| Photo of the Month | 
After a noted absence last year, a few Monarch butterflies have returned to dine and lay eggs on our milkweed plants. |
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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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News for August/September 2014
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Around and about in Maine
The end of summer is a beautiful time of year and a great time to get back in the swing of things after either lazy vacation activities or the inevitability of outdoor projects. If you live in southern Maine (as I do), or otherwise nearby, I have a couple newly scheduled upcoming events that you may be interested in attending.
On Tuesday, September 23, I'll be speaking at Cobblestone Quilters in Portland, Maine. This lecture and trunk show starts at 7:00pm at St. Pius Church, 492 Ocean Ave., Portland, Maine. Because it's a quick car ride for me, I'll be able to bring along more quilts to show than I normally am able to when I travel by plane.
  
Then starting that next Saturday, I'll be teaching the first of three monthly classes at Portsmouth Fabric Company just across the border in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The class is Serendipitous Sea Turtle and will be held from 1-4pm each Saturday, starting on September 27, continuing on October 18, and finishing on November 15. It's the type of format I can only teach locally of course, and quite an advantage for students to be able to work on their pieces at home between classes. Try it if you can!
 | | Entrance to my studio. An inviting workspace! |
Otherwise, I've had time for my own work this summer. My husband likens me to a diesel engine, I need time to warm up and get going. In this instance, I don't mind the comparison. Actually, I agree, and warmed right up into starting a new quilt. Unfortunately I cannot post photos of its progress. You'll have to wait for those, and I'll have to have the quilt completed in two weeks. Wish me luck!
So in lieu of quilt photos, and in the spirit of a summer well spent, I'm sending you vacation photos from my part of the world.
Here's to fleeting summer days, Susan |
2015 Harpswell Quilting Retreat Dates
Date change: please note that due to next year's HS Senior Prom date, my Mother's Day Quilt Retreat has been changed to the Thursday and Friday preceding this important weekend. This will leave my Saturday free in case I need to dote on (and no doubt annoy) my son, Sam. An appropriate activity for the evening before Mother's Day!
Further information about these retreats are posted below with the 2014 dates or by following these links.
May 7-8, 2015 June 9-12, 2015 October 11-14, 2015 |
Where in the World is Susan Carlson?
Teaching Schedule Preview for September:
So now that I've had a little time off from traveling, I get back on the plane mid-September to visit the Quilt Guild of Greater Houston. First will be a lecture for the Guild and then I'll be teaching my "Cutting Loose" class. I expect to have a whole classroom full of colorful fish, bugs, and butterflies by the end of the two days. I also look forward to a bit of authentic Tex-Mex, something Maine is just not known for.
Previously in July and August:
What a lovely part of the world I live in, and I've been able to enjoy it immensely this season. I didn't need to travel for work (retreat participants came to me!) and that alone was a welcome break. Summer in Maine is the reward for plodding through the winter in Maine, after all, so it's nice to have time to enjoy it.
 | | July's Summer Vacation Quilting Retreat opened the season in a fine fashion with nine lovely ladies who traveled from as far as Toronto and Colorado to be here. |
 | | We got to know each other with an opening night lobster dinner at a great little local hangout. |
 | | Jacky Walters of MI shares quilts from a previous class. |
Then came four days of fabric collage. The floor became gradually littered with snips of fabric, as it is wont to do. Great progress was made and color laden quilts are well on their way to completion. The sunny and warm weather cooperated nicely and, in the end, it was once again sad to say goodbye.
 | In progress quilts by Darlene Determan, Kim Juran, Faith Kusterer, and Carolyn Wollen (clockwise from upper left)
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------ I didn't have to say goodbye for very long to student and friend, Darlene. She hosted myself and my family at her family's beach cottage, just an hour south of us, in early August. There commenced three days of a classic ocean-side vacation. Beach walks to the boardwalk for morning coffee, boogie board body surfing in the "temperate" waters of the northern Atlantic (hah!), warming up again on the hot sand, amusement park rides and mini-golf for the young and young at heart. Thank you so much Darlene!! BTW, Elvis lives!
------ Our little Kali dog was introduced to kayak travel this summer (like a furry figurehead on Tom's boat) and happily came with us for a three day outing last week. This time we kayak-camped on a local island in Casco Bay, owned by Harpswell friends of ours (yes we know how to pick our friends!). Kali raced around like a mini whirlwind when we beached on the shore, and took to her first camping trip like an old pro.
It was just our little family, no electricity, no electronics save a Kindle for reading. We took a "three hour tour" around some neighboring islands one of the days, explored the little island we were on, and otherwise lazed about. Tom, hubby, is a certified Maine Kayak Guide, and taught me how to get back into a kayak once you've been dumped out of it (brisk yet successful), so I guess we did do a little bit of work.
 | | Kali's ready to go again, before settling down in front of Tom. |
 | Looking back to our campsite with Sam and pup.
 | | Circumventing the island, southern view. |
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 | | Tom readies himself for an evening dip in the bay. |
Harpswell is basically made up of north/south peninsulas which means we can get great sunsets over the water. The two we had while camping were certainly acceptable. We paddled our way home on day three, feeling relaxed and (mostly) ready for the rest of the year.
 | | After three days of camping, this is the only photo you're going to see of me! |
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2014 Harpswell Quilting Retreats May and July have now passed and October's quilt retreat will be the final one for 2014. It is now full with 12 students, though if you are interested I will put you on a waiting list.
Otherwise, the information below also pertains to my 2015 retreats (new dates are above). Sign up early if you are interested! Contact me with any questions.
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 quilting retreats at the historic Harpswell Inn, a classic B&B, in my hometown of Harpswell, ME.
 | | Welcome to the Inn. |
In May, we open with a Mother's Day retreat, two-days prior to that big day. It makes for a great introductory class. The Summer Vacation retreat and Leaf Peeper's retreat are both four-days long, giving time to get thoroughly 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. One of the new butterfly and bug patterns offered on my website.
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One of the evenings we walk or drive the 1/2 mile to my 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 (a hearty home cooked 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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