Fresh Figs

To Market, to Market to Make a Silly Video

I know we all say this when we hear our own voices... but I guess I will be unoriginal and say it all again....

Do I really sound like that? And is it THAT uncomfortable for everyone who sees themselves on video or is it just me?

I mean, you would think that I would have gotten used to it all, with lovely Gene chasing after us with that blasted video camera year after year, Market after Market... but I don't! Every time I see a new video, I have to shut it off or at least I have to leave the room so that others can watch it.

Just an odd experience that I can't seem to get used to...oh well.

But, anyway, in the absence of having edited any of my Market photos [hope to start having those for you by tomorrow], here is the lovely video that the lovely Gene took for the lovely folks at MODA and they, in all of their loveliness, felt the need to share it with the world :-) :-).....

 

 

 

Happy viewing,

Joanna

MODA Booth Love

Although it seems that I barely made it out of my booth this time around in order to walk the show and take my obligatory photos of friends and colleagues, I did get a little series of pics of the MODA booths right after closing one day.

It's actually my favorite time to take pictures. When it is all quiet and everyone has gone back to their hotel for the day, there is a quiet beauty to the booths without any people in them. Helps to look at all the little details that I miss during the day.

I thought it was a great representation of the amazing job that MODA does every single Market, every single year, year in, year out. I don't think that anyone would disagree that for years now the quality and the professionalism that MODA puts out there as a leading company in our industry not only drives the industry itself but motivates all the rest of us to greater work.

Thank you MODA for another wonderful Market!

 

Welcome to the MODA Country Fair....

... did you see the ferris wheel? It was fully functional by the way. And there is our booth to the far left.

... possibly my favorite version of the STEMS quilt hanging there in the middle. Love that pattern.

... loving those lights. Am currently in search of some for our back porch for the summer. Don't you think they would be fabulous. So simple.

 

You gotta love working with these lovely folks! I mean, really, who else could look good alongside a purple carpet LOL!?

 

xoxo

Joanna

Tired of Market yet?

The Country Fair banners throughout all of our MODA booths tied us all together and they were easily one of my favorite little additions to this years's decorations. Something about them is so festive. And they are so simple to make, 10" long, 8" wide, cut on an angle with fusible webbing inside 2 pieces of fabric. That's it. I glue gunned mine to a twill tape but if you had the time you could of course also sew them in place. Perfect for parties of any kind, just pick a thematic fabric for that event and you've got instant atmosphere!

... my favorite sign in the booth. Only some people got the joke. Do you remember BABE the pig? If you don't, then this wont' make any sense to you whatsoever. But that's okay, Eric and I chuckled about it all weekend long!

... here's a pic of me in my favorite new "little black dress" not knowing what to do with my hands.

... still don't know what to do with my hands. You would think that after the umpteenth person asked me to take a picture of me in my booth, I would have figured out what to do with me hands, but no. Here I am trying to figure out where on earth to put those things to make them look natural. Again. At another market. I think I am going to start holding something at all times! Any other ideas? :-)

xoxox

 

A bit more Market

A few more shots today. Too tired for much commentary. That post market exhaustion has officially hit me.

   

... new charm pack pillow pattern. I am in love with the look of my fabrics mixed with linen!

 

 

... my favorite corner of the booth, with the beautiful green fruit cart that MODA let me use for my booth. Just love it. Wouldn't mind it in the middle of my living room! How about it Lissa?

 

xoxoxo

Joanna

From Market, from Market

You know, as opposed to "To Market, to Market..." :-) You gotta cut me some slack as I am just a bit slap happy today! So glad to be home after our trip to Salt Lake City and then New York, more on that later.

But for now, I thought I would start to share some of the pics of my booth. Starting with a bundle of the new collection, Butterscotch & Rose. It is a warmer, fall line inspired by a trip to Sonoma Valley in the wine country. Its a bit more of a traditional line with a good mix of florals, little prints and my favorite geranium print that I can't wait to use on something for our home. Don't know what yet! I'll let you know as soon as I figure it out.

Our booth theme was Country Fair, along with the MODA booths [stay tuned for some great shots of the MODA booths tomorrow] and we decorated it with signs and fruit and crates and baskets to look like a stand at your local country fair. I don't know about you, but the outcome for me is that I am dieing to go to an actual country fair this summer. Planning it already. Any suggestions for Northern California? We're willing to travel a bit to get there, not too much though.....

 

... I'll have to share some of the funniest "Best Livestock" comments from market. Although the hub might not quite appreciate those being broadcast on the blog :-)...

 

.... these is our newest series of postage stamp inspired wall hangings. For those of you applique lovers out there, these are a perfect combo of applique and a little embroidery. More on those later this week.

I have a million more photos so stay tuned and sign up for our newsletter if you aren't already cuz we are going to have a fun giveaway there later this week!

xoxoxo Joanna

 

Its Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas...

As you may have noticed, we have been a bit on the quiet side around these here parts. We have been doing a series of specials and sales through our newsletter these past few weeks and that has kept us just a bit busier than expected [btw, you really ought to sign up if you haven't already]. 

But also, we have been purposefully trying to slow down this holiday season and to not do as much so that we might enjoy the meaning and the wonder of this time of year. 

I have found that its much easier to say that than to do it, by the way! But we're working on it!

So I am happy to share that our home is now finally more or less decorated with some of my favorite little decorations. Plans are made and gifts are being wrapped. The kitchen is seeing more use than normal and the over seems to be on every day.

The tree has been up for a while and we finally put the angel on the top- this year it was Zack's turn and somehow we could never get him in the same room as the tree and at the same time remember that the angel was still sitting on the coffee table!

The kids have made some cookies and some gingerbread houses. There are grand plans to make a lot more tonite!

Each evening after everyone goes to sleep, I sit with a cup of my favorite vanilla and caramel tea [a wonderful Lipton tea blend available at Safeway] on the left side of my couch and I stare at our Christmas Tree. The kids decorated it mostly on their own this year... that's definitely a first around here and I can look at many of the ornaments and remember which one of them put it where it is.

There is something about the Christmas tree for me, glittery and soft and romantic and nostalgic and traditional and a symbol for everything else swirling around during this time of the year. It makes me smile or tear up depending on what it is that I am thinking of.  I know its just a tree with a bunch of stuff on it but it has come to represent so many different things, hasn't it?

I try to sit still and think through the day. Funny things my daughter said. A new quilt pattern completed or swatches decided on. A discussion that my hub and I have had. A project completed for January. A generous thing that one or other of my boys has done. A moment of quiet in the middle of the day.

And my wonder grows. 

 

My greatest wish for you this season is that you would be able to slow down and to reflect even just a little about what it is that you celebrate this time of the year. The meaning and significance behind it all. And that your wonder would grow. Even just a little.

 

Talk to you soon. Joanna

Home From Quilt Market

I'm home. Which means that I am officially on couch vacation for at least another day or maybe two. This is my favorite place to be after I return from Quilt Market-- for those of you who have been following me for a long time you might remember that it is specifically the left corner of my couch LOL!!

I don't move from it for a few days and can only accomplish what I can do from there. Which believe it or not, is quite a lot given them my entire life is on my laptop and iphone these days. Let's just say that we eat a lot of takeout the week following Market.

But in case you are just a little bit worried, the office staff are sending out your orders like crazy so even though i look like a bump on a log, they are working overtime to get you what you need quickly! It all just moves forward without me for a while. Thank goodness.

So.... here are a few more photos of our booth in case you are not yet bored of hearing. I am so glad I got to see so many of you at the booth... since I didn't get much of a chance to go much of anywhere else. I didn't even make it over to the other side of the convention hall once this time so I missed many of my fabric friends!! Will have to catch up with you in Salt Lake ladies!

I'll be bringing hub who can handle the booth beautifully without me so I can go and hang out more! In fact we laugh, that he is better at this whole Market thing than me. He sells that stuff like it's going out of style! I tell you, I don't know how he does it. I guess it helps that he loves the product, loves the designer [blush] and loves to sell!

Okay... back to booth pics...

... back to that favorite booth corner again. As for that little pillow... well, we'll have to wait on that story for a little later.

... we had so much fun making these simple oversized daisies. I think I will post a free pattern of them really soon. They would make perfect kid room decorations. In fact that I think that is where our booth props will go once the boxes arrive back from Market.

... our little stack of fruits and yummies. New strawberry pincushion, our fig pincushion from Fresh Vintage #16 and some darling little fabric promos from MODA. Stay tuned for more about those, as we will be giving them all away on a special blog event in January. More on that later.

... and my favorite new dress pattern, Ella's Party Dress, which is at the printer as we speak. You won't believe how simple this is to make and how professional the outcome is! Can't wait to send it out to you all!

Hope you enjoyed the shots. Stay tuned for the next post [in another hour or so] where we will show you the next kit special from our SHOWSPECIALS series.

Talk to you soon.

Market Day #2

 

Market Day #2 is done and we are watching the World Series in the Lobby Bar. Let me explain.

After a full day of selling, talking, business appointments, schmoozing [such an official term I know] and generally "moving and grooving" [what does that mean exactly anyway?] we have finally taken off our shoes... literally..., put up our hair and are sitting down. Believe me, the term "sitting down" has a whole new meaning when you have been standing up in dress clothes and high heels for 10 hours. I know, I know, life is so hard here at Market. I am not complaining. Much.

Business was great today. We only have a very few catalogs left so if you are a store and haven't come by yet, you might want to in the morning because I can tell that we will run out.

I don't have a lot of energy left in me so all I thought I would do is show you a few shots of the booth. Sorry for the lighting. I was having picture quality difficulties with the convention center lighting today.

 

talk to you tomorrow.

 

Quilt Market: Day 1

Hello Everyone!

First day of Market is all done and we have just wrapped up the biannual MODA party!  It was the most fun we have had in a long time. MODA hosted the party at the Minute Maid Ballpark here in Houston and as always they went all out on all accounts.

Great venue change! Its conveniently located 2 blocks from the convention center where Quilt Market is hosted so it couldn't be a more perfect location. Amazing Texas BBQ, good friends including MODA reps, designers, customers and mill reps and a really fun country western/old rock band made for a wonderful evening full of dancing. 

Day 1 of Market was fabulous and the new line, Buttercup, has been wonderfully received by our customers. The brand new patterns are flying off the racks and at this point I couldn't even tell you which ones are the best sellers. I guess I will have to do a count tomorrow.

I thought I would share a few pics of one of the new patterns that people are loving. Cute and simple. These are pincushions that anyone can whip up in an hour or so...

Strawberry Shortcake

And for those of you who are store owners who missed Market, here is what the pattern cover, front and back, looks like.

For those of you interested in getting  your very own, here is the link.

Will post with booth photos tomorrow. Promise.

 

talk to you soon.

More Market... can you stand it?

I got so excited to "introduce" you to all my new goodies, that I somehow managed to forget my general Market post. Now those of you who know me, know that I don't get out much. At home too :-), but in this case, out of my booth at Market! Often on the last day of the show when things slow a bit down, I get a little reprieve and take some shots at least of the MODA booths and hopefully a few others. This year was even worse. 

First it was really so much busier than we expected... which is really not a problem at all, just a problem if you want to wander around Market at your leisure and take photos of everything that is beautiful. And second, I got to leave a bit early this time around and my dear hub broke down the booth all on his own. I know! How lucky could I be!

All that to say.....

MODA is really an amazing company to work with. Given that I am designing my 19th collection with them, I guess that is kind of a given but still sometimes it needs to be said again. Thank you so much Mark, Cheryl, Lissa, Outlaw, Duckie, John, Bob, Kathy, Doyle, Hassan, Sarah, Erin, Holly, Kelli, Susan and all of the amazing reps [who I am not even going to try to name here because inevitably I will forget someone] and everyone else who makes this whole crazy thing go around twice a year!

As I am sure you have already seen, this year the MODA booth was transformed into a giant dollhouse. Actually several giant dollhouses.

 

... rooftop windows!

 ...sidewalls

 

... inset boxes into the booth structure that just had the sweetest details. Love those cutouts!

.. and who could resist actual dollhouses to match.

  

... and because so many of you have emailed asking if the applique version of Vanilla & Blooms could be made out of Breakfast at Tiffany's as well, here it is hanging in the MODA booth.

• • • • • • • • • • • •

And all around the main MODA booth, were the rest of us. I didn't get shots of everyone, I am so sorry! But here are the ones I did get [with links if there are blogs]...

... Camille is never far from her camera!

...somehow I missed a shot of Sandy's booth [probably cuz she was too busy] but at least got a pic of her taking a pic of me!

 

... on the right of us, was the Sweetwater team. As fun as can be!

 

... love their neutral palette.

... on the left of us was Camille and Bonnie. I am so glad to have gotten a pic of Camille laughing since she was fighting baby nausea and remnants of the flu the entire time she was at market. I think she is such an amazing person & such a trooper for even coming! I would have most likely curled up on my couch and refused to move! 

... next would be Bunny Hill Designs with Ann's first line with MODA, titled Lilly & Will. Sweet pink, brown and baby colors with lots of fun textures for traditional nurseries.

...next up, Minick & Simpson with perhaps my favorite fabric sign of all time. You would think I would have managed to get a picture of their actual booth or at least some more of the quilts, but no. Instead I gravitated toward their sign. Love it. Want it. Could design an entire room around that soft, vintage palette! Are you guys sure you couldn't just send it this way?

... Me & My Sister with their cute corner booth full of "HAPPY"! That is such a great description of them and their fabrics as well. You go girls!

... Sandy with American Jane and possibly my favorite quilt that she has ever done! That Noah's Ark quilt is something I might start now for my yet to be unborn grandchildren [my oldest is 12 so that gives me just about the amount of time I would need to finish it]! Wow!    

... and last but certainly not least, Liesl with Oliver & S has joined the MODA ranks this Spring and we couldn't be happier to have her. Her well known classic children's clothing patterns are the most beautiful and most well written ones on the market and her and her husband are a wonderful "booth" team. Her new fabric collection, City Weekend, has both cottons and wonderfully soft knits.   

One of the things I love about MODA the most is that they really do have something for everyone and every style and yet still manage to maintain their wonderful chic, vintage, fresh and well put together look. Proud to be a part.

Talk to you soon.