The Shelley adventures!

Ok, so let me just start this blog by recapping the adventures of Shelley from the last day or two!
First, just so anyone who has done anything remotely weird, this is going to make you feel really good about yourself.....I flushed my glasses down the toilet. Yes. I. Did. My prescription, wear everyday glasses.

So, here's the story. I was in the bathroom, the one in our shop behind the quilt that is only for staff (cause it's so small, and well...behind a quilt!) I was in a hurry and trying to multitask, so as I flushed I took my glasses off so I could use hairspray (didn't want to get any on my glasses!) I set them on the little stand we have on the back of the toilet and as I reached for the can of hairspray, I could see the glasses slip down and as I screamed they hit the flushing toilet and disappeared out of sight!! Literally, gone! (remember this all happened very fast!) I plunged my hand into that swirling flushing toilet so fast it would've made your head spin! Down and around the corner, where most hands don't reach, not even to clean...and OH MY GOODNESS, I could feel them!! I grabbed those suckers out almost as fast as they went in! Yes I scrubbed them with soap.

Adventure number 2. In my office down here in the basement of this shop, I saw a movement out of the corner of my eye...shit. A wee baby mouse. Just sort of hobbling along. Not moving too fast. I screamed. I know, silliness. I wasn't screaming because it was a mouse. I was screaming because damn, it was so small and kinda cute and helpless, and I knew I had to deal with it, and I really didn't want to have to. I grabbed a fabric cardboard and smacked it a few times. Did the job. I marched straight upstairs to inform Jeanne that we had mice. Or we did have! Well, Yvonne being the farmgirl on our staff, offered to pick up the remains. So off we go downstairs armed with a brown and a bag. And there was the wee mouse, picking itself up and dusting itself off! Apparently I had only stunned it. Yvonne didn't have a problem, picked that little thing up squealing and squirming and plopped it in the bag and took it straight outside. Bleck!

So for those of you who don't know.......we just wrapped up yet another manuscript!!! I feel like doing a little happy dance! Like only working 40 hours a week is going to be a cake walk! Ya hoo!!
We worked on Tis the Autumn Season and this next book back to back, and I gotta tell you.....it was hard!! If writing books was the only thing Jeanne and I did....not a problem! But when you factor in the store, shows, pattern designing, fabric, Quilt Market....it's a lot on our plates!

So what will this next book be about and when does it release? Well, while I can't tell you or show what's in the book just yet, I can give you a few hints.....did you like Tis the Season, our first book? Then you will LOVE this next book! Do you enjoy winter? Snowmen, snowflakes, and maybe a mitten or two? You will love this book! It will release in the spring of 2014!

Until next time....close the lid (learned that important lesson) and keep the trap line set!

Home again, home again, Jiggitty Jig!

Finally home again!!
Wow! Quilt Market was fabulous as always!! We started our market adventures by taking an extra day and flying into Seattle, WA rather then Portland (where market was being held)

Flying into Seattle,WA

Martingale offices

because that's where the Martingale offices are located. And for those of you who are unfamiliar, Matingale and Company is who publishes our books! It was fabulous to be able to meet some of the people who work on our books, and be able to put faces to names!!
We spent the night at Mary's house - she works at Martingale, and it just happens to be where Tis the Season and Urban Country Quilts were photographed!
Flip to page 14 of Tis the Season....that is Roofis! Mary's dog! So we were able to meet him! I'd have to say that Roofis looks a little older and wiser then he did a few years ago!

Roofis

Jo, Mary and Jeanne

The next morning we hopping into our rental car and made our way over to the Pike Place Market in downtown Seattle. We don't usually have time to do touristy things during market time, but this was a fun treat! We wandered antique stores, purchased some fruit for our drive, listened to some amazing singers outside of the original Starbucks store, and had a delicious lunch with an amazing view!

Oh wait! Another really fun thing we got to see at the Martingale offices was their new wholesale catalouge!!! The cover had OUR quilts in the front!!! Quilts from Tis the Autumn Season that releases in just a few days!!

So after the few hours we spent at Pike Place Market we headed down to Portland. What is normally a three hour drive....took us a whole lot longer for some reason........

Heehehehe! What can we say? And by the way.....those shoes.....all mine! Thats right, that totally doesn't include what Jeanne and Jo bought (don't judge me!!)
I have so many great pictures and stories from Market that I think I will spread them out instead of overwhelming you with all our adventures at once!! So keep watching for more in the Market series,  otherwise known as how many shoes did Shelley really bring home??? (here's your clue....it was more then what you see here!)

Deadlines!!

Holy crap!! This deadline didn't sneak up on us....it ran after us, dragged us down kicking and screaming!! I'm talking about book number 3. The manuscript is due into the Martingale offices Tuesday! We are scrambling here!

I'm not as much of a last minute person as Jeanne is, so I think I may be feeling the pressure just a bit more than her at the moment! Jeanne works best under pressure, and I fall completely apart! So, after she's picked me up off the floor the last few days, lived with my crankiness, and assured me numerous times we can do this, we are sailing into the final moments! Jeanne is now furiously editing my writings and illustrations. The projects are all done...well...ok...maybe not quite all.....
Our amazing staff has graciously stepped in and hand sewn many many bindings in the last few days so that we can meet this deadline. Thank you Flo and Yvonne!!

Wendy, who has long arm quilted a large portion of the quilts in this book, has graciously put our quilts ahead of her other customers in order for this deadline to be met! Thank you Wendy!

Now, while I can't show you the quilts in the book (you gotta wait!) I think I can give you a few hints!
First off....let me just say, that if you liked Tis the Season and you enjoyed Urban Country Quilts, then you will love this book!! I can't say if the name will remain the same, but it has been tentatively titled, A Bumper Crop of Quilts. It will have a fall flavour with the easy projects, warm earthy tones and chunky applique that you've come to recognize from us!

And surprise, surprise....flowers! And that beige, brown, red, green combo we love so much!!

And when we proposed this book, we said we wouldn't be putting in any pumpkins! Can you believe WE said that!! So it might just come as a surprise when we send everything to Martingale........

and there ARE pumpkins!
So watch for book number 3 coming out in the Spring of 2013! We promise.....it's a good one!

Quick Quirky Facts!

Did you know:

The building that houses The Quilt Patch was built in 1911 and was originally a bank? And that it features the original tin ceilings and wood floors?

That our first book Tis the Season is in its 6th printing and is considered a best seller?

The dog that appears in Tis the Season is owned by Mary Burns from Martingale? All the photos were shot in here home!

A UK book review on Urban Country Quilts talks about how 'happy' we look in our author photo? If only she knew, we're actually a little tipsy!

We are currently working on our 3rd book and second fabric collection?

Why we take our Office Manager, Jo, to Quilt Market with us? Cause by May, she's the only one of us that knows which way is up!