23 days 'til Lancaster...& counting!!! ; )
Piece, Pam

P.S. Welcome (back) Leigh Anne! It worked & we're glad to have you!

Happy Spring Ladies!!!

The Vernal Equinox occurred while @ Bee this evening! Winter is officially OVER!!! : ) Onto SPRING!!! Enjoy the new look!?

Okay, counting today, Wednesday 3/21, we have 24 days 'til Lancaster!!! If you haven't started - START squirreling away your $$$ for shopping!!! Get your lists ready...thread, patterns, notions, books, vendors...!?! And, get new batteries for your camera, empty your camera cards or sticks so you have LOTS of room for new photos!!! And, let's prepare to be INSPIRED...by one another, the magnificent quilts we'll see, the FUN & exciting vendor booths & local shops, etc!!!

Jean - thanks for hosting! We LOVED looking @ the pics from your brother's wedding. It seemed truly special & FUN, magical even! ; ) The Irish Chain quilt you are giving as their wedding gift is truly beautiful. What a special gift. You are amazing. : ) Hey, your class quilt is neat too! The free motion quilting you've done is awesome! Way to SEW!!! P.S. Can you PLEASE show this to Kelly?! I forgot to tell her HOW MUCH I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED HER WAY COOL SHAMROCK SHADES @ THE WEDDING (RECEPTION)!!! ; ) Kelly, YOU have a style all your own, & I admire it & YOU! : )

Cathy - Happy (belated) Birthday!!! : ) Give The Little Shop a call & check up on your BOM! Have you been able to stitch anything else? Keep hanging in there, girl! ; ) How is Mike's landscaping class going?!

Mare - what have you been stitching?

Lois - your Family Album quilt is such a remarkable heirloom!!! I think George should let you hang it in the living room!

Mo - it was good to SEE you! : ) Thanks for dropping off Leigh Anne! How's that QM scrap book coming along...?! I do have photos from many of our Bee gigs - Brigantine weekends, Sewing for Soldiers (I think), Alex quilts, the BBQ, etc. Remind me to print or send or maybe even photobucket them...?! Enjoy Track & we'll look forward to seeing you when we can!

Leigh Anne - it was good to SEE you too! : ) How is your hand? The stitches are definitely OUT by now, right? You're TOO funny about buying fabric! ; ) Remember to save your bucks for Lancaster, girlfriend!!!

Lori - the Sherbet & Chenille baby quilt sounds nice. : ) What else are you working on? What will you be looking for in Lancaster?

Peggy & Dolores - how are you guys doing? What's the news? Sewing???

For those of you who didn't hear, Lois & I were discussing Rayon thread. Lois asked about using it for machine quilting. She was having trouble with the thread breaking. Rayon thread is a decorative thread. It can be used for machine embroidery, satin stitching & other decorative sewing purposes, but doesn't have the strength or integrity to withstand being used to quilt. The heat & friction of the needle going through all those layers will cause the thread to shred & tear. It's luster & sheen are most noticeable when used in close applications like machine embroidery or satin stitching. Even then, because the thread is very fine, usually a special needle is used (with a deeper scarf) to help distribute the heat & friction in order to prevent thread breakage. (why do I know this kind of stuff...?!)

Thanks ALL for looking @ my photos. I THINK I've figured out part of my photobucket problem, sew hopefully I'll be able to post pictures...soon...?! Scott & I are thrilled about hanging Barb's Wedding Ring quilt above our "joined" tables & work spaces. It honors her; the way quilting has woven her family together, her quilting legacy & mastery, her LOVE!!!

Have FUN : ) making Daniel's quilt for his Alex's Lemonade Stand this year. Sorry I can't share this time.

Alright girls, enjoy your day & SPRING!!! Thanks for staying tuned & stopping by. ; )
Piecefully, Pam

Good Morning Girls,

Jean - I am SO happy to hear the wedding was awesome & FUN!!! : ), & unaffected by Mother Nature! Thanks for volunteering to host on Tuesday! Can we look forward to seeing wedding pictures? I plan on Bee-ing there. ; )

Speaking of pictures...I am having difficulty with PhotoBucket & haven't been able to post any studio pictures. Sorry! I'll keep trying...?!

However, the studio is coming together quite nicely! Scott & I are both VERY pleased, happy & satisfied with our work & it's results. : ) I sewed a new fleece pillowcase for the dog bed on Sunday afternoon, I have my Alex block cut out & have just begun piecing it, & on Sunday morning I hand quilted an entire Square in a Square block!!! The studio space is comfortable. : ) I have most of my sewing "stuff" transferred to their new places. Everything is even mostly organized & where it belongs. I have a couple of baskets of odds & ends that I need to find a home for & work into the mix, but all in all, it's done & usable - Yippee!!! : )

Scott went back to work tonight & I'll return Monday night. We had a super productive time off! I need to go back to work for a breather...! ; ) Have a good Monday! "Talk" with you again soon.
Piecefully, Pam

Kiss the Blarney Stone!!! Erin go Bra-less!?! And, Happy St. Patty's weekend to ALL!!!

Jean - Hope the wedding isn't troubled by this weather!!! Have a BLAST, but be careful!!! Will we see any pictures on Tuesday?!

Mo - glad to have you back & feeling better! I missed your humor! I've always liked those little yellow stars, pink hearts & green clovers! ; )

It IS a lot of trips up & down the stairs (and I'm not done) !!! Scott finished putting together the last bits & pieces of studio furnishings today & I began moving fabric & books down this morning! I was a little bit excited...?! Scott & I have been pleasantly surprised @ just how much we've been able to get done, & @ how comfortable the new spaces are/feel. : ) The puppy is asleep @ our feet as I write. : )

I'll write more tomorrow. I'm pooped tonight. I will also look @ trying to post some pictures, but don't hold your breath...

Be safe & warm. Sew & sip cocoa!
Piecefully, Pam

Good Evening Girls,

Mo - I'm certainly glad to hear that you're starting to feel better!!! Hooray! : )

Lori - glad to know you're well enough to do laundry. That's not much fun though. : /

Mare - how are you feeling?

Did all you guys have the same thing?!

Jean - did you get to stitch @ lunch?! What a great lunch break!!! : ) Wasn't the day just gorgeous?! A nice breath of Spring is like balm to the soul. : ) How many Cottage blocks do you have to stitch yet?

And, you're right Jean, one month 'til Lancaster!!! I was just thinking that TODAY!!! I am anxious!!!

Well, Scott & I were @ Ikea today & bought studio furnishings!!! Scott had to make 2 trips. I was left behind, or it would have been 3 trips! We're doing well. No fights, Scott's back is holding up, & we're satisfied with how things are working out so far. Three of the six units we purchased were in the Ikea As-Is room...so they were already assembled & less expensive. That's a win-win!!! : ) Scott found a desk top (like our tables Jean) in the As-Is room too! Four of the six pieces are in place already. Scott has two more units to assemble tomorrow + his desk. I will be moving my sewing stash, books & supplies downstairs tomorrow afternoon if all continues to go well!!! Scott will work with cord-age...organizing wires, cables, cords & such! We're getting there...!?!?!? Jean, you asked what color the curtains are...they're a soft aqua. That color ties in the porch rockers & some art work we have. Plus, I've carried some aqua into the new living room space along with the red...& the red in the living room ties into the RED kitchen!!! It's all coming together, girls! ; ) If anyone feels so/sew inclined to see our progress first-hand, feel free to stop by for a peek!

Okay, I'm pooped & soon going to get ready for bed. That does it for today! Enjoy your tomorrow & sew a little when you get the chance!
Piecefully, Pam

Heya Gals!

Good evening. : ) Cathy - thanks for hosting tonight's Bee! And, thanks to you & Dolores for listening to my crazy stories!!! Sorry to hear sew many of our group is ill!!! Lori, Maureen & Marianne too?! That's quite enough!!! Jean - thanks for delivering the bag, I got it, but didn't look inside yet...?!

Well ladies, today was MUCH better than yesterday!!! My heart couldn't take another day like yesterday! Nor could my hair!?!

Scott & I will be going to Ikea tomorrow or Thursday to buy studio furnishings!!! I'm feeling pretty darn excited!!! Scott put up new curtain rods in the studio today & I hung some new curtains. I absolutely LOVE the color!!! I also moved around some current pieces to make room for the new shelving units. And, I cleaned too.

Wasn't the weather nice today? I hung MORE wash out on the line. It smells unbelievably good when you bring it inside! How does that happen?!

And, it's a lot nicer walking Jingle when it's not freezing or below!!! He doesn't come home with icicles on his chin. Somehow or other he's become somewhat of a neighborhood celebrity...a lady driving in her car stopped us yesterday & shouted, "Is that Jingle? Look how good he's doing for you! Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell!" I didn't even recognize her...?! She sort of cackled & chortled her salutation & Jingle just ate it up!!! He has some little neighborhood kids loving him up too. He's a schmoozer. Consider yourselves warned!

Okay, Game Night is winding down here. I gotta go. Enjoy your evening & have a wonderful tomorrow!!!
Piece, Pam

Good Sunny Morning!

Well, I had a harrowing start to my day & I'm a bit frazzled... I was jarred awake @ 0632 to what sounded like marbles being poured onto the hardwood floors downstairs, then there was a loud G-O-N-G noise?!?!?! I sat bolt upright, thinking what the HE-double hockey sticks?!?!?! I jumped out of bed, grabbed my glasses & a robe. By then I heard the dog barking...in the kitchen...?! We turned the clocks ahead & now it's dark @ 0632. I can not turn on the foyer light from upstairs because the x-10 lock is on. I RUN down the stairs, in relative darkness, unsure of what lies ahead...oh crap!!!...there's a new dog gate on the stairs that I need to not TRIP over - blue words...?! I look into the studio & nothing seems amiss in there. I do turn on a light! I dash into the "new" living room. No light, the ceiling light hasn't been installed yet...but, I can see the kitchen dog gate is open, as it should be 'cause Jingle is in his crate -asleep! I reach my hand around the corner & flip on the overhead kitchen light... Uh oh, there stands Jingle, ears all akimbo & he's looking sort of limp & wilted, immobile even. I hear a rumbling sound. OKAY, oKaY, okay...Jingle's IN the kitchen, ALL the dog gates are OPEN, he's NOT wearing a collar, but, but I don't understand...! My mind is whirring, I can't keep up, WHAT exactly is going on here, would someone please explain?!?!?! Scott's @ work! What's that rumbling sound I hear??? WHY, no HOW is Jingle standing in the kitchen?! Did Scott leave him out overnight & not tell me?! No, can't be. He wouldn't do that, plus ALL the dog gates are open. And, what's that rumbling noise?! I wheel around & find Shelby flattened behind the kitchen table & my chair, growling a low rumble. She's looking...ah, make that smelling pissed!!! Processing, processing...get a hold of Jingle & push him out the door into the backyard - QUICK! Is Shelby alright?! Ugh, I hear the garbage truck coming & the gates to the back yard are OPEN. Okay, I don't see any blood, I'm going to RUN outside & close the gates - hurry up! Sometime throughout this episode I picked up the phone & called Scott. I'm speaking in a frenetic way, trying to communicate...?! Back inside, Miss Shelby seems none the worse for wear. She's NOT bleeding, there are NO broken bones & I don't see any injuries. I need to pick her up & feel her. I have to be sure she hasn't been harmed. I hang up the phone. Shelby is now upstairs under the guest bed. Well, she's clearly able to walk & climb stairs without any obvious problems. Upstairs, I have to move chairs (don't ask!?) & squeeze myself under the bed to reach her. My head's stuck! I am feeling old & thinking, "See, this is why God didn't let me have children, I can't manage 1 cat & 1 dog!"

Alright, so everyone is alive & unharmed, Jingle included. : ) Shelby doesn't have 9 lives left anymore, & I sprouted more gray hairs than I'd like to admit or count. What an awful experience!!!

It would seem as though, Shelby went down to the basement (don't ask?!, one can only imagine!?), where Jingle was in his crate, asleep?! Evidently, the crate wasn't reassembled properly following our Beach trip & Jingle busted OUT when Shelby got near! The sound of marbles? Yeh, that was the sound of their nails on the floors & a flight of stairs! The loud gong? The architecture pillar in the foyer holding a giant glass hurricane & candle - that was the candle gonging the glass hurricane as they rocked it while rocketing past it.

So Jean, if I'm NOT @ your place by 6:15 & you haven't heard from me, I won't be going to the Guild meeting. But, I will try & make it. I need a nap!...didn't I just say that the other day...?!

Let's hope for peace. World peace, but I'll start @ home first.
Piece..., Pam