Road to California 2020… I was there!

This time last week I was in sunny southern California. I had left the snow behind.and travelled to where the sun shines nearly every day 🙂

A very different looking sunrise?

Richard and Global Artisans got a last minute invitation to vend at this year’s Road to California Show and we were determined not to miss our chance. I flew out to Ontario on Wednesday morning to help set up. We were just about ready when the doors opened on Thursday morning. You would have thought I would have taken some pictures of the booth and us hard at work? A good thought, but I didn’t take any. We were BUSY!!

I did get to the convention center early on Saturday so I could look at the quilts before the show started. The quilts were all in the ball room with mood music and uplighting for a lovely serene art gallery feeling. I’m sure lots of people have posted great pictures so I’ll just share this one of Steph Skardal’s Fish Scale, Chain Mail quilt, inspired by chain mail. The individual pieces were quilted and then attached by hand stitching them together.The major prize winning quilts were still in pride of place in the main room.

This is Marilyn Badger’s Christmas in St. Andrews that won best of show.

Also in the main room were the Tent Makers of Cairo, stitching on their beautiful pieces, which they were offering for sale. I love their exotic bird designs. I should have bought one before their prices went up… They are still fairly priced, just beyond my budget.

A close-up…

The show closed at 3.30 on Sunday afternoon and I stayed to help tear down… not without its moments of drama… but we did it, and by just after 7.00 I was calling for the hotel shuttle. It took a while to arrive and I had missed happy hour but Cedric was able to give me a coupon for a free glass of wine…

Good times, meeting old friends, making new ones, a couple of dinners out, and sunshine!

I flew home on Monday via Dallas. I had my favorite seat on the plane both legs of the journey. I would be able to help in the event of an emergency evacuation?

The sun set as we left Dallas.

I’ve unpacked my bags, been shopping a couple of times, enjoyed breakfast with friends, caught up on some of my recorded programs and now I’m packing my bags again.

I prepared and printed lots of handouts yesterday. There is a lot of travel in my future. I currently have eleven round trip flights booked. That just takes me through June.

On Tuesday I am headed to the Charlotte Quilters Guild in North Carolina for three nights. I’ll be home a week and then I’m headed south to Sarasota to visit the Friendship Knot Quilters for a lecture and three workshops. I fly home from them on a Tuesday and out again the next day to STITCHES West! in Santa Clara. There are still a few spots in some of my classes if you are in the Bay area…

I have a lot of lists made. I have also been stitching some fun little samples I will share another time.

Meanwhile, yes, I am looking out on cold white landscape again…