Okay, I'm back!

It's been awhile, but progress is being made outside of the Blog.  The lease is fully executed and fabric is arriving at home weekly.  I'll just cut to the chase and show some of the beautiful bolts...

‎Jane Sassaman.  Always stunning.

Dena Designs.  A new discovery for me.

Tina Givens.  

Kinda makes you want to start shopping, doesn't it?  I hope so.

SNAPPY QUILTS.

Coming soon to 2500 E. Orchard Rd. Unit D

Greenwood Village, CO.

Quilting bug bites Ally!

Check out this super cute quilt Ally and I are working on for her sofa.
It's a free download from Amy Butler  (link below photo)

So far we have about 80 yo-yo's done.  The colors are even better than they look in the photo.  So - even though Ally didn't think she was a quilter, she became inspired when she saw beautiful fabric and a creative pattern.  Chomp!  Just that fast, and she's got it. http://amybutlerdesign.com/pdfs/Bloom_Quilt.pdf

Do you know the button man? The button man? The button man.

Great news!  It IS possible to spend $750 on buttons in a single morning!  Well done, Snappy.And you may be wondering what SnappyQuilts suggests you do with these beautiful little buttons.  I will tell you.  As soon as I figure something out.  But honestly, they are irresistible.

Also comes in apple green!

This fabric from Art Gallery is beyond belief beautiful and feels soooooo smooth and slick.
It's one of 350 bolts sitting in my living room and dining room.

I'm kinda tired...but happy :)

Snappy Quilts, Shipping and Receiving Dept.

AKA: my front porch!  The first shipment of gorgeous fabric has arrived!  It's from Riley Blake, and I didn't even know about them until Market - but what a great discovery!  I'm gonna bust this open this afternoon in a grand ceremony with any and all interested persons.  Photos to follow...

"And just where do you think you're going to put all this, Snappy?"

"Where's the Kaffe Fassett????"

Weeks Ringle!

Weeks Ringle and her husband Bill Kerr are true textile artists and are busting open a whole new world of modern quilting.  I just called them to try to order their new book, Quilts Made Modern, and looks like I will have to order from the publisher, because Weeks and Bill spend their time designing, sewing, and (sometimes) teaching/lecturing - not selling stuff.  I really love what they do. Check out their work at  www.funquilts.com.  And then look at Weeks' blog http://craftnectar.com
I'll be working up samples in their patterns ASAP.  And - (this is top secret info)...I just might be able to influence them to come teach at SnappyQuilts someday!  I'm sure gonna try.

So much is happening!

I'm back from International Quilt Market AND Festival and I'm just exploding with ideas, fabric, and corresponding invoices!   It was soooo fun, and let me tell you, SnappyQuilts is going to have the most beautiful fabrics ever ever anywhere!  Furthermore, lease negotiations are going well and we're on track for a March grand opening.  I have great and talented women helping me - and planning to teach cool classes.

Photo at right is Kaffe Fassett discussing his quilt "Target Log Cabin" from his book Simple Shapes Spectacular Quilts (I bet if he had met me sooner, he would have called it Snaptacular Quilts, but OK...)  You can see he is passionate about his work.





The little beauty below has a great story - the quilter, Timna Tarr, bought the antique Dresden plate blocks on eBay.  She dis-assembled the blocks and appliqued the old with some new polka dots onto these lovely green backgrounds and it looks fabulous.  So I bought it.  Yes, this gem will be on display in the shop starting next August after it completes the IQF Quilt Scene tour.  I love how it combines traditional with contemporary.  Come see it!

IQF Houston

Coming to you live from the George Brown Convention Center (hereafter referred to as the Convent). I'm starting day 3 with a lecture titled "don't quit your day job" - which I won't, because I don't have aday job. Later I spend 6 hours with Kaffe Fassett, on whom I have a quilting crush. Sigh... Trying to post photos from iPhone but experiencing tech difficulties.

Rock Star of the Quilting World!

Yes indeed, this is me with Alex Anderson (the Rock Star!) and she's giving my quilt-in-progress 2 thumbs up!  I had to pay her just a little to do this.  The photo's pretty blurry, but here's the quilt earlier on the design wall.  This was Alex's annual Retreat in Livermore, CA last week.  VERY FUN!

Over my head!

Those of you who know me - just visualize me sitting in a conference room with 100 other small business people, learning about SEO (which I only recently learned means SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION).   It's not geared toward grandma quilters!   Maybe Dave and/or Mike can translate for me!

http://getlisted.org

Sign me up!

These CityCraft gals had a great time at Market last Spring.   Fall Market in Houston is coming up quickly and yes! I'm signed up!  Let the shopping begin...

Haiti Relief

With the help of countless quilting friends, I filled a plane with baby blankets and sent them to Haiti last Feb.  Now Alex Boye has found this organization, and we are working on another trip, with Alex taking his music to the youth.  Check it out!http://www.liftalifeinhaiti.org/

Lease for Less

SnappyQuilts business plan has been submitted to the Landlords, and I'm now waiting for an LOI (Letter of Intent) from CHM, and a new and improved LOI from SSG whose first LOI was crazy talk.    

I'm also very excited to go to Houston for the International Quilt Market and Festival.  I'm going to be shopping there, so I'd really like to have a shipping address other than my garage.

Jack's quilt

I made this for my cowboy-baby grandson.

A quilting COMMANDMENT!

If you watched the AM session of General Conference today, you heard Elder Holland practically command us to quilt.  The only bad news is that he associated quilts with green Jello.  But also funeral potatoes, which sort of makes up for the Jello.  Anyway, I thought of Grandma Earl's fabulous Jello Salad recipe, which isn't green, but could be if you substitute lime for lemon.  And yes, that is grated cheddar cheese on top.  I loved this as a kid. Enjoy! (If you make this, I want to hear about it!)

7-UP SALAD

2 pkg lemon Jello
2c. boiling water
(Mix and cool)
3 large bananas
1 c. miniature marshmallows
2 c. drained crushed pineapple
Add to lemon Jello - Stir and cool until chilled but not set.  Fold into 2 cups real cold 7Up and set.
Cook until thickened:
2 Tbs. flour
3 Tbs. sugar
1/2 pineapple juice
Remove from heat & add one beaten egg and 2 Tbs. butter.  Return to heat and cook one minute.  Let cool.  Whip one cup whipping cream.  Add to cooled (cooked mixture).  Blend together & spread on top of Jello.  Add grated cheese on top.

Erin Marie sent this stunning pic. If you know her, you'll get it.

Whew.

That Business Plan project was like having homework - some big ol' paper -  due last week - keeping me from sleep (which is what old people like me are supposed to be doing after midnight).  So it's done (I had to change the font, reduce the photos, modify the map, and organize the numbers...) and I took it to FedEx who said yes! they would make it look professional.  So I said give me a dozen copies and they said sure.  That will be $294 (and some odd cents).  SnappyQuilts can't throw money around like that (unless it's at fabric).  So I did it myself and only 1 papercut.  Hazardous work.

Dresden Plate Tutorial - Beginner Block Quilting Series

6 P's

Proper Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance.
I'm learning that in the retail world (which I'm about to enter) there's a whole lot of emphasis on PROFIT (which is apparently preferable to bankruptcy...)  All this fancy PRO FORMA talk.  My business plan looks awesome - the perfect font, great pictures, a map of the competition, and even a tiny little quilt for the cover - but no! some people look right past all that and want numbers.  AND projected numbers.  (Boring...)  I'll just tell you - here's my plan for increasing sales volume in the calendar year 2011:  a) Buy more fabric  b) Make more quilts and more friends  c) Give a See's chocolate marshmallow candy with every purchase. You know it will work.
Erin, thank you for being my first official follower.  I'm sending you a box of See's.

Yes, this is how they look when they're ready to go.

Step by step - my Monday TO DO list.

1. Walk the dogs (It's nice weather and the dogs are ready to go.  I'm just giving Claritan a minute to soak in because I'm sooooooo itchy.  Then we go!)
2.  Finish the Business Plan (It's close.  Just need to print out the Financial data pages, and clean up the look of the other pages.  Then paste the photos in, and put it all in a binder.  Maybe take it to FedEx office and get a more professional look.  I need this to negotiate a better lease.)
3.  Visiting Teaching lunch (fun!)

Well, now...that sounds like a pleasant day.

Quilt A Fair

So I drove up to Longmont to visit Quilt A Fair and I learned alot.  And luckily, found some fabric.  Look, someone else likes color like me!  And the quilter-customers were raving - "Makes your eyes pop!"  "Who needs comforting quilts - these are exciting!"  "This is crazy.  In a good way."  Yes, indeed.  These are the Material Girls, and their shop is in Nebraska.  The owner, Deb, was kind enough to let me take pictures.  And kind enough to let me buy a bunch of kits.  And they'll be gracing the walls of SnappyQuilts next Spring.  These are Kaffe Fassett designs, and many of his fabrics.  Also Heather Bailey and Amy Butler.  GOOD STUFF.

Ok.  Now I can sleep.

Start by admiring this inspirational color. I love green. Next, get some sleep (do you think?)... and tomorrow - figure out how to make this font smaller.