Above the Wool Department

The girls in the shop love to work with wool, hooking or applique. A well-stocked wool department makes it easy to choose your favorite colors for your project.

Down the Center of the Shop

Stroll down the center of the shop, surrounded by fabric. So many things to look at!

Piece O' Cake BOM

Tucked in among fabric were these blocks from a Piece O' Cake block of the month in gorgeous fabrics. I'm trying to resist signing up for this!

New Block of the Months

Here's a new wool-on-flannel block of the month by Paul Stoddard the shop is offering. Soft colors with whimsical sheep.

Inside the Door

Here's what you see when you step inside the door. Every inch is used to display wonderful fabrics, patterns and ideas! Hanging in the center is Kay's version of a Jan Patek quilt design. It's beautiful.

Visit to the Rabbit's Lair, Rogers, Arkansas

After this impressive entrance to the shop, I wasn't disappointed at what was inside! Candy and I went to the Rabbit's Lair to teach a couple classes and were totally impressed! Located in a former bank building in the historic downtown district, the shop is packed full of wonderful fabrics and projects!

Aren't they Darling?

Today I got the neatest note from my nephew John and his new wife Andrea. Here it is -- a picture of them! These are the best kinds of thank you notes! We love having her in the family. And an added bonus -- she is learning to quilt. Now if we can just get moving on that wedding quilt we had everyone sign blocks for.

Intermittent Sun

Also last week (or the week before) they had the official "ribbon cutting" for my sister Tricia and her family's new venture -- a motel! It is the new hub of our family get togethers, because they can't all leave at once. Tricia will hopefully get her new quilting and scrapbooking area set up so that when she has a minute or two she will have her own little getaway. We'll see who gets their space set up first!

We are having some sun, but still lots of rainy days. Lots of green, but enough already!

Jo's Retreat in Nebraska City

Last weekend Rachel and I went to Nebraska City to Jo Morton's Handwork Retreat -- What a great time -- Road trip, seeing lots of wonderful quilts, staying at Jo's Studio House (we are so lucky) and being with great friends! We did applique and hand piecing, my two favorites. Just what I needed to inspire me to get back to sewing. I had "fallen off the wagon" with my sewing at night, and was reading instead. Time to get back in the groove!

Here's Jo showing her friendship quilt, featured in her new book, and using blocks she received from the Yahoo Group.

Deb Rowden and her newest book, Making Memories -- she's an author and editor for KC Star Books. These are memory quilts using clothing and fabrics from family members -- can't wait to her the program on this book!
Sorry it's out of focus; obviously I'm not a professional.

My long-time friends Terry Clothier Thompson, Bettina Havig and Deb Rowden enjoying a nice lunch at the Heartland Quilt Network meeting.

Weekend in Kansas City

I "escaped" to Kansas City last weekend, away from the bins for a couple of day! Gretta and I stayed at Candy's and Gretta had a great time playing with Buster and Bonnie (mostly Buster). On Saturday we had our annual meeting for the Heartland Quilt Network and it was good to see "old" friends and talk all about quilting and programs. Then that night Candy, Naida, Helen, Cathy and I went to one of our favorite Mexican restaurants, followed by a movie.

Tomorrow I'm getting ready to leave on Thursday for the "Sewing at the Orchard" retreat in Nebraska City with Jo Morton. Rachel and I are traveling together, and I'll post pictures of people and quilt stuff when we return. What a good time it will be!