Wish. Dream. Plan. Goal. Guts.

Recently, a long-held goal of mine came to fruition.



I've worked a long time for this.



It is a happy moment to celebrate.


Horray! Okay... Now, let's get real.
I'm at the base of Everest. I've gained a ticket to entry (yay!). But now, there is brand new, large and gigantic mountain to climb. Because with each goal reached, there are 100 new ones to conquer.



(But that's what it's all about, isn't it?)

...Here I go!


Edited to add: You can purchase this painting here

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Bil Keane, 1922 - 2011

Bill Keane & The Family Circus. Mirror UK image

On November 8, Bil Keane, creator of The Family Circus, passed away. I was so sad to learn of this. His syndicated single-panel comic strip, "The Family Circus" played such a big role in my life, for a time when I was young.

I discovered Family Circus in the Sunday funny pages when I was 9 or 10, and I was hooked. Over a period of time, I collected several (actually, quite a few) of the paperback book collections. I read them over and over and over again. I was drawn to the wholesome and simple but super-sharp humor—I greatly admired his writing. The well-rounded character development was a feat for a one panel strip. And last but not least, Bil Keane's art and awesome line work. His style was just flawless—I never got tired of looking at his art.

In the strip, the interpersonal relationships were a highlight, as were the humorous moments that sprang from them. I have three older siblings myself, so in many ways I related to Billy, Dolly, Jeffy, and P.J. and their situational conflicts... the pecking order.

The Family Circus has its share of detractors. Though generally snark-free, there are aspects that some find distasteful. Overt religious themes showed up fairly often. The strip could be didactic at times. And, even at it's edgiest, The Family Circus was still extremely earnest and uber-traditional— G-Rated to a fault.

But, therein lies its magic. Looking back, I now actually have a better handle on why I was initially so drawn to The Family Circus in the first place (great line-work and one-liners aside). The traditional aspects helped me feel more centered in my own (disrupted) young life. The Family Circus was a safety zone for me, a life preserver of sorts. I appreciated the wholesome, simple stories told with a just little dash of flavor but never even remotely facetious or flip. I found a sense of comfort in the consistent dependability of the family portrayed in the strip. I liked that any conflicts always landed softly. I liked how the sibling relationships may have had a little bit of zing sometimes, but never, ever were they acerbic or bitter. Aside from all these emotional aspects, I liked the fact that art played a big role in the family, as a profession and as a part of life. The father, Bil, was a cartoonist. I especially loved the days when Billy takes over the strip—my favorite!

So, thanks to Bil Keane. The Family Circus world that he created gave me such a gift of great childhood memories and enjoyment through his simple (and simply wonderful) stories and art.

`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-

> Bil Keane obituary
> Family Circus official site
> Wikipedia

Bill Keane tribute articles
>Mirror UK
> A.V. Club

Signature devices Bil used in Family Circus
> Billy takes over the strip
> Dashed line humor (shows the steps one takes to do a task) Examples: 1 2 3
> Thought bubbles
>Not Me & Ida Know
>Vignettes Examples: 1 2 3

Bil Keane 1990. Photo: Wikipedia

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Monkeys for Christmas

I've been spending lots of time with my little pug elves in my studio, working to provide you with some great options for your holiday needs. I've got many neat ideas I want to execute, but simply just not enough time to do everything. (Hey, doesn't everyone have that problem? It sure seems that way!)

While going over this conundrum, it really boiled down to a few questions: What could I create that would provide great visual entertainment for you, deliver on emotional impact (because I love when you love my characters! They love YOU, too), and have plenty of functionality (because while I like things to be super cute and unbearably un-let-go-of-able, I'd also like for them to be surprisingly handy for a multitude of uses)? 

New Discovery: Christmas Monkeys!

Fun facts about these monkeys:
They are easy to get along with. They do not argue amongst each other, and they do not cause (too much) monkey business for you, either.

They especially enjoy:
hanging out on your tree, on your gifts (they will even allow you to write out a gifty note on their back and attach them to a present). They can hang with your Christmas cards, near (or on, or IN!) your Christmas stockings. they take well to making new friends, which means they are great office buddies. They are happy to double as a Christmas card (they are very sure of themselves) or they make a great small new surprise little buddy for a friend, stashed inside a Christmas card.

Other monkey benefits: they will eat whatever you fix for them (no special dietary needs, unlike the pug elves), nor do they need a special sleeping place—they are happy and comfortable just "hanging out". And they will love you and will continue to visit you every year. All they need is a safe place to hibernate with your other Christmas decor (a cigar box, a cardboard box, a used, stiff envelope from a mailing, or a ziploc bag with a piece of flat cardboard inside for support) and they will be with you for years!

ANY season is monkey season.. But if you ask me, Christmas Monkeys are probably the most cheery, most cutest monkeys of all.

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Girls Rule.

Sarah Fortune (Harvard School of Public Health), Jill Becker (Cambridge NanoTech), Erika Ebbel Angle (Science from Scientists), Jennifer Chayes (Microsoft Research New England)

Last week I had the pleasure of attending a day-long conference focused completely and solely on inspiring and empowering professional (or aspiring-to-be-professional) women. The Successful You Women's Leadership Forum is now in its second year. It's perfect for women professionals from all walks of life, in any stage of their careers, to come for a day of skill-honing, tool-discovering, and otherwise genius-crafting... plus a whole lot of networking (with good catering)!

Sarah Fortune (Harvard School of Public Health), Erika Ebbel Angle (Science from Scientists), Jennifer Chayes (Microsoft Research New England)

The line-up of speaker talent was full of ladies who have had amazing, path-paving, maverick  careers in STEM fields, as well as beyond. Spilling forth were life lessons and stories of professional victories and "failures" (quotes because there are no REAL failures! Right! :)). We listened intently to concentrate and fully remember what was being said. (It was a packed house and, most of the time, you could almost hear a pin drop!) I took MANY notes. I didn't want to miss any hidden gems from this group.

Suzanne Bates is an electrifying speaker, and she knows of what she speaks! She helps to open up pathways to understanding branding and thinking about your own branding in a whole new, fresh way.

Throughout the entire day, there wasn't one speaker who held back. Each was extremely generous and  thorough in their knowledge-sharing, both on and off the stage. All day, everything I listened to captivated me in some way, enlightened me, or educated me about something new... and sometimes, all three at once!

Suzanne Bates (Bates Communications) rocked the house! She not only showered attendees with smarness, but also with a copy of her book, Discover Your CEO Brand. I was pretty psyched to receive the book, (and signed, too)! If you get the chance to hear Suzanne speak, don't think. Just go.

Susan Getgood of BlogHer gave an excellent seminar on professional blogging. She also keeps her own blog on marketing called Marketing Roadmaps.

I also got the opportunity to attend a seminar given by BlogHer's VP, Sales & Marketing Susan Getgood. She talked about professional blogging and offered many resources, tips and insights. I really enjoyed her seminar a lot and picked up a lot from it. I was really happy to see that she had written the book on it and I snapped one right up myself right then and there! I find it to be an excellent resource on its own as well as a great compliment to the Blogging Your Way e-course which I recently completed.

All in all, pretty incredible day. I'm going to do my very best to attend the conference again next year. It's not just for techies, scientists, or math-heads. It's for any woman (or girl, for that matter) who wants to grow up to rule the world. (Like ME, And maybe like YOU, too!)

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Fan Slam: Lucky Things

Today's Fan Slam is ALL about... my favorite! LUCKY THINGS!
Hey, I'm a symbol nut, and I happen to *love* lucky charms. I can't get enough of them. And we're off...

The Lantern and The Shovel - Vintage Lucky Charm bracelet

This lucky charm bracelet (brought to us lucky people by Etsy shop The Lantern and The Shovel) is basically, well, just what I've always wished for in a charm bracelet. Chunky, vintage,  a little banged up, and chock-full of those classic (and classically designed) lucky charms. Hmmm, this would sure look nice on my wrist for my next Vegas trip. Oh, the sweet torture! (Do you think, if I wish hard enough, it will magically "charm" it's way onto my wrist?)

RandPapele Jewelry - Sterling Silver Tribal Arrow Necklace

Here is a lucky love arrow necklace by RandPapele Jewelry that's just pretty darn adorable. It's mini, it's tiny, and it's personalized. (I'm crazy about this trend. What a world we live in!)
I know that an arrow may seem a stretch for a lucky charm, but when it is a *love* arrow, now THAT'S a lucky symbol, if there ever WAS one. If you like this one, they have way more way-adorables in their shop.

Auryn Design - Maneki Neko "Lucky Cat" charm necklace

(Aside from lucky charms, are you sensing a trend here?) How sweet is this little lucky cat from Auryn Design? I sure wouldn't mind this guy spending some quality time on my neck.

Printed Wonders - Lucky Bag

Ahhh, more old-timey symbols, this time in a nice little shopper you can stw in your purse for those last-minute shopping trips. I like that is a really a "statement" bag, but it cost only a fraction of the cost of the "statement" bags I see in department stores (har har)!  :)

Love that this one by Printed Wonders features some symbols that are a little bit more unusual— the key, the ladybug, the hand. If you know what they hand is about, please do chime in—I am curious!) Overall, I love the vintage-flavored, simple, stark look very much.

Printed Wonders - Lucky Wrapping Paper

..And here we have another item from the same seller, Printed Wonders! They earned two spots this week due to this spectacularly bizarre yet strangely comforting Lucky Wrapping Paper. Really reminds me of something from when I was about three. That's all I got. But I do appreciate it, in all it's claustrophobic creepiness.

ERMoriginals - Sterling Silver clover and peridot necklace

Let's end this post on a non-creepy note, shall we?  How 'bout a cuter-than-pie note? A stylish and sweet note? Dainty cluster clover necklace by ERM originals comes with your custom initial and a choice of stone. AND, a cute little genuine pearl, too. This item is on sale, too... so... no time like the present!

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7 reasons to NEVER give up.

"Dreams come true". "Hard work pays off." Do these words fill you with happy thoughts, or do they make you want to click off this page (and you can't click soon enough)? When we are in the trenches and getting muddy in our creative careers, trying so hard to start our own parade or working to increase the momentum of the little one we have already started, it's not always easy to feel that Disney feeling. In fact, sometimes it can be downright hard to even look at those words. You know what I'm talking about? It is not always a sunny ride with the top down.

Well, I'm going to argue for the other side. Rome was not built in a day. Read on. Here are my...

7 reasons to NEVER give up.

7) Free school
Guess what? You WILL get smarter. Win or lose, if you are continually moving forward and taking chances, you will learn new and fascinating things about yourself,  what you can offer, and the particular sandbox in which you play. This is a stone-cold fact—100% assured. And knowledge is not only priceless, but it's measurable, and applicable. So, by not giving up, you continue to get sharper and shinier!

6) You WILL acquire clarity.
It won't happen overnight, but after focusing on your specific goals for a long time and working on all the various different things that come into play in order to support it, you WILL eventually (and continually) gain clarity and focus. As you continue try and and have times when you fail, you will gain more clarity, bit by bit. Though these moments are not awesome, they are moments of potentially rich growth. Try to get past your issues at this moment, and don't waste this opportunity.
After I reach a milestone (be it a big, positive one or a major bummer), I stop, take a breath and give myself the moment to process what happened. I reassess my goal (and sometimes, I really, really reassess my goal) and I look at how I am working to achieve it. What's working? What's NOT? What can I do more effectively? What new, fresh idea can I try, or what older idea can I revamp and re-try?  Hey, I can wallow for a few minutes with the best of them! But then, that's IT.
Just don't be afraid to tinker—there is no perfect one-size-fits-all  formula for success, so keep trying. Besides, variety is the spice of life! Everything in life is in either a state of evolution or stagnation—always. You're either fresh or your moldy. (Eww..) But, take your pick. Reassessing your goals and remapping your route is NOT failure. It's simply taking stock, and taking stock is really important in order to continue moving forward with clarity.

own your guts.

5) The odds are in your favor, the longer you stick it out.
The more you try, the better your odds. "Perseverance has been shown to be the #1 barometer of success." Have you heard this before? I don't know if it's a somehow-tested truth, or an urban legend. I've decided that I don't even care. Because, when you think about it, it's just common sense.
As an aside, I recently went to an a conference where I listened to several (highly successful) scientists and mathematicians speak specifically about success. And you know what? They talked at length, and with a lot of insight, about their failures and how important they were. In fact, they all seemed to embrace failure.
Failing comes abundantly with the territory of success. So if we fail a lot, we need to start looking at it as progress! Which brings me to...

4)There is no REAL failure, if you don't give up.
Yes, you can lose on the battle level. But battle scars build character. Plus, when you never give up, you never give in... and, when you don't give in, it means you haven't lost yet. You have gained some valuable ammo, though— the experience and knowledge that you can take with you into your next round. So keep at it.

3) The journey IS the destination.
I first read this quote on the cover of the book of the same name. The quote captivated me with raw truth (as did the book, which I ended up buying).

Ok. So... the journey and the destination they are not one and the same. But, looking at the big picture, would you agree with me that they are equal in importance? You can't get to one without the other. And, on top of that, the journey itself never ends. Let's hear it for the journey.

2)You WILL toughen up.
You cannot buy a thick skin. You have to earn it. This is an absolute truth, and it's one of the great equalizers of the universe. Things certainly don't get EASY when something doesn't go your way. But things certainly get easier, and as a bonus, you will acquire new and exciting coping mechanisms! Soon, you will find yourself knocking on the next door, knocking on several doors at once, standing on your head, balancing a plate on your toe while knocking on a door... (see where I'm going with this?)

1) IF you decide to give up, You WILL be miserable.
This is a tough pill to swallow I know. But this, I can promise.
You might not be miserable right away. But eventually, you will become enshrouded in the shadow of gave-upness, like an invisible cocoon that slowly grows over your entire body, eventually paralyzing you. This will most certainly turn you into you a miserable and unhappy person. Which you are not. So don't go there. Life does not get any easier when you quit. The disappointments just change.

you're going places.

So don't give up.

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a work in progress

Have you noticed that I've been trying some new things around here? (Rearranging the furniture, so to speak?) I've been working to make this space more organized, more comfortable, just a nicer place for you (and for me) to visit. I have been spending more and more time here, so it is only natural. Any place is more fun to visit when things are a little bit better organized and are a bit more spruced up, anyway.

I've also been collecting my thoughts, experiences, some of my objectives, writing them out and putting them in some of the links to the right sidebar at the top, under my photo. I'm hoping that helps you to get to know me better and to understand my goals more clearly. I've also added information about how I run this blog and what my blogging intentions are. This is a first for me—I've never written those things out for public consumption, so bear with me. It is a work in progress (like everything in life). Ultimately, I want you to really enjoy your time with me here and I am committed to that. In fact, I am so happy that you choose to spend time on my blog—honestly, it is an honor! So, with that, I'm vaccuming up, laying out a nice tablecloth and pouring you a cup of tea and I will explain the catalysts of the evolution here...

I had a couple of "a-ha" moments over the past three months or so...

In August, I went to see Holly Becker of Decor8 blog at her Boston book signing event for Decorate. Holly runs an e-course called Blogging Your Way (BYW), which I had learned about last year and, at the time, was very curious about. But I sat on that interest, and did not partake in the class during that session. Instead, I took a wait-and-see approach. I figured there would eventually be another session. Then I started thinking I may not have another chance, and I wished I'd jumped on the first opportunity.

Life went on as it does, and I waited for another BYW session sign-up period, but I wasn't holding my breath. (Let's face it, Holly's a busy lady.) Then out of the blue one day, my friend Monica Lee (a BYW alum herself), invited me to attend the August 2011 Decorate book-signing event and private mood board seminar! Wow—I jumped at the chance to attend!

Though I knew it would be a fun, networking, "talking shop" day, I received deeper value from the day then I had originally anticipated I would. I had some helpful interactions in which I gained insights into what I WAS doing, but just as importantly, what I WAS NOT doing, to assist me in helping me to reach my goals. Immediately, I decided to switch things up a bit. In some ways, I took my own power back that day.

 The next session of BYW began about five, six weeks or so after that Decorate day. I signed up for the class IMMEDIATELY. Whiplash, but I was not going to let that opportunity pass me by again! Today marks the last official day of my BYW class— the bittersweet "bon voyage" to the official class sessions. It's been a very intensive month, and it's been an amazing period or introspection and growth. BYW is so much more than just an e-course on blogging. The class is full of very deep content. I totally expected the class to be comprehensive, but it has completely blown my expectations out of the water.

So, that's the story of my bloggy changes. Maybe more than you bargained for, but hey, I'm *nothing* if not thorough! Though I've made some changes around here, I am a work in progress, like everything, and if we aren't evolving, we are, simply put, stagnating. (No thanks to that!)

I'd love to hear what YOU are working on, with YOUR work and life. What are you doing right now to help you grow while also reaching your goals?

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Fan Slam: Wear It

Picking up my Fan Slam series, pre-empted from my Quilt Market trip last week!

Today I'm featuring some fun things to wear from Etsy sellers I have just recently discovered. I will make the prediction now: at least a couple of these items will end up in my closet, my jewelry box, or both..

© vaivanat

This shop has the most beautiful and inventive wool things to wear. Truly inspired! Please, please check them out. This flower brooch above is but one of the many items I covet from vaivanat.

© Donna Elizabeth Design

I love Mexican art, and, I love charm bracelets! A match made in heaven thanks to Donna Elizabeth Design.

© Button Soup Jewelry

When I see the accessories from Button Soup Jewelry, I just think of the word "Darling". As in, everything is just  (say it like a fifties housewife) "simply darling"!

© Button Soup Jewelry

I might have to splurge. Oh, and get this— there are button bobby pins, too. And the green ones that match the above set... well, let's just say they might be on my head very soon.

© Elmwood Ave.

Do you not adore these cute little glasses hanging from a necklace? Librarian glasses necklace from Elmwood Ave.

© Janine Basil

Crazy lightning bolt headband! Be a superhero in your own mind! IWANT. Available from Janine Basil.

© Phlirt

This skirt by Phlirt is THE. PERFECT. CUT. And, custom made to order so it comes in LOTS of fabric choices. The sewing pattern, shape, and that cool little iphone pocket (which they clearly designed with ME - and maybe YOU - in mind) are just the thing. A-line, low waisted (horray!), and—hello I'm gonna say it again— CUSTOM MADE to your height and particular needs. Gotta get me a Phlirt skirt. (The black floral in my upcoming Jive Cats fabric collection would be just PERFECT..)

Which do you like best?

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Fall Quilt Market 2011: Friends, Fun, and my New Fabric Family Northcott!

Welcome to Part Three of my Fall Quilt Market 2011 blog post series!

Need to catch up on my Fall Quilt Market 2011 posts?
See Part One: Schoolhouse Day  •••  See Part Two: Beautiful Booths

After attending an early (cock-a-doodle-doo-early) Northcott sales meeting, and then Schoolhouses most of the day Friday, I headed to the main trade show floor to see how it was shaping up. I couldn't wait to find Northcott's booth.

LOOK what—or WHO, rather— was waiting for me? My new stuffy buddies! It was love at first sight. I can't wait to finally get some of these fabric panels and go to town with creative ideas for embellishing them! SO excited..

>Want to see what the panel looks like before they became stuffies? Click here

 This wall on the Northcott booth featured a group of Northcott designers—head shots with little pics of our latest collections. Called "The Northcott Designer's Hall of Fame" (love it :D), the panels were placed in a very prominent spot—front and center of the booth, on the side of one of the main columns. I liked that!

On Saturday, Northcott was busy the entire day. Jam-packed busy. I'm so glad they had such a FANTASTIC show. It was so nice to witness the chops of the sales force and of the company at large,  first-hand. YES, I am proud to be a Northcott designer!

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On Friday night, I attended the Fabric 2.0 party with my good buddy Monica Lee as well as her friends (and my NEW friends) Tara Kordich of Sew Amelia's Garden and her mom, Paula! They were so much fun to hang with! Though I have no photos of the party, I had a GREAT time. (Hey, maybe that is why I have no photos!)

I'll post links to pics here as I discover them, but for now, here's links to other places with photos of the party:

>Pic me and Stephanie Brieger (Fat Quarter Shop) at Fabric 2.0 party  (Thank you Kimberly Jolly!)

> Stash Books Fabric 2.0 blog post

>Jolly Jabber (Fat Quarter Shop's blog) blog post

>>>Have any links to party pics? Please post 'em in the comments... Thanks!

That lovely lady is Kim Kight. Kim is the creative dynamo, marketing wizard, and fabric review & preview queen behind the comprehensive, consistent and just-plain-awesome fabric blog True Up. I met Kim very briefly in passing at last year's Fall Quilt Market. I was not familiar with True Up at the time. Yes, sad but true, especially when I think of all I was missing. (Isn't it nice that blogs have archives?) 

This time around, I am not only familiar with her blog, but I've become a bona-fide fan of True Up and I read it regularly. (Please check it out if you have not already.)

So here is the deal... Kim wrote a book. Yes, that's right, and a book is a big deal, in and of itself.. But, this is not just ANY book. Kim has now, yes, written the book on fabric design. When you think about it, it's kind of the coolest thing ever. Totally full-circle-y. Yes, I'm Oprah-ing out over this. But really, can you blame me?

This woman is passionate about fabric design. She has been tenaciously, diligently, (and yes, passionately!) blogging fabric since 2008. And now, she has literally written the book on it. Does it get any better than that? (When does the sequel come out?? :D ) Dreams and goals come true, and though I know this to be true, I always appreciate a reminder. It takes tenaciousness, consistency, plain good old hard work, and it takes GUTS! One of my favorite sayings is "Nothing worthwhile is every easy". This book was clearly a labor of love to write and create.


The second coolest thing ever is that all of us lucky folks in line at her packed book signing were gifted with a copy—signed. Yup. So by NOW, you are probably thinking that Kim is a pretttty awesome girl. You would be right! Congratultions Kim!!

My super-duper talented fabric peeps!

From Left to Right: Me, Rashida Coleman-Hale (I Heart Linen), Khristian Howell, Leah Duncan, & Alexia Abegg. I love these gals!! So much fun, such cool girls! Not pictured, but  on the other side of the camera, is Monica Lee (see HER group photo here :D )

Top pic L-R: Michelle Scott, Tricia Maloney, Deborah Edwards, Cheri Strole & hubby David, Pati Fried, Debra Gabel

Bottom pic L-R: Pati, Debra, Northcott's awesome Marketing Maven Hania, litte ole me, Jane Spolar, Michelle Scott, the top of Tricia's head, Northcott Design Director (and fabulous Northcott Designer in her own right) Deborah, & Cheri.

So... how could my trip get EVEN better? Dinner with my Northcott family, of course. And in Texas, do as the Texans do—TRUE Tex-Mex (and Margaritas, too). Giddy up, little dogie! I don't think it gets any better than that.

 

These ladies seriously rule. LOVED meeting the members of my new Northcott family. We had SUCH a great time! We will just *have* to do this more often...

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Well, that's it for Fall Quilt Market 2011!

>>>If you have posted about Quilt Market to your blog, I'd love to see it!! Please post the link in the comments  :)

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Fall Quilt Market 2011: Beautiful Booths

More from Fall Quilt Market 2011:
Today, see some of the BEAUTIFUL BOOTHS
that got me inspired and snapping my camera!>Want to catch up? Read my first post-Market post here

Betz White's booth was comfy and cozy, and just jam-packed with playful and crafty elements. I loved it, I wanted to pull up a tuffet and get knitting, even though I'm not a knitter... See what I mean? Betz and her husband Dave were very nice folks, friendly and kind.  Betz's new collection is called STITCH with Robert Kaufman (see how fun it is?). It's even made with organic cotton and is ready for all of your fun projects, and mine too! I attended Betz's Schoolhouse the day before and she gifted recipients with some swatches - Yay! I unfortunately did not get any good snaps of her Schoolhouse seminar—I was seated in a blocked spot with no good photo-ops. Otherwise, she'd have been featured in yesterday's post, as well.

Jenean Morrison blew my mind again this year. I've attended Quilt Market Houston just twice, but both times, this POWERHOUSE Power Pop artist managed to knock my socks sideways in my boots. Her new collection is fun, punchy, and chock-full of cute "doo-daddy" elements, which I love! (Is that a word?)

Elements of 60's art and design figure prominently, but those elements have been reinterpreted with a distinctly modern vibe that is pure Jenean. Power Pop brought me right back to being six years old on the living room shag carpet, playing with my Barbie dolls and all of their fun clothes! (Barbie always had very modern, cutting edge outfits back then.) Maybe Power Pop brought me back to how the age-six, Barbie-playing me might have viewed the FUTURE GROWN-UP version of me! Jenean succeeded at building an adult Barbie dream house that I never would have even dreamed of. Hey, she won Best in Show for CREATIVITY! It's no wonder.

Anna Maria Horner's booth was comfy cozy and filled with jewel tones. (I love the cute little tuffet underneath the acrylic table!) I really like how she lit the main focal point quilt from behind the couch— very nice touch.

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Jennifer Sampou had a booth that was hard to walk away from. Her Fiesta collection interprets a Mexican aesthetic (one of my favorite cultural themes) with a soft-brushy watercolor touch. Her booth merged bright colors, some interesting juxtapositions of patterns, a lifestyle space, a lush and luxurious texture story containing so many elements, it's hard to believe I did not witness one grabby passer-by (hello multi-colored cabbage roses!). Lastly, there was a fair amount of "white space" (really it was more like light space) which tied everything together and gave an overall wash of peaceful tranquility to the space. It allowed all of the other features of the booth to sing as loudly as they wished! Instead of feeling overwhelmed, the booth cast a magical, strangely relaxing spell on passers-by.

WHOOPS! It's PARSON GRAY, Not Carson...

You can always rely on Amy Butler for a beautiful fabrics and a beautiful boothscape! But NOW look: her husband is getting in on the action too! Parson Gray is the fabric collection of Amy's husband David Butler. Now that is a family business AND a family affair. Cool.

More Mexican inspiration! These are a few of my fa-vo-rite things... WOW, did this Alexander Henry booth blow me away.

I adore Mexican art—it's in my blood! No, I'm not Mexican, but I did live my early childhood in Los Angeles, California. At the time (and possibly still), Mexican cultural influence was extremely strong there geographically as well as in my own daily life. I absolutely LOVED all of the beauty, fun and cultural details so prominent in Mexican culture that were permeated so deeply into the culture of L.A., as well. It is most certainly still with me today.

More Mexican Fiesta fun with Alexander Henry!

I have been a fan of Shabby Chic a long time before I even knew it's creator, Rachel Ashwell, by name! To be perfectly honest with you, that really wasn't too long ago. Well, regardless of *when* I finally put the name with the face so to speak, I do greatly appreciate the look and style of Shabby Chic now, and always have!

Here's a new one on me! I didn't even know who Carolyn Gavin was, until I saw this gorgie collection. Okay, wait a minute... at some point, I must have, since I do generally keep up on the Lilla Rogers roster of artists. But nonetheless, I was surprised and so delighted to find this fun, sparky collection full of cuteness before me. Side note—Did you know that Carolyn designs for Ecojot? Now that is something I *did* know. But, I only put two-and-two together after checking out her blog! (One and the same!)
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Hope you enjoyed today's post! My next QM post will be about FUN, FRIENDS
and my own experience of my SECOND time at Market, but my FIRST time
as a fabric designer with my new partners Northcott Silk.

Stay tuned!

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