Island Batik January 2024 Unboxing and 2023 in Review
Welcome to my second year as an Island Batik Ambassador. Last year was a whirl wind of a year for me, filled with trunk shows, classes, retreats, sewing with my gal pals, traveling to new places, taking a long-awaited class with Jacqueline de Jonge, keeping up with my Etsy store and being creative which means sewing just about every day until the wee hours of the morning.
I can’t tell you how many things I created or sewed last year; I even tried my hand at paper origami. Let me just say that there was a learning curve to folding paper, but I’m now hooked!
Traveling with my sister to many trunk shows and cutting parties was always a fun adventure filled with laughs (a lot of laughs) and maybe even some tears, but we had a blast seeing new places and meeting new, amazing people/quilters at the many different guilds we visited. But then again aren’t all quilters amazing in their own right? I was amazed by the unique differences between the guilds during our travels throughout Northern California, from the central valley to way up north. Some are super fun (ladies you know who you are) and others are very formal. We even said the Pledge of Allegiance at the start of one of the meetings. I honestly can’t remember when I last said the Pledge of Allegiance. After talking with my sister on our way home, we came up with the idea that it had to have been back in grade school, just a few years ago (wink* wink*).
On the rare trip that my sister was out of town and couldn’t go with me to a trunk show, I had a couple of girlfriends come with me to fill in for her. It was pouring down rain on the drive to the show, and boy that was quite the white knuckle adventure, but we made it safely! And when we arrived we were invited to take a look at a bunch of free stuff set out on a table, and to help ourselves if we saw something we wanted. How many quilters do you know that would say no to free patterns, fabric, books, and notions? None that I know of, so you know I got my share of goodies!
As this new year as an Island Batik Ambassador begins for me, I’m excited to share that my travel and teaching partner, Carol Stanek from Georgia, has been accepted as an Island Batik Ambassador, too! When I applied last year, she was the first one to tell me that they – “they” being Island Batik – wouldn’t pick me. So when they did in fact pick me, let’s just say that we both were surprised. As I stumbled to find my footing during my first year as an Ambassador for Island Batik, Carol was there to encourage me and gave me great suggestions and ideas on things that I could create. She is what I would call my “I want to use a lifeline and call a friend” friend, for those of you who remember that show.
Now that I have experienced a year of being an Island Batik Ambassador under my belt, I’m proud to say that I’m Carol’s lifeline, helping her get her feet firmly planted as she herself begins her journey and adventure as an Island Batik Ambassador. We’ve already had many conversations about coming up with a game plan for how we will rock this year!
So with my first blog of the year, here is my “unboxing video” revealing all of the goodies I’ve received from Island Batik for the first half of 2024. Last year I found making the “unboxing video” quite challenging, and this year is no different, especially because my “assistant videographer,” my sister, was sick and unable to help, leaving me to do this by myself, which I really suck at, to put it mildly. Although I got the video done, it’s nothing spectacular… but hey! I did it! I have one more chance later this year to do a better job at this video thing when my second box from Island Batik arrives. I have a girlfriend who keeps telling me how fun making this video could be, so we shall see if that turns out to be true for me. I can hardly wait! Ummmm, NOT!
As an Island Batik Ambassador, we are gifted with so many awesome items – Island Batik Fabrics https://islandbatik.com to use for all of the monthly challenges, patterns from Funky Friends Factory https://www.funkyfriendsfactory.com, which is one of our new sponsors this year, along with patterns from byAnnie https://www.byannie.com, thread from Aurifil https://www.aurifil.com, batting from Hobbs www.hobbsbatting.com, rulers from Deb Tucker of Studio 180 https://deb-tuckers-studio-180-design.myshopify.com, needles from Schmetz https://www.schmetzneedles.com/, dies from AccuQuilt https://www.accuquilt.com, and a full-size iron from another one of our new sponsors, Oliso https://oliso.com. I would like to thank all our sponsors for their generous gifts for 2024.
Attached please find the unboxing video for the first half of 2024. Also, please like and subscribe to my blog for a chance to win a prize. Once you subscribe, continue to follow my blog and in the comment section let me know that you are a new “subscriber/follower” and tell me what you would do with some free fabric.
Please follow the rest of the Island Batik Ambassador team at the links below, give them a like and a share to join in on their give aways for the year.
Until next month what’s on your sewing table today?
Victoria aka Tori
Click on the link below to see my first unboxing video for 2024
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ppiRHEfpyHJg0CxchtmVfTzIX_jAH9fB/view?usp=sharing
Our Sponsors:
@Accuquilt, @Aurifilthread, @byannie.com, @funkyFriends, @hobbsbatting, @islandbatikfabrics, @Olisoirons, @Schmetzneedles, @Studio180
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