Happy St. Valentine’s Day!

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!  Such a fun day every year.  Our excuse to eat chocolate freely, and take a minute to smell the roses (literally)!   Since my day off was yesterday, I cooked my hubby a great dinner because I won’t have as much time tonight.  The menu was  Chicken parm with polenta and red sauce with sides of a cauliflower and leek au gratin and a citrus fennel salad.  Yummo!  I wish I had an excuse to cook like this all the time, but alas, even if I did, I wouldn’t have the time!!   But yesterday, the eating was good.  And we have leftovers!!  

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, we have a spectacular new quilt in the shop.  The new Robyn Pandolf line, St. Remy de Provence, is absolutely stunning and Marilyn made a quilt from the line using “The Big EZ” pattern.  We kitted it and have only 2 kits left.  The fabric is entirely gone in just 2 weeks!  I have NEVER seen something fly out that door so quickly!  When you see the pics, you’ll know why!!  But you are asking why I am talking about this if it’s mostly gone, I am sure!  Well……

WE RE-ORDERED THE ENTIRE LINE!!  It will all be here close to the end of the month!  We will be making more kits then.  So in the meantime there are 2 kits left in the shop if they become your hearts desire on this Valentine’s Day!  More coming.  If you would like to reserve a kit, please let us know and then when they are made, we can let you know to pick it up!  Here are the pics…..

St Remy de Provence using "The Big EZ" Pattern

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

St Remy de Provence by Robyn Pandolf for RJR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See – what did I tell you??  Gorgeous!

 

We also got a new group in from Westmister Free Spririt label.  This is also just fab!  It is the debut line for the designer Parson Gray who just happens to be David Butler, Amy Butler’s husband!  Not only is the fabric great, but David Butler is drop-dead gorgeous also!  I had the chance to meet him at market, and all I can say is WOW!  He has those gorgeous blue eyes that seem to look… But, I digress… getting back to the FABRIC….. (big sigh!)  It is a sophisticated masculine group.  All charcoal, navy, pale green and dusty aqua with great graphic prints.  Perfect for the man in your life, or for decor friendliness. The name of the actual line is Curious Nature.   See what you think…..

 

Curious Nature by Parson Gray (a.k.a David Butler!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This too was being sold right out of the box before we had processed it in!  Great stuff!

 

Lastly, I need to make a small correction from my last Blog.  I really messed up poor Malka Dubrawsky’s name!  I said her last name was Dumbrowsky.  It should be Dubrawsky.  Sorry about that Malka!  At any rate, I found a pic of her book I was telling you about that matches the one fabric she designed.  Here is her book.  And, of cource, we have it in stock! 

 

Fresh Quilting by Malka Dubrawsky

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well that is all I have for you today.  Have a lovely Valentine’s Day and enjoy the chocolate!  P.S. – If you need a chocolate fix, we have some in the shop!!

 

Patti

Gas Guzzling Sleds

Hi Everyone!  Boy, has the shop been busy!!  And I have been even busier!!!  I am so glad January is finally over and all the things I need to get done for the business end of the shop – things like estimated taxes, state and fed withholdings, employee W2′s, even newsletters! – are finally DONE!  I was running a hundred miles a minute and was just getting further behind!  At least THAT’S all done!  Now I move into the next phase of getting all the block of the month programs set to go for this coming year and getting ready for vending this spring.  I am MUCH happier when I get to work on quilt project planning or sewing than on the business financial end! 

I did get a small break this last weekend and went snowmobiling with my hubby, sister and brother-in-law up in the Northwoods.  It was great!  We sledded about 85 miles all the way up to the Michigan border and back thru the Nicolet National Forest.  It was just beautiful!  We did this on a Monday also, so we had all the trails to ourselves and no traffic!  We did have one little scare when the sled I was riding was guzzling gas like a rabid pig!  We didn’t know exactly where we were and we didn’t know if we would make it someplace for more gas!  We were sweat’in that one and crossing our fingers.  Everyone else’s sled was just fine.  It was only mine with this problem.  Of course my husband and brother-in-law assumed it must be something I was doing wrong.  How could I do anything wrong?? I was just driving the sled for Pete’s sake!!  At any rate, it turned out we found gas, we sledded the 40 miles back to home base and my tank was empty – again!!  When “the men” drove my sled back to the rental place they noticed my engine was missing.  Huh!!  Not my fault, now was it boys!!  At any rate, that was the problem for the gas guzzling and we told the rental place about it for the next unsuspecting rider.  During all of this, my husband did assure me he would pick me up on his sled if mine tanked out in the middle of nowhere!  Ya’ Think!!  Despite the gas issue, it was a really great time and we are already planning next year’s sledding!  It was good to relax!

Now I am raring to go again!  I do want to show you some new stuff we got in the shop over the last couple of weeks.  Great fabrics have been pouring in!  Some are still not in pictures, so I will get them the next time.  Here is what we got lately:

Yo! Gabba, Gabba  – yes, that really is the name of the fabric line!!  It is from Hoffman and is licensed for the TV show on I believe Nick channel. When I was at market I kept saying Yo Gabba WHAT??  I had never heard of this fabric and they needed to educate me!  The target audience for the show is 2 – 6 year olds and it is a show about good and moral behaviour from what I understand.  It is cute robot like characters and if your child knows this program, they will want this faric!  Great for pillowcases or drag-around quilts, it is sure to excite them!  Chekc it out!

Yo! Gabba, Gabba! Main print

More Yo! Gabba, Gabba

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

t textured coordinates for Yo! Gabba, Gabba

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then there is Malka Dumbrowsky’s new fabric line form Moda called Stitch in Color. Malka did a popular book a while back and there was a sewn project on the colver that was really fun.  It got translated into fabric with a bunch of coordinates, and WOW!  These are just really fun!  Kind’a like Marcia Derse textures – just really graphic – but much brighter!  We liked it so much we got Charms, Jelly-rolls and Layer cakes for this line!

 

A Stitch in Color by Malka Dubrowsky

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the rest of A Stitch in Color

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, and we got some fun novelty stuff in just in time for Valentine’s Day!  This is a new line of fabrics from Benartex called Kanvas.  They are doing some really run stuff.  We have some ManCave and Kiss and Tell  bolts.  And a few more select bolts will be coming!  You’ll see how fun these are!  I love it – Cigars and Brassiers!

 

Kanvas ManCave and Kiss and Tell

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also got a new kids line called Babysaurus from Blend fabrics.  Blend fabrics is a new division of Anna Griffin and we will have a few more things coming our way too from this great new company.  This was just too cute for words in a soft primary pallete. 

 

Babysaurus

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

French General from Moda also released a new line that harkens back to the very popular original Rounneries Line they did, what was it, 2 years ago now??  At any rate, this one is appropriately called Rounneris Duex and is just great.  We have jelliel and charms on this one for your quilting pleasure!

 

Rounneries Duex

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have a couple of additional GREAT things that I will post very , very soon.  I am out of time right now and still have a few things to take care of before I head to the shop – like taking a shower!!  One last final pic – me in my snow mobile get-up.  You can’t tell behind the helmet, but the smile is from ear to ear!  Have fun in the snow today and happy quilting!

 

Me! In my Snow mobile get-up!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Patti

Inventory Sunday

****    WE WILL BE CLOSED  SUNDAY  JAN. 15 for INVENTORY    ****

Hi everyone!  I know this will not be a popular statement, but I think the snow is PRETTY!  It is like a beautiful white blanket out there!  Call me silly, but I do like the first real snow and look forward to it every year.  Alright – I got my fix, so no more, OK?  At least it is starting to act and feel like winter instead of March.  I think we need that to let our lives settle into routine.  I know at least that I do! 

I do have one bit of info for you to take note of.  We will be CLOSED SUNDAY, Jan 15 for Inventory.  So sorry, but we cannot count the bolts while the store is open and we will be taking inventory Sunday and Monday.  So, if you need something, come on by today or tomorrow, or else wait until Tuesday. 

The good news is that after inventory, I will probably have even more stuff to put in the clearance section!  I have been adding things everyday as it is!  So make sure to stop by!

Thanks.  This is just a short info note so see you soon!

Patti

*****    WE WILL BE CLOSED  SUNDAY  JAN. 15  for INVENTORY    ****

New Pictures

Oops!  My pictures did not go up on the blog correctly yesterday!  I do not know what happened, some pics are missing and captions are doubled up on some pics.  I-yi-yi!  Well, here are the pictures that were missing for your review.  Oh, and we got more Stonehenge in yesterday from Northcott.  I do not have a pic of that to post at this time, but come on into the shop and then you can see it ALL!!! 

The pics from yesterday:

The Lorax Coordinating bolts

 

Maxine Blah, Blah, Blah and other witty remarks!Live, Laugh, Love runner made by Marilyn from the book "My Runners"

 

Live, Laugh, Love made from "My Runners" - made by Marilyn!

 

 The runner above is the one Marilyn also made in reds and pinks for a more traditional Valentine Day look – it is really great!  You have to come into the shop to see the red one!

 

Finally, here is one that Darlene made late in the fall for us.  It is from the Hokey Pokey pattern in the crib size.  It is made from the Coquette Line by Art Gallery Fabrics and is just too sweet for words!

 

Hokey Pokey from Coquette by Art Gallery - made by Darlene!

 

 

Okay now.  The photos are at least straightened out!  Now if I could just take decent photos we would be in business!   At any rate have a good day and see you soon!

 

Patti

Happy New Year!!

We flipped the page on the calendar of a new year – AGAIN!  I cannot believe that 2011 is over and done!  It was a really fast and busy year for us.  It seems like every year just gets busier and passes faster.  Or is that just my age talking??  I don’t know, but I know I am already not keeping up with my New Year’s resolutions!  

We closed the shop and took a good break over the holiday.  Sorry if you were looking for us, but it really does make a difference to just step back and take a breather.  I took such a breather, I didn’t do much of ANY work during my break.  Usually I am very busy planning, ordering, and sewing for the next year.  Not so much this time!  I was tired! 

Of course, I am paying for it big time now!  I can’t keep up with everything that has to be done!  The newsletter is still in my head and not on paper, the new samples I am responsible for are still just gleams in my eye, my staff still don’t have a work schedule for the next several months, and the ever feared inventory and taxes beckon their ugly heads!  What’s a shop girl to do?  EAT!!

Actually, I have been eating really well!  That was one of my resolutions and were are eating vegitables and fruits in and with everything!  I am so proud!  Maybe we can keep that going at least a little while!  But it takes time to cook and that time will need to be reallocated at some point to all those things above that are not done yet!!! 

I have also been sleeping really well – and alot!  I can’t believe how much sleep my body says it wants lately!  Maybe it thinks it is spring with all this balmy weather!  Maybe it just got used to sleep over the break and now demands it!!  Well, we will also need to fix that if I am to get anything done from the list above!! 

So, while eating well and sleeping/resting were new year resolutions, they won’t work if I am to get anything done!!  Ugh!  And so the cycle begins…….

Seriously though, while I didn’t make new samples, we do have some busy staff in the shop.  Here are a couple pics of more new stuff!  Come on in and see this in person!  New fabric is also starting to come in again. We got the Lorax from Dr. Suess last week!  It is so cute – and Organic to boot!  We also got Maxine prints in – you know Maxine of Blah, blah, blah fame!  It will make really fun aprons, bags, or pillowcases!  Here are pics…

 

The Lorax Panel from Dr. SeussThe Lorax bolts

 

Maxine with her witty remarksMore witty reamrks and BLAH!

The Fat Boy is coming – Are You Ready??

Christmas is almost here!  This is our last day in the shop before the Holiday.  We will close at 5:00 pm tonight and remain closed thru New Year.  We re-open on Tuesday, Jan 3!  So, if you are looking for something, better pop in today! 

 Are you ready for the Holidays?  I actually am!  I finished up everything last night, so I am finally excited about Christmas!  I just have to make some lasagna for the holiday tonight, but other than that – I am done with shopping and gift making!  woo-hooo!! 

As a reminder, all our Christmas, fall and Halloween fabric has reached 38% OFF  with 1/2 yd min. cuts!  As a bonus, all Christmas, fall and Halloween FAT QTRS will be buy 3 and get one FREE today !!  Please come buy this stuff!!  I do not want to have to count it after the new year begins and we do inventory!! 

Our Christmas and Halloween patterns, books and kits remain at 25% OFF, and if you need a last minute gift to whip up, the Tea Towels are still buy 2 and get 1 free! 

There are good ideas for last minute gifts for those quilting friends also!  The lighted seam rippers are back in stock, as well as the lighted tweezers.  We still have our table of small giftable items set up with plenty to choose from!  Then there are always FQs or bundles, etc.  or gift certificates. So if you are in need of something, get in today!

One last note on gifts – we still have a pretty good selection on Janome sewing machines (I guess I did a little over-ordering!) so don’t be afraid to check out getting a machine for the Holiday either!  We still have plenty of stock! 

We are busy planning our January and Winter newsletter, projects and classes.  As usual, the newsletter will be out after New Years.  I can’t say exactly when since it is not written yet!  But , after New Years!  We have lots lined up for you so watch for it! 

We also have several new shop samples that we managed to get done in the last month!  Here are just a couple of them!

From Friendship Strips and Scaps by Edita Sitar

Beth made this for our 5 year anniversary and surprised me!!  Notice the “Est. 2006″???  She presented it in her Pre-Cuts Club and I had NOOOO idea about it in advance.  I had tears in my eyes when I realized what she had done!  Isn’t it great!

 

The Trixie Bag made with Kaffe Fassett fabrics!

 

Beth also made this cute bag from Kaffe Fassett and Phillip Jacob fabrics.  It is called the Trixie Bag!  This was also done for Pre-Cuts Club!  Beth will be teaching a class on it during the winter sometime, so wait and see the schedule on that!  Ya’ know ruffles are all the rage, so why not have a cute ruffled bag for the spring!!

 

The Catalina Bag from Pink Sand Beach

 

I brought back several Pink Sand Beach Purse Patterns from market.  This was the first one we made.  Cheryl made the Catalina Bag using Art Gallery Quilts Fabrics.  It too will be class this winter!   Easy and very cute and versatile!

Lil' Rascals Quilt

Finally, Cheryl also made this cute baby quilt using our Lil’Rascals charm packs!  It is a nice size – around 48″ square for a throw-down quilt.  She did very simple quilting using decorative stitches, to give you some ideas!  (The binding is going to be a barn red color to bring out a little of the red in all the prints.) Come take a look! 

We have even more new samples, but I need to get ready for the shop, so I will post those at another time!  More are coming also, so keep watching! 

Until Jan. 3, please have a very peaceful holiday season.  I wish you peace, love, happiness, friendship, family and quiet moments to quilt!  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Patti

Twelve Days of Christmas 2011 – Day 11 and Day 12!!

Well, this is the last day of the Twelve Days of Christmas event!  It is Day 12!!  Since we were closed yesterday, we will celebrate Day 11 and Day 12 today!  Finally I got some stuff done yesterday from my personal list for Christmas.  That’s a relief!!!  I still have miles to go, but at least I feel like I got some things done and got a good start!  The rest of the week will feel like a being in a blender, I am sure – just getting whipped around in all directions, or maybe just chasing my tail since blenders seem to run everything in a circle around and around!! You know what I mean – too busy with too little time!  But, Christmas will come ready or not and everyone will be happy! 

My husband  ran across a hilarious story and said I needed to share it with you.  But first, heed this advice:

WIVES:  Show this to your Husbands

MEN:  Don’t let this happen to you!  Buy your wife a Janome Sewing Machine today instead!

Ok, the story …..

Pocket Tazer Stun Gun, a great gift for the wife.

Last weekend I saw something at Larry’s Pistol & Pawn Shop that sparked my interest.  The occasion was our 15th anniversary and I was looking for a little something extra for my wife Julie.  What I came across was a 100,000-volt, pocket/purse-sized Tazer.

The effects of the Tazer were supposed to be short-lived, with no long-term adverse affect on your assailant, allowing her adequate time to retreat to safety…??

WAY TOO COOL!  Long story short, I bought the device and brought it home… I loaded two AAA batteries in the darn thing and pushed the button.  Nothing!  I was disappointed.  I learned, however, that if I pushed the button and pressed it against a metal surface at the same time, I’d get the blue arc of electricity darting back and forth between the prongs.

AWESOME!!!  Unfortunately, I have yet to explain to Julie what that burn spot is on the face of her microwave.

Okay, so I was home alone with this new toy, thinking to myself that it couldn’t be all that bad with only two AAA batteries, right?

There I sat in my recliner, my cat Gracie looking on intently (trusting little soul) while I was reading the directions and thinking that I really needed to try this thing out on a flesh & blood moving target.

I must admit I thought about zapping Gracie (for a fraction of a second) and then thought better of it.  She is such a sweet cat.  But, if I was going to give this thing to my wife to protect herself against a mugger, I did want some assurance that it would work as advertised.  Am I wrong?

So, there I sat in a pair of shorts and tank top with my reading glasses perched delicately on the bridge of my nose, directions in one hand, and Tazer in another.

The direction said that:  A one-second burst would shock and disorient your assailant;  A two-second burst was supposed to cause muscle spasms and major loss of bodily control. and  three-second burst would purportedly make your assailant flop on the ground like a fish out of water.

Any burst longer than three seconds would be wasting the batteries.  All the while I’m looking at this little device measuring about 5″ long, less than 3/4 inch in circumference (loaded with two itsy, bitsy AAA batteries); pretty cute really, and thinking to myself, ‘no possible way!’

What happened next is almost beyond description, but I’ll do my best.

I’m sitting there alone, Gracie looking on with her head cocked to one side so as to say ‘Don’t do it stupid’, reasoning that a one second burst from such a tiny lil ole thing couldn’t hurt all that bad.. I decided to give myself a one second burst just for the heck of it. 

I touched the prongs to my naked thigh, pushed the button, and…

HOLY MOTHER OF GOD.  WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION.  WHAT THE…!!!

I’m pretty sure Hulk Hogan ran in through the side door, picked me up in the recliner, than body slammed us both on the carpet, over and over, and over again.  I vaguely recall waking up on my side in the fetal position, with tears in my eyes, body soaking wet, both nipples on fire, testicles nowhere to be found, with my left arm tucked under my body in the oddest position, and tingling in my legs!  The cat was making meowing sounds I had never heard before, clinging to a picture frame hanging above the fireplace, obviously in an attempt to avoid getting slammed by my body flopping all over the living room.

Note:  If you  ever feel compelled to ‘mug’ yourself with a Tazer, one note of caution:

There is NO such thing as a one second burst when you zap yourself!  You will not let go of the thing until it is dislodged from your hand by a violent thrashing about on the floor!

A minute or so later (I can’t be sure, as time was a relative thing at that point), I collected my wits (what little I had left), sat up and surveyed the landscape.

• My bent reading glasses were on the mantel of the fireplace. 
• The recliner was upside down and about 8 feet or so from where it originally was.
• My triceps, right thigh, and both nipples were still twitching.
• My face felt like it had been shot up with Novocaine, and bottom lips weighed 88 lbs.
• I had no control of the drooling.
• Apparently I had crapped in my shorts, but was too numb to know for sure, and my sense of smell was gone.
• I saw a faint smoke cloud above my head, which I believe came from my hair.
• I am still looking for my testicles and I’m offering a significant reward for their safe return!

PS:  My wife can’t stop laughing about my experience, loved the gift and now regularly threatens me with it!

Too funny!!  Moral of this story?  If you want to buy someone a new “toy”, buy a sewing machine – much safer!! 

Okay, so for our Twelve Days of Christmas verse goes like this:

On the 12th Day of Christmas, my quilt shop gave to me 12 Wooler’s Dying, 11 Sister’s Hooping, 10 Ruler’s Measurin’ , 9 Kitter’s Kitting, 8 yds. of batting, 7 Holiday Patterns, 6 Books a’ read’in, 5 Spools of Thread…. 4 Tea Towels, 3 Fat Quarters, 2 Christmas Fabrics and a Janome Sewing Machine!!

Our specials today, the LAST day of Christmas are Embroidery software and Wool! 

   All Embroidery software patterns are 25% OFF today This includes Hoop Sisters, Lunchbox, Stitch Connection, Smith Street, or anything else we have around!

   All our hand-dyed WoolyLady wool pieces or bundles are also 25 % OFF today!

 This offer ends at 5:00pm Tues, Dec 20!

Also remember, all Christmas, Fall and Halloween fabric is now 35% OFF 1/2 yd cut min.  This offer will continue going up one percent more each day thru Friday, Dec. 23!

All our Christmas and Halloween patterns and books are also 25% OFF thru Dec. 23.

All our Christmas and Halloween kits are 25% OFF thru Dec. 23.

And Tea Towels are buy 2 get a third FREE thru Dec 23!

I hope you enjoyed our Twelve Days of quilting Event and Merry Christmas! 

Patti

PLEASE NOTE:  We will be closed Dec. 24 – Jan. 2 for the Holiday and a much needed breather!  We will be back with bells on Tues. January 3!