Quilt Shop Hopping...

As we left northwest Iowa last weekend, the husb took me to few quilt shops.

First stop, Homespun Quilt Shop in Estherville. This shop is owned by Candy Fredericksen and was opened in 2001. It is also a Bernina dealership. I have never been to the shop before, but I have visited their booth in Chicago or Houston and made some purchases. Here is a look inside the shop.

Even the Ladies Room was full of quilts!

I loved this shop because I am a sucker for Civil War and 30's reproduction quilts. I bought 2 kits and a hand full of FQs. A pretty good start I'd say!

On to Forest City and The Quilted Forest.

This shop is owned by Shelley Robson and opened in 1998. This was my 3rd opportunity to visit the Quilted Forest, but I hadn't been here in several years. Shelley is also the creator of Pieced Tree Patterns. Remember the table runner I made my SIL 2 weeks ago? It was a Pieced Tree Pattern. Well look at all these patterns! At $3 each I could hardly contain myself.

I chose this pattern.

Okay... I know what you are thinking... I could probably make this little table runner without the help of a pattern. Well, my little 40+ mind can't remember a thing. And even if it could, it is only fair to purchase the pattern from the creator. {Jackie if you are reading this... you don't need to point out that I bought yet another version of a square in a square... apparently it is what I do!}

Moda Bakeshop fans, check this out... this is one of two displays in the store stocked with bake shop ingredients.

Every inch of the walls were covered with samples. {Hey, there is a red and white sample of the table runner pattern I bought!}

I couldn't leave without buying an Aunt Grace Charm Pack and 3 yards of this wonderful stuff. Sew Now! Sew Wow! by Alexander Henry. I've never seen this before and I had to have it... where have I been?

Shop number three was Country Threads in Garner. Who doesn't know about Country Threads? Owned by Connie Tesene and Mary Etherington, this shop and pattern company opened in 1983 in this chicken coop.

And here is the barn where classes are offered.

I bought a cute Dick & Jane kit for Eva K {Mom}, 3 Flag Day Farm charm packs, a Charlie the Cat Itty Bitty Quilt kit, and a small flag quilt kit. Good to get my Country Theads fix. As we left, Mary yelled come again from her riding lawn mower.

If you are in the Garner area they are having an Early Bird Sale Friday, July 17. 6 - 7 am 25% off, 7 - 8 am 20% off, 8 - 9 am 15 % off, 9 am - 5 pm 10% off. Saturday, July 18 is Fat Quarter Day. All pre-cut FQs: 20 for $30.

Wow... it is 10 am... do you supposed I should get dressed for the day???

Go Sew!

A Week at the Lake...

I have been at the lake {Okoboji} for a week with the husb and good friends from Iowa. Our friends the Hayworths have been going to the lake for 15 years. We were finally lucky enough to join them.

We had a room with a view at Fillenwarth South.

We ate, drank and were merry with old friends.

The boys biked and prepped for RAGBRAI. {250 miles over the week}

We hit Arnold's Park, took afternoon cruises on the Fillenwarth boat, and made many trips to the Nutty Bar Stand. {Yum Yum}

It was really a great week.

On the way home Friday, Brad took me to a few quilt shops - more info on that & pics tomorrow!

On Sunday Brad and I celebrated 23 years of wedded bliss. Prince Charles is still in Germany and comes home Saturday.

Whirlwind Weekend...

I think I already mentioned that I traveled to my sister's home in Dubuque, Iowa for her son Riley's high school graduation party. Mom and I stayed a few extra days and we managed to get in some shopping.

We went down to Bluff Street and stopped by the Fourth Street Lift. This is where Skip {my dad, may he rest in peace} and Eva K {mom} fell in love.

We went to The Cotton Cabin Quilt Shop too!


{Skinny Sister Jeanne}

Mom and I traveled back to her house {Flanagan, IL} on Tuesday. On Wednesday we had a sewing day. I made this table runner from a kit I bought at The Cotton Cabin. This simple pattern called The Big Easy by Pieced Tree. The kit I bought contained everything {love that} needed but the batting. I won't let you look at it too close because I quilted it too - something I usually do with my credit card.

On Thursday we traveled to Sean {bro} and Karen's new home in Monticello, IL. Sean has been painting and their new kitchen is red. I gave Karen the table runner and she was thrilled.

Here is Emerson {aka Baby Cakes, or simply Cakes} trying to make a phone call. Mom bought her that hoochie mamma halter top. She is only 18 months old and she sang the abc's to me, counted, and told me No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed. Obviously, she takes after her Aunt Anne!

My midwest tour continues as I travel to northwest Iowa in the next couple days.

Sew on and sew forth!

Get Your Google Account Here...

I get a lot of people that tell me they want to leave a comment or sign up for a giveaway but it doesn't work when the attempt it. I think the easiest thing to do is set up a Google Account.

To set up and account, go here and enter the needed info.

• Enter your Email Address
• Choose a Password (minimum of 8 characters)
• Reenter your Password for verification
• Enter your location
• Enter the word verification (I can never read these darn things!)

Choose “I accept Create my Account”.

You will get a account creation verification screen.

I tested this by setting up an account for my sister Jeanne. I had to put the password in a second time -I likely screwed up the word verification {doh!}... but I just entered everything again and it worked.

Bling Giveaway...

Hey There! I am at my sister's house and Mom and I were just having a cup of coffee and reading blogs while Jeanne busies herself with stuff that I would leave for another day (or week). She is an active one (which explains why she is a size 4 and I am a size... oh, never mind)!

Any who... Vanessa over at V and Co is sponsoring a giveaway. Look at this charming necklace.

{CUTENESS}

The giveaway will be closed Wednesday 11:59 pm mountain standard time. The winner will be announced Thursday at 10 am. GO SEE V!!!

A Good Yarn...

Yesterday I went and trained for my new "job". Can you really call it that when it is going to be so much fun?

In July, I will begin "working" at The Village Yarn Shop one day a week.

The Village Yarn Shop opened a year ago and is owned by Harriett McNabb and her husband Terry. Harriett is very friendly, extremely enthusiastic, and has a real love for fiber. I took a couple classes at the shop in the last year and throughout the winter I would go in and sit and knit. Eagle Creek Coffee is just on the next block so you can grab your cup of Joe, travel a few feet down the brick street, and find a comfy chair at the yarn shop. I love the atmosphere.

One day a couple months ago Harriett asked me for my number. She called me later that evening and asked if I would be interested in working at the shop one day a week in the fall. {pretty flattering} I wanted to discuss it with the husb, but was certain being surrounded by yarn one day a week would be right up my alley... and probably therapeutic! So... here I am.

I will be working on Tuesdays with Tiffani. She is a great knitter! Yesterday she was working on lace! And Maureen (taught my sweater class) and Jane (taught my sock class) will be working at the shop too. Loooove them. I will be the least experienced knitter there {scary}... but I am certain to learn a lot.

What's Up Wednesday...

Hey there... I have so much going on I can barely keep up! It's all good. So HAPPY it is SUMMER!

WW update, I am down one pound - after exercising 6 of 7 days!!! And when I say exercise I mean

Wednesday :: 1 hour with the personal trainer

Thursday :: 55 min brisk walk

Friday :: 1 hour with the personal trainer

Sunday :: 75 min brisk walk

Monday :: 1 hour with the personal trainer

Tuesday :: 50 min on the exercise bike

{I am bragging here, because this would have been unthinkable 6 months ago}

Mr. Scale...where is the love? Whatever... I'll take the loss and run with it! I have noticed an increase in energy - which is great!

Can you guess what I am doing this afternoon? I am going to train for my new job at the local yarn shop where I will be working 1 day a week beginning in July. I am pretty excited! I will probably end up paying them to work (if you can call it that) there! And we'll have to build on a room to the house to accommodate my growing yarn stash.

Just 2 days until Prince Charles (my son Charlie) leaves for Germany. I am in a place we like to call DENIAL. He'll be gone 3 weeks. He is really excited but I think he is in for a shock. This only child is going to live with a family that has 2 girls. I think it will be an adjustment - and a great learning experience.

Hugs!!!