Paris Flea Market, Red bikinis and FREE patterns!

So we leave for our quilting cruise in just 8 days!! Thank goodness cause this cold weather is making me crazy! I am chilled to the bone and have had about enough! Having said that, I ordered a bikini on line! Not just any bikini - but one that is flaming red and guaranteed to make me look younger and slimmer! (ok - I made that last part up!)

But if you're gonna wear a bikini - you'd best have some confidence, so watch out people, here I come!

Onto real quilting topics....some of you may remember this delicious collection that came out about ohhhhh, nine years ago or so. It was called Paris Flea Market and it was a collection by 3 Sisters for Moda. This collection was HOT!!! People just couldn't get enough of this soft collection. Well guess what??? They've brought it back!! I know! We couldn't believe it either!!

This is a really rare occurance. I've never seen it happen where they rerelease a collection like this.
But hey, We are not looking a gift horse in the mouth!!! We have this delicious collection coming in any day now!  We have a plan for it as well - so watch for the project! As well, you can go to the Moda website and download a free project sheet using Paris Flea Market.

As well we are bringing in the latest Primitive Gatherings fabric so we can do the Warm Winter Blessings Block of the Month program!

It's going to start in September 2013. We are not quite certain of the exact price just yet, but the quilt finishes at about 56" x 65". The snowmen are made with wool, which is all included each month.
Watch for more details in the coming months as we hammer them all out!

If any of you are interested in using up some of your scraps, I posted a FREE pattern on our website today!

http://www.thequiltpatch.ca/free-quilting-patterns.htm

Enjoy!!!

So just remember - if you see something red and lumpy bobbing over in the Caribbean next week - don't be alarmed! It's just me, rocking my curves!!

Hacked!

Just when you think you've seen it all!! Yesterday I was going through the emails when I came upon one from a customer that stated I needed to deal with my website immediately....there were some issues that I would want to take care of, because when you click in a certain spot it opens 'you know what'. Actually....I didn't 'know what'! I was clicking away trying to figure out what she was trying to tell me, and I just couldn't seem to see anything amiss with the website.....so I moved on to a few other items on my to do list. Later when Jo came down to my office, I asked her to read the email and see what she thought it meant.....and we clicked some more.....then Jeanne came down, and now all three of us are clicking and navigating the website, hovering over the screen wondering just what this customer was talking about when....BAM....YOUNG NAKED ASIAN GIRLS!!!
Well there it was.....'you know what'. Now we knew!
Somehow, someway, not just one, but three links had been hacked on our website that lead you to 'you know what'! Well, honestly....we laughed pretty hard, cause seriously.....you think quilter ladies are going to spend their money on naked young women? I think not!! I think they would just be pissed off that the link didn't take them to the latest quilt kit we had to offer!!
So I very quickly broke the link - reported the offence, made some security changes, and moved on.
I do apologize if anyone was offended. Personally I would have liked to see naked men, but hey, no one asked me!

We had some new art work brought in by local artist Andrew Meredith. If you enjoy quilts, you will certainly enjoy his work. He loves to paint quilts!!

Quilt In Crescent Park

This is the limited edition print we currently have at the shop. Quilts in Crescent Park can be purchased framed or unframed. If you look very closely you can see that the quilt in the centre is Row Flowers, a quilt designed here at The Quilt Patch using our very own Shasta fabric!

Rustic Breeze

Up close and Colorful

Both Rustic Breeze and Up Close and Colourful are original framed paintings that he brought for us to sell here at The Quilt Patch. No prints available, but he will making cards using these images.
I love love love the Rustic Breeze painting!!
Andrew is working on more quilt paintings using our next fabric collection - Wallflowers! That's very exciting for us!!


Until next time, please let me know if you happen to see any nakedness on our website, or call or email for more information on these one of a kind paintings! xo

The WTF gift!!!

Its not everyday you receive a gift that makes you wonder wtf?? (For those of you who don't know what wtf means.... ask an 8 year old! Hee hee - just kidding...it means What the F@#*!) I was the recipient of such a gift yesterday! It was given to me from Flo. A staff member here at The Quilt Patch.
Apparently the look on my face when I opened such gift was priceless...all I remember thinking is...WTF!? And then laughing! She gave me.....are you ready for this.....

A MERMAN!!! He even comes with his very own stand to ummm...swing from! Oh my we've had fun with him! I wanted to put him down in my office but the girls wouldn't hear of it!! They want him to remain in the upstairs office for all to admire! They've decided he needs a name - something sexy.....the name Jake was proposed....so if any of you want to toss a sexy name out....Fred was squashed down already.....
So yesterday we tossed around different scenarios for ummm, Jake. We thought that Jake would be a fun addition on our cruise in February! I think Jake would look fabulous with a string around his neck dangling like a necklace while we teach the class on the cruise. We tossed around having Jake making his rounds to everyone on the cruise! If Jake arrives in your possession you must wear him until you can slip him to someone else without them knowing that Jake is now theirs to wear until they also can slip him to the next person!

However today at The Quilt Patch it's quite chilly - and with Jake being darn close to naked......

We thought Jake could use a scarf, and a festive setting! Again this morning Jake brought smiles, giggles and laughter to The Quilt Patch! There are plans in the works to make Jake a cape, and maybe some other articles of clothing!
Once again....December at The Quilt Patch is filled with laughs, good times and giggles!
So thank you Flo for such a fun, giggle inducing, wtf questioning gift!

Quilt Patch Christmas Party 2012!!

I know, I know, you sign up for this blog, you faithfully check the blog, you WANT to see what I will blog about....and then I ditch the blog for well over a month! Yep. I am a crappy blogger. HOWEVER.....I have some great pics and an amazing evening to share with you today! Last night was our annual Quilt Patch staff Christmas party! Every year Jeanne I start planning months in advance for a fabulous evening! Every second year we do a party where the husbands or significant others are invited, and this happened to be the ladies only year!

It does get harder and harder each year to come up with something fabulous to equally match the amazing time our staff had the previous year! Sometimes they talk about these parties for years! In previous years there have been scavenger hunts, limos, shopping races, cheesecake trophies, always amazing food, lotsa laughs and a great time! So this year we started with an amazing meal at a well kept secret here in Moose Jaw, Cordova Bistro. It's a cute Italian restaurant with amazing food and excellent service!

As the ladies were dining we presented them with the next phase of their evening (we NEVER tell our staff what our plans are for the evening in advance of the party!! NEVER! It's always a huge surprise!)

Luckily, the walk from the restaurant to the theatre was very short, cause look at these girls holding each other up.....

Ok that was a joke, it was very very icy, and you can't tell, but they are all wearing very cute, but not practical SK winter boots!

Now for those of you who don't know, Rory Allen is kind of a big deal here in Saskatchewan. He's an amazing Elvis impersonator, and a fun entertainer. I personally had never been to one of his shows, but i have to say, at first I kinda thought....oh geez....maybe this is a bit lame for our xmas party....but HOLY CRAP was i wrong!! It was a fantastic show and I would highly recommend if you ever have the chance to go and see him! He's a great singer and puts on a great show!

Soon he was out and wandering among the seats!! He was singing to Rebecca and Jo which was hilarious!!

And yes, that guy standing behind him, is his bodyguard. Not kidding! At first I thought it was a joke, but then he explained to the audience that he had to implement that after a show where women where acting like he really was Elvis and coming on stage and clawing at him and generally acting quite bizarre in my opinion! Obviously those ladies don't get out much!

We had a quick glass of wine, bathroom break and visits during intermission. Finally managed to get all of the girls in one spot for a photo!!

Front row from left to right:
Charlene - who keeps our books and does all that governmenty stuff for us!
Jeri - Our youngest staff member at 19 who could quilt circles around any of us!!
Jo - This one keeps the store running!!!
Flo - She teaches every class we hold!! You should see the groupies she has!!
Back row from left to right:
Yvonne - Jo's right hand!
Edna - Jeanne's Mom and pattern folder extroirdinare! Does way too much for us for nothing but wine!
Colleen - You may not see her here a lot - but she does all the planning for our Crescent Park Show!!
Rebecca - our UK import! The newest member of our staff!! Has fit in with us amazingly!!
Janice - our weekend girl! Soon to be starting a new phase in her life and we'll be saying good by!

Not wanting the evening to end, we made the quick walk back to the shop for a round of gift openings!
Jeanne and I bought some great gifts and each lady was able to choose a gift from under the tree, or was able to steal an already opened gift!

And lest you think...why would these ladies plan something for a Tuesday evening then make those poor girls come in the next day?? We gave each of those ladies the day off today.
Wanna know who is working today??

Yep. Us. Oh alright, and young Rebecca! Maybe we'll all take turns napping in the back room this afternoon!!

 So from all of us at The Quilt Patch to you and yours, have a very Merry Christmas!!!

Winter decor!

The day after Halloween and here we are changing things around in the store, hanging Winter and holiday quilts, creating a more Christmasy feel! Things are moving way too quickly these days!!

There was a customer in the store as Jeanne was hanging these quilts and a little surprised to see her prancing around on those shelves! But let me just let you in on a little secret.....Jeanne is never going to win any safety awards! And I've been watching her do it (and frankly - this is nothing!) for 10 years now, and I can assure you, she's only fallen once! Her climbing around on rickety shelves, tables and ladders doesn't even faze me anymore!

So the store is starting to look all Christmasy and it's only November 1st! But really - we waited!! Not like the big players, Wal Mart, etc. They pull out the Halloween candy as soon as Easter is over - and you just wait - by this morning there will be little chocolate santas where the mini chocolate bars were yesterday!! And so it goes!
It's kinda like me trying to buy a swimsuit off season!! I want it for our cruise in February, but should have bought it back last March when they put them out in the stores!!! Heck, they're sold out or have moved on to winter jackets by the time the temperature in Saskatchewan makes wearing a swimsuit acceptable!

Soon the snow will be flying and the Christmas wrap still in our garbage cans, the euphoria of the holiday season winding down, and that my friends, is when the bikinis will go on the store shelves!

What I wished I looked like on the beach in a swimsuit!

What i really look like on the beach in a swimsuit!

Following that trend, you will see our new book arrive in May titled Tis the Autumn Season - Fall Quilt and Decorating Projects. That's right - Autumn! Lol! But this way you will have time to whip up all those delicious projects before the Falls season is upon us!

SNEAK PEEK of one of the quilts in our new book!!

Until next time - I will be the one eating the left over Halloween chocolate bars while cruising the web looking for the swimsuit that will make me look like a rock star on the beach! All the while praying for cellulite to come into vogue!
S xo

Missing In Action!!

Just in case you thought that maybe I had skipped the country, dropped dead or plain old forgot about blogging, the answer is, nope, none of the above! Just busy. Crazy busy!!
Jeanne and I just came off of a hectic whirlwind tour!
We did manage to cook turkey's for our families for Thanksgiving!

But after that, it was flat out!! We flew to Toronto on Oct 10th for the Creativ Festival. We flew schlepping SEVEN suitcases! That's right, SEVEN!! 3 that had nothing but kits and quilts, 2 that had our clothes and more kits and quilts. And 2 that had even more kits and patterns and we carried on as carry on! Sheesh!! That was a treat!

Once we landed in Toronto,

and we struggled and lugged and managed to find a cab large enough to take us and all of our luggage to our hotel, the driver dropped our luggage on the sidewalk and drove away. Ok Fine. We're big girls. So Jeanne says, you stay with the luggage, I'll go get a dolly from the hotel.

And yes, there really are 7....you can't see the other 2 in this pic!

So I'm standing with the luggage, yes all 7 suitcases filled to capacity (that's 50 pounds in case you were wondering!) and I watch Jeanne walk down the sidewalk and right on past the hotel!! At this point, I don't have a lot of choices. I can't leave the luggage. I can't take it with me. I can't yell at her down the very full streets of downtown Toronto. And I know she won't answer her damn cell phone!!
So I just waited. I knew she'd eventually have to come back. And she did!
We piled our luggage on the dolly and managed to get it up to our room, only to find that we had booked the smallest hotel room in the whole world!!! Yes folks for the fabulous price of $122/night in downtown Toronto you are entitled to 200 square feet! Our booth at the show was bigger than that!!

Oh well! We were only sleeping there! And besides.....it was that, or $400/night. And besides....we were across the street from the Royal York Hotel. It was a bit of a struggle while all the suitcases were still in that room - but after 5 of them went to the show it was all good!

After setting up and working the Creative Festival show, Thursday to Sunday, we had a teaching engagement with the Halton Hills Quilters Guild. We did a trunk show the Monday evening and facilitated a class on Tuesday!

So right after the class, Elaine drove us.....and our SEVEN suitcases to the airport. At this point, I was tired and coming down with a cold, and wouldn't ya know it.....our flight is delayed!! Fortunately not terribly long! Flew home, drove back to Moose Jaw, unpacked, repacked, slept, and got in the cargo van the next morning and drove to Calgary for that Creative show!

For those of you who are not regular attendees of these large shows inside of these large convention centres.....there's one thing you may not know, that we know all too well.....there are birds inside these buildings!!! That's right. BIRDS! Flying birds. Swooping birds. Usually they stay away while there are so many people, but during set up and take down - they seem to come out again in full force. In Toronto it was pigeons. In Calgary it was sparrows and this one lone magpie that flew in the building throughout the show!! Poor, poor Jeanne. I thought I was going to have to scrape her off the floor if those dang birds swooped any more!!

Don't let it be said that we are all work and no play! Cause frankly that would be a bald face lie!!!
We stayed with our very good friend Janet Samuels, former owner of Freckles Quilt Shop in Calgary, and even managed to squeeze in a nice dinner out!

Jeanne and Janet

Jeanne and Jo

One last thing...................... You know you're from Saskatchewan when..................