The stuff that happened before the other stuff

While we were in Salt lake City , we went to Moab. I geographically useless so I can't tell you if we went North or South or into outer space. We went with my awesome friend Pinksuede shoe and her daughter and we truly had a wonderful time.

The scenery was like nothing I have ever experienced. My brain had a hard time getting around the vastness of it all.

 See the car !!!

I kept thinking of just about every cowboy movie I ever saw as a kid.

This is my favourite. It is all John Wayne on horseback in the front and Julie Andrews and Sound of Music in the background.

The colours in the rock and the sand were unbelievable.

We were able to stay for two days and apart from the Australians (who should know better) getting ridiculously sun burnt, we loved every minute of it.

I could explode this blog with photos but instead I will make a folder over on Pinterest  if you want to have a look. 

Right now, with snow in Ballarat and scarves and beanies and coats these photos feel like half a world away - which I guess they are.

Possession !

I know that life is not about the acquiring of stuffs.

I know stuffs do not make people happy.

This piece of stuff has just arrived on my doorstep

and I can't stop smiling !

 ( that little cardboard scalloped washer.....kills me dead. )

Salt Lake City

I know , I know, lets just pretend this is a timely blog post.

These kinds of posts are really little diary entries for me, snippets of what happened.

Temple Square

Loads and loads of sculpture in Salt Lake City, gorgeous gardens and fountains everywhere!!!

Everywhere you look there are these beautiful 'Sound of Music' mountains in the background. I wonder if people stop noticing them after a while? They were amazing.

Capitol Building- totally stunning.

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On the left is the footpath, on the right a huge four or six lane road - and in between a babbling brook !!

Fun Fact : The roads in Salt Lake City are super super wide. This is because when it was founded by Brigham Young , but in the days of wagons and oxen, he wanted the roads wide enough that a wagon could do a complete turn. 

Seriously, I loved Salt Lake City - it was really beautiful and super super friendly. I don't think I have ever seen the middle of a city that is so beautiful. Hmm five years till quilt market visits again....

Market 3: all the pretty

(Oops. this post has been sitting in my drafts since the day after the previous post- consider the ball well and truly dropped at this end folks. )

Once again I apologise for the lack of links. Me and the ipad and the blogsy do not agree on the need for links in blog posts apparently.

Janet Clare

Bonnie & Camille

Maureen Cracknell

Elizabeth Hartman

Helen Stubbings

 

Zakka Workshop

There is just so much to see at market, and I am sure I missed a lot of stuff. I have sooooo many photos I should make a pinterest board or something. (Says the woman who can't manage a blog post )

In real life, I am home and back at work and this seems like a very loooong time ago.

 

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Quilt Market 2

When you take away all the stress and the ego and the business, quiltmarket is really a giant get-together. I hugged everyone willing to be hugged and had a ball. I am missing so many photos that I guess were taken with other people's phones but I want to remember the peopley bits of market so forgive me this bit of indulgence.

sue Daley ( funniest chick in the bizz and fitness fanatic)

This bunch of miscreants ( @sewdemented, @mamasaidsew, @tinkerfrog, @luckyspool)

Natalie and Melea ( the most awesomest bosses I have ever had)

Dan and Shari from @doohikeydesigns ( caring wonderful people ) and Clare from Clares Place who is also every colour of wonderful, and she makes me laugh.

My new frind Ginger with her namesake. Ever meet someone that you just click with in about ten seconds? We have plans this chick and I.

A quick selfie before the line-dancing began - with @jaybirdquilts and @cotton_factory. Truly a night to remember. I have since decided against being a professional line-dancer when I grow up.

@emmajeanjansen who looks like she has been pick-pocketed ( she wasn't) and @jedicraftgirl. Yeah we totally did that polite greeting thing with our real names and then used our Instagram names and were all "I know you !!! I know Mufasa !!!

I am sad that I missed photos with some really good friends but a quick trawl through social media tells me we met, we chatted and we hugged. I know I say it all the time but this giant world wide craft group we all belong to is amazing !

 

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Quilt market 1

There is no possible way to keep up with myself at the moment. I am days away from Quiltmarket and yet to post about.

I know you would have already seen great quilt market wrap-ups around the interwebs so this is just a little bit of my stuff for now. This Sew Together bag was made for me by my friend Katharine (@katharine_von_bibra on IG). It is the cutest most perfectly executed bag ever!!! In the background is the wonderful quilt made by Rita of Red Pepper Quilts.

Market is crazy and I did not leave the booth (bathroom breaks aside) for the first two days. I talked the ears off people and laughed (a lot) and even managed a prom photo.

I line-danced and gate-crashed a BIG party and danced like a loon to some awesome '80s music. I made a whole host of new friends and I squeezed some old friends extra hard. I missed the people who weren't there and made plans with the people who were. I had short moments of complete Designer Professionalism and a few important-people type meetings that have pretty much turned me off ever becoming an important-person.

There was very late night alcohol induced pushbike riding that involved stationary pushbikes and loud singing of 'Let's get Physical' and loads of sheanigans and merry-making.

I could say most stories involving me at market are greatly exaggerated.... But none of you would beleieve me if I did.

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By the skin of my teeth

It is Wednesday early morning and I am almost feeling human. I will crash and burn at about 3pm but then feel great again at midnight.

Yesterday we had a little wander and visited Walmart ( yes !!! Just like I imagined) and caught some trains and visited my most wonderful colourful friend and finally met her daughter. It was a fantastic day.

Temple Square

Today we head off to Ikea to buy furniture and cushion inserts and dress forms and all the bits and bobs for the booth and begin setup. We will lay the floor and hang the curtain walls.... The craziness begins.

(The title of this blogpost refers to the descent into Utah in a very small plane, that had me grasping the sick bag and breathing deeply . We made it to the ground sans vomit but it was ten long minutes my friends. )

 

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