HAPPY 4th OF JULY

By Barbara|Academy Business, Quilts|1 Comment

HAPPY 4^TH OF JULY!  A day when we celebrate our nation’s independence.  It occurs to me that a relatively small group of men, with passion and commitment for their cause, ultimately convinced a nation to follow their lead.  How impressive is that!  And how similar to us (The Academy of Applique) a relatively small group of women with passion and commitment for our cause; that of practicing and spreading the love of appliqué.

Ever since my boys were little, I was known as “The Quilt Lady.”  I think I have worked with more classrooms (in school and church) sharing my passion of quilting, than fireworks celebrating the 4^th.  Sharing the history of this art form, and watching the pride in the students upon their completion of a “handmade” project; gave me hope for the future of this generation.  I LOVED working with the kids (and now have a greater respect for actual teachers).  Kids from the “immediate gratification” and “the world owes me” generation, opened their minds, if only for a bit, to the values of a previous generation.  How wonderful!  Do you have a similar past?

And then, at some point, I found appliqué.  This offered another layer of the art form for me.  It is ANYTHING but “immediate gratification,” but I love the hand work.  I love feeling that I am creative (although I use commercial patterns), I love the process, and I love the feeling of pride upon completion.  I talk constantly about what project I just finished, what project I am going to start, and what project I would ultimately like to accomplish.  I talk about teachers, designers, and hero appliqué’rs.  Those that know me, at work or at play, know that I am an Appliquér.  Do you share the same credentials and your passion for this art form?

To keep this passion, commitment, and art form alive . . .and in honor of the 4^th of July . . .  the Academy of Appliqué offers this “SPECIAL:” Invite, coerce, drag a new attendee to the Academy of Appliqué in historic Williamsburg in 2016 and receive $50.00 off of both your and the new attendee’s tuition.   I am convinced that once they experience the Academy, and see your works as well as those of our nationally known teachers . . . they will be hooked.  The goal is to increase the number of followers to our cause and art form – appliqué.   This can be ANYONE that did not attend the Academy this year (2015).  The offer is valid for main academy classes, or Add-A-Day classes.  The offer can be “stacked” – if you invite two new attendees you will receive $100.00 off of your tuition, and each of the new attendees will receive a tuition reduction of $50.00 each.

Help spread the word!  And again, Happy 4^th of July!

Currently in Progress..

Keep Stitchin’

Barbara Blanton