I raided some stock from my Etsy store because I am going on a trip…and I love to pack.  I’m slightly sorry to say I am not traveling to a foreign country, an adventure of which I am greatly in need,  as I haven’t left the country in 18 months.  That’s unacceptable for me really, but I digress.  I am, nonetheless, looking forward to this year’s MQX NE next week.  And I am packing light once again.  You see I will be taking the bus to Manchester…this makes me laugh, but it also makes it more of an adventure for some reason.  I’m not sure if the bus will be full of quilters or travelers from Logan or…who takes the bus to Manchester in the morning?  When I get off the bus I head right to classes, so the smaller the bag the better.  Then I need to pack a bag to carry the items I purchase home.  I’m fairly good at sticking to my prepared list: thread, pantograph, marker, and a Longarm ruler marked with measurements, but there’s always a first time to deviate, if a deal is irresistible.  I don’t actually think I will have much time to shop while there as I am booked heavy with classes.  I also look forward to being in a hotel filled with quilters.

Here’s what I took from TheQuiltifyShop:

a pouch for my pocket camera and a sun glass case.   Travel/packing is the reason I starting making these products.  Again, going to Manchester, NH…can I call that traveling?  Yes, anytime I get to pack is an adventure!

As I might actually get around to passing out a business card or two, I made this today.

I usually put the tag on the inside, because, really, who wants labels on the outside?  However, because this was for me, I figured it didn’t matter.

I am hoping that if I have a container for the cards, I won’t have to hunt for the cards in my purse.  However, I still need to push myself to hand them out.  I was recently standing with an acquaintance who asked if I longarm quilted for others.  I’m not aggressive and I won’t be, but I just hesitantly said ‘yes’ and changed the subject.  My purse then spilled open and out fell two business cards.  This was a sign from the universe telling me to give her a card, but I didn’t.  I just picked them up and put them back into my purse.  This whole scene makes me chuckle.

Do you have difficulty marketing yourself or your products?  Does it really matter?  In my past business life, if I needed a client, I’d lie down on the couch and meditate.  Pretty soon the phone would ring with a new project.  I’m not sure that would work for LAQ.

Do you think word of mouth by customers works the best?  Are you going to MQX NE?

On the agenda for this week is finishing the binding on my autumn jellyroll quilt and to begin cutting pieces for a customer’s memory quilt.  Let’s see how well I do sticking to this plan…   Happy quilting.