Congratulations to Joan of Wasaga Beach, Ontario!  She won this year’s $10,000 prize at the CreativFestival Fall 2016!

I had the pleasure of calling Joan to tell her she had won.  Unfortunately she wasn’t home but at a quilt retreat.  I told her husband I would call her in the evening, from my home, so to make sure she picked up when she saw the call display.

When I told her she had won, she thought she had won a small prize and didn’t quite believe me.  As I reassured her, she was quite emotional and still asking if I was joking!

I arranged for her to come to our office the following week.  But the very next morning she called at 8:35am to ask if she could come now.  She hadn’t slept as she was too excited and had spent the night researching the machines she had won! She was also afraid we might change our minds!

Joan was already a lover of Janome machines, using the 4120QDC to take to quilt retreats.  I suggested she keep it to still carry around in her new luggage, as the MC9400QCP is a little big to be schlepping, but not impossible, if she really did want to take it.

While she was picking up her prize, she shared a little story with me.  On the Monday following Creativ, she met up with a friend, who said she seemed a little sad.  Joan explained she had had a strong feeling she had won the prize and was disappointed she didn’t get a call telling her she had won.  Her friend chuckled, saying the chances of her winning were very slim and to let it go. But Joan had such a good feeling when she put her ticket into the ballot drum and really felt she was going to win!  The power of positive thinking?

Congratulations again, Joan. Hope you’ve got your prize settled into your sewing room!

Happy Sewing! Linda P.