Once upon a time I was a Mother with a large family at home. I put in 18 hour days 7 days a week.
Life was fun, hectic and a round of shopping, washing and cooking  (I also had a real job as a fashion designer but who’s counting)

Of course I’m still a Mother, but the children have families of their own and don’t demand quite so much time. !!!!!!!   

Oh whoops, did I forget about the taking up the pants,
"Mum can you fix zips" "NO" 
Altering the Granddaughters formal dress,
Baby sitting. (I got to go to the  Dr Zeus Movie with a 4 year old and a 17 year old this week)!!!!   
Cooking for the troops and shopping….and spending time with an elderly Mum.

I’m not a fashion designer any more…now I’m a Quilt Teacher, which means I still put in 18 hour days, generally 7 days a week.

I think there is a misconception about teaching quilting…. we Teachers don’t just write a few notes, whip up a sample and and teach the subject. There are so many areas you need to embrace before you "give a performance" so to speak.

1. I get to spend hours writing notes…..(I’m real fussy about my notes, the content and presentation) so I’ve had to learn to master the computer and hone up on my writing skills.  I’ve had to add 4 printers, 3 computers and a fancy Nancy scanner to the studio.
2. I’ve had to learn to compete with Travel Agents. Sometimes I just give in and yell "HELP".  You can never fly direct to the place you’re teaching… my trip to Darwin and through Queensland in 10 days time will see me on 10 flights….!!! It’s almost as bad as US travel.
3. My experience with travel has given me the opportunity to lead a few tours, I taught on a cruise ship in the Carribean in January and also in Mexico. There are more on the drawing board for 2008 / 2009. Mexico, France and a cruise down the Mexican Peninsular.
4. Sometimes I get to drive to class, I love the solitude of driving, I get to think without interruption, but that usually adds two days to the gig…..
5. I won’t even talk about the trips overseas!!!!! eek. flights, accommodation, hire cars and you better get them just right or you could be in the proverbial…..!!!!
6. Then I need to be a legal eagle. Insurance etc. My contracts are made years out. I’m trying not to go past 2010, but I have given in and made a 2011 contract for a friend….!!! Thank goodness my Dear Heart is an Accountant and organizes the Bass Statements and GST.
7. I’ve had to learn how to take professional video and edit it, there’s some exciting things coming up….!!!
8. I’ve learned the art of giving a pretty good presentation with dialog, music and digital imaging and doing after dinner speeches for rooms of up to 500 people at a time. (yet as a child, a teenager and young wife, I was pathetically shy)
9. I’m designing fabric, I spend the wee hours at the drawing desk and the computer creating masterpieces. (I hope)
10. I have to have an efficient system to remember what is coming in and going out of the studio….. thank goodness for my computer….but if I forget your email, forgive me.
11. I’m studying Quilting at the University of Nebraska which will add to my accreditation but that’s not the priority… I find the study of Quilts fascinating.
12. I’m writing a couple of books and working on a major project……
13. For the past several years, an artist and 3 of my quilting friends and I have been working on a special project…. it is exciting us all and should be ready for viewing in the near future.
14. Who in their wildest dreams would have imagined it….

I LOVE IT….. I love the challenge, the work, the Travel and meeting new people, WHO COULD ASK FOR MORE……!!!!