When LIFE gets in the way!!!!!!!!!!!!

I want to THANK all of you who attended the quilt show yesterday.  Quilt shows are like reunions!!!   I spent the entire day chatting with people and I LOVED IT!!!!!!   People were winning door prizes (and LOTS more today), enjoying their tea and scones, snapping pictures of the quilts for ideas, BUYING lots of stuff from the guild boutique, the vendor booths were packed, the challenge quilts were thoroughly enjoyed, raffle tickets and so much more....................


Anyway - we have heard nothing but positive comments about the show and we so APPRECIATE the support from all of you.

If you didn't get a chance yesterday we hope to see you today.

Since the last couple of days were a tad busy - my studio looks like a HURRICANE ripped through!!!!

You know how it is. You still have things to deal with and no time or you ACQUIRE new stuff and you have to deal with it. But because you don't have time - you DUMP it instead of dealing with it!

Work Space NUMBER ONE - this is the visual sewing TO DO list

Work Space - NUMBER TWO - this is also a visual TO DO list - the paperwork one - ICK ICK ICK!!!!!   (although there is some fun stuff there - books to review, etc. )

The cutting table - so much for cutting Farmer's Wife!!!!

The ironing board

The sewing table - that is actually NOT that bad

 BUT after only a FEW minutes where a large number of things got put away in their correct spots and a FEW things got placed on the appropriate visual TO DO list tables, the cutting table is clear and READY to start cutting Farmer's Wife blocks again!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cutting table - ready to cut again!!!!    All that paper on the right and all the other stuff on the table is related to the Farmer's Wife project. Cutting directions using Marti Michell templates!!!

Ironing board - same thing - it is now clear. I think I need to see if I can wash that to make a difference, otherwise I will have to get a new one. This is looking ICKY!!!!!!

Even though LIKE things are pretty much together, that doesn't mean that I am home free. Oh no - putting those LIKE things together is just the beginning. (Those groups need to be further sorted - get rid of the duplicates or products that are useless). So when I was in a RUSH to get that little project done (which I will show you in a day or two), well I needed some glue. I went to the bin when the glue/liquid products are stored and I grabbed this.  Now READ the label - what is it called????

YES - it is called LIQUI FUSE - which would imply that it is liquid or some state of liquidity!!!!!

BUT when I opened it up - well it isn't too liquid at this stage of the game. And look how much I paid for the darn thing - $13.49!!!!!!    I got a little stick and poked around and yes - it is pretty dry. Now I may be able to add water?????   I have no idea. Perhaps I should search the internet before I toss it???   (OK - so it is already in the garbage!)   Just seems a shame. But the lesson here is - DO NOT buy a product that you think you will use in the future and then NEVER use it. And if you have ONE, don't buy another until you use up the old!!!!!

Speaking of buying more than one of the same thing - I kept drifting into the Member's Boutique to see if I could find something to buy. OK - so I was looking at magazines!!!!!!!!!!!    BUT - I did not buy any - I sure got a lot of ribbing from anyone who saw me!!!!!   But I did spot a couple that I may or may not have. Matter of fact - I did buy ONE and when I got home - I did NOT have that issue. Now I think that was just luck!!!!

When I got home, I routed through TWO different publications - they got sorted and I made a list of what I have and I will check today (at the end of the day) - if there are any left in those two publications that I DO NOT have - then I will buy them.

Here are the Quilts Down Under - sorted!

While I was sorting through the American Quilter, I came across a pattern that has been missing for a LONG TIME!!!!!   It was a pattern that I made up and taught. But the next time I went to teach the class, I had to RECREATE the pattern. Well this pattern is now going in the box labeled MINIATURE quilts which is where I went to look for it in the first place!!!!!!!!!!!!

Missing miniature quilt pattern!!!!!

 HOWEVER - I also bought a couple of books!!!! ACK - where am I going to put them?????   BUT these older books are getting so hard to find and NO ONE wants them and for some reason I feel compelled to be the quilt book historian!!!!    I also am interested in quilt history and I will have PLENTY to read when I retire!!!!!   (now isn't that good for a laugh!!!!)

Book on Amish quilts

A book on log cabin quilts  (at I WANT to make log cabin quilts and wouldn't that be a great trunk show??????)   Got to find LOADS of time to complete that dream!!!!

A great little book

 They sold tons yesterday, but there is still LOTS to buy today!!!!!

I ordered some fabric from the US a couple of weeks ago. Because of the shipping costs, I HATE ordering from the US. And I refuse to have it shipped to someone's house and then they ship it to me or I wait until I see them. I mean really - what is the point of that????  How much do you really save when you do double shipping and/or having to wait long time for the stuff.   Just make a decision up front - is this worth it to me to pay the horrific prices and in most cases - I say NO and don't buy. (AND then go to your local shop and buy from them. - GET CREATIVE!!!!) BUT I do like to buy from eQuilter because they often have novelty fabric that can't be purchased anywhere else. AND they so happened to have a coupon that was 50 percent off shipping. BINGO - I can live with that!!!!    I think I have only ever bought NOVELTY fabric from them.

The package arrived last night

BUT - it was wrapped in a plastic bag

The problem is (and I am CERTAINLY not complaining) is that eQuilter has figured out to the OUNCE how much fabric will fit in that envelope and be within the $20 (I know - twenty dollars!!!!) price. Because the envelope is so full I bet that somewhere along the way someone just winged this package and it just popped OPEN!!!!   from the impact.   No worry - it is so nicely packaged inside that everything was intact. 

Here are some of the items I got (can't show you the rest right now)

And a cute pattern to go with my bike bag (that I NEED to be working on - I look like a dork with my big ROOTS shopping bag in the basket)

I did just relax (well sort of) last night when I got home. But not before I went to BCBG (M's new work place) so I could have the privilege of purchasing her discount items that she was eligible for. Now this isn't the way this is supposed to work. Ah - this must be the signing bonus. I am paying the signing bonus because she has a job?????   Well this is the LAST signing bonus!  They are very particular about what they wear and she looked so GROWN UP - I should have taken a picture of her. She even promised me that she might start hanging up her clothes?????   And they got to go to the Design Exchange yesterday on a field trip for school. I want to hang out with my kid!!!!!!!!!!!!    I am SO EXCITED for her. Such great experiences!!!!   I know she will treasure them forever, but so fun to see her excited!!!!!!

Well all of that to say that as I relaxed, I was reading a quilt book that I got from the library. GRRRRRR!!!   I'll tell you more about it later. I am NOT impressed and want to know how the publishers can put books out there that are not worth buying. OK - so that is harsh - I will elaborate later.

This morning - I managed to get that quilt loaded and will work on it later tonight and tomorrow.

Quilt is almost fully loaded - the batting is upstairs and everyone is still sleeping!!!!

On that note - I am off to spend the day at the quilt show. Make sure you stop by and say hello!!!!!   I will be around all day.


Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!