I'm Back

I'm always amazed how quickly time flies. When I went to log on to post this new blog tonight I realized I haven't posted since October. Let's see what have I done since the last post???? In October I was in California for the Pacific International Quilt Festival, then from there on to Quilt Market in Houston where I previewed 6 new patterns for my pattern company, Holly Hill Quilt Designs. November brought me to Nashua, NH for A Quilters Gathering, then back to California for another show plus I was on a blog tour for the newest 100 Quilt Blocks by Top Designers Magazine. (yes, one of my designs was featured in the magazine) And let's not forget the HUGE crowd here for Thanksgiving dinner! December was a little less crazy - just quiet time and holiday celebrations with the family. 2011 brought back the activity - I was off to California for the Road to California quilt show. Got away from the mountains of snow in NH - and enjoyed 70+ degree weather in Southern California. Since my return from there it's snowed and snowed and snowed! I leave again for another show in California on Monday - I'll be at the Folsom Quilt Guild's show, so if you live close please stop by and see me! I return to NH on Feb. 14th (Happy Valentines Day) and then on Feb. 17th and 18th I'm going to be participating in a "Fabric Extravaganza" with 4 other shops at the Holiday Inn in Nashua, NH. There are going to be lots of great fabric buys brought to you by The Christmas Shoppe, Vintage & Vogue, NH Quilters Emporium, Fabritique and Nashua Sew & Vac. So stop on by and see us - you'll be really happy with the savings! Until next time, enjoy your time indoors and work on lots of beautiful projects. Mary Jane

Off I Go Again

I won't say my husband or Mick the dog are really happy about me leaving again tomorrow AM since I just got back from CA only a week ago, but what can I say??? "Duty calls!" So tomorrow AM bright and early, well, actually it will be dark when I get up at 2 AM, I'll on my way to Fall Market in Houston. This will be my 2nd wholesale show for Holly Hill Quilt Designs - I was in Minneapolis in May for my "debut" and now Houston. I still have 1 quilt that needs the binding finished up but other than that the 6 new quilts are D-O-N-E! Of course I won't tell you all of the other things that need to be finished up because it is too early in the morning to think about that.

I'm hoping to meet lots of new people at the show and also see old friends too. Can't wait to get there. My sister, Judy, is meeting me there to help with the show. My friend, Marianne of Vintage & Vogue, is flying with me and then we'll all room together once we get there. It will be one big slumber party - except sometimes we don't get lots of sleep. We do a lot of laughing and we all know that laughing is good for the soul so we should be just "heavenly" after this trip.

And some more BIG news - the block that I did for 100 Quilt Blocks by Top Designers Vol. 2 is on the cover. They emailed me a file showing the cover blocks and lo and behold I found mine there. I haven't seen the magazine yet, but hopefully they will have it available at their booth at Market. So needless to say I'm very, very happy.

If any of you are coming to Market, then please stop by and look me up. My booth is #2057 - look for the shiny pink Christmas tree and the chicken rug. Yes, you read correctly - I am having a really shiny pink tree and I bought a very adorable chicken rug for the floor!!! So don't think I've flipped out - they are actually really cute together. And then to top it off - my friend, Joanie, is making me table covers and pipe "socks" out of a green with pink polka dot fabric. And then a pink, yellow and green plaid table topper. So look for the "wild" woman in Houston - I'm sure to get some attention with all of this stuff. Plus I bought the cutest vintage green chairs at a flea market in Sacramento when I was there for PIQF so they are going to be there too. I'll try (can't promise miracles though) to take photos of the booth and post them. If you read my blog you'll know that I am the world's worst one about publishing photos. My pictures from the booth in May are still in the camera - just can't seem to get it done! Anyway I hope you are enjoying the fall and talk with you soon. Mary Jane

It's Here At Last

I've been watching the mail. Every time the postman delivers our mail, I wait, somewhat patiently, to see if he will bring the issue of Quiltmaker Magazine that features the snowglobe Christmas stocking I designed for them. And guess what - IT ARRIVED THIS WEEK! I was a little apprehensive about the cover since Quiltmaker liked the snowglobe design so much, they asked if they could use it to design a cover quilt. I had asked about making the quilt myself since I am so darned picky about colors, but they had already decided on a line of fabric so there wasn't any choosing to do. So I held my breath and VOILA it appeared on the cover and it looks really cute. I guess I really don't have to do everything myself (REALLY???) so maybe I should just lay back sometimes and let the chips fall.

I have all of the 6 new designs for Fall Market in Houston in various stages of completion. 2 of them went off to the photographer in Colorado, Gregory Case, yesterday. I hope they are smiling pretty for the camera. Another one is with Cathie, my machine quilter. I'm still doing the hand sewing of the binding on the BIG quilt - I've made it 1/2 way around so far. Once that is done I'll send it on to Gregory too. So there are 2 that are moving a little slower. Both of them are with Nancy, my incredible applique and embroidery genius. She promises me (even though I've about killed her with 6 designs in about 2 months) she will give both of them to me when we meet at the Pacific International Quilt Festival in Santa Clara, CA. I'm leaving on Wed. for the show. I fly to Sacramento and meet up with my sister, Judy, who has so graciously let me have boxes and more boxes shipped to her house. Right now her house looks like a warehouse, just like mine does every day. So if you don't hear from me for a little while you'll know I'm basking in the sun (HA) in sunny California. Mary Jane

There Should Be More Days In The Week

I had a very special day yesterday and it didn't involve work! As you probably have gathered from previous posts, my average work week is over 100 hours. With this schedule it doesn't allow for much "down" time. But yesterday we had more than 30 people here for a barbeque. It started with one friend, Dave, asking my husband to make chili like he made about 45 years ago when my husband was about 21 and the rest of this group of Boston friends was about 17. Now I'm not sure if it is the never ending appetite of 17 year olds that made this chili so famous, but my husband doesn't really cook. So here we are planning this event around Dan's famous chili. The short version is my daughter, Allison, and I made the chili. We were sworn to secrecy and promised not to reveal that he didn't make it. I'm not breaking a promise here because in the end he told everyone that he didn't make it.

But the lead up to the party was all thanks to his working non-stop to clean the house and get things organized! I didn't get back from the Oaks, PA show until late Monday night so that didn't leave much time until guests arrived on Sat. and I had so many things to get done for the next show and then Quilt Market right after that I didn't start helping until Friday night. But I must give him credit because he cleaned and polished so things looked really good (that is unless you looked in my bedroom because I moved a bunch of junk in there). Luckily we had to lock our cat, Roxy, in there since she is an indoor cat and we didn't want her to accidentally get out.

Now today I have to get one last design worked out so my wonderful applique person, Nancy, can be stitching away on it while I'm vending in Santa Clara, CA at the Pacific International Quilt Festival. And it's time to mail the next My Garden Button of the Month out so I've got to get these envelopes ready to be mailed tomorrow. And I still have to get the binding on the BIG quilt (82" x 102") so it can be mailed to the photographer for the picture for the pattern cover. So it's off to work for now..... Mary Jane

Here We Go Again

Just wanted to update everyone on what's happening at The Christmas Shoppe & Holly Hill Quilt Designs. I leave on Tues. for Oaks, PA to vend at the Pennsylvania Extravaganza Quilt Show. If you are planning on attending, look for us there. We have a 30' booth that will be filled with lots of wonderful new & exciting things. I've been madly cutting & folding (about 16 hours a day / 7 days a week).

I'm also getting merchandise ready for Pacific International Quilt Festival in Santa Clara, CA in Oct. I have a 30' booth there so I've got to get goodies for there too because my friends, Trish & Dave, will drive my boxes from PA to CA at the end of the PA show. Nothing like working on two BIG shows at once! And if that isn't enough, I also signed up for a booth at Fall Quilt Market in Houston. I'm working on 6 new designs that will debut there. (and they are coming out really cute!)

So now you know why you haven't seen new posts here for some time. I also heard from the editors about the upcoming issue of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks From Today's Top Designers Vol. 2. The issue will be on newsstands November 16th so look for my block there.

Well it's back to cutting & folding .... hope you are enjoying your week-end. Mary Jane

I Feel Guilty

I have so many friends that post on their blog almost daily. It makes me feel so guilty because it seems I write a new post every few months. Not to say I don't THINK about doing it, but somehow so many other things get in the way that I just don't get it done.

So let's see ...... back in April I wrote about going to Minneapolis for Spring Quilt Market in May and showing my line of patterns under the Holly Hill Quilt Designs name. Well, May is long gone so I'll give a quick synopsis of what happened there. First I took pictures like I said I would, but they are still in the camera so you'll have to use your imagination. Picture taking (or at least downloading pictures) might be lower on the list than creating posts for the blog. At Market I ran into lots of friends and I also met lots of new people too. I was approached by Quiltmaker Magazine to design two projects for them. One for their 100 blocks magazine and one for Quiltmaker. I will confess here that the projects didn't go to the bottom of the list and they were completed on time and delivered! (WHEW) In fact, they are using my project inside the magazine and then also using parts of the design for a cover quilt they made for the Nov./Dec. issue. This is truly exciting for me. I was also approached by a fabric company to design fabrics for them - BE STILL MY HEART!! Now even though I've done some sketches I am running into trouble. I can't paint!!! (that is unless you want your living room painted, then I'm pretty darned good) To try and remedy this, I bought a new computer. It looks like it came right out of Star Trek. Incredible machine - love it, but now I have to master using a computer to draw. In my brain it sounded really easy - just draw on the screen with a paint brush and VOILA you have beautiful fabric designs - NOT!!! If you've ever tried this you'll understand that using your hand flat on paper is so much easier than using it up in the air on a screen. And if you touch the screen with more than the paint brush you have a whole different picture than you envisioned. So each night I'm taking a few minutes or hours, depending on my schedule, and practicing. If I'm lucky then maybe I'll get something usable before my 100th birthday.

June was even more of a blur. We went to Chantilly, VA for a quilt show, then had a week off, then off to the Vermont Quilt Festival.

July was a little vacation time. Went to the Cape with the grandkids for a few days. Took some really beautiful pictures there (still in the camera too). Then when we got home went right back to work making quilts, designing new patterns and generally working 24/7. My quilter (who is remarkable, by the way) can't believe how many things I've been bringing over. I took 4 last week and when I picked them up had 2 more to bring. Now I already have 1 more to bring on Monday and who knows what else I'll get done since I have 2 more days before I go. But I also have to really get busy if I want to go to Quilt Market in Houston in Oct. The designs that are in my brain need to get on paper and sent to Nancy (my wonderful applique and embroidery person). Without her I'd be lost. She just did 12 embroidery blocks for me and they are a masterpiece. Even my husband noticed the beautiful SMALL perfect stitches.

August is fast approaching and in August we will be vending at the New England Quilt Museum's show in Lowell, MA. This year they are having it at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium so if you are coming, please look for us there.

Well, I better sign off for now. I have 4 quilts to get the binding on. Mary Jane

Thank You

Thank you, thank you to all of you who voted us "Best Exhibitor Booth" at MQX in Providence, RI! It was such an honor to receive this ribbon. To know that you picked us #1 from all of the other exhibitors is a tribute I will cherish.

Right now I am getting ready to make the wholesale debut of my pattern line, Holly Hill Quilt Designs, at Spring Quilt Market in Minneapolis, MN. I have about 3 weeks left until I leave - can't believe I am driving there! It is a 2,800 mile round trip. I won't say I'm looking forward to the driving, but I have a vision of my booth that requires bringing the big van, or as I call it "the boat". Luckily my friend, Jackie, is going to ride with me. I don't think I could drive there alone so I'm really glad she volunteered to ride along. I have been madly working on the very latest designs - still need photos of 1 quilt, pattern covers of 3 quilts and then the time to sit down and write four patterns. Here's what is new - Autumn's Arrival, Good Morning Sunshine, Mary E's Christmas Cottage Tree Skirt, and Snow Is For The Birds. So if you have a favorite quilt shop, ask them to stop by my booth (#2700) and see what's there. I'll try and take a few photos for you so you can see the booth from start to finish.

Hope you are enjoying your spring. Mary Jane