We're back! Market was sooo wonderful and I have been trying to get on here and share my pictures (which are pathetically self absorbed-I didn't get around much). Dustin and I stayed a little longer in Oregon as we are thinking of relocating there in the upcoming future. Not immediate, but the future. If you have tips on wonderful spots, please let us know. We are looking for a quaint little town that is peaceful and quiet but near Portland. (Within a 2 hour drive.) I was supposed to hop up and see Monica and sadly didn't get to it. (Sorry my Zombie friend, we'll be back soon!)
But I'm getting sidetracked to the end of our trip, which in all honestly you guys probably don't care to hear about! You want the goods, the details, the ... pictures ...
Ok.. Here is our booth! Or the reason I haven't been showing any great projects on the blog lately as every spare moment or my life has gone into preparing for this show! It was a huge deal for us as we were not only debuting Farmer's Market (oh goodness-thank you SO much for the enthusiasm!!) but my first collection of sewing patterns! Look for sneaks in the pictures - I'm going to debut the whole thing throughout the next week. :)
We won the second place prize for best booth in the size category, with first going to my friend. (So I can be ok with her taking the blue ribbon. ;) I'm thrilled that we were recognized for our booth, not just because of the competition, but because my husband built this baby from scratch. The award really goes to him, I'm so proud. :) I said put a wall/shelf/hanger here and paint it this color and he did.
As always, market is a plethora of not only good times, but good people. I'm not sure if I have the energy to go through the whole list right now as it has grown immensely. Just picture every name possible associated with fabric and insert a name drop right here. Take a peek at my list over on the side bar-it has grown!
The launch of the patterns went way better than I ever expected and you will see them popping up in stores all over in about a month! And yes, distributors are placing orders too.
All the projects you see in these pictures will either be a pattern from my line, a freebie when the website goes live or a tutorial coming in the next few months. The fabric lantern/light thingies will be one of the first tutorials as there have been many requests for a pattern, but they are so simple I would just feel wrong putting it in a pattern! So rest assured, instructions will be coming. :)
As well as these fabric covered cuties:
There were so many people that helped get everything ready for us to leave that need special thanks! Jessi, Mel, Beverly and Carol-thank you so much for helping sew, paint, clean and get ready. You guys are amazing and I will be calling on you again! Girls night on me next Saturday. :)
Thank you so much Mom for coming out to Market and helping Dustin do the grunt work while I attended parties and meetings.
One big huge special thanks to my beautiful friend Amber. You know how you have a list of your top 5 favorite people in the world after your family? Amber is at the tippy top of my list and is insanely talented and the best mom I know. I strive to be like you! Thank you for coming and being our helper. :) Lotka over and over. (please go welcome Amber to the blogging world! She is new and you will love what she has to offer! I put my stamp of approval all over her;) You'll be seeing her around. Isn't she so cute?
All right friends, that's all I have for now! I'll upload more market pictures to my flickr tomorrow if at all possible! I just got my kiddos back and I think we're going to have to have some bonding kissy cheek time tomorrow-of course before we go see Indy.
OH! And for all of you that have asked-that is my little munchkin in the Mary Engelbreight magazine! And one other which I can't remember right now.. That was something I did for Kathy (who is now a tv star-make sure to read her new blog post!) a while ago out of one of the other Michael Miller lines! I'll see if I can scrounge up a picture of it and post on here, she's got a pretty cute look on her face. :)
WOW!!! I'm speechless, and I haven't even read what you wrote yet! LOL! Fabulous pictures - stunning, yummy, delicious! OK - now I'll read, what you have to say... :)
Posted by: Astrid | May 23, 2008 at 03:08 AM
Everything in your booth is beautiful! I would've given you the blue ribbon. :)
Posted by: Alice | May 23, 2008 at 04:27 AM
Your booth is awesome. Lots of lovelies. Ten years ago I lived in a great little town called West Linn...about a half hour SE of Portland. We're heading back west once my husband retires, for the second time.
Posted by: Stephanie | May 23, 2008 at 04:42 AM
Oh Sandi--I can't tell you how excited I am for you! That was an unbelievable amount of work and it's just...breathtaking. Thanks so much for sharing, and I hope you get to enjoy your little kiddos this weekend!
Posted by: Audrey | May 23, 2008 at 05:34 AM
Your booth is amazing! So bright and cheerful and I could go on and on with all the adjectives that don't even begin to do it justice!
Congrats on the wonderful reception for your work, I just knew it would be a big hit!
Posted by: Caroline | May 23, 2008 at 06:21 AM
Hey, you're back! So glad you made it back home safe and sound. I bet your kids missed the two of you terribly!!! Market was AMAZING! I am so incredibly proud of you for all your accomplishments and just giddy beyond belief for what the future brings for all of us. Whenever you get a spare minute (I know they are far and few between) can we have a little chat? I have so many questions. :) Welcome home!
Posted by: Patty/MODKID | May 23, 2008 at 06:28 AM
I thought that was your little girl in the ME mag! How fun! You are an inspirational woman. So creative. Love the Farmers Market line. Who can resist cherries!
Thank you for making me want to take beautiful pictures and pull out the sewing machine that has barely been touched EVER and create something fun to cherish!
Can't wait to see what is next! You go Girl :)
Posted by: Karen P. | May 23, 2008 at 06:34 AM
Definitely a well-deserved ribbon for that booth. Wowsa! And I love the new patterns. Can't wait to get mine!
Posted by: Mary | May 23, 2008 at 06:40 AM
Your booth looks fabulous! The weekend sounds wonderful and I am glad you had a great time!
Posted by: Randi | May 23, 2008 at 06:56 AM
Can't wait to get ahold of your new patterns... and your new fabric! Congrats on the success with the booth - it looks fabulous.
Posted by: Terri | May 23, 2008 at 06:56 AM
The booth photos look amazing!! I cant wait for your new line. I already have idea on what I want to make out of them. Congratulations!
Posted by: Karin | May 23, 2008 at 07:09 AM
Your booth was amazing Sandi! I took your flyer back to the Vanilla House booth and showed it off to everyone I knew. It was so great to meet you, there I was buying your whole line at Fabric Depot and there was the designer! That's going in my memory book. I live in Utah now, but I grew up in Hillsboro, which is about 30 minutes west of Portland. I LOVE Oregon and miss it so much (someone tell my hubby!) I would recommend the Rock Creek area; their high school was one of the best. Portland is expensive though :( Congratulations on your new fabric/patterns! My mom and I are both sure to get all we can.
Posted by: Sarah Clark | May 23, 2008 at 08:01 AM
Your booth is amazing, congrats on winning 2nd. Everything looks so beautiful.
I'm excited about the patterns and Farmer's Market! I don't know if I can contain my excitement. The clothes look gorgeous.
It looks like you had so much fun, thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Mellissa - wondermommy | May 23, 2008 at 08:16 AM
So bummed you couldn't make it out to Astoria, Sandi. But Astoria will still be here should you come back. The welcome mat at Casa de Zombie is always out for you guys!
Your booth was so fantastic and beautiful, and Dustin is amazing and so talented. What a team you two make! And your mom was adorable, even though I think she really was your sister.
Way back when I said you had "it" - you were the "it girl". And now I know the same is true for Dustin... he's the "it guy". I'm seriously seeing the two of you with your own home improvement slash home dec slash crafty show on HGTV or TLC!
Posted by: happy zombie | May 23, 2008 at 08:25 AM
Congrats my friend. I hear you were the hit of the market!
Posted by: Mama Urchin | May 23, 2008 at 09:35 AM
Hi, I am a new blog reader and your fabrics look amazing as does your booth. I want to go! I gather that this Market takes place in Oregon. Is it open to the public? What is it called so I can calendar it in for next year? Or does it happen more than once a year? I tried to find the info on the first page of your blog but couldn't find it. Well, I was just skimming. Thanks.
Posted by: Lilia | May 23, 2008 at 09:51 AM
Your booth was amazing, everything IN the booth was amazing. I see LOTS of cuteness (fabric, clothing, bags, etc)! I hope some of those will be patterns you're releasing. :o) I cannot wait for the new line...there is so much that I love I don't know what to buy first!
Posted by: Judy | May 23, 2008 at 10:02 AM
Beautiful, bright, happy booth and lovely fabrics. I so wish I could have made market. Seeing the shots is pretty neat, though. :o)
Posted by: Linda | May 23, 2008 at 10:15 AM
Sandi, your booth is beautiful! I can't wait to see and purchase your new patterns and fabric!!
Posted by: Karen H | May 23, 2008 at 10:42 AM
I have been stalking everyone's Flikr pics of Quilt Market so I can catch more glimpses of your patterns...they look adorable and I can't wait until they come out!!
Congrats on the new line too and all your success!
Posted by: Amber | May 23, 2008 at 10:44 AM
Sandi,
I'm glad that you and Dustin are back home safe and sound. Wish I could have talked to you more while in Portland but your booth was always buzzing. You did a FANTASTIC job on your presentation. It was truly beautiful--you pulled off all the final stylizing in just a few hours too-WTG!!!! No sleep paid off for you-wooohoooo. Congratulations on the prize and on the success of your pattern line. Farmer's Market will be a huge success. I'll give you a call soon. Enjoy Indy :) my kids have been bugging me about taking them to see it for weeks now-LOL! Get some rest now.
Posted by: Eva/freshandvintage | May 23, 2008 at 12:00 PM
Hi! I have so enjoyed reading your blog and am looking forward to getting my hands on some of your new fabrics...especially that red paisley! I was actually back in Oregon (my homestate) over last weekend (and away from my little one!) for a graduation.
When my friend from WA was looking to relocate (they visited AK, MN, CO, and OR and chose OR), I gave her a list of places in OR that I'd recommend. Within 2 hrs of Portland, I recommend Hood River (my friend actually ended up in the Dalles, which is ~10 miles from there), McMinville area, or my hometown of Corvallis. I'm a small-medium town girl, so Portland area, Salem, Bend, and Eugene are all too big for me. You're welcome to get in touch with me if you have any questions. Best of luck!
Posted by: Cascade Lemonade | May 23, 2008 at 12:28 PM
I'm very happy for you and all your success Sandi. I know so much work goes into it but it looks like it was all worthwhile.
Posted by: Nanette | May 23, 2008 at 01:18 PM
I also have to put in a recommendation for Hood River, OR. My husband and I were there two summers ago, and we long to go back, but for now we're in Kansas. Hood River is about an hour from Portland. It's a cute little town right on the Columbia River. It's a family-friendly, environmentally-conscious, artsy area. Also, the ward there is great. Ah, I miss Hood River.
Posted by: Kim | May 23, 2008 at 01:44 PM
The booth came out beautifully! I wish my wonderful hubby could throw something together like that!!! Looking foward to the patterns, welcome back
Posted by: Debye | May 23, 2008 at 02:16 PM