Market, Day One

My favorite time at Quilt Market is an hour before it opens to the public. It's the time I can get out of my booth, walk around and see what everyone else has done. The booth displays, the designers and the creative ideas are so inspiring. It's fun to meet old friends and just see everything there is! This post is my "ode to Quilt Market", part one, in photos. (:

Beautiful Portland and the back of the convention center. See those trucks? (Enlarge the picture and get your magnifying glass out!) That's the loading dock. When I first started designing I never thought it would include working from a loading dock! Who knew?

The Lecien booth featured their fabric designer and quilt designer Yoko Saito from Japan. Her quilts are a work of art, and Lecien actually sold several of her patterns at their booth. From what I understand they lasted about a minute before they were all gone.

Just look at this beauty. Yoko has two different fabrics as her background and where they join she has appliqued bias stems.

A close up of Yoko's quilt showing the quilting. This photo you HAVE to enlarge. It's hand quilted and absolutely amazing! How I wish I could have met her, but I understand she not only designs fabric and patterns, she also owns a quilt store in Japan.

Moda Home always has a wonderful display showing all their new items. I really wanted to take home that little framed house you see in the background. It could have become the Bunny Hill Annex!

Here's the main Moda booth showing the little cubes filled with bird houses and birds. Birds are quite the theme this year. Who knew? I've got to get with the program! As for the quilt? It's from Sandy Klop at American Jane!

Close up of the birds. The houses are covered in fabric!

Laurie Simpson and Polly Minick, two sisters who design for Moda Fabrics. I LOVE their fabric and I used their "Winter" line in "I Believe In Angels". After I got home a note arrived from them thanking me for choosing their fabric! How sweet is that?

Anna Maria Horner and her now famous chairs! She's as sweet as she looks. You can read all about these famous chairs on her blog at http://www.annamariahorner.blogspot.com/ . Thanks Anna for letting me take your picture!

The beautiful Amy Butler and her simply gorgeous booth. It's a work of art to see. I embarrassed myself when I got her mixed up with Heather Bailey. I know, I know, how could I? But,they are both tall, beautiful and talented. Amy was very gracious and pointed out to me that she didn't have a blog. So I took this picture and moved on with a red face. (:

These two I could never get mixed up. This is the famous Karen I am always hearing about http://yellowfarmhouse.typepad.com/ from "my" friend Anne. I really have to watch "my" Anne because she LOVES Karen's blog, house, decorating style, quilt style, writing style, Christmas decorations and well, you get the picture right? She LOVES everything about her. Anne doesn't realize it, but I know why. They are two peas in a pod! Anne is just like Karen. Now if the other Anne only had a blog!

Stay tuned because my next post is "Ode to Quilt Market" part two. A few more pictures and the final post in a series. Then I HAVE to show you the treats I got in the mail...I'm so lucky!

Hugs,

Anne

I'm Home!

Hi Everyone! I'm home! I have to say there is NO place like home after a week at quilt market. We had a ball, but we are all tired bunnies! We laughed, talked, shopped, sold, ate, and hardly slept. And what do you think my husband thought when he saw this waiting for him at the airport? Luckily I flew Southwest so I could bring two bags. I only had to pay for a "few" extra. Can you believe these are filled with fabric? Tee Hee! (:Truth be told, this is a display in the baggage claim area of the Sacramento airport. I just couldn't resist a photo! Don't you love it? Talk about creative!

It was such an exciting week. And at the end of market I found out that my friend Meg over at Crabapple Hill and myself had both won a booth prize! It was just beyond exciting! I took some photos of her booth so you can get an idea of the unbelievable display.

This is the Christmas section...

This is the Halloween Section...

Meg's pictures were taken by that famous photographer Anne Sutton. She's the one who is known for the "weet reams" pillow. You've heard of her haven't you?

My booth photos were taken by that famous photographer Gregory Case!

This is the chandelier I bought after the Houston Quilt Market at Quakertown Quilts. I "had" to have it! Bitty Bird jumped right in! I think she thought it was a nesting place!

Look at those famous pillows...and the now famous concrete bunny. Why is he famous? Because I made my bunny staff go out an buy him in Portland. He weighs a TON but I think he's why I won the award. I'm sure of it! To get him out to the car we had to strap him on top of a suitcase and roll him out.

Anne Bryson and me! She's my best friend and she works for Bunny Hill. For those of you who know her, you know how lucky I am. I have to keep that quiet or she may ask for a raise! (: So, what does it take to win Best Single Booth? It takes a team load of people who are willing to put up with me! At every market we set up our booth on the first day, have a meeting over dinner, I think about the booth at night and the next morning we tear down and start again! Really it's so silly, but I just can't help it, and now the bunny staff expects it!

It's things like putting up the valance and then making them take it down so we could sew on the 20 buttons I brought with me. It's things like my friend Nancy finding the perfect antique planter stand to keep our patterns in and me knowing she has such good taste that if she says it will work I buy it sight unseen. It's things like Nireko standing on a ladder and steaming all the drapes and quilts for over an hour and then after she's done, carrying in the concrete bunny all the way from the loading dock. It's things like moving all the furniture around while I stand outside the booth and say yes or no. It's things like moving the quilts around over and over until each on is displayed in the perfect way.

Thank you bunnies for ALL your help. I obviously couldn't do it without you! I'd be winning the "good try but didn't make it award". (:

Next post you'll get pictures of my famous friends and more wonderful booths!

Portland we are here!

Hi everyone! The bunnies are here in Portland! Beautiful Portland, where the grass is green and the temperature is 95! We arrived and had 2 days of the most wonderful cool weather and then on opening day of market the temperature climbed to 95!

We are having so much fun! At the end of the day we can barely move we are so tired, but then we get some sleep and ta da...you get a post from Portland! Just going to show you some quick pictures because the rest of the bunnies will leave me if I don't get ready to go soon! So here come the photos...

Front of the convention center. See those glass towers in the background? Pretty, Pretty!

Look who stopped by during set-up! I was just so excited! Mark Lipinski from Quilter's Home Magazine! Can you believe it? For all of his fans who have been following his blog, he is here and feeling better after a long fight with pneumonia.

Thursday night was sample spree. Exhibitors sell previews of patterns and fabric. Joe and Roxie Wood from Thimble Creek Quilt Store were our very first customers! The first sale! Should I frame it? (:

Sample spree is beyond any one's wildest dreams. Moda sets up piles and piles of their newest fabrics to sell! Fabric! Here's Jelly Rolls and Layer Cakes packaged together!

More Jelly Rolls and Layer Cakes!

Here's the Moda staff setting up the sample spree booth. The cutie waving in the background is Lissa Alexander, Moda's marketing director. She is one of my very favorite people in the whole world! Yes, the whole world!

Here's what it looks like as they set up...

Here's what it looks like when they open the doors...people RUN to the Moda booth, and I do mean RUN. You can feel the floor vibrate. It's so amazing to watch!

Gotta go get ready for today. LOTS more pictures to come!

Hugs to you all!

Anne (:

One week and counting!

It's one week until I leave for Portland and yes, I am counting the days. I could use a few more days in the week, but at some point I just have to say I'm done. I'm trying to finish all my last minute things, making lists and making them again. My husband still has to fireproof all the drapes with this awful liquid stuff, and make a rod to hang my cute little candle chandelier. No easy task for sure but that's why we have husbands! Right?

Remember those little pillows I showed you awhile back? Well, I'm desperately trying to photograph them myself because I can't get my photographer here in time. So I took this pretty picture, uploaded it to my computer and then realized "Oh No!" The pillow actually says weet reams instead of Sweet Dreams. Would you buy a pillow that says weet reams? Come on, just for me? That way I don't have to redo the photo. LOL! Ok, I'll redo it, but it's your fault if I'm not ready for market!

Now look who wants a first class seat on the airplane? It's Bitty Kitty! She's been a trouble maker for sure. It took five times to get her "just right". That poor little body has gone from skinny to plump. Then she wouldn't let me put pins in her so I had to add a mouse. Finally I have a Bitty Kitty Pincushion to go with Bitty Bird and Bitty Bunny. She sits in a saucer, just wishing for some milk. (:

So now it's back to the photo shoot. Wish me luck. Weet reams everyone!

Did you think I quit?

I'm still here! I know it's been ages since my last post, and I NEVER like to let that happen, Tomorrow we turn the calendar over to May and it will be 13 days and counting before I leave for Portland. My head is swimming with things I still need to do! I've been up at 5AM every day working on patterns, and FINALLY the early hours are paying off. I am starting to see new patterns arrive from the printer, quilts coming back from the photographer and a bedroom stacked with things that will be going with me. Oh my, the chaos before a market is something to see (:

For the next few weeks, in the middle of all the chaos, I'm going to give you peeks of what's to come. Little bits of new patterns, market preparation, and what it takes to pull off International Quilt Market. It's so much work to get there, and I'll show you some of "what's happening" at Bunny Hill!

This Sweet Dreams pillow is part of this...

...stack of pillows waiting to be packed to go.

One more and they all come tumbling down!

Stay with me, I've got lots to share! It's the events before the event and it's a bit crazy.

A New Day!

It's a new day at Bunny Hill and I have to say it feels SOOOOOOO good! So what happened to make it such a great day? Well, my friend Mary Jane sent me words of wisdom..."you don't have to do as many patterns as you said". Who would have ever thought those words could have so much power? Thank you Mary Jane! You're my little angel (:I've spent the weekend locked in my studio, up at 5 AM every day, fabric messes all over, paper after pattern paper laying who knows where. Then yesterday it happened. I was rushing to get another tote bag pattern done (notice I said another?) I sewed the lining together and forgot to add the interfacing. Rip, rip was the sound you could hear. Then I added the interfacing. Sewed it again, squared the corners and then realized I had forgotten to add the pockets. By now I'm looking around for the men with the straight jackets to come carry me off.

And then Mary Jane sent me that email. Oh the power of words! The tote bag has been put aside until after market when I can enjoy making it. What a HUGE relief! To think that I don't HAVE to finish it now! You aren't going to leave me if I don't, right? What was I thinking? It's that thing that takes over every designer's head just before market. MARKET BRAIN! If I could just get through one without it! Just one!

And to remind me what is important in life, I talked to a customer last week who runs a bunny sanctuary. Yes, a bunny sanctuary! She takes in bunnies from the shelters. I loved talking to her, it's a cause after my own heart. Then look what she sends me in the mail! Carrot cookies! Are these not the cutest thing you've ever seen? Needless to say I've munched a few (:

Not to mention that spring is here, and I live in farm country! It's the area where a lot of your fresh produce comes from. There are "fresh strawberry" signs all over right now and look at what my husband brought me! Beautiful berries, fresh picked, right from the farm. Oh what more could I ask for?


Like I said, it's a new day at Bunny Hill!

Four weeks and counting

Yesterday was the start of the four week count down to Quilt Market. It's a shock when you realize how little time is left and how much you still have to get done. The only reason I have a chance of arriving with finished projects, is because my friends come to my rescue when I need them. As market approaches I get offers of help and their friendship pulls me through.

Kris and Bobbie have my little winter quilt.

They are stitching away on snowmen!

Kristine my quilter is busy with Mary...

Hope she doesn't give her any trouble! (:

Anne has the stack of baby flannel and she's making two baby quilts.

Nireko is finishing a tote bag for me.

Nireko and Heidi are working away trying to applique my Christmas blocks.

And I am writing patterns, assembling Christmas blocks, finishing little projects, trying to plan my booth, working on brochures, order forms, and all the things you need for market.

I always wonder if I'll make it and then my friends show up.
Nancy will be here in a few weeks to pack me up and get me organized.


Sue my graphic artist helps me with pattern writing and diagrams.

My printer and my photographer are working endless hours.

And Chelsea is sleeping next to me in her new little bed. What a dog! Wish I could teach her to sew!

It takes a cast of thousands to get me to market! LOL!

So, when you buy a Bunny Hill Pattern, be sure and look on the back to see the list of friends that helped. When I show you the market pictures, you'll be able to put faces to the names. Thank you, thank you to all my friends. I couldn't do Bunny Hill without you!