NEW JERSEY HERE I COME!!

ONE WEEK FROM TODAY -- I'll be in New Jersey at the ASG event! Here I am, in my traveling uniform. Let me point out the important bits:



First of all -- my trusty Ecco VELCRO sandals. Because my feet swell on a plane, these are essential. AND, I can walk for 7 miles before my feet start to hurt. They are probably 5 years old -- and if and when they ever wear out, I'll have to have a little burial ceremony...

Second -- a wool blazer AND a black raincoat.

Third -- my trusty rolling carry-on bag. With my laptop, cellphone charger, and a change of clothes.

Fourth -- MY HEY RITA tote. With reading materials, contact information, bottle of water, snacks, etc. She and I have been a LOT OF PLACES since last year's Expo.

(Jan actually tried to make me another totebag -- but I screamed at her, NO, ARE YOU KIDDING?? I LOVE THE HEY RITA TOTE. ONE IS ENOUGH. IT'S LIKE HAVING A CHILD. I DON'T WANT ANOTHER ONE. IT'S TOO MUCH RESPONSIBILITY...)

Anyway -- next Saturday, I'll be doing two presentations at the New Jersey ASG. If you want to come -- contact my friend Rosemary. Her email is: r_fajgier@yahoo.com

Or -- send me an email and I'll be sure to "get you in"...ritafar@aol.com

My event is NEXT Saturday -- November 14th. I'll be doing my show, "Life Is Not A Dress Size"....and also a "Quick Gifts" seminar. ALWAYS one of my favorite topics!

SOOO MUCH FUN. I promise to take lots of pictures so I'll have something fun to blog about!

P.S. -- We're going to see the Rockettes on Friday in New York City!! YES, YES, YES, I LOVE MY LIFE...

Email from Jan

Jan sent this email after I posted pictures of my cousin Linda's recycled jeans tote. I get many emails from readers of the blog, and I answer every single one. In the case of my recycled jeans duo -- (also, the Hey rita totebag birth-mother) Bonne & Jan know by now I often PUBLISH their emails. These two women are the best friends any blog ever had.

Dear Rita,
See how many people you inspired to do the recycled jeans challenge?!! Her tote is fabulous and USEFUL!! You really come from a talented family! Loved the fleece quilts and all the baby stuff - loved the cute embroidery. We should throw your sister and Bonne in a room together with embroidery machines and fleece, and they could really have at it!! they probably wouldn't come up for air for a week!! I'm really GOOD at embroidering my labels - of course, bonne had to set it all up for me and put it on a disc!!! My big decision is what color threads!!! But I do spin yarn - bonne doesn't - that makes us equal, right??!!! ha ha ha!!!

Still loving your blog, jan

Thanks for the email, Jan! Here I am, wearing my jeans project in Houston. Luveta was VERY impressed!

Treasures I did NOT buy

Right in front of my friend Bert is a Cuisinart food processor that I did NOT buy at Saturday's auction. Because it only went for $2.50, I am feeling a little remorse...but since I already have three of them in my basement...I made the right choice...


You NEVER know what you're going to see at an auction -- like the next picture. You wouldn't expect to see a beautifully restored Model A Ford worth thousands of dollars in DeWitt, Iowa -- much less TWO OF THEM...aren't they beautiful? But, they went for $8000 and $8500 each, so it was an easy pass for me...

So, okay, not buying the antique cars was easy. But NOT buying this chicken lamp was harder than you might think....cuz it is a well known fact that I have a weakness for ugly lamps. It's actually kind of my "signature move" when it comes to home dec. I've owned extraordinary pink flamingo lamps, lamps that look like trees, 50's pole lamps, I once painted a whole room to match an orange globe lamp. If it makes me smile -- I generally take it home....and you've gotta admit -- this one is a real hoot...(and, yes, I have seen BIG OWL lamps as well...)

Nancy Zieman QM Video Interview

Nancy Zieman was in Houston at the International Quilt Market -- and it was a delight for me to "interview" her. Gee -- this is so much fun -- I feel like Katie Couric.

Remember -- this was one of my first "video interviews" -- so please be patient with my amateur camera skills. The important thing is -- you get a sneak peak at her beautiful new line of fabric:

Another Zebra Striped Baby Blanket

Nancy Zieman is exactly who you think she is. She is the same person on television that she is in person. Thoughtful, gracious and always a class act. In September, Mary Mulari and I were at the Quilting Around Chautauqua event with Nancy. (picture below)...

We ALL LOVED Chautauqua!

Since her first grandchild had just been born -- I stuck a little zebra-striped receiving blanket in Nancy's suitcase.(here's a picture of my granddaughter, Lillian, on the first ZEBRA blanket I ever made...they are fast becoming my signature baby gift!)



The thing is, my suitcases usually STAY IN MY CAR between trips. It can be weeks or even MONTHS before I unpack them...But I should have known that Nancy would be way more organized. She found the baby gift before I even got home from that trip! Then, of course I received not one but TWO hand-written thank you notes. (one from Nancy and one from her daughter-in-law). So apparently, the whole family is a classy hard-act-to-follow...

Tune in tomorrow for a video interview I did with Nancy in Houston...you'll get a sneak peak at her new fabric line.

My Auction Addiction

Whenever we can, Bert & I spend our Saturdays hanging out at an auction. Our favorite auctioneers are the GMB boys, and they often hold their sales at the fairgrounds in Dewitt, Iowa.

If you're ever in the neighborhood -- GMB has a website where they list their upcoming auctions. Here's a link: GMB Auctioneers

For the record, its a LOT OF WORK to put on a good auction. First, they must pack up all the stuff and haul it to the fairgrounds. Then they have to UNpack all the stuff and get it displayed. They rent a venue, advertise the auction, organize it on tables or in rows so you can see the merchandise. IT TAKES A LOT OF MAN/WOMAN hours.

When I'm in town, if there's a GMB auction up in DeWitt, I can assure you that Bert and I are gonna have a PERFECT DAY.

At a recent auction, I hit the jackpot. Here's a picture of the LINEN WALL. There was sooo much stuff -- tablecloths, pillowcases, rugs, curtains. To me -- it's like digging for buried treasure. Keep scrolling to see a picture of MY BEST TREASURE OF THE DAY...


The back seat of my car is FULL AGAIN. With what? Well, let me think...there was:

A full length mirror ($1.00).
Black Cat Clock ($12) (the eyes move sideways, and the tail moves.)
Jack & Jill antique clock ($5) (WITH the original box!)
Redwork bed linens ($2.50) (soon to be my new kitchen curtains..)
Big box of brand new aluminum foil ($5)
Black computer wheeled suitcase (Free) (I paid $2.50 for a big pile-o-stuff because I wanted the suitcase -- and a guy came over and offered me $2.50 for a blue tarp that was in the pile.)

So -- okay -- here's my best treasure of the day.

Many times, somebody will say to me, "hey -- if you ever see a ___________..." Last year, my friend Anne told me to be on the lookout for an "Iowa tablecloth". She remembered growing up, knowing the Iowa State Bird, and various other useful state trivia -- and she said she'd like to have one for her kids. (Anne was sewing Halloween costumes for her twins - remember?)

Well, this is the first she's hearing about it -- BUT I FOUND THE TABLECLOTH, ANNE!! And it is in pristine condition. The little paper sticker is still on the edge that says, "hemmed by the blind women of Iowa.". No kidding...it really says that.... here's my mediocre cellphone pic....

Does it look familiar? How about lunch next week? I'll bring you YOUR NEW TABLECLOTH...

Linda's Jeans Purse

During the official "Blog Jeans Challenge"-- my cousin Linda ended up going Goodwill shopping with me. (I probably bought 12 pair of jeans before it was done..).

Anyway -- one day Linda and her Mom ran across some 88 cent blue jeans and they were both inspired to make their own recycled jeans projects --

This is Linda with her snazzy new jeans tote...


Sorry -- the pictures are from my cellphone. Turns out, it's a pretty poor camera...but, in all fairness -- it's pictures are better than my camera's phone calls...well, you get what I mean....
The next time I'm in town, I'm gonna take a picture of her bag with my REAL camera. And I'll make Aunt Adda model her project, too. She looks pretty smokin'...