February Spotlight: Nedra

I had Nedra write a little something so we can get to know here more! Please enjoy learning about her!

Something people may not know about me: I work in the Quilt Industry wearing many hats.  I have a few friends who are Quilt Vendors, and travel with them here and there as they work Quilt Conventions. It gets me out of the house, and helps me to stay current on the latest trends. Most days (and nights) you will find me at my machine, nestled away in my Sewing Loft. I sew sample quilts for several Designers, helping them get ready for Market and also piece quilt tops and bind quilts for Customers.  

My 3 favorite Quilts I made in 2016

#1 Cardiff By The Sea: I’ve always wanted to make a 2 color Red and White Quilt and finally found the pattern that spoke to me.  The little 3 inch center stars were paper pieced, but the rest was traditionally pieced.

#2 Gingham Stars: I made this pattern by Sherri Falls for a Customer out of Spooky Delights Halloween fabric, and fell in love! Now I must make one for me!

#3 Geometric Sewing Machines.  It was so fun to make this Mini Quilt to go on my Sewing Loft Wall.  Pattern by Quiet Play, and I used Blueberry Park, my favorite fabric line in 2016

A favorite recipe:

I love being able to dump ingredients into a Crock Pot and walk away.  I often make this Butternut Squash Soup by Gimme Some Oven.  It’s healthy and made with only a few ingredients, and everyone who tastes it wants the recipe.  I alter the recipe slightly.  For the spices  I substitute a few teaspoons of Penzey’s Pasta Blend spices, plus some salt, and add the entire can of Coconut Milk because in my opinion everything is better with coconut milk J

February Spotlight: Tamara Brown

I am Idaho born and raised!  I grew up in Preston, and am the oldest of four siblings, two boys, two girls, Shari being the youngest!  I pieced my first quilt while in college taking a domestic arts class.  It was a log cabin quilt.  I realized then that I loved piecing the fabric together, but I did not like hand quilting them.  Luckily this was a talent that my mother, grandmother and aunts had! I started working in Logan, Utah at ZCMI’s fabric counter, and worked there for 9 months. All the while gathering a lot of fabric.

Tamara looking at the camera, I'm looking at the cake!

My work path then took a large detour and I started working in my first love, photography.  I took a break from large hobbies while I built my career during this time.  I started working in a small portrait studio in Logan, then ventured into self-employment and ran a photography business out of my home for 7 years.  After partnering with a fellow photographer, we ran a high-end retail studio in Logan for another 3 years.  

At that time, the love of my life entered the picture.  Brian Brown, a commercial photographer from Idaho Falls, wowed and wooed me, so my life path took another 90-degree turn and I married him and moved back to Idaho.   I now live in Idaho Falls, working with my husband at our commercial based studio, with the occasional portrait now and then.  We also both teach our specialties at Brigham Young University-Idaho as adjunct professors.

Since Brian and I were unable to have children, we have had plenty of time to cultivate a number of different hobbies.  I had the chance to start piecing quilts again, especially since Shari jumped into the Quilting World.  I love to try something new and like to challenge myself. Creating my own quilt composites from things that I see and want to try has been my creative release lately.  

Meanwhile, Brian got heavily involved in wood turning (for his own creative release) and since my father owned a lumberyard as I grew up, I was a little more than intrigued.  So, with his help, I have also learned to turn wood.  We opened an Etsy store (RoundtheWoods) to help subsidize our wood turning purchases. 

We can’t decide which is more expensive, wood and tools, or fabric and sewing gadgets!  However, I won’t let us turn my quilting hobby into another business! Most weekends you can find us either in the garage/woodshop or you can find me in Egypt (my craft/sewing room). Between our businesses, family and teaching, our life is never dull!

This is me..Shari… promoting her work! If you want one of these please visit their shop:

http://etsy.com/shop/RoundtheWoods).

They are pretty amazing and I have one myself! Plus, it makes your sewing/quilting  fun!!!