She Walked a Crooked Mile (at Quilt Market...)

Just back from International Quilt Market in Houston, Texas and feeling super inspired! I had the pleasure of traveling for Generation Q Magazine. I joined as their advertising manager: or as I like to say, Product Curator for their non-editorial pages, back in May. Our days ran from about 6 am to midnight and while it was exhausting, it helped work-off those free cookies I absconded in the media room.

Hanging out with the Gen Q Team. We got to hand the issue to some of the folks who graced the pages and see their reactions! Left to right: Me in the booth, Ebony Love and Karen of Sizzix, Pat Bravo and Tracy, Melissa and Jake at the Bad Ass Quilter's Society Sugarland event, and Melissa and Tracy looking over Jake's shoulder as she tries out a little FMQ on her 'dream machine.'

This was my second quilt market with Gen Q and I loved getting to see so many familiar faces. I had a ton of appointments on my schedule, but the one thing I wanted to do the most was visit the Soak booth. I had been following Lizzy House's posts about her 'Pearl Bracelets' nail polish colors and I completely geeked out about it when I got there ( I'm from the Valley, so I speak that way...) I even made it on the Soak IG feed alongside of some very familiar faces!

Pretty nails were first priority in Houston!

As much as my feet were killing me, I must have said 'I love my job' a bazillion times over the four days that I was there. I ran into so many folks I knew, including Michelle and Lupine from Modern Domestic (my other awesome day job!) Amber, the editor of Stitch magazine who had just emailed me last week to tell me that a project of mine had been accepted, and a whole bunch of friends from PMQG (and beyond) - Christina, Teresa, Jessica, the MQG gals Heather and Alissa and two of my quilting gurus Jacquie and Victoria.

Running into friends and colleagues is one of the best parts of Market!
Left to right: Amber , Jessica, Teresa, Tracy, Victoria, and Christina

It was fun to event hop all weekend too. I got to go to multiple media events and meet-ups around town. It started with Fabric 2.0, then off to a Bernina event where I consumed more marshmallows than I care to admit (and another Bernina breakfast the next morning) There were more school houses than I could get to (but I did my best!) a Cotton & Steel Party that I had an invite to but I missed (sad face...) and a MQG meet up. I loved the photo booth shenanigans (and table runners Teresa!) at the Robert Kaufman party and the super 70s vibe of the room at the Aurifil 30th anniversary party (this is where I should mention getting scolded for jumping the buffet line with Tracy, Vicky and Victoria, but I think I'll leave it at that...) The highlight for me was the salon-style speaker event that Maddie from BadAss Quilters Society hosted in a super cool art space in Sugarland, Texas.

Inspiration and talent around every corner! Denyse Schmidt, Valori Wells, Anna Maria Horner and her daughter, Brandon Mably, Amy and David Butler, and Caroline Friedlander.

I always think I am taking a ton of pictures but they don't really capture the vast aisles full of beautiful and inspiring booths and hugs and smiles that are the penultimate market experience.  Thank you Vicky for loaning me a second suitcase to bring all the goodies I collected back home (yes Tracy, you were right!) I miss everyone already. See you in Pittsburgh!