Happy Zombie

Someone seems to be having a hard time napping! Ok. You can get up Triskit. But you have to work on finishing your posts, little missy…

Couldn’t sleep, couldn’t sleep. Kept hearing all this laughing and fun going on over at Elizabeth’s booth. Mum was nice enough to let me get up from my nap at Sandi’s to visist E’s booth. Pam, Cyndi and Brenda discussing something while Elizabeth has a good grip on me. Hmm… she’s pretty focused on me…

Everyone’s laughing and talking. Everyone but Elizabeth, that is. Still focused on me.

La, la, la… more laughing and talking.

Talk, talk, talk. Laugh. Laugh.

Yoo hoo… Elizabeth. You’re missing all the fun conversation. What the heck has you so mesmerized???

And then it happened. Elizabeth Agatha Chistie’s investigation has paid off… and she discovered my tramp-stamp.

Holy crap… now I’m REALLY in trouble. I pleaded with mum not to be upset, but she just wouldn’t have any of it. Mum thought it best that I take a time-out and a nice nap back at our hotel.

Back at the hotel. Knock. Knock. Knock. Who issssss it? Oh my heck… it’s Kris from Cozy Cottage Fabrics! Come in, come in! We say hello, blah, blah, blah… and then Kris shows me the honor bar. The honor what? Hmm. Interesting. “What’s this stuff in the little bottles?”, I ask Kris.

Kris says she’ll read me a bed-time story if I promise to nap afterwards. It was at this moment that mum remembered she was supposed to give Kris a hug from Sharon, but mum said it was too dangerous at this time - a hot quilting chick… in a hotel room… with a bottle of nap-juice… no, no, no… for sure a pillow fight would break out and for certain the hotel would kick us all out. A hug for Sharon will have to wait for another time. It’s for the greater good. I’m getting very sleepy…

… my keyboard is getting blurry. More later…

I’m handing the keyboard over to Triskit today - she’ll be guest blogging. Who knew she could type. But then… who knew Mimi could type. - Monica

Welcome to Quilt Market! Best thing about Market, are not the quilts, the patterns, the books, the inspiration, the fabric, the pretty colors… it’s the wonderful quilting peeps! Come on - come and meet my new pals…
PS… I’m sitting on a Jingle Jolly runner mum made for Holly’s eyecandy Lakehouse Dry Goods booth, with Holly’s darling new cupcake fabric. More at Holly’s booth in a bit.

One of the first people I met was Brenda of Acorn Quilt & Gift Company. She’s just as sweet as she looks and couldn’t be any nicer. I wish mum had a shot of the cute, cute Janet (from Team Acorn) too - but she goofed up somehow with her camera. Brenda is responsible for getting us (Pam, Elizabeth, me and mum) into Sample Spree early. To work. Right. To work. Here is Brenda in her darling booth. Mum bought gorgeous happy wool and patterns there - and she was sporting drool drops on her shirt. Brenda named my doggie on my dress Bailey. Is that not too sweet!

Next stop Bunny Hill Designs to visit The Anne’s (Anne Bryson on the left, Anne Sutton on the right). I fell in the with The Anne’s… both are just too stinkin’ sweet and Anne’s booth was incredible - so much so it won a blue ribbon for Best Single Booth!

A common dilemma about me visiting a booth, was how the models wanted to be photographed with me…

Oh! Like this!

Here’s mum’s friend Sally of Maw-Bell Designs (Sally’s last name is Bell, and her partner sister’s last name is Maw… too cute, eh!). Mum ran into Sally at Sample Spree, and I over heard Sally ask my mum, “can you keep a secret for 8 hours?”. I heard mum say “yes”, but I knew she was fibbing. Not 8 minutes later - I heard mum telling her friends that Sally’s Bell Tower Quiltworks in Corvallis, Montana was going to be featured in the next issue of BH&G’s Quilt Sampler!!! More fun with Sally’s last name… is the name of her shop - which is a former church - and has a bell tower.

Sally’s shop being in the Top Ten came as no surprise to mum… she’s been saying for years it was an “it shop” after her and Auntie Karen went on their Montana quilt retreat via Sally’s shop. Just a little sampling from Sally’s shop…

Speaking of Better Homes & Gardens… FINALLY mum gets to meet the world’s best editors and nicest people ever! Jill Mead and Elizabeth Tisinger of mum’s two very favorite magazines on the planet… American Patchwork & Quilting and Quilts & More. Mum says Jill should wear a cape because she’s a realife superhero.

Sweet. Sweet. Sweet… Laura and Dianna of From Me to You Quilts…

the fairy Godmothers of quilting and teaching, and perpetuating the love of quilting via their book Quilts! Quilts!! Quilts!!!, teachings, patterns and Empty Spools Seminars at Asilomar. Mum says, “I heart you Laura and Dianna!”

Email and blog pal of mum’s… FINALLY mum gets to meet Cyndi of Stitch Studios IRL. Mum’s in awe of Cyndi’s talents, from pixels to cotton… mum says Cyndi is an It Girl. In the big blog universe of friends all over the world, mum and Cyndi are practically neighbors and should have meet sooner. Must be because Cyndi’s been so busy with her fantastic new book Spotlight on Scraps: 10 Pretty Quilts. Pretty is an understatement! Cyndi even gave mum a signed copy that she cherishes. Mum’s also nuts about Cyndi’s newsletter - and says everyone should sign up for it. It’s like a great box of cereal each month and the free prize inside (quilt pattern) is right on the top - no digging to the bottom or your mom telling you have to finish the box before you can get the toy out.

Cyndi’s sidekick is her mom (and am kicking mum for forgetting her name)… aren’t those two just the cutest! So much love was oosing from their booth - it made mum miss her own mum down in California. Cyndi has patterns published in magazines too… and mum and Cyndi hope to one day be in the same magazine in the same issue at the very same time! Hint, hint, wink, wink to Jill and Elizabeth.

Here I am telling Gina all the buzz. This is what I’m whispering… “You should see the darling outfits everyone is wearing over at the Threaded Pear over on Pam’s post about Sample Spree!”…

Mum couldn’t wait to meet Sandy Klop from American Jane! Mum’s made a lot of things with Sandy’s yummy fabric and it was such a thrill for mum to meet her. What a nice, nice lady!

Whew… I’m getting tired. All this walking, all this talking, all this typing - maybe just one more visit for today, and more later.

Last visit for today… another It Girl as mum likes to say. Here I am with Sandi, another email and blog pal of mum’s. Sandi has such yummy fabrics that all I want to do is swim in them! Sandi also designs the cutest children’s clothes, and I’m hoping she adds extra, extra, extra, extra, extra, extra small to her sizes. You know. For moi. With the help of Sandi’s uber talented and sweet as pie husband Dustin… Sandi’s both took a big fat honkin’ second place red ribbon for best double booth. It should have been blue, if you ask me. Yeah, I’m seeing a tv show in Dustin and Sandi’s future… on HGTV or TLC - a home improvement/home dec/crafty show with the two of them as hosts and talent. That’s AFTER they come to Astoria, and move here… and then broadcast their show from Astoria. And I can be a donut-dolly - and can make coffee/cocoa and serve donuts to the crew. Sigh.

Oh look… a place to nap, right here smack dab in the middle of cotton paradise. Thank you Sandi! More from my market meet & greet coming soon… but for now I must nap.

First stop… Pam and Elizabeth at Elizabeth’s darling Late Bloomer Quilts booth. This is where I spent much of my time. Maybe it explains the look Pam has… Are you here AGAIN?

And this is where I spent the other part of my time at Market. With Judy - and her new client Triskit. This is my friend Judy Hillman - aka The Mole. Judy is a stylist and most recently Judy’s amazing style talents have graced the pages of Darlene Zimmerman’s newest book Quilts from Lavender Hill Farm and Karen Snyder’s newest book Quilts From My Garden. Judy’s daughter Sarah was the photographer for both books as well. Sarah’s photos are incredible and beautiful. Jaw dropping beautiful. What a team those two make! And now Triskit is on Judy’s client list as well.

This is why I love Judy - she knows how to handle a diva client! I’m totally over being mad at Judy for placing the strawberry pincushion she made - front and center in the shot (pages 45 & 50 of Karen’s book), while the strawberry I made almost out of the shot on the left. Yeah. Not a good idea to stay mad at Judy. Just saying…

Darlene looks worried someone will see her holding Triskit…

Triskit getting a private lesson from Darlene on how to use her newest tool - the Tall Triangle Ruler…

My roomie and gal pal Karen. And now I know why I saw the industrial size tweezers on our bathroom counter…

At the Moda Home booth, Judy says, and I quote… “Let’s have Triskit ride the carrots”. No objection by me!

More Moda Home antics with Pam, Judy, me, Triskit and the adorable Moda chicks to be posted later - but it will come with a PG17 warning. And I have a hunch I’ll never, ever, ever, ever, ever get my fantasy fulfilled of being locked in the Moda warehouse, all alone… just me and 10 cute UPS drivers (in shorts of course) standing at the ready with trucks ready to be filled and headed out to Oregon. Just saying.

And speaking of PamKittyMorning… Hmmm… I wonder what’s been keeping her so busy since Market ended???

Chapter 3 - Triskit’s Meet & Greet coming soon…

I’m just getting started. Oh yes… this is just the start. Having way too much - so I’m taking a little break from market today and resting the ol feet. Just a few pics from set-up and Sample Spree. More to come. Oh. So. Much. More.

Oh. What’s this? Hmmm. What if, what if…

Elizabeth sees that look in my eye. And senses danger.

“Ok Pam… I’m parked in the F section on parking level one…”

Wool delights from Brenda. I got to shop early and Bren’s wool is THE most beautiful wool ever. EVER!

Sandra, Tara and Kathy from The Teacher’s Pet. These gals were such a hoot and so, so sweet! And now I’m outing Kathy as my favorite lurker!

Me, Jennifer, Pam and Elizabeth. Jennifer’s giving us the star treatment… Pam and I are giving her the boob treatment.

I didn’t take too many photos at Sample Spree. Maybe because I was too busy spreeing. More to come when I get back!

PS… guess who else came to Market? Yup… Triskit is who. And she’s making her rounds. Not only has she gone to Market… Triskit now has her very own stylist. By Market’s end, she’ll no doubt be needing a PA, a publicist, driver and personal chef. Triskit’s gettin’ around. Just saying.

I teased about it almost a year ago. Almost a YEAR! And it all started a year ago when my friend Robin gave me some vintage 4-patches for Mimi. More love… Elizabeth sent Mimi some DARLING aqua fabric (the border)… and “Friendship Bread” was born!

Here’s Robin holding the quilt. Wasn’t it nice of her to coordinate her outfit to go with the quilt!

On my sewing room wall at our old house…

It’s so hard to keep things hush, and for so long too. But on the bright side - since I’m such a procrastinator, I’m pretty much timely. Friendship Bread evolved into “Four Bean Salad”…

… which is in the current issue (Summer ‘08) of Quilts & More as “Bay Breeze” (I love the name it was given!). Whoo whoo! So stinkin’ excited over it and I love the photography and how it’s done in a shabby beach chic setting. The yummy fabric is from Joanna’s Allspice Tapestry line for Moda.

I haven’t seen the issue on the newsstands yet, but I know it’s out because the Magazine Queen has her copy. Even with my advanced copy… I was still scooped by Pam! HOW DOES SHE DO IT!?!?! Elizabeth says “pam” is “map” spelled backwards… but I think “pam” is an acronym for Princess of All Magazines.

I love Quilts & More (seriously, no bias on my part) and it’s my favorite magazine of all time. Such a fun issue for me to browse through… Tanya has her ADORABLE “Flirty Skirts” on page 16, and then I see Holly with her DARLING “Slumber Party” on page 50 (and I especially love the “M” and the “O” on page 57 - though I was disapointed there was no “N”, “I”, “C” and “A” - sigh), and then there’s lil ol me on page 40. I had to put on my glasses and whip out the magnifying glass… and there in an ad on page 25 is Karen’s Fat Quarter Fun book. Too fun!

My little Four Bean Salad/Bay Breeze is so much fun to make… I can’t stop making them. All you need for the whole shebang is ONE charm pack and TWO fat quarters. That’s it. Seriously. Oh, and bat. It’s a project in a day, start to finish. Instant gratification. Unless you hand quilt… and if you’re like me… that will take a month. Or two.

Here’s my holiday version. Beeeeee-u-teeee-ful fabrics by Minick and Simpson’s Christmas Past by Moda…

And here’s my summer picnic version with deeeeelicious fabrics from Minick and Simpson’s Prairie Paisley by Moda (binding and flange from my stash, not part of Prairie Paisley)…

Market is just around the corner and almost here. Lots for me to still do before I go, so this is my last post for a while. It’s my first time going (virgin in the house) and I couldn’t be more excited. Can’t wait to see everyone, and putting faces with blogs, and seeing what’s new and yummy they’ve created! I plan on taking lots and lots of pics (even though I know Pam will scoop me on that too) and posting them when I get back.

Blah, blah, blah… I’ve rambled. I don’t know if I’ve put anyone to sleep, but I sure am sleepy now!
And now I must nap.

For once I wasn’t scooped by Pam!

Going through the motions of getting ready for Market. Not quilt stuff - but clothes stuff. I’m a t-shirt, jeans, hoodie and flip-flop kinda gal, so finding clothes that look presentable and yet still I feel comfy in, well… it’s a CHALLENGE for me! I’m sick of shopping and finding nothing that pleases me.

So I’m sitting in front of my computer (and conveniently right in front of my iSight), in my jammies, and day dreaming of what it would be like not to have to worry about what I was going to wear… and my only worry was what color to pick for that day…

Nah… I think I’ll keep shopping.