Time Well Spent

I want to take a minute and say that I realize I have been MIA lately.  

Many things going on personally that have taken me away, and 

not anything anyone really wants to hear about, trust me! 

 I have also had a really, really bad cold for the past week and

 haven't even turned on my computer at home to blog, so sorry.  

I do have a little trip to share with you though.  

DH and I went to Shipshewana last week.  

We go several times each year and he had the day off so we decided , why not?

First stop was the cheese shop where Mr. Spark was caught acting kind of "cheesy".

He has his silly moments.   

(but seriously I had to swipe that hat off or I wasn't going anywhere with him!!)

The next stop was Jo Jo's Pretzels.

We love these pretzels, so much!

I had popped over to Lolly's while he stood in line.

When I came back he was walking to a table with all this!

Then he smiled sweetly at me and told me he had a surprise coming for me!

 

 It was a pumpkin pie milk shake!

Oh Mr. Spark, you know me all too well!

I am a sucker for pumpkin anything!!!

It makes me so happy that he does little things like this still after 28 years!

 (Although he is still stumped why I take so many photos of everything, LOL)

 

 

Then we went to Lolly's and Yoders.

I decided I didn't really need much in the way of fabric but there were a few things I did buy.

In the downstairs part of the building is a Little Bit of Lolly's

It's like the sale section

I picked up some Moda Bella solid.

We went back upstairs to the full price store and I found this interesting bit of fabric

The Constitution

I eventually want to make Mr. Spark a "Lincoln Log Cabin" quilt.

I thought it would be nice to put in the constitution.

Even though it will be cut up!

Anyone that wants to get rid of any "Lincoln" fabric, send it my way.

I'm collecting for this quilt.

I have been wondering about some of the new Kona colors, especially the new grays.

I found them both at Yoders.

I present to you

Iron and Steel

Oh and some Pale Flesh too

Steel and Iron

I really like both of these grays, very nice!

I needed a few other solids for a few projects so added these to the cart as well

Pale Flesh

Blue Jay

Buttercup

Sprout 

Chartruese

I saw this reindeer fabric and how could I resist when it went so nicely with this embroidery?

Not sure if I couldn't, but I didn't.  Won't this make a darling Christmas quilt??

Those reindeer remind me of fabric from the 50's!

I also bought a pattern that I have been stalking for some time.

I can't say that I am really keen on the BiG doll in the center, 

BUT

I thought the little ones might make nice leader and ender blocks to use scraps with.

I will let you know how that goes.

I have finished all the blocks for my first leader/ender quilt.

Now I need to sew that baby together!

But I digress.

We stopped at Rebecca Haar's place and I found some GREAT new rugs

(sorry no photo)

I asked what the Amish make them from and the woman working there told me

"Oh they use bolt ends"

I said,"Bolt ends of what?" 

She said,"They don't really know"

HiLaRiOuS!!!

But seriously the rugs are GREAT!

I also found these amazing blue bobbins

Mr Spark asked me what was I going to do with so many of them?

Why put trims around them and put them in a basket, of course!

Cute?

I think so!

Now what is Shipshewana without this shot?

And if any of you need a laugh for the day (like I did yesterday)

We were in E & S Sales when I spotted this

I busted out laughing right in the aisle!

I hope it makes you chuckle too!!

Happy Sewing

~XOP~