Back to the real world!!

Ah yes, retreat is over and now it is back to the real world.  What a wonderful 5 days of friends, fabric, food and fun!!!  165 quilters filled the room with sharing, excitement and laughter.  There were times I laughed so hard that I was almost crying - and what a good feeling it was!!!

Phyllis and I packed the car with all our "stuff" - Paula's too - and after a quick stop at Burger King we were on the road.  Three and a half hours later we were unloading, setting up and planning our dinner!!  Sonny's Barbeque has become the dinner of choice for Thursday night - wings, mac and cheese, corn bread and diet Coke!!!  We worked a little that night - mostly getting my stuff set up in the sale room and then it was time for bed!!  Friday is a busy day.  People are on line for check-in at 7 AM.  There's a mad scramble for tables, but always time for a quick hello and hug as everyone settles in. By 10 AM everyone is pretty much set up and the machines are humming!! This time we even had someone sewing on a treadle machine!! 

Everyone is hard at work!!!

Starla's Singer treadle machine

There's a break for lunch and the line up starts for the sale room.  Shopping starts at 1 PM and the shoppers are ready and eager.  $13,000.00 worth of merchandise was sold this time!!  The old adage - one man's trash is another man's treasure - holds true here!!  Fabric, quilt tops, quilt kits, quilts, sewing machines, handbags, Longaberger baskets were all available and people were scooping it up.  Here's a couple of photos of the 2 sale rooms just before the shoppers hit them.  It was pretty much all gone by Saturday night!!

Lots of great stuff for sale!!

It would be impossible to get pictures of all the projects/quilt tops/quilts/etc that are finished, but here are some photos of just a few of them.

Diane and her completed Appomattox Courthouse quilt top!!

 

Heather created this Shih Tzu from a friend's photo!! 

Gloria's mice and bunnies!!

The age span of the quilters - Shaunna Taylor and Shirley Smith

 A big part of the retreat is the presentation of the Quilts of Valor that are made by many of the attendees.  The quilts are shared with the group and then presented to representatives from Camp Blanding for their in-house programs.  All of the quilts that were turned in will remain in Florida and be presented to soldiers and their families.  Bonnie McCarty and Barbara Enos probably lead the group with the number of quilts they have each made.  This retreat they turned in 6 quilts for the program.  Tree City Quilters turned in 8 patriotic pillowcases.  Thank you ladies for all of your hard work!!!  

Bonnie and Barbara and some of their beautiful Quilts of Valor quilts!!

Many people left on Sunday, but a few diehards stayed until Tuesday.  Gloria planned a number of demos for us.  She shared how to make a casserole cover (I was hoping she would share a casserole too, but apparently that wasn't on her agenda!!).  Vicky demoed cutting a fat quarter for their Pots of Plenty pattern.  I demoed some basic piecing techniques - accurate seam allowance, Spinning Stars, trimming usually a bias square ruler and making a miter border and English Paper Piecing.  Phyllis demoed making a t-shirt jacket and her Sweet and Sassy rhombus template and diamond template.  Here she is with the diamond template group.

I sometimes find myself getting a little sleepy when I am sewing and there's been a couple of times when I've even fallen asleep and almost hit the top of my sewing machine (yes, I know that's pretty sad), but if I get up and walk out of the room to go and take a "little rest" I will wake myself up.  I've come up with a handy little method for taking a nap while still at the sewing machine.  I rest my head in my hands and just close my eyes.  I just make certain that my elbows are propped carefully on the table.  This has become a joke with my friends and I will often get a text from Gloria telling me she has just taken a "Mary Ellen nap".  Well this time, Gloria caught me and actually took a photo - you may have seen it on Facebook - but if you didn't - here I am!!!  Just a minute or two is usually all I need.

 
Paula arrived on Friday after her lectures and workshops with the Gwinnett Quilters Guild and Etowah Valley Quilt Guild of Georgia.  She drove down with a fellow retreater and Etowah Valley guild member.  I think she enjoyed the chance to relax and sew after her busy month of moving.  Rumor has it she goes a little crazy if you say the words "unpack a box" around her!!!!  Can't imagine why!!  She shared her dilemma of "downsizing" (such an ugly word) her sewing room on the Marcus Fabrics' Marcus Mentions blog the other day.  "How Paula Barnes Lost Her Ultimate Sewing Space"

In between packing and unpacking, Paula has been designing new fabric collections and quilts.  Now that I am back from the retreat, I will be getting to work on some of the new quilts.  I'll have photos of the new collections to share on my next post!!

Until next time, happy quilting,
Mary Ellen

Back Again

Yes it has been awhile since I last posted and yes I could list all of the reasons - pre and post holiday events, Disney World trip, houseful of company, retreats, personal sewing, business sewing, etc, etc - but I won't do that.  Suffice it to say, I'm back!!!  I will try to be better and more timely with my posting, but I'm not making any promises!!!! Sometimes life has a way of just plain getting in the way!!!

I've been much better about sharing on Instagram and Facebook, so many of you have seen what I've been working on - both business and personal quilts.  I completed our new version of Harriet's Baskets (I'll share a photo when I have it back again) and it is off at the quilters and I've almost finished a new quilt - Lilly.  Lots of personal quilts, though.  

Why only 2 business quilts you ask?  Well someone, namely the designer - Paula - has been just a little busy for the past few months.  Paula sold her home and just recently completed the move.  She downsized (such an ugly word) and is still dealing with some unpacking.  If you have ever moved, then you know what she has been dealing with - rooms that are filled with the boxes that need to emptied in that room, but no place to move because of the boxes!!!!  She's sent some photos and it is really taking shape.  I know it is going to be just beautiful!!!  I'll be visiting in March, so I will take photos and share.

Sewing room - unpacked

Unpacking and set up has begun!!!

 
Right now she is on the road in Georgia.  She spent Tuesday and today with the Gwinnett Quilters' Guild in Snellville.  Tuesday was her lecture and a visit to Little Quilts in Marietta and today was her workshop on Regimental Star.  This afternoon she traveled to Cartersville, GA to lecture at the Etowah Valley Quilt Guild and tomorrow is her workshop on Star of the West quilt.  AND then finally on Friday she travels to Florida for our Camp Blanding retreat!!!  YAY, I get some much needed Paula-time.

Paula and Mary Ellen Van Holt (the other Mary Ellen) the owner of Little Quilts

Paula lecturing at the Guild.  That's our Glory Bound she's talking about!!

Guild Show and Tell and a beautiful version of Glory Bound.

Paula and Julie Boyer and her version of Long Road Home.  Another beautiful quilt.

There are some very talented ladies in this guild.  A special thank you to Becky for sharing these photos with me.

So tomorrow Phyllis (Silver Thimble Quilt Shop) and I will pack up my van and head off to Camp Blanding for 5 days of friends (180 quilters), fabric and food - the trifecta for a successful retreat.  Gloria Parsons of Olde Green Cupboard sponsors, organizes, plans and basically keeps 180 quilters happy for 5 days - it is truly a miracle!!!

2 of everything (remember, I bring all the equipment that Paula will need - sewing machine, tables, tools,etc) is lined up in my hallway and ready to go.  I have some personal projects - Bordeaux for my son and d-i-l -  and some business projects - Lilly.

Hope this is all going to fit in the van!!!  No suitcase or food bags yet too!!

Blocks and alternate block fabric for Lilly

Bordeaux for Brett and Mere - of course it had to be made bigger!!

My plan is to try and post from the retreat, but I'm going to have to use my iPad.  I've never done this before, so we'll have to see if it works!!  With 180 quilters there, I'm sure there will be someone that can offer assistance!!

Until next time, happy quilting,
Mary Ellen

PS - Just checked my Power Ball numbers - lost again!!! At this rate I will never be able to build my house on Pass-a-Grille Beach!!!  Any lucky readers??

Post Thanksgiving Fun

I realize it's been awhile since I've posted, but now that we are into the "Holiday Season" all bets are off on frequent posts.  I did manage to accomplish quite a bit after Market/Festival and right now I'm waiting for everything to come back from the quilters - 2 flannel Christmas quilts (they are actually back, bound and ready to give as a Christmas gift), 2 baby girl quilts and 1 flannel "cheater" quilt for my nephew.  I will post some pictures when I have them back.

I did mention that I came home with a re-do for our Harriet's Baskets and I've actually made a lot of progress on that.  The handles are made with the bias maker that uses the fusible web, but let me tell you that no matter what the instructions say, I still can't do it right!!!  After attempting 2 handles, I packed it all up and sent it to Paula - she apparently is the fusible web wizard!!!!  I made the bottoms - more my speed - just plain piecing - and now I'm working towards making the complete baskets.  Here's a picture of the bottoms - don't you just love the fabrics!!!  Wait until you see the sashing fabric!!!

I've also gotten on the hexagon bandwagon and have actually made a few blocks.  I've found that I like to switch from machine sewing to handwork at night.  Plus it helps to be able to hear all of my regular shows at night if I don't have the sewing machine going!!!  Wireless headphones are on the Christmas list to help with this problem!!!

We've had a houseful for Thanksgiving.  Megan and Brian arrived on Tuesday and Brett, Mere and the girls arrived on Friday night.  It's been so much fun having everyone here and tomorrow we add to the fun by heading to Walt Disney World!!!  The girls are 5 and 3, so this should be a fantastic time.  7 adults and 2 kids - great ratio!!!  I'm so excited!!!

Megan is the Social Media Content Manager for GE Appliances and today was the cookie baking shoot for an upcoming post.  She mixed up the snicker doodle batter and Sydney and Julianne were the "rollers".  Caitlin assisted by making the cookie balls and the girls rolled them in red and green sprinkles - family tradition to change from cinnamon to sprinkles for Christmas!  Brian was the cameraman and I provided the Christmas decor!!!  The official pictures focus on the cookies, but I went for the "full picture"!!!  The girls had a great time and loved that they got to help Aunt Megan!!!

Making cookies

 

Sydney working hard!!

The best part - eating the cookies!!!!

Next on my list will be switching over from Fall decorations to Christmas decorations.  I've got a lot coming up over the next couple of weeks, so I have a feeling it's going to be a minimal decorating year!!!  We'll have to see how it goes!!!  I love how the house looks when it is all decorated for Christmas, so I'm sure I'll get something done!! Everyone's pictures on Facebook, blogs and Instagram are making me realize how far behind I am!!!

Just a reminder, in case you haven't received an email, we are having a Monday Madness Sale. Each Monday (for the next few weeks) we will feature one kit at 25% off.  Quantities are limited, but if you shop early you should be able to pick up some great gifts!!!  This week's kit is Legacy.

Until next time, happy quilting,
Mary Ellen

Market/Festival Recap

Yes, Market and Festival 2013 are over and even better, we survived!!!!  At one point (I believe it was while I was loading 25 lb bins of kits on to a dolly) I remarked to Paula that I really enjoy sitting at my sewing machine and sewing all day and this manual labor is sooo not for me!!! It really is a shock to my system because we don't do quilt shows anymore and then boom I'm lifting bins, climbing ladders, hanging quilts and pushing a dolly around!!!  Little too much for this old body!!!

Aside from the sales, I think one of the best things about Market and Festival is the people.  I just love getting the chance to catch up with friends - customers, shop owners, vendors, etc.  It's great to see everyone and get a few minutes to share and listen!!  Plus, I always tell people if you want a self-esteem boost come stand in our booth.  It feels so great to hear customers tell us how much they love our stuff.  It reaffirms that we are doing something right!!!  Thank you everyone.

The kits and patterns for the new quilts and re-dos were hits and Paula is working to get them on the website for you to see (and of course, purchase!!!).  I left last Wednesday and family/company came to visit for the weekend, so right now she's like me - catching up on sleep, laundry, life and dvr'ed shows!!!

I had great intentions of blogging during Market and Festival, but as you may have noticed, it never happened.  We are also pretty busy during the show, so we don't get out to see too many of the other booths - well except those in the aisles on the way to the ladies room!!!!  LOL!!  Here are a couple of pictures of our booth during each show.  You can see some of the new quilts we introduced this year.

This is the booth during Market.  Our plan was to just add a few more quilts (10, I think) and merchandise for Festival.

A new feature at Market is the Sneak Peek section.  Vendors can display a new item on one of the shelves in the glass bookcases at the front of the convention center.  This year Marcus Fabrics won for Best Sneak Peek.  Here's Pati (Director of Advertising and Marketing) accepting the award.  Congratulations Marcus Fabrics!!! (We're right opposite them, so I actually saw them coming with the award!!!  Got excited thinking we had won something!!!)

Our dear friends Gloria and Vicky of Olde Green Cupboard Designs have a beautiful fabric collection with Marcus Fabrics, County Londonderry, and here's their display featuring the quilts and other projects they used with their fabric.  Patterns are available on their website.

Market ended on Monday night and by 4pm Wednesday the booth had been transformed into a Festival booth - ready for Preview Night and shoppers!!!  Thank you Cindy and Jackie for all of your help with the set up.  It takes a village!!!  Here's a view from the end of the booth:

And here's the baby bed that Paula added:

As some of you may have heard, Andover Fabrics introduced their Downton Abbey fabric collection at Market!!  It was the opening session at Schoolhouse and was quite well attended!!!  Jackie and Cindy went and shared details with us - apparently they got to see a snippet of the Season Premiere of Season 4 - sooo jealous!!!  The fabrics are all about the women of Downton Abbey.  My very last picture to share with you is my own personal fat quarter bundle (and bag) of Downtown Abbey fabric!!!  Thank you Cindy for waiting in line for Sample Spree and making the Andover booth your first stop (they only had 200 bundles and you could only buy 3!!!)

I don't know what I am going to do with it, but it's like my Kaffe Fassett fabric - I had to have some!!!!  You should start seeing it in local quilt stores and online very soon.

As I predicted (and hoped), I did come home with some "work" - a re-do of Harriet's Baskets and a new quilt - so I've been busy catching up on my TV shows, cutting and prepping and doing some personal seasonal sewing.  I'll share when I can get them up on the design wall for some photos!!!

Until next time, happy quilting,
Mary Ellen

Thank you RCQ "Village People"

In a book, this would be the Acknowledgements section, but in my post it's the "special thank you to all our village people"!!!  I've talked about how it takes a village to make a quilt, but apparently it takes an even bigger village to get us ready for Market and Festival.  And this is my chance to acknowledge and thank all of those wonderful people. 
                      Thank you!!!!

 I'll try to do this by category and location!!!

The Katy, TX people - these are the wonderful ladies that help Paula with all of the kits we plan to sell.  They bring fabric into their homes to cut and assemble or they've been working at our "climate-controlled" warehouse for the past couple of weeks.  Thank you Cindy, Jackie, Cathy, Connie and Ronda.  Connie is also our Festival PR person.  You may have heard her last year if you were in the booth or anywhere in the aisle when she happened to walk by.  She's the one who usually says (in her outside voice) - "Oh look it's the Red Crinoline Quilts girls!!!" or something similar!!  We love her!! Paula also has some "at home" help with pattern stuffing and fat quarter folding - Shirley and Amy.  Shirley is Paula's mom and she folds a perfect fat quarter - no selvedge or threads showing!!! And our other Shirley, who graciously binds and adds rod pockets to many of our quilts.

The Jacksonville, FL people - otherwise known as The Olde Green Cupboard Design team!!  Gloria and Vicky have been binding the quilts that we sent there for quilting and they will also be the "transport" system for getting them to us!!!  They are coming for Market, so they are bringing our quilts with them!!!  The third member of that team is Gloria's daughter Heather and she is a fabulous photographer (takes all the photos for the OGC), so she did the photos on the three new mini's we are introducing.

The St.Petersburg, FL people - these are my BOM pattern people -  Caitlin, Courtney, Nikki, Nikki's mom and Phyllis and Bob.  They joke about how their work is very "seasonal" - just when I need patterns, but they've stuffed 12,300 patterns since August!!  I guess I need to thank the pattern bag people too!!!  We joke that maybe we should all invest in a plastics company - plastic bins for kits, plastic bags for patterns and kits - just a thought!!!

The Professionals - 
      Our quilters - Marcella and Margie from Crooked Creek Quilts in Greenwood, AR; Lynn and Cathy from Longarm Quilting Services in Jacksonville, FL and Sharon Dixon with Katy T-shirt Quilts in Katy, TX.  These ladies go above and beyond for us.  They are all always so willing to "fit us in" when we need a quilt quilted. I guess we need to apologize to the people we bump!!!
      Our photographers - Gregory and Elena of Gregory Case Photography in Pueblo West, CO and Heather Lynn in Jacksonville, FL.
      Our printers - Carol of Florida Printing Solutions in St.Pete (BOM patterns) and Matthew and Mark of Katy Printers in Katy, TX.  They're going to be very busy this week - brochures, order forms and patterns.  On second thought, maybe we should be investing in a paper company!!!

Ok, so with all people helping us you would think we would be done, but alas we have just a couple things left to do!!!  Paula is writing the last of the patterns and we have to proof them and I think she has one kit that she's finishing up.   I have to send out some wholesale and retail emails and then pack.  I leave Monday morning for Houston!!! I sent the last quilt to Sharon for quilting.  Paula picked fabric to do a re-do of our Sophie pattern.  I love this quilt and even better, it only took 2 days to make it - it took longer to get here from TX!!!!
 

Sophie re-do!!

After finishing the last quilt, I found myself with TV shows to watch, but no sewing - definitely an odd moment - so I decided to clean up the sewing room a bit.  Mainly I tackled the overflowing scrap basket on my table.  It is now empty!!!  The fabric has been sorted into appropriate scrap projects or drawers.  I'm sure I'll be filling it up pretty quickly though - Paula mentioned some new quilts she was thinking about!!! YAY!!!

Empty scrap basket!! Desperately seeking scraps!!!

Again, thank you to our village people!!  We couldn't do it without you.

Until next time, happy quilting,
Mary Ellen

Are we Market ready????

Market ready?  Hmmm, now that's a big question!!!  I'm waiting for the mail lady to come and bring a box of fabric for the last quilt I need to make.  Unfortunately we are one of the last stops on her route AND I didn't realize yesterday was a no-mail day, so I'm getting a little impatient!!!  It's not a big one, so I should be able to knock it out pretty quickly - I just want it here so I can get started!!!!

The rest of the quilts are pieced and almost all of them have been quilted and photographed, but we still have a couple that are unfinished or in their last stages before completion. They say it takes a village to raise a child, well it definitely takes a village to complete a quilt - designer/pattern writer, piecer, quilter, binder, photographer, and of course the FedEx man that carries it between all of these people!!!  Thank you to our village!!!  Without them we wouldn't have all of these wonderful quilts to share with all of you.

As I've been finishing quilts, Paula and her "village people" have been cutting and assembling kits during the day and then she's writing patterns at night!!!  The rest of the week will be spent in pattern editing.  I do have to say that is one of my least favorite things to do, but it must be done!!!  I leave for Houston on Monday to help finish up and then it's time to load the truck and trailer and head down to the George R Brown Convention Center for set up!!!  It's a good thing we have 2 days for set up because we spend at least one whole day just catching up with everyone!!

Here's a couple of photos of the quilts that are off being quilted, bound and photographed:

Lancaster re-do done!!!

One of the new mini quilts - Spools

Another mini quilt - Tablerunner

I finished these last week after my trip to NY to see my granddaughters (and their mom and dad too!!).  The trip was fantastic - rainy and cloudy, but the time with the girls was wonderful.  I felt like I had been voted Miss Popularity - "Grandma sit next to me", "Grandma can I sit in your lap", "Grandma can you read me a book", "Grandma can you put me to bed", and on and on.  I was in Grandma Heaven and I can't wait to go back!!! They will all be here after Thanksgiving and then we're heading to Disney World for a couple of days - can't wait!!!  I brought Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman and it was a hit, especially with Julianne.  I think I read it at least 20 times in 2 days!!

We didn't get to go apple picking, but we did go to the orchard farm stand and get some apples and apple cider donuts (yummy - think I ate 3 the first day, but who's counting).  The girls were nice enough to pose for Grandma in front of the pumpkins.

Sydney and Julianne and some big pumpkins!!!!

Sunday was "Fall Decorating Day".  I figured I better get it done before I leave for Market.  Usually I just pull up the photos of the previous year's decorations on my iPad, but apparently I never took pictures last year.  (Paula calls this "decorating by number"!!!)  Trust me, I took pictures this year for next year!!!  No sense reinventing the wheel!!!  I'm most proud of my wooden tool box.  I bought the tool box on one of our retreat trips to Rachel's Farmhouse and it's just been sitting under a side table.  I was cruising through other people's pins on Pinterest one day and Vicky had pinned a tool box all decorated for Fall!!! I saved that puppy and used it as my "inspiration".  I even have a picture saved for Christmas.  Sure hope someone pins something for the rest of the seasons or its going back to sitting empty under the side table!!!

I also changed the quilts on the quilt frames and couches.  My sister-in-law was asking about all of the quilts that are stored in the cabinet and that you never really get to see and she suggested I change them around - take some out of the cabinet and put them out for people to see.  I liked the idea, so I have different quilts out now.  She suggested that I feature a "Quilt of the Month".  She also suggested that she would be "willing" to display some of the ones that are still in the cabinet in her house!!!!  Like that's ever going to happen!!!!!  These are my babies and they are not ready to leave the nest yet!!!

Wall of quilts

 Well, still no mail lady, so I guess I'll go proof some patterns - yippee!!!

Until next time, happy quilting,
Mary Ellen

PS - Box arrived while I was previewing the post!!!  YAY!!! Let the sewing begin.  NCIS, NCIS-LA, Person of Interest and Spinning Stars - going to be a good night!!

Retreat Update!!!

Yes, it's been awhile, but the retreat is over and I've even managed to get a few things done since I got back home.  It's the last stretch to Fall Market and Festival and we are sprinting!!!  I'm checking things off the list and I love it!!!  I even made Paula a poster she could take home with her.  I always made a big poster of everything we needed to do before Market, so this time she got a mini version!!!  So we're both checking off things!!

The retreat was fantastic!!!  A special thank you to Gloria and Vicky, the retreat organizers, for another job well done.  We laughed, we giggled, we joked, we ate, we snacked, and apparently some people even sewed!!!  I have to say this was not my most successful retreat in terms of completed projects!!! LOL!!!  

Phyllis and I headed out on Thursday afternoon with a well packed car - sewing equipment and supplies for 3 people (I brought stuff for Paula because she was bringing RCQ kits and quilts and Ronda and her stuff with her), cooler with Phyllis' fabulous seafood chowder and pulled pork (yes we dined well this time), snacks and assorted items.  Thursday night was a traditional meal at Sonny's in Starke - we needed our wings and mac & cheese to start the weekend!!!  For the rest of the 5 days we dined on fabulous meals (and leftovers) that the girls in our group made - Ronda's pulled pork, Diane's pasta casserole and a white chili, Donna's empanadas and chicken pot pie!!! No lack of cooking skills with this group!!

I thought I would share the pictures I took and you can see the fun we had and what we (some people) accomplished!!

Ronda Stockton and Helen Davis and their Lincoln Watch quilts!!  Aren't they beautiful and so different!!

Linda (Gloria and Vicky's sister), Lynn, Pat and Ronda - being sad!!!  For the life of me I can't remember why!!!

Donna, Wynette, Gloria, Vicky and Diane and the "thank you" quilts that Gloria and Vicky made for them!!!

These wonderful ladies are just of few of the group that make and donate quilts for the Quilts of Valor program.  Check out the stack of quilts on the table.  All of these quilts will be donated to soldiers and their families in Florida.

RCQ's Sherman's March in browns!!!  I just love it!! It was being made as a wedding present - lucky couple!!!

Ronda and her completed "Twas the Night Before Christmas" quilt.  She machined embroidered before she came and she finished it over the weekend.  She's very lucky it made it home - lots of people were eager to make it their own - me included!!!!

Vicky and her RCQ Country Spools kit.  She bought this on Friday and it was completed by Sunday AND she worked on some other things too!!!!  We hate her - LOL!!!!

Phyllis and her RCQ mini!!!  This was Phyllis' very first retreat and she is already signed up and ready to do another one!!!

Diane and her retreat project.  Her goal was to finish this and she did!!!  It's beautiful and in her favorite color - PINK!!!!

We also did our snowball block exchange and Gloria was already sewing hers together on Sunday night.  Mine came home in a nice bag and will reside on a "To Do Someday" shelf in my sewing room!!  Rumor has it we may have even agreed to do another one!!

I think we are personally responsible for keeping Tutto and Sew-Ezi tables in business!!

My car on the way home!!  You can't see the antique ladder that is running down the center of the car!!  The big black suitcase is full of RCQ quilts that are now mine!!!!  Going to be filling up that antique ladder!!!!!

And now I'm getting ready to head out of town for the weekend - a quick trip to upstate NY to see my granddaughters, their parents, some fall colors and some apple picking!!!  It will be a nice break before I have to finish the last of the Market quilts.  The new quilt from Bordeaux and Sienna headed out to the quilters on Thursday and now I'm finishing up Lancaster (still working on those borders).  Then there's patterns to edit and all of the other little things that have to be done.  I'll share pictures of the quilts when I return from NY.

Until next time, happy quilting,
Mary Ellen