A Stash Sale and Dingle gets a new 'do!

I took Dingle (Daisy) and Magic to the groomer last Friday and got an accidental new 'do for Dingle. I received a call from them mid-morning explaining that she was confused for a different Golden Retriever, and that they accidentally gave her 'a puppy cut'. I just laughed. They were glad I was laughing. It's only hair, it'll grow back, and compared the Dr. Suess-esk haircut my father gave our Old English Sheepdog years ago, it doesn't even rank on the bad-hair-cut-o-meter. My father shaved down her body, and left her head and feet for last since she hated those parts being messed with, and then the clippers died. She looked silly for over 2 weeks while we waited for the new clippers. Dingle before:

Dingle after:

At least they didn't shave Magic!

He smelled so good after his bath that all the dogs kept creeping up on him to get a whif.

As those of you who know Jennie and I personally, you will have heard by now that we, along with our friends Paige and Pattie, are having a giant quilting stash sale Friday August 6th - Sunday, August 8th. The hours are 9-4 daily, and it will be held at 1400 New Haven Drive, Cary Il.

I have been ruthless about culling my stash herd, and am not done yet. Here's a sampling of what I've decided to find good new homes for:

And I'm not done yet! I'm getting to be like DiscoJen, 'just get rid of it' is her mantra! And I have Binding Guru Karen to thank for the organization. She color and genre grouped it all and had the fabulous ideas to use those boxes for easier perusal and shopper ease. I must say some of it was very, very hard to part with, but I was strong, so I hope you all come out and give the fabric a new home. The prices will be great!

Craziness

I'm terribly sorry for the lapse in posts. It's been a crazy few weeks. I've been canning tomatoes like mad every night after work, trying to keep up on the garden, finish a quilt for display at Tammy Tadd's, make bags for Jennie, and help a friend get her house in order to sell! Whew! I'm tired just thinking about it all! The house turned out amazing, if I say so myself! We did our very own version of Designed to Sell. I'll have to take photos to show you all.

The tomatoes were exciting. I've never canned them before, and it ends up that it's ridiculously easy! I think this means I'll have to plant even more tomatoes next year. I want to make salsa, tomato sauce, gazpacho, soup, and all things tomato based and can them for the winter! Imagine opening garden fresh salsa in February! It practically makes me giddy just thinking about it.

I'll post photos of the projects next week when I can breathe again. This weekend is insane as well. Friday, Jennie and I are going to the Madison Quilt Expo. I'm rather excited. I've never been to this show.

Saturday I'm working. And finally, Sunday, Amy and I are hitting the Renegade Craft Fair!It should be great. There are a lot of really interesting crafters going to be there. I'm totally looking forward to checking out the Sublime Stitching booth since I've decided that I really should learn how to embroider. I know, it's insane, but they have just the cutest embroidery patterns these days and I just can't help myself! I mean how cute would this be on the pocket of one of my grocery bags along with the cute sushi fabric as the main print?
Squirrel Momma will be there too. She makes the cutest pin cushion thingies. I'm totally in love with her hedgehogs and penguins. They are just too cute!

Well, that's all I have time for today. I'll try to post again very soon. Back to work for me! Bags and quilts to make!

The Hat

Karen and I went out to Tammy Tadd’s quilt shop a couple of weekends ago. It’s always such a joy to go there. It’s happy. I, and several others, refer to it as the happiest place on earth. It truly is too!

I was on a mission. I bought some black and white fabric to go with the samurai fish / sushi fabric that I already had to make into placemats. Isn't is great fabric? It makes me smile.

Since we were already out that way, we decided to check out a store in downtown DeKalb that Tammy has talked about on her blog. It’s called Moxie. It’s actually two sister stores. One that’s more gifty, and one that has gift items on the first floor and the coolest vintage stuff on the second floor. The vintage stuff is fantastic! It’s all very clean, and doesn’t have that musty smell that most vintage things have. I couldn’t resist these fabrics:

I think I’ll fussy cut out the bunnies and appliqué them onto bags. The fabric is actually a French pleated curtain that’s in great shape, so I feel a little guilty about cutting them apart. I think the knight fabric is totally 60’s, don’t you? Something about it reminds me of the Monkees, and I love the Monkees!

Then there’s The Hat. I love The Hat. I describe it as Audrey Hepburn in A Day at the Races. I was trying it on at the store as the woman who was working came out of the back room. She exclaimed “Are you getting The Hat? I love The Hat! I just put it out an hour ago.” Then she told another lady working there that I was going to buy The Hat. She said she had planned on buying it too. Oh well, it’s mine now!

My friend Amy asked me what I was going to do with it. I told her that I think I may just wear it around the house every day because wearing it makes you feel so pretty and sophisticated. I think I might wear it to my cousin’s wedding or rehearsal dinner. It’s in the Rose Garden at the St.Louis Botanic Gardens, so I think it’s appropriate. I’m not sure that it goes with my dress though, so I’ll have to see.

I took The Hat over to Pitty Pat’s the other night for dinner. We took turns wearing it around her house. When her daughter came home, we made her wear it too. Pitty Pat also thought the knight fabric was cool, though her daughter looked at it suspiciously. She’s in her early 20’s, so I don’t think it resounded with her the way it did with Pitty Pat and I.

I also got this adorable seal planter.

I was looking for a planter for my baby tears plant, and this is perfect! Isn’t he cute? He reminds me of that children’s book, Sammy the Seal.