I have been a bit MIA. For a few weeks. It seems like longer I think. I have been prepping for one too many events I do believe.
Quilt Market at the end of October. Our only retail quilt show of the year, Pacific International Quilt Festival, in the middle of October. And The Creative Connection in Minneapolis this past weekend. Wow that's a lot of prepping, a lot of activity, and just so it doesn't sound like I'm whining, a lot of amazing fun. Remind me of this insanity the next time I eagerly say yes to an event scheduled in September, would you?!
First Up... The Creative Connection
The Creative Connection was a 4 day whirlwind of classes, panels, keynotes, parties and get togethers. Yes, lots and lots of get togethers! I had such a wonderful time catching up with good friends and sharing meals with Camille, Lissa, Kaari, Jennifer, Nancy, Mary & Connie, Amy and others that I am now in my "post event haze" probably blanking on!
It was also such a great opportunity to meet many wonderful women that I had admired for a long time or only "knew" online like Jen, Serena, and Heather. My classes were chalk full of wonderful conference attendees and I had so much fun with Melanie, Heather, Paige, Shasta, Carrie & Jana and others who I know will join the blog world soon! I had the opportunity to meet and chat with Wendy, Marcia from Tinsel Trading, and to admire the beautiful work of others such as Jennifer, the ladies at Hutch Studios, April [fell in love with her owls-especially the ones she had made from our Whimsy fabrics] and others.
I got a chance to teach these little yummies to rooms filled with eager students. You gotta love folks who really want to learn a new skill or hone an old one! Thank you ladies for joining me this past weekend!
At the HANDMADE MARKET.... I fell in love with Jen O'Connor's Earth Angels booth. See the beauties below.
Note: All the ladies mentioned below are linked in the lists above so go take a look at all of their inspiring businesses and blogs....
... I am now the proud owner of that quilt. It will soon be a pattern so stay tuned. I just couldn't resist it from the moment I saw it.
... these little blackbirds had so much personality!
... painting by Jennifer Lanne that I fell in love with several years ago and have them hung all over my studio walls!
... the charming Country Threads booth of Mary and Connie. Just makes me think of fall.
... the sweet work of the Hutch Studios. It was instant love at first sight for me.
And of course there were so many more that I just didn't get a chance to take pictures of. See other posts for more info.
Of course, when I arrived back home exhausted and worn out, this is what was waiting for me.
And then I really did wonder why I had ever left to begin with.
Talk to you soon.