Getting ready for Craft Expo

Next week in Sydney, Craft Expo arrives at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse for the first time. So, this week I am preparing all the kits for the workshops I am running with Bernina. The one hour hands-on workshops  run three times daily at 10.30, 12noon and 2pm. (please book at the Bernina stand #E13). Each person will be able to experience working on a Bernina 'Black Beauty' H46 and go home with 2 Paper Quilt projects. See you next week for all the fun of the fair.

Craft Expo
Rosehill Gardens Racecourse, Rosehill, Sydney
March 10 - 13
Thursday-Sunday 10am to 4.30pm daily

A Colourful Day Workshop with Kaffe Fassett

On Wednesday I was so fortunate to spend the day at Addicted to Fabric at a workshop run by Kaffe Fasset and Brandon Mably – colour in a Diamond Quilt. I learnt so much about working on a much larger scale than I am used to. In some ways it is much easier because, like painting on a large canvas, you can stand back from your work and see just how it is going. The challenge is to see what’s wrong and know how to fix it! So the masters were very active in the class giving us wonderful advice about colour and print and taking us shopping for fabrics which would bring our work to life. It was so interesting and inspiring to see how each of us handled the same design in so many different ways by the end of the workshop. Truly a lovely day.

Students hard at work

Kaffe and Bradon taking about my quilt

two more beautiful quilts

Kaffe and Bradon with a beautiful quilt which will be in their next book

My quilt at the end of the day

My visit to Eileen Fisher

Well the show came to an end at 2pm on the Tuesday. At the beginning of the show you have all these days stretching out before you – and then it’s all over and everyone packs up and goes home. The sounds of packing tape and fork lift trucks and the buzz of everyone just wanting to get out fills the air. All the people in neighbouring booths, who have become like friends in a little village, disappear and you know that you will probably never see them again. It is quite sad. Packing up never takes as long as set up and we were soon on our way back in the bus with our big suitcases and boxes. We were very tired but happy.

Our last day in LA was spent trying to fit everything back into out suitcases for the trip back home. WHAT A JOB!!!!. Luckily Bill is the packing expert. So apart from a few pieces of random advice, I sat on the bed watching news footage of the huge snow and ice storm making its way across the US and then satellite images of cyclone Yazi in Australia.

At last we were finished. So after a very late breakfast we set off to find the one shop I wanted to visit while we were in USA. Eileen Fisher. I have only seen her range of clothes in magazines and on the web - and I love her style. A long bus ride then a taxi and we found ourselves at a very glamorous shopping centre called Century City. It was incredible. So here are some pictures of one of the loveliest hours I have spent shopping – ever. I hope even one Eileen Fisher store comes to Australia very soon. After a wonder around, a Wetzels Pretzel and a great cup of coffee, it was back to the hotel to squeeze my new clothes into the bulging bags. Then off to the airport for the long flight home.

I love Eileen Fisher

The Show

The 3 ½ days of the Craft and Hobby Show flew by in an exciting whirl. So many wonderful people from all over the world popped by to see the gallery of Paper Quilts and to ask questions about what we sold. I had several brief looks around at the booths up stairs. In some ways it was like climbing up the Magic Far Away Tree and visiting a land full of amazing rooms. Each room was decorated with all the beautiful new products they were bringing to the market place this season. Papers, embellishments, books, pens, brushes, ribbons – so many wonderful things. When you think that most buyers visiting the show take the full 3 ½ days to view the show, I know that I only skimmed the surface. I Loved the Anna Griffin store with its beautiful carpet, pale grass green lounge chairs, glass table and chairs and all the most gorgeous new papers and fabrics. 7 Gypsies, Japanese papers, EK Success with the Martha Stewart Range – it was incredible.

I was interviewed by lovely Terri O http://www.terriocraftprojects.com/ for web TV and then delightful Joe Rotella - http://www.createncraft.com/ . Joe runs and organizes a Caribbean craft cruise amongst many other things - Hands up for jumping on board in September. I'll put up those links when they are published.

We also met several Aussie comapnies making a big impression OS which was fantastic.  http://aussiescrapsource.typepad.com/aussie_scrap_source/
http://www.fynmark.blogspot.com/
http://www.kaisercraft.com.au/

Paper Quilt Creations gallery

A raffle at Eccho Park Papers just down from my booth



Being Interviewed by fabulous Joe Rotella http://www.createncraft.com/



This is where I spent most of my time - with my Bernina from AAA Sewing & Vacumme

The Innovations Showcase

Even Shop Handmade & Handmade Market made an appearance at the show via postcards

What a Day

Doing a some sewing to make sure everything ran smoothly

Other Innovations Crafters setting up

My Bernina from AAA Sewing and Vacumme

Media and Buyers at the Innovations Event

Day 3 was a very busy day. Bill had a couple of seminars to attend. There was a run through for the media event which was taking place that afternoon for the Innovations top 20. Setting up my space in the Innovations Showcase. Then it was back to the hotel to collect the Bernina sewing machine AAA Sewing Centre and Bernina had very generously arranged for me to use. Finalizing my presentation. Setting up my table for the media demonstration. Getting ready and trying to keep my nerves under control and my mouth from being like a dry paper bag. Making my 1 minute speech. Doing the Paper Quilting demo and then – the welcome reception. What – a – day!!!

Off to the Show

Day two was set up day. It was incredibly exciting hopping on the CHA bus with our suitcases of quilts at the hotel for our short trip to the huge convention centre in Downtown LA. And it really is HUGE. The foyer is quite beautiful with a soaring glass ceiling. We signed in and got our badges and tickets for events and then it was down stairs to the Kentia Hall for setting up. There were not many exhibitors there but fork lift trucks and workers were busy constructing booths and delivering furniture. When you arrive it is always quite daunting knowing that you have to convert 3 walls into something that will make visitors stop and have a look at what you are all about.

We spent many hours arranging and re-arranging.

A view throught the front window of the bus

Bill getting ready for a big day

First view of the LA Convention Centre

First view of our booth - the table had to be changed

Kentia Hall being set up

The work begins

 After we had set up as much as we could we headed back to the hotel for a rest and then a bite to eat at The Octopus - a wonderful Japanese restaurant. The lunch box we each had was delicious and HUGE.

Then it was back to the hotel to find a shop - any shop near by which sold lighting. This is not an easy thing to do in LA without a car. Staples Office supply came to the rescue.

Day One - our journey to Los Angeles for the CHA Winter Show 2011

It seemed as though we had been planning and working towards our trip to the Craft and Hobby Association (CHA) Winter Show for ages and then – we were there. In LA. Taking Paper Quilting a very long way from home.

The week before we set off was emotional to say the least. Thursday I received an email to let me know that I was in the top 20 Innovative products at the show. (tears of joy) The day before we set off our wonderful Pepper dog collapsed and was rushed to the vet where he was searched for paralysis ticks and then x-rayed. He had torn ligaments in both his back legs. (tears of sadness). So he had to stay at the vet to be operated on. Then, saying good bye is not one of my talents, so leaving home and the kids (tears of mixed emotion).

But there we were in downtown LA after a long all night flight and re-living January 26th, as we had gained a day. We spent day one looking for things to decorate my booth. We had time to walk around the streets near the hotel and then catch a bus to Rodeo Drive to look at all the beautiful shops and cars and gorgeous people strolling by. Fantastic fun.

LA Library

Gardens outside LA Libray

Valentines Day Window Tiffany's Rodeo Drive 

 

Down Town LA

Happy New Year

Heavens! It is over a month since I last wrote. And what a month.


Handmade Market. Creating orders. Preparing for Christmas. Yet more rain – this time in the form of a flood which has destroyed fences and flood gates. It was a terrible shock to see what a night of rain can result in. Our Christmas wish list quickly changed from fanciful extravagances to probably the most original item Santa has ever seen – Fences. Sometime this year 2011 we will see the destruction repaired.

Googong Dam spillway

The newest fencing style - thatched fencing!!!

thousands of meters of fences knocked down

flattened grass by the creek

this poor tree looks as though it is blowing in the wind

Christmas was a very quiet but very happy day. Boxing Day we hit the shops early for a wander around – sheets and discount calendars. Then back to work in preparation for our big trip to LA. There is so much to do and so much to think about. So much to create and so many words to write, think about and then re-write. But this time next month, it will be almost over and we will almost be on our way back home again after our very big adventure.

So here we are on the second day of 2011. I wish you a very happy, healthy and adventure filled 2011.

Ohh - by the way, I have some pretty exciting news.

Friends and family have patiently followed and supported my wonky creative progress over - now many years. Seven years ago they saw me jump the art fence over to the Craft side and start all over again. They must have thought I had really lost the plot when I started sewing bits of paper together. Paper Quilting has been an incredible journey for me with many highs and a few lows along the way. The development of the craft. Then going to the markets, craft shows, demonstrations, talks, teaching, the book and then tools, materials and patterns. It has become something I think about constantly.

Well I have news.

I am taking Paper Quilting across the Pacific to be part of the Craft and Hobby Association winter trade show in Los Angeles. I am going to put my big toe in the very, very big craft pond and see what happens. I am finding it hard to believe that I am actually doing this and I am full of butterflies as I write. Stay tuned in for the next chapter.

11 Days

It's only 11 days until the next Handmade Market so there will be papers and gold thread flying all over the place for the next 7 days while I try to get everything ready. I have been trying to think of (yet) another way of setting up my space and I think I have something which will work well. You never know exactly though until you arrive on site and set up.

I will be off to Bunnings, the hardware store, in search of a few things to turn my easles into picture christmas trees - yes I know it sounds a bit weird but in my mind I can see it all very clearly. Then off for some tinsel. I have been creating some new signs for my new business name - Paper Quilt Creations. So we will be all linen, pink and white this time around - and into the future. Please let me not change my mind or get bored of this colour scheme.

Today I will be sending off my project to Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine for the March/April fashion inspired issue - part by post, part over cyber space. I hope that the team there are pleased with it and that it photographs well. Fingers crossed.