Hello-o-o-o.... Anybody home?

I'm still here and have been trying to blog for the last 5 days. I usually post in the evening and each time I sat down to start, thunderstorms and/or tornado warnings were in effect. That's a definite puter shutdown!

Then I got bright (hmmm) and tried in the afternoon. Just one little blob out there to the west--no problem. Well, that turned bright red (on the radar) just before it got to us. Always remember that bright red in nature means danger! Another whopper, but what a lightening show...

Then, last night, just before the ritual began AGAIN, I found a message from Katie on my g-mail (which I admit I am really bad about checking) and absolutely promised I would blog today. And Theri reminds me every night! Maybe that's all it took? No clouds, no warnings, and even the humidity (yucky stuff) is relenting.

This is certainly my month for packages! Plenty of stuff I've ordered, but that comes on another blog that I can blame Joanne & Katie for... A BIG box from Theri--and that's another blog. So now it's time to show my swap blocks (took long enough for me to get here, right?):

First package opened: the beautiful blue blocks from Canuck Quilter. Aren't they lovely?
Even better if I could line them up squarely! I thought of her the other day when another lady in the quilt shop was having a stack of blue batiks cut; I'm guessing she's starting "Outside the Box" from the August issue of APQ. Have you seen that one Joanne? You said you were thinking of blues again since you've used your stash on all of us!

Second package: a wonderful assortment from Katie. Obviously, the blocks are great! I am absolutely sure that I never mentioned the 2 years I had a frog in my fish pond, but that's what is on my scissor fob. And the fabric inside the flower petal pin holder is a baby chick...a perfect reminder of my chicken wall hanging. AND, as a special thanks for the dollie quilt fabric, she sent a Soul Mates charm pack pattern for a wall hanging or table topper. There are 2 blue birds in the center! Is she good, or what? Oops, forgot to add the wrapper for the Ghirardelli chocolate bar!

Next came Ruth's blocks. Don't you love the variety and contrast in these blocks?! The tissue holder is great for my purse and the bookmark is already in use (so it's not in the picture). Loved the postcard from Arches National Park--wow! Certainly different from my memories of taking the children skiing in Alta when they were little. Just goes to show how diverse and magnificent our states can be! I was late mailing Ruth's package---she almost beat me. But hopefully she will have surprises when she gets home!


Beth's blocks came the same day as Ruth's package. The little heart opens to make a full circle for needles. What a cute idea! And how did she know that I am forever sticking my current needle thru the edge of my cross stitch and hoping that I don't drop it somewhere?

Thanks to all of you! All of the packages are like a birthday or Christmas in June...

Mary

A bright spot on a dreary day...

We have lived outside of Indianapolis for about fifteen years and have rarely (maybe 3 times) had bluebirds come to check our birdhouses for living quarters.

We were jealous when we were in North Carolina because they are all over my brother's neighborhood.

But luck was with us when we got home! They didn't stay, but my hubby was fast enough to get some wonderful shots before they flew away...

There are two houses that would have been much more appropriate, but no...
they picked the old
dilapidated "chalet" that we had planned on replacing. But a wren
had moved
in and we love listening to him!




















Well, I obviously need to practice with adding pictures since I got back!

Now I'll add just a couple more. I've been going thru my books for two days and cannot find this little fellow in the lower pictures...he's new to our yard, but maybe you know who he is?





















Mary

The REAL Stash Heaven

I have been a member of the Viking Designer1 yahoo group for years. And whenever someone asks for locations of fabric or quilting shops in the south, some member (or members) jump in and advise that if you are driving thru North Carolina, you've got to stop at Mary Jo's Cloth Co. in Gastonia. Huh? I'd been to my brother's house in Hickory multiple times, but where the heck is Gastonia?

Well, we needed to pick up Theri and Dave from the airport in Charlotte (an hour further east than Hickory) and guess what road sign I saw 2o minutes before we got to the airport? That's right, you can tell by the picture! It was Gastonia! Of course I didn't have the address and was starting to panic--we were early by over 2 hours--but hubby pulled out his handy i-phone (most of the time I just roll my eyes with this gadget), pulled up the map and gave directions right to the parking lot.
Looks like unorganized chaos, doesn't it? Not at all. Upholstery fabric, linings, threads, etc. are in different sections--and the bolts you see in the background are for US! Quilter's heaven...

But first, I just stood and listened to customers and workers chatting...ah! how I miss that southern drawl.

The quilting section is clearly and wonderfully labeled: farm & zoo animals, fish & lighthouses, black & white, etc.

My husband was anxious to get moving, so I only bought four half yards that day and I'm sure you'll see them in a later post...

Most of you have probably read Theri's post of the quilt for my brother and I truly appreciate all your kind comments. She did a wonderful thing for him and he talked of playing with his cars on a quilt when he was about 7 years old--I would have been about 2 at the time. It's a memory to cherish.

We left a little early to get them back to the airport and let Theri enjoy a trip thru Mary Jo's too.

These are her fabrics on the right. Yep! You've undoubtedly picked out which fabrics are intended for her birds, right?

Fabrics from Marcus Fabrics, Robert Kaufman, Andover and so many others. Prices from $5.49 to $6.99 a yard...big sigh. We talked about how badly we could blow our budgets if we had more time!

Theri stopped next to one woman in the store who was examining a particulary pretty bolt and she said "I don't even know what I'm doing here. People in So. Carolina told me I had to stop, but I'm on my way to Massachusetts!"

And here are my choices. Aren't they lovely?

So the next time you see a fabric that you really like and you can wait for it, write all the info and check with Mary Jo's online or by phone...you might save a bundle. Some fabrics are shown online, but there's so much more!

Mary