Hang and Decorate All. The. Things.

Things are shaping up at Quiltville Inn!

TWO WEEKS FROM YESTERDAY and counting!  My first group of Beta Testers arrive at 10am on Black Friday Morning.  Much better than standing in line at Target at 3am, right?

I am so excited these ladies are willing to walk away from family the day after Thanksgiving and come help test out the facilities.

These are the ladies from my own Bee in Winston Salem.  And over the past nearly 12 years that I’ve called that area home, I haven’t had as much time to spend with them as I’d like as usually the meetings were when I was out of town, or just returning from being out of town – and now they are coming for a 2 night beta test retreat.

I M SO EXCITED.

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Out and About in the Afternoon.

Oh how I love an old barn with a barn quilt!

I made a quick call to Martha yesterday, inviting her to ride with me to Sparta for lunch.  It had been a while since we sat down for a meal, the two of us.

And truth be told, there was more to this outing than just friendship.  I needed some moral support.  I needed to go by the vet to pick up Sadie’s remains and bring her ashes home.

I just didn’t want to do it by myself.  And if Martha came, we could go to lunch, fill the afternoon with news and catching up, and then the burden of picking up Sadie would be halved and shared.

I’m so grateful she said yes.

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Hug a Rhino Day!

Up close and personal with a blind rhino!

It’s been a few weeks now since we went to visit this fella at the rhino conservatory.  I can’t remember his name!

But I do know that he was born blind, and he lives here where folks can come learn about the rhinos.  He is cared for in a large area where he can roam and do what rhinos do – EAT. ALL. THE.  TIME!

Forget about goats being your lawn mower of choice.  If you really want to get the job done, hire a rhino!

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Expedited Passports and Antique Mall Wanderings

LOL.  I am still laughing at this sign! LOL!

SO much of our lives can be filled with the good intentions of “helping” others – when really, unless they ask – DON’T OFFER! I really am working so hard to avoid the “You need to, you must, you really should, you ought to, or if it was me – or is it Or if it were I?” out of ANY conversation – unless that person is under 18 years old.

Anyone else who has made it to adult status can usually figure things out on their own, unless they ask.  We can’t jump in and save the world with our own opinions and ways of doing things.  Nor should we.

However – when it came to the point last evening where I saw that Hubster & Son had painted the Hen Den ceiling at Quiltville Inn with SATIN shiny paint instead of flat ceiling paint? I drew the line.  LOL.  But what can I say? I wasn’t here to take the control freak situation into my own control freak hands.  

Love them for their efforts, but shiny ceilings with shadows of ceiling fans whirring just make me dizzy.  Repainting will happen, likely this weekend. Flat paint is for ceilings.  Just so you know.

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Showin’ & Sharin’ & Snowin’ in Shipshewana!

It was reaching white-out conditions as we made our way from Shipshewana back to South Bend for my flights home yesterday.  I snapped this photo as we crawled on by.  Such an inviting farmhouse in the snow.  So very Midwest.  Lovely!

My heart was so full with all of the experiences shared during our 4 days together.  Even the snow and blow couldn’t remove the smile from my face!

My wish is that everyone else who was traveling through this mess would make it safely to their destinations – because it was bound to be a doozer.

And that proved true in many ways – flights were delayed getting in or out of South Bend – some flights (To Detroit – so glad that wasn’t my hub yesterday!) were cancelled all together.

As for me – We did get out, I was late getting to Atlanta, and the worst of it is that I had another 3 hour wait to catch a later flight. That is a SMALL upheaval in the midst of something that could have been so much worse.  I’ll take it gratefully!

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Smith Mountain Morning–Shipshewana Style!

Orange and BLUE!!!  Perfection!

Yesterday’s Smith Mountain Morning workshop in Shipshewana was full to the gills with happy, scrappy and more.  And I so love seeing what color plans each quilter brings to her table – SO MUCH VARIETY!

I have mentioned before that this is one of the biggest reasons that I choose not to provide kits for my classes.  We learn so much, and gain so much inspiration from seeing what other people put together that might be completely out of our own chosen boxes.

So many folks come happy with the original quilt colors, and go merrily into the project knowing just what it will look like when they are done. And that is great. 

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Building Sandcastles, Strengthening Friendships!

Aren’t these blocks just gorgeous?!

Simple four-patches framed by string block fun – it’s a match made in this scrap quilt lover’s heaven!

Sandcastles from my book String Frenzy was our day 3 workshop at Gay Bomer’s Sentimental Stitches retreat held at the Blue Gate Garden Inn in Shipshewana, Indiana.

A MECCA for all things quilty and quaint, delicious and delightful – we’ve had just an awesome time.

Along with the workshops there are several conference rooms full of quilters “doing their own thing” as well – so around every corner there is something bright and colorful and beautiful to catch your eye, and start a conversation.  We are surrounded by friends with common interests here.  It’s like one big sorority house of fabric fun!

And yes, I’ll be BACK!  Mark your calendars for April of 2021.  It’s in the planning stages.  Even with the opening and running of Quiltville Inn, I have made a commitment to be on the road for one event per month SOMEWHERE.  April 2021 is HERE in Shipshewana Indiana.  I hope you’ll join me.

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A Narragansett Blues Day in Shipshewana!

What a day to play with the Quilters in Shipshe!

It was a no-empty-chairs kind of full up day at Gay Bomer’s Sentimental Stitches retreat at the Blue Gate Garden Inn in Shipshewana, Indiana.

A Double Duty Day with a Narragansett Blues all day workshop, followed by a completely packed house for a lecture, followed by retreater show & share, and then - topped off with an ice-cream social – oh yum!  There wasn’t a spare moment when we weren’t cutting, sewing, pressing, oohing and ahhing over quilts, and stuffing our faces with yummy food.

Isn’t that what retreat is all about?

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Jamestown Landing in Shipshewana, IN!

There is just no place like Shipshewana, Indiana!

And I must say that I also love how the name of this place just rolls off your tongue like fizzy bubbles.  It’s fun to say!  It’s fun to be here – the heart of Indiana Amish country, surrounded by quilters and all things quilty.  It’s a haven for quilters of all ages.

Along with our classroom for 40, there are several other open sew retreat rooms going full bore – it’s quilters everywhere you turn, and this is the balm my soul needs!  The fabrics are flying, the projects are varied, there is eye candy to be seen on every surface and the chatter and laughter draws you right in.

You should BE HERE!  You really should!

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