Happy Cyber Monday!!!

If you start to feel like this.....

Remember to.....

And so it begins.......peace.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Mamas - hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends. When I count my blessings, I always count the Quiltmamas. I can't imagine my life without you....safe travels. See you soon......piece.

Thoughts....

Peggy - our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Your Dad was a very special man.....may your memories of him bring you peace.

Love,
the Mamas

It's official....

I'm old and have the paperwork to prove it.....we were online tonight trying to book a vacation in June.  Looking at the room rates, I noticed the AARP rate.....hello! Went to the AARP site, signed myself up, printed out my card and we saved over $100 when we booked the place. Finally - a positive to go with the aching back, creaking knees, EOD and menopausal crankiness. A good day! Hope everyone else is well. Is Kevin McCabe feeling better? He was sick last week....poor little guy. And did Kieran escape the germs? Talked with Consuelo tonight and she's recovering from her bout with little kid germs - tonsillitis and the like. Congrats to Pam and Scott for the final move to DE......it's all over but the signing. I stopped by and retrieved St. Joseph from under the bush - I have him for the next person who wants to sell a house. Although, I hope no other Quiltmama is planning on heading out of town for a while. Pam - I hope we get to see you over the holidays - and thanks for your kind Thanksgiving invitation. Lois is enjoying her new furnace, I'm sure. I can host a bee next week (Monday or Tuesday) - it should be a light homework week.....what night works for most folks? Let me know your thoughts.......enjoy the rest of the week....can you believe we're on the downside of November? Piece......

Oh, what a weekend! Early November, back in 11.......

Sorry - Frankie Valle flashback.....anyhow - what a hoot! Let's see - the trip up was a little eventful....it included a turnoff in Morgantown - homage to the Hayloft. My car just got off the exit - so we turned around and got right back on the turnpike. Stopped at Sauders.....bought some fabric - and encountered a 'Mean Quilter' - wow! She wasn't mean to us but what a witch! Moving on, walking to the car, I thought to myself - 'Don't turn too early to get on 222'....got in the car, promptly forgot and turned too early. Lori and I ended up backing up about 50 feet or so on the highway shoulder, in unison - the husbands would not have approved. What the heck?! Made it to Intercourse without further complications....went to the Country Store, Zook's, Bitty Kinna's. And, of course, to the Kling House for lunch. Made it down to Omar's before checkin...Mare, Maureen, LA and Kieran landed at the house right after we did....ahhh....nothing like unpacking and the feeling of hours of uninterrupted sewing stretching out before us. So we sat in the living room for a bit and chatted and gazed upon Kieran - so relaxing. Then the sweat shop opened and the sewing commenced. Consuelo served a sumptuous dinner - lasagna, bread with garlic dipping oil, salad - mighty good! Fortified us to continue sewing. Kieran ate like a champ the whole weekend!! Saturday was a beautiful day....sewing in the morning...showers and headed to The Iron Horse for lunch. It was delicious...as always. There were laughs, Stuart at the bar, a martini, naughty pilgrims and awesome crab soup - and Kieran slept through the whole thing. The owner lady popped in to see us right before we left. General consensus - we're going for lunch from now on. And maybe bring a nice soup for Saturday dinner. Lots of sewing, a little kitchen kettle shopping for some - and the cherry on top - we turned the clocks back on Saturday night - giving us an extra hour!!!! Oy! Sunday was just as beautiful....we had breakfast followed by show & tell and a weekend recap....packing up and the trip home. Truly the most fun 48 hours! A few decisions/facts/discussions from the weekend:

We're going to have our Christmas party/dinner at the Lamb - some night between Christmas and New Year's - followed by gift exchange/dessert at a nearby Quiltmama house - TBD....Pam - will you be able to make it?

Pollyanna gifts - something handmade - doesn't have to be a wallhanging. That was the original thought  because that would be less time-consuming. But, if you are an over-achiever and want to make something larger, feel free.

We've determined the syndrome that seems to be affecting most Quiltmamas (besides menopause) - it is EOD. There aren't a lot of fundraisers or telethons for it....Early Onset Dementia.

Between the menopausal women and the nursing Mom, the hormones were very nearly flowing out the door and down the driveway!

And now....what you've been waiting for....show & tell:

Stuart at the Iron Horse..

He couldn't get served...

Stuart hanging with LA and Kieran

Kieran - when we wouldn't let him sew...

Maureen - about to start machine quilting with Maude for the first time......scalpel!

Voila - Maureen's sudoku quilt - numerically awesome!

Lori - snowman little quilt...my favorite kind of snowman!!!

Lori's red & white string quilt - just beautiful!!!

Cathy did five Swoon blocks......why yes we will....

Still swooning....

Yes, please....

Ditto....

Can't wait to see this finished.....stunning....

Dolores - a 'crack' string quilt....and she's not done....

Dolores - this is for her sister - if she can pry it out of Dolores' hands......so rich looking....

Consuelo/Vanna showing the backing....and who is that mystery woman?

LA - 'Wonder Woman' - got this top done - amazing!

A small Santa quilt for the table frame...

A West Chester t-shirt quilt....

One of Cathy's bags - so easy.....hmmmm....it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas gifts.....

Bertha - from Three Times a Charm - using every scrap of one charm pack

I'm sure I forgot some things....please chime in. Thanks for a wonderful weekend, ladies.....we missed Lois and Pam.....hoping you can come the next time......that's it for now...piece....

exhausting funny.....

What a terrific weekend girls.....this is how I feel:

I'll post the pictures and commentary tomorrow....must sleep.......zzzzzz........

And then there was one.....

As in one day left....oy! Haven't packed a thing and was in a bit of panic this morning - what projects, how much fabric, batting, fusible fleece - yes or no? Lots of questions....can't wait to start piling up all this stuff tonight....I always go with such high hopes and too many projects - but that's part of the fun. And.......Kieran is coming!!!! And he's bringing his Mom!!!! So happy! Enjoy this perfect fall day, ladies.....it's going to take forever....piece.....