The Very Beginning -- My Story

As promised, the story from the beginning.............On one of those trips to the craft shop in 1973, shortly after Don & I married, I picked up quilling paper and went home to "quill" my girl friend's wedding invitation. I had a pin, glue and paper and made many little flowers to glue around the invitation in a frame. When I was finished, I took the invitation back to the craft shop to show my work. The lady was very gracious, loved the work, and said "you didn't have a quilling tool?" I did not. So when I took the tool home and tried quilling again, it was so simple that I was addicted.

I began making flowers and gluing them to wooden plaques, and then began cutting logs into plaques (well, my husband did, but I sanded them). And so began my life at shows. My first show was in Gilmanton in the school and I sold little soldiers for $1.00. They sold so well that I decided to try more shows, selling wall plaques and making wedding invitation keepsakes.

The shows continued on for many years, and when I began Quilling, My Way, with the cutout over the quilling, I juried with The League of NH Craftsmen, and was rejected. I perfected my craft a little more, well maybe a lot more, and a friend told me to go back to be juried again. So I did.........and I have been doing the Fair ever since.........the first time for me was in 1987. I did not do so well that year, but again, that same friend told me to go for the entire week. So I did............and it was well worth it. And still is well worth the 9 days in a booth.

A little about the 'perfected a little more'........ my loon had all little quilled circles behind the cutout when I was first juried. One of the jury wondered if the little circles could be made to look like little feathers. She saw something that I had not. And since then, I have designed the cutouts to be simple and allow the quilling to be the details. Sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees.

Next time I will tell the story about how the Quilling, My Way, developed. It was simply an accident. But the best things are..................

Take Time for the Little Things........
yesterday we decorated for Christmas.............


This week's website or blog for you to explore:
http://luannudell.wordpress.com
http://www.luannudell.com