SchoolHouse Presentation Day and Setup.

Today was the day of the SchoolHouse series at Quilt Market.  I had been selected to present a new idea or product available to all the potential new customers attending the show today.  This was a lot of pressure.  It's only a 15 minute presentation.  Five minutes to quick change into the classroom, fifteen minutes to present your program and 5 minutes to quick change out of the classroom.  

I had been sitting in on quite a few presentations throughout the day.  Some were good, some were OK and some were downright struggles.  But one of the things that I was most interested in was the attendance of the classes.  See the trick is getting everyone into your classroom to actually see your presentation.  There is so much competition.  There are about 15-20 presentations all going on at the same time in your time slot...  so the competition is pretty steep.

Most of the classrooms looked a lot like this.  Some had really good turnout but the most I had seen were classrooms about 1/3 full.  In fact, here is a photo of the presentation following mine.  The one before me was a double slot by the Warm Co. (a batting manufacturer).  

 

I was concerned that no one would attend.  I worried for nothing.  I had the highest percentage attendance of anyone at Schoolhouse today (according to Mr. Mitchell of Mitchell Marketing).  Here are a couple of photos of my room during presentation.

If you notice... there are people kneeling in my aisle to see and both doors are open to the classroom.  What you can't see are the 40 people in the hallway straining to see inside.  Sam was in the hall passing out as many catalogs as possible.  The ladies loved it.  They were thrilled to see something new and someone new.  Somehow the word got out that there was something to see in Room 371 F.  The room chair capacity was 87.  It was amazing and I couldn't have asked for a better day.  Some of the ladies suggested taking a photo for my Mom who was unable to make the trip due to knee surgery.  So here is the view from my vantage point.

Once my presentation was over... I was actually able to assemble the booth.  My design theme... a cabin in the woods.  Complete with dining room table, family photo frame (which is actually a wonderful slide presentation of patterns, quilts and photos of workshops) and a working wood stove. Notice all the candles around the room, the quilts on the shelves and some lovely fruit and veg spread on the dining room table.  Coffee table books are out.  Can't wait to hear what everyone thinks of the booth tomorrow. 

 I am overwhelmed with cold symptoms and allergies out here... so no Sample Spree for me.  Many of the vendors headed out to dinner and then up to sales room for Sample Spree tonight and then have to go back to their booths tonight to complete the setup.  Not me.  I am tucked in as snug as a bug in a rug back at the hotel.  See all of you tomorrow.  Something tells me it will be a busy day.  I am on the first aisle of the show and lots of books will need to be signed.

Check In Day at Quilt Market

Today was the official check-in day at Quilt Market.  I was given a rainbow colored "new exhibitor" ribbon from Quilts Inc and a beautiful catalog... which I am in... Yay!  It was a day of walking, moving, lifting and hauling.  I have never seen so many crates and forklifts before.  It was unbelievable.  

I felt like I was behind the scenes at a circus.  The vendors were all very nice... and despite having one REALLY useless moving cart... we were right on track with all the other veteran vendors... which of course made me feel really great.

Here is a picture of the stuff in my booth... although not completely setup because I have a schoolhouse presentation tomorrow and cannot hang anything or organize and decorate until about 2:30pm.  So we are gonna wander around and see what all the other vendors are showing and check for freebies and giveaways.  Anyone have an ideas about what the "theme" is?

I did my very best to get some photos around the convention but... the full lighting is not up yet, the booths are no where near completed and ... most importantly... I didn't want to use flash because it was late and that is really annoying to those trying to build the booths.  Here are a few of the pics I took today.  I will do my best to explain what you are looking at.  

This is a shot from one of the "peep holes" above the show floor.  This is the only view of the show for the shop owners right now.  They are able to look down on the floor and check out how things are coming together.  FYI... I am all the way in the bottom right corner in Aisle #100.  The aisles go up to #2300 so... you get it... the place is huge.

Here are a few of the vendors working on their setup designs.  There is no way to explain or describe how large some of these displays are.  My booth is a 10' x 10' and most of the bigger booths are 40 x 50 or 60.  

 Here is the beginning of Windham Fabrics booth.

 One of the vendors that is pretty well set up and ready for store appointments.

 Pretty little open corner 10 x 10

 This photo is completely blurry but I couldn't resist showing you how outrageous some of the booths are.  This one has an RV in it.  WOW!

Me and My Sister Designs.  Two fabric wrapped mummies.  Too cute.

The other side of the RV booth.  Not quite together yet.  Can't wait to walk around and take pics when they are all done.

Another blurry one... but this one has a full tiki bar.

Another full sales booth setup.

Jan Douglas Design.  Everything is coordinated in her fabric.  Including her supports.

Not quite done yet but some really beautiful and colorful quilts.

These ladies were still working and making progress well into the night.  As you can see all the aisles are still bare floors.  When market opens they will all be covered in red carpets.

This open corner booth has a full bed in it.

The anthology booth looks like a concert setup.  So anxious to see what they put under all these lights.

Riley Blake has lots to look at.

Giant Clover booth.  Nothing to see yet.

How do you make batting look beautiful.  Not sure but they are working hard at it.

Brewer... these guys are my suppliers.  I will stop in here at some point.

Another side of the Riley Blake booth.

An interesting angle to make a double booth.  Looks like a lounge inside.

Tons of patterns to make cute little girl clothes.  But I don't make clothes and don't have any little girls.  Can you imagine having to make all these little things?

Here is the beginning of the Better Homes and Gardens American Patchwork and Quilting booth.

I would so trip over this umbrella about 800 times.

Another colorful pattern designer.

This is the biggest concession stand I have ever seen.  That flag would cover the side of a house.

Aurifil thread booth looks awesome.  I want to swim in this one.

In the Beginning Fabrics is going for the rainbow look.

This one is a really cool design.  Can't wait to see it completed.

Anna Griffin is just a bald space yet.  Really looking forward to see how she incorporates all the new fabrics.

These are the best pics I could get this evening and hopefully I will get some amazing ones tomorrow.  Northcott has Stonehenge in their booth but it hasn't been arranged and completed yet so those pics will have to post tomorrow.  Enjoy!  

The Road to Market

Our first trip to International Quilt Market is quickly approaching.  I have been in business since 2003 and never have I prepared so much for an event as I have for this one.  Not only have I been working non-stop for the last 6 months to refine the CWQ product line but I have been booking hotels, planning presentations, submitting designs, booking events and appointments, managing other shows, purchasing booth equipment and sketching out my best attempt at a booth design.

For those of you who are not familiar with market it is the largest Wholesale Quilt Market in the world.  Each fall the market takes place in Houston, TX at the George R Brown Convention Center.  The Spring Quilt Market is a traveling location but the Fall Market always happens in Houston, which I believe is why it draws such a crowd.  It's much easier to plan each year.

All of the buyers and Quilt shop owners around the world come to the Market to see all the new products, meet all the new companies and purchase goods for their stores.  I will be meeting all of them in a period of 3 days (Oct 27-29)... and celebrating my 40th birthday with them as well since my birthday happens to fall on show opening day.  It's a big commitment of time and money to attend the event.

During the show everyone markets their product the best that they can.  There is also a contest for the exhibitors as well.  There are various awards given to the best booth designs in the following categories:

• Creativity
• Merchandising
• New Exhibitor
• Single Booth (First and Second Place)
• Double Booth (First and Second Place)
• Multiple Booth (First and Second Place)

There is no cash award for this prize.  Just bragging rights.  But they do give you a ribbon and a plaque and there is lots of free advertising for the winners.  To say that the competition is stiff is an understatement.  I have done my absolute best to put together a design that looks nice, is relatively economical, and fits our company without taking away from the merchandising needed to SELL products (which is the real reason for attending).

Here is a little sneak peak of something that I am working on now.  

I would tell you more about what this is... but I can't.  I am keeping it completely under wraps.  

I have also been selected for the Schoolhouse Series.  This is a presentation day provided by the marketing team at Quilts Inc and Mitchell Marketing.  The Schoolhouse is an opportunity for the shop owners to attend mini "marketing" sessions from some of the exhibitors with new and exciting products or new and exciting class/workshop ideas for their shops.  I have an assigned classroom to show as many people as I can why they should by my products and how they will benefit their stores.

Yet again I am up against some really stiff competition.  Some of the major fabric manufacturers and book publishers will be there to show off their new books, patterns and fabrics.  Mitchell Marketing hand selected me to attend this event as well.  Since some of these major companies spend thousands on giveaways to encourage people to attend their events I had to do something to entice people to attend my function.  Of course I can't compete with giveaways for everyone... but I am giving away this Fabulous Basket of "Stuff" to one lucky participator.  In this basket is one copy of every piece of product I produce... as well as a few other goodies to use with it.  Check it out here.

This basket has a RETAIL VALUE of more than $275.

I can't wait to put the booth together and show pictures here on the blog... but the final booth will not be assembled completely until Friday evening.  But check back for more pictures of anything I can think to post that would be of interest.  If you ever wanted to know what goes on behind the scenes... you can find it here.  I can tell you up to this point... it's way more work than it is fun... but I am looking forward to attending and enjoying the show.

Stay tuned for more happenings here at the CABIN!