Happy Zombie

Sometimes I wonder what it’s like to be one of those artists who paints on a piece of rice. I wonder how much equipment they have to lug around, how many supplies they need, what they use to haul around their goodies. And then I slap myself and think how much I love every piece of equipment and fabric that fills my trunk to the brim for a few glorious days of quilting and sewing with friends. I bet a rice artist doesn’t get to make cool handmade gear for travel, either.

The downside to being a quilter and a sewist is that we have an S ton of stuff to haul. The upside is that we can make really kick-ass things to haul our stuff in and adorn ourselves in. There’s no better way to travel than to travelhandmade.   If anyone is headed to Sewtopia in November (or any retreat or communal sewing adventure), there’s a super-fly list of #travelhandmade patterns and tutorials featured on the Sewtopia blog.  One of the patterns featured is my ID/Badger Holder:

Business in the front…

Party in the back…

Fabrics above are from my Sew Yummy collection with Cloud9 Fabrics. (in stores now! :)

At work, at play, at anywhere you want someone (or anyone) to know your name. My PDF pattern is available here.

My little ID/Badge Holder pattern was made and spotted in the wild at the Spring Quilt Market in Pittsburgh, PA this last May. Loving all the people who made it and all the yummy fabric combos used. Such a thrill to see all these super-fly, beautiful people wearing the ID/Badge Holders!

Click here to my Instagram for comments/to comment.

So when I posted on my Instagram my cute new buttons for Market goodies, I had no idea I’d get such a wonderful response and feedback! I may just have to have some more made!

Packing up all the goodies is fun even if it’s really, really, REALLY last minute.

My newest business card. No fabric collection this Spring (or company to design for [sadface]), so I had to get a little creative on the back side of my card where I normally would show my collection.
So I may have lied a little.

The response to my buttons was so great, and I would like to share some with people aren’t going to Quilt Market. Please leave a comment and because I’m curious - please vote by telling me your one favorite button design by it’s name. I will draw six names (one for each button style) after Market is over and I’ve had a napped/recovered - which should be around noon PST on Tuesday, May 21st (Election Day!).

If you’re going to be at Market, hope you can come to the Martingale schoolhouse for Modern Quilts from the Blogging Universe at 3:10-3:40pm on Thursday May 16, 2013 in Room B110-111.  I’ll be the one who’s semi-topless and wearing a big feather headdress. Sadly I won’t be able to make it to the schoolhouse. Life just got really lifey today and I wasn’t able to get there in time.

EDITED IN 21 May 2013:
Holy smokes - thank you all for your kind words and excitement! Had I known I would have gotten this sweet response I would have made buttons years ago! I wish I had buttons for everyone! The giveaway has ended and the Random.org drawn winners are:

Original: #75 by Karen in Breezy Point
Sunday Market: #42 by Lisa W
Portland: #101 by Michelle
Team USA: #122 by lindsey s
Grizzly Berry: #17 by Dell
And because Circus came up multiple times - I added a few more winners of those:
Circus: #7 by Adrianne
Circus: #162 by vickie warburton
Circus: #65 by lorena
Circus: #62 by Debra

I could easily title this post, “Mo Bedell & Traci Butler - my Quilt Market Super Models”.  I didn’t take many photos - I was too busy living in the moment being ooh’d and ahh’d by friends, new friends, events and dazzling new fabrics & products!  I know so many others have market covered so beautifully - but here’s a little snapshot of Happy Marketlandia through my eyes.

Mo and I head to the airport to meet Traci, along with Parka and Bag (our companions who go with us everywhere, though their pal Wallet who sadly stayed behind with Gibby).  At the airport gift-shop, we’re clearly still in Portland.  When we got to SLC, Paige tweeted me that SLC doesn’t put birds on things.  Allrighty then,  just for you Utah:  Put A Tator-tot On It.

After we checked into our hotel, we went strait to the convention center and were able to catch a few Schoolhouses. Here Kristin (left) and Traci (right) model Patty’s (center) new adult size patterns (Kyoko). Patty’s beautiful booth featuring her savory and delicious new line called Grand Bazaar.

Me at the Lecien booth OMG’ing over my name and fabric on the the fabric-sample-card-hanger-thingies.

Sarah Jane’s booth featuring her first line of fabric called Children at Play.  Just like her fabric, Sarah is as just sweet and wonderful as I expected her to be!

At the Birch booth and spotting a new and exciting quilt pattern from Elizabeth - and I can’t wait to find out more about this quilt pattern!

My friend Lori Holt and her beautiful first line of fabric called Sew Cherry. It’s yummy, sweet and happy - JUST LIKE LORI!

Just like in Houston, Amanda’s booth, newest fabric line and patterns knocked my sock off (dying over her little “fascinator” hats that double as pincushions).

Traci at Micheal Miller placing an order for our dear friend Violet’s first line called Peacock Lane. Violet’s line is so beautiful, happy, fun and hip - JUST LIKE HER!

Feast your eyes on PamKittyWorld! For years, years, years I’ve been saying Pam needs her own line of fabric - and now she does collaborating with the amazing Holly Holderman of Lakehouse Drygoods with the new PamKittyMorning collection! Since I’ve known Pam (and it could be a very, very long time because we were neighbors as kids in a then tiny Bay Area east bay neighborhood - but didn’t know until we both started blogging), she’s had a way with fabric. Pam’s a fabric whisperer and can pull the most amazing combinations together that has a clear “PKM” look. Mix in 1930’s, florals, cool moderns, kitchenishy kitchies, dots, checks, a little bit ric, a little bit of rack, solids… stir… marinate… kiss it with love… top with a dash of witty humor and a touch of salt… and VOILA… there you have the new Pam Kitty Morning collection!  To say I’m thrilled and proud of her is an understatement.  And to say I’m kissing Holly’s butt and schmoozing her so I can get my hands on some PKM… is a complete truth. Note: Not a schmooze and true… I have a “Lakehouse” cupboard in my sewing room because I love Holly’s fabrics so much - and there just so happens to be a spot available for PKM to put in it. Ok, kind of a schmooze. But still true.

Allison of Cluck Cluck Sew - and JUST like her blog and patterns, she is so sweet and happy.   Allison’s both was like being in a 3D version of her blog, and I didn’t want to leave. In fact, I wanted to set up a sewing machine and start making one her fun and stunning quilt patterns that I love so much!

I snap of shot of Traci and Katy being photographed by Mo. What’s so funny is how Mo takes the photo.  Later, Traci provides a reenactment of Mo taking their photo.  I heart my friends.

Ever notice how much talent and creativity emanates from Portland and Oregon??!!  Valori shows that besides being uber talented (and sweet)… she knows how to make a bird. And most of all… how to put a bird on it.

Mo clearly got a fashion memo from Timeless Treasures - look how cute she looks with the TT peeps! Mo with TT’s newest superstar, Rashida (longtime superstar to us)!  Also on the far left is Mary, another superstar (clearly my camera only takes photos of stars!) and the maker of the chocolate mustache lolly-pops that swept Marketlandia.  Rashida was debuting her first line called I Heart, and boy do I heart it!  In the last photo, Traci demonstrates how market-goers gobbled up Amanda’s darling CuteBot cross-stitch patterns at Rashida’s booth.

Jennifer Paganelli’s business card should read: Creator of beautiful things, teacher of beautiful things, funny girl, cheerleader, mentor, designer, author, fashionista, superstar, glam-girl, nicest person in the world, super X & O notemaker - and making making the world a better place person.

Traci, me, Jennifer and Jenean Morrison.  I first met Jenean in Houston and liked her oh so much.  I got to spend even more time with Jenean in SLC… and now I full on love her.  I think Jenean is a Portlander trapped inside a Memphisite’s (Memphisonian?) body, and her newest line is Silent Cinema, and is one of the fabrics I’m gushing over this season.

Joel Dewberry… adorable. That goes for his booth and fabrics, too.

My favorite booth! I wanted to move into this booth! I loved the fabrics, patterns and look of Zen Chic. AND I got to speak German!

Izzy in the hizzy! Sometimes I just can’t help myself. The latest offerings from Izzy and Ivy are so freaking cute I came close to stealing their displays! Also so fun to see Jana and girls - I love, love, love them!

A funny thing happened to Traci on her way out of Moda booth… she won $500!!!  Moda gave a ticket to every shop (that placed an order)  to spin the  Spin-A-Prize wheel for a prize.  We found out the day prior that someone had won an iPad… and today was Traci’s lucky day!  HOLY SCHMOKES! On the far right is super-awesome Holly of Urban Chicks. Love. Her.

Holly and Aneela manning the booth. Meeting Aneela was one of my big thrills this market. I love her fabric, her art, her hearty conversions/conversing with her, her cuteness, kindness, wit and smartness… I just love her to pieces. And seeing her newest line Little Apples… so cute I could squeeze it! Her and Holly together… my head almost exploded. And when Aneela and Kristin fulfilled my wish for the little Moda booth to be a “kisses” booth. My head finally exploded.

I’ve been wanting to meet Pat Bravo, and lucky me that Traci is good friends with her and intorduced me.  Pat’s an A M A Z I N G pattern and fabric designer, and I love her Art Gallery Fabrics.  I think Pat is an awesome role model for women in business as well as running a family business.  Pat’s booth won an award… no surprise!  Traci let me tag along on her shop appointments, and supposedly I was helping Traci… but when we got to Pat’s booth I just kept saying, “order it” over and over and over and over.  I can’t wait to see Traci’s shop when all her orders come in!

Mo Looking suspicious in Lizzy’s booth… Lizzy (and her beautiful 1001 Peeps) keeping a sharp on her.

Another highlight of Market was getting to have some party time, and the mother of all highlights forever in the history of man - was a night with Paula Prass and her daughter Jennifer Storey (aka #storytimewithPaula) .  Bari, Jona, Traci, Jenean and myself will never forget our night with Paula and Jen - and we’re forever bonded because of it.  And if that wasn’t enough… I’m deeply madly in love with Paula’s new line called Botanika.  If you ever get to meet Paula, ask for a story.

Sunrise over SLC from our hotel room across from the Salt Palace (convention center). The only reason I show this photo is to prove that I’ve gotten up at the same time as the sun. At least once.

Farewell beautiful Salt Lake City, with your sparkly blue skies, your city hugging snow-capped mountains, your kind and friendly people and your crazy cool orange flags for crossing the street. I’m coming back, with family in tow next time. Too much to see and do, and your small taste was delicious.

Flying home, Traci and I flip through our photos and we both landed on Robert Kaufman Kona booth at the same time. And when everyone got home… we all napped happily ever after.

It seems like it’s been about 2 years of keeping mum, but I can finally open the flood-gates and talk about my baby… Happy Mochi Yum Yum.  And when I say open the flood-gates… that’s cautionary advise to stand back because I’m going hog wild with the photos, yimmering, yammering and more photos.  At the end of this post I have a give-away… but like your mom made you do when it was your birthday - you had to read the card before you could open the prezzie.

Happy Mochi Yum Yum (HMYY) was inspired by the little displays of mochi at the supermarkets when we lived in Hawaii.  I’d see the end-cap displays of the mochi and I thought they looked instead like delicious displays of sweet flower bouquets.

And that’s how Mochi Yum Yum was born. I was discussing my line’s name with Pam, and she came up with the genius idea of putting “Happy” in the name. I instantly loved it and walked around my house for weeks reciting it.  I even came close to ansering my phone, “happy mochi yum yum”.  When my first set of strike-offs came, that very evening I was at Uwajimaya’s and spotted some new mochi in the coldbox. It’s like the Universe was giving me a hug…

… and somehow knew.

Once my yardage came, it was time to get crackin’ on the free pattern for the fabric. After I made my Little Zig, I knew I wanted to make it supersized.  A few years ago I spotted a 30’s quilt at the Pomeroy Quilt Show, and have been smitten with the rail fence method ever since.  It wasn’t until I saw Amanda Jean’s Zig Zag quilt that it all made sense to me.  A rail fence sans a rail.  GENIUS!

So with Amanda Jean’s blessings, I set out to make my version using her 2-rail zigzag method and I wrote up instructions for Super Zig.

Hub’s doing The Walking Quilted for me. I will never tire of zombies & quilts. Ever.



The pdf pattern for Super Zig can be found on here.  If anyone should make Super Zig, I’d love for it to be shown-n-told in my HZ flickr group!

In the spirit of the vintage quilt from Pomeroy - maybe I’ll try a black version next.

And now my give away. I’m going to give away one Fat Quarter bundle, one yumyum roll and one charm pack. Leave a comment and I’ll have random.org pick a 1st, 2nd and 3rd winner.

There are 29 fabrics in each bundle, and 3 winners will have some fabric that’s not yet in stores (not until late Spring/early Summer). I’ll close the comments on Monday morning when I get back from Salt Lake City. And by morning I’m mean late afternoon.

Thank you everyone who left me comments and sent me emails with places see, visit and eat at in SLC! Clearly I’m going to need a second visit! The Salt Lake City welcome mat is definitely it out and I can’t wait to experience all that SLC kindness in person!

May 16, 2011 Edited in:
Winner, winner, mochi dinner!  Give-away has now ended.  Thank you all for the avalanche of excitement and the cavalcade of kindness bestowed me (you all have made me a weepy puddle of joy), and I wish I had a goodie for everyone!  Using random.org for comments 1-1035, the winners are:

1st - Fat Quarter bundle: comment #808 - Kelly Rachel
2nd - Happy Roll bundle: comment #755 - Kristen Hess
3rd - Charm pack bundle: comment #694 - Amy Dame

I’m getting ready for Quilt Market - and I’m so excited about going. Not just because my second line of fabric is debuting (more on that in my next post)… and not just because I get to see all that is new and wonderful in the quilting and fabric world… or that I get to see a bunch of friends (and meet new ones)… I’m so exited because I’ve always always wanted to go to Salt Lake City.  And it’s not just because I’ve had a crush on Donny Osmond since I was 10 and have fantasized about running into him there.   I’m not LDS, but the temple has been on my I-want-to-visit-list since I was a kid, too.  Maybe because I thought it was a castle, and for sure my Prince Donny was in there waiting for me.

Every Quilt Market Pam hosts an imaginary radio show on her blog.  Like a farm report - but without the farms.  And no reports - more like links.  People going to market and making blog posts about market can leave their permalinks to their posts - and people not going can easily find the posts that talks about market.

There have been so many Quilt Markets I’ve attended in my jammies from home via Pam’s KPKM Quilt Market reports. I look so forward to the post whether I’m attending or not. BUT… I’m secretly hoping people will also write market posts who are from SLC and have tips and ideas of things to see and do in SLC:  Shops, restaurants, places Donny can be found, points of interest. Hopefully people will sport the KPKM button I made and lead me to Donny lead us to all the great stuff SLC has to offer!  And of course market reports, too.

Pam’s got a big huge secret she recently revealed. I told Pam when I finally got to blab, that I would shout my happiness and excitement from the rooftops.  I am now atop my roof!  I’ve been waiting for this day forever and am so thrilled and happy! Pam has a gift with fabrics and I’ve been calling her the fabric whisperer since the moment I met her, and have been wanting a line of PKM to have for myself.  And now Pam has partnered with Holly Holderman of Lakehouse Drygoods… it’s finally happening!  Oh happy day!!!!    I love 30’s repos, I love modern fabric, I love cute, I love bright… and now thanks to Pam and Holly… they’ve created a fabric love child for me!

Image used with permission. SOURCE: Pam’s flickr

I think I just lost my voice from shouting, but I’m so happy to say out loud… CONGRATULATIONS PAM!!!

Taking a deep breath as I type this. I feel like I’ve been squeezed into a giant zip-lock bag sharing the space with nervousness, fear and anxiety for what I’m about to show.  It’s one thing to make something - and your mom loves it and then puts it on the fridge.  It’s something else to make something - and you hope others will like it, and bring it into their homes, and make beautiful things with it - for themselves and for others. Hitting the “publish” button on this post is going to feel like I’m ripping off a band-aid.  Two of my Lecien sisters, Bari and Lynette, have already posted their strike-offs for their Spring lines… ok, I’m jumping in too.

My next line will debut in May at Quilt Market in Salt Lake City - and should be available retail by June or July.  I’ll share more info about it as it gets closer to Market-time. Here is my latest round of strike-offs - little tastes of color, scale, saturation, etc before the fabric is milled.  It’s now pretty much good to go, just a few minor tweaks and off to the mill it goes.  My hope is it’s liked, and I hope it’ll be wanted in peoples hands, homes and snuggled around the ones they love.   
Band-aid……………………………………………. OFF!

Fall Quilt Market was a whirlwind speed event. My market-mate and bestie Mo and I had only one full day at market, so we had to speed through it. Speeeeeeeed through it. We got in a lot… but also missed stuff too. I was armed with my iPhone camera, and Mo was armed with my other camera… between us both I hope we got it all covered.

Off to Quilt Market… I left the house somewhere between 0′dark thirty and the butt crack of dawn - and accidentally left an hour too early for PDX.  That’s ok… it gave us time to run through McDonald’s so I could get a MacGriddle.  That takes me to four MacGriddles consumed this year.  Now I’m over my annual quota by 3.

I soon met up with my #PDXflygirls Mo and Kristin - and as we boarded our flight… our personal DirecTV monitors greeted us with today’s top news. Yay… F-14’s ready to shoot us down.

After we arrived, we checked into our hotel, changed, jumped on the beds and left for Fabric 2.0 - hosted by the party princess J. Caroline - along with Michael Miller Fabrics and Stash Books. Oh the fun! Everyone was there in one place at the same time. And where was my camera?

After the party, off we went for a late night dinner at Guadalajara. We were a large group and they accommodated us with ease. Great food, drinks and service… and we were there almost an hour past closing. Honestly… I could have been there 5 hours longer. How could I not… I was with the best peeps ever. I have a good memory… but I also have good margarita ordering skills. In seating order (with the help of Heather’s photos here)… Susanne, John, Charlie, Ryan and his wife Mandy, Traci, Elizabeth, Kristin, Cyndi, Brioni, Katy, Jona, Heather, Mo, Bari, Kathy, Rebecca and me.

Having had a great night’s sleep in the best beds we’ve ever slept in… Mo and I had breakfast with Cyndi - who found a gem of quick/cheap/good little cafe/cafeteria called Au Bon Pain place across from the Four Seasons - I got my milk and oatmeal… and off to Market we went.

One of the first quilts that greeted us was a darling Susan Branch quilt.  Dear, sweet Susan.  I love her!  Hi Susan!

Barbara from QuiltSoup shows us the secrets in her beautiful quilt.  What looks to be lace behind the hexagons, is actually embroidery Barbara did.  Dreamy!

On my list of must meet peeps was Jackie (who I’ve been bloggy buddies with forever and have never met) - and while I was waiting to say hello and introduce my self to Melly of Melly & Me - low and behold the person who was photographing her was Jackie!  Fun, fun, fun!

Jenean Morrison and Mo - Love Jenean’s fabric… loved her both (and loved her… she’s SO NICE!).   The judges loved her too - Jeane’s booth won for most creative!

I was bedazzled by Anna Maria’s fabrics and booth (and I fell i love with this heart quilt) - and we got to meet Anna Maria’s sweet mom and chit chat with her a bit.

Tula, Tula, Tula… WOW did Tula deliver.  I’ve always been in awe of the magic that flows out of her pencils and what transforms into beautiful fabric (I ♥ Parisville)… and now I’m in awe of her super talent as a stylist as well.   I can’t believe her booth didn’t get an award.  #acrimehasbeencommitedinTexas.

One of my huge thrills was meeting Katy and Brioni - who came all the way from the UK.  LOVE THEM.  And so did everyone else.  We’ve started a campaign to have them move to Oregon.  #wishfulthinking.  Katy sports a tat of a Tula owl, so I asked if Katy and Tula would indulge me in some Theatre in The Booth.

Rockstar alert.  John aka QuiltDad indulges me in a little Stephen Colbert pose - showing us his beautiful ribbon quilt he made with Parisville for the Free Spirit Fabric booth.  John is BY FAR the coolest and nicest person and talented and funny and genuine and bigbrotherhuggable person I know.   If QuiltDad is not your Homeboy… I feel very sorry for you.

Another one of the #PDXflygirls is our own Elizabeth Hartman, aka Oh, Fransson! Elizabeth’s new book The Practical Guide to Patchwork is an AMAZING book. I have a copy (friendship has it’s privileges!) and it’s must have book for everyone. Open it up and a beginner will say, “I can do that!” - and a seasoned quilter will say, “I want to do that!”. Yes… it’s for everyone. Ev. Er. Y. One. And it’s a beautiful book. Eye candy. By the time I hit “publish” on this post, E’s book will be into the top 500 bestsellers rank on Amazon (it’s currently #644 as I type this, and E’s book is #16 in Amazon’s Home & Garden section. Ina Garten’s book is #19).

SQUEAL!! My sweet friend Lori has a sneak peek of her first fabric line - Sew Cherry with Riley Blake! I’m so excited for Lori! Lori’s talents and aesthetics sing to me. Plus I adore her. And I think she made Sew Cherry just for me!

More squeals! My good friend Cyndi also has her first line with Riley Blake - Daydream! So beautiful and I’m so happy for Cyndi. CLEARLY Riley Blake is the coolest of cool, as was their booth. Loved how they had everything laid out and it was easy to see all their lines and products. It’s no surprise they won an award for best merchandising.

==============
Part 2
==============

ANOTHER #PDXflygirl with her goodness… Our sweet n sassy Violet has a darling purse pattern with Indygo Junction (it’s hanging under the “tion”). You can read more about Violet’s purse at here or on her blog post. I love her purse!

Kate and Mo at Kate’s booth, celebrating the release of her latest line with Moda called Central Park. I LOVE THIS LINE and I love Kate’s inspiration for it! I love Kate! Kate is THE NICEST person on the planet and I’m in such awe of her. Kate oozes kindness and talent. Kate’s booth was so cute… it was like being in a park made of fabric. I’m shocked Kate’s booth didn’t win an award. #anothercrimehasbeencommittedinTexas.

SWOON! Melissa’s new line of Swoon with Andover. I love it… I love her! Loved seeing Melissa and Beth at market. Always fun, always full of adventure and good times… and Melissa also came with The Letter.

Finally it’s Mo’s turn for some show & tell! Here we are at the Blue Hill both where Mo proudly shows us her next line called Magic Garden. I LOVE THIS LINE SO MUCH. I thought Mo’s Party Dress was the bomb… and she went and outdid herself! I can’t wait for it to be printed - no doubt Mo can’t either! Kudos to Blue Hill and winning Multiple Booth, Second Place!

Penny, me and Sheree in Sheree’s Alchemy booth. I love these two and because of blogging I feel like we’re old, old friends! Check out Sheree’s blog post about market and see how beautiful her booth was.

Pillow & Maxfield’s booth at Michael Miller. Super saturated color and bold happy prints. I wanted to lock myself in this booth. Serious mad love. I got so excited I pee’d a little. Ooops Michel Miller… you might want to rethink your iconic white carpet in the future.

Aussie. Aussie. Aussie. Oi. Oi. Oi. What a thrill to meet my Lecien fabric sister Rosalie! She may be the “me” of Melly and Me… but she’s also sistah to me. It was such a thrill for me to meet her, and bonus joy I got to meet Leanne too! Suckaroo though… I never got to see Natalie and my other Lecien sister Lynette! I’m so happy I did get to see my newest Lecien sister Sarah and her husband Damian! Love them too. I heart my Aussie peeps soooo much!

Good times at the Better Homes & Gardens booth village. I LOVE my friends at American Patchwork & Quilting and Quilts & More. I’m hamming it up with Lisa, Jody and Maria (behind Lisa). Loved seeing everyone - (missed you Stumbo and wish you were there!). Do you get the AllPeopleQuilt.com weekly newsletter? If not, you SHOULD. Seriously. It’s so good and packed with so much goodness. Plus you’ll get to see Lisa’s smiley happy sunshiny face in the top corner with each issue. To the right is my “Project Runway” quilt (made with my Holiday Happy) it’s in the upcoming Winter issue of Quilts & More.

My newest Lecien sister Bari. I can not wait to see what she’s been cooking up for her Lecien line that’s to debut at Spring market. Bari’s booth was so cute… and loving the chair and ottoman she rocked out in her fabric. Love that we got to spend time together!

Felt sweet delights! This company was next to the Kokka booth, and I think their name was Sewfelt. SEW AMAZING! I was able to buy 3 kits and I can’t wait to get started on them! I’ll show them when I’m done. Mouthwatering cuteness. Dying over these. I wish Pam wasn’t MIA - she would have died with me.
And speaking of Kokka (who’s had me at Echino)… I saw THE fabric that made me force myself to exhale. If anyone asks me what was the one thing that was most memorable or exciting to see at this market… it was THIS fabric. Melody Miller’s Ruby Star Rising for Kokka. I was so gobsmacked by it I didn’t even get any photos! Luckily Melissa did… and she pretty much wrote E X A C T L Y what I thought about Melody and her new fabric.

Finally, finally, I get to meet Pat IN PERSON! What a thrill. And she was even more awesome in person (which I knew she would be). And if meeting Pat wasn’t enough, I got to meet her at the same time as seeing my rockstar donut toting friend Cherri! I love these women!

Speaking of rockstars… next stop Patty’s booth. Mo, me and Patty. I could have moved in. I admire Patty so much. If anyone reading this is considering a career in fabric or garments or patterns or ANYTHING… Patty is a role model for women in business. Heck… anyone in business. Patty is one classy broad, and she makes everyone feel special and valued AND delivers kick ass cute stuff time and time again! I love Patty and I feel blessed to be her friend (I know… there’s a long line of us!).

M’a girls. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH! Traci, Violet and Mo. And see our cute badge holders? Traci made them all for us. Really sweet, really cleaver, really cool! And best part… Traci sells them (contact Traci via her shop for custom orders)! We’re at Lizzy’s world famous Cake Party. I didn’t get any photos, but I’m sure they’re around (put “lizzy cake party” in your googlereader seach). Lizzy OUTDID herself and made a cake in honor of Jana’s infamous pin incident. And speaking of love… I love Lizzy and Jana so much too!

Tear. The crazy deer heads at the Kokka booth started crying as the announcement was made that Market was closing for the day.

Off to the airport we go (Kristin, Traci, Violet, Mo and me) - #PDXpartyplane fules up with breakfast (surprise… oatmeal and milk for me). I asked for a “small”, and the cafe-lady handed me a small bucket of oatmeal. I guess in Texas that IS a small. Also notable, the airport PA announcements repeated over and over and over about not making any inappropriate jokes. SERIOUSLY? Then why was I so taunted in the airport and on the plane?!

And we’re off… Traci, Mo, Violet (and Kristin in the row behind us) on our way back home. We had a wonderful time. Saw wonderful friends. Traci and Kristen ordered wonderful fabric. We all were inspired. Back home, and tucked in and snug with our families.

Next stop… Salt Lake City!!

===== The I SUCK FILES =====

Is there a name for a person who has 3 cameras and fails to take photos or mention people in my rambling above? Whatever the name… that dill weed would be me. So this is like a yearbook, and the people with missing photos get a silhouette image and a big angry “ABSENT” written on the bottom. Except I’m the really crappy yearbook editor. So crappy I don’t even provide the silhouette. EDIT: I had the intention of listing all the people I didn’t take photos of or mentioned above. I got to about two dozen people listed, and I was struck with a super panic, “what if I missed someone’s name?” - so I deleted it all. Please forgive me. Everyone who I spoke with, who I hugged with, who I shook hands with (sorry for the sugar donut residue I passed on)… everyone of them was a wonderful moment for me. I love my quilty peeps so much! xoxo, m

… so it must be almost time to head to market. Radio Free PKM is cranking it up on KPKM - the place to go to find all blog posts about 2010 Fall Quilt Market in Houston, TX.  Are you going to market?  Did you make something that’s on display at market?  Check out KPKM to either to submit your permalink(s) that pertain to anything/all things market… or to go find the permalinks to visit all the market posts.  Or both!  Be sure to grab a button from Pam’s post and sport it on you blog.

I’ll be tweeting/twitpic’ing on my twitter from market instead of blogging this year, so all my posts will be instant - vs the month after it usually takes me to make a blog post. Added in: You do not have to be signed up for twitter to read my twitter or see my photos. Reason #1,808 why I ♡ twitter.

Anyone want to do me a flavor flav? Leave me a comment on this post about something you’d like me to tweet/twit-pic… and I’ll try my best to do it. Challenge me… truth or dare me even.  And did I mention the #PDXpartyplane? Little ol innocent me flying with Mo, Violet, Traci, Elizabeth, Kristin and Heather. I’m sure nothing scandalous will happen.  Nothing.

Note: I’ve gotten kind words on the armadillo (thanks!)… but I can not take credit for him (her?) - it was a copyright free stock image/clip art… I just jazzed him up a little.

GOOODIES!
For dessert.  Not until after this post is finished.

Now boarding, Alaska flight 38
Good-bye Seattle. Hello Minneapolis.
Waiting for me below… AlmostUtopia. If only MN had an ocean - it’d truly be Utopia.  What a beautiful state filled with beautiful people.  Beautiful, friendly, nice people.  Minnesota Nice people.

I was just getting over a cold, and then I got hammered with it while in MN (I blame my flight) - so I’m missing lots of bits and pieces of market.  Missing photos, missing people who I wanted to see but didn’t/couldn’t.  An abbreviated, prescription drug induced snapshot of my trip to Market.  I could not have made it through Market without my Nurse Nightingale when I was so sick, and my interpreter when I lost my voice - Pam.  And to my roomie Karen - you took such great care of me and made me feel so loved and cared for.  Thank you Pam & Karen - from the top, bottom, sides and middle of my heart!!!!!

Twilight on Crack Hotel
Or to someone who’s hip, young, trendy, cool and likes sleeping in a black box and showering with a wall of window to the bedroom - and showering with essentially a shiny garden hose for a shower head, (or has a really cool suite like The Pioneer Woman did)… then you must give The W Hotel in Minneapolis a go.  Bottom right) ME: Hey Karen, what’s the weather like today?  KAREN:  Sunny with a chance of brick. 

Sample Spree
Clockwise:
1)  Showin’ off her bling - cuter than cute Lizzy.
2)  For YEARS we’ve been blog/flickr pals… I FINALLY get to meet The Adorable One - That silly lil Doe.
3)  Funny-girl Kathy of Teacher’s Pet.  Are those boxes for meeeeeeeee?!
4)  Another one of my blog/flickr pals… me and Miss Minnesota Nice Mary of Mary on Lake Pulaski fame.  Mary was as nice as I imagined her to be + 1000 times more.
5)  Cara - we met over having some words. Words with Friends, that is! Cara’s first time as an exhibitor. Yay Cara!
6)  All around sweethearts and Sample Spree queue entertainers…  Jennifer, Kaye, Stefanie, Doe & Cara. Are Stefanie and Doe just not too cute?! If I were Paula Abdul I’d want to squish them/squeeze their heads off and dangle them from my rear-view mirror. But I’m not Paula - so I’d like me a set of Stephanie & Doe salt and pepper shakers. Or S & D bobble heads.
7)  No photos, I only heard rumors… that Carrie saved the day for Vickie at the Lecien table and snagged her the last bundle of Holiday Happy for her.  Carrie is not just a rockstar and Schnibble Queen… but she’s my hero too!

Breakfast
Karen, Pam and Flat Nat - amazing breakfasts at the Key’s Bar & Grill at the Foshey.  Amazing Gin Fizzes and finger lickin’ ooie gooie make-you-weep pecan rolls.

Lunch
Brit’s Pub… on EVERYBODY’S list to eat at. Pam and I are able to snag a table in the much coveted shade at Brit’s Pub. Outdoor eateries in Minneapolis are plentiful and wonderful.  A foodie’s paradise.

Cake Party!
Mother/daughter dynamic dynamo - Cherri & Lizzy’s Cake Party to celebrate Cherri’s breathtaking new book City Quilts and Lizzy’s adorable newest fabric line Castle Peeps from Andover.
Clockwise:
1)  Yes, I’d love a piece of that one, Lizzy.
2)  Melissa’s friend Unicorn tries to french kiss Flat Nat… and Jana (aka Carol) behind her does nothing to stop it.
3)  Scott brought me an RX all the way from Seattle.  I heard whisperings that he brought a bag for Patty, too.
4)  Who’s this?  OIC… it’s Caroline of jcaroline.
5)  The cool kids table - smile and say “Glee!” -Beth, Melissa, John and Scott.

Eat, again? Ok!
L to R:
1) Me with Flat Nat toss ala Mary Tyler Moore.  It’s Minneapolis.  It’s the law.
2) Pam, Cyndi and I have the best salads for dinner at the News Room.  And lucky Cyndi gets carded for beer.  I got offered the senior menu.
3) On Radio KPKM I said I was going to be Pam’s weather girl.  So here it is.  Minneapolis was hot.  Not unbearable hot… but hot enough to want to traipse in the fountain.

Maybe just a nibble for now?
Nope. Not yet.

Lecien
Goodness in the Lecien booth - Flower Sugar II, my Holiday Happy (pinch me) and Brenda’s beautiful Durham “Anew“.
In the line-up… aaaaah-dorable sweet Kate, me (apparently I either forgot to do a mirror check - or - my goal for the day was to look like a gaucho from Fogo de Chão.  Steaks anyone?), Brenda, Pam and Nireko.

Karen, Pam, Elizabeth, Keiko, Brenda, Meg, Jennifer, Nireko and Tracy made some of the most AMAZING samples for the Lecien booth - check out their blogs and see what they made - the booth was oozing in cuteness thanks to them.  (I hope I didn’t leave anyone out!!! Please let me know if I did).  Cover your keyboard with a drool towel.  

Izzy & Ivy
Oh. My. Gosh. I love Team Izzy & Ivy!  I called my mom and asked if I could keep them.  She said no.   Too cute for words… so they get four pics. L to R: Jana, Shasta and Jenny.  My new BFF’s + medical team + everything.  By far the coolest, hippest (I bet they would like the W), funnest, darlingest peeps at Market.  I can’t wait for SLC next year.  I think Team Izzy & Ivy is going to turn Utah upside down and back up again.  As if they haven’t already.

Vegemite not included
The Roo Crew from Down Under!
1)  Lynette from Lynette Anderson Designs.  Not just a friend, but a twitter and Word with Friends pal.  It was so wonderful to finally meet her.  And she’s so lovely and fun - as I knew she would be!
2)  Anni from Hatched and Ptched.  Lynette intoduced me to her - and like every Aussie I’ve ever met… so friendly and nice.  Australia… the Minnesota of the southern hemisphere.   Aussie Nice.
3)  Kellie and crew from Don’t Look Now!  Who is that pulling a Wilson behind that pillow?!  Hey, it’s my lovely sister-wife Anna!  Well if Anna is in Minnesota, and I’m in Minnesota… then it must be sister-wife Sarah’s turn to be with hubby.
4) Aussie, Aussie, Aussie… oi, oi, oi - wish you were there Natalie Lymer (aka Flat Nat’s mum), Rosalie and Natalie Ross too!

Don’t look now…
But there’s a constant, HUGE crowd at the Don’t Look Now booth.  No suprise - jaw dropping gorgeous, happy and unique.  You can’t help but smile when you see the amazing quilts of DLN.   Even the rockstars come to see DLN.  I’m sooooo in awe of the masterpieces cranked out by Kellie.  Awe.   If Don’t Look Now comes to a show near you… RUN, not walk to it.

From the Land of Tall Trees
My Oregon, Washington & Montana friends. Clockwise:
1)  My sweet friend Mo of Lime Gardenias.  Just over the hill from me -  why we’re practically neighbors.  If we were crows.  And we flew.  Mo’s big debut of her gorgeous Party Dress line with Blue Hill Fabrics.  I sure wish Mo could have been at Market!!
2)  Also in Mo’s neighborhood is Michelle from Busy Bee Quilt Designs.  Michelle was MIA while I was at her booth, but luckily I caught her mom Birdie.  I’ve been lucky enough to sew with Michelle and Birdie.  Well… they sewed… and I  danced with my chair.
3)  Just up the river (the Columbia) in SE Washington is Crabapple Hill.  I love Crabapple Hill and have made countless embroideries using CH patterns.  I even won a blue ribbon on my quilt with the Crabapple embroidery on it.  I finally got to meet Meg… the genious behind CH and fellow COSMO floss user!
4)  Sandi, Sandi, Sandi… my dear and amazing friend and my milk buddy for life.  Or as Sandi calls me… her milk soul mate.  Yea… we both love milk THAT much.  I have photos of Sandi… but saving them for my [future] Iowa post.   Oh, and DYING over Sandi’s chairs.  Montana monschmana… those chairs look like they’d much rather go to Oregon.
5)  The Anne’s!   L to R, Anne B. of Cottons n’ Wool and Anne S. of Bunny Hill.  I’m *related* to The Anne’s by both our Oregon and Walnut Creek connections.   And because I’m Super Fan #1.  I’m so excited for Anne S. - who has joined the Moda family - and joined in a big way with the debut of her oh so yummy Lily & Will.   YEAY Anne!  I heart The Anne’s soooo much!  If you’re counting… I typed “Anne” seven times.   Eight.
6) My pal, my sistah-friend, my neighbor, my lunch buddy, my roomie, my travel pal, my personal shopper… Karen is like having a dozen friends all lovingly wrapped into one awesome friend. Karen’s latest beautiful line Dear Dorothy debuted at the Timeless Treasure. And just look at the sample in her fabric… it’s an Izzy & Ivy pattern!
7) My oldest and bestess and dearest and funnest friends Leslie. We were neighbors at one time - like only a block from each other neighbors.  We were inseparable, from sun -up to sun-down… until she moved back to Michigan.  There were rumors we wanted to start our own commune - but instead - Leslie’s mom opened up Hearts to Holly quilt shop.  Leslie is the person responsible for putting a rotary cutter back in my hand somewhere around 1999.   When Leslie and I do get to see each other, there’s a photo we take to show her kids that Leslie is growing taller and I am shrinking.  If anyone saw me bawling at the MCC… it’s because I had to say good-bye (again @#$!) to Leslie.

Mi amore, those who I adore
1) Clockwise: Elizabeth “MacGruber” Stumbo (my BFF, my mug-arita buddy and super stylist for all things APQ/Quilt Sampler/Q&M), Jill Abelo Mead (my Quilts & More editor and my cheerleader and she’s got a sassy new hair-do!), Karen, Linzee (freelancer to the House of Meredith - she’s like me… but she quilts with letters and writes beautiful profiles in American Patchwork & Quilting and Quilts & More), Pam and me.
2) Sherri of Sherri Falls of This & That fame. Pam (who knows EVERYBODY) introduced us - we would soon be going to Iowa together, so Pam and Roseann both thought I should meet her right away - not to waste ONE MINUTE of not knowing her. To say I adore Sherri is an understatement. More on Sherri in a future post.
3) Bonnie and Camillie - another amazing and adorable mother/daughter dynamic dynamo! A. Dor. Able.

I spy - some happy for my eyes
Clockwise:
1)  I love Riley Blake.  Love them!
2)  Pillow & Maxfield.  Loved their booth, loved them.
3)   Cara’s first time as an exhibitor. Yay Cara!
4)  Lakehouse Dry Goods… I love all things Lakehouse.   Every market I tell Holly I want to move into her booth.  One day I will be sucessful.
5)  Hemma Design… a Swedish inspried company from Minnesota.  Really caught my eye (and Karen’s too).  Love the simple happy look of Kathy’s [Kathy on right, Mary on the left] that’s oh so Swedish.
6)  Last but not least… check out the delicious yummies fo dear sweet wonderful Nanette of Freda’s Hive fame made for the RJR booth.  Darling!   The only thing better than seeing Nanette’s yummies… would have been to have had Nanette there with them!

Checking out… Checking in
Good-bye Minneapolis (and the crazy Twilight on Crack hotel)… Hello Des Moines (and your beautiful vintage hotels filled with light and brightness).   Lots to show.  Lots to tell.  I’m still on a Cinderella high - I’ll be blogging my Iowa trip after I rest up.

Now it’s time for dessert
Fresh from the oven… a little Holiday Happy to go around. I was going to do a give-away with 2 fat quarter bundles of my Holiday Happy - but one of the fat quarter bundles had unprotected sex and gave birth to 4 little fat quartlettes (9″ x 10½” cuts).  So 5 winners instead of 2.  One comment per person - no fuss no muss… just leave a comment by noon PST on 6/14/10.  I’ll have random.org pick the winners. EDITED IN: Contest is now over - anything past comment #506 is too late (sorry). Winners to be announced shortly.

I still need to add who I wanted to see but couldn’t make it… and who was there but somehow missed them… and who I saw but didn’t get a picture of  (need to draw my pics) - but It took me 3 days to finish this post/edit the photos - so I’ll write a part two-er to this.  I really should double check for typos and make sure all the links are correct…. I’m taking a nap.

Baby Happy is one of two quilts from my “Two Happy” FREE pattern that I designed featuring Lecien’s  “Old New Fabric Collection 30’s” fabric collection.

One pattern. Two Quilts. One for Momma, one for Baby. This free for download pattern is available here.