Visiting a Friend

 Yesterday Chris and I drove to Valparaiso, Indiana 

to visit a couple we have been friends with for over 35 years.  

Our friend, Jim, has been diagnosed with brain cancer. 

 Even though he has done radiation and is doing chemo the tumor is not changing. 

 We decided we wanted to be able to visit before we could not communicate with him.  

It was SO good to see him and his wife yesterday! 

 He is still in there and even though he was not able to say much I could see his eyes light up when we spoke with him. 

 He could still say yes and give me the thumbs up!  

I am very thankful we made the 3 1/2 hour drive for the visit! 

 We gave him a brown scapular (Google it if you want more information). 

 He happily put it on and hopefully will continue to wear it.

My amazing husband took the back roads and planned 2 quilt shop stops on the way there.  

The first shop was called Robin's Nest.  

I struggled a little to find something to buy (surprising right?). 

 I always feel like I should buy something when I stop into a shop though.

I did find this adorable, vintage bunny fabric.  

I had picked some up from a "garage sale" a long time ago. 

 It is one of my favorite vintage fabrics so I was thrilled about that! 

 It's hard to tell but the background is a light blue.

We continued on and stopped at a shop in Chesterton, IN. 

 It was called Sweet Stitches Quilt Shop.  What a beautiful shop!  It was a joy to shop there!

This is some of the loot I bought there.  

I needed this pink for a border for my 52 weeks block of the week quilt.

I could not walk away from these patterns either. 

 I am itching to start that cat one, but it has to wait.

If the day was not eventful enough, my car rolled over the 100,000 mile mark!

We got home around 9 PM and we were both so happy we went.

Please pray for our friend and his wife.  They will need all the prayers they can get.

~XOP~

Catching Up

I feel like I have so much to catch you all up on and have been too busy to write anything much! 

 I went with a friend to the AQS show in Grand Rapids last week and we had a blast! 

 So many beautiful quilts!  I think this one was my favorite. 

 I want to make a Viking quilt some day too and this one was fabulous!

There were so many beautiful quilts!  These are just a few of the ones I liked. 

 Hubby is a pilot to this depiction of the Blue Angels was pretty cool.

My best friend has a Double Yellow Headed Amazon so I took this shot for her.

The Koi pond was striking.

Of course I loved the cat ones!

As much as I loved all of the quilts it was very exciting to me to get to see Sylvia's original 

Epic Halloween QAL quilt. 

 It is the one that inspired my Hallowedding quilt!

Here is my Hallowedding Quilt so you can see the differences.

Of course no trip to a show is complete without visiting the vendors!  

I picked up a few patterns and this amazing seam ripper/stilletto combo.  

This shows it fully opened.

Then pull them out and turn them around and it is all closed up!  So cool!!

I found a cool pattern for a cat bed too. 

 I already had the insert so now I need to put this on my short "to do" list for the kittens!

Last but not least were some patterns. 

 I bought the two Lynette Anderson patterns on the left and the fox quilt on the bottom at the show.  The other two I bought last weekend on our camping excursion to Shipshewana 

(more to come on that soon)

I am so excited to tell you all about the camping trip too.  

Soon!

Stop back tomorrow for WIPs With Friends!

~XOP~

Friends Old and New

Some old friends from work were in town visiting last week.  

Hiro came from Japan and Fabiani from Brazil.  

It was so good to see them both!  I taught Hiro's wife, Yuki, how to quilt.  

Left to right.  My cohorts in quilty crime on the left and right with Fabiani in the middle.

Me (looking like a weirdo) and Fabiani.

Fabiani took this when we went out to dinner as a group.  

Fabiani, my friend Robin and her hubby (my boss), then Hiro.  

Such a fun night!  

Best steak I have ever eaten, at Knights in Ann Arbor.

Yuki sent me this adorable cat bag, pins and even some fabric ink.  So thoughtful!

Aren't these pins the cutest??

I had some fabric shipped to Yuki in Japan and this cute cat stamp was on the package!

My friends, Robin, Judith and I took Fabiani to the local quilt shop. 

 I also visited an antique shop where I found this adorable set of "Jacks".  

They are a S & P that look like my beloved Jack.  So of course they had to come home with me.

Here we all are in the quilt shop.

I bought these 2 patterns.  Hoping to make that trailer one for my hubby. (for the RV)

Thought these fabrics would make excellent fish (yes I have to finish that quilt up soon too)

Love fabric for labels and that background to add to the fish quilt.

I spotted this pattern awhile ago but had, up until now, resisted purchasing it.  

It is the reindeer, Prancer.  

Prancer is one of our all time favorite Christmas movies.  I see some cross stitching in my life!

Me, too Hallie.  

I'm exhausted!!  

I had to get back to work for a break, LOL.  Not really, work has been just as busy!!!

What have you been up to??

~XOP~

A Few New Purchases

I have made a few purchases and thought I would share with you all. 

A few bolts of fabric.  

That amazing butterfly fabric from Michael Miller, 2 colors of Sketch, 

some Narwhals and some Kona Indigo.

A couple of sale books and a few sample cards that I forgot to photograph!

I got this die for my GO! Cutter

I also bought this adorable tooth fairy pillow.  

I got the Nordic Christmas pattern and even got it autographed by Gudrun.  

I love the Scandinavian feel to this pattern, especially since I am of Swedish blood!

I did buy a few things at the GR quilt show as well. 

I love the patterns by this woman. 

 I had to contain myself and only buy these two but her stuff is fantastic!

 I could totally see this as a medallion in a red and white quilt.  

How adorable!

I had looked at this pattern last year and finally decided to make the purchase.  

I have a person or 2 in mind to make this for.

Last but certainly not least, lookie lookie what i found in the wild!

NEPTUNE!!!

I bought all she had, which was 2 yards of this one and only print

As I was paying, the owner asked me if I knew what this was.

Pffft of course I know!

 = )

I have another finish too but need to get a few photos.  

Hope to have that to share soon.

~XOP~