A couple of couples from Houston

Maggie Winfield and plain ole' me

 What a whirlwind going to the Houston quilt show is y'all. I set up several meetings before I left and the above picture is with Maggie Winfield at lunch. She loves making clothing and accessories and really inspired me to be myself. She gave me a button that says, Never apologize for your artwork. We shared a few laughs and deep thoughts, interrupted by people stopping by to tell her how cute she is! And she is.
I had lunch with another person I've been chatting with online for years, Diane Ferguson, who quilts and weaves, and makes me feel like I've got a friend in Texas.
On other days I plopped myself down at a table for 12 and got to know the stories of women from around the globe. What fun, and guess what, we all like fabric.

Hangin' with Ricky Tims and Alex Anderson

A fun part of the show is seeing people you often see on TV, right there in front of you, just like REAL people. When I sidled up to Ricky Tims, and Justin took my camera I asked him to take me thinner and younger. The best he could do was take me blurry, but bless his heart, he tried. Alex looks younger every day.
I got to chat with Mary Lou Weiderman, and Cheryl Phillips, Jane Sassaman, and Cynthia England, and lots of other Quiltville stars too. 
I asked them what I ask most artists, not just quilters, what condition is your studio in, and what roadblocks if any do you have to creativity.

 Ahh, some people are just so wonderful, they are like magnets.
Gail Thomas is one of these people. Although I am just a person who chats with her at this show, I did live in Canada for several years, and she is Canadian. I do love my pets and so does she.
We both respond to people heart to heart, so I feel like I've known her for years every time I see her. As in other years, I caught up with her standing with her winning quilt to answer questions. Love her.

Lest you think I just went from one orbit to another, please allow me to share some of the totally wonderful experiences I had with other quilters just like me, looking at the quilts.
To start with, we all chatted easily as if we were old friends. We'd begin by commenting on the particular quilt, then quickly move on to sharing some of our lives. One sister duo and I talked for at least 20 min. about where they live and what it's like there. I wanted to just become an honorary sister. Another person and I talked about her volunteer work with kids for at least 15 min, and I wanted to move to her state and hang out with her all the time! There was the group of women from CA who told me all about their mini group that's been together for 20 plus years, and yep, I wanted to join that one too. So many personal, real moments shared with genuinely nice people who wanted to connect with me, even for a second.

One evening at dinner I sat next to two fabulous quilters from the Netherlands, and we laughed, and showed pics of our dogs, looked at quilts, and again if felt like we had known each other for years. For a person like me, who revels in the "connection" this was almost magical. I did miss my sister, who was unable to attend this year, but who tasked me with buying fabric for her. I ran into Linda Roy, another big winner and a friend of my sister's in TN who was also wondering which fabric to bring back to her. This is a gathering place.

View of the shopping floor from above

Speaking of gathering, this is a tiny view of a massive shopping area. I would cover a few rows til I was run over too often by motorized vehicles, bashed by overfull shopping bags, and had my heels skint by strollers. I did manage to find fabric for my sister, and ahem, a few pieces for my own overfull stash.
I met other wonderful people, many quilt artists and many traditional quilters, and we all love fabric. We all love sewing and making beautiful objects with our own two hands. 
LeeAnna