Monday, May 7, 2012

Tulip Time Aftermath

This year's Tulip Time was an exhausting one.  Because of the early spring there was not very many tulips in bloom.  The peak was a little after Easter.  I did manage to get one picture of the tulips.
 It was difficult because of the number of tourists in the area.  This year the kids were not as involved with the parades.  Zadok was only in two.  He walked with his class in the Wednesday and Saturday afternoon parades.  Iris was in the Friday night parade walking with the Girl Scouts, even though she has not been one for a while.  All her friends were walking and I think they wanted more people to pick up trash later.  She seemed to have a good time.  It is nice that she is old enough that she does not have to be supervised the entire time.  I gave her money and she hung out with her friends.  Easy.

Zadok had to have a dutch costume for marching in the parade.  I went to the costume exchange a little late this year and all they had left was a very used costume for $65.  I did not buy it.  I went the true Dutch route and went to the thrift store and bought items and modified them.  I got a larger striped button down shirt and some baggy black pants.  Here is what the shirt looked like before...
I cut the cuffs off and straightened the bottom.  I also turned the collar in.  With the hat and the kerchief, it looked "dutchy" enough.
With hundreds of kids marching no one will notice that it is not a true dutch costume.
This gives an idea of the chaos before the parade.  I title this picture "Boys in Black Hats"
The reason that this year's Tulip Time was so busy was not because of the kids, but because I was chair of the Quilt Show Committee for our local guild.  Every year during Tulip Time the Pella Area Quilter's Guild puts on a quilt show in the Opera House.  We had over 110 entries and I was in charge of making sure that everything got done.  It basically consumed my entire April.  We had to set up frames, figure out where all the quilts would hang, hang all the quilts, keep track of all the bookwork, etc.  Whew.  I have to have a few years to forget all the work before I volunteer for that again.
I had several quilts in the show and even though I have shown most on the blog before, it is nice to have pictures of them all when they are hung nice.
This one is my favorite of the year.  Every seam is matched perfectly, the quilting is beautiful, and I love the colors.  It placed 5th in the viewer's choice for large quilts.  I called it "Cabins by the Seaside"
This one is called "Floral Chains".  It was technically hung upside down.  whoops.
"70's Film Star"
"Pixilated Blossoms"  This one was 6th in viewer's choice for large quilts
"A Quilt for Iris"
"Lilacs for Mom"
"Oriental Mystery"
"The Pond Quilt"
"Tropical Fruit Salad"  This one tied for 3rd in viewer's choice for small quilts
A new feature this year for the quilt show was a window display.  I was able to put my Grandma Top's sewing machine in the window.
Now everything is dismantled and I have a pile of quilts to figure out what to do with them all.  I cleaned off the board where I put all my cards with finished projects.  I do not think that I will get this many done for next year. 
On the family front, Nathan is in Germany this week working with Vermeer.  This is his first time over seas and I am happy for him.  I got a call this morning saying he arrived okay.  When we were packing I insisted that he take basic toiletries with him like shampoo and soap.  He insisted that the hotel would have them, but packed them anyway.  When I talked to him this morning, he said that he was glad that he packed them because the hotel he is staying in is a dead ringer for the happiness hotel from the muppets.  I hope he has a great time!