It's looking like Christmas

Well I don't have a lot of quilting to show you as I've been at the store for the last two days putting up Christmas!  It is looking so cute in there.  Want a peek?

This is just one of the few trees we have decorated ... that garland in the tree is actually metal ... you twist it and bend it and it is really slick!  We have red, white and a creamy color -- the garlands are only $2.50 and there are three on this big tree, so you can see they really go a long way.  See the cupboard to the left?  It doesn't look anything like that now ... I'll take pictures tomorrow before everyone comes in and share them with you.  It was looking so lovely when I left this afternoon.

More garland and a few trees ... speaking of trees.  Yesterday we sat and fluffed trees ... what is tree fluffing you ask?  Well, we take all these flat and bent trees and deflatten them ... turning them into ...



Aren't they beautiful?  There were trees on the tables,

Trees on the floor,

And trees up above ... not to mention the huge trees!  Tree fluffing is not something that many of us at the store like to do.  In fact, we have in the past had two very special people that fluffed trees for us ... Donna's husband, George, and Kathy and JoAnn's mom, Gert.  Well, both have retired from tree fluffing duties.  We were lucky that we got the small trees ... Joe (the owner's husband who is also an owner), had the job of the large tree fluffer ... he even has a shirt that says "tree fluffer!"  It is serious business around our store!



But the award for most excellent tree fluffer goes to our friend, Maureen.  She just came in yesterday to say hello and do a little shopping, and we quickly put her to work.  Little did we know she is a stupendous fluffer ... every little branch was unfolded and every little brown strand in between the branches arranged just so!  Don't tell her, but she will definitely be used next year for fluffing!!  =:)

So I'll just leave you with a few more pictures and remind you to come on in and see us tomorrow from 10 to 5 ... we'll have loads of wonderful things to buy, lots of kits to ease your sewing, yummy food to eat, and lots of friends to visit with!

 

 

Still some fall left, and Halloween is 50% off!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sleep

Oh to be a young woman again and have all the right amount of hormones and be able to sleep!  Every night lately is an adventure ... I don't know why on the weekends when it doesn't matter whether I can't sleep, I always sleep, but during the week, I have issues.  This morning I was up at 4:30 a.m.  Great ... tried to get back to sleep and that was just not happening.  I did finally close my eyes for about a half hour at 6:15, but sometimes I wonder if that makes it worse!

It's been stinking hot here the last couple days  ... my son's sweetie is visiting for a few days and we have just enjoyed having her around and being able to spoil her ... I can't wait until this baby is born and she moves out here.  It will really be nice to have everyone together!  I did manage to do another quilt this last week ... this quilt was my customer's first quilt she ever did.  She said she had it for years before she finished it ... I can tell why

All those little pieces are appliqued on ... and there are twelve blocks ... if that had been my first quilt, it may have been my last!

I used a variegated King Tut on top and Glide in the bobbin.  She wanted a small-ish stipple in the sashing, and I did a large stipple in the outer border ... you can't even see it anyway because of the fabric.

My favorite part is the design I did in the sunflower centers ... I really like the way it looks with the thread color.  I echoed inside the petals and outside as well.  I am always a little nervous about doing this freehand, but I have decided that it shouldn't be perfect and it is easy to just run the machine along and if I go off the line a little (or the line that I have in mind) .... that's okay too!  Nature is not perfect.

Now she'll be able to get it bound and say "I finished my first quilt!"  I did two baby quilts for her in the last couple of months, and when I called her today, she said she is finishing up two more quilts ... wow, she has been busy!

One of my sweetest customers, Judy, told us the other day that in two years since she has been quilting she has made 24 quilts!  That is awesome ... I think I have quilted almost every one of those ... she is amazing because every quilt she starts, she finishes!

Now on a side note, I want to let you know that the Country Loft is having it's grand Christmas opening on Saturday from 10-5.  There will be trees galore, decorations, gifts, Christmas cards, and if it is like any Christmas opening, full of wonderful things to see and smell ... and of course great friends!  Come visit us all there ... it's always a big day ...