I'm back from the last show of the Expo season, in Worcester(pronounced WOOSTER, and they teased me about my lack of any charming accent????) It was a really fun show with lots of laughs and many new quilty lady friends, not to mention the awesome shuttle drivers.
We had a HUGE booth and tons of great stuff.This trip completes my first year of teaching with the Original Sewing and Quilting Expo. After 8 shows....it still amazes me that we come into a large empty convention hall, and by the end of the day on Wednesday, the entire space has been transformed. We are surrounded by creativity at every turn.Dozens of sewing machines and sergers appear in every imaginable corner. Fabric, patterns, muscle relaxing tools, cutting,measuring and pressing tools, nail, fabric and glass paint (yes, I bought every color!) Food vendors (especially the ice cream guy) beautiful handmade jewelry (OK...I bought lots of that too).The classrooms are set up and ready to go!!! It would just seem like magic, except that we, The Cotton Candy Women, are right in there unloading and setting up too.(Oh gosh....I hope we brought enough Do-Sew this time!!!) Wednesday night we somehow manage to drag our sorry selves back to the hotel, and pray for enough energy to go back in the morning! Overnight, a miracle occurs. At 6:30 a.m. the alarm goes off and we're up and running.I have no idea where the energy comes from. (Mr. Folger and Mr. Starbuck perhaps?) Most of my energy comes from the ladies in the classes. We come together for a short time, but I hold each moment close to my heart.The shock of the 6:30 alarm fades quickly in the warmth of laughter and sharing. I feel extremely blessed by this wonderful opportunity.
We had a HUGE booth and tons of great stuff.This trip completes my first year of teaching with the Original Sewing and Quilting Expo. After 8 shows....it still amazes me that we come into a large empty convention hall, and by the end of the day on Wednesday, the entire space has been transformed. We are surrounded by creativity at every turn.Dozens of sewing machines and sergers appear in every imaginable corner. Fabric, patterns, muscle relaxing tools, cutting,measuring and pressing tools, nail, fabric and glass paint (yes, I bought every color!) Food vendors (especially the ice cream guy) beautiful handmade jewelry (OK...I bought lots of that too).The classrooms are set up and ready to go!!! It would just seem like magic, except that we, The Cotton Candy Women, are right in there unloading and setting up too.(Oh gosh....I hope we brought enough Do-Sew this time!!!) Wednesday night we somehow manage to drag our sorry selves back to the hotel, and pray for enough energy to go back in the morning! Overnight, a miracle occurs. At 6:30 a.m. the alarm goes off and we're up and running.I have no idea where the energy comes from. (Mr. Folger and Mr. Starbuck perhaps?) Most of my energy comes from the ladies in the classes. We come together for a short time, but I hold each moment close to my heart.The shock of the 6:30 alarm fades quickly in the warmth of laughter and sharing. I feel extremely blessed by this wonderful opportunity.
The "MAGIC" continues until the final BIG DRAWING on Saturday afternoon. Mark draws the names of the door prise winners, then...the whole expo begins to dissolve like a chalk drawing in the rain. Within 3 hours...the vibrant creative space turns back into a pumpkin!!!It would be fun too see a time lapse video of the whole process. It's always shocking that everything get done in such a short time!!I expect that as time goes on...I won't be as amazed by the whole thing, but for now, I feel like the country mouse in the big city. At least I don't walk around with my mouth hanging open any more. ( If anyone sees me doing that, please let me know! I'm trying to look COOL!!!!!)
