Market, Market, Market Part Two

"Market"

it seems that only at a "Market"

can you start with this empty space

and end up with sparkling white carpet

and elephants in Michael Miller fabrics jumpsuits

  

only at Market can you see Amy and David Butler

pushing their own carts up the ramp to the cc

(but of course!)

or walk by a half completed Amy Butler booth

my favorite part of the completed booth was the table with

two tea glasses and a butterfly

and of course, Alexander Henry won an award

for this booth sculpture

I do think, however, my favorite part of Market
was seeing the Madison Cottage Design quilt
beyond the reef fabric bundles for this quilt still available
in the Marcia Derse booth!!!!

 it was great to see the denyse schmidt booth too
I loved that design wall!!!!

the other person I thot did a tremendous job

Anna Maria Horner

...if you like her butterflies

we do have a pattern for that.....

Madison Cottage Design
had a booth in which everything seemed to 
float on a sea of black
(look for the pattern "Sugar" at the beyond the reef booth at Quilt Festival, Long Beach)

 sarah jane won best booth for creativity
we ordered a few of her prints
out to sea

 and one of my favorite ads right now
is
valori wells
cocoon
(more butterflies - we have a pattern for that!)

 but I must say the most fun I had was in the
beyond the reef
booth
it was 50 s.f. of a
teenagers room after a day of surfing and homework
complete with candy on the bed
and clothes on the floor

by now, I think you see, for me, it's about the people

the soul and sweat and love

they put into everything they do

not just the 'next' thing they do

but where they are in that very moment

Market.Market.Market

not what.

who.

not next.

but now.

natalie.

beyond the reef

be.do.create

Road to California

Road to California

Road.

It's a wonderful, juried quilt show.

With wonderful vendors.

Please join us.

Come and visit.

Stop by and say 'aloha'.

20-23 January 2011

Thursday - Sunday

9:30 - 6

and 10-3:30

JUST LOOK WHAT WE'VE DONE

WITH TULA PINK'S PATTERN...

Do you think she'll mind?

Oh, and Joanna - wait until you see your Fig Tree pattern gone Hawaiian...

(thank you to Kenna from Madison Cottage - and to Roberta too!)

You won't want to miss our large selection of insulated bags, either.

Pack a quilt - pack a picnic!

Just pack, and come visit us at

Road to California

Ontario Convention Center

California.

20-23 January 2011

natalie.

www.beyondthereefpatterns.com

Homemade Holidays

Homemade.

Doesn't that sound great?

While I was in Idaho, I had a friend give me a wonderful recipe

for a sugar/salt/oliveoil hand scrub.

You know Kenna Ogg - from Madison Cottage.

She puts the scrub by her kitchen sink - and after a week of 'dishpan hands', 

this scrub makes hands silky smooth and moisturized with the best olive oil available.

So, I lit a few holiday scented candles, and lined up my grandmother's mixing bowls.

After all, an afternoon of gift making had to be festive!

I even put on a little pandora music mix - "Bing Crosby Christmas"

Then it was time to wrap the gifts, because, presentation is everything!

Linen twine, handmade tags, a terribly thick paper for the canning jar tops and the wrap...

(actually a roll of wallpaper that a found at Michael Levine's)

Before I knew it, the gifts were stacking up on the buffet, under the 'little tree'

Within the time it would have taken to drive to the mall and park, 

I had fifteen gifts wrapped and under the tree.

Sure, they're not those little blue boxes with white ribbon.

Sure, they're not 3 carat diamond stud earrings.

Sure, they're not that new car smell with a crazy big bow on it.

But, sure, the person that receives this gift will know that it was the biggest gift of all.

The gift of time.  The gift of creativity.

The gift of love.

There's still time...email Kenna and ask her for the recipe; it's not mine to give.

Or whip up some home made granola, coco, peanut butter balls, potholders, coasters, napkins

Give the greatest gift you can give.

Give the gift of yourself.

BeginAgain

2010

Natalie.

It's not a quilt until it's quilted...

Quilted.

Thank you Kenna.

I did something out of the ordinary.

I got the hose out, and soaked the whole quilt. 

I hung it on the line to let the water run off of it,

and then I threw it in the dryer.

Kenna quilted it with an 80/20.

I did not prewash any of the fabrics used in the top, back or binding.

Here are the pics:

Wonderful quilting, Kenna.

Here it is hanging on the pole bean support in the garden.

"before-hose"

Here it is on the clothesline, soaking wet.

"after-hose"

And finally, the finished product.

"after quilting, hose and dryer"

I feel like I should add the small print.

"do not attempt this at home; trained professional on closed road"

and all that

there are personal choices we make every day about how we handle our quilts

pre wash fabric?  trust the manufacturer?

100% cotton or flannel batting?

batting blend?

hi loft poly?

pucker or not?

wash by hand or by machine?

hang on clothesline or toss in the heat of the dryer?

choose wisely

and the choices you make

will determine how long you enjoy your handiwork

choose wisely

and the choices you make

will determine how long you enjoy anything dear to you

For me, and for this quilt, because it was a utilitarian piece, not a museum masterpiece,

because of the construction, fabrics, and Kenna's hefty quilting

i took the calculated risk.

I chose to 'hit it with the nice fresh spring water of the hose'

and hang it on the line

(oh, and then toss it into the dryer for a little pucker)

BUT

I wouldn't suggest this type of treatment

for anything dear to you

for any length of time.

BeginAgain.

2010

natalie.

Hand wash with care.  If you use the washer, don't agitate.

And air dry your quilts, out of direct sunlight.

quilt kits available

hose optional

www.beyondthereefpatterns.com