our final moments...

it was time to say goodbye to salt lake city, utah.  this is one trip we will truly never forget. for so very many priceless reasons.

we know we are late heading back to the hotel, so our room key will likely not work. i decide we may as well have one last hurrah before departing. something i've wanted to do for the last few days, but found too many people around for it to be safe. until now...

ready sarah...one, two, three...go...(bag by sandradembroidery)

this is where i put the camera on point and shoot while chasing after the run-a-way chair.  sarah laughs until she's giddy. then requests to do it again. and so we do. until we are both. out. of. breath. but oh the fun we have.

at the bottom of the incline is a rotunda filled with an interesting set of chimes. we take a minute to just listen.

to soak up our final moments. moments that many will never understand. that's ok. i've come to accept it. sarah and i are a team. a unique team, yet a pairing i wouldn't trade for anything.

as we walk out into the warm, sunny, utah air, i breathe deeply. so very thankful for this time spent with friends. for sarah's health, which i don't take for granted when we travel. for my health. for having the financial backing to be able to afford such a trip when so many others are struggling. thank you to all who have helped us. 

before we leave, we have one more stop to make. i ask our taxi driver if she will drive us around the block before heading to the airport. she gladly obliges. 

what would a trip to salt lake city be without a view of temple square. truly more breathtaking than any photo can display. the sky was picture perfect. postcard blue with big white fluffy clouds. i so appreciate the lds members who support us in cleveland and those who helped with our dedication and moment of prayer for kristen's family.

most of our readers know this trip was not just about quilt market. it was about meeting polly and her family. i will cherish this time together for the rest of my life. the kirton family has meant so much to us. afterall, their precious kristen was the impetus for sarah learning to sew and ultimately the opening of our house of fabric. 

and as i watched sarah so carefully place the purple butterfly she chose to put in the ground at kristen's final resting place, i have no doubt that kristen is with her every step of the way. as we were leaving the cemetery that day, sarah called out "goodbye kristen. happy birthday. see you soon." i don't know how soon, soon will be, but i left that day confident and peaceful that whenever and wherever they will be, kristen and sarah will be side by side.

two pillowcases ~ sarah in cleveland, ohio ~ kristen in salt lake city, utah

i have had this post ready to go for a few days, but for some reason i just could not hit publish. then something happened in the store yesterday. powerfully emotional. divinely inspirational. before i left the building, i went upstairs to share it with polly. her post had me in tears. sadness fills her heart. yet kristen's light shines bright. i am humbled that sarah and i have been chosen to see it's brightness, yet so thankful for the experience.

saving the best for last...

sarah and i were about to leave the convention center. we had exactly ten minutes to make it back to the hotel before we would be locked out of our room. the room with all our utah found treasures in it. i was pushing as fast as i could...until...

we rounded a corner and spotted this. how could i have missed this awesome display in our favorite colors? and then i realized it was amanda murphy's booth.  i pulled sarah in for a closer look...

and amanda herself turned around. i was star struck. i missed out on ordering her last collection, swiss chocolate. i luv that one...of course i do...there's that word...chocolate:) i ordered some from another shop i luv it so much. amanda was soooo sweet. she spent so much time with us. we learned all about her new sampler block of the month pattern...

which she has cleverly designed to be used as both stand alone projects or...

grouped together into this awesome sampler quilt. of course i luv this one too...purple:)

amanda has a new series of patterns she has designed. hopefully we can get them into the shop this week. now at the time i had no idea of this amazing connection...one of our good shop friends...mary of kwilt noob fame... has been testing patterns for amanda. and i got to see them in person last week. (why i did not take pictures is beyond me. i always get to talking and forget about the camera...until after the creations and their creators leave the store:( veranda. in two color ways...sorbet and garden...both just fabulous!!!

and there's more...

i feel like we have been posting about quilt market forever. can you imagine in real life all this fun happening in less than three full days? no wonder i came home exhausted. a good tired though. a few more sightings worth noting...

we have bonded with our new go baby. i love how accuquilt uses bright colors in their displays. this one caught my eye in meadow friends by deb strain for moda. it will be arriving in the shop sometime late summer. 

sarah was intrigued with the flowers on this shirt. a tad odd as she is not usually a girly girl when it comes to fashion.  might just have to try this at home. the petals are made of several different colors of organza which i should have plenty of in the personal stash from all those years of stitching bridal attire.

and how about this cute holiday creation? if only i had room in my suitcase for the bird cage it would have come home with me. too cute.

this one stopped me dead in my tracks. i. can. not. wait. for terrain to arrive. magnificent colors and presentation. kate surely has out done herself again with this fabric collection.

and then i turned and caught a glimpse of hometown by sweetwater. is it any wonder these two collections will be arriving in grand fashion.  two great ones for sure. and speaking of winners...

the above two patterns and this whimsical collection of pillows have been designed by none other than janice and marcea of abbey lane quilts. love everything about these two. and they even offered sarah a fabric flower right off their display. thank you so much.

now here's something new. retro clean. reports to take the yellowing right out of your stained fabric.

we brought home a dozen packs and the cute pail. although i must admit, some passers by thought it's purpose was for something other than holding cute samples. especially being held by girl in wheelchair. that kind of stuff used to bother me. now, i just appreciate the fact it makes people get out of our way, so we can see more great things...

...like chris gardner, our hoffman rep, writing us an order for more bali pops. they are the best tasting suckers in the shop:)

and some of you will be happy to know a new color flavor, very similar to cappuccino that is hanging on our wall thanks to crystal, will be arriving in september. it is called coconut. this time i ordered ten. i hope that is enough. now speaking of cappuccino and coconut i think i will go grab a cup before writing the next post. it's a good one...

more qm designer sightings...

sunday was the day of all days for sure. i can't tell you what a pleasure it was to meet so many great designers. i love putting a face to a name and realizing what talented and kind people are working behind the scenes for our enjoyment...

kari ramsey of fresh cut quilts. do you see the dogs in sarah's arms. oh so cute.

valori wells for free spirit. we just love valori's birds.  

heather muldoon of ankas treasures for henry glass fabrics.

konda luckau for moose on the porch quilts. this gives us an idea for our new line of patterns...what do you think of deer on the deck? it was so nice to meet konda. we enjoy her pattern books and have all of them in stock in the store.

and verna mosquera of the vintage spool. look closely at the wall hanging and the table.

are they adorable or what? it is all been made from her newest collection called tea cakes

for free spirit fabrics. we absolutely love it. still more quilt market to come. stay tuned... 

ohio encounters...

two states. four letters. that was sarah's observation.

so we are all the way out in utah and i hear "there's sarah." i turn around and it is michele merin...a friend from ohio.

how fun is that. michele publishes a book called fiber and fabric mania. it's a travel guide to shops across the country. check it out...we are even included. thanks for the nice comments michele. we sincerely appreciate it.
and since we were on the subject of ohio...

we headed over to the moda bake shop booth.

on display was a quilt from ohio. northeast ohio to be more specific. it was designed by rebecca silbaugh of ruby blue quilting studio.  her mom owns a very charming shop, cottonpickers, about twenty miles east of ours, in the town of chardon. here comes some trivia...i worked in chardon while pregnant with sarah. i was eating lunch at the bass lake inn when i realized i was in labor. if i hadn't sped off then, sarah might have been born in chardon:)  anywho...beth was so nice to call us when we opened to welcome us to the wonderful world of quilt shops. then we met rebecca and discovered she is just as sweet and designs fresh and fun patterns.

here is one more shot for rebecca of charmed living casaba making it's public debut a long way from home in salt lake city, utah. this pattern will soon be joining the others on our "ruby blue" wall. 

p.s. don't you love how she added her initials in one block. very clever idea.  

jillily studio...

the sweetness just keeps getting better...

how precious (and delicious) is this tiny little cone. yes, that is real sorbet...

from a real old fashioned ice cream counter. only the tins...not sorbet...of the melting kind anyway...

it's fabric, from jillily studio's newest collection for henry glass fabrics...

sorbet garden. lush, lively colors of lime, orange, lemon and strawberry.  i LOVE it!!!

i so crave this adorable quilt (and another one of those cones). it would be just perfect in sarah's room. and speaking of sarah...

she autographed jill finley's copy of american patchwork & quilting. another moment of the stars lining up perfectly. turns out jill and i have sweet someones in common. it was so nice to meet her and i can't wait for sorbet garden to hit our shop. i have to find those little cones when it does. the sorbet, the melting kind anyway, will be on the house:)  congratulations to jill for winning the most creative booth award!!!

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now speaking of sorbet...this next picture has absolutely nothing to do with quilt market...other than the minute i saw it last night, i immediately thought of this new fabric collection...

i've known a few of these prom beauties and gents since they were in preschool...and now, brush high school's class of 2011. this prom will truly be an unforgettable moment. you all look just yummy!!!

ohh la la, cupcakes, soup, strawberries & cake...

i just had a feeling it was going to be a good day...our first sighting was prompted by the colors...and the foo foo or is it fu fu? how about bling bling...

nobody does ruffles, boas & bows quite like dana brooks of lazy daisy cottage.

and her newest collection ohh, la, la for free spirit is on point.  i would love to visit her store. i just know it is big fun. must head back to utah for that experience.

our next stop was at kati cupcake. home of pattern designer amy hamberlin.

her little girl fashions are always so cute. lots of ruffles and more ruffles.

another henry glass favorite, quilt soup. creator barbara jones always has a fresh look going on.  i love how she incorporates black into her designs.

no mistaking it's a pam kitty morning.  just look at the detail on this table. yum, yum. a new collection of 63 fabrics brought to you by lakehouse in a host of primary colors featuring flowers, dots, checks, stripes and...

strawberries. are these just the cutest little strawberries. i have the recipe card in the store if you would like a pint or two.  are you getting hungry yet? there is a theme appearing here for sure...

the colors and details in the quilts in this next booth is over the top. you may recognize the work as being from...

becky goldmsith and linda jenkins of piece o' cake designs. i know some of our customers have been working diligently on their flower pattern from last season. their 2011 release is just as spectacular... 

how we missed all this on friday and saturday is beyond me.  stay tuned for ever more excitement from quilt market 2011...