Atlanta Shop Hop - 2012

8 shops in one day! I only had two days to get to all 10 shops...did it!

The first shop was Stitch'n Quilt. The employees where very nice and helped us out. They had wonderful fabric and projects.

Second shop was Red Hen. They just moved back into their previous building! How they got ready for Shop Hop in time was amazing. Lots of work by many. She always has great fabric. Of course I bought some.

 

 Little Quilts always decorates to the theme. This year was "Meet Me at the Fair. Everyone was dressed out in western style with boots and cowboy hats. Of course they had a great display of quilts.

The next store on our Shop Hop was Tiny Stitches. They had a great selection of fabrics and we visited a while with them.  The below Snails Tail is a raffle quilt. I just love this block but have never made it. Maybe I will win! I don't know why I like the block so much but I do.

Next on our list was Intown Quilters. They had this nice bargello on display. One of these is also on my mental To Do list.

Georgia Sewing and Quilt Center was next. They just moved into this nice building. It was fun seeing what all they had...I was so interested I forgot to take pictures of the inside and of all their beautiful quilts.

 Our second to last stop was at Patricks. It's a country store/plant store/feed store/quilt store. They have such a welcome home atmosphere. I always love going there. I definitely bought fabric from here. In their clearance section they had fabric for $5 and $3/yd. Needless to say I racked up and increased my stash by about 20 yards.

They also have all this speciality candy...any kind. I love the toffee and the peanut butter and the turtles and the chocolate covered nuts and fruits and the fresh honey. Needless to say I bought some of those items too. Oh...and below are some of their quilts. They had them hanging all over.

Our last stop of the day was at Sweet Home Quilts.  It was almost 5:30pm and we began our adventure around 9am. My friend and I were both getting quite tired. My odometer was at 180 miles for the day and we still had to get home! Sweet Home is a nice store too. Alas I was so interest in what they had inside I forgot to take pictures...or I was just getting really tired!

 The second day was left with only two shops to visit. The first was Quilt and Fixins. They always support the local Humane Society by raffling off their quilts.


The last store was my LQS. They did an excellent job and the store was a happy place to be.

They had a lot of customers but I was the first to turn in a completed passport with all stores stamped! Maybe that will bring me luck and I will win the grand prize of this year's Shop Hop...$100 gift card from each shop...Wow, I could spend $1000 easily and my stash would welcome new company.

Another Shop Hop come and gone. We had loads of fun and I was inspired by what all I saw.

Can't wait to start sewing and creating!

Thanks for stopping by and visiting. Have a great week. Happy Quilting! Happy Living!

Happy Monday!

Happy Monday! It's got to be good for something besides the first day of the work week. But I like Monday's because I'm usually off since I work Saturday and Sunday and if I work Monday then that's actually my Friday which makes Saturday my Monday...got it?

I've been doing some interesting reading today on my Monday off. I have to read the top book "Budgeting Concepts for Nurse Managers", and when I feel the need to drop off I pull out some of my quilt books. I seem to spend more time with the latter though....hence...I guess that's why I'm behind with my school readings...think so?

I love looking at quilt books. I use the patterns as a guide then add my own touch. I believe most of us who quilt does the same thing.

I'm looking forward to this Thursday and Friday...Yey! The Greater Atlanta Shop Hop is finally here. There are 10 shops participating this year and there are some great prizes being awarded. I will need to visit all 10 shops in 2 days this year (remember Saturday is my Monday). I will post pics of my goodies from both days. I love visiting all the shops and enjoy their themes. Wednesday I will sit down and map out and stratagize my route.

Also take a look at what Gina is doing over at Sew Much and More. She just finished a beautiful prayer quilt for a little boy. She is doing her own Shop Hop this week while vacationing in Colorado. I'm sure she will have some great pics to post of the different Quilt shops she is visiting. Wish I was there with her!

Okay...time to go read some more about budgeting concepts...can anything be so dreadful. I'm sure I will be asleep early tonight.

Thanks for stopping by. Happy Living! Happy Quilting!

Spring has Sprung in Georgia...but I really think it's been here since November!

Spring is here in Georgia...but I really think it's been here since November! Not much of a winter. I hope we Southerners are ready for all the bugs and reptiles that will be in abundance. Watch out visitors and bring your bug spray. I actually saw pine pollen in the air!. Much different story for Off Avondale Road. She posted an absolutely beautiful snow picture on her March 7th post wondering where Spring was...don't worry Honey...Spring will happen for you too! Here is a picture to contrast the one that Off Avondale Road posted...but it's not snow on my Bradford Pear it's blooms!

Alas...when Spring is here everything starts to bloom...even the weeds. It's already time to get out the mower...but hubby does that so no worries for me!

These grapes on my Grape Hyacinths are green now but soon will be bright purple and gorgeous on the bush. The birds will flock to my porch in a few weeks to eat them up and then I will be cleaning up purple bird poop from my railings and porch floor. It's a ritual that we have performed for the last 16 years..they eat and we clean. 

I just love weekday Spring mornings. Sipping amaretto flavored coffee, TV off, listening to birdsong and the ticking of my Grandfather clock, and browsing through two quilt books I just bought...and it not being a work day for me makes it even better. The coffe mug is one that I won from the Leap Day Giveaway that was hosted by Elizabeth at Such A Sew and Sew. I won the mug, a mug rug and fat quarters from The Way I Sew It.

I'm currently awaiting the arrival of another book  that was written by my friend Pat Wys over at A Silver Thimble. It's a great book and titled Spotlight on Neutrals and can be ordered from her or bought at your LQS. I saw it in the making and boy it takes a lot of effort and hard work to put out a book. Way to go Pat! I will get you to sign it for me next time I see you.

I still have not quilted anything or even turned on my machine since December, but the time is soon coming. Once I finish up with all my schoolwork today I hope to get in that sewing room of mine and begin again. Visiting blogs, entering givaways and WINNING and ordering new quilt books has really inspired me!

Have a beautiful day where-ever you are! Happy Living! Happy Quilting!

Thanks for stopping by!

2:30 am... I guess I should not have had that spaghetti 30 minutes before going to bed. Why not sew something.

Good Morning everyone! I guess I should not have had that spaghetti before going to bed. I tried to stay up but wanted to go to bed so I would not sleep late...now look where I am...it's 3am...I will probably stay up for a couple of hours until my stomach settles, go back to bed...and still sleep late. But I have so much to do!

Yesterday I received my first of three prizes that I won participating in the Leap Day giveaway hosted by Such a Sew and Sew.  I can't believe I won three of the 56!. This lovely fabric, mug rug and cup came from The Way I Sew It. Thanks so much for your generous prize. I love the bird fabric and the mug rug is well made. She has a wonderful blog site...pop in a say hello.

OK...off to go through some of my sale fabric I posted about yesterday. What a wonderful way to while-a-way the early early morning hours. Maybe I will sew something too. One thing about sewing...you can do it anytime...day or night. I wish a good morning to some and a good night to others. Thanks for stopping by.

Happy Living! Happy Quilting!

Fabric Stash....added A WHOLE LOT MORE! How does your fabric make you feel?

Okay...I believe I'm now motivated. Thanks to all the wonderful comments to help me get motivated. That and browsing your blogs has helped me tremendously. I even got out all the fabric that has been in bags since January that I bought on sale. WOW...more added to my stash. My LQS had a magnificent 3 day fabric sale in January..4.99/3.99/2.99 per yard and buying the remainder of bolt dropped it another $1 per yard. I went fabric-wild as you can see. Most of what I bought was 2.99/1.99...all high quality 100% cotton. I went back the last day and low and behold everything was 2.99/1.99 so I was able to buy what was left of 4.99 bolts for 1.99. Thanks you Karen for the great sale.

 It was fun opening up the bags and remembering what I had purchased. I still love them all and they will be a magnificent addition to my stash. I just love petting fabric. I really believe it reduces my stress level. As I was going through the fabric I was imagining what all I would like to make and admiring the different color combinations.

But it's not all for me...My sister over at Sew Much and More has started a Prayer Quilt Ministry at her church and makes prayer quilts upon request. She has made quilts for church members and members families who are going through major surgeries or someone who may be dealing with a disease. She has made prayer quilts for all generations, but it's the children's blights that really pull at my heart strings. She is currently in the process of finishing a turtle quilt for a young boy. My sister is so dedicated to making these quilts and I admire her for her dedication to this ministry. So when my LQS was having this wonderful sale I thought it would be a great opportunity to increase her stash as well!

Not sure how many yards I have total...some pieces are 5 or more yards and others are yard pieces. Based on how much money I spent I probably have close to 100 yards of fabric if not more.

Now... to sew on...and on...and on. Why do we so love our fabric? Good questions...why do you love your fabric so? How does it make you feel?

Thanks for stopping buy. Happy Living! Happy Quilting!