How it came to be - the story of one girl's journey to becoming a fabric designer

Can I share a small glimpse into my story?

I believe, no, I've had too many confirmations for that word, I know Heavenly Father has asked me to pursue becoming a fabric designer. Why? I have yet to have the question answered. All I know is one day I woke up and out of the blue,with a physical longing, an aching, to be a fabric designer. I had no prior history or knowledge of fabric design or a desire to even learn about such things and with only a small,vague conscious awareness that there was someone who actually designed the patterns on fabric.

You can imagine my surprise!

In 2009 just before I turned 30, with this new found seemingly unreachable goal, I made a game plan. Every time I began a new decade I would choose one crazy hard to accomplish goal. I gave myself the whole decade to complete it. For my 30s, clearly, the goal would be to become a fabric designer.

I wrestled with this goal a little. What is the world did it have to do with the eternities, with raising my young children (my youngest at the time was just over 6 months old), with returning to my Heavenly Father? And yet, I have been taught that we should use and develop our talents. That IS something that will help me attend to those other top priority items.

One of my talents happens to be art.

For the first week after I woke up with the new direction Heavenly Father had given me, I cried. Every night. I didn't know what I was doing. At the time there was NOTHING out on the internet to guide me. There is a ton now, but if you notice nothing published before Sept. 2009. I was shocked to realized the interwebs had failed to provide me with the information I asked for. Even the public libraries were no help.

I had just started and already was failing.

Have you ever been driven to do something and then, despite your very, very best efforts, you realize there is no way YOU, small little you, can make it happen? It's a rough place to be.

I was expressing this misery to Kevin, my husband, when he said, "I have a friend who owns a fabric manufacturing company."

I believe my words to him were, "You do not. Please don't joke about this. This is really important to me for some reason."

I mean I had been crying for A WHOLE WEEK. He knew what I was crying about, I'm not really the silent sufferer type. So you can see why I thought he was fooling around. But no. He meant it. He actually does have a friend who owns a fabric manufacturing company. Riley Blake Designs no less.

I was thrilled! They were local, Kevin knew them personally, I thought I was in! I thought, the intensity of the feelings I had been given  were a clear indication that things were going to fall into place rapidly.

Clearly, that didn't happen. In fact, they HATED my designs and told me in so many words. I was crushed. I kept it together long enough to get into my car and then I just cried and cried. However, I decided early on that, "no" did not mean, "never" it just meant, "not right now."

The next few years were filled with more leads, and open doors, and tears, and many, many, MANY no's. But with each No I'd try really hard to look at it as one no closer to my yes. I believed with all my particles that there was a yes. It was out there, I just had to keep working my tail off.

I kept teaching myself the computer programs I need to know like, Illustrator and Photoshop. I read anything I could get my hot little hands on that would lead me to more knowledge of how becoming a fabric designer actually happened. In September of 2010, I came across a blog, 7 Layer Studio. Shelley had just recently announced she had licensed with Benartex and was coming to SLC that spring because that's just where Quilt Market happened to be that year. Right in my backyard! I reached out to her and offered to be her minion at Market and that she could stay with me while she was here. I know it sounds crazy. I didn't even know this lady, but it felt like a door opening. At least I'd get to SEE what Market was like and I would get to help an actual, real life, designer. I'm a hard workers so I knew it could be beneficial to her as well. There's a LOT that goes into a booth.

She said yes! I couldn't believe it and she couldn't believe it either.

Market went great! Shelley's booth was in.cred.ible! You can see that here (May 15, 2011). She is SO talented in a lot of areas. It really is inspiring. She put me to work, we got things set up, and then I was off to walk the floor.

I showed my portfolio to a great number of manufacturers. The most common response was, "we like it, but it's similar to so and so's designs that we already have signed on. But THEN I got a YES! From Paintbrush Studios. You can read all about that here (May 13, 2011). In the end, it just didn't feel right to sign on with them. It was hard to say No to a Yes. REALLY hard. It felt ungrateful and pretentious. But at the end of the day, it wasn't a good fit.

Back to the drawing board.

The rest of the year I kept submitting work to various manufacturers I had met at Market, but had been unable to meet with them OR they had said they'd like to see more work. Benartex and I even began talking. I get SO close and then weird things would happen. With Benartex, the day I was supposed to have a final meeting with a bunch of the head people, their high rise New York building caught fire and their phone systems were out for days and days. We never made it on the same page after that.

I was feeling hopeful and utterly discouraged at the same time all the time. Which, consequently,  really drives a person to the chocolate! The rest of 2011 came and went. No contract. Still working hard. Still putting my work out there. Most of 2012 came and went very much the same. BUT in October of 2012 my dream came alive! Out of the blue. Well, not really. It came after YEARS of putting my hard work out there and all the networking finally came full circle. I signed my contract with Modern Yardage  Oct. 24, 2012 ! You can read all about how that came to be here (October 24, 2012)

Now that I'm on the other side of it, it's weird. I remember all the hard work. I remember the tears and the sleepless nights for longing to fill this hole in my soul. But on this side it feel like, "well, of course it had to be like that." I'm finding, in my old age, many trials end up feeling that way on the other side.

I am beyond grateful that this is part of my story. This is part of the legacy I will leave my children. That big dreams CAN come true with a lot of hard work. It won't be easy and I'm grateful for that too. I hope they reach. I hope they shoot for something they might fail at. I hope they even fail a little along the way, but learn to use the "No" as the next step up to reach the "Yes". I hope working for it brings them fire in their hearts, sleepless night of longing, and sends electricity through their bodies.

Everyone should have a chance to feel that at least once.

In a magazine? It's ok. You're second!

Sanders and I are quite the team these days. Everyone else is in full time school and while he'll lament, "I am behind everyone!", he gets a lot of perks for being the only one vying for my attention that I really don't feel too bad for him. 

But, after today, maybe I need to step up my game. 

We were walking into Joann's to see if we could find the magazine that had an article about me in it (I KNOW!!! More on that in a second). I told him I needed to hold his hand in the parking lot, but he was welcome to let go when we got to the side walk.

"Plus," I added, "I know you like me a little bit."

 (side note: I was being totally sarcastic because normally he won't let anyone BUT me do things with him. A serious mama's boy...or so I thought)

"Okay. You are my second favorite adult."

"Second? Who's your first?"

"Dad! It goes in a pattern Dad, you, Dad, you. "

---------------------------

When Kevin got home from work today, armed with the knowledge of the above story, he asked,

"Hey, Sanders, who's your favorite adult?"

"You!"

"Who's your second favorite?"

"Mom!" Looks over at me as if he's just given me the greatest gift EVER.

"Who's your third favorite?"

"Sonja's mom! Well, actually my third favorite is Sonja's dad. *sigh* I've never seen Sonja's dad."

"Okay then...what about the grandmas?"

"OH! Actually, Nana is my fir...," looks at Kevin as if he's torn, "Okay, see there is a boy first and a girl first. Dad is the first boy and Nana is the first girl."

"Hey!" I shouted. " I don't even make it as your first favorite girl adult?!?!?"

"Mooom," he said soothingly, like someone trying to sell some really bad news by pretending it's awesome,  "you are riiiiight next to Nana! You're second!!!!"

Man. 

Good thing the magazine thing has me on a high today.

 

That's me! In an actual magazine you can buy at a store. A store other people go to and might buy it and bring it into their homes. SO weird and cool! I bought mine at Barnes and Noble, but, as I mentioned, I headed on over to Joann's to see if the magazine was available in a more main stream quilting location. 

It totally was!

The Quilter Magazine published an article about my journey and Modern Yardage in their Feb/Mar 2014 issue. It ended up being THREE pages. 

Hold on a sec while I pick my jaw up off the floor.

It also features some projects I have sewn as well as some sewn by my Sister-in-law Danica. 

 (My projects are the skirt --worn by Karaia in this picture--- and the faux cathedral window pillow. Danica sewed the tea towels and the table runner)

  

  

It's true you can't win them all, but I am sure grateful for the balance in the universe today!

The breaks

Today I had plans.

Plans to get a lot done on my designs so I can be more present in my life. AND because my feature month starts June 1st! I've got to get this line done.

But right from the get go, someone else had other plans.

I stayed up late last night to get a job start on my usual Monday duties. And by late I mean early. And by early I mean 3:00am.  Which also meant that I did not get up with the kids. However, we have this great chart, or so I thought, and my nagging is no longer necessary.

Turns out the kids completely forgot that the chart is law even if mom is not there to remind them of this little fact.  By the time I was woken up, albeit to kids playing silly with each other, at 8:05am they were FAR from being where they should have been having been up for over an hour. Some of them had still not eaten breakfast. WHAT?!?!?!?!

Sigh.
 
Sanders slept in until about 8:20. That was wonderful. Although it did put him quite a bit behind and by the time he finished all of his stuff, playgroup had been going for almost 45 mins and he really just wanted to stay home.

So, I let him. I thought, I'll just turn on a show and I know I've lost 45 mins of design time, but spending that time with Sanders was important and he will be perfectly happy to sit and watch his show.

And that's true, he did. But then PYP stuff went up in smoke and I ran around putting fires out during the time he was absorbed in his stuff.

Soon it was time for Tennyson to come home. Wonderful! I thought I'll feed them lunch and then Sanders can finish his show with Tennyson and then they can play together while I get some design stuff done.

However, Tennyson's homework today, while usually something he can do on his own, felt extra challenging to him today and he needed his mom. Which I was happy to do. THEN the garage door man came because our garage wouldn't shut this morning. Although when he asked what was the problem and I told him and then pushed the button it went down just fine. Of course! Still, the garage door was hanging crooked so he fixed it for us. The best news is the whole thing only cost $80! Best news of the day!

Meanwhile, Sanders and Tennyson were having battle of the siblings, while Tennyson was still trying to finish homework and then get to eating his lunch.

After all of that, I had time for one file before PYP stuff needed attention again. Then more moments with the boys. They were good, they were just unplanned. Which is great, but it means less time for the things I thought I was supposed to be doing today.

By the time that was all over, Karaia and Beckham came home. We talked school stuff and Beckham talked about being nervous for his baseball game tonight. They were playing the most challenging team in the league.

My friend Nicki's computer was throwing a fit and she asked if she could come use mine for a bit. I LOVE that! So nice to have friends that feel comfortable in your home. It was nice to chat with her for a while.

While all of this was going on, I learned that the printer at Modern Yardage was also throwing a fit today and not a whole lot of anything was happening down there either.

That's when I paused.

What was I supposed to be learning/doing today instead of what I had planned? Clearly, the Lord was throwing every possible road block in my path to get me to stop or slow down. Or was this a trial to see how I would chose to take the day or because really good things will happen when this get done and someone doesn't like when good things happen? Either way, someone was trying to put on the breaks and slow things down. It felt a lot more like gentle reminders than thwarting.

Thankfully, I felt stressed, but calm most of the day. If that makes any sense? I knew I had stuff that needed to get done, but even if my end was done the warehouse wouldn't have been able to do anything with it today anyway. So there was no point in really stressing over it. I just did my best.

Beckham lost his baseball game. He even struck out twice and was the last out twice. He was doing a pretty good job handling it. I wasn't able to go and he said,

 "I'm glad you didn't come. The PAIN! The HORROR! I'm glad you didn't see that."

I made sure he knew I can't possibly love him less because he strikes out...ever.

On the way home Kevin and Beckham saw a rainbow that looked like it ended right at the top of our street. Kevin said, "Look! That rainbow ends at the top of the road. Let's go find the pot of gold."

"Ok! Yes, let's go find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!!!"

"There isn't really a pot of gold at the end."

"Way to crush my dreams, Dad."

That kid is so funny!

Here it is almost 10pm and I have still only completed about 6 out of 50 files that need to be done. I feel, though, that everything is happening in the time frame it needs to. I have faith that while I don't think there is enough time to get things done Someone else can see more of the picture than me.

So I will pay heed to the breaks and enjoy the slower pace

Passions

I was lucky enough to go shopping at a local boutique with my mom this morning. We stumbled across the perfect Mother's Day gift for Candace.

Garden Labels

 I had to rush them right over to her house because the boutique is near her home and I was afraid she would find them and buy them for herself if I waited until Mother's Day to give them to her :) She grew up on a Farm in Bear River. Her home is beautifully decorate and elegant, but she is the first one to admit that she's never gotten the farm life out of her. We wouldn't ever want her to! She has a great green thumb and grows a huge garden every year. These will be perfect!

Anybody who has spent any amount of time around Sanders in his natural habitat has met his best friend, Froggy Blanket. This beloved bit of fabric goes everywhere we will let him take it. It's rather endearing.

 

 My mom and Candace were able to help cheer the kids on in soccer today. I can't tell you how much I appreciate these women help me raise my children. Candace cheered Tennyson on which meant I finally got to see Karaia play! She did great!

After wards Kevin was taking Beckham to go meet Beckham's favorite radio personalities at a pizza place. (More on that tomorrow). So I took the other three out to dinner. This was the first sit down restaurant experience that I have ever truly enjoyed with my children. They were wonderful!

I also got strike offs for my next line today! While the colors still need adjusting and that feels like a huge mountain to climb. I'm excited to see what kinds of adventures this line brings.

Deadline

I will finish my second line tonight. I thought I would be able to say that two weeks ago. Still, I am very happy with how things have turned out and I can't wait to see it in fabric!

It is still a humbling thing to not have to wonder if my designs will see fabric form. I will work hard to always feel so.  I hope that I do this chance justice and always remember why this is a part of my journey and who put me here.

Good things take time

I'm working on my next line I thought for SURE I would be done with before April.

It's a good one. I can't wait to get strike offs for it.

It's consumed a lot of my time this week which is always rewarding and challenging. That ever elusive balance tips one way or the other so quickly.

Decisions

I made a lot of decisions today.

I decided once and for all how to do our railing on the deck. Well...more of how to do the posts on the railing. The actual railing part is still elusive.

I ordered the slide for the deck! I know! I barely feel like an adult when I think about it!

Chrissy came over and we talked patterns.

Then, Chrissy helped me peg down some new color combinations for my next line.

It's a nearly impossible task with so many choices available.

What are your favorite color combinations?

I have many, but currently, I like this one, but it didn't have the same feeling when I tried to implement it into my design.

bummer.

In my hands

I had fun photographing some fabric that will soon be made into dresses by my very talented sister-in-law, Danica.

It's pretty cool to think this fabric came from my little brain.

Most of the time, everything feels like every day life.

And then I stop. I remember. I remember what it felt like to start this whole process.

I am SO grateful to know the end of that chapter.

I am a fabric designer! 

For their intended purpose

My aunt on Kevin's side, Denise, called me today to tell me she received her fabric order. She sounded so happy and excited about the designs she chose!

You have to understand that Denise is a master quilter. She knows her fabrics and then some! It was such a delight and honor to have her share her excitement with me. She chose multiple designs which thrilled me to no end. What a compliment! My designs are in very good hands and I know she will create something beautiful with them.

I couldn't help but smile the rest of the day. It made everything so real. That is exactly how I wanted my designs to make people feel. Happy. Inspired. Excited. Talk about a dream coming true!

Modern Yardage Media Launch

We launched today! Well, our soft launch/media launch. By we I mean Modern Yardage,

 the fabric manufacturing company I've been alluding to for months.

It still seems so unreal.  We will be selling fabric on Feb. 4. Oh, I hope it is a success. So many hours and dreams and hopes and prayers and hard work and big scary, crazy, exciting leaps are behind this company.

I feel like I should be feeling more. I do feel a little butterfly-ish. I'm excited and nervous and there is still so very much to do. Truthfully, I am just so humbled this is part of my little life that I don't quite dare to believe it.

Speaking of believing, thank you for believing in me and supporting me. Thank you for coming to this space day after day to check in and at time say, "Hi". I love it when you do. Thank you for cheering me on during the exciting bits and for keeping me standing and moving forward during the scenes that are never fun, but that keep the journey interesting. Dreams are never accomplished alone. It's a group effort.  It's better that way.

Thank you!

Oh and AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH people are going to be able to by my fabric and hopefully be inspired to create their own beautiful things that inspire others. It's a very cool cycle to be part of. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Signing THE contract

It happened.

I am talking about IT !

Today, on this very normal day in October, I signed a contract agreeing to let some very nice people use my designs on fabric! I am officially a fabric designer!

PS don't you LOVE the desk I refinished?!?!! Sigh. It makes me super happy.

I seriously can't believed I just typed that and it's not even an exaggeration! Or an imagination. Or a dream! It's reality. My reality no less.

Wow.

It makes me tear up with joy.

I can't spill who it is with yet, but I promise you are going to want to start following me because things are going to start moving quickly!

OK, here's the back story:

I work for Pick Your Plum and a new sister company called Downtown Tape. DTT just launched at the beginning of August and hit the ground running. By the end of August I was drowning in my work load. We had been asked to be part of Scrapbook USA's expo when we were one week old and I had the great opportunity to plan the booth and get everything organized. With the expo came a couple of TV slots, that I was lucky enough to be part of, and all of the behind the scenes prep work you would imagine. Thankfully, my sister, Annie, was in on everything with me. She is one to have on your team if you want to get things done!

Me and Annie after putting together the booth all day. Don't judge. At the time, we were hilarious.  Promise.

ANYWAY, back to the drowning feeling. There were just too many nights I would go to sleep realizing my children and I had been in the same house together ALL day and I had not really seen them. That was not OK. They weren't going to be little forever. I wasn't working because I have to. My jobs are hobbies. I enjoy them. I don't make much money, but that isn't why I'm doing it. One day I woke up and it was ALL I was doing. Not cool.

So I decided that DTT had to go. That was a hard, hard, HARD decision to walk away from something that is so successful that you've been with from the beginning. Hard! By the time the expo rolled around at the end of September, even though I knew I had made the right decision, I finally felt it. I was fine walking away. I was excited to put that energy toward my kids.

The first day of the expo, September 28th, we were busy! We had a small 10 x 10 space and for the first 4 hours had a minimum of 20 women in that space with us all buying our washi tape . It was a blast! I remember hearing my phone ring a couple of times, but we were so busy I did not have one second to even look at it.

It's cute right!

After the biggest rush ended I glanced at my phone. I saw one number I didn't recognize and then Kevin's.  I called Kevin and he asked if I'd gotten a call from a girl I knew of, but had never met. I told him I didn't know because I hadn't had much time to be with my phone. He went on to explain that someone I have many mutual friends with, but had yet to personally meet, had been following my blog. Not only had she been following my blog, but she was starting her own fabric manufacturing company and she wanted to talk....to me....about my designs.

Hold. the. phone!

I remember being in shock. I didn't have time to really process what I had just been told. The craziness of the booth demanded my attention. For the next two days I held it in my heart until I could really let it soak in.

From there we talked. New company. Not launched yet. New business model. LOVE your designs. We are so excited by them. We would like you to be a part of this. And my favorite quote from all of this

"Well, if people are ever critical of you being so open with your dreams and if they ever tell you not to be too public... you can ignore them. If you hadn't been so gushingly excited about your goal to design fabric, I would have never known you were interested or even trying. So I am anxious to see where this takes us."

Chills. For sure.

Until today. Less than one month, a mere 27 days, from the first call. The signing of a contract!!!!!!!!!! After I signed and they signed I squealed, "YAY!!! Can we hug?"

"Ummm....sure...if you want to...I guess..." ( It was a man. I'm pretty sure I terrified him)

"Oh GOOD! 'Cause I'm a hugger!"

That's right I sucked him right out of business world straight into Emilie-land. In my defense, we were in my home. There's a certain level of realness I like to maintain when I am home. My real self hugs people when she's happy. I told him to get used to it. Again....terrified him. ;)

Do I think that it's a coincidence that on the day that I had finally, truly made peace with letting go of something that was taking me away from my family I got THE call. The call I have been working towards for three years. A call that came out of the blue, unsolicited, and gifted to me.

No. I absolutely do not.

When I told Annie about the call she made a good observation that I could just be possibly taking one thing off my plate only to fill it with something else and thus my plate would be too full once again.

But it hasn't felt that way. Thankfully, it hasn't been that way either.

What it has felt like is a blessing for doing a hard thing. For walking away from something really good to make room for something even better. To allow my Heavenly Father to take me down the road HE needs me to go. So I can be in the places I can do the best good. Make the most difference. Be who He sent me to be.

And do you know what? I have made more time for my kids. I have stopped in the middle of MY agenda to just be with them in whatever adventure they have created from that day. I have not had one. single. sleepless. night because I felt regret from not spending the time with them they deserve. Not one. It feels really good.

That's HUGE for me. That used to be an every night event I took part in.

I haven't had a moment of mommy guilt because I am also chasing BIG dreams. I am being the mom I want to be. Of course I am not perfect. That just keeps it interesting ;) But I am better. I am more intentional. I am soaking in all their little soul's goodness and tucking it away in my heart so I can snuggle with it when they are too old to be snuggled.

So the phone call was a gift, in more ways than I even realized until now. Letting DTT go was a gift. Trusting that He knew more than me is always a gift. I am SO excited to start this new part of the journey. I still cannot believe the waiting is over!

It's a good day, my friends. An extraordinarily good day!

If I could be so bold to ask for even more awesomeness today, if you read this, would you leave me a little comment below. I print this blog off as a book and I want to document every piece of this part of the journey and remember everyone who celebrated with me!

Thank you!

You never know

Just when you think you are headed one direction Heavenly Father opens another door and offers you more options.

I'm sorry I'm so vauge on this blog. I have started another, private, blog to record all the moments I feel are best kept closer to home, i.e. only for me and my kids and husband. But I did want "some" kind of documentation here.

It was an amazing day. I feel so blessed. So taken care of.

I'm happy to share the events on a personal level just not on the internet ;)

In news that can be sharred more freely, I went up to Cache Valley to visit Sabina and her new home. Oh my, but I love that girl! Her yard is to die for and her house had amazing potential! It did my soul so much good to get my Sabina fix.

It must happen again sooner rather than later.

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just over there

Lately I've been thinking a lot about my dream. It feels like it's juuuuust around the corner sometimes and at others it seems as though the ship has sailed and it may just remain a dream. It could literally all happen or end with one phone call, email, or letter. Any day.

I know this time will help me appreciate whatever Heavenly Father has in store for me. I know I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing. But, the waiting portion of this story is a bit challenging for me.

Someday soon.....I hope.

Forward

Things are moving forward in the fabric design area.

I've decided not to post too much about it online. Not until something is official anyway.

However, I will say I am excited for the next few weeks!

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Hope

The portfolios are printed!

I still have moments were I find myself overwhelmingly grateful that I am on this journey. Most times I have a hard time believing it's actually happening to me.

Everything will be mailed on Monday. Including a digitally created quilt I designed using my fabric designs. I am in love!

It's close now. So very, very close.

*squeal! ! ! *

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Hope for the best...deal with what you get

I got my new computer on Monday! It's a pretty little thing. Well, maybe little is the wrong word as the screen is 23" HUGE!

It has way, WAY more memory than old computer has and a bunch of other awesome things that Kevin loves about it.

It's my mother's day present which means I am one lucky girl.

I've named it Lucy.

Lucy was purchased with the hopes of cutting down the amount of  time I spend on the computer designing. I am still trying to get the portfolios out and have quite a bit of work left to do.

The sad news is, while Lucy does run Illustrator a bit faster it's incapable of accessing all of the RAM available and STILL freezes, shuts down, takes forever to change something, gets slower the longer you have it open, or flat out goes on strike.

I've done my research and it wouldn't matter what computer I have. Illustrator cs4 will still have the same flaws. It looks like cs5 will also have the same problem. Something about needing 64bits and Illustrator only using 32bits.

Anyway, my balloon is deflated. BUT, I still have Lucy and she will be a TON better for everything else and I will just continue to practice my patience and time management when it comes to Illustrator.

Not bad qualities to get a lot of practical experience on....so I guess we can call this a win....kind of.

Lessons

Today Beckham passed his end of level testing. Apparently he was extremely nervous that he wouldn't and was there for equally relieved when he did. Resulting in the glad tidings being announced to every new person we  happened across on our way out of the school building.

I happen to think it a very good thing for him to be nervous about tests every now and again.

I also found out today that I was very mistaken about the size of Paintbrush Studio. They are actually quite large, employ nearly 200 people in the U.S.A. in a 250,000 sq ft building and have a plant in Mexico as well.

And they want me.

Wow.

Guest Post #3

I think this is the 3rd Guest Post.  Doesn't matter.

Emilie has been busy all day long.  Her friend Shelley came in today to get ready for market and Emilie has been helping her with her final preparations.  They've been painting, chit-chatting, sharing, painting some more, and finally, did I say chit-chatting.  I can tell its been really good for Emilie to talk to someone who's done this all before and get a good feel for how things are going to go on Friday and Saturday.

There is still some work to do on Emilie's designs, but she's pretty confident she can get it all done in time.  I'm sure she will.  Anyway, we're coming down the home stretch now.  Only three more days until market.

--Kevin

I can already tell

I can already tell that I will be brain dead by the time I normally post for the day. So, best to get it done now while I still remember my name.

I am adding ONE more design to my line...I know. But it really is necessary to make it truly complete. While for most computers this would be accomplished in a short 30 minute time period, my computer likes to think about things before committing.

It's OK, because I am just grateful I have a computer.

I get to meet Shelley Detton for the first time tomorrow!! She is debuting her first line of Fabric, The Garden Club, at Spring Market. I get to help set up her booth and could not be happier about the whole situation.

We have been emailing for quite a few months now, but have never actually met. I'm sure she is not reading this post as she will most likely be scrambling to get everything ready for tomorrow, but if she is, I just want to re-tell her that I am a pile, dust bunny, kind of person. Someday I will be organized and every surface free of something that needs cleaning, but it's a work in progress. But she will be welcomed and celebrated!

Wish me luck, say a prayer, send good thoughts my way. I will use and need every last one of them.

Almost there

I am SO close to being totally ready for Market.

Just a few more tweaks and then I'm ready to print. Tobi is going to help me put my portfolio together and I am so excited about all the ideas she has. It is going to look amazing and professional. That is her talent and I am happy to be the beneficiary of it's utilization!

I can't believe that Market is a week from today!!!!

I feel like no matter what happens next weekend I will be so much further on this journey than I am right now. I am so grateful that I've been allowed this opportunity and that I've had to work so very hard for it, but that I've also noticed and recognized how much I have been able to see my Heavenly Father's hand in the out come and timing of things. It's been a tender experience for me.

AAAAAAHHHHH!

Just a warning, I may randomly scream for joy during the next week. Don't be alarmed. I'm OK. Just beyond excited.

Who knows, next Friday I could very well have pictures that include me and Amy Butler all in the same frame! Or Anna Maria Horner! Or Sandi Henderson! Or Heather Bailey!

AAAAAAHHHHH!!!!

See. I told you.

Random screams for joy all over the place.