I'M BACK FROM QUILT MARKET

Kathy Miller of Michael Miller Fabrics; me; Sandi Henderson; Patty Young

I came back Sunday eve with my mind full of glorious color, events and people. However, my body has had a different take. Temperatures there in the mid 90's, late nights, early mornings and a three hour time change had me moving slowly yesterday. But I'm back to my perky self and ready to Show and Tell.

On Thursday eve Michael Miller Fabrics and Caroline of JCaroline Creative hosted a 2.0 Meet and Greet at Oba Restaurante. Thanks Kathy and Caroline for a fabulous event!

I was incredibly excited to finally meet my new Michael Miller family. Kathy Miller is a truly wonderful person and I'm honored to work with her. Sweet Sandi Henderson has been so helpful and encouraging to me, I just couldn't help but squeeze her. Patty Young and I both signed on w/ MMF at the same time. She's actually shorter than I am! I know, hard to believe, isn't it? Okay, then here's Caroline Devoy, doing what she does best, making people laugh. If you haven't read her blog and need a good laugh, just click on her name and check it out. Here are some of my favorite designers. Everyone is so kind and fun. Lots of laughter and hugs.Tina Givens booth was impeccable in every way. I'd never met her before and found her to be so engaging. LOVE her style. It was great to catch up w/ Anna Maria and see her colorful, new collections. Amy Butler's booth was beautiful. She is so tall I told her my camera couldn't fit both of us, so she graciously sat down for this photo. It was wonderful to see Heather Bailey again. She's used to having to come down to my level for pics. Love her!Joel Dewberry's booth was so tastefully done. I didn't feel comfortable taking photo's of other designer's booths (that's a no-no in my world), but will tell you I was tempted. Joel has very exquisite taste. And so warm and friendly, as well. Valori Wells has also been incredibly helpful by giving me pattern repeat info when I started on my designs. Busy gal. She was doing double duty in her booth and promoting her newest book. Jennifer Paganelli was another exceptionally delightful person to meet. I wish I'd spent more time with her. I really enjoyed Melissa Averinos, as much, if not more than her yummygoods site.
This new venture is so rewarding. I've never met nicer people, seriously. I can't wait until the next Quilt Market in Houston this October. Book me a ticket! I hope, hope my fabrics will be ready by then!!

HEADING TO PORTLAND

I'm heading to Portland, OR for the International Quilt Market today. My husband and I are going early to visit our son, shop and soak it all in. I am more excited about this trip than any vacation I've been on, which even seems odd to me. I guess it's because I will finally meet so many of the people in person that I'm getting to know through blogs, emails and phonecalls. I'll come back with photos galore!

WELCOME ME TO THE 21ST c.

I am realizing just how true "Being Married To Your Business" really is. I have gradually lost touch with the daily upgrades. Fortunately I work with a bunch of much younger, much hipper gals who let me ask dumb questions about life outside my small world. I've actually seen an IPhone and can pronounce Wii properly, but have not seen one yet. I hear that when I get to a nursing home I'll get to play Wii all I want. But lately my life is making huge strides. Let me begin:

For my BD my Jennifer decided to gift me with a CHI flatiron for my naturally chaotic hair. Seriously, if you saw me at a red light in a convertible, I'd be the one with her hair still in whatever position the wind left it. I spent one month in Hawaii on the beach last fall and all the photos of me look like Nick Nolte mugshots! Case in point; see Exhibit A Photo above. I played the "Oh, you shouldn't have", but inside I was feeling more like my in laws when they were gifted with a microwave. They questioned with a sceptical tone, "Why do we need that when we have a stove and pots to heat whatever we need?" Or when we switched from an answering machine to voice mail and they continued to yell, "Pick up the Phone" into the receiver. Change can be like whiplash to us slow movers. So I cautiously said thanks and thought, "Hope she didn't spend much". Three weeks later I went to my stylist and told him my plight. I asked for instruction and a demonstration. Amazed at the transformation, I went to the restroom and swung my hair in front of the mirror for about 15 minutes, totally enthralled that it fell back into place. Will I ever be the same? See Exhibit B for proof.

I'm just getting started. Jennifer informed us last fall that our washer AND dryer (we've had them since dirt was invented) was not energy efficient, I'd never really thought about it. On Christmas eve. morn while I was sitting at the computer in jammies and a cup of coffee... when what should appear, but a delivery truck unexpectedly pulling up our drive. I turned to my husband, who was also looking out the window and I stated, " Those delivery guys are going to be very disappointed when they realize they went up the wrong drive." To this he said, "You better go get some clothes on." A dizzy whirlwind later and I was the proud owner of a shiny white, front loading washer and dryer. Tim made plans to donate our old W/D to a single mom with several kids and her friends came by, picked up and delivered them to her on Christmas eve, as well. You will see a BEFORE + AFTER of my Laundry/Design Space very soon.

Little did I know life would push me even closer to the 21st c. For Mother's Day my husband bought me a Dyson vacuum. Yes Way!! For years we have shared one vacuum for both home and business... lugging the old Hoover up and down, back and forth. So we are like two kids seeing how much crud we can suck up and view in the clear bin. I find myself mesmerized by viewing dirt. If I vacuum the laundry room while doing laundry I can get a double dirt fix! I love this country!

The moral of the story: You're never too old to have straight hair while cleaning.

INTERNATIONAL QUILT MARKET

Hey, anyone out there attending the International Quilt Market in Portland and especially the Fabric 2.0 Event? I'd sure love to hear from you before we go. I'm new to this whole fabric thing and so looking forward to meeting everyone.

IT'S A SNAP HAPPY DAY

I got snap happy on my way to pick up my dear friend Nancy the other day. We were headed to the TEA I told you about in my last blog.

Spring has officially Sprung in Indiana! We all begin to come out of the woodwork here in the Midwest right about now. You might find us peeking out to ponder if it's still too soon to plant the pansies, or if our daffodils and tulips will survive an inevitable frost. We peek out; dash back in; like coo coo clocks, until a day such as this one. In just a few short days the trees have gone from stick figures to full green. The grass turned from strawlike to lush green. Everything has come alive! Colors, smells, light....

Spring; Flowers; Friends. It was a snap happy day!

MY PRIDE AND JOY

I know, I know. I have so much to Show + Tell. I'm getting emails wanting to see the Sneak Peeks of the fabrics for Michael Miller. We are still working frantically to finalize and figure out just HOW to submit the first batch. Lots of details. But, believe me, Peeks for the Peeps will be forthcoming.

It's been a whirlwind around here. We have 4 printers just in one room and 2 are having color issues. We're not too happy with them. We are also shorthanded and many activities to pull at us. Yesterday I attended a Silver English Tea to raise money for Arts Scholarships in our community. Raced home because I had exactly one hour before I had a dozen people here for a meeting. And apparently the printers had a chat with the coffeemaker while I was out (probably upset that I was attending a TEA) so it refused to work overtime for my guests! Now today I have a guest arriving to spend a few days, so I must cut this short.

However, I wanted to show you some shots Jennifer took at my Wyatt's recent soccer practice. He's 5 and ain't he sweet?

CONTRACT WITH MICHAEL MILLER FABRICS

It is with a great deal of excitement that I announce my agreement to design fabrics for Michael Miller. The contract is signed and our office is strewn with last minute tweaking. What an exciting time around here.

This is something I had really wanted to do for some time. But running a business didn't give me the time to do much else. Then I had my chance this last September while enjoying an unexpected one month (don't hate me) in Hawaii. My husband had a short term business assignment there, so I packed my sketchbook, paints and swim suit and headed for inspiration in Paradise. But don't expect palm trees and hibiscus. You'll see.

I'm really looking forward to working with Kathy Miller and the team at Michael Miller Fabrics. And Sandi Henderson has been so encouraging and supportive. Hey, I'll be in Portland, OR on May 16 & 17th for the International Quilt Market and can't wait to meet everyone. It will be refreshing to finally TALK to other TEXTILE PEEPS and TEXTILE LOVERS until we're all talked out! I actually have folders on my computer w/ those titles.

Expect sneak peaks on my blog soon. In the meantime, talking about Hawaii has made me very nostalgic, so let me sign off with some of the beauty that fueled my creative juices. This was honestly our view every evening. Always a variation of color combos, as if God was saying, " So you thought last eve was the best sunset? I'll top that". A few steps to this small, mostly private beach. In the morning I would spend an hour collecting beach glass. I had never seen beach glass and soon became addicted to collecting the beautiful aquas, greens, whites and sometimes a surprising yellow or cobalt blue find.

The flowering tree met me each morning on my walk. It had the most brilliant coral petals that looked like they were dipped in oranges and pinks. I would come back from my walk with a fallen petal or leaf and just stare at the incredible detail. The petals, upon close inspection, were really more of a red with orange or fuchsia veins which gave it an iridescence that was spellbinding. What attention to detail! What an awesome God. What an awesome designer. Everytime I see my collection of fabrics I will remember the small or magnificent creation that inspired me. I hope you will enjoy what I dreamed up as much as I did designing it all.

WHAT DO WE HAVE HERE?

What's this Woodrow? What are you trying to say? You're trying to show everyone a canvas bag full of ...what's that? Fabric designs? Woodrow, I told you to be tight lipped about this. Oh, what's that? You don't have lips? Woodrow, quit playing around and hand me a pen so I can sign this contract!

MY FIRST EARTHQUAKE

We were awakened suddenly at 5:38am to the bed shaking, the windows rattling and Tim instantly identified it as an earthquake. We went downstairs to check on the dog and turn on the TV. All the news stations just had the same shaking so eventually it was confirmed to be a 5.4 quake. Exciting morning here. How about you?

BIRTHDAYS, FRIENDS + CHOCOLATE!

Jennifer, Me (Paula), Kelly and Missy

I'm having a wonderful birthday, and it's not even over yet! It's a beautiful day outside so we have the windows open while we work. Kelly makes the best dark chocolate cakes for our birthdays and was so kind not to put the candles on mine. So after sugaring up at lunch I got a picture with my peeps. I love these girls. Cindy was off today, but I have to say I have the best people in the world working with me. It's really like family...oh yeah, Jennifer IS family. Seriously, I am so blessed. I swell with pride when I think how hard each one works to make us as successful as we are. Last September I was gone for a whole month and these gals ran everything flawlessly. I can't say enough.


I guess birthdays for me are about the people in my life. Yesterday I got a birthday card from a friend of mine that I've had for 40+ years. I was instantly filled with so many memories and called her last eve. Oh my, we talked and laughed so hard I almost peed myself (and in fact I did many times in the past...that's why we were laughing as we reminisced). So good to catch up.

I'll let you know how the rest of my birthday goes. I'm waiting very impatiently every day for a special something to arrive in the mail that will involve my signature. Sure would make my day extra special if I just happened to get it today. It's my birthday wish Kathy.