Simplify

A bunch of little things

  

Okay, it's been a while since you got a bullet post from me, but here's one of my super random posts.  Complete with more Instagram photos, since I am apparently too busy/lazy to load the photos from my real camera. Sorry!

( I'm @croskelley on Instagram, btw.)

*I took a few little breaks from work stuff and squeezed in some just for fun sewing this week.  One night I made one star from Minick and Simpson's gorgeous Ellen's sewing basket pattern and it was delightful.  I can't wait to make the rest of the blocks for the quilt!  

*For those who asked about the cute bag I was carrying in my super unflattering suitcase pulling photo, it is the Poppins Bag from Tiffany at Tiny Seamstress.  She was so sweet to whip one up for me out of Marmalade (floral) and Vintage Modern (houndstooth) before I left.  Love her!  And this bag.  

*The You are My Sunshine sign from this post is from Go Jump in the Lake on Etsy.  I got it when boy 3 was born, and didn't realize I hadn't shown it here.  I also have the This is the Life sign from them hanging in my family room (below).

*So Boy 2 got his first Home Run last night, and it was really, really exciting.  He's still grinning.  So am I.

 

 

 

*A little more sewing- A couple of baby boy quilts for a couple of my favorite people. (That hopefully don't read this post...)  I can't wait to finish these up when I get a few minutes.  This pattern is Pow-Wow from my friend Allison at Cluck.Cluck.Sew,

and I can't wait to make another one!  Or ten.

*If you haven't had Ben and Jerry's Half Baked, run to your nearest grocery store.  And buy two.  And please drop one off at my house.  Thanks.  :-)

*Posts that are coming within the next week or so, hopefully before school is out (yikes):  A few more Quilt Market photos, new pattern stuff, and a house update with things actually HUNG ON THE WALLS.  Finally!  

Better scoot, busy day ahead.  Thanks for stopping by!

 

If you like shifty eyes...

 

...then you will love the video ModaGene shot of our Quilt Market booth this year.  My mom was standing a few feet away from the camera grinning at me, and Gene was smiling and pointing at things.  Hence, my shifty eyes.  I only made it a minute or so into my portion of the video before I couldn't watch anymore.  Do I really sound like that?  It's like the Idaho in me multiplies a hundred times the second the camera turns on. My mom is really cute though, you'll like her part, and her quilts are lovely.  

Since I haven't unpacked my camera yet, Here are a few market shots via Instagram:

 

Marmalade bundles at Sample Spree

 

Our "porch"

 

My side of the booth- L to R: Flower Girl, Hopscotch, Spools, Charming Bibs, Dilly Dally, Piece of Cake 3

Hauling 4 suitcases (weighing roughly 200 lbs) uphill to the hotel after take down.  

Note to self, don't haul suitcauses uphill while wearing red pants.

 

Feet up- done with show.  Time to head to Jack Stack to celebrate.

For those who were wondering, all orders were sent out this morning, both retail and wholesale.  Sorry about the wait while I was out of town.  I still haven't figured out a way to get those paper patterns to climb out of their boxes and ship themselves, darn it, but I'm working on it.  I'll keep you posted.

the aftermath...

As for me, I'm  suffering from a severe case of Market hangover right now.  So much great stuff, wonderful friends, not nearly enough sleep, and enough Ben and Jerry's Half Baked to put me in a coma.  I'll be back soon.

In case you enjoy my humiliation, and I know you do, here are a few of our previous videos.  Enjoy...

Quilt Market 2011- the one where I can't remember what most of my patterns are named

Quilt Market 2010- the one where I have no lips

Last minute stitching

Quilt market is this week.  THIS week, people.  Yikes!  I'm working like crazy over here finishing everything up.  Printing has arrived, quilts are all quilted, catalogs are shipped.  Bindings are almost all stitched on, but may have to wait for the plane ride to Kansas City.  Pray you don't sit next to me.

This is the very last quilt to go in my suitcase, and maybe my favorite one this time around.  It is called Spools, and the pattern shows two ways to sash, either stacked spools or spaced.  

 

You can see a peek at 4 new patterns over in my shop.  I'll have more photos of those soon, I promise.

I quilted both of these on my sewing machine this weekend while catching up on Gray's Anatomy (Which good heavens, what the heck??  Anyone watch that last episode?) and a downing a jumbo size bag of peanut M&Ms.  It was lovely.

Yes, there is currently a crib in my living room.  I was working on some book photography over the weekend, and I borrowed the aqua crib from my friend Sara.  And no, I don't want to give it back!

Anyhow, I better get back to work.  I've got bags to pack, laundry to do (I'm pretty sure wearing yoga pants at quilt market is frowned upon), tball games to go to, and a bit of last minute sewing.  Can't complain.  

 

Out of the office

Just a little note to say I will be out of the office until Monday.  All orders for paper patterns will be filled then, and then next week I will be at Quilt Market so all orders next week will ship the following Tuesday.

Things are really tough over here right now. Don't worry, everyone is okay, and the husband is taking good care of me. Any good thoughts you can send this way would be appreciated.

Thanks.

My life lately, according to Instagram

It's May?

Honestly, I don't know where time is going.  But good grief, it is going fast!

I have been up to my eyeballs in sewing, pattern writing, proofing, binding, and everything that goes with getting ready for Quilt Market and the very last bits of writing a book.  I have to photograph it this next week in my new house, which has about 3 things hung on the walls.  It's going to be an interesting few weeks!

Last Thursday I told my husband I could really use a beach day.  That was all the push he needed.  A few minutes later we booked a hotel, and the next day after school and work we drove the 3-1/2 hours to the beach.  We skipped a whole day of baseball and spent the next day building sandcastles (boys), reading (me), surfing (husband) and napping (baby).  

It was heavenly.  We've been working pretty much nonstop since Christmas on work stuff, house stuff, book stuff, fabric stuff, just lots of stuff.  We were certainly due for a day off. 

While sitting on the beach I finally took a few minutes to figure out Instagram.  I don't have much on there yet, but I am croskelley if you want to find me.  I'm going to try to keep up with daily photos of what I'm up to.  Lets hope this is more successful than my blogging as of late.  

Happy May!