I've been shopping!

Oh boy, I can't remember the last time I had such a pleasant day all by myself. (Thank You God!)

I went to visit my friends at Happiness is...Quilting. It is always so nice to step into their shop. I feel like an old friend who is greeted by name and whisked away to be shown the latest treasures. My sweet little sister - not of my Mother's womb but of God - works there and fills their heads with stories of how creative I am. I'm thinking she might be embellishing the truth a bit, but I am honored by her love and affection.

So, while I was there I bought some fabric. (Of course!)

I saw these and instantly thought of a STUD challenge to make an Easter mini. Don't these fabrics make you think of little girls in new dresses and spring flowers?

Selections from Spring Parade Flowers by Makower UK and
This & That pattern for "One Cute Chick"

My photo of the pattern stinks, but, trust me, it is adorable. A little yellow chick with happy flowers and a butterfly dancing over it's head are embroidered in the center. True - they have nothing to do with Easter, but they are sweet and springy just the same. (I finished the quilt on the Saturday evening before Easter. It was way more fun than dying eggs.)

These Christmas fabrics, from the Winter Berry Lane collection by Red Rooster Fabrics, were just what I 've been looking for to make a border for another mini. It has an embroidered center...a snow ma'am unloading a box of quilts. The tableau is captioned with "Quilting Causes Global Warming."

I'm making this for a mini auction raising funds for TAQG. TAQG, Texas Area Quilt Guild, is a group that provides information and other resources to quilt guilds in North Texas. Every year they sponsor a free Rally Day for all members of all member guilds, complete with door prizes, nationally known speakers, and goody bags for all in attendance.

I also bought a book - Benny Harper's Quilt Album by Earlene Fowler and Margrit Hall. It is half quilt patterns and half behind the scenes vignettes of characters in Earlene's Benni Harper Mystery Series.

Next stop was Linda's Electric Quilters to pick up more bobbins and thread for my long arm business.Why is it that no matter how many bobbins you have you always are one short?You can't tell from my picture, but the thread is lovely - orange, blue, lime green, maybe some yellow and hot pink too. It reminds me of Dreams-icles and swimming pools and playing in the sprinklers. It is called Summery Fun by Signature.I hope your day has been just as pleasant!God bless,
Cindy

Fabric shopping...at 7/11

It is inadvisable to go shopping for quilt fabric at a local convenience store. 

As great as 7/11 is, you are never going to find fabric for your quilt there.  It ain't gonna happen.  The same is true in other things too.  My cat is never going to bark.  He might bite the mailman, but he is never going to bark.  I can't bake a cake in my car.  I've heard of cooking things on your engine, but I can't imagine it would taste very good. 

I forget this sometimes.  (I don't sound very clever do I.)  I go along, enjoying my life, loving my friends and family and thinking that they can supply all of my needs.  My 12 year old son shouldn't be the one I run to with concerns about my husbands job.   My husband isn't the one I should talk to about feminine hygene products.  The mechanic isn't the one to discuss the relative virtues of breast feeding with.  For the record I haven't done any of those things...well I've never talked to a mechanic.  I look for fabric in the wrong place.

As shopping goes, it doesn't really matter that you look in the wrong shop for the object of your desire.  It extends your trip, makes the outing last longer, and puts off the inevitability of going home to a sink full of dirty dishes, and stacks of laundry.  Those arn't necessarily bad things.  However, I suspect if you go to 7/11 for quilting fabric, you're not really looking for fabric.  My guess  -  you're thirsty and have a disconnect in your brain.  (7/11 is a most excellent place to get a big, cold, drink.)

It is a problem if you start bludgeoning the shop clerks for their lack of product.  Think about it.