Market Set-up Day and My Virtual Booth

Greetings from Iowa.
I know what you are thinking - Iowa?, did you mean Texas?
Actually, I am in Iowa. I am sitting out this market.
If you remember last Fall I prepared for market from a hospital room, waiting room and a tiny hotel room that I was sharing with my mom and two sisters, as my Dad recovered from a broken leg followed by complications.

Come spring, I prepared for market with the same scenario - just a different hospital, as my mother recovered from colon cancer surgery, followed by complications.

Along about the time our booth contracts were due, I had a third family member with a medical crises.
I immediately decided I did not want to prepare for another market from a hospital.
I took it as a sign I should sit this one out.
As it turned out, the crises was not as serious as first diagnosed, but by the time we found this out, the deadline had passed.

I still had the stress of making five quilts, two aprons and a tablerunner in just 11 days.
But I must say it was really nice not to throw booth designing into the craziness.

I also did not have to find time to pretty myself up, or clothes shop -

although I am disappointed that I did not have

an excuse to buy cute - somewhat uncomfortable - shoes.

Moda will be debuting my Lovely line of fabric at market.
If I were going to market, my booth would have to be...lovely.

I think I will start by covering my walls in this yellow fabric,

it's nice and neutral.

I always need a place to hide "stuff". The stuff that really is not a part of my booth but I need:
extra staples
tape gun
extra sell sheets
chocolate

I would use an old dresser for my "stuff"
And I would fill the top drawer with fresh flowers,
because I think that would be lovely.

I like to put a door in the corner of my booth to make a "closet".
Again to hide "stuff" like:
ladder
boxes
dolly cart

I would use the Accu Quilt Fabric Cutter machine

and charm squares to make a wreath to hang on my door.
(This is a computer generated one.)

If I was really good at Photoshop you would be able

to see just how cool it could be.

It is also very nice to have a table at market.
A place to sit and write orders.

I would put this table runner on the table.

Pattern #515 Kitchen-maids.

I would wear my green sweater dress with the apron on the left.
Bruce would reluctantly wear the one on the right.
He would NOT wear this shirt.
I wanted him to change but he did not have time,
as the boys were waiting outside in the car to head to Canada fishing.
He asked why HE had to wear the apron.
I said "because I have to take the picture".
It never dawned on him that I could wear the apron
and HE could take the picture????
I will give him a break, he had fishing on his mind.
You can make both aprons and the tablerunner on my table,
with one Jelly Roll™. #515 Kitchen-maids

I wanted Bruce to wear this cool vintage corsage I found in an antique shop,
but he REFUSED.

It looks just like the flowers in the large print from my Lovely line.

It is perfect with the apron.
You could shop until you dropped
and never find a pin that is more perfect than this one,
wouldn't your agree. (With Photoshop you can do most anything.)

I always have a picture of my kids in my booth.

I think I will use this picture

Abby, Deb and Anthony

I also would hang all of my Lovely quilts on the walls in my booth.
Unfortunately, these are the computer generated pictures.
If you are going to market you can see the real quilts; all quilted, bound and looking their best, in the Moda booth.

#513 Lovely
Panel pattern

#514 Perfect Arrangement

Charm Pack™ Pattern

#516 Best of Show

Layer Cake ™

#517 Eggs-tra Special

#518 Four O'clocks

All my quilts are hung, my booth is done and it is only 10:00 in the morning.

Record time!
It usually takes me two days to assemble a real booth.

I will miss seeing all of you at market.
But more than missing you, I will be most bummed about not getting to eat at Vic and Anthony's Steakhouse, my favorite place to dine in Houston.
If you are one of my followers who will be attending market, your should eat there. Order the Chicken Paige Scaloppine. Yummy!
In fact order me the following to go.
Appetizer:
Jumbo Lump Crab Cake
Salad:
Pear and Saga Blue Cheese Salad
Entrée:
Chicken Paige Scaloppine
Vegetable:
Potatoes Lyonnaise
Dessert:
Chocolate Collection
Key Lime Pie
Carrot Cake
Well maybe not all three desserts… I would probably just choose one.
Hmmm scratch the order to go...probably would not travel through the UPS system all that well.
But you should go there and order all of my favorite things. Think of me while you are dining.

Do you know what the VERY best thing about not going to market is?...

This will not be left behind in Oklahoma.

Have a Lovely day.

From my heart,
Sandy

A Perfect Day

The weather forecast in Ankeny, Iowa on September 4th was:
High of 75 degrees.
Sunny.
Zero percent chance of rain.
A perfect day for an outdoor wedding.

A perfect Day.
A lovely ceremony.
And a beautiful couple.
Congratulations Anthony and Deb Gervais!

Deb's maiden name was Lampe.
After the wedding she went about the business of having her name changed on her bank accounts, credit cards, etc.

She received her new credit card and this is how her name was spelled:
Deb Gervaif

Remember my first blog? The one about my name.
If you don't remember, go here to read it.


Welcome to the family Deb, and welcome to our world, the world where you will forever say:
Deb Gervais - followed by this lingo - Gervais - G as in George e, r, - V as in Victor a, i - S as in Sam.

And even still you will get this - Gervaif.

The price you have to pay to be married to a wonderful guy named Gervais.

From my heart,
Sandy

Better Than Santa

I had somebody better than Santa come to my studio.

Who could be better than Santa?
I will give you some hints.
He wears a suit like Santa.
He drives a special vehicle like Santa.
He brings packages like Santa.
He has a broad face and a little round belly, that shakes when he laughs like a bowlful of jelly. Just like Santa
So you ask, how could he be better than Santa.

Instead of a sleigh he drives a brown truck.





Instead of packages with big red bows.
He brings plain brown boxes taped with blue and white tape.

Instead of a red suit he wears a brown suit.
He is our trusty UPS driver and his name is Al.
(Bleach that mustache and he could almost pass for Santa.)
Just like Christmas Morning,

I tore open those packages as quickly as I could.

This is what I found in the packages.
Isn't it lovely?
Well it is Lovely. (The name of the line is Lovely.)
Lovely will be debuting at fall market.

I am off to create quilts and patterns for this lovely line.
Market set-up is in 11 days!
We have 6 quilts to make in 11 days...and nights.
Pray for me.

From my heart,
Sandy

Fall-oween Blog Hop Winners

Hello fellow Fall-o-ween blog followers.
First of all I would like to thank all of you for following our blog hop.
It was so much fun to read all of the comments.

And even more fun was seeing the finished projects on Flickr.

We have pulled winners out of a hat and cross checked with all 10 designer's blogs to make sure that the winners commented on all of the blogs.
This was quite a task.
We had to pull about 13 names before we could find 3 people who were really persistent and visited and commented at least once on each of the 10 blogs. Congratulations Jane, Polly and Shannon. Your persistence paid off!
1st Prize: Sew Create It - Jane

2nd Prize: Polly Aunt Polly's Porch

3rd Prize: Shannon Nunu's Quilt World

Gudrun will be sending off your prizes shortly.

I hope you all come back to visit my blog often.
Have a happy Fall,
From my heart,
Sandy

Fall-o-ween Blog Hop Day 10

Welcome to Day 10 of the Quilt Designer's Fall-o-ween Blog Hop.

Today's featured designer is Pat Sloan of Pat Sloan's Designs.
I don't know of anyone who has more going on than Pat.
She has 2 hops going on at once. I can't seem to handle one

Hop on over to her blog to see what she has to offer up today.

Today's subject is quilts.
When I saw the topic I decided I would string a clothesline from tree to tree to tree in our yard and hang all of my Fall quilts on the line.
Doesn't it sound like it would be a fabulous photo op?
I thought so.
Well you will just have to imagine how cool that would have been.
Why you ask?
Well I could blame it on my nasty cold that will not go away.
I could blame it on the fact that I am snowed under at work generating quilts for market.
I could blame the dog...he ate the quilts. ???
I could blame it on the fact that before I knew it...it was dark outside.
But truth be known, I just did not get it done.
I guess I will file that idea in the "Things I want to get done someday".
Below are some of the quilts that I was going to hang on my clothesline.

Illusions

Dog Leg Left
Pineapple Pie

Falling Leaves


Jitters

Super Stars

Happy Jack

Running Scared

Fall Foliage


This quilt is in my "Things I want to get done someday".
Featured in the October issue of American Patchwork and Quilting Magazine.
Designed by Lissa Alexander,
aka Director of Marketing Moda Fabrics, aka Moda Lissa.


This quilt is in "I am coveting this quilt" file.
It hangs in Laurie Simpson's dining room.
Not fair, I want it in my dining room.

Hop from blog to blog to see what the other designer have to say about quilts.
They probably have really cool pictures.
Overachievers.

GE Designs, Pieces of My Heart, Atkinson Designs, Pat Sloan, Anka's Treasures,
New Leaf Stitches, Whimsicals, Miss Rosies,
Rosebud's Cottage, Linda Lum DeBono.

When you finish your projects take a picture.
Use this link to post the pictures on Flickr for all of us to see.

You have through Friday to make at least one comment on all 10 blogs to be eligible for our Grand Prize.
We will announce the winner on Monday.
Good luck!

Happy Halloween.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Happy Fall.

From my heart,
Sandy

Fall-o-ween Blog Hop Day 9

Welcome to Day 9 of the Quilt Designer's Fall-o-ween Blog Hop.

Today's featured designer is Linda of Linda Lum DeBono.

Hop on over to her blog to see what project she has designed for you.
I am betting it is unique

Today's topic is Haunts.
Haunts…..Hmm I've got nothin'.
Usually I can come up with something but...
absolutely nothing.
I am speechless.

So how about if I just post some pictures of Bruce and I over the years.

Somethings really do get better with age.

Happy Fall.

Hop from blog to blog to see what the other designers have to say about haunts.
I am sure none of them are speechless.
Leave a comment on all 10 blogs and be eligible for the Grand Prize.

GE Designs, Pieces of My Heart, Atkinson Designs, Pat Sloan, Anka's Treasures,
New Leaf Stitches, Whimsicals, Miss Rosies,
Rosebud's Cottage, Linda Lum DeBono.

When you finish your projects take a picture.
Use this link to post the pictures on Flickr for all of us to see.

Tomorrow is the last day of the hop.

Tomorrow's designer will be Pat Sloan.

The topic will be quilts.

Now go get dressed up and have yourself some fun.

From my heart,

Sandy

Fall-o-ween Blog Hop Day 8

Welcome to Day 8 of the Quilt Designer's Fall-o-ween Blog Hop.
My goodness the days are flying by.
Today's featured designer is Carrie Nelson from Miss Rosie's Quilt Co.

Hop on over to her blog and check out her project.

I'm guessing it will be something pieced.

And I will want to make it.

When the kids were little, every fall we would
take a family trip down to the Community Orchard in Ft. Dodge.

(We really need to have a new Family Portrait taken.)

In the Fall the orchard offered hayrides out to their pumpkin fields.
Once you arrived at the pumpkin patch, you could get
off the hayrack and pick your pumpkin.



Anthony was content to pick his pumpkin right away.
He usually picked a tall skinny one.


But Abby, our dear Abby, she would have to wander

to the far corner of the field to find her pumpkin.
It was always very large and heavy and

her Daddy had to lug it back to the hayrack.

The Orchard has a café, where we would have

apple dumplings with cinnamon ice cream,

before we headed home to carve our pumpkins. Yummy!
They also have Sweet Corn Relish. and Flax chips. Yummy too!

As a child I always had trouble carving the mouth of my Jack-o-lantern.

I almost always inadvertently cut off the teeth.
And if I was trying to do eyeballs I usually ended up

cutting off at least one if not both of the eyeballs.
.
The kids are all grown up now, but every once in a while,

if they come home around Halloween, we will all carve pumpkins.
Can you guess which one is mine?

Tomorrow's featured designer will be Linda from Linda Lum DeBono.
Topic tomorrow will be Haunts.

Now hop on along to the other designer's blog to read about their family traditions.

Comment on all 10 blogs and be eligible for our grand prize.

GE Designs, Pieces of My Heart, Atkinson Designs, Pat Sloan, Anka's Treasures,
New Leaf Stitches, Whimsicals, Miss Rosies,
Rosebud's Cottage, Linda Lum DeBono.

When you finish your projects take a picture.
Use this link to post the pictures on Flickr for all of us to see.

Be a kid today, take time to carve some pumpkins and may none of them be toothless.

From my heart,

Sandy