My July Star

Krista from Poppyprint is my July Star, and I am so happy that she became my star in her birthday month of July. I am thrilled to introduce her to you all, as I have thoroughly enjoyed visiting her blog and getting to know her. She is a multi-talented woman, and such a joy to know. I am totally inspired by her each time that I visit ,and hope that you get to know her too. She lives in beautiful British Columbia, Canada, and I was lucky enough to take a train trip years ago across Canada, so I do know how pretty BC is.

Here is Krista's interview:

A Bit About Me:

I'm a wife, mom, volunteer, environmentalist, caring friend, chatterbox, networker, and adorer of fabric.

I'm a geologist by training, but a quilter by choice! Like so many other creative women I know, I originally pursued a scientific career, but came to my senses shortly after having children. My career shifted to part time consulting and eventually I was fortunate enough to be able to stay home full time with my children who are now 11 and 13. Quilting came into my life about 9 years ago when woodworking became impractical in our new home-I had no space for the tools I wanted and shifted my spare time focus to fabric. Well, that focus soon became a full time obsession( sound familiar?) A beginner class led to a part time job at my LQS. That tuned into teaching opportunities. I joined my local guild and took workshop after workshop...then I became a guild volunteer. Now, I'm the Vice President of a guild of 180 women!

A few years ago, I returned to part time professional work, but then I discovered the wonderful world of blogging. Last fall, I left my job so that I could concentrate on my creative work and start a blog- I wanted to be a part of this incredible online community!

To fund my fabric addiction, I run a small retreat business that consists of catered 13-hour long "day retreats" several times a year, and one long weekend retreat every November for 25 women. After pursuing a very male-oriented degree and working in the field for 8 years, I never imagined a life so rich with female friends and mentors.

What Inspires Me:

Living in beautiful British Columbia is inspiration enough for a lifetime of creativity. I love to travel and take photographs of colour and pattern, both natural and man-made. Sometimes my photos lead to quilting inspiration, other times, I turn to the amazing photos shared on Flickr and quilting blogs. Handwork of any kind ( pottery, cake decorating, cabinetry) is inspiring to me.

I'm an outdoor fresh air girl at heart...I walk, hike, ski and every once in a while, I get the opportunity to paddle a kayak in the ocean or ride my bike through the woods in my favourite summer place, Hornsby Island. Watching my husband build sand sculptures with our kids, baking a delicious dessert, cutting the grass with my pushmower, witnessing my son or daughter discover something new...all of these things inspire me in some way.

What I Love to Do Creatively:

This is an easy one: cooking and putting fabrics together!

My Favorite Fabric and Designer:

No fair! there are so many designers whose work I love and admire. Kaffe Fassett can do colour like no other, Amy Butler puts the Love in Bliss, Heather Ross' work makes me smile, and I often gasp when I see Anna Maria Horner's intricate patterning. Fresh contemporary fabric is what I'm into right now, but that doesn't mean I'll never use the stack of Civil War Reproduction fabric I purchased on my roadtrip to Sisters, Oregon last summer. I also just acquired a Kona colour card and am trying to use more solids in my work.

UFO I Intend to Finish First:

My Flying Fish table runner that I pieced while on a spring retreat with two friends in May. John (QuiltDad.com) designed the pattern for Fat Quarterly's (blog.fatquarterly.com) first edition, and I knew it would be perfect for my Japanese indigo and linen collection.

What's on the Design Wall Now:

3 Different incomplete workshop samples( I take a lot of workshops to learn new techniques , but rarely finish what I start there...)

Who Would I Love to Meet:

In Vancouver 3 years ago, and again in Sisters, Oregon last summer, I met several quilters from Gees Bend. I am deeply inspired by their make-do attitude, their faith, creative work and dedication to community. I would love to sit around a quilting frame with these women and listen to them sing gospel hymns while we make stitches on a quilt together.

If I Had One Wish:

It would be to use up all of my fabric so my kids don't have to figure out what to do with it when I'm gone.

Plans for the Future:

I've been blogging since September of last year and having so much fun with it. I cannot believe how supportive and inspiring the online quilting community is, besides this lovely interview (thanks Micki!). I have another guest post coming up on the Fat Quarterly blog, an original pattern in Quilter's Connection( quiltersconnection.ca) magazine next fall and 3 Flickr swaps to complete this summer(indluding Doll Quilt Swap 9!) We're hoping to return to Europe in the summer of 2011 for some family French immersion(there is fabric in Provence, right?) and this summer, we'll be spending some quality cottage time with my parents in Ontario. I'm on the hunt for a relaxing embroidery project to while away the sunny afternoons on the dock...

Is that an incredible interview or what? I learned so much about you Krista, and it was such a joy to read all about your interesting life. I hope that when you visit Europe, you decide to stop by Ireland...Can I tempt you with our wonderful Donegal County? We have four quilt shops in the area...that means lots of fabrics,and well, for a girl who likes to hike like myself, there are wonderful walks you can take. Sound good?

Thanks for a great interview, and you truly are a Star!

Here is some of Krista's wonderful work.Enjoy the eye candy!