Soggy Sod

I think I am ready to share some of Market with you.  I always wish I had taken some set-up-in-progress pictures, but honestly, this time it was too hard and too hot.  I don't know why they don't turn on the air for set-up, but they don't, and we nearly died.  Hauling in all this stuff and trying to hurry and find all our supplies, it was crazy.

We began by putting down a plastic tarp.  Then we laid the sod.  That can be a dirty job.  We brought the sod into the convention hall two strips at a time in our suitcases.  There was just no way we could haul it all by hand (and rolling suitcases are a good sub for a dolly.)  The only sod we could find was not that good looking, but it did stay nice throughout the whole show, thanks to our watering program.  We started off by spraying the grass with a spray bottle, but we quickly decided that it took too long, and just used the watering can!  (Beautiful and functional)

 We watered every day at the close of the show, then by morning, the grass was nice and dry, but not thirsty.  In the morning we tucked the plastic liner back under the carpet and are ready to open the gate.

Stepping stones lead through the gate into our booth.  Actually, "beyond the gate" would be the proper way to say it--since that is why we even have a gate in our booth--and that is the name of my new fabric collection. 

There's that gate.  (It's a shame that I couldn't put it on the plane to come home.  It will soon be adorning a quilt shop somewhere in Kansas.)  The Beyond the Gate color card is on the bench.  (The bench and table and chairs made it home to Utah, and I think I will use them on my new porch--maybe I will paint them red!)

Beyond the Gate flowers are all over our booth.  From the watering can to the flower boxes and pots to the tree.

This tree is even home to a little fabric covered bird house!

Our booth even smelled fresh-- like being outside.  Some people said, "Wow, it even smells like real grass...oh it IS real grass!"  We even placed a picnic on the grass under the tree.

That's a good looking picnic, isn't it?
Well, that's all for now, I will show you more from Market in a few days.