Home again, home again...

dancing a jig.
Hehe... I truly sing this song in my head every time I go to Quilt Market.. before, after, during.. every time. 

(photo does not relate to post.. other than also having been cool and inspiring and at market...)

This time I truly am dancing a jig! I know somewhere inside I am exhausted after this 40hr non stop trip but I just can't sleep... I got home just before 12AM, laid down in-between my daughters (who were both lying in our big bed, having had a heck of a time getting to sleep for dad since I was supposed to be home by 9:30PM) kissed them, looked at them in their sleep.. in the dark.. thinking about them, about the future and about market. And I couldn't sleep. My mind dancing a jig. So happy to be home, so happy to have gone, inspired, refreshed, enlightened and filled with gratitude.

Last night (or two nights ago if you consider this Monday.. which I don't...it's still my Sunday night) I sat at a table with five amazing women and it was not until later that I realized how alike we all were. Each of us mothers, sewing crafters. Striving to make a living doing what we love while raising young kids and dealing with life as it is... ever changing and complicated, all the while creating and pushing ourselves to our limits. 

It was so refreshing to hear them share bits of themselves and thier families. We spoke of our children's favorite things to play and do and our strengths and weaknesses as mothers...what we wish we could do in regards to work... the delights and struggles of being in our industry, blogging... the others we admire and even idealize...how we view ourselves ...I could go on...It was amazing. 


Later we all attended a meet up arranged by the Kansas City Modern Quilt Guild.. and what I originally had thought would be a casual "meet up" of some like minded sewers and fans.. turned out to be a huge ballroom rented to accommodate a pretty large crowd of fabric designers, bloggers, famous shop owners such as the ladies of Sew Mama Sew and Fancy Tiger, pattern makers, editors, publishers and more.

In the end I left with a sense of validation and purpose and most of all gratitude because I am living a dream! I have the best job in the world, two beautiful amazing children, an amazing mother (and boss) who made my being at the table (and in this buisness) possible and I love it!  All of it!

The fabrics, the sewing, the sharing, the gushing over what each-other is doing or making.. the supportive spirit that exists in the craft world. It's beautiful.

In ending let me say if this sparks any ounce of envy in you, know that I've felt that too... when reading other bloggers who seam to "have it all"... make more or cuter stuff then I do or go cooler places than I can... I've felt that way. But it's all perspective. If what you really dream of is to go to quilt market or meet fabric designers or craft bloggers, I believe you can. It is such a big, all encompassing world of craft, warm and welcoming. If what you dream of is something entirely different, awesome! You can do that too! There are an abundance of dreams to be dreamed and they ARE obtainable!


The amazing women at dinner...


Ellen Luckett Baker of The Long Thread and author of 1-2-3 Sew


Carrie Bloomston of SUCH Designs


Tia Curtis of Tia Curtis Quilts and Camp Follower Bags


Shea Henderson of Empty Bobbin 


and Betz White (who needs no further introduction)!


More market photo's to follow.


Amendment ----
I just want to add.. or perhaps correct my self if it seamed as if I were saying "look who I'm chums with" .. I had not in fact met any of these ladies before (other then Carrie who was my fabulous "in" to this dinner... and even her I'd only met once breifly at last market).

I simply wanted to share my astonishment and luck that I was able to meet and chat with them on such a casual level. Each of them exhibited such a great degree of humility while still wonderfully expessing enthusiasm for their work. It was simply a privilege to be in their presence!