Empire Quilt Fest

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The Empire Quilt Fest will soon be here, and I say that even though it’s not until October 16, 17 & 18, because if you want to enter a quilt, the deadline is NOW!

My quilting friends and I decided to enter The Quilt Shop from the Painted Ladies.  Most of the group did a “tester” for me, and I must say they all came out great!  In fact if you want to see for yourself, take a look at my ‘photo’ page.  So anyway, we will have our own section of the show with the Quilt Shops . . .  pretty cool and the Cut-Ups are definitely excited about the show.

I decided to be a volunteer for this Fest, as I did with the Vermont Fest, however, NOT as many hours each day.  Whew! My feet were very glad to get propped up each evening for that one.

But as I mentioned, the fest will soon be here, after all it’s the middle of August!  Lots are quilting events are coming soon!  Stay posted! 🙂

Pattern Peddlers

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My first distributor!  Woo Hoo!  I am really looking forward to this ‘relationship’ and the prospect of generating more buyers for my patterns.  I believe that there are aspects of any business now-a-days that should be passed on to others . . . . promoting and distributing patterns is a definite plus for me!    

Just yesterday I took another Road Trip, and between the gas and the other expenditures, LUNCH, I just barely broke even.  Of course, I do love taking the road trips, especially with my quilting buddies, so you know I’ll be doing more of them, but now it won’t be my only way to sell my patterns.  By the way, I did sell some Shop Ladies to a wonderful shop in Glastonbury, Connecticut, called, Close To Home.  

So, another step forward in the world of Sweet Season Quilts!

By the way, you can visit Pattern Peddlers at www.patternpeddlers.com

The Shop Ladies

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They’re here!  I’m so excited to offer these little Ladies to quilters, AND the apron was a last minute add on.  I’m thinking that it will be a BIG hit, especially since aprons seem to be an ‘in’ thing with quilters recently.

Anyway, I’m half way through the marketing process for the Shop Ladies; first part was to have them available to quilters via the website.  NOW I’ve got to get more Quilt Shop owners interested.  Good thing I’m working full-time at home now, it’s much easier handling certain tasks during the day like meeting and talking to shop owners and others. 

So The Shop Ladies are here! With an apron pattern, and I’m also playing around with a shopping bag idea, another biggie with quilters.  Yea, that’s definitely something else I could do with these Ladies.  OK I convinced myself, time to get out my sketch pad!

Be sure to check back on this one! 🙂

Hickory Run State Campground

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Our first camping trip of the season, AND surprise, surprise, it didn’t rain!  It is so wonderful when we can set-up and take-down when everything is dry.  Of course we appreciate this because we know what it’s like to do these activities in the RAIN!

Hickory Run Campground is located in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania.  It’s a beautiful park, has a very unique ‘natural area’, the Boulder Field.  Hugh boulders covering a 65 acre area, and the boulders are ‘stacked’ twelve feet deep.  Very interesting, and of course the majority of our group ‘hiked’ across the field, or maybe hike is NOT the term to use, rather jumped and hopped across the boulders.

We also enjoyed waterfalls . . .                and flowers . . .

Hickory Run Camping, July 2009 009 Hickory Run Camping, July 2009 031

and hanging out at the campsite!  We even had a snake who wanted to hang out with us, although I told him he couldn’t stay! 

Hickory Run Camping, July 2009 025

     Can’t figure out where he’s hiding?

     Hint – somewhere on the truck.

    (Just below the wiper blade!)

 

Hope to get back to Hickory Run again some summer.  Lots of trails to explore, plus a sandy beach to enjoy.  By the way, we gave four stars to campsites 91 and 93, large, private sites with a short walk to the shower/restroom!

Monte

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My dear, little Monte passed away this weekend.  He didn’t like most things in life, except John and me, and sitting in the window and on our laps.  That was fine with us, because we loved him just the way he was. 

He had a tough beginning, starting out on the streets of Binghamton, NY for a year or so, then in a shelter for another half-year until my youngest daughter rescued him.  She was doing her graduate studies at the time, and like most college kids, pets generally ended up at Mom and Dad’s.  And that’s exactly what happened with Monte, he was ours! 

He was a beautiful, grey striped tiger, medium build with short stubby legs, AND he loved to ‘whack’ and hiss at anyone other than John and I.  We had Monte for thirteen years, making him only 15; way to young to leave us, if you ask me.  Why can’t pets live longer?  I miss him.   

Squirrels and moles

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What is more irritating?  Moles in my garden or squirrels on the bird feeder?  Equal PIA’s in my opinion! 

Should I buy (very expensive) mole bait, or go the ‘natural’ route, and pour castrol oil down their tunnels? Of course there’s the Caddy Shack way, dynamite! Yeah, that’s what I’m talkin’ about!  Ok, I’ll try the oil in the tunnel route.  How does one find the tunnels? Very easily, just walk, or try walking, across the yard. As soon as you sink down towards China, start pouring the oil in the sinkhole. You can’t miss finding the tunnels, the little buggers have a highway system equal to the one in New York City.   You know, if I do eliminate my first ‘pesky’ problem, I’d rob the neighbors of my daily ‘rain dance’ routine, the one where I do a side-stepping shuffle back and forth across the lawn.  (I like to add ‘chanting’ with my routine)

On to the next PIA.  The squirrels!  They are REALLY SMART!  Are they smarter than I am?  I’m not sure, but I will discover a way of keeping them out of the bird feeder!  (When I do, I’ll let you in on the secret!)  Of course, I’d once again disappointment my neighbors by NOT rushing out the back door periodically, arms flailing, shouting and proceeding to chase the squirrels away from the feeder.  I do believe the squirrels would also miss this routine; they scamper to the branch above the hanging bird feeder, and sit and stare at me.  I KNOW they’re laughing! Just you wait, I’m goin’ to get’em   

Anything with a “Q”

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Yup, I will definitely stop at ALL quilt shops (at least once)  But I also stop at any shop with a "Q" in it.  Guess what?  That includes antiQue shops!  Hubby understands about stopping at all quilt shops, but he usually just ‘tolerates’ the antique shop, just another reason why the female and male species should NOT shop together.

I must admit, I can ALWAYS find a ‘buy’ in a quilt shop, but most times there are no purchases made in the antique shop, just LOTS of browsing!  You never know what you might find under an old table or hanging from a peg on the wall.  And I’m starting to dicker, I’m not good at it, Yet, but I’m learning. 

However today I did stop at an Antique shop, and made a purchase! I found an old toll painted black tray, reminded me of Connie, my mother-in-law.  She’s gone now, but she could paint beautiful flowers and gold trim on anything!  Connie worked in a furniture factory where her job was to ‘crank’ out tables and trays and dressers with hand painted decor.  Very talented lady!  I wish I had more of her items, but my purchase today could have been hers, one never knows! 

A Colonoscopy? What? Me?

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Ok, I know it must be done, after all, anyone over fifty, blah, blah, blah.  And it’s not as if I ever had one before, so I really shouldn’t judge the experience on what others say.  HOWEVER, the ‘day before’ part doesn’t sound all that pleasant.  Oh well, I’ll keep in mind what one of my friends once said, ” It’s really a good feeling when it’s over and the doctor says, everything is A-OK!”  And, what do I love more?  Quilting or possible colon diseases?  Silly question!   I’ll get IT DONE!

Mama Mia

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I love the movie Mama Mia!  Netflix ‘recommended’ it to me, and so glad they did.  Didn’t know it was a musical, (you will NOT enjoy it if you DON’T like musicals), but the songs are by ABBA, so you can’t go wrong!  Of course, I bought my own copy already, hope it doesn’t wear out!

Minnesota Trip

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Back from Minnesota and I can’t say enough about the beautiful time I had!  Weather was wonderful, warm to cool (great for hiking, kayaking, quilt shop hopping, etc), the resort was absolutely gorgeous (views from the main living area were the best), and I loved being with my family for a WHOLE WEEK! 

We stayed at the Lutsen Resort, a four hour drive from the twin cities, (locals just say ‘cities’ when asked where they’re from).  The first leg of the trip north from the ‘cities’ was straight northeast to Duluth. The remaining drive northeast was the best part, the road followed the north shore of Lake Superior.  No sandy beaches, just rocky shorelines, shear cliffs (ran into a few rock climbers), lots of beautiful overlooks, and charming little villages. (Oh and quilt shops, too! Minnesotites love to quilt!) 

While visiting a few of those quilt shops along the North Shore of Lake Superior, I picked up the flyer for the Minnesota Quilt Shop Hop.  Wow, 85 shops participate!  However, they do give you two weeks to get around to all of them, AND, to be in the grand prize drawing, you only need to visit 7 shops in each of the five sections.   OK, I’m ready to take it on, anyone interested in joining me?