Wow - I have been up for over FOUR hours and I have basically got NOTHING done. OK - I did walk the dogs, went to physio, drove DH to the airport, had breakfast, but NOTHING concrete done. Here I am finally sitting in front of the computer.
One of the guilds I belong to - the Halton Hills Quilter's Guild (Georgetown) Dinner celebrated its 20th anniversary this year (OK - this is the tail end of the year). Anyway - the past president (Judy) suggested we have a dinner to celebrate the event. And somehow my hand went up when she was looking for ideas for speakers/venues. It evolved into a HUGE affair which took place this past Monday night.
Jeanne Large and Shelley Wicks of
The Quilt Patch fame were invited as guest speakers. Great - I am trying to insert their link here and SOMETHING ELSE has changed on Google Chrome - some STUPID STUPID STUPID security thing. Now to figure out how to get rid of that. Honestly - I am TIRED of all this crud. People need to leave things alone - I waste so much time trying to get things like that figured out.
OK - breath deep THREE times. Ah - I feel better. Still don't have the link - but I feel better.
As Oprah would say - GO BIG or go home, so I decided that we could host 150 people at the dinner. I know - what was I thinking????? I sold tickets to our guild and other local guilds, friends and whoever would purchase a ticket. We were basically sold out - I think I had two tickets left!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
The dinner was a resounding success. I choose a small banquet hall in Mississauga (
Fuzion Banquets) and they were SO ACCOMMODATING. A few small things that I will suggest to them to improve, but I was happy.
Here are some pictures of the dinner - it was hard as the lighting wasn't the best for pictures and I think my camera wasn't on the right setting for the light and I didn't have time to fiddle with it.
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| Getting set up at the hall |
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| More set up |
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| Some of the guests (faces blurry to protect the innocent!) |
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| Jeanne and Shelley |
The following are some of their quilts. Sorry - I do NOT remember all the names of the patterns. If you are interested in something - you can call the store and get the pattern from them.
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| Quilt designed by Jeanne and Shelley |
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| Quilt designed by Jeanne and Shelley |
They had a nice catalogue sheet printed with all the names and do you think I can find that right now????
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| Christmas Alley (I think that was the name) |
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| Over sized hopscotch - one of my favourites |
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| Courthouse steps with sunflowers and pumpkins |
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| Winter and Autumn (seasonal wall hangings) - yes there was a spring and a summer as well |
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| Mittens to hang by the chimney for Santa (if you are too big to have a stocking!!!) |
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| Bunny Hugs - a GREAT baby quilt |
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| Ben and Jerry table runner |
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| Jeanne and Shelley |
Jeanne and Shelley have published TWO books - Tis The Season which is in its 6th printing (almost UNHEARD of in the quilting business) and although the book was published a couple of years ago - it is STILL the NUMBER ONE seller for Martingale. How about that for a couple of CANADIAN designers!!!!!!! Book two - Urban Country Quilts was published a year later and it is also selling well. Book three will be out in the Spring of 2014 and the contract for Book 4 has been signed.
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| Tis the Season |
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| Urban Country Quilts |
Their fabric line - Shasta is sold out in most locations stocking the fabric and their new line should be out some time in 2013.
These girls are just a bundle of fun and a whirlwind. Most of the patterns they sell in their store are their own design! Can you believe that?????? Yep - their own patterns only.
Daphne and Marian did an amazing job with swag bags and door prizes. Everyone walked away with a nice swag bag filled with loot of all kinds. We had donated fabric, patterns, bags, coupons, magazines, needle cases, muffin tins, and MUCH MUCH more. Then there were almost 50 door prizes. I know - -everyone had a 1 in 3 chance of winning something and you know what - no one at our table of 10 won a thing!!!!!!!!!! Sorry girls - just luck of the draw!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks Daphne and Marian - you ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I want to thank all the donors of items for the door prizes, and everyone who donated to the loot bags. Here is a list of them all...................... (I will load the list later this afternoon)
I would like to ask you a favour - PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE support your local stores. If you don't - they won't be around. Where would you go when you just need a break or want to chat about quilting and your friends aren't around? I go to the quilt store.
I think everyone had a great time and I wish to thank EVERYONE who came to the event. YOU are the ones that made the dinner successful. Without you - there would have been no event.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU
People asked when the next event was going to take place. Oh boy - but wouldn't it be fun to have ONE big dinner party a year for quilters with a guest speaker. How cool would that be!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Of course it wouldn't be as inexpensive as this was. Anybody got any ideas for guest speakers??????
On that note - I think I need a small nap. I am still recovering from the event. I will tell you about the workshop later or most likely tomorrow. I am suddenly EXHAUSTED and I can't think straight enough to put the rest of the information and pictures.
After my little nap - I will put the names of the sponsors up. If this entry sounds crazy - yes - my brain is muddled!!!
Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
