Quilt Market Day 2: Overload

I've been to plenty of trade shows for work. Big ones like Siggraph and E3. But for some reason Quilt Market is completely overwhelming. It took me 3.5 hours to walk all the booths, and I wasn't stopping any longer than it took to snap a few photos.

I woke up extra early this morning (thank you Eastern time), and downloaded the photos from my camera. I quickly realized that I wouldn't have time to post them today! Wow, I was camera happy! I promise to post them soon, but in the meantime here are a couple of highlights...

Lizzy House's cake party. How cute is that cake? I have to admit, I didn't taste it -- Kathy and I were on our way to lunch (name drop much?) but she is super sweet to go to the trouble, and you can see her gorgeous patterns there in the bottom right.




Amy Butler and I at her fabulous booth...we talked for awhile about her pattern co-author/drafter who shares my maiden name. Amy was super nice (as you would expect from us Ohio girls), but that's the great thing about Quilt Market...everyone is nice! Strangely I've run into three women from Ohio -- all from Cincinnati and all fabulous and met some online friends in person (like Anna, Katy, and Brioni) and shared two meals with Kathy of Pink Chalk Studio who is just as cool as you've probably gathered from her blog/shop.

I've met with one art director for a fabric company thus far, and while not a horrible meeting, she wasn't pouring over my fabric samples either. I have a few meetings scheduled for today. Fingers crossed.

-- Post From My iPad

Quilt Market Day 1: Sample Spree

I got in to Houston today, checked into the hotel (which is surprisingly nice) and headed to the convention center to pick up my info. I snuck a peak at the exhibit hall floor during set up:

That's a lot of quilts. And if you look closely you'll notice....




..a booth with a car! I can't wait to hear the story about this!

I walked around downtown a bit, and hung out in the hotel until spree.

What can I say about spree? A lot of people, really eager to get into the ballroom, some good deals, but a bit overwhelming. I ended up with this:



clockwise from upper left: Moda Sudoku set of Lovely by Sandy Gervais, three pattern set from Serendipity Studio, fat quarter set of Celebrate Seuss from Robert Kaufman, charm packs of Santa's Chocolate Shoppe from StudioE, a pair of embroidery scissors, and a fat quarter set of Little Menagerie by Melanie Hurlston for Windham

Good times!

So far I've met some awesome people, not including the woman standing behind me in line for spree. She said my boot/skirt combo was odd, and apparently also believed me to be hard of hearing. HRMPF!

Tomorrow the exhibits open!

-- Post From My iPad

Fear and Guilding

I made the two hour round trip drive to the Big City tonight for the inaugural meeting of the Columbus Modern Quilt Guild. What an inspiring group! Here are a few of the many pictures I took at show and tell:

AnneMarie's Elephant baby quilt (sorry it's upside down!)

Cristin's's baby quilt

Amanda's Single Girl quilt

Paula's Tokyo Subway Map quilt (finished before the quilt along ended!!)

Vicki's's Halloween quilt (a sneak preview!)

Good fun, and a good distraction to my Quilt Market preparations/terror. Speaking of which, I have abandoned my "I'm too cool for Twitter so I am going to prove its lameness by getting people to follow me without tweeting" plan. I'm going to use my Twitter account to tweet at Quilt Market. It's over there in the right column, feel free to follow.

Housekeeping:

1. Jaxon is not being a knight for Halloween -- but a good guess. I thought that's what he looked like, too!

2. When I need to laugh, I go here: A Comprehensive Glossary of Gifs. Of course I smirk knowingly at all of the Arrested Development/Office/Colbert references, and my favorite Doctor (in the comments), but for real laughs don't miss:
A. Do not want (emphatic) -- the poodle seals it for me
B. Internet Reading Expression (and variations)
C. O RLY? (var)

In the comments (Look at the Doctor again!)
A. Snuggie party time.
B. Some random dude's friend, dressed as a kiwi, falling into an icy lake. WHY IS THIS SO FUNNY TO ME?
C. Cookie Monster loves big cookie.

This might have just given you too much insight into my psyche, and now you think I'm weird. I have this to say to you:



It kills me every time.

What I've Been Up To...

...includes:

a little Market prep that I'm not ready to reveal more than this:

making Creme Brulee French Toast from Sandi's recipe...




obsessing over yarn wreaths (the cheapest craft EVER)...




working on Jaxon's Halloween costume, which includes a purple balaclava (any guesses?)...




(and because he now enjoys mugging for the camera, a bonus shot):




sewing a camera strap. I love the lens cap pocket, but because I like to wear my camera across body this might be too bulky...




...and a cute little Christmas tree for my Around the World...




....and lots and lots of work. Anybody want to grade midterms for me??