Did you think I quit?

I'm still here! I know it's been ages since my last post, and I NEVER like to let that happen, Tomorrow we turn the calendar over to May and it will be 13 days and counting before I leave for Portland. My head is swimming with things I still need to do! I've been up at 5AM every day working on patterns, and FINALLY the early hours are paying off. I am starting to see new patterns arrive from the printer, quilts coming back from the photographer and a bedroom stacked with things that will be going with me. Oh my, the chaos before a market is something to see (:

For the next few weeks, in the middle of all the chaos, I'm going to give you peeks of what's to come. Little bits of new patterns, market preparation, and what it takes to pull off International Quilt Market. It's so much work to get there, and I'll show you some of "what's happening" at Bunny Hill!

This Sweet Dreams pillow is part of this...

...stack of pillows waiting to be packed to go.

One more and they all come tumbling down!

Stay with me, I've got lots to share! It's the events before the event and it's a bit crazy.

A New Day!

It's a new day at Bunny Hill and I have to say it feels SOOOOOOO good! So what happened to make it such a great day? Well, my friend Mary Jane sent me words of wisdom..."you don't have to do as many patterns as you said". Who would have ever thought those words could have so much power? Thank you Mary Jane! You're my little angel (:I've spent the weekend locked in my studio, up at 5 AM every day, fabric messes all over, paper after pattern paper laying who knows where. Then yesterday it happened. I was rushing to get another tote bag pattern done (notice I said another?) I sewed the lining together and forgot to add the interfacing. Rip, rip was the sound you could hear. Then I added the interfacing. Sewed it again, squared the corners and then realized I had forgotten to add the pockets. By now I'm looking around for the men with the straight jackets to come carry me off.

And then Mary Jane sent me that email. Oh the power of words! The tote bag has been put aside until after market when I can enjoy making it. What a HUGE relief! To think that I don't HAVE to finish it now! You aren't going to leave me if I don't, right? What was I thinking? It's that thing that takes over every designer's head just before market. MARKET BRAIN! If I could just get through one without it! Just one!

And to remind me what is important in life, I talked to a customer last week who runs a bunny sanctuary. Yes, a bunny sanctuary! She takes in bunnies from the shelters. I loved talking to her, it's a cause after my own heart. Then look what she sends me in the mail! Carrot cookies! Are these not the cutest thing you've ever seen? Needless to say I've munched a few (:

Not to mention that spring is here, and I live in farm country! It's the area where a lot of your fresh produce comes from. There are "fresh strawberry" signs all over right now and look at what my husband brought me! Beautiful berries, fresh picked, right from the farm. Oh what more could I ask for?


Like I said, it's a new day at Bunny Hill!

Four weeks and counting

Yesterday was the start of the four week count down to Quilt Market. It's a shock when you realize how little time is left and how much you still have to get done. The only reason I have a chance of arriving with finished projects, is because my friends come to my rescue when I need them. As market approaches I get offers of help and their friendship pulls me through.

Kris and Bobbie have my little winter quilt.

They are stitching away on snowmen!

Kristine my quilter is busy with Mary...

Hope she doesn't give her any trouble! (:

Anne has the stack of baby flannel and she's making two baby quilts.

Nireko is finishing a tote bag for me.

Nireko and Heidi are working away trying to applique my Christmas blocks.

And I am writing patterns, assembling Christmas blocks, finishing little projects, trying to plan my booth, working on brochures, order forms, and all the things you need for market.

I always wonder if I'll make it and then my friends show up.
Nancy will be here in a few weeks to pack me up and get me organized.


Sue my graphic artist helps me with pattern writing and diagrams.

My printer and my photographer are working endless hours.

And Chelsea is sleeping next to me in her new little bed. What a dog! Wish I could teach her to sew!

It takes a cast of thousands to get me to market! LOL!

So, when you buy a Bunny Hill Pattern, be sure and look on the back to see the list of friends that helped. When I show you the market pictures, you'll be able to put faces to the names. Thank you, thank you to all my friends. I couldn't do Bunny Hill without you!

Best Friend's Day!

Hi Everyone! I declare today Best Friend's Day. April 16th!

So, Anne Bryson of Bend, Oregon it's your day! Happy Birthday!!!

I found this photo of Anne Bryson with Blackbird Designs at Fall Quilt Market last year. She's the one in the middle (:

I know she's my best friend because she LOVES Blackbird Designs and yet she still comes back to my booth to be with me!

Here she is in the Bunny Hill Booth...third from the right. Notice the smile? It's one of the things I love about her!

So, since today is her birthday I found a clown for her birthday...
Nothing but the best for her!

OK, I admit it. This was from my grand-daughter's birthday party. A slightly used clown but you get the idea right?

I've been thinking a lot lately about our friendship and what it really means to me. She's been my friend through all my failures and success. She's the one who is always there to laugh or cry with me, and even more, she's the one who lifts me up when I need it.

In honor of Best Friend's Day I found these little quotes:

Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down. ~Oprah Winfrey

An ordinary friend would try to mend your heart once it's been wounded and poured out. A true friend would try to refill it as well."... author unknown

A friend can tell you things you don't want to tell yourself. ~Frances Ward Weller

Everyone hears some of the words you say.

Friends hear all of the words you say.

Best friends hear the words you don't say.

...author unknown

Do you have a friendship quote to share today? What about your best friend? Maybe a funny story?

Today I went shopping for her birthday. If you go here http://store.stonehouse-publications.com/ you will see what I got her. Anne is getting a magazine subscription to Australian Homespun Magazine! If any of you have thought about a subscription, this is the best place to find one. They carry all the hard to find magazines.

It's Best Friend's Day! Happy Birthday Anne!

Behind the Names

Behind the names, (Delta Airlines, Henry Glass Fabrics and many more) are the people we never hear about. The employees who are the company and help make a difference in our world. The people who give from their hearts, not asking for fame or fortune.

It was on a Delta Flight that Larry Reichenberg, the President of Henry Glass Fabrics started chatting with a Delta Airline flight attendant. Turned out to be a very small world. The Delta flight attendants in Salt Lake City, sponsor a program called "A Quilt for Every Bed". They make quilts for charity and need fabric. Larry was the person who could provide it! A connection was made. I wonder how "chance" this connection really was!

For the past 8 years thousands of quilts have been donated to the children who enter the Primary Children's Medical Center, a charitable, non profit organization that operates 20 hospitals equipped to treat children with complex illness and injuries. They service the state of Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada and Montana. http://www.delta-sky.com/2007_11/justcauses/

In 2007, the number of quilts donated was 1249!

In 2008, the number has increased to 2114!

Larry Reichenberg from Henry Glass Fabrics has been donating fabric to this cause ever since that chance meeting. Tomorrow he will fly to Salt Lake City to take part in the 2008 presentation of quilts.

Like I said, it's the people behind the companies we never hear about. So the next time you buy Henry Glass Fabric, or fly Delta Airlines, think about these people. The ones that work for the company, and give their hearts to the world.

If you have a children's quilt you want to donate to this cause, you can email me and I will forward the information to Henry Glass Fabrics.

Nothing like timing!

Yesterday I was working away in my studio, patting myself on the back for how much I was accomplishing when the door bell rang. It was the UPS man. I knew I was in trouble when I saw the two big boxes of fabric from Henry Glass. Of course my husband wasn't home so I drug them in the door, and started unpacking. The end result is my studio is now piled high with stacks of my Lollipop Lane baby flannel. STACKS! Waiting for me. Calling my name even though I only have 4 more weeks of actual design time. I know I'm not alone. Lots of designers are still waiting on fabric. This is sample yardage that comes in advance of the actual bolts. I have boy bunnies, girl bunnies, pinks, greens, yellows and blues. The cutest combination of soft, 2 ply flannel just for baby so I'm not complaining, but...

It's supposed to get up close to 90 degrees this weekend and I'll working with flannel. Wanna come help me sew? Bring a fan please.

We have some winners!

Oh my goodness, never did I expect so many comments! I wish I had a package to give to everyone. Thank you to everyone who posted a comment. I loved reading them all!

First winner is Jackie, #31 of http://cvquiltworks.blogspot.com/ . You said today was your Dad's birthday. Well, guess what? He brought you some luck! You won!!! Happy Birthday to your Dad and congratulations to you!

Second winner is # 146 Karen! (KSedlak), my faithful reader for so long! Congratulations Karen!!! You'll soon have some Bunny Hill fabric to play with!

And surprise! I'm picking a third winner. Cathie, #1 who was brave enough to be the first to leave a comment. She's right, I never see number one getting picked, so I pick you all on my own!

Here's what the winners need to do. Email me your shipping information and I'll have your bundles out in the mail to you right away. Thank you Henry Glass Fabrics http://www.henryglassfabrics.com/ for sending me these in advance!

So soon, these bundles.....

...will be in your hands, and if you are patient you can make this....

... in about five weeks!

Hugs,

Anne

Disclaimer: I counted 5 or 6 times so I'm sure I'm right. If I counted wrong, I'll be sending out more fabric and more people will be happy. (:

It's Time for a Giveaway!

Hey everyone! It's time for a giveaway! That's right! Let's see if you can figure out what I'm giving away...

Bitsy says PLEASE don't give me away....

Chelsea says OK, maybe if the new house serves steak for dinner...

No silly, it's not my new Iphone. How cool am I with this?

I'm in love with this phone so sorry....

Well now, this is more like it...two packages of fat quarters from my new fabric line "Flowers for Emma". Two of you could win one of these fat quarter packs! That's right! Two fat packs = two winners! Each winner gets 1 fat pack...there is it clear now? Oh my gosh I've writing way too many patterns. I can't even think anymore. (:

So you all know what to do...leave a comment and we'll have a drawing on Monday, April 7th. Have a great weekend everyone!

No, I'm not giving away Chelsea...I don't care what she says!

I vote for every day to be this nice!

Did anyone watch Martha today? Well, my friend Chickie was in the audience! Yes she was there to behold Martha's cupcakes in all their glory. She was there to see Martha herself and Chick bought a new pair of shoes just to sit in the audience! Seems they have a dress code for the audience and you never know when the camera will show your shoes, so she was ready. The funny part is that Chickie is one of the most elegant women you will ever see. She could meet Martha any day of the week, while the rest of us look for a place to hide. Hope you had fun Chickie! Better rest those feet tonight. LOL!

And look at the little bunny I got in the mail today! It's a present from Sangeeta at http://www.carriagehousequiltshop.com/ I met Sangeeta over the phone several years ago when she called to order patterns. She was so charming and we bonded from the start. Now we consider ourselves true friends even though we've never met. It's amazing how quilting can bring us all together! And the best thing about this little bunny is she's filled with chocolate! The kind of chocolate that helps you do everything better! I so needed this! Thank you Sangeeta! I LOVE my bunny (:

Then the UPS man pulled up and delivered fabric! "Flowers for Emma" arrived by the bolt. Bolts to cut up, sew with, and make things with! If you're looking for this fabric you can find it on my son's web site at http://www.crafts4me.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=c&Category_Code=fabric He and his wife Diana, run the web site that sells all the Bunny Hill Embellishment kits, and now you can find my fabric there too! Wait until you see the patterns we have coming that use this fabric. Coming soon, I promise!

So now that the fabric is here I feel a giveaway coming! Check back soon! Maybe tomorrow (:

Things are Coming and Going

The last few weeks before a quilt market are the most exhausting and yet the most exciting. It's a scramble to see how much can be packed into one day, how many quilts can get finished and how many patterns completed. And the UPS man just keeps arriving and arriving.

Today the UPS man brought printouts of the beginning of my next fabric line. Pieces of paper that represent my drawings, thoughts and ideas, brought to life by my fabric company. I'll give you a hint...this fabric line is strictly for little girls...No boys allowed. (:

Yesterday the UPS man arrived with bolts of the brown check fabric from Flowers for Emma. Guess where these are going? These will be the new drapes for the Bunny Hill booth at market! They'll be stitched into drapes, pole covers and assorted other things, sprayed with fire retardant and then shipped to Portland where my Bunny Hill team will gather, pull and fluff this fabric till it's just right!

See the sketch in the picture above? (Ok, I know you can't actually SEEEE it. I did that on purpose. Duhh!) Nireko and I are working away on this quilt and 3 of the 9 blocks are almost done. It's so exciting to see it come to life from the drawings that we started with. It's my new Christmas Block of the Month and after having the flu last week I am ready for a Christmas miracle! Do you think we can get it done in time?

Then today a package arrived from my friend Anne Bryson in Oregon. She's been putting together a new quilt for me and the pattern is called Cabins and Cottages. No, you can't see the cabins because those are in another version of the quilt. These are those log cabin blocks I showed you WAY back in another post. So if you love shabby and think you'll want to make this quilt, get yourself a fat pack of Simplicity and several charm packs of Swell, both from Moda Fabrics. The pattern will be available in six weeks (:

Hugs today for all of you. I'm feeling better (: