MODKID needs your help

I'm not the type of person to ask for help. I never have been, which is why this is probably the hardest post I've ever had to write. You may be familiar with Mission: Small Business, but if you're not, it is a program sponsored by Chase and LivingSocial, that will award up to 12 small businesses, like MODKID, with $250k to help propel them to the next level. Now, I've known about this for quite some time and pledged to support so many of my friends' businesses, but never really considered entering because, well, truthfully... I never win anything. I am serious about this. I never do. I've always had to work my butt off for everything I have. So it just felt like a waste of time... an unattainable dream.  However, recent nudges from certain family members (you know who you are) have caused me to reconsider my choice and I have decided to apply for this said grant. Because... wouldn't it be AWESOME if this was the one time I won something?!?

Now, here's the catch: because I dragged my butt for so long, I only have 3 days to earn the 250 votes to be considered for this grant. To be clear: I am not getting the grant if I get 250 votes, I will just be put into the running, along with probably millions of other businesses like mine, to be entered to win. So... chances are super slim, but, you can't win if you don't try, right?

This is where you guys come in. I really, really, really need your help (boy, that hurts to say). I need your votes! Last time I checked I only had 37 votes, so I need like hmmm, 213 more votes! OUCH! (and yes, I had to pull out my calculator for that one... it's been a looooong day!)

This morning I had to fill out a long form telling these folks at Chase and Living Social what my business was all about and how $250k could help us. I wrote honestly and truthfully and then I proofread it about 27 times before hitting that SUBMIT button. Then I realized you guys don't even get to see all that stuff I wrote! I was a bit disappointed at first, but then I thought, if this actually happens, you guys are going to be floored...it's gonna be so awesome! So I'll just keep it a surprise for now. :)

OK, so... if you've missed all my links above, here's one more: go to Mission: Small Business, log in, then type MODKID in the search box near the bottom of the following screen. You will see us there and you can pledge your vote. Now remember, the voting period ends on June 30th, so that's just 3 days from now! Crossing my fingers we get those 250 votes! Please share with all your friends if you can.

Thank you in advance from the bottom of my heart.
Missouri via Instagram

This year, due to busy schedules and whatnot, we decided to take our Summer vacation at our neighboring state of Missouri. At first, it felt like we might be cheating ourselves (and the kids) out of a wonderful experience, but soon enough we discovered two things: 1. there is LOADS to see and do in Missouri, and 2. the kids really don't require much to have the time of their life. It helped that my sister and her family were also there for a conference, so we got to spend a lot of QT with their kids.

I did bring my big camera, but duh, I forgot the charger back at the office, so I relied on my trusty old iPhone and my new favorite app, Instagram, to document our travels.

The bulk of our vacation was spent like this...

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...which was fine by me because my biggest wish was to have a stress-free trip. Mission accomplished! I caught up on all the family gossip while working on my tan and watching the kids splash around in the water.

But, like I said, Missouri has LOTS of to offer. In between walking trips to Cheesecake Factory (yes, we had one that close to us!) and occasional drives to Starbucks, we did manage to catch a few local attractions and do a little sightseeing.

We were lucky enough to be able to catch the Lantern Festival at the Missouri Botanical Gardens. Now, if you have been a long time reader of my blog, then you already know how much of a fan I am of MoBo... so much so that I based a whole fabric collection on it! But the Chinese Lantern Festival takes the gardens to a whole other level of awesomeness!

We got there at 7 p.m. (an hour before they light up the lanterns) and were greeted by this:

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Inside the park, we new it was gonna be awesome when we saw this:

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And this...

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And then it got dark and they lit up the lanterns and ohhhhh myyyyy!

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I did bring my big camera into the park and got a few dozen shots before the battery died, so if I get a chance I might do a whole post just on this show later on, but if you are in the St. Louis area this Summer, do check it out! It was AMAZING!!!

The following day, we headed about 60 miles south to the Meramec Caverns... another must see in my book!

Yes, this photo was taken with my phone, believe it or not! Looks like a postcard, no?

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It is that beautiful in there. I have tons more, but after a while they start looking quite repetitive, so I decided to keep it short & simple. ;)

We took a boat tour along the Meramec River and that was so much fun too.

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Sydney was representing that day. (yes, I did take a picture of my 7 year old's butt with Instagram!) haha

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The breeze was cool on the boat, even though the temps that day were in the high 90s!

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The following day, we visited a local indie fabric shop, Fabric Nosherie (a.k.a. "The Nosh") and chatted it up with owner, Shannon. (below photo courtesy of Shannon)

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This shop was seriously one of the coolest places I have stepped foot in. Just take a peek...

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I found out while I was there that Laura Gunn was also in town and was scheduled to visit The Nosh that day. We seriously missed each other by about 2 hours... waaaaah! We are definitely planning a little something something for later on this year, though. Stay tuned!

And, of course, we couldn't leave St. Louis without spending a long and crazy afternoon at the City Museum. I've also blogged about this place before (oh my, the kids were so tiny the first time we went!)... total visual overload here!!!

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After a long awaited trip to Ted Drewes, we headed back home ... full bellies, happy hearts and head full of great memories. This was one of our best vacations yet!

Where are you spending your Summer vaca??



MODKID Virtual Sample Sale!

Ever since we announced our First Fridays Sample Sale a few weeks back, we've received tons of requests to have these items available for online shopping, for those who don't live nearby. Well, ask and you shall receive!! Emalee and Jessica have spent the past few days cataloging each and every piece in our sample sale stash... dozens upon dozens of girls' clothing, women's clothing and home accessories!

These pieces are available at our Etsy store and all are one-of-a-kind and will not be duplicated, so once they're gone... THEY'RE GONE! We are not currenty accepting custom orders, so everything is sold "as is".

Our Etsy store is divided into 3 categories: Girls' Clothing, Women's Clothing and Home Accessories, for easier shopping. Just click on the category you are interested in and it will filter those items for you.

BONUS: Spend $100 or more in our Etsy store and you will receive 1 free sewing pattern from our 2012 Summer release. No coupon code necessary. This offer expires one week from today (6/26/12).



Happy shopping!
Spring 2012 Quilt Market Recap

Yes, I know it's been almost a full month since we went down to Quilt Market in Kansas City but I've been a bit preoccupied with too many things to count. This was my 9th Quilt Market attending (my 8th exhibiting) and I've finally learned the secret to it all: Get Help and Have Fun! I can't lie and tell you that doing these type of shows is not a hair-splitting, brain-aching, back-breaking experience, but this time I was determined to change that. And yes, I still stressed over all my public appearances, because after all these years, I still haven't gotten over my stage fright.  So, between schoolhouse and 3 book-signings I got so many butterflies in my tummy I could've just floated away... but I survived, I had fun, and I'm here to tell all about it.

Our booth this Spring was all about Heaven & Helsinki and Sewing MODKID Style. We started building this booth literally months ago at our studio. Our walls went up before Spring Break. We chose this purple hue called Robes For the Queen (from the Disney by Behr collection at Home Depot, which they just discontinued, sadly) because it was the perfect match to the darkest purple in Heaven & Helsinki. Soon enough, we were filling our booth up with fabric-covered goodness.

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There were a dozen kites, some suspended above us, others perched on the outer wall. We had a wonderful quilt, made again by members of the Central Illinois Modern Quilt Guild, then finished, quilted and bound by the über-talented Betty Woodruff, who also concepted the original design based on my Fair Isle print.

We had these larger than life banners facing the main aisle that showcased photos from our MODKID Fashion Show video, which we also played on a flat screen TV in the booth...

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We had plenty of sewn samples, some on dress forms and some on hangers, along with pillows and fabric-covered chairs...

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A wall of framed fabric swatches formed a nice colorful border around Lars, who was the main attraction apparently...

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We brought some help along with us this time, so here are Emalee (left) and Jessica (right) on the last day of the show, right before tear down. We seriously couldn't have done all of this without their help and positive dispositions.

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And since my mission was to have fun, I couldn't leave the show without capturing this silly shot of Team MODKID!

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Now, I mustache you... what do you think of our booth?

To everyone who hiked all the way to the far end of the convention center to see us, I want to say THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart! It's always so nice to see familiar faces and meet new friends. xoxo

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