Big Fat Zero, One Cast, Two Vacations, Three (or so) Sunny Days and Four (or so) Demos

Greetings! It’s been a long and unintended absence.  Yep, zero blogs all summer long.  It was never my intention to take any time off and here we are late into August.  I’m not sure where the summer went, but here is a quick rundown on the ups and downs this summer.  Mostly "ups", thank goodness!

First of all; Happy Anniversary to Jon and Laura.  That was my first excuse for not writing a blog.  Laura and Jon celebrated a significant anniversary in June.  They spent two glorious weeks on Kauai and they even renewed their wedding vows on the beach with their two daughters in attendance.  Incredible!  Oh, and this was back to back with daughter Leslie graduating from the University of Oregon!  Way to go, Les!

 I confess; I didn’t do a whole lotta work while Laura was gone.  My Dave left a job of 17 years and got a new one.  All in all a great transition but a transition none the less.  Then our dear little Italian Greyhound, Jib, accidently got stepped on and broke all four bones in one foot.  Scary!  He’s quite old, blind, and I was extremely worried he would go downhill with a formidable injury to recover from.  The good news is he’s doing really well and his final cast comes off tomorrow.  Phew!  Notice the heart on his cast?  The vet tech who wraps his foot every week loves him!  Not hard to fall in love with this little guy, he is a sweetheart!

Then Laura left again!  Yep, another two week vacation cruising in the San Juan Islands.  Now this time I did work while she was gone.  More on that later.  Laura had a fabulous trip with Jon, the girls, and friends that came and went.  Relaxing, for sure!  Many ports of call, fresh shellfish, (I hear Laura ate clams!), shopping, hiking, rafting with other boats, and the like.  Terrific!

I had some fun demos in her absence.  I went to Harrison Hospital in East Bremerton and participated in a program called “Art in the Lobby”.  I made a floor mat and talked to some really great people.  Then Dave and I went to our hometown fabric store called “Esther’s” here on Bainbridge Island and had a fabulous demo.  Dave was a great substitute for Laura.  He is always working behind the scenes at home anyway, so he’s quite an expert on making mats – he actually glued the mat together that day.  Good news too – if you missed that demo Laura and I will be returning to Esther’s on Bainbridge, this Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

When Laura FINALLY stopped vacationing and got down to business (yep, it’s a dig..... poor Laura has been hearing that ALL summer long!), we did a terrific demo at The Needle and I in Everett.  I had a dear friend stop by and we got to catch up a bit before the demo began (great to see you DD!).  Then we spent time with 10 incredible women in a classroom setting and really enjoyed chatting about the creative ways to make floor mats.  Thank you Georgia; and I hope you’ll visit her beautiful store when in Everett.

Notice the plastic putty knife in my hand?  I am always singing the praises of making a mat with my favorite tool!

Just last week we drove up to Lynden near the Canadian border and did two back to back demos (okay, I guess this is technically five demos but since these two were less than 24 hours apart AND I needed a four in the title of the blog...) with the local quilt guild and at TANGLED THREADS – a darling store you just have to visit!  Sharylann and Thelma were a hoot!  Boy did we make a ton of mats!   Thanks again, dear friends.

Here is the front entrance to Tangled Threads, just love this saying - if you have trouble reading it, it goes like this:  May your Quilts, Friendships & Love be plentiful, and your Tangled Threads few.

And finally, although, I really shouldn’t complain, we have had a very cool summer around here.  Barely a sunny day.  Many could say that is a blessing especially when hearing of the soaring temperatures around the country, and I wholeheartedly agree, but well, a few sunny days would be nice.  Last Saturday was my wedding anniversary (Laura and Jon have a couple of years on us) but we finally had a beautiful weekend (it was 85 degrees and the hottest day in 2011) and here is a picture of us to celebrate.

Look for further updates along the way.  I’m on it!  With fall ahead, we have big plans!  Oh, and did I mention there is a wedding coming up?  Laura’s daughter Jennifer is getting married so there will be lots to share in the months ahead!

Here a just a few pictures of some of the goings on in the studio…..

New Sweetwater "Hometown" primed and ready for floor mat making!

A little something Laura and I are working on - shhhh!  It's a surprise!

One of our new samples for Circle Time...

Okay, here are a few other pictures.  I couldn't resist throwing them in.  Chelsea was riding Dot yesterday and the grasses around the outdoor arena were tall!

Every year when the kids were small, Laura's family,our family, and my sister-in-law's kids posed for a summer picture.  After a few shots, the kids would do a goofy shot.  Here the kids are (with a few additional kids) and we are missing one kid (my son Chase) who is in Wyoming.  We were gathered together for a  "couples shower" for Laura's daughter and future son-in-law Brett.  Although they are all growing up, you are never too old to act like a kid!

I am working on a project kit I bought from Sandy Klop of American Jane when at Sew Expo last spring.  Sometimes it's fun to do something that is not your own!  And I love Sandy!  She calls this kit Nuts and Bolts but I see it as a bunch of beach umbrellas!  See the finished picture below.

Okay, enough, got to get busy in the studio.  Have a great day!

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Not Your Typical Market 

Okay, as wholesale markets go, this one was definitely NOT my favorite!  I’ll explain.

As always, I LOVED the people.  I LOVED the beautiful quilts.  I LOVED the energy.  I LOVED hanging out with Laura.  I LOVED not cooking for a few days.  I LOVED Salt Lake as it was a quiet and friendly city.

I LOVED the booth.

I LOVED teaching at Schoolhouse.

I LOVED Clothworks and the Clothworks group – some of the most fun people on the planet.  I mean it!

Here is what I didn’t love.  My daughter got very sick.  Yikes!  She ended up in the hospital while I was gone.  Double yikes!  Dave told me to stay at market as he could handle it.  That much I know is true, BUT... I’m the mom! 

So, I called and purchased a same day ticket and flew home Saturday night.  I abandoned Laura.  What a sport she was!  She totally got it.  And our Clothworks family really pitched in to help!  Thanks everyone!  Love and Hugs.

I got to the airport and went straight to the hospital.  I spent the night in the chair next to Chelsea. I was so glad to be there.  Mom is needed when a kid is really sick.  Dad is too.  Dave was so awesome.  And Hilary, neighbor and dear friend was also such a treasure during this crisis.  Thank you Hilary! 

Chelsea made a huge recovery over Saturday night.  I’d like to think it was me being there, but they were administering super drugs that helped her recover – and recover she did (I’m sure it didn’t hurt that her mom was there though!).

Chelsea had a terrible case of Mono – swollen neck, tongue and cheeks.   She couldn’t swallow and was at one point having difficulty breathing.  Super scary!  She’s still very tired but the swelling has gone away.  Her recovery is speeding along nicely now.   I count my blessings.

So it wasn’t my best market, but so what?  Dave and I have a heck of a lot to be grateful for.  And we are!  Every single day is a gift and sometimes we need a scare like this to remember just how true that is.

So there you have it.  There will be future markets and lots of creative energy ahead.  I’m looking forward to it.  I’ve already spent a little bit of time in the studio and the creative juices are flowing.

Laura took pictures at market so when I get them, I’ll post them.  Here are the few that I took below.  We have a fun newsletter I hinted at during my last post coming out within the week.  Look for it!  In the meantime, I wish for you -  glorious sunshine, spring flowers, birds chirping and, most importantly good health to all!

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To Market, To Market

Greetings!  So much to tell and show today.  We are heading to market next week and of course it’s always a last minute scramble to be ready.

New for market are some fun patterns.  Hopefully I’ll have them posted to our website before we leave.  Then we have a fun little surprise planned for our newsletter after we get back so be sure to sign up on the website so you don’t miss out!

Here are the newest offerings from Beach Garden Quilts:

Girly Gear "Sports Bag" - A fabulous new gear bag for books, balls, and lunch.  Fun!  Seen here in Kinkame Shades and Urban Landscapes by Clothworks.

 Are you ready for wild?  This is an updated version of an old friend - Manzanita Maheim - crazy cute!  Again, shown in Shades by Kinkame for Clothworks.

 Our new purse - just right for a wallet, phone, lipstick and keys!  The Necessities Bag - so adorable!  Dress it up or down - black tie (Black Velvet) or every day (like the adorable Clothworks offerings above).

 You asked!  We delivered!  A dog collar made from the fabulous Multi Purpose Cloth from Rockland.  We include the MPC and the collar hardware for both small and medium dogs in the same pattern!  EASY!

 Another request!  Kaleidoscope - our newest floor mat pattern with a stained glass look. A half circle size - so practical for the sink!  Stained Glass is gorgeous in Shades by Kinkame for Clothworks.

 "Beach Glass" can be made up to king size.  Only two squares - it's a fun one to make with a friend - each of you sews one set. Great gift idea.  Featured in... you guessed it!  Shades, by Kinkame for Clothworks!  We had so much fun playing with the fabulous color selection!

Again, these patterns will be available for purchase as soon as I can get them posted to the website but there are still a few projects to finish in the studio!

On to other news.  We had a fabulous demo in Shelton the Saturday before Easter.   Sue's Stitch and Time is a beautiful store in what looks like a big log cabin!   We were a little bit worried that the beautiful day (our first over 60 degree day since early fall of 2010) AND Easter would mean a small turnout.  Well, that wasn’t true at all!  They turned out in droves to visit and learn about making floor mats!  We had the grandest time!  Thank you to Annie (store owner who purchased the store from Sue last spring) and her dear mom for hosting us!  We hope to go back again in the future as it was a terrific group of woman and a few men!

 Me, talking again!

What a fabulous place to house a quilt store!

Here are two beautiful mats made by two sisters (One sister came to the demo with her adorable daughter and brought home the kit).  I lost their names but the Shelton sister hosted the Oregon sister and it's clear they had a fun time!  Aren’t they great?

Congratulations to Tracey Burnfield, our mat winner.  See the mat she won below.  It’s made from Le Jardin de Papillions, by Clothworks.  Beautiful!  We already heard from Tracey - she shot off an email when it came in the mail (Laura and I finish the mat in the studio before sending it to the winner).  Tracey is thrilled!

Happy Spring!  We’ll have lots to report on when we get back from market.  So stay tuned!

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Greetings!

Here is some of what’s been happening in our sewing world lately.  First and foremost we have market on our horizon.  Market is a wholesale show only, held twice a year.  The spring show is always in a different city, while fall market is always in Houston, Texas.

We are very excited to visit the beautiful city of Salt Lake this year.  Surrounded by mountains, and teaming with incredibly nice, and I mean nice folks, it will be a delight to go in early May.  We’ll be in the Clothworks neighborhood again (that means our booth will be located in the thick of things) and we can hardly wait!

Now, since I’ve brought up Clothworks, I do have some sad news.  Our fabric line “Little B’s Garden” will not be printed.  There are always lots of reasons why that happens (and we are in good company for others that have experienced this).   We can blame the economy, competition, colors...but really who knows why?  That is the million dollar question BUT what I do know is while sad (we loved Little B’s), we know that it’s always the turtle that wins the race.  So Laura and I are rolling up our sleeves, and working hard on some beautiful designs that we know are sure to please!  Hey, that rhymes! 

Phew, upward and onward.  We have new exciting patterns to debut and we’ll be doing that soon.  Plus, we are redoing many floor mat samples for market in some fun Toy Poodle fabric from Clothworks.  Wow!  Shades - another line that you can reorder will be featured.  You should see the High Chair Helper Floor Mat Pattern in Shades!  You might need sunglasses it’s so cheery and bright.

Now don’t you hate it when you need just a little bit more fabric, and you can’t find it?  What’s cool IS it’s re-orderable!  This wonderful fabric from our friends in Japan is fun and playful and we are enjoying it immensely. It’s available through Clothworks.

I have some wonderful personal news!  My son Chase is visiting from Wyoming.  Dave and I haven’t laid eyes on our boy since early November so we are over the moon!  He’ll be home for about 2 ½ weeks before going back to Wyoming for his summer job as a river raft guide.

This is an old picture of Chase and he is our sports guy.  Here he's wakeboarding.  These days in Wyoming he's spending his time skiing and river guiding.  It will be a short visit but we'll enjoy every minute!

Other personal news.  Laura and I have been business partners for quite a while now.  And we both like to tease each other.  She loves to tease me because I’m an artist full of disorganized chaos. 

I like to tease her because well, she is very particular.  Think Oscar and Felix here.  I’m guessing you don’t have to work hard to figure out who is who.  So I get after her about her diet.  She doesn’t like this and she doesn’t like that.  She doesn’t like seafood, olives and mushrooms just off the top of my head. 

Recently, I got corrected.  She sent me a picture of her prawn dinner as proof that she eats seafood.  Who is with me and laughing at this point?  Look, coconut prawns TECHNICALLY counts as seafood but really?  Really?  How about salmon, scallops, calamari, oh, you name it, I LOVE IT SEAFOOD and not sugar coated seafood!  She won’t go near any of that with a ten foot fork!  So, I’m showing this picture to let her prove her point.  Smile with me here.  Promise me something, the next time you see or talk to her, TEASE HER FOR ME, won’t you?  The girl hand picks olive slices out of a burrito for goodness sakes!  Oh Laura!  By the way, is that beer on the table?  Okay I'll save that discussion for another day!

Okay now that I’ve given her a dig, she did do a marathon session making new patterns in the studio (she even brought her machine over) and we worked until almost 5 pm last Saturday (in our pajamas!) squaring away a couple of fabulous patterns.  Thank you Laura!

From the garden, a fabulous picture my dear Dave took yesterday:

Easter is on the horizon, we have a demo on the 23^rd in Shelton.  I hope you stop by on that Saturday if you are in the area!

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Hooray for Floor Mat Demos!

Ballard.  Have you been there?  It’s not too far from where I grew up.  When I think of the Ballard of my childhood I think of fishing boats, the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, a bridge that raises and lowers for boats (the Ballard Bridge), incredible vistas everywhere, wonderful restaurants like Ray's Boathouse, and of course, Scandinavians (my husband's family - all Swedes - have a Ballard connection)! 

Well, Ballard has done a lot of growing up over the years….and not surprisingly, the fabulous things I still remember are there, along with a wonderful mix of young and old, hip young adults, a melting pot of fabulous people, and an-over-the-moon fabric store called The Quilting Loft!

Here are some great pictures of our demo day:

First picture shows Laura cutting some primed fabric, Lynnette on the floor sharing ideas, floor mat kits lined up for purchase, our poster outside the door, and the mat we were making on site, front of the store and our instruction board (which we almost forgot!).

Something very fun about our day was that Jennifer, Laura’s daughter, went with us.  When we demo, we are making a mat and a lucky customer wins that very one:

Lucky customer this week is:  Megan Boddy.  Congratulations Megan!  We've almost got it finished and will be mailing it out this week.

Anyway, back to Jennifer.  Jennifer has some beautiful mats that Laura has made for her and they decorate the town house Jennifer lives in.  They look adorable.  The thing is, Jen had never actually made a mat before.  Ha! 

Jen’s very words that day were: “I had no idea how much fun this is!”  I had started the mat but Jen finished it.  Note that she added some ric rac – we don’t normally do that at demos and she fussy cut a flower to glue in the center.  She was truly having so much fun.  Isn’t it darling?  Lucky Megan!

Now for the other funny thing that came up that day.  We had customers Rick and Diane visiting from the Eastside - thanks for coming all that way!  Rick was watching me glue down a piece of fabric and told me it reminded him of a friend that uses a crow bar and calls it "THE PERSUADER"...he thought we should call our plastic putty knife the persuader because it makes your fabric crawl right into the perfect spot! 

It's official!  No longer is our plastic putty knife just that.  It's the persuader!  How fun!  Thanks Rick!  And thanks to friends who came from Puyallup, Kenmore and locals from Ballard too.  Hey, no persuasion necessary to have a great time at one of our demos.  Check the list and make sure you attend one in the area!  You won't be disappointed.

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