Pacific Fabrics Booth

On the last day of the show, I tried to get as many VIDEO INTERVIEWS as I possibly could. This one (I think) is outside the Pacific Fabrics booth. And if I remember correctly, I was talking to Annette Millard...

Mark Lipinski News

In 2009, it was our HONOR to have Mark Lipinski be our guest of honor for the Saturday event, "Quilter's Night Out". In the picture above, he is sitting on the stage, 30 minutes after his presentation -- still signing autographs...

Like many of you -- I have been following Mark ever since. He is one of my Facebook friends -- and when I started writing this blog -- Mark's blog was my inspiration. He is honest and writes with great humor -- and he uses pictures in crazy interesting ways. I LOVE MARK LIPINSKI...

YOU DO, too!! You gave him the longest, most enthusiastic standing ovation I have personally ever witnessed at a showing show...



So it is very sad for me to tell you that Mark announced on his blog, and on his Facebook page, that he is in end stage renal failure and needs a kidney transplant.

For more information -- go to Mark's blog

Mark is handling this shocking bad news with class and good humor (he put a picture of kidney beans on his blog -- THEN a recipe for lemonade!!).

MARK -- YOU ROCK!! Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family...

Bonne & Jan

If you've been reading this blog for awhile -- you know that the BIRTH of the blog was the recycled denim challenge between me, Jan Potter and Bonne Swett. They are the "Inspired2Sew" gals who did the Thursday Nooner event this year. Here is a picture of THE THREE OF US -- on "Recycled Denim Day". We are standing in the Schmetz Needle Booth -- getting our picture taken...



This is a picture of Bonne with Mary Mulari. Remember when Bonne enlisted Mary to send her something that might give her project an "edge"...?? Well, it's inside her jacket...

Pretty competitive, eh, babe?



For the record, I'd like to say that I'm impressed with Bonne's ability to put words on top of pictures. I have not reached that level of achievement yet...

What a show-off...

Pink Sisters

Okay -- on the very first day of the show -- I got a glimpse of this group...and I asked them to pose for a picture. As we visited, I made some notes (which have not turned up yet)...but, as I recall -- this was the very FIRST TIME these sisters had done anything like this. They came from all different parts of the country to attend the Sewing & Stitchery EXPO. Maybe one of them lives in the area...but I think one sister lives in Alaska??

Hey -- not being able to find my notebook with the proper information -- shouldn't keep me from using these GREAT PICTURES, eh?? Who knows? Maybe one of the Pink Lady Sisters will be reading this blog -- and she'll set me straight... I love what their shirts said...because it is SOOO TRUE...



If YOU WERE ON A SISTER TRIP to Expo -- please send me your story. With pictures, names, what you did, where you stayed, etc.

AND -- HEY -- if you ARE one of the Pink Ladies -- EMAIL ME!! (ritafar@aol.com)

Louise Cutting Video

Okay -- in my ongoing experiments in technology --- I made a LOT OF VIDEOS on the last day of the show. I didn't start out with a specific "mission" -- but I realized how much fun it would be to interview some of the speakers and/or vendors for this blog.

Here's one. Recognize the sewing star?

Eleanor Burns

It is hard for me to believe that Eleanor Burns has never been to Expo!!



I took this picture of the Friday class -- do you see yourself?



Often, I took pictures from the back of the room...



I thought it would be fun to have the audience hold up their "Eleanor Totes"..



If only my people in Iowa would learn to do EXACTLY WHAT I ASK THEM TO DO...!!

THANKS for coming, Eleanor!! You brought an exciting new element to the 2010 Sewing & Stitchery EXPO. It was all joy...

I just received 1600 PHOTOGRAPHS from the official camp photographer -- London Dewey. and the pictures of Quilter's Night Out are phenomenal. Baby Lock gave away TWO Espire sewing machines that night! And I hope to interview BOTH LUCKY WINNERS in future posts...

Hey -- going to Expo is better than buying a lottery ticket! You NEVER KNOW when you're going to win the sewing machine of your dreams!!

Thanks for coming, Eleanor -- and THANKS for sponsoring Quilter's Night Out, Baby Lock!!