So many photos so little time. I really want to give you a good selection of photos so I have been spending time resizing and organizing......this will be the first series......had to get at least a few up for you. Here we go....starting with Friday night. For the shop and Quilter's Affair Friday Night Picnic in the Park is the finale to our week of classes and lectures. This year Freddy Moran and Gwen Marston gave the lecture. We actually have about 800 picnicees (is that even a word) in our Village Green Park and others can come and picnic on their own to see the lecture. The High School Jazz Band plays music, the track team and rally squad serve dinner. We could not do it without the kids and their parents help. It is amazing how the community comes together to create such a great event. For the kids it is a great fundraiser and for us we don't have the stress of making sure everyone gets their food and water and is taken care of. At the picnic we always show our Employee Challenge quilts - this year the challenge was to be inspired by the Gee's Bend Quilters. The Gee's Bend ladies also sung at the picnic....it was wonderful! What a great night! 
The crowd.....after dinner.
Singing.......
Hanging out with the ladies of Gee's Bend......
Miss Vi dancing to the music......
Can't help but put a few photos of my cute girlie's......My friend Laura made these dresses for the girls. So nice!!!
I have to give props to Grandma Jo.....I couldn't do Quilt Show and Quilter's Affair week without her help. She comes and stays at the house and helps with the girls. Next year she might need some help with three of them. We are so blessed to have our family around to be with our children. 
The quilt hangers.....
......the first quilt to be hung......our favorite firemen on the side of the shop!!
They get a lot of help from the ground.......
This is Lawry's Gees's Bend Inspired Quilt - so different for her.
Mom's quilt.....
My quilt......I actually made one! It has been years since I have had the time (or made the time) to make a quilt for the employee challenge. It is hard to fit it in with market and then getting ready for the show but this year I was inspired. I love the quilts from Gee's Bend and I needed to make something for the baby. Not that he needs something but I needed the bonding experience that happens when you make something for someone. Especially that connection that happens when you make something for your baby. When I started we did not know what we were having. I love how it turned out and I am going to base the rest of his room around the colors in the quilt.
As the firemen finished hanging the quilts we were getting a photo of them and the Gee's Bend ladies showed up and wanted to be in the photo. 
Some of the Gee's Bend quilts. 
I don't get photos of mom much.....so I take them when I can.
Gwen and Freddy......they had a special exhibit at the show here are some of their quilts.
This is the last photo for today.....but there will be more tomorrow. Today is Miss Vi's 2nd birthday so we are going to have a little picnic party at the house for her tonight. We don't really do a party for 1 or 2, just us and mom and John. Next year we will do a party for her with her friends. I know I say this every year but wow I can't believe that she is 2, this year went so fast.
I am off to painting my spring collection (2010) I want to get it all done by mid August so that I can have baby thoughts rather than a deadline looming over my head. Then I can start working on next fall....it it fun to think up new ideas. I used to get so scared after I turned in a collection that I wouldn't have any new ideas but now I embrace the challenge. Getting older and wiser - I guess!
Have a great day!!!!
XOXO
Valori