Two weeks of new stuff; Secret Sister gifts; Show and Tell and Kid's Day

I wasn't able to post anything last weekend because I was in bed convalescing from a pulled muscle in my back.  I'm much better now but I've fallen behind posting pictures to the blog.  Here goes:  

We recently decided to expand our inventory of Aurifil thread....of the 1422 yards per spool of super yummy Egyptian cotton thread. 

We now have in the neighborhood of 180 (???) different colors.  Yummy!  

new display of Aurifil thread 

more Aurifil thread 

and even more Aurifil thread! 

We received four bolts of the newest line of Kansas Troubles fabric, Paisley Park, as well as the "Perfectly Paisley" pattern to use with this line. 

"Paisley Park" fabric by Kansas Troubles for Moda:  tan, gold, brown and navy 

"Perfectly Paisley" pattern by Kansas Troubles 

We're over the moon about the pre-cuts that just arrived:  "Kansas Troubles Favorites" layer cakes, jelly rolls and charm packs.  

This line has been added to Moda's "Basics" line which means the prints will be available for the next two years.  This is great news for anyone wanting to do a Block of the Month club!  YIPPEE!!  

The pre-cuts are a different story.  They're only cut once so, where they're gone, they're gone.  

We're super happy to have these in the shop but you better get 'em while you can!  This will be the only cutting of them.  

The "Richmond Reds" line by Barbara Brackman really spoke to Vicki and I went we went to market.  

We received these three prints this week:  tan, burnt red and burgundy.  We also received the pre-cuts of this line:  layer cakes, charm packs, jelly rolls and mini-charms.  

The prints of this line are rich and vibrant, just what you'd expect from Barbara Brackman.  

Richmond Reds: tan, burnt red and burgundy

Richmond Reds precuts by Barbara Brackman for Moda 

Something else that caught our eye at market was "Faded Splendor" by RJR fabrics.  We received eight bolts this week:  

Faded Splendor by RJR 

companion prints of Faded Splendor by RJR 

companion prints of Faded Splendor by RJR 

Nola's "Secret Sister" left something for her at the shop......a set of four thread spools with decorations on each top! How cute are these? 

Nola with the gifts her Secret Sister gave her!

The shop's mascot, Miss Gracie, and her human (Vicki W.) stopped by last Saturday.  Miss Gracie gave her approval for the moving around of stuff (since she was here the last time), she really enjoyed looking around, got a couple quick drinks of water and was ready to go!  

Miss Gracie and her human (Vicki). 

While she was here, Vicki opened the gift her "Secret Sister" left for her.....a chicken pin cushion made with Kansas Troubles fabrics (Vicki's favorite). 

Her Secret Sister saw the pattern in "Block" magazine and thought Vicki would like one.  She did! It's sew cute!  

Vicki W. with her "chick" pin cushion made by her Secret Sister.  

close-up of Vicki's "Chick" pin cushion. 

Candy was also the recipient of a gift from her Secret Sister last Saturday....a cachet and candle of the most wonderful smelling stuff.   

I don't remember the name of the scent but it was divine!  The shop smelled fabulous afterward.    

Candy with the cachet her Secret Sister gave her. 

Kay S. stopped by yesterday.  She also had something waiting for her....from her S/S.  

Kay's S/S made this wonderful picture using scraps for the borders after hand embroidering "When Life Gives You Scraps, Make Quilts".  

Being an avid hand embroidered, Kay L-O-V-E-D it!  

The youngest participant of "Secret Sisters" is thirteen year old Jacey B.  

She was here yesterday for Kid's Day but took a couple of minutes to see what her S/S gave her:  two "Giggles" mini charms. 

Kay S. brought in this quilt she made. It will be a fund raiser for the fly-tying club her husband is a member of. 

I hope you can see all the panels on this quilt, it is really cute.  

the back of Kay's donation quilt:  fish!  

Vickie C. brought in some stuff for Show and Tell yesterday:  She made this quilt using Minky fabric for a future granddaughter!  It's so soft and cuddly!  

the quilt Vickie C. made using Minky fabric. 

Vickie also made these adorable towels "Spit Happens" and "I Love You" for the same future granddaughter!  

She also brought in this quilt she made for granddaughter who requested butterflies and dragon flies.  

After piecing it, Vickie quilted it herself on her long arm quilting machine.  

the back of Vickie's quilt 

close up of the quilting on Vickie's quilt 

Sandy S. stopped by yesterday.  When I saw her purse, I had to get a picture of it.  She said one of her friends made it for her.....Wow!  What a great friend.  

Sandy is a big Cardinals fan so, her friend added a patch to the front of the purse.  

the back of Sandy's purse 

Robin B. recently returned from vacationing in Hawaii. While she was there, she bought some beautiful hand pieced/hand quilted wall hangings.  

These are more vibrant in person.  My camera was not able to capture the true nuance of the fabric very well.  

Thanks Robin, for sharing these with us!  

Jacey was here yesterday for Kid's Day.  After a couple of mistakes by the instructor (me), she was off and running.  

When she was finished, she's made her very own pillowcase.  

Great job, Jacey!  Keep up the good work!  

Jacey at the ironing board during Kid's Day. 

Jacey with her finished pillowcase 

close up of Jacey's pillowcase.  

Pulled muscles are not fun

I was in the shop for several hours today--moving stuff around, trying to get ready for the shop hop, finding homes for all the new stuff.  I was getting a lot accomplished when it happened......

What I didn't realize, until I tried to pick something up off the floor, was that I'd pulled a muscle in my back.  This pulled muscle of mine went completely unnoticed as I was pulling and tugging on stuff, moving totes around and relocating stuff in the shop. 

When I waddled into the house, literally bent over at the waist, Nurse Sweetness prescribed three Motrin and 'go to bed'.  Oh joy!  I can't wait.  

It several attempts to finally find a comfortable sleeping position (due to the indescribable pain running down my back and into my legs).  It reminded me of the childhood song we used to sing, "the leg bone's connected to the thigh bone, the thigh bone's connected to the ....."  I don't remember the rest of that song.  It isn't as cute as I remembered it as I was impatiently waiting for the Motrin to do it's job.  

I can't calculate the sheer thrust it took for me to do the simplest thing like....roll over in bed--NASA Engineers would need to be called to make those exponential calculations.   It took a lot of effort and floundering around but I was finally able to turn over....with a lot of effort.  

The Motrin finally kicked in and I was able to sleep for a while.  

Needless to say, I'm not moving very fast and have gotten very little accomplished today...like posting pictures of the new stuff that arrived this week as well as yesterday's "Show and Tell". 

I'll post pictures when I can tolerate sitting in a chair for more than five minutes.  

Show and Tell, Quilts of Valor and Miss Gracie!

Our customers have been very busy this week:   getting projects finished; starting new ones and bringing in their stuff for "Show and Tell".  Lynn, Pat, Susan, Kathryn, Vicki W., Vickie C., and Kay stopped by yesterday with their goodies:  

Lynn M. has been busy making quilts to sell at her craft booth in Texas.  These are two of her quilts she brought in for "Show and Tell".  

Lynn's quilt she made to sell in her craft booth 

another quilt made by Lynn 

"Secret Sisters" is in full swing!  Pat's 'sister' left something for her at the shop, which she picked up yesterday:  a red solids charm pack and card.  

While she was here, Pat brought in the quilt she made for her son, Carl.  She used "Wish You Were Here" jelly rolls (by Holly Taylor) and Kansas Troubles fabric for the borders and backing for his queen size quilt.  

Judi M. quilted it using different leaf patterns (hopefully my camera captured the quilting).  

We know Pat's son will love his quilt.  Great job, Pat! 

queen size quilt Pat made for her son, Carl. 

close up of the quilting Judi did on Pat's quilt 

the back of Pat's quilt using Kansas Troubles fabric. 

Vickie C. brought in this adorable quilt she made for her two year old grand daughter.  The fabric is actually 'cheater's cloth" so Vickie quilted it to look like it's pieced.  

We love it, it's adorable.  How cute is this? 

Vickie C's quilt she made for her grand daughter 

the back of Vickie's grand daughter's quilt

Susan brought in this "Tumbling Blocks" quilt she made entirely out of polyester a friend gave her. 

We love the colors and can't wait to see what else Susan brings in for Show and Tell! 

Three "Quilts of Valor" tops were returned yesterday. Kay and Vicki W. brought in their tops to be quilted and Vickie C. brought in the top she quilted for Roxann!  

Everyone's inner borders are the cream colorway of the fabric we used, "Old Glory Gatherings" by Primitive Gatherings for Moda.  The outer borders are either dark navy or the dark red colorway of the same print.  

We decided to alternate the outer borders so the quilts wouldn't all be the same.  We love seeing how everyone put their 'rails' together for the "Rail Fence" tops.  

"Thank You" to everyone who participated in last week's Quilts of Valor all day sew-in.  

Kay's Quilt of Valor top with red outer borders 

Roxann's Quilt of Valor top with red outer borders, quilted by Vickie C. 

the back of Roxann's quilt, quilted by Vickie C. 

Vicki W's Quilt of Valor top with navy outer borders! 

Sometimes, when you come to the shop, you think you're here to look at all the new stuff or to purchase much needed items or just to get inspired...

Sometimes, when you come to the shop, you're accosted by the blond chick with the camera who wants to take a picture of something you've made or have been given or......

Kathryn was yesterday's victim of the "holy cow, I love that, can I take a picture of it and post it to the blog?" question!  

I don't know if my camera picked up the true colors of the purple in this purse but, it is truly stunning.   

Kathryn said she's had this fabric for years and decided it was time for a new purse......so, she made this one without a pattern.  Wow!  Love it!  

Pat (and her embroidery machine) have been very busy lately.  She's been making flannel burp pads then embroidering a cute motif onto them.     

Pat is donating these to her church's booth at next year's Chili Cook Off to raise money for their "New Mothers" program.  

I told her they were too cute to use for their intended purpose! 

burp pads Pat made using flannel then embroidering a motif

Angels and Sunbonnet Sue motifs on the burp pads Pat made 

more cute motifs on burp pads Pat made 

I've lived in Barry County all my life.  I attended school at Cassville from Kindergarten until I graduated.... a really long time ago.  

Our school mascot is the Wildcats.  I am a Wildcat. If you graduated from Cassville, you're a Wildcat too! 

Everyone needs a mascot.  

The shop's mascot is Miss Gracie.  She stopped by yesterday with her human, Vicki W., for a visit!  

After a quick drink of water and a visit with Sweetness, she was ready to go!  

Thank You, Miss Gracie for stopping by (and bringing your human).  Come back when you can! 

Miss Gracie and her human, Vicki W. 

"Let me out of here"....she's ready to go!