Packing my bags for my
next teaching trip, this time in Syracuse, New York with AQS, July 27-30.
I have a little ritual I do before each and every trip which is to start panicking at least 2 days before I leave when I realize I’m not as ready as I thought. It’s always a time crunch to get your patterns and kits to the venue and to do it without breaking the bank is a challenge, too. There was also the fact that I was in Texas teaching last week at IQF Summer Quilt Camp which was a blast but now my reasonable shipping dates are gone.
Shipping costs for 6 boxes for a fashion show
and 4 classes with hand-dyed fabric kits and patterns was just a shade under $600. That is not including
the Summer Rose kits that will be in a suitcase. Then there are 3 suitcases which, on America Airlines, will cost me another $400 round-trip. So you want to
be a famous quilt teacher? These are the
costs of doing business today. I did schedule plenty of time on my calendar between
trips to have the extra days so the shipping price would be a little less, by around $200, but I can’t control the weather in Texas which changed the original May dates to July.
I find that when doing business
from California to the east coast there are two ways of shipping, 7 days or 2 days - there is nothing in-between. And don't even talk to me about the USPS or my head will explode!
But it is worth it in the
end. That is why you marry a math guy. Mine taught me how to do an expense report
before each and every trip. Remember, he said when I first started teaching, This
is a job, not a hobby! and he has taught me well.
La Grange, Texas is known for the Texas Quilt Museum but it also is next door to a town called Round Top or Round Head or Round Bottom. I can’t remember, but it is a fun place that is known for great antique stores. All of this out in the middle of the beautiful country.
My hostess, Ann, took me on the tour of the Quilt Museum and they were showing some Redwork quilts. Just beautiful, and next door is an awesome quilt/knit shop you don’t want to miss.
We drove around looking at the shops and old houses and had fun taking pictures of flowers. In fact, we were jumping out of the car with our iPhones ready and running up to this very unusual flower when two guys in a truck yelled out, Are you searching for Pokemon? No, I said, we are just 2 old ladies looking at flowers. How sad is that?
So now I leave for Syracuse, New York. Stay tuned for more fun. Does anyone know the name of the flower above? I am calling it my Pokemon flower.
