This, That.....and the other Thing.

This.That....and the other Thing.

#marketprep.   it's that time of year again.

it's "new quilt season".

 

International Quilt Market

and all I can see in my minds eye

are hundreds of designers

across the nation

stitching binding

(because the international designers are done, and ready to board a plane!)

 it happens two times a year

spring

and

fall

these shows are "industry only" events

and very big events, at that

every single person in that convention center

is there to show goods to shop owners and buyers

asking them to take their brochure

and hope upon hope

that the owners and buyers will order their goods

 Twilight by Whistler Studios for Windham Fabrics

pattern:  faith.hope.love

Lilla by Lotta Jansdotter for Windham Fabrics

pattern:  48 peaks

 

Grunge by Moda Fabrics 

pattern:  faith.hope.love

Black and White by Jennifer Sampou for Robert Kaufman Fabrics

pattern:  morning star + evening star

 designers sketch and draw and stitch and sew and quilt

and then the time comes when we lay in bed, and just before falling asleep

we play in our minds, over and over again

how we'll lay out the booth, and what we'll say every single day

and suddenly it hits us.

we forgot to order.....

...the other Thing.

so we ask friends to pitch in

while we check, double check and confirm

and finally arrange for

...the other Thing.

all the while, with hope upon hope

that you'll stop by

Booth 525

and chat for a while

HappiestDays.

Natalie.

www.beyondthereefpatterns.com

 

 

 

How do you Play? aka: remember the slinky

How do you play?

This has become very important to me.

And it should be important to you as well.

Because a life in balance - well, enough said, right there.

Just that, as Julian would say.

I just finished reading an article in American Lifestyle magazine,

"The Way We Were; The Way We Played"

About the slinky.  Mr. Potato Head, and the Slip 'n Slide.

Remember those?

Well.

Every day has it's toy.  It's play.  And it seems way too complicated in today's world.

Insert cable, plug this into that, power up.

It doesn't have to be much - - really - - lessons from the dog - - even a ball found washed up on the beach - - 

The hose.  

(okay, okay, I know - - water conservation and all that - - so, if you water the lawn, do it in your shorts and squirt your neighbor, or your son or daughter, or something to make it play-ful)

The point is to PLAY.

Don't exercise, go run around in the park; PLAY.

Don't cook, have Girls' Night.

Don't go to a business seminar, have a Slumber Party.

Play.

Give yourself permission to Play.

Check out Rose Hughes' blog.  They have a day every week in which they try new things.

Play.

Take life down a notch.

Smile.  Laugh.  Sing.  Whistle.

I heard someone - an expert - on the morning business news.

He was profound.

Wanna know what he said?

He said that the one thing that was a proven fact, was that EVERY recession we have ever had.....

has ended.

Well, there you have it!!!!

Smile. Laugh. Sing. Whistle.

Take life down a notch.

Relax and Play.

And if you have read the blogs in the past, you know I am the one to encourage you to use a different color.

Make something with a different technique.

Make a nice tidy block and take your rotary cutter to it and make it something new.

Go to a local quilt show - flower show - kite festival - car show.

They're all gonna be cheaper than a movie, drink, popcorn, candy and dinner.

And probably more healthy - walk the quilt show, kite festival, car show.

But most of all, make sure you take the time to get out.

Get out.  Get going.  Get.

Play.

(moondoggie at his finest...frisbee!!!!!)

Thanks for thinking of 

b e y o n d   t h e   r e e f

sparkle and shine

2009

Natalie.

www.beyondthereefpatterns.com