Market & More........

Well, here we are in sunny Portland.  Well ......... we're in Portland.  And luckily my hotel is very close to the convention center and my new very best friend Michelle leant me her umbrella.

Portland is a 3 day drive from home, then 5 days for set up and Market - then 3 days back home.  Pep couldn't take that much time off and I decided not to do the drive by myself again so he could fly in to meet me. And I can't set up a booth by myself.  

Moda - being the awesome company that they are had already come up with a solution to my problem. The is part of Designer's row.  My section - Deb Strain - Kathy Schmidt.

But I need to back up a little......... 

A few days before I needed to leave, Spike - who never goes down to the road by himself (we live about 300 feet back from the road) - decided to go bite a car.  He lost.

Our local vet looked at the break in his short, stout leg and said it was beyond him.  We made an emergency trip to Kansas City where Spike had a 4 hour surgery.  They had to come in from both sides of his leg to pin and plate it back together.  He was in intensive care all night and we picked him up the next day.

He is supposed to walk on it as little as possible for six weeks.  This is his convalescent center in the living room.  I set up a place to feed him there too because standing on the linoleum in the kitchen his leg would slide out and put pressure on it.  If I'm sitting in my chair sewing he comes out and is at my feet.  Otherwise he has to stay in his kennel so he doesn't follow me everywhere like he usually does.

The main problem is that he's a bulldog and they generally just ignore pain so we have to keep him from using it.  I took my sewing out on the deck so he could lay in the sun.

So it turned out to be good that Pep couldn't come.  He's at home taking very good care of our bulldog.  Spike was really upset when he saw the suitcases come out.  So it's good that Pep is at home with him.

Now - back to Market - where , by the way, I was a basket case the first 2 days - cried if you looked at me sideways.  My special thanks to Michelle who picked me up at the airport (yes, the damn airport) and driven me around everywhere and helped me set things up (I am not tall-she is), Camille, Jamie C. Holly and Josh Dunn and my cohort Deb Strain for all of their patience and hugs.

Anyway, here's my booth - or my section of Designer's Row.

We each have a section - with half a table, half a bulletin board and two shelves.

Then I got an herb rack and Deb got a ladder to hang quilts on

as well as a hook to hang things from.  All in all, it worked out quite well.  It was great to share a space with Deb Strain.  Deb and Sandy Gervais and I are the "vintage" Moda designers - Deb's word - isn't it great!

And I can't stop this post without thanking Tori and Falisha back home who got things packed and out of there for me while I was dealing with Spike.  Did I mention that the same week our plumbing stopped up and  someone sideswiped the van while it was parked and took out the drivers side mirror.  

What a week!  But it's over, Spike's going to be ok and I get to spend my day talking to quilters!  Oh, and the fabric line is Crossroads and will ship in August.  :)