Okay, so it took 3 days.......

I promised to take you to the "Dark Side" three days ago but for me it was just yesterday! You know what they say......."time flies when you're having fun!"

As most of you know I have been in the throes of giving up my "other" business and it has been taking up a large part of my days and nights. The last three days was spent racing to complete two year ends for the accountant and I just came back from delivering the second one to him in Unionville. Phew! just under the wire......but done!

Then there is "cause and effect" which created the "Dark Side". Beyond the classroom is the kitchen and then there is THE DOOR! The one that says "Private Office - No Entry Please". Up until Tuesday it was also referred to as the "Cold Storage" because beyond that point there was no heat! Hence "cause and effect"! "Cause there was no heat the effect was catastrophic! I will give you a rare glimpse at what no heat caused....

This is my office, heated for the past three months with a space heater......Side A......
....and Side B - it is also due to the fact that I have to combine my "old" office with my store office that chaos has reigned (that and the lack of heating)!

...and the REAL cold storage where there was absolutely no heat - our storage room! There was no way anyone could stay in there for more than 5 minutes once the temperature started to dip......

From this angle it only looks worse........

......and now for the real "Dark Side" - my son Jonathan! (Great scowl) He was playing with the camera and I told him if he didn't stop I would post this pic......guess what!

On Tuesday they finally came to install the duct work that is now FINALLY heating the storage room and my office.......they took apart the ceiling in the classroom........

.......the ceilings in the kitchen, the storage room and my office and I finally have heat!

My goal, along with completing a few more outstanding year ends (my companies, of course) is to get those two rooms in order - hopefully before New Year's! All I need is TIME!!!! (that 4-letter word again!)

I'm sure you all remember Country Haven - one of my favourite quilt patterns with that gorgeous fabric from Kim Diehl (no mine is not done - you're kidding, right!) Well just to jog your memory - look at the picture!

...and now look at what one of our customers did! Martha brought this quilt in today and made sure I got a look at it......not only is it the Country Haven pattern but she did it in a "quilt as you go" method! I should have taken a picture of the back - it is done in a checkerboard with the greens and the beiges.......isn't it gorgeous! When I first saw it - it looked familiar but I couldn't figure out why! How different the same pattern can look in another colour way and yet so completely effective!

You may all think because I haven't posted anything yet that Elaine is winning the Marti Michell challenge, but I'm not so sure! Here's Block 1 of the "Light" version of the quilt! (Take into account I've cut all my blocks now) ....and I am halfway done Block 2!

News from the storefront! (Enough with the back rooms!)

We have completely replenished our Sashiko cabinet and added a few great Japanese fabric packs - Charm Packs with 40 fabrics and 1/2 metre cuts! Along with loads of thread and Sashiko panels.....there are some books on the way as well - Barb thinks we should do a class and I'm agreed with that! We may even show you how to embellish these panels.......I can see places for beads galore!

Last, but not at all least, Nancy spent the day making tags for our pattern racks! She got out the old Print Shop and the laminator and went to town. We think it will make it alot easier to find things.....along with our pattern books! We've also gotten in quite a few new ones......

.....the rest of the day Nancy and I spent debating who was the "Start A Project" queen! I'm still not sure who's in the lead - her or me! Hmmmm! Do I see a resolution coming soon????? We'll see!

All I know is - I just looked at the clock and it's almost midnight so on that note I will close the lights and head home to bed......(I just started reading The Lost Symbol - so I can't wait to get home!) Tomorrow is another day, another block and we've got Friday night Sit & Sew so I'll be cooking up a storm.....

Nite all and Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

Fabulous Fractures, New Stuff and MY FAVORITE day of the year.........

First of all it's Barb's Birthday tomorrow (she will be 39 again!) and Karen and Riali brought her a lovely cake on Saturday when they came for their class. Ok well that was after lunch we took the picture........
Elaine was in to teach Fabulous Fractures on Saturday and they really are FABULOUS!

This one is from one of the Asian prints in the store.........kinda looks like Africa....

Now turn it the other way and we have Australia..........

This one is a beautiful floral fabric and I believe two of the students were using the same fabrics......

An order came in from my supplier on Friday - no sooner had I priced these books then they were gone......FibreArt Montage by Judith Baker Montana came in - 6 of them and Elaine is holding up the last one Saturday afternoon which left the store shortly afterwards.....luckily I have 6 more on order which should be in this week.....The book is amazing!

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt came in too and I believe there is one copy left in the store....guess I will be ordering more of those tonight as well! It's written by Laurie Aaron Hird and it is an amazing quilt (I have the book and shhhhhhh - I will be collecting fabrics for this amazing quilt shortly.....I want to hand piece it! Because I have so much "extra" time on my hands!)

I'm sure you all remember our Buck A Block this year (there were other names given to it for obvious reasons due to the difficulty some of you had with the outside borders!) Well Effie has hers practically done and it looks spectacular! You can't beat the cost of this quilt! We've still got finishing kits at the front counter if anyone needs one.......

Now I get to MY FAVORITE DAY of the YEAR! It's POT LUCK Monday! I don't have to agonize what to make for the Monday Sit & Sew because the girls all make something and bring it in and exchange Secret Santa gifts........It's wonderful!

The lunch preparations didn't stop the girls from working though! Here's Gail pinning a quilt that she had wanted to quilt herself - but I just got the scoop and she's on her way over to Sandy's to get it quilted......(Sandy being Sandy Lindal of Scrappy Gal Quilts....a fabulous long-arm quilter right here in the city!)

Here's Stephanie auditioning fabrics for a quilt she is piecing by hand.......

...and Gillian is doing something with pajama bottoms - making them bigger I think! (We don't sell Maple Leaf fabric!)

...and HERE is the DIE HARD quilter, Elaine, hand completely bandaged from a Flaming Christmas Pudding accident making a backing for her fabulous baby quilt!

And now for the good stuff......Kathy and LeeAnn busy preparing in the kitchen......

....for a varitable feast.......so many wonderful dishes.......and that was just the beginning.......

Then came the dessert table.......

Thank you ladies, it was a wonderful lunch, and as you can see everyone enjoyed it....... (I'm stuffed to the gills!) and as usual you have outdone yourselves! The gifts were also wonderful and thoughtful! We had a really great time!

...and then I found this lovely gift (don't know who the women are in the picture) which will make a wonderful frame for a picture of my godson's son.....This will be Shai's frame....I don't know who the Secret Santa (Chanukah Harry) was but I thank you so much and I am wearing the necklace!!!!!

Tomorrow I will show you all why I haven't been keeping up with the blog......a look at the "dark side".........Oh yes, and I forgot, Elaine has issued a challenge!

The Marti Michell Block of the Month kits have arrived (I showed you the fabrics last week in the blog) and she is doing the "dark" version while I am doing the "light" version - it seems there is a race on to see who will finish first! Of course I assume that only means the top because SHE will probably be quilting both quilts......so - bring it on Elaine!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann