Gammill and MQS 2013 - Wichita, KS

I landed in Wichita... a small airport, yep, tiny... 

no, this is not an exaggeration -- okay, I'm sure there are smaller airports, but you know!  The only thing between people in the process of exiting the airport and people still to go through security are a few stanchions... seriously.  Oh, and there are only two baggage claim thingies.  And... it was 92 degrees when I landed (hotter than SoFL) -- obviously the peeps in this airport were chilly at 92 degrees - they are all wearing coats, okay almost all of them.

And it's kinda nice when you arrive after everyone else and most of the hard work is already finished.  Not that I am required to set up, but if you're there, you help!

Power lunch before the opening of the shows shopping frenzy -- I am so happy and honored to be part of the Gammill family!

And here's the big entrance thingy...

And look who I get to stitch on again!

And there's Outta the Loop hanging beautifully!

And some creative signage... this place was closed down, but after speaking with some locals it is just a bad-luck spot, everything that has been there closed down.

And back to my purpose, the - more all over feathers - my absolute favorite!

Since I was quilting away so fast, I took a little break and tried some stitches on the Charm.  Yes, I am stand-up quilter who moves the *pencil*.  The *paper-movers* have nothing to worry about with me... kinda proves I'm human, huh?!!

In my defense this is only the second time I've actually stitched on the Charm.  Its not too bad eh?  I'm pretty sure I'll stick to standing up and pushing my giant pencil to stitch!

Not that quilting isn't fun, but sometimes you just need to visit the local sites.  We were told we needed to see the Keeper of the Plains.  What, you ask?  There is an enormous statue and every night at 9pm they light it up.  So, we all pile into the Yukon (yes, that's pronounced Yuck-un - LOL) and drive down the street -- okay, we took a minor detour to Gander Mountain -- to see what all the hubbub was about.

And on my last day at the show I finished the quilt -- totally awesome!  I just love that silver-grey dupioni!  Don't forget to follow Gammill's website for info on when these beauties will be auctioned!

And I finally got to meet Claudia Pfeil.  We talk a lot on facebook, but this was our first face to face meeting - she is just the sweetest - and super talented too!

And during the banquet Linda Taylor received the Lifetime Achievement Award -- Mr. Stafford (Gammill) gives an admirable speech highlighting Linda's 20 year relationship with Gammill Quilting Systems.

And of course, Ricky Tims provided wonderful entertainment!

To sum it all up -- MQS was a blast!  

Catch up between Quilt shows!

Somewhere between MQX Manchester and AQS Paducah my Mom came for a visit.  A much needed, long overdue, absolutely necessary visit.  I miss her, even though we talk on the phone at minimum three times a week, I miss her, the chats over coffee and cookies, the giggles, the scrabble marathons... you know the special things. Well, she was only here for three days so it was quick, but I did manage to snap a couple of pictures during our one day of relaxing nothingness:

 

 And just to keep our Saturday mornings fun and entertaining, here is Mari (my son's super adorable lovable girlfriend) playing with some dry ice.  We are weird... in a strangely fun way!

And I totally managed to do this -- even if only for a short while:

And two nights we had a critter on the concrete out front:

I know, you're all repeating it in your heads... red next to black is my friend Jack, red next to yellow is a deadly fellow.   And silly bat... wings are for flying!

And then it was Mother's Day - psst.... I ordered my gift early.  I saw this wonderful vendor in Paducah who made these totally awesome bracelets from vintage typewriter keys.  Guess what? ..... .... .. it just so happens that I collect vintage (cool word for really old) typewriters!  Anyway, there was a bracelet that said 2QUILT4$ -- wow, really, cause that's kinda what I do.  BUT... I didn't buy it.  I got home and kicked myself because I really wanted it.  Turns out I'm a strange sort of detective because I found that very same vendor on Etsy!  Guess what?  .... ... .. I ordered my very own personalized bracelet -- cool beans huh?

Mother's Day started with a surprise breakfast for me as well as Mari's Mother and Grandmother.  Then the kids took me to Downtown Stuart for a nice afternoon of shopping.

My hubby took over for the evening part:

 I had a wonderful super full-of-love day!

And then... the mower died.  Well, it didn't die, it just needed some expensive attention from the repair peeps.  You really use your mower a lot in Florida -- darn grass grows ALL year long!

So... hopefully you feel full of information and totally caught up.  Quilts?  What... who has time to quilt?  LOL, no really, oodles of stuff coming up -- and another post in a few days sharing all the wonderfulness that was MQS!

Gammill and AQS Paducah 2013

Again I'm going to make an attempt to translate the blur of fun in my head into a clear comprehensible post...

I landed in Memphis, TN.  I know, I was headed to Paducah, KY...
The Gammill peeps were swinging by and picking me up on their drive to Paducah -- awesome huh?  Now that's what I call star treatment!  But, it also turns out that Memphis is a pretty hopping place!  It just happened to be lunch time so we stopped at Beale Street for lunch.  Now, don't underestimate the word lunch... more specifically, ribs, from the Blues City Cafe -- outstanding!

And then comes booth set-up -- yes, everyone helps.  It is a little crazy, kinda chaotic, slightly strenuous and kinda' sweaty, but it's fun!

And just to keep it interesting, I timed Doug and Martha while they set up the Home Pro table -- yes, 12 minutes - and that was while moving out of other vendors way and talking!  I did not, however, get a picture of the process... dumb I know!  

Also, what you probably didn't notice in those booth set-up pictures is that giant crate.  That was a little surprise for me!  In that crate was Old Glory, Gammill's special Quilts of Valor machine.  I would be stitching on Old Glory - awesome!!!  This machine has a one-of-a-kind paint job and it is amazing.  If you ever get to see it in person you'll totally understand.

And if enough awesome stuff wasn't already happening... check out the back cover of the AQS Paducah Show Program!  Yes, that's my Gammill ad!  Cool beans, huh?!!

Here is Betsey sharing with a wonderful group of ladies how awesome it is to stitch on the new sit-down Charm!  And, of course, the local news showed up, here's Rhonda sharing the Vision 18 on the Home Pro table!

Now, back to my purpose in the booth.  I'm a Gammill Quilting Artist which means -- many wonderful things -- but, I'm at these shows to share with people how amazing these machines are, and how much can be done with them.  And that quilting is much more than stitching a top to a backing, it is a true art form!  So I start with a doodle and then mark it on some beautiful fabric.  I tend to mark a little more than normal to assist my attention issues.  With all those people talking and watching, it helps me to stay focused and on track.

And then the stitching begins -- be warned, this fabric does not know what color it wants to be... it is purple, blue, or pink, depending!

And why am I always smiling?... just look at the evidence!

And, done!  Isn't it beautiful?!!  Don't forget, these artist quilts will be auctioned off later in the year, make sure you keep an eye on the Gammill website for more details!

and some close-up detail pics:

And here I am with some amazing women!  Martha (A Touch of Thread), Karen (Wildflower Quilting), Rhonda (Gammill Quilting), ME, and Betsey (Gammill Quilting)!

And... I can't forget that I had a quilt in the show!  Here I am with Flies and Weeds.  

You can read all about this quilt in the May/June issue of Machine Quilting Unlimited Magazine!!

So, since I finished the quilt a day early (again), we pulled out the all-over feather frenzy that was started in Manchester, if you don't remember, click here.

And I managed to finished this one too... this is my favorite so far!  I absolutely love quilting like this -- total play, this is when my brain is in a happy place!

On an awfully sad note, while I was in Paducah, my friend and fellow Journeys art group member passed away.  I was truly thankful that her ceremony was the day after I returned home and I was able to be a part of it.  Judie, you were an amazing woman and artist.  Hopefully I'll see your art in the skies, cosmo cheers to you!

Judie, you will forever be missed!