Greetings from Savannah

We arrived!  It was a long day as I had to go to work to get some last minute things done. Then home to get some even more last minute things done. BUT I'm happy and I actually sat around for about 1/2 hour as I waited for my ride.

There was NO ONE at the airport.  However, that doesn't mean that there aren't a few stories to tell.  I head into the NEXUS line for security. I open up my boarding pass on my phone. The guy at the door can't scan it. No worries - go on in he says. So I do. ZERO line at the security machine - well not counting the one man in front of me. The check point guy says I'm showing him my connecting flight boarding pass, NOT the first leg of the trip. At least someone was on the ball.

My stuff goes through (including the rotary cutter that I threw in).  GASP!!!!  I put in a small one just in case. I was prepared to ditch the blade and keep the handle, having to replace just the blade if need be.  NOPE - that sailed through no problem. However, I was asked, "what's in that little box?"  AH - that's a sewing kit with scissors (regulation length blade) but it was my two Roxanne's heavy thimbles that had them guessing. Then I was shocked to hear that juice boxes can't go through the line. DUH!  I know that, but I don't have juice boxes in my backpack.  "Yes - you do!"  I'm madly thinking - ah - I have bundles and bundles of small cards that are part of our giveaway.  Yep - those looked like juice boxes on the scanner!!!!!

When I arrived last night, I thought "oh shoot" I forgot my toothpaste. But after searching through the luggage this morning, I did bring toothpaste.  A BIG tube - 130 ml. That went through no problem and I NEVER put any of my stuff in a Ziploc bag. EVER.  Mind you I don't carry much stuff with me - just a small carry on and my backpack. I travel very LIGHT!!!

And my fingers were so dry, they wouldn't register on the NEXUS machine so the guy had to get me some hand sanitizer.  Then we used too much.  And I had started off in the non-Nexus line as there were ZERO people in this area.  I got straightened out and through everything in mere minutes!!!

Met up with my colleagues who were already there.  Bought a sandwich and a small bottle of water for almost $20.   That's outrageous!!!!

The flights were pretty uneventful although we did have a bit of turbulence just before getting into Savannah.  We were at the back of the plane and you can see the clouds moving over those long, delicate-looking wings.  I don't like that part!!!!

Our other colleague had arrived earlier and was waiting to pick us up.  Let's just say there was a small detail with the hotel we were staying at and thankfully that was fixed before we left. But all my packages were now sent to the wrong hotel.  I was worried that they wouldn't be waiting for me.  However, the good news is that all 7 packages had arrived!!!!!  Although we did have to wait a LONG LONG time for them to retrieve the packages.

We're at the Marriott and the front desk man was very happy to greet us even though it was after midnight at this point.

I won't go into a lot of detail, but have you ever noticed that hotel bathrooms are NOT happy places.  Why do that have that giant mirror over the sink which, well, I'm not going to say more than that!!!!

It's time to head out for breakfast. Grab the ferry across the river and start setting up the booth.

Oh - I should say the silliness starts. Ran into Cheryl Arkinson at the airport.  A nice lady and told her how much we appreciated her allowing all the groups to use her slab block pattern for those blocks for the CQA quilting bee.  It's going to be a name-dropping kind of place!!!!   I don't care - I have no shame.
Have a super, super day!!!!

Ciao!!!!!

We're at QUILTCON!!!!!!    Yahoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Modern Quilting!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    Why????    It's all about this Modern Quilt movement.  I'm hooked. I'm making one of the display quilts for the Northcott booth at QuiltCon 2016.  That is next month - I better get my act together or I'll be stitching binding on the plane! 

I've been working with about 20 different designers (male/female) (US/Canada based) and their designs are BRILLIANT!!!!   It's been such an exciting experience - I can't wait to have the finished quilts in my hands.  I told those designers they better make sure there is a label on those quilts or they may not make it back home!!!!

Not only that, but I was having a look at the list of workshops available at QuiltCon.  Now I won't be able to take a workshop, but there is so much inspiration - I just want to design and sew all day!!!!!!  I've got the fabric - I just need the time.   Hmmmm - I could be like the big name quilters - I design, then farm the sewing out to someone????   ACK - I don't like that idea. But I could get lots more done!!!!!

Well here's one more bit of excitement for QuiltCon - I'm going to be a panelist (one of three) for one of the lectures!  I know - I'm super excited about that. The lecture is called Getting and Staying Creative, Keeping the Mojo Burning.  Anne Sullivan is the Moderator.  Happens on Friday, February 19 at noon.   If you check out the link above - it's on page 17 of the brochure. 

If you are into social media - you can check out the #northcottfabric    or #northcottquiltcon  for a couple of sneak peaks for the quilts in the Northcott booth. 

Here's a sneak peek at one of the small challenge quilts that I've got people furiously working on. 

A sneak peak at one of the quilts

If you are going to QuiltCon in Pasedena, California from Feb 18 - 21 - stop by and say HI.  Northcott will be in booth 616.  You can't miss us.

Northcott will be showcasing our ColorWorks Concepts (there are two different releases of this collection). The first one is available in stores NOW and the second collection releases in March.    There is a store locator on the web site (top right hand corner) so you can buy these fabrics.  Did you see what Christine Baker did with this collection last week on QUILTSocial?   Check it out if you haven't and there is a GIVEAWAY for some of these yummy fabrics.

Northcott will also be showcasing their delicious line of solids. ColorWorks Premium Solid 9000.   The more that I work with this line, the more I'm in love.  The range of colors - WOW.

Check it out and hopefully we'll see you at QuiltCon 2016!!!

Have a great day!!!

Ciao!!!!!!!!!

Quilt Con update

Things just happened yesterday and I couldn't get to the computer to update the blog - even though I had uploaded the pictures. It happens!

This is how I spent my Friday at work.  I have cuts of all those vibrant prints from Northcott's ColorWorks concepts.   Next up was to start slicing and dicing them. 

Start by cutting strips

Then cutting squares

Then more squares

And even more squares

And at last the piecing begins.

One block DONE!!!!

Many blocks done

Yes - I know it looks like a wild mess at this point, but trust me - there is a plan.   Can you guess what I'm making?   Even I don't know what the end result will look like - I'm just making it up as I go along. But it will be fun.  I made even more progress on it yesterday and over the weekend. I HAVE to get this project done soon as the deadline is looming and I still have a quilt for the booth display and well - let's just say that the next month is going to be jam packed!!!!    Thank goodness for that Prioritize - Focus - Win strategy which is working very nicely this week.


Northcott has also put together a challenge using some five inch squares. I'll provide you with more details in another post.  I thought it would be fun to try the challenge myself and rather than fire up the computer and use EQ7, nope - I decided that trying to mull over the ideas on paper would be a good way to start.

ACK - too many numbers

Going to try and get some of that into EQ7 today because it's going to take a LONG time to sew together and I best get started!!!!

Not only do I sew at work, but I construct furniture too!   I built a small couch the other day.  And I'm loving it in the office.  Now I have a desk, two chairs, a couch and a sewing machine. What more could someone want. I think asking for a bed would be going too far and the couch is too small to sleep on!   No time for sleeping anyway! But there is lots of seating to have a party!

"My"' new couch - the slipcover wasn't on in the picture

Of course - I can't reveal all the details. Oh no!   But let's just say there is always fun and games happening.


On that note - I'm off to brave the cold weather. It appears that winter has finally struck. We've been so lucky so far.

Have a great day!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!