AQS Paducah Show Announced… FINALLY!

AQS Paducah Quilt Show Announced! Finally!

Go here for the official announcement: AQS

I’m Home!

Well i ended up getting home a day sooner from the AQS Paducah quilt show, than i had wanted to but that’s ok. This years Best of show was very nice, a lot of work went into the winning quilt from Australia and it showed. Now i don’t mean to upset anyone when i say this but, it was not MY favorite quilt at the show. But then again the Best of show quilt never is my favorite of the show!

Ok enough about that, lets get to the more important stuff…. What did i buy!

Well let see, i bought some satin to make a miniature crazy quilt that has been in the works for a few months. i got a number of new rulers including a new flying geese ruler and the rapid fire hunters star ruler. I also picked up some refill erasers for my Sewline pen, a new Ripper Clipper, and a ton of silk flowers for my sisters September wedding. Oh and not to forget, some fresh breads, bagels, and a jar of wild honey!

What did i not find? New wheels for my quilting machine, and a swag ruler. Both were on my list of wants but none of the machine quilting suppliers had them at the show so i guess i will be ordering them online.

One of the first things i heard even before i got to Kentucky was about how the show may not be in Paducah next year. Is this true? Who knows but i am sure that the city will do there best to keep it in town. Is the excuse about all the trouble with the expo center the real reason AQS is considering moving away or is it just that, a excuse to get something that they want? Once again we will probably never know. Right now its a waiting game to see if i get to stick tot he arrangements that have been made for next year of if i need to find a new hotel in a new town and learn all the shortcuts and street names all over again. Darn it i had just figured everything out in Paducah and to be honest i really love the town and surrounding area. The people are very nice and helpful, after all they really like the money that we send there. I have just found a house at the lake that is amazing and not to far out of town so i have all the conveniences of home right at my fingertips.  Well i guess i just wait and see what next year brings.

My aunt and i took in the AQS quilt museum this year. It is something we do not do normally but they had a very nice display of 24 of the Best of show quilts and it was great to see how quilting had changed from year one to today. The first BofS quilt was a very nice traditional quilt, nothing to fancy at all, i could actually make the quilt myself. Then you see this years winner and well lets admit it, it’s art and way out of my league.  Also on display were some wonderful miniature quilts, a favorite of mine at the show. I was able to see some that i had not seen before and wonder how they make such tiny little applique pieces look so perfect and also wonder were the seams are in the darn things!

All in all we both had a great time, spent a little money to boost the economy, and ate way to much food! Now we both get to start back on Weight Watchers this coming Monday… oh joy.

Well that it for tonight, I’m off to bed!

So far so great!

Well i am now in Kentucky, and i love it just as much this year as in years past!

Only bad thing is all the talk about the possibility of there not being a show after here after this year. I can’t think about this now, I don’t want it to make for a bad week. i’ll talk about my feeling on this subject when i get home!

Right now my Aunt Geneva and i have not done to much. We meet some friends for a short lunch that ended up lasting nearly two hours! we stoped at Hobby Lobby but found they once again do not have the great of a sale. I am going to go back tomorrow and pick up some satin for a future project i have in the works. I did get lucky with silk flowers however. i am going to be making my sisters wedding flowers and Hobby lobby has 50% off of them right now so i did pick up so very nice roses and orchids for the bridal party.

We went to the mall to check out the vendors there. Pretty much the same vendors as years past. I haven’t made any purchases there yet but have my eye on a couple of things! We made the trip into the den of crazy quilters… Hancock’s of Paducah. I never buy much here but this year i picked up some jelly rolls and a couple of 1 yard pieces of fabric the i fell in love with, to make a apron to were when quilting.

We went and took a look at a house that is for rent on Kentucky lake. We are thinking of a family vacation this fall and this house is perfect… more on this when i get home!

Well I’m off to bed! Talk to yo all again tomorow!

Is time for vacation!

Hi All!

Well last week is over and the best week of the year has begun! Ok so maybe not the best week but it defiantly ranks in the top 5! You see Bright and early Tuesday morning my Aunt and I are leaving for Paducah KY for the 25th annual AQS Quilt Show & Contest! It our vacation! we go every year and enjoy our self’s a great deal. We eat, we shop, we eat, we see the quilt, we eat! Can you guess our schedule revolver around were we are eating lunch and dinner?! Our breakfast is a given, we almost always stop at Kirchhoff’s Bakery (spelling???) for a pasty then go next door the coffee house for a cup of hot tea.

This year i am more prepared than any of the past years, possibly to prepared! We have our “show folder” full of everything we need. It contains our schedule of what we want to do and when we need to be there, as well as a couple of maps and driving directions just in case… not that we have ever gotten lost mind you!

We have a great place to stay again this year, a small “cabin” on Kentucky Lack. I say cabin because that is what the owners call them but to be honest they are just small mobile homes that contain everything we may want or need. We have perfect privacy, the cabin next door is close but not to close, as well as a nice front desk we can set on and watch the wild turkeys that travel right by the front door! We even have a nice kitchen with all the gadgets… not that we have every used it! Ok that’s not true, we have used the microwave to heat up leftovers for a late night snack!

My bag is not packed but i do have a list ready of things i “have to have” and “can’t live without” It always amazes me that i “need” so much junk to be happy. this year however i have a desire to bring less things, therefore a few simple rules.

#1. Makeup and toiletry must fit inside my makeup bag anything that doesn’t fit must be left behind.

#2. Two pairs of shoes are more than enough, the pair i am wearing and a second pair just in case, no more than that!

#3. People who know me know what a mess i am, but this year i am bringing only twice as many clothes as i need! i know this sounds like over kill but trust me, most of the time i can really use the extras!

#4. Food is a no! That’s right this year we are not bringing any food with us to snack on. Every year we have a cooler full of snacks and every year we bring them all back home with us! The only food and food related items we are allowed to bring are Coffee, Tea, Sugar, Salt, Pepper, a knife, and some cling wrap to cover up the leftovers. After all everything else is provided in the cabins for our use!

#5. A Fan – in my mind the most important of all items to be packed! I can’t sleep without the noise, and to be honest it drowns out the snoring that’s coming from the other bed! I have a new floor tower fan that i will bring along this year, still nice and conveniently in its box but pre-tested so i know it works.

Yap that’s it. I will stick to the rules. I will not bring ANY unnecessary items. At lest i hope!

I hope that any of you out there that are attending this years show have a great time! I know we will!

See you all there!

Why is it when we go on vacation we pack so much stuff?

When preparing to leave on vacation to the AQS quilt show in Paducah KY, I have started to wonder…

Why is it when we go on vacation we pack so much stuff???

I means seriously I have a list of things I need to take with me that is a mile long. Okay so its only like 38 things but I swear every time I walk past it I think of something else to add to the darn list! Why do I think I need to bring all this stuff? ok most of it yes I am positive I need. the clothing list might be a bit extreme but if you know me you know I am a mess when I eat so the extra shirts are totally necessary! And not knowing exactly what the weather is going to be I think I should really bring both jeans, Capri’s, and some shorts just in case. I total need my makeup, shampoo, and all that bathroom stuff. My camera and lap top are a must and there chargers must be included or bringing them along to begin with will be worthless! A extra pair of shoes, especially after last years blister debacle, and sock of course. And a jacket, hey you never know!

Oh and that reminds me I need to add some band-aids to the list!

I must bring along something to do, so I have a kit put together to do some crochet, its easy to pack and doesn’t take up that much room. Snacks, Tea bags, coffee, popcorn and some milk. Yes Milk. We have a refrigerator in the room so why not! OK so that one really belongs to my aunt but if I don’t add it to the list I will never remember it! She drinks milk every night and last year we bought it in Paducah, not to anyone who is wondering.. milk cost way more there tan it does in little old Effingham!

Travel fan… did I put that on the list yet?? Yes my fan must be brought along! I love my fan, and I can’t sleep without the noise that it makes. Now were did I put that thing??

Some Polar fleece, about two yards. No I’m not making a blanket, I am use to sleeping in a room that has no light what so ever, so the polar fleece makes a nice black out shade for the window in the bed room.

My cell phone charger, well I would think this one would be obvious! That and my work schedule. why this you ask? well it never fails, I always, always get a couple of call asking… now when did you say my quilt going to be ready to pick up? Hello… vacation! It’s just easier to tell them when it should be ready than try to explain that I am on vacation, I don’t really have a clue (nor do I care at this moment) when the quilt(s) will be ready. I just smile and think… happy customers mean returning customers!

And shall we talk about this list of things I have to do tomorrow before I leave Tuesday??? Trust me, you don’t want to know!