Monday, February 27, 2012

I think I must be Mad, as in crazy

Yep, it's been that kind of week, the one that goes way to fast, leaves you way to tired, and drops you kicking and screaming into the next week already behind. Last week was hell, and great! We had a big project go online on Wednesday evening, which meant working the real job overnight, and into Thursday day. Then I taught on Thursday night (I real do feel quite bad for my class, I am not sure what exactly I was talking about by the time 9pm rolled around), and then I went home for a quick nap before a 2am departure to Santa Cruz for a show. And to think some people think the life of a quilt shop vendor is all fun! Not that I am complaining (though, technically, I am, a bit)....it was a great weekend, we met some fantastic ladies and generally had a great time! If only I could have arranged an opportunity for a nap. daily.

Even more fun is this week, which appears to be turning out to be even busier that last week! Lots to do at work during what is a really short week, since this week is the Palm Springs show on Friday and Saturday, and then I will be teaching Touch of Spring at Monica's Quilt and Bead in Palm Desert on Sunday, so very crazy around here this week.

Off to work, and then to find that nap I was talking about.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Hello Tuesday - and a winner, winner, chicken dinner???

Hello Monday Tuesday!!! Can't believe how fast this week has flown!!!

The winner, winner, chicken dinner is : Patty B Young. I met Patty last summer in Porterville where I taught a group of Judy classes. We had a great time, and she got her Table Runner finished in record time (if only I could remember which one she was working on, but at the moment it escapes me. I do remember it was blue, and yellow and she was making it for a friend as a gift. I'll be your friend anytime Patty.) Anyway, send me your address to catherine@queeniequilts.com and I will mail the Bali Fever pattern and contest rules to you this week!

So, this week is turning out to be rather crazy around here. I completely lost Monday -- the federal holiday that I had planned to use to "catch up". Totally missed it. Okay, I did get some new fabrics (Thanks, Karin!) and I did finish up my Mini-Stars TableRunner, but other than that, the day just flew by without a trace. Looks like the week will be equally crazy with orders to fill, orders to place (new fabric, yeah!, and some cool new notions for the Glendale show), the regular full time job, a new boss at the regular job, two evening teaching gigs, and a big show in Santa Cruz! I've never done this show before so it should be really fun. I'm not vending, just helping out in the Rusty Crow booth, since her husband has a fishing tournament this weekend!  

Good thing I got all the laundry done on missing Monday, or I'd have to go to Santa Cruz in my skivvies!

Have a great week everyone, we'll see you next time.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Happy Monday....??

I really can't believe that it is Monday already!!! The week and weekend flew by here. I was busy at work, and then busy being Rusty Crow over the weekend at the St. Jacinto Valley Quilters in Hemet, CA. It was a great show, close to home (I even got to sleep in my own bed!), and the ladies were adorable. We were well fed, and even though there was DIET PEPSI (yuck!) on Saturday with lunch, I survived (Diet Coke fiend that I am!). We were very busy at the show, and I didn't get to see many of the quilts (other than the ones on the route between the booth and the ladies room!), but everyone was talking about them in the booth. Apparently the quilt has a lot of fantastic appliquers (both starch and freezer paper and needle-turn). I so wanted to run around the show and see everything, but we just never had a chance.  I had a lazy Sunday, just hanging out at the house. I did so much relaxing that I forgot to plug in the phone, so it was completely dead most of the day on Sunday and I didn't even realize it. Oh well!

This week looks like a busy week on paper, which means it will be insane in reality. Here's  the list of happenings :
  • finish proofing 2 new patterns and send them to the printer (Watermelon Dream and Key Lime Surprise)
  • Stuff a bazillion reprinted patterns that got picked up from the printer on Thursday of last week (good thing we have TV to catch up on!)
  • Work on Mini-Stars Table Runner Version 2
  • Send out 7 quilts for quilting (yes, I have finished 7 quilts since the first of the year, crazy!)
  • Teach Touch of Spring at Monica's Quilt and Bead in Palm Springs, CA -- Friday
  • Cut out  and bag Glacier Star (I've been petting/selecting/reviewing the fabrics for over a week, it's time to get moving on them now)
  • Book flights to see Judy in Texas in April
  • Book flight to go to Montana in July
  • Finalize plans for a weekend in Catalina -- I so want to do the zip line tour of the island, I hope it is available the weekend we are going! 
I think that is plenty of work for now!!!!

Since we didn't have any comments about the Bali Fever giveaway, I am going to extend it until Monday the 20th!!!

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Giveaway Made Easy

So, you know that last time I was here I was fretting about what I should use for a giveaway to celebrate 50 posts....well, I was relieved of the stress by an exciting new contest, courtesy of Judy Niemeyer!!!!



Judy just released a brand spanking new pattern called Bali Fever, and as with all things Judy, there is a whole new innovation in paper-piecing to go along with the pattern. And a contest!!!! A contest with a grand prize of a $300 gift certificate to a quilt shop of your choice!!! Yippee!!! Check out Judy's website at www.quiltworx.com for details on the contest.


And for my give-away to celebrate 50 posts -- a free copy of the pattern!!!! So that you can get started on your contest entry!!! Just follow my blog and leave a comment that you are following my blog and I will pick via random number a winning entry on Sunday, February 12th at 6pm (after the Hemet Show has closed).

Happy Quilting!!!

Friday, February 3, 2012

Oh my, It's February.

or is that oh my, it's February? Seriously, the time is flying around here. Can't quite believe we're a whole month into 2012, I'm finally writing dates correctly, and starting to feel somewhat organized (thanks to all the friends who now send me daily "how to organize your life" stuff. I was fairly organized before I had a full time job (seems like full and a half lately) and a thriving business. Before I was gone from the house for days at a time. Seriously, those folks who travel ALL the time are uber-organized, and I want to be just like them.


The weekend is looking up, it's going to be the weekend of pictures. I have 5 new patterns all finished (binding sewn and everything), except for the pictures. It's been really dreary here the last couple of weekends, so I haven't been able to get good cover photography. So, maybe new patterns available by the end of next week!!! Yippee, skippy! (for those of you who are wondering what I meant about the binding.....it's usually only glued in place when I take my cover photography. Yes, I realize that means they aren't finished, but really, a girl has to have priorities, like sleep.)

And, since I've done 50+ blogs, and was supposed to give-away something at 50 (no one told me, sorry). I'm going to be coming up with a give-away of some sort.....for blog post #54 (the next one). So tell all your friends, so you can win some free stuff (right after I figure out how to do that, I promise).....

See you Monday!