our Mini-Schnauzer, Kali (named of course for the town). Then I'll have two weeks to recover (phew!) before I host my Summer Vacation Retreat, July 22-25, right down the road at the Harpswell Inn. There's still room at the Inn, as we like to say. So check out the info below or through the link in the yellow box above. Hope to see you somewhere!
Last Month:
 | | The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island--a place out of time. |
Sometimes my work involves flying to a large city, where I stay at the nearest airport hotel, teach in the conference room of the hotel, eat in the hotel restaurant--you get the picture. I always meet lovely people, but the location could be anywhere in the world. Other times I am treated to a unique adventure that makes for wonderful memories.
 | | The longest front porch in the world. |
In May, I was invited to teach at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, MI. It was like a trip back in time. No cars on the island with all transportation provided by horse drawn carriage, bicycle, or good ol' walking. Formal dress for dinner at the Grand. Waited on hand and foot. My husband says I got spoiled. Personally, like that old commercial, I like to think "I'm worth it!"
Seriously, it was a little odd at first, but I did get used to it, and even grew to appreciate it. The slower pace of life was refreshing. The attention to detail (bed turned down, mint on pillow) was inspiring.
Plus I got to make some new teacher friends: Sarah Fielke from Australia, Lucy Neatby from Nova Scotia, Canada, and Bonnie Hunter from North Carolina, USA! My students were dedicated and hard-working who seemed to enjoy the amenities of the Grand Hotel as much as I did. We even managed to impress three young coffee stewards with our creations. One fellow has been sending me images of his collaged fish, made from donated fabric from the class! All in all, a trip to remember.
 | | Hard at work with my colleagues. (clockwise from lower left) Myself, Liz, Dave (Bonnie's "hubster"), Bonnie Hunter, Lucy Neatby, and Sarah Fielke. |
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2104 Harpswell Retreats
July 22-25, 2014
October 12-15, 2014
 | | 2014 Mother's Day Retreat show-and-tell of previous collage projects: (clockwise from upper left) Julia Anderson, Sara Crocker, Christina Blais, and Lisa Eaton. |
2014 is my fourth year offering retreats at the historic Harpswell Inn, a classic B&B, in my hometown of Harpswell, ME.
 | | Welcome to the Inn. |
The Summer Vacation Quilt Retreat and Leaf Peeper's Quilt Retreat are four-days long, giving time to get thouroughly involved in a larger project of the individual's choosing. It also provides time for the class to bond in great ways, starting with an opening night sea-side lobster dinner the evening before class begins.
I only take 12 students per retreat to give everyone plenty of guidance and workspace. The workroom (in the same building as most lodging) is open round the clock for both early birds and night owls to get in as much work time as desired. The innkeeper will even put on a fresh pot of coffee, though wine is often the beverage of choice!
 | | Dayle Gruder's gecko from my free pattern (offered in April's newsletter, see archive box above). |
Our creative days are broken up by tea and coffee breaks, and relaxing chair or hand massage given by massage therapist extraordinaire, my sister Heidi. This is not nepotism, she is truly an artist with a healing touch. Walking down to the shore from the Inn is a quick and relaxing break during the day as well.
 | | New student Kandace Eaton's Billowing Butterfly. Stay tuned for new butterfly and bug patterns! |
One of the evenings we walk or drive the 1/2 mile to my (new!) studio to see how I have it set up and for a showing of slides and quilts. Here's a nice article about Harpswell, that highlights our own Lookout Point Road, where both our home and the Inn are located. My former yurt studio is mentioned, now replaced with a red-roofed barn-like studio.
 | | Returning student Julia Anderson's super cool Wavelength. |
Finally, to cap it all off, we include healthy and yummy foods for lunches and dinners (breakfast is included with lodging at the Inn). Part of my own cancer recovery plan has been to make careful choices in what I eat. Starting with last year's retreats, I've chosen menus that I can indulge in and enjoy along with everyone else. Dick, the innkeeper (also former restaurant owner and chef), then puts them together in delicious ways. The food has received rave reviews and many recipes are requested and sent home along with quilts and great memories.
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