Sometimes I just luck out

So we’re away camping with the kids and grandkids at Jellystone Park near Java and Dear Hubby and I decide t take a country drive just to get away from the grandkids. As we are driving along I see a large quilt block painted on the side of a building…like those barn blocks that you sometimes see in your travels.  How cool is that.

We drive on and venture to the local TSC and Wal-Mart…your typical country drive. As we are heading back I see this quilt store. STOP!

How did I miss this on the way in? It even had the gigantic quilt block painted on the side of it like a beacon of light at sea in the worst of  storms. The shop was called Creekside Quilts in the small village of Arcade. Dear Hubby did stop and I had a quick gander through…long enough to score some Soft and Stable, which I have been trying to find forever. As well a little yardage of  Knitting Needles and Yarns…perfect to go along with the little bits and pieces of matching fabric I had of the line.

We did enjoy the country drive….

And did enjoy our time with the grandkids…

Before, After and During

It started off civilized…….then went down hill faster than Roger Rabbit, on a banana skin, pushing Baby Herman's pram down the apartment steps in Toontown.  Once a quarter, the staff from Kindred Spirits Quilt Co. get together to plan the 1/4 newsletter.  Around the table are Amy, Jane, Sharon, Gloria, Liz, Sylvia and Michelle.  That’s the first pic…then Sharon disappears, Sylvia and Liz  scramble  for the last glass  of wine, Amy has to prop herself up due to the double martinis Michelle made and Gloria…well the picture is worth a thousand words.

 

Martha Michelle out did herself, making flavoured coffees and hot chocolates decorated with rim trim and gingerbread sprinkles….ahhhhhhhh.

Jane was photo bombing at random, Liz just plain photo-bombed (she hates her pic taken) and Jane gave a nauseating quick demo on the serger while Sylvia and I tried to pass the time doing the wave. Wow that was the best jinx Sylvia.

Gloria made the most amazing apple cheese flan for desert and totally redeemed herself after the broken glass episode mid dinner. 

Overall an awesome LMAO night and we actually did accomplish getting the newsletter in some semblance of order thanks to Amy.

Jenny from the Block

Well not from the block, but on my block!  Jenny Doan that is, from Missouri Star Quilt Co.  She is staying at our hotel in Houston. Let me clarify ladies….I am not a stalker…she pulled up outside as we pulled up outside, and it was Michelle’s idea to swarm approach her.

So to bring you up to date….I’m in Houston for Quilt Market with Michelle, my boss, who owns Kindred Spirits Quilt Co. Yep, I’m the luckiest girl on earth, right about now. Four a.m. came really early this morning as we were up and out the door to catch our flight from Buffalo. Changed planes in Chicago and onto Houston, Texas, that is Ya’ll. You know it’s almost winter when they have to de-ice the planes in October….we are sitting on the tarmac in Chicago and the pilot announces we’ll be taking off soon, they are just de-icing prior to take-off. &))(&*^*^)&)  Did I mention I’m not the best flyer.

Michelle and I got settled at the hotel and headed out for lunch at Guadalajara….Yummy with a capital Y. Michelle had a mojito and I had sangria….plus lunch. I opted for Quesadillas and Michelle had Enchilada  abuelita. I am so excited to be here at Market, what an awesome opportunity. Market is the who’s who of the quilting world where everything, literally everything is launched for the upcoming year. So I’m getting the inside scoop as to what will be featured for 2014. Oh I am so excited, I’m feeling all warm and fuzzy, all over…..wait a minute, maybe that’s the sangria. Honest I only had one.

Later in the day we headed off to George R. Brown Convention Centre, where market is held, to line up for “Sample Spree”. Sample Spree can only be described as…. the night before market feeding frenzy. Hundreds of women line up hours in advance of the 8pm opening to wait for the doors to open to a smorgasbord of fabric and patterns the size of  New Hampshire. When they say “Everything is Bigger in Texas”….they mean it. We arrived at 6, 2 hours before the event started and tons of people were already lined up. And they kept coming and coming and coming. The lines behind us were huge. Look at Michelle, waving, she was so excited to be nine hundredth in line! That pic is when we arrived and no one was behind us…you should have seen the crowds a few hours later.

I met and chatted with Debbie Maddy who designed one of my favourite patterns, Labyrinth, which I have taught several times. I also had the privilege of meeting the famous Eleanor Burns. She’s one of my favourite quilting legends as I love her It’s Elementary                beginner series, Mini Dresden plate, Log cabin in a day and the fun turkey runner plus her Oriental fan pattern.

What a fabulous first day! If that was the first day and market isn’t really even officially open, can you imagine what tomorrow will bring!

Lined up and ready to rumble

Liz and Sylvia look really perky at 7.55 in the morn. We arrived at Checker just before opening day at 8 am. There was a huge line-up, obviously everyone as excited as us to arrive and  get our “quilt” on.

Within the first couple hours I had bought all three of these rulers and the patterns that utilize them. The samples are wonderful and I can’t wait to try “everything”.  I’m such a sap for new tools and gizmos.

The Gallery of Fabric

Dear Hubby and I were on a recent road trip to Pittsburgh and on the way we stopped by Mercer to visit The Gallery of Fabric Quilt Shop. Dear Hubby makes it seem like he was doing me a favour, to go out of his way to visit a quilt shop, but I know that it was great timing for him as it was  nap time and a perfect opportunity for him to catch a few winks. Doesn’t matter how I got there, just that I did.

He found a shade tree and I found a wonderful shop filled with fabulous fabric, patterns and notions. It’s a great shop nestled in a quaint little town which also hosts a couple of nice antique shops.

Now I took my sweet time looking through all the fabric and patterns, plus had a great little chat with Sandy the owner along with her hubby Frank. When  I  sauntered back to the truck, Dear Hubby tells me he needs just a few more  snores minutes. Doesn’t take me any persuading to spend more time shopping so I headed off to the antique shops and had a nice look around there as well.

Shelves and shelves of fabric, over 5000 bolts to be exact.

Patterns a plenty and there is Sandy cutting fabric for me.

Wonderful samples in a wonderful shop on a wonderful afternoon during a wonderful get away road trip.

Reichard’s in St. Jacobs

On our recent trip to St.Jacobs I stalked out  came across a wonderful quilt shop called  Reichard’s.

What a wonderful shop, well stocked, fabulous staff, tons of samples and ideas. I met Deb and Pat, store employees, who were absolutely delightful. We had a great chat about quilting, what hot, what’s not .

While I was visiting the store there was a torrential downpour for about 15 minutes…I lucked out…a quilt store is the best place to be stranded and held hostage in during a thunderstorm.

I’m hoping that Deb and Pat will be at the Checker’s Open House this month so that we can chat more.

Calico Gals

Double whammy for our Syracuse road trip….what are the chances of doing a double header while with Dear Hubby. This shop is absolutely wonderful….beautifully displayed and laid out. The staff were very warm and hospitable….
It has a sort of upper loft where they display their quilt samples…it was like being a kid in a candy store!

I found a wonderful display of cool place mats to make…..these would be a great class to teach at Kindred Spirits.  I bought the pattern and the round batting templates to do samples on.  I also was able to match up fabric for the “Tractor Quilt”…..also picked up a super cute Santa Apron pattern.

Look at Dear Hubby waiting patiently in the truck….what a gem….
…the truck I mean!