Just what does the Exec Board do?

With your nominations committee finally (ahem) hard at work, we thought it would be a good time to lay out exactly what each member of the Executive Board does. Here's a brief description of each position straight from the current board member holding it:

President 
(currently Stephanie; she is willing to serve another year)
Volunteer time is 5-6 hours/month.  Responsibilities include: creating agendas for Executive Board meetings, scheduling Executive Board meetings; attending and chairing Executive Board meetings, putting together agendas for bi- monthly general membership meetings; chairing bi-monthly Executive Board meetings; providing overall leadership and vision for the guild; meeting with Vice President for organizational and leadership issues; assisting with all other aspects of the guild (recruiting members, obtaining prizes, helping with advertising, etc.); voting on matters before the Executive Board.

Vice President
(this position needs to be filled for the upcoming year)
Volunteer time is 4-6 hours a month.  Responsibilities include: preparing agendas and arranging location for the executive board meetings;  finding locations for bi-monthly general membership meetings; finding locations and organizing sew-ins after bi-monthly general membership meeting (including set up and clean up); facilitating Executive Committee and general membership meetings when President is unavailable; assisting President in a variety of tasks; voting on matters before the Executive Board.

Treasurer
(currently Terri; she is willing to serve another year)
Volunteer time 3-5 hours a month. Responsibilities include: establishing yearly budget, evolving budget categories as needed and tracking income/expenses; depositing checks; balancing checking account; creating/updating forms to track budget; presenting budget to general membership at general membership meetings; voting on matters before the Executive Board.

Secretary
(this position needs to be filled for the upcoming year)
Volunteer time is 2-4 hours/month. Responsibilities include: recording notes at the bi-monthly Executive Committee and general membership meetings; making notes available to others by putting them in the drop box of the GLMQG blog; maintaining an email list for the organization and sending meeting reminders and other information that would be useful to members; voting on matters before the Executive Board.

Web Coordinator 
(currently Carolyn; she is willing to serve another year)
Responsibilities include: administering the blog, the FaceBook page and the Flickr account; ensuring  that the board and program chairs are able to post to each of those on behalf of the guild; drumming up content for the blog, such as member interviews; voting on matters before the Executive Board.

As you can see, we have openings for members to serve as Vice President and as Secretary for the coming year. If you are interested in either of these positions, please email lisaeruble (at) gmail.com.

We truly appreciate each person's hard work--this Guild wouldn't be where it is without such a dedicated team!

Meet a Member: Stephanie Peterson

Stephanie is our visionary founder and energetic board president. Here she shares her enthusiasm for quilting and her great sense of humor!

When did you begin quilting?

I made my first quilt top in high school. I wanted to learn to make quilts. I was always fascinated by them. So, when I was about 17, I signed up for a class at a shop in downtown Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I made a top with elongated hunter stars. It was off-white muslin background and dark green and rose/mauve stars. This would have been in the very early 1980s. So, it was all calico. I tried to hand quilt it and realized I really did not enjoy the quilting part. I quilted one block and quit. It sat. I did not start quilting again until about 2002. I just really wanted to start sewing again. I never did finish that original quilt. I kind of feel bad, because in one of my moves, I gave it to Goodwill. (Gasp!) Yep. I sure wish I had it now. But the fact that I didn't finish it is still indicative of my style. I start a lot of things. I do finish quite a few, but I start way more. LOL.

Why do you quilt?

I know it sounds pretty cliche', but it's my therapy. It's how I unwind and relax. I enjoy the creative process. There's a drive in me to create. A lot of the quilts or other projects I make, I make them just to make them. I have no other purpose in mind. I also enjoy giving my made objects away. I delight in other people's joy of receiving something handmade.

What new technique are you hoping to learn this year?

I know how to do English Paper Piecing, but I've never made anything big with it. I'm about to embark on a pretty large English Paper Piecing project. I'm hoping to learn how to manage that with hand piecing. Someday, I want to go back to the hand quilting and try it again. I really enjoy handwork, so I think I would enjoy hand quilting now.

Why modern quilting?
I like the clean style, bright colors, and the fun fabrics associated with modern quilting. I like the cute hedgehogs, little mushrooms, and other quirky fabrics. I also love linens for the texture they bring to the table. (But I should say, I consider myself a multiple personality quilter. I also really love very traditional, civil war quilts. I enjoy the precision it takes to piece all the little pieces in those quilts, and I like the history they harken. Oh, yeah, and I love 1930s prints. They are so cute. I also have fun with applique'. And.... You get the drift?)

What is your favorite sewing or quilting tool?

Well, my sewing machine has to be my favorite quilting tool! I love all the computerized machines these days. There are so many aspects of the wonderful machines they make now that make sewing such a pleasure. My rotary cutter is probably my second most favorite tool--along with all my rulers.

Why did you establish the GLMQG?

I started this guild because I really wanted to have a community around me that shared my interest in modern quilting. I enjoy the other guild in town, but it's a large guild, and there are a variety of interests there. I hoped to establish another outlet for folks who had interests similar to mine--so we could have programs that focused solely on the modern ideals. I also wanted to see us have the opportunity to bring in national speakers that we wanted and to have their workshops on days when people who work during the week could attend. For that reason, we have our meetings on Saturdays. I wanted this guild to serve as a compliment to, not a replacement for, the other guild in town.

What random fun fact about yourself can you share?

Random fact? Gee, that is a tough one. How about this one? When I was in college, I was a special education major. I really wanted to study abroad for a semester, so I did my student teaching abroad. I chose to go to Australia. So, I traveled to and lived in Australia all by myself when I was 20 years old. Pretty scary for me at that time, but it was the most amazing experience ever. I have a very special fondness for anything Australian, as a result of that experience.