Here's Where I've Been

I promised you pictures so here they are. This shows you a little bit of what I've done since the end of May. First off was the trip to Wisconsin to visit with my Norwegian cousins. If you've read earlier posts, then you know that I LOVE Wisconsin and especially my cousins!!! We went to the parade and I couldn't resist taking a picture of this Viking float....

Then after the return from Wisconsin it was off to the New Jersey State Quilt Guild show in Edison. There were so many beautiful quilts on display it was hard to pick out only a few to share with you, but this first one is a close up of a quilt named "Pepto Bismol". The workmanship was incredible and I apologize that I didn't get the persons name who made it. But whoever you are - your quilt is absolutely beautiful!

This next picture shows the quilt from a distance.

I love traditional quilts, but I also love modern quilts. I guess I just love quilts, so here is a really striking quilt with wonderful bright colors.



And here's another modern quilt - what a great eye this person had for arranging the colors.

And just to give you an idea of what I did there besides taking pictures (with my new 35 mm camera - I think I'm finally over my fear of cameras), this is picture of a portion of my booth. In the foreground is Bunny Hill's "I Believe in Angels" quilt. Oh so beautiful!!! It is a "heavenly" design. And next to it is Alex Anderson's "Baskets and Blossoms". You can definitely tell that the color choices were done by a professional. Who would have thought that the wild Hawaiian print would be so great in this quilt?

Then here's another part of the booth where Bunny Hill had a corner on the market. There is "Sugar Bunnies" on the left and "Postcard Cuties for Spring" on the right. The head bunny at Bunny Hill, Anne, is such a wonderful person. Isn't it nice when we can support designers who are not only talented, but are also exceptional human beings?

And last, but definitely not least, are "Seaside Cottage" by Vicki at Bloom Creek on the left, Alex Anderson's "Hopscotch in Neutrals"in the middle, and "Winter Memories" by my friend, Brenda, at Acorn Quilt and Gift Company. Brenda and Anne are friends too, so that tells you what a wonderful person Brenda is too!

So that's it for show and tell for now. I'll try and post my pictures from our trip to the lake with the grandsons and the dog soon.

I'm Not High Stepping Yet

In case you wondered where I've been lately ..... I had knee surgery and today is the first day I could make it to the computer. I won't say sitting on a "real" chair is exactly fun right now, but at least I'm somewhat upright, for the moment. So just wanted to say "HI" and let you know that I actually took some photos in New Jersey that I want to share with you, but right now I don't think my brain can figure out how to hook everything up to the computer and download the photos. So I guess that will have to be a post for another time. Mary Jane

On The Road Again....

I thought since we just returned last week from our 2,500 mile round trip to Wisconsin I might not want to get into another moving vehicle again for a very long time!!! But tomorrow it's back on the road again...this time to New Jersey which is only a 4 or 5 hour trip, so it will be a piece of cake. Of course, I haven't completely unpacked the GIANT van from the last trip so now I have to unpack it so that I can repack it! Is there any logic to this? When I bought this van I never knew what a great storage space it would make when I wasn't traveling. So now there are bolts of fabric, some boxes and other assorted things in there that need to come out to make way for the new. And boy, do I have some wonderful new goodies that I found at Quilt Market. And just so you can be prepared - I finally purchased a digital camera. Of course, it is still in the box but I'm hoping to take some pictures of the quilt show in New Jersey for you. Now if you've read my blog in the past, you'll know that I am camera challenged.....so wish me luck. It used to be a joke at my house when my daughters were little that the only pictures we had were when my parents came to visit or the ones taken at school. Photography is definitely not my award winning talent. (I think my talent might be chocolate eating)So keep a look out....maybe I'll surprise you soon. Mary Jane

Hurray for Vacations!

My husband and I just returned last night from our trip to Wisconsin. And we had a wonderful trip. Who would have thought that driving 2500+ miles with gas over $4.00 a gallon could have added up to such a great time. In case you don't know - my mother was born in a small town in Wisconsin. We took a family vacation there every summer to visit my grandparents and tons of assorted aunts, uncles and cousins when I was growing up. We lived in Los Angeles and we would drive to Wisconsin - in the days before all of the huge interstate highways. We would take 3 LONG days to get there and then 3 LONG days to get home, but the 10 days we were there was heaven to the "city" cousin. There were cows to be milked, eggs to be collected, and my grandfather even let me feed the baby lambs from a bottle! So when it came time to go home, my parents had one unhappy daughter. I had a little red plaid corduroy jacket that I referred to as my "barn jacket" and I wouldn't let my mother wash it because I liked the barn smell. I still have that little barn jacket - it's been around for about 55 years...and even though the barn smell has disappeared, it sure can bring back fond memories when I look at it.

So I met up with lots and lots of my cousins, their children and grandchildren and we all converged on a campground. There was plenty of Norwegian laughter (and for them plenty of beer too)! We even went to the Norwegian parade...when I get my film developed I'll show you some of the floats bearing the Vikings and the Daughters of Norway. I think this might have been one of the best vacations of my entire life. And my husband was made to feel so welcome....it shows what big hearts these Norwegians have to welcome a Boston raised boy into their midst, just as they did the little girl from Los Angeles all those years before.

Another high point of the trip was taking a ride out to my grandparents farm. They moved off the farm in 1952 or so, but we stopped and the current owners gave us a tour of the house. Now talk about old memories coming pouring back. I could recount where the old outhouse was, the hand pump for water outside, etc. I think I remembered more than most of my older cousins because those things were probably every day things to them, but to someone from Los Angeles they were just wonderful big adventures. Of course, my mother thought I was nuts because she was so happy to get off the farm and to a city.

So now, it's time to get back to quilting. I am leaving in a few days for the State Guild of New Jersey quilt show and I have to start cutting fabric and organizing. Plus I have about 20 boxes of fabrics, patterns, notions, etc. that arrived while I was gone. So guess I'll have to get busy opening them up and checking out the fun things inside. Hope you are enjoying whatever it is you are doing and I'll talk with you soon. Mary Jane

Quilt Market = Candy Store

If you have never been to Quilt Market, just imagine acres and acres of beautiful booths filled with more fabric than you can imagine, incredibly constructed quilts and creativity abounding until your head starts to spin. That's what Spring Quilt Market in Portland, Oregon was like. So I hopped on over to Bunny Hill Designs and met up with my friend Anne Sutton, who is the head bunny! Here is Anne's booth which was absolutely adorable - and she won for best single booth!! Congratulations Anne - you are the greatest.

Then I rolled on over to see Brenda at Acorn Quilt and Gift Company. Brenda is a sweetheart....so kind and generous and such an artist. And now she's designing fabric for Henry Glass. Now I was off to visit the Daiwabo booth. If you have ever wondered who is the face behind those yummy Japanese taupes - it's my friend, Maria. And please look close - Maria is sporting new glasses!

What quilt market would be complete without making new friends too. Look what's blooming at Bloom Creek. Here's Vicki who is a wonderful designer. These quilts were absolutely beautiful...so much so that I had to order the patterns and all the fabrics to make them with. I'll put them on my website as soon as they arrive!

Lastly I just had to take a picture of Alexander Henry's booth. They have some wonderful fabrics, but mostly I wanted you to see their banner "WonderShop". It looked like a fabric fairy land.....if only my picture could do it justice.

I walked for almost 9 hours a day for the first 3 days of the show and then 7 hours the final day. I could never describe all I saw, but at least here is a little glimpse for you to enjoy. Mary Jane

2 Days and Counting!

Only 2 more days and it's off to Oregon! Now all I have to do is get over my pneumonia. Yes, the lousy cold and sore throat ended up to be pneumonia. What I have left is the cough, cough, cough problem. Sounds so contagious, but it isn't really. So hopefully when I get on the plane Wed. AM the cough will be gone and my fellow passengers won't think I'm giving them germs. Speaking of Wed. AM - I have to get up at 2 AM - AARGH!! Since my normal bedtime is midnight that's not much sleep. I'll probably be dopey on the plane but hopefully when I arrive in Portland I'll be refreshed because I don't know my way around the city and their public transportation.

Check back sometime next week and see if I've gotten my photos posted. I have the camera out so hopefully I won't forget to pack it. Mary Jane

One Week & Portland, Oregon Here I Come

I can't believe it is only one week until I arrive in Portland, Oregon for Spring Quilt Market! I've had a lousy cold, sore throat and laryngitis since Saturday so I'm hoping I'll be all better for the trip (and the BIG buying that I do at Market). Market is so much fun, but it also is work because you are spending tons of money and hope that what you buy is what your customers will want. Because as much as we shop owners love quilting, fabric, patterns, etc. we wouldn't be in business very long (unless we were independently wealthy) without someone buying our products. So anyone out there in cyberspace that has a request....post your comments! I would love to hear what you are looking for.

In the meantime, they should be pretty much finished with the hardwood floor in the big room today.....it is coming out really nice! But what a mess to clean up....furniture on the porch, all the "Junk" from 3 closets scattered everywhere and what I really want to do is lay down on the couch (which is on the porch) and get over my germs. Last night I tried to make dinner working around our leather chair right in the middle of the kitchen. It wouldn't fit on the porch so it ended up in the kitchen. I made a quiche and it was very interesting rolling out my pie crust in such a small area, but it came out really good. So tonight there is no cooking because we have leftovers! I really love leftovers....So have a nice day. Mary Jane