MIXED MEDIA - Derailed

Yep... way off track. So far off track I'm not even at the depot. It's just been one of those mornings.

The day started out great. I took an early  morning drive into town. Saw a mother cow cleaning up a newborn calf, still wobbly on his legs as mom raked her big tongue across him. hehe Too cute.

Got to the restaurant in town to check on the new ownership. Beautiful cowboy decor to match the owner's personality. Back up to write up my weekly column for the newspaper and let my editor know I am taking the next two weeks off. Then the fun began.

Caught the outside cat in the bird feeder. So decided to take him food and refill the feeders. Okay so far. Then Bear, the Great Pyreneese decided it would be okay to come in the house and keep mom company while she worked. That went well until he investigated the bedroom... and Spirit, my precious house tom cat followed him... and wouldn't let him back out! LOL What a wimp. So Bear came out to lay beside Mom where he presumed it would be safe. Wrong. Spirit came out with us and had the nerve to approach Bear who decided the house wasn't big enough for him and the cat both and asked to go outside. Fair enough. I sit back down to work.

And so it went for all of thirty minutes when Bear started barking towards the back of the property where we've had problems. Okay. I'll take the pistol and we'll walk back to check it out. And just in case it was a diversion to get me away from the house, I locked the doors.

You know where this is going, don't you. Yep. I realized in the nano-second it took me to lock the door that my keys were still hanging on the fridge. Oh well, I already knew there would be only one way back in and went on the timber walk to find.... NOTHING! Not a thing to have Bear riled unless a deer had gone that way.

Ever the Girl Scout, I am always prepared (okay, except for a spare key OUTSIDE the house somewhere), I got the tools out of my truck and preceded to remove the trim board from around the bathroom window, pull the screen away an break the window so I could unlock it and crawl through.  Now, I'm in the house and Bob has an actual house repair project on his Honey Do list... a list I try very hard NOT to create for him when he's home.

NOW I'm ready to sit down to work... What's that? Spirit brought Mommy a present. Apparently to tell me he has a size requirement for what he'll allow in the house. This time, a little brown mouse. The mouse goes out and he gets a treat. That's our trade.

By this time I've decided I want as far away from the house as I can get and chinese food. So here I sit at my favorite coffee bar - HERO'S COFFEE in West Plains MO. I've had chinese buffet and now I'm enjoying a much deserved fluffy coffee. After while I'll go get a spare house key made and figure out a place to hide it OUTSIDE of the house LOL. And be home in time to torment Blake Shelton on twitter during TheVoice. Gotta take my frustrations out on someone LOL.

Oh as far as creating goes. I WAS headed downstairs to photograph a new spread in the ABCs book before this all started. I do have two cards for TeaPot Tuesday all done and ready for tomorrow. Two? yep I know I only need one and I'll explain that tomorrow...

No April Fools. Anyone who knows me knows I don't play that game!
Creative Blessings!

Piece Valley Quilt Shop Hop

A week ago today I started off on what despite a couple of bumps, turned out to be the weekend I’d envisioned. FUN!

Piece Valley Quilters held their annual Fall Shop Hop November 3, 4, 5. I’d been on a couple of scrapbooking shop hops and I’m always playing in the on-line blog hops for authors, stamp companies, etc. But this was my first Quilt Shop Hop and I was looking forward to covering the 10 stores in a minimum of 2 days. I was initially shooting for doing them all on Thursday, thus freeing up the rest of my weekend for NanoWrimo but a flat tire on my truck early that first morning changed the scope of the whole weekend. But it was an enjoyable three days despite drizzly weather on Thursday.

The plan was to visit all ten quilt shops, purchase something at every one (though not mandatory for the grand prize) and get my passport stamped at each destination. If the passport was validated at all the shops, then my name went into the drawing for a $50 gift certificate (one given by each store) and the Viking Sapphire 850 by Husgvarna Viking. My spending goal was to attempt to keep it under $20 at each shop, with the balance of my $200 being spent at my LQS.

The first day, I covered over 300 miles, hitting the stores at the opposite farthest ends of the list. My first stops were the two shops in Van Buren, MO. The Pin Cushion where I found these adorable garden fabrics. I’m thinking a small lap quilt perfect for when I’m sitting in a chair on the porch (still to be built) of my garden shed (existing) while I thumb through garden magazines and enjoy the peace of my twenty-five acres. I spent $17.43

Next was Carol’s Country Quilts where I spotted the pretty fall-hued stripe fabric. I picked up coordinating fabrics. Not sure what I’ll use it for, but I loved the patterns. Total cost: $12.32

Then it was on to Mt. View MO and Calico Cupboard. This is one of the first quilt shops I found when we moved down here. He has a beautiful collection of old sewing machines and hard to find patterns. Because I knew I’d be purchasing floursack reproduction fabrics from my Local Quilt Store (LQS) last on the hop, I picked up coordinating reproduction fabrics from Grandpas Garden and Grandma’s Treasures collections. $18.47

After a quick cup of coffee at the local diner, I headed out of town for Ava MO and the Dogwood Quilting. Found some lovely red fabrics and the brown dot. My first thought was chocolate covered cherries. I’ll add from my stash for a Valentine’s style quilt. $13.69. Despite the weather, I enjoyed the drive to Ava. Good thing, because I’ll be going back soon to spend my $50 Gift Certificate! Thank you Connie!

For my last stop of the day, I had just enough time to drive to the opposite end of the hop, to Thayer MO. Coffee Cup Quilts was a neat little shop and I adored ‘Bat’, the shop owner. We had a great visit. I found this pebble-looking fabric that is so not me. But it just jumped off the shelf and put me on the hunt for the coordinating fabrics. This is the only shop where I purchased more than a ½ yard of any one print fabric. I was so excited I purchased two yards. $20.99

After dealing with getting my tire replaced on Friday, I headed for Willow Springs and The Stitchin’ Post (I forgot to stop there on my way to Ava the day before!) I found a dark green fabric that would be the perfect ‘dark’ for the garden quilt. Total: $7.27

With only 4 shops left to go, I drove to West Plains. Sew Connection is a great ‘sewing’ shop outside of West Plains. The beautiful drive took me to a well-lit shop with a friendly staff. I spotted more reds for the Valentine quilt and a paisley I’m not sure what I’ll do with, but I liked it. LOL $11.89

Back in town, I stopped at Gammill Sewing Center. They’re not a huge fabric store, but if you need something for your machine, they’ll have it. I wasn’t sure which size needle I wanted to purchase as I keep breaking my #14. We determined it might be the brand I’ve been buying so I am going to try a new one. $4 and change.

Last on my list for the day was Ozark Sampler Quilts. I’ve been in their store a number of times as they are in the same shopping center as my favorite coffeehouse – Heroes Coffee. I found an additional fabric for the reproduction quilt then headed for fluffy coffee and Internet visiting. $7 and change.

Saturday morning took me to my final stop. Hide Away Quilt shop is my LQS owned by Jean and Jim Asberry. They are super people and some of the first friends I made when we began the move down here. I knew Jean had a 12-bolt collection of Floursack fabrics. I picked out ten plus enough white broadcloth for the background squares to use with them. I’ve decided to do an appliqued 1930’s butterfly garden quilt. No two butterflies will be identical. I also found a quilting stencil for the magickal quilt I’m working on next and a large star stencil, which put my mind on track for a new quilting book. $73 even.

I had a great time seeing how each of the stores was different both in atmosphere and selection. I didn’t win the sewing machine but I already know what I’m looking for with that GC from Dogwood Quilts. My grand total for the ten shops was $186.06 I’m already planning to attend the spring hop. Would you like to go with me?