For non-quilters, doing the happy dance seems like an odd sounding activity — it just means that we are trying to share our happiness after succeeding in an endeavor, usually entry into a juried quilt show. In my case, I am sharing the love today because I want to share the good news that arrived in the mail this afternoon.

Both of my entries, Adelpho and Unconditional, have been accepted into the International Quilt Association’s World of Beauty exhibition to be held in Houston, TX in October. It is a high honor to have been juried into this show as it is one of the largest international quilt shows — and I am in excellent company.

I am glad that I persisted in entering this show. It took many years of wiping my pride aside after receiving rejections. I have had 3 other quilts there. Nothing last year — but I wasn’t surprised. I just entered one quilt and it wasn’t very good. I made it during my pre-move period and the stress showed in my work. But 2 the year before — and 1 the year before that.

I think my work has changed a lot since the first quilt. I’m still doing portraits, but it’s not monochromatic anymore, and there is more detail in the features. Working in a series has been wonderful and I’ve learned a lot. I never thought that I would work in a series, but there are so many lessons in each piece that progress and show in the next piece.