IHAN Returns from Spring Quilt Market 2010 in Minneapolis

OK, first things first.  This is the unedited version of my desk.  You will notice the empty coffee cup and the chocolate (given to me by Patsy Thompson- for my boys- look who is eating it!!!)  I call this my Rocket Fuel to get the IHAN up and going!!! (sort of like a MO JO.....but much more umph is necessary)

This is exactly what is sitting next to my desk right now.  My basket of brochures and information so I can write about my Market experience intelligently (well....as intelligently as I am able :) and the new Licensed GO! Fabric Cutter Dies I had ordered before I left town, now opened and ready to play....just as soon as I can :)

These are the packages of goodies that I have not had time to go through.  I bought very little for myself.  However, there are lots of wonderful things that are for IHAN blog readers....looking forward to tons of Giveaways here at IHAN !!!  Can I get a Woo Hooo out there in the crowd?  Oh Yeah Baby!!!

The IHAN coffee table overfloweth it's capacity.....all to be given away right here on the IHAN blog :)

It overfloweth to the IHAN red sofa, in the family room too.

So, that is the skinny, now I'm back to work getting the posts ready to show each booth or product etc.  If anyone lives close and would like to hop on over and help out ..... feel free....you don't even have to knock....just come right in and bring your work boots and gloves.

Smiles,

Kelly

Splitting Stitches Blog and AccuQuiilt Facebook Fan Page....DON'T MISS THIS

Hi Ya'all!!!!  Did you know my girlfriend, Joanne Lendaro from Splitting Stitches Blog won a GO! Fabric Cutter from AccuQuilt's Facebook Fan Page? 

Hi Joanne!!!  Wish I could come over and just give you a huge celebratory hug!!!  I'm so happy for you.  I love your music on your blog.....always music I know the words to.....hmmmm....same generation I guess :)

Joanne was so ecstatic about her win, she is posting a GIVEAWAY.  How is that for Paying It Forward? 

This is what Joanne is giving away:

"I am going to send you enough fabric to make this same quilt! I have already ordered the 2.5 die and will be ordering the Tumbler Block die. SO...I will send you

90 Tumbler Blocks (see below)
2.5" Sashing in RED
4" Border Fabric
I will be sending Tumbler blocks cut from: black on white, white on black, red on black, red on white, black on red,and white on red."

You have to hop over to her blog and check out all the details!!!

While I'm on the subject of the GO! Fabric Cutter and Giveaways.  IHAN and AccuQuilt will be giving away a GO! Fabric Cutter on May 28th....this Friday.  You better click here to make sure you are in the drawing.  If you decide you want more entries for the IHAN Giveaway, read down through the list and don't miss out on the opportunity to donate to the Green Fairy Charity.....go and read about it, I guarantee your spirit will be full of joy after reading about Judi and Clint (Young folks with 4 kids continuing to give on the other side of the Earth....just because they can!!!)  Oh, I need to remind everyone that you can choose only ONE way to enter.  I know some folks thought they could do all of the choices ( I love their energy and attitude :) but everyone can do only one.  The only way to get additional entries is to donate to the Green Fairy Charity.

Ok, I know I did not post yesterday.  All of the IHAN blog followers know how "real" I am and I don't fudge the truth (when I do it is indicated...lol).  I was gone all day yesterday with my youngest co-worker.  He and the oldest are having some testing done and we have baseball games at night.  I'm a One Woman show really and they come first, always!!  Please keep the boys in your thoughts and know I'm juggling lots and lots of balls.  If you can't wait for the pix to arrive, you can come over and view them here on my bot....anytime as long and you help sweep or cook.

Smiles,
Kelly

AccuQuilt - Spring Quilt Market 2010- New Licensed Dies

Since IHAN is currently hosting an GO! Fabric Cutter  GIVEAWAY for a GO! Fabric Cutter I thought it would be fun to start with AccuQuilt.  I have mixed the photos from Schoolhouse* and Quilt Market for this post.

On the far left you can see a smidgen of a sample of Lady Eleanor's GO! Blazing Star, Lady Alex's GO! Bountiful Baskets, Lady Sharon's GO! Rose of Sharon and Sir Rick's GO! Arabesque #2.

Linda Pumphrey, National Sales Manager, opens  AccuQuilt Schoolhouse Presentation.

Lady Eleanor was her usual funny self during Schoolhouse (stay tuned for more photos).  Here she is introducing her new AccuQuilt Licensed Die GO! Blazing Star. 

 

There are lots of screens with presentations at Schoolhouse.  Why do I take a photo of the slide-show presentation?  (shrugging shoulders now)  Maybe so you will feel like you were there with me....maybe so I'll remember what I was doing there....in case my mental Rolodex slows down......oh who cares really....just enjoy the pix :)

This is an example of a quilt made using the GO! Blazing Star die. (gently borrowed from AccuQuilt :)

 (this pix was taken during the unveiling of the Rose of Sharon Quilt Challenge by EQ, more on that later)

Sharon Pederson has brought the "Sharon" back to the Rose of Sharon Block"!!!  The new licensed die for the GO! Fabric Cutter makes cutting the Rose of Sharon pattern a zip, just cut and GO!. 

This is the GO! Rose of Sharon Die.

Lady Sharon had to use her GO! Rose of Sharon Die on the GO! Fabric Cutter  to cut over 800 flowers (with fusible on the back).  Look how well her die held up!!!!  The GO! is not supposed to handle mass production....but it looks like it can handle a load of wear and tear and still keep cutting (Timex and AccuQuilt might consider a merger....it keeps a licking and keeps on ticking/cutting? No...ok forget it!)

Lady Sharon and Lady Alex are showing off the winning blocks from the Rose of Sharon Quilt Challenge hosted by The Electric Quilt Company.  We were not allowed to post any photos of these winning blocks before it was officially announced at Quilt Market.  No worries about IHAN posting secret photos....I had no camera cord!!!  LOL.

Sir Ricky Tims introduced his new GO! Fabric Cutter Dies, GO! Arabesque #2  and GO! Arabesque #3.  Some folks overestimate my skills with photo editing.  I know you can paste Sir Rick's eyes from one photo to another....but not this gal.  You get the pix just as I took it....eyes closed.  One benefit of this photo is that if you are in love with Ricky Tims, you can now visualize what he would look like with his eyes closed kissing you.  ROFL :)

Look how beautiful these blocks are!!!  You can use the dies in a number of ways.  You can place your fabric over only partial areas of the die to create your own variation of designs too.  We call that, "TOTB", Thinking Outside The Box!!!  (I'm not sure who we are exactly.....)

These are photos I took at the AccuQuilt booth at Quilt Market.  These show the Studio Die Cutter cutting Sir Ricky's patterns.

This is The Studio Cutter, available only through AccuQuilt.

Since I was running around trying to get photos of the Schoolhouse presentations I missed parts of some of them.  Unfortunately I missed Lady Alex Anderson's portion of the class : ( I'm soooo sorry Lady Alex. I will add the photos of her new Licensed Dies and show you samples of blocks you can make using her new GO! Bountiful Baskets and GO! Quarter Square-4" Finished Triangle. 

This is the GO! Bountiful Baskets die by AccuQuilt.

And....this is a sample of a quilt using Alex's GO! Bountiful Baskets Die (gently borrowed from AccuQuilt :)

 This is Alex's new GO! Quarter Square-4" Finished Triangle NEW Licensed Die .

And this is a quilt made using her GO! Quarter Square-4" Finished Triangle NEW Licensed Die .

I know I am not the Queen of Quilting and don't really have the authority to "donk" anyone with knighthood and ladyhood (?) titles.....but it sure makes the reading so much more fun doesn't it?  Perhaps Queen Elizabeth should come for a visit and bring her "donker."  ROFL

Oh....the "donker" goes by another more formal name, it is called a "Sceptre" too!  I guess I'll never make the Royal Court with my personalized IHAN  nouns and adjectives.

This is my first installment of Spring Quilt Market 2010 in Minneapolis.  I have to take my co-workers to play now.  More soon!!

Donked Smiles,

Kelly

*Schoolhouse is a series of  presentations that are held on Thursday before Quilt Market opens.

Proof I was in Minneapolis :) at Spring Quilt Market

The first IHAN photo to hit the blogosphere.  I'm guessing I just might be one of only a few folks who took almost 2,000 photos in 3 days and didn't have a Press Pass (I'm going to apply for one of those babies....I think they get free snacks :).

Yes, almost 2,000 photos.  I have to organize those little buggers to get the ball rolling.  We arrived home safely around midnight from Minneapolis.  I left everything in the van (so if you are a robber....now is a good time to hit the van....cuz I'm going to bed) and just brought my toiletries, purse and cameras in the house.  I moved all the photos over to my computer and checked my e-mails and filled orders.

I have to go to bed now....but I will start the story off at the beginning tomorrow.  Thanks a million for reading and being patient.  If you have left comments and I have not responded....just know I have a few hundred e-mails in my in-box and I will get to them.

Big -ole-happy Smiles,
Kelly

Leaving Minneapolis from Spring Quilt Market 2010

I know, I know, I know.....no photos yet.  Good news is there are a zillion people who were there that have posted photos so you can feel free to browse their pix and posts until I get home.  Rosemary and I are just leaving for home and it is 10:00 am and not 7:00 like we had hopped.  Her knee is very purple and swolen.

I don't have the time to do the proper links....but Ricky Tim's spoke to Rosemary and if you check out his blog you'll be able to see Rosemary :)

I had several peak experiences these past 4 days and my spirit is full and overflowing.  I never got to Nellie's Needles and that was one of the ladies I really wanted to meet.  I follow her blog and I was so sad that I did not get to meet her.  Also, Mary Kolb...I have your Roc-lon Multi-Purpose cloth but I could not find you....boooo hoooo.  I learned that there is a Susan Knapp that is not Susan Brubaker Knapp.  Susan when I saw your name I came running with my camera.  I stood confused.....looking at what was lovely....but not your work.  It only took me a few minutes to figure out there are two Susan Knapp's.  I missed seeing you.

I have an 11 1/2 hour drive ahead of us.....so if I can keep my eyes open long enough after I get home....you know I'll be a posting photos.

Huge Happy Smiles,
Kelly

Saturday Night in Minneapolis

Here is the truth.....yes I have a cord.....I can't get it out of the package because it is in one of those sealed for life packages where you need a saw to get through the plastic.  (Why don't people who make packaging talk to me before they design these things?  I'd at least make a package a person could open....without an electric tool :)

The last hour of Quilt Market today, one camera's battery died and 4GB photo memory card was full on the other....I feel like an Olympic photographer....who broke their stride on the last lap.  You know I promised photos....and you will get them.

I hear Rosemary is on Ricky Tim's blog but I've not seen it....so you will have to check and tell me.

I'm so tired I have to go to bed.....but not before I describe what I just saw Rosemary do.  Mind you, we are both tired....... but she is not only tired but she is in a lot of pain with her knee.  We get back to the room after having dinner with the wonderful ladies (and Larry) at Quilt Woman dot com and Rosemary gets her pajamas on.  I look over and without even realizing it, she had put her name badge from  Market on the front of her PJ top.  I laughed so hard I almost fell over.  I would say that is tired when you transfer your name tag to your sleep clothes.

I guess I'll have to buy a saw to get the cord open.  It is like the Mouse that you give a cookie to....it just goes on and on.

Smiles,
Kelly

Spring Quilt Market Minneapolis MN Day 2 Update

I'm headed to Target to see if I can find a camera cord.  I've taken over 600 photos on day one.  Anyone want to edit those photos for me?  LOL

I have some fun goodies that I collected yesterday from Schoolhouse to giveaway.  I love the little gifts they give because that means I can give them away here on my blog :)

Rosemary and I started out the day very well, then she fell and injured her knee.  She spent the day in Urgent Care and I ran from class to class to get photos and see some beautiful new products.  Rosemary does not have a break and she has a wheelchair, compliments of the Minneapolis Convention Center.  I will be moving as fast as I can to see and hear about all the fun stuff.  I'll be sure to get some autographed books to be given away after I return home.

Stay tuned....hope I find a camera cord :)

Smiles,
Kelly
ps...no spell check here....you'all will have to just pretend you don't see any mispelled words :)

Arrived Safely in Minnesota

We have arrived safely here in Minneapolis.  The drive was uneventful and our beds were comfy.  Good news is today is Schoolhouse series....I can't wait.  Bad news, so far I have not located the cable to link my camera to my computer.  Worst thing that could happen blogger wise....I won't have pix until I get home.  We'll see if I just misplaced it :)

More soon!!

Smiles,
Kelly

Off to Quilt Market in Minneapolis in just 7 hours :)

Ok, so I leave in 7 hours.....and I've not packed yet but darn tootin I'll be on the road at 7AM.  LOL

Sorry for not posting today.  I have two posts just waiting to have the last minute bits added....but I did not get the time to finish so you'll have to wait until I'm worn out tomorrow night for me to post in Minneapolis!!!

Quilt Market here I come.  All I have to say is there better be a lot of armed guards because I have a lot of blog friends who want lots of thread and fun sewing notions and the only way to get that much is ....well.....you know.....shhhhh I can't put it in writing....but you know ...right?   Don't forget you are the jury of my peers....and I expect you to show up at trial and insist that I'm innocent and just a nice person who loves to give great stuff to her friends, right?  RIGHT?  Get the story straight so we don't look guilty in court OK?

LOL....

Really Naughty Smiles

Kelly 

Tonya Rocks Big IHAN Socks....ROFL

Oh everyone has to run over to Tonya's Sewing Room blog and read her post.  Wow, she really went all out!!!
Way to go Tanya!!

Smiles,
Kelly

Lots of Great Ideas for the AccuQuilt GO! Fabric Cutter GIVEAWAY at IHAN

Thank you to everyone who took the time to give a suggestion.  I've decided to use a variety of the ideas (except Gene's...sorry Gene!!!  LOL) so for everyone who left a comment up until the time I publish post, you will automatically get your name in the drawing an additional time.

Everyone has their strengths and as much as I love the limericks, videos, photos, stories etc.  not everyone has a blog and not everyone is interested in the same thing.  So YOU get to choose.  The more involved you get the more entries you get.

Hop over to GO! Fabric Cutter by AccuQuilt Giveaway to find out how you can enter!!

Smiles,
Kelly

GO! Fabric Cutter GIVEAWAY

DANGER WILL ROBINSON

Danger?  Possibly!!!  Especially if you are prone to getting so excited that you can't sleep at night and you accidentally use the hair dryer in the shower the next morning.  I know, I know.....but it could happen.

 

I've been thinking about ways for people to enter the Giveaway for a GO! Fabric Cutter!!!  I know many of you are not the best contortionists....and you know I would laugh myself silly watching videos of quilting contortionists...but that may be too much to ask for.....so....

What do you think would be an interesting, fun, silly, crazy, intelligent, leg slapping.......way of having people enter to win an GO! Fabric Cutter by AccuQuilt?

Leave your suggestions on this post and if your idea gets chosen, you get 10 extra entries!!!

Have fun....you know I would...LOL

Smiles,

Kelly

Lightening Strikes IHAN Twice

Remember this photo from yesterday....

(I took this photo :)

taken here in Perrysburg.  I have one to add to it....

 Check this one out.....LIGHTENING.....I bet you think it can't strike twice in one place.....you would be wrong....LOL

(note: this is not a photo I took....I just thought it was beautiful and looked like Lightening Striking Twice....but thanks for thinking even for a minute that I could take such beautiful photos:)

Remember last month when everyone and their brother wanted to win the GO! Fabric Cutter from AccuQuilt for our First Anniversary Celebration?  Well......AccuQuilt has decided to do it again!!!

How exciting and incredible is this? You know I'm thrilled because I think my GO! Fabric Cutter is the best thing since sliced bread (no, I have not tried putting bread through my cutter....yet :)  IHAN blog readers know I love giving things away. 

Now, I just have to come up with the fun details about how you can enter to win.  You know me, I'll come up with something!!!

 
Stay tuned for all the fun details :)
 
Smiles,
Kelly

Bye Bye Miss Kelly

Meet my little friends.  These little people all jumped at the chance to take a picture with me and it made my eyes well up with tears of gratitude.  Last week was my last day helping in Zach's Kindergarten class.  They had gotten me some flowers (Zach is holding them over my head with a big grin..lol).  They signed a precious card and then everyone gave me hugs.  I thought my heart would burst.

I know these photo's don't exactly go with the topic.....but they do go with my week.  Check out these amazing photos of the sky.  I looked out the window and saw how quickly the clouds were moving and changing. 

Absolutely beautiful and powerful.....interesting how dark clouds can be beautiful.

Smiles,

Kelly

Happy Campers with IHAN Prizes

This is Patty from MyLifeUnderTheBus blog.  She won the Just Bee's Pins from Just Another Button Company in the IHAN 30 days of giveaways.  I asked folks who won to send me a photo of their prize when they got it or of them using it.  I think this is a very fun photo....Thanks Patty!!!

Melissa from AndreasNest blog won the QTools Sewing and Cutting Edges. 

Attached are three pictures of my IHAN anniversary prize in action! With these strips, I can make even seems of any width. Great for piecing quilts, especially on my old machine that really isn't calibrated well at all anymore.


Thanks again!
Melissa
Green, Ohio

I think it is fun to see where all these fun things go and how people like their things.  So if you won a prize and would like to send some photos along, I'd be happy to post them.

Smiles,
Kelly

What Makes Today Wonderful?

Maddy and Zach were both born on this day!!!

Happy 21st Birthday Madeline and

Happy 6th Birthday Zachary

Two very wonderful, kind, loving, smart, thoughtful, tender, honest (for as much as one can be at

6 and 21, LOL) AMAZING people....yes they are and I love them dearly!!!

Zachary, my youngest co-worker, has a mind of his own and always has had.  Stubborn and determined don't even come close to describing this little fella.  How do you like his outfit?  He dressed himself this morning....from head to toe :)  Yes those are Halloween socks and nice dress pants with a tye-dye shirt!

Oh yes, and this "scary" necklace came from the gumball machine and he had to wear it too this morning.

All I can do is laugh and keep going.  He thinks he looks wonderful and is all happy this morning.  Who am I to tell him that he does not exactly match?  I say, it is your birthday....I love you....have a good day!!!  Then I get him on the bus and come into the house laughing myself silly.

This morning he wanted to know who the first person born on earth was.  He had to know if they shared the same birthday.  How funny is that?

Both co-workers love hearing stories about when they were babies.  So this morning I was telling Zachary how I sang Patty Cake Patty Cake to him.  Aaron was standing near (he is 7 1/2 now mind you) and he rolls his eyes and says, "Mom that is Soooo 1990's."  So I asked him if he meant 1900's and he said, "Nooo, Mom, 1990's....this is 2010 you know." 

So all of you reading this....you know we are all just SOOOOO 1990's.......but little do they know.....we'd all be thrilled to be SOOOOO 1990's.....instead of 1900's.....or in my case 1964's....ROFL.

I'm sure Maddy is still sleeping this morning.  She is LEGAL now....so my guess is she went out last night and waited until midnight and then ordered her first legal drink.  Just a guess.....not saying that is what she did.....but I'd put.....oh say.....a hundred bucks on that bet :)

Maddy just finished her third year of Nursing School and she is looking forward to some R & R this summer.  She is in FL for the summer with her new baby, Beowulf, a lab puppy.

LIFE IS GOOD
And when it's trying....eat chocolate!!

Smiles,
Kelly

This and That, Now and Then....and Always

This is That....Now is not Then....and always eat chocolate. 

Yes, this is what it has come to today....I finally have cracked....gone bonkers.....another kid with a sore throat....how does this happen?  Isn't there something we can spray them with to keep the bugs away....Cooking Spray?  Raid .... no I guess there is a little skeleton that says poison....some sort of silicone spray that does not allow any illnesses to creep onto them?  Should I send them to school wrapped in a bubble wrap filled with disinfectant?  Ok, Ok, Ok.....I'll go to bed....sleep it off....then laugh tomorrow and read my post and agree with you....sleep is the best remedy :)

Smiles,

Kelly

Happy Loving and Nurturing Day To You!!

Beautiful art by Kevin Dyer....check out his amazing art!!!

Everyone already knows I'm an odd bird....and I'm OK with that :) So I know you will understand when I wish you a Happy Loving and Nurturing Day instead of a Happy Mother's Day.  I would wish you a Happy Mother's Day,  but many readers may not be Mother's and then there are those who did not get from their Mother's what they needed so it makes Mother's Day uncomfortable or unpleasant.  I'm truly grateful you are all here so I thank your Mother and Fathers for having you no matter what the circumstances. 

I want to honor the loving, nurturing and caring spirit within each and every one of you.....Happy Loving and Nurturing Day to you!!  I hope each and every one of you are taking the best and  most loving and nurturing care of yourselves as possible no matter what your life experience is at this time in your life.

Take this day to be good to yourself and those you love.....and I'll do the same. 

Odd Bird Smiles,
Kelly

Smith Street Designs Wildflower Pattern with CD

Last Saturday I was lucky enough to be able to join some gals in the local Machine Embroidery Guild at one of their stitch-ins.  I don't have an Embroidery Machine but I've always wanted to learn what they are about.  Wow was I surprised to see the varieties of machines and the amazing quilt pattern everyone was working on.  The pattern is called Wildflower and it is by Smith Street Designs.

This is my friend, Diane's block.  Everyone was working with batiks and they were absolutely beautiful.

These machines are soooo cool.  Diane was showing me all the bells and whistles on her machine.  I was fascinated by how her machine knew just where to stitch and it moved around the hoop until it found where it was going to stitch. 

Isn't this Sunflower beautiful on the batik?

I am amazed by how sophisticated these designs and the machines are.  I know it sounds like I live under a rock and I don't.  But honestly I don't think I ever really took the time to investigate what machine embroidery is all about.  If you think Machine Embroidery is just for monogramming and little pictures on towels.....you are like me and I'm telling you there is another world out there.....I just peeked in and it sure is impressive.

Smiles,

Kelly