The Road to South Carolina!

I left around 11:30am this morning – pointing Shamu Southwest down I-85 and making my way through Charlotte towards Spartanburg and the South Carolina Border.

How fortuitous!

I-85 goes DIRECTLY past not only IKEA, which is right off the intersate, but through  Gastonia – and MARY JOs….ALSO right off the interstate!

Let’s just say that if a girl has to stop and stretch her legs and find a restroom – she could do worse than to stop at IKEA and Mary Jos!

I did have an agenda – even if it was planned at the last minute to make an IKEA run ---

I needed a couple more clamp lamps.  I want to clamp them on the headboard of the guest room bed as reading lights. 

SO in I went ---but of course I had to start at the beginning and wind my way through the whole place.  I’m also looking at some twin bed frames for the guest room at the cabin.

I stopped to get lunch……..and as I was clearing my place I was stopped by a woman who asked if I was “Bonnie Hunter”.  I’m still not used to this!  But we had a great little chat.  She lives in the Charlotte area and she and her hubby were just shopping about and having a bite of lunch.  FUN!

Me with Janice at Ikea!  Small World!!

I no sooner had gone down stairs to where the lighting department is in search of my clip on light….and ANOTHER woman stops me…”Oh, my gosh, are YOU Bonnie Hunter?!”  Twice in one day!  Janice is visiting her son who also lives in Charlotte.

And it is a smaller world than that.  Last year her son contacted me to see if he could come by and pick up a book to give his mother as a gift.  Who can resist a son like that?  And now I got to meet the mother he was shopping for.  We had a great little photo op ---a few laughs, and I was back on my way grabbing what I needed and hitting the road again.

All the while I’m thinking I should have dressed better than my jeans and “If you mess with my fabric I’ll rip out your stitches” tshirt, hair in a pony tail and running shoes on my feet.  I’d been trying to tell myself that this is ALSO a day off…and I was taking it casual.  I may have to rethink that.  LOL

Thank you, Ladies….you made my day!

Next Stop!  Mary Jo’s!

If you’ve never been to Mary Jo’s in Gastonia….GO.  Prices are about 25%  to 30% less than what you’d find in a regular quilt shop.  They don’t have all brands all the time, but rarely do I go in here when I don’t find something that has to come home with me.  It’s about the size of a Target store ---and it is wall to wall fabric of every variety you can think of from quilting, to bridal to car upholstery.  EVERYTHING.

Do not go here expecting to see loads of great quilting samples.  It’s like a warehouse.  Go knowing what you need to find and search for it!

They have a SEA of batiks!

And on and on it goes!

I loved the row of Riley Blake zig zags….FUN!

And even more fun to find Pepper Cory’s Peppered Cottons after we had just been discussing them on her facebook page just YESTERDAY!  Oh, these are indeed luscious, they are “shot” cottons,, so the weft is a slightly different shade than the warp…the sheen is woven in, not just over dyed.  I petted.  And I drooled!  And I sent her pictures!

As you head on out of Gastonia further down I-85 there is another landmark you can’t help but see ---the big giant PEACH water tower right out of Gaffney.

I have driven this road many times, and let me tell you – in the right light, this in no way represents a peach, it represents  a hind-end, bottoms up!  ((Dare you not to see it now!!))

I’m HERE!  In CLINTON, SC!

It’s just a few hours drive from home, but the terrain and climate changes so much.

Where we had blowing leaves in North Carolina – a beautiful autumn day that lets you know that yes, fall IS falling ---Here in SC I am surrounded by green pine trees and palms.  I loved living in South Carolina and hearing the breeze waft the palm fronds.  Isn’t it amazing how close yet so different these two worlds are?

All set up and ready to sew!

I brought “Wild & Goosey” parts to sew.  A large bucket of crumbs, some foundation papers and my School Bus Baby!  She’s the perfect shade to contrast with a deep red orange for our Mystery colors posted just this morning.  Did you check it out?  Exciting things happening! I always look forward to mystery time!

I’m meeting up with the guild gals at 8:30 in the morning.  Until then…..I’m in my happy place with scraps to sew!

Have a great evening, everyone

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