Texas Braid Workshop, Road To California Day 4!

Oh gosh! now I’m even 2 days behind….but I guess that leaves more to look forward to, right?!

First off, before the class pictures, I have to thank the San Diego Contingency, for having this BEAUTIFUL cake waiting for me when I entered my classroom on Friday! Yes world, I somehow woke up and found myself 49!!! Now lots of you might think I’m still a baby, but since my kids think 50 is “officially” old --- I’m kind of in panic mode here. How in the world did I get to 49 so QUICKLY!? I know I must have skipped a few years somewhere, and I’d like to go back and pick them up!

No, I’m really happy where I am. Life is good---quilters are FABULOUS and I am loving every day what I am doing!

I’m even loving sitting in the airport in Houston writing this post, enjoying my layover. It was a bit of an exciting flight, one of the passengers passed out about 15 minutes after leaving Ontario, California….and the crew was right there, well trained and taking care of the situation. It really makes you appreciate what skills lay beneath the surface. The passenger was fine, and we were met at the gate in Houston by the EMTs who took the passenger off the plane to have them evaluated. Traveling as much as I do, it’s nice to know that the training goes far beyond “would you like a beverage??”

Saturday’s class was Texas Braid! And we had such a great group, full to capacity at 26 students. I was tickled to find out that over 1/2 the class had waited up until just past midnight on the day that the classes were released just so they could get the classes they wanted, and most were sold out by the next morning! We are a bound and determined bunch!

The quilts were all beautiful, and you should have seen the assortment of fabrics!

I loved looking at how people had arranged their rectangles for easy access like this:

Doesn’t it just make you wanna sit right down and SEW?!?

Yummy Yummy!!

So here are the rest of the photos I took in class that day!

		Texas Braid 1-22-11 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

What a great day it was! Thanks everyone for making Road such a wonderful place to teach!

My flight to Lafayette boards in 1/2 hour so I’m going to upload this quick and catch you later from Cajun Country!

Blue Ridge Beauty Workshop!

Well, I completely lost Day 3……or more like, we filled it so full that there was no time to write the post until NOW, which pushes everything a day late!

We filled the evening up with class, and then had to go from the Convention Center to the Double Tree next door to set up for “Roundabout!” I felt like I was on a merry-go-round that kept spinning faster and faster – People go around in groups and stop at your table and you have something like 8 minutes to give your demo, and then the bell rings and they move on to the next table and you get a new group and you start over!

I got to talking so fast and laughing so hard, I couldn’t remember where I was in my schpeel or if I was repeating myself and saying things I had already said!

But we had a great time……what you above is my set up! I brought my snazzy featherweight with me. Still thinking of a name for her, but she is such a hot number we are leaning toward Lolita!

This pic is a bit blurry, I was trying to get a shot of how I decorated the table with leftover leaders & enders of all varieties--

I had a very short photo op to get a pic with my quilt in the teacher’s exhibit! It was funny tho, I snuck under the rope, and the white glove lady came screaming..”Ma’am! Ma’am! Excuse me, you can’t be in there, step AWAY from the quilt…” Until she saw my name badge.. It was REALLY funny! And it was a good chance to talk to some of the quilters gathered around too!

And here is the caption on the info card:

		blue ridge beauty 1-21-2011 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Yesterday’s class was Blue Ridge Beauty, and we had green beauties, and red beauties, and autumnal beauties, and purple beauties, black and white beauties…you get the idea?!

We had a GREAT time playing with the blocks and laying them out in different ways….The very last one, the heart…whoowhooo that was my playing, and I can’t wait to make a red heart version of my own! It was so fun playing with the blocks and seeing that heart take shape..

Randy left this morning and I can’t thank her enough for coming down to help me. Thanks also to Sherry for driving me back and forth to transport heavy STUFF from the hotel to the convention center. I couldn’t have managed it without her…..and thanks to her also, I’ve finally experienced IN & OUT BURGER! My life will never be the same!

Oops…my wash is going in the hotel guest laundry, and it’s time to switch it from the washer to the dryer….I’ll upload this and add Texas Braid in the NEXT post!

Road to California–Day 2!

First off!! I have a very exciting announcement! I received an email that Scraps & Shirttails II is HOT OFF THE PRESSES!! YES!! I have ordered 10 cases to take care of the pre-orders, and they should be on my doorstep waiting for me when I return from Louisiana on Feb 1st! We’ll start mailing in the order that the orders were received!

So I’ll have BOTH Scraps II and Word Play Quilts ready to ship starting Feb 2nd! How’s that for a Ground Hog Day Surprise!?

Look at Wanda’s “Old Tobacco Road”!  She did her pinwheels wonky and I just love the wild variety of fabrics in her quilt!

Yesterday’s class was “Jared Takes a Wife” and it was a completely full class with 26 students! We had the best time playing with our fabrics and you should see the variety in the blocks here!

		Jared Takes A Wife 1-20-2011 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Randy arrived yesterday and has been the biggest help. The logistics of getting the trunkshow from the hotel to the lecture room was accomplished thanks to Sherry and her Jeep, and included my first visit to In and Out burger in the process!  Just make mine ANIMAL Style! Mmmmmm!

Today’s class is Blue Ridge Beauty and we are in for a barrel of fun!

There is a roundtable demo night tonight where all the instructors demo their techniques and sell their books and wares so it will be another busy day.

I haven’t even had time to take a GLIMPSE into the show yet!!

Breakfast time, gotta run..have a great day!