Birthday Bash - Day Two

Thank goodness Greek yogurt is thick cause I have to eat mine with a fork this morning as I threw my spoon away yesterday morning!

Wow ---  this place is amazing. And not because we are here in Hamilton, Missouri - no - it's because it's so flipping hot and humid!  And we're outside the entire day!  Well - I've had to run in several times and I'm doing a demo each day at noon so I can't complain to get those brief spells of cool.  Patti has braved it out all day by manning the booth!

It's just hot - stinking hot!  But what I hate even more is that the buildings are flipping COLD.  I'm freezing and would love to have my sweatshirt which I think is history so I must remember to buy a new one before we leave.   The huge range of temperature difference is what I hate about air conditioning.  Give me the same temp - moderate temp and I'm good.

So - take two of setting up the vendor tents.  This time we were spaced out a bit differently and I think the layout was better - more open and friendly except one booth got direct sun pretty much the entire day!  We were pretty lucky where we were.  No tents went flying today, the winds were moderate, but there were a couple of gusts that could have spelled danger, except that we were lashed to anything and everything. The main tent, buckets of water, concrete blocks - you name it - it became an anchor for us!  We lashed out quilts to our tent with rope - I knew that 100-foot rope would come in handy and we were good. Nothing was out of place the entire day!

We had a steady stream of people all day and busloads were coming in.  What surprised me is the number of people who just happened to be passing through and here's this birthday bash happening.  How fortunate for them!  And we've met lots of people who are within a one-hour drive away.  Imagine!

We've met people who have been with MSQC since day one!  That's so cool and we've met people who are new employees!  By the way, they are hiring in case you're looking for a job!  And this town needs additional services to manage/support the people who visit - does anyone want to relocate?

After we were finished in our booth yesterday, it was time to long arm all those quilts.  I also enquired about having a tour of the warehouse.  I mean - who wouldn't want to see this warehouse!  We had a brief walkthrough of the spaces which some of the parts, they've already outgrown and this is the SECOND warehouse on the property!  We were escorted to the upstairs of the original section of the warehouse to the long arm facility.

Patti and I were there and both of us are long arm quilters, but nothing prepped us for what we saw. The number of long arms - a HUGE number. The number of quilts to be unpacked that are waiting to be quilted by MSQC and shipped back before Christmas - HUGE.  The number of quilts already unpacked and waiting to be quilted and shipped to their owners by Christmas - ASTRONOMICALLY HUGE!!!!!   HUGE   - I wouldn't have believed it if you had of told me.  This was something you had to see in person - HUGE!!!!

I've never worked on this brand of long arm before and so we had one of the employees in this section get the quilt loaded and she was our babysitter for the evening.  I've never done a quilt using a computer before either and so she walked me through that part.  And soon, the machine was working away while I watched and guided the edges.  I'm not sure I would have done everything the way they did, but not my machine.  I was just soaking up the experience. Patti meanwhile was off to help bind quilts.

Oh - I should mention that I had carefully selected the quilt top that I had done the day before and after a wee bit of confusion, I was able to get that one loaded.  And Patti bound my quilt.  It was just easier that way!

I'm down in the sewing center of the retreat house and I see the quilts are sitting here. Some waiting to be bound and some are already done.  I was going to volunteer this morning, but I won't have time since we need to set up our booth.  I think the goal was 32 quilts and I think they probably made that number.  It was amazing to see last night, but there were probably 26 quilts being quilted at the same time last night!   It was amazing to see and Jenny's original machine is still in service in the facility.

You have to remember that that is how she started the business - with one long arm.  They've come a long way!

I see the Daily Deal is something that I wanted to get so I may pop over to a shop to get it.  The problem with being a vendor is that there is zero time to shop!   So it was lucky that we had to close down shop a wee bit early the other day because that gave us a chance to visit the shops a bit.  We hope to spell each other off today as we imagine it will be quieter today than the previous days.

I had spied a couple of things in one of the shops and I should have bought them then instead of having to go back now!

If you want to come to the Birthday Bash next year - the dates are September 19 - 22.   I think it's worth it to come here at least once in your lifetime.  It will blow your mind!

On that note, I'm off to finish getting ready - can't wait to carry everything from the basement to our tent  - oh yes - the glamorous part of a trade show!  And then to enjoy that heat all day!   Can't wait!

At least we have access to LOTS and LOTS of cold water.  At one point I grabbed a couple of ice cubes and they literally melted in my hand within minutes!

Have a great day!!!!


Ciao!!!!