A Wonderful Weekend Starting With Friday

I don't know about you but my weekend was fantastic!  (except for the drive home anyway)  

I got to spend the weekend with a friend at her cottage in Muskegon.  

She is right on lake Michigan!  

No kidding, you can see the lake from her house!!  

The house sits on a bluff and you have to take some pretty steep steps down to the lake 

but it is well worth it!

We went to the AQS show in Grand Rapids on Friday.  

I think we spent more time shopping at the show then looking at the quilts. 

 Quite honestly I found the show a little disappointing.  

There didn't seem to be as many quilts that stood out to me as at other shows.  

My favorites were not the judges favorites either (big surprise).  

I did enjoy the challenge section, especially the birds from a group of quilters in Ann Arbor.  

I especially loved this duck quilt.

My very favorite quilt from the show was one of fancy birds.  

It was called Fantasy Fowl by Jerre Reese of SC.

Here are some close ups too.

I think this purple one was my favorite!

I did take photos of lots of other quilts and will have them up on my Flickr account 

if you want to see them.

While at the vendors I found a few things.  A new iron.  Freestyle by Panasonic.  

The AQS booth had them for around half price!  

Too good a deal to pass up especially with the glowing recommendation of my good friend Debbie!  

I bought a new ironing board cover too but no pictures to share of that!

I got to demo the new Bernina long arm! 

 I really, really want this!!! 

 There are only 2 right now, one at Bernina USA and one at the show.  

It came with the table you see it sitting on.  

You can also get it with handles and the frame, but I don't have room for that right now.  

There was a show special and I was sorely tempted.  

All they were asking was for a deposit and the machines are not even out until April of next year.  

I told hubby that I bought it and it did not even faze him!!  

I think I need to keep him!!

In the end, with all the house expenses, I left it at the show. 

 I do see this in my future though.

DD2 and I were talking about rings recently and she informed me that she would like an emerald with diamonds surrounding it rather than a plain diamond someday, when she gets engaged. 

 I found this beauty while at the show too, it was an estate ring. 

 GORGEOUS! 

 It also stayed at the show.

This was the only fabric I purchased while at the show.  

I needed some more royals for my Kitty mini quilt swap quilt.  

These were just what I had in mind!

After all the walking around we were starving so went to the Blue Water Grill. 

 I had this lobster sandwich and some root chips with their dipping sauces.  

I would highly recommend this place for a great meal!

And because my friend Rebekah said so, we checked out Stitched-Studio  

A new quilt shop in Grand Rapids.

Cute shop and friendly people inside!

Lots of great modern fabrics too.

I was able to complete my Fox Field collection from this shop!

We then headed home and walked down to the beach. 

 It was kind of a gray day but lake Michigan is always beautiful!

I just had to dip my toes in the water!!

 We watched the sun set and it was a good reminder that life is good!

More about the weekend later!

~XOP~

Bee Vintage Blocks

I managed to get some of my Bee Vintage blocks finished recently too.

I think that this is the last of the Bee Vintage blocks. 

 I now need to get going on the other blocks for the IMA bee group! 

 Four blocks more for that group in July.

The wedding quilt should be available for me to pick up today. 

 Means I will have loads of binding to look forward to this weekend!!

I may have put a down payment on this machine to be my traveling machine.

~XOP~

Great Friends and Bee Blocks

First I want to take a minute and thank everyone that took the time to leave such nice comments about Charmalade both here and on the Moda Bake Shop.  

Thank you from the bottom of my heart! 

 You guys are the BEST!!

Now just a special thank you to my friends,Cori (Crazy Quilt Girl) and Konda (Moose on the Porch).  Thank you both for taking the time to blog about my quilt and the fact that I was a chef. 

 You didn't have to post about it but you did and I really appreciate you both.

  It is so wonderful to have such supportive friends!  

 I went to the Sewing expo today with my friend Waynette. 

 We stopped at the Bernina dealership and she bought a new machine. 

 I really wanted to, and hubby even said that I could (he really did, said I deserved it and everything) but the machine I wanted was pretty expensive and

 I would need a new table too, also expensive, so I decided to wait.

 It was a hard decision but I think the right one.

My bee mates have been patient and so when I got home I went to work on my September blocks (yeah, yeah, I'm a little behind).

Here is Colleen's block, she wanted zig zags.

 This one is for Jodie, she wanted string blocks.

Now I need to work on my October blocks.

I have an improv quilt to finish and I am hoping to work on that quilt tomorrow. 

 I am taking the day off work to get some stuff done that I couldn't over the weekend. 

 I am going to get to lunch with Cori tomorrow too, always fun!

My DD1 is closing on her house tomorrow!!! 

 It will be her first house and it has almost 9 acres of land!! 

 Lots of room for her peacocks. 

I did have some help while working on my bee blocks tonight.