Hello Everyone!! I just wanted to say a few words about International Quilt Festival and add my accolades to everyone else. I had a wonderful time!! And the best part of all was meeting so many TQS'ers. I came early to the Festival to take several classes. Bright & early Monday morning, Dana Lynch phoned me from the airport to make sure that I wasn't too intimidated to go to my first class!! She read my mind and helped give me courage!! In the first class I met Sandra who was from Brazil. She was as lost as I was, but together we managed to find our way to our first class. I also ended up (by chance? Providence?) having an empty chair next to me which was soon filled by a Facebook friend, Elvira, that I knew slightly from a quilt store in my old home state. Certainly, the world is smaller place these days! During lunch, I met another TQS'er, Wilma Moss, who is from Texas. She & I shared several classes together and I had seat partner. :-) In another class, I ran into Dana and got to know her better. She is one of the sweetest people I have ever had the opportunity to meet!! At her recommendation, I attended the Winner's Circle. What an experience!! It was so wonderful to see & hear all the categories and first place winners announced and view the winning quilts hanging. When Festival opened, one of the first things I did, was to see FriendLily Blossoming. It is such a stunning quilt!! The pictures do not do it justice. Another one of my highlights was the TQS dinner. It was wonderful to meet so many of you! Doesn't Ritzy have the best smile ever?? I loved seeing the quilts and quilts in progress ~ Especially Margarita's Dear Jane. What an accomplishment! I also managed to have six members of The Amazing Eight's autograph my magazine that evening and the other two members signed their article for me on Saturday at the Meet & Greet. The Meet & Greets were wonderful ~ Even more TQS'ers!! Truly ~ TQS is one of the best things in my life!! Thank you everyone!! IQF was certainly an experience I will never forget ... And one that I hope to experience again!!

(PS ~ I have tried to post this w/a Smile Box ~ Hope it works!!)