Wednesday, March 31, 2010

What a beautiful day

I know you have probably heard it a dozen times today but what a beautiful day it was outside. You can smell spring in the air. Hookers were at Andjareenas today and I am very pleased with the progress we are all making. Maybe I can even get my Deanne Fitzpatrick piece done to hang in my booth at the Annual. Ha! It was nice to see BAd Betty back with her biscotti. Say that three times.
M.

It's Official

Well, it is official. Spring is here. Walking into Walmart I saw three young girls, one of whom was wearing flip flops and shorts. Come on people, we're going to have a great weekend but then we will be back in the single digits according to the weather man (like he knows anything), but I think the flip flops are pushing it. Were we like that as kids? I'm sounding like my Mother.
Lots of knitters out to group on Tuesday and everyone is making great headway on their projects except perhaps me. I promise to pick up the slack this week and perhaps even finish something by the next meeting. I had a rather disturbing call that the lady at MFRC here in Trenton has been telling people that we have enough helmet liners. Not so. Rosemary Kirby spoke with her yesterday and straightened out the error and she is now back in the loop as to what is going on so keep knitting. Often I don't return calls if I get busy and forget but this has brought the importance of following up on those calls to my attention. I promise to do better.
We are working hard to prepare for the Quilters Shop Hop on April 8th,9th, and 10th so I really hope it is a great weekend and I see lots of quilters out for a visit.
For those of you going to the Rug Hooking Annual in Cobourg don't forget to register for the weekend if you wish to get in before the Sunday. Even if you are a member of the OHCG you won't get in unless you register. Remember this sort of event raises funds to support future events and we all want plenty of those so make sure you register.
M.

Monday, March 29, 2010

Come on out Mr. Sun

Two gray days and I am feeling a bit down in the dumps. I have decided that I am definately affected by the weather. On days like this I find that I just can't seem to make any progress where as on sunny days I seem to be able to go on forever.
Cliff, trying to be a nice guy again, went down to Andjareenas on Sunday and turned my gardens over and cleaned out all the dead debris. I went down just in time to catch him in the act and have him put back the perennials he had dug up and in time to stop him from digging up the bulbs in the front garden. One good thing was he hadn't started on our own gardens at home and I would have gone a little strange had he ruined our gardens at home. It's still March people. Stay off the grass and out of the gardens.
Our shop hop is coming up fast. The Thursday after Easter we will have the shop in top form ready to entertain quilters from all over. I will be running some in store specials so keep your eyes peeled as the discounts will be deep.
M.

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Now how did that skein go on that swift again.......

All was going quite well and then I had a swift accident. I don't know what happened to that skein of yarn but it is now hanging from one side of the swift and I am trying to wind the the skein by hand and what a mess. I have another skein in the storeroom that is in worse shape for some reason and I'm debating whether to just set fire to it.
Lots and lots of Marble yarn has arrived in the store. I swear, they do not check their back orders and just keep filling them. Regardless of the numbers we seem to get in it still sells like crazy. I am now sure we have just about every colour available.
New selection of fabrics Stars and Coxcombs from Moda. It is a beautiful silky feeling cotton. Love it! A very busy day today and everyone seems to be finishing off a quilt. I am amazed at the number of quilts this weeks that needed borders and backing and then are off to the machine quilter. I received four quilts back this week from Hattie and need to get the binding on them and hang them.
I need to count our helmet liners and get a rough figure from some of the other shops involved to see how we are doing. I'm going to purchase a trunk of some sort to put them in as they are growing in number and I need to get a little more organized. I would guess that we have upwards of 100 or more in the storeroom.
I have had several Moms' with your men in the service in my shop in the last couple of days. I was amazed at the things people do for these young me and amazed that I was so out of the loop.
One Mom told me of all the dozens of cookies that she sends her son on a regular basis. When I mentioned this to a Grandmother she replied that she too sends cookies on a regular basis. Another Mom in today told me how she wraps them in order that they arrive safely. Some of these young men have no one. Call the Military Family Resource Centre or the Base itself and ask what you can do. It's good for the soul.
Sunday March 27th is the Health and Wellness Show at the Best Western in Cobourg. Plan to attend if you are able. Cecile will be there with her neck wraps but there will be lots of others and promises to be a good show. I will try to be there. Travis plays hockey in Gravenhurst on Sunday and I have to decide whether or not I can stand that drive. The Storm lead the series 1-0. Off to the rink tonight. I have no life.
M.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Baby it's cold outside

Maybe not yet but they say it's going to drop considerably overnight. Hopefully I didn't shut the heat off in the back room today when there were so many bodies in heating it up.
A very successful quilting group today. Everyone is honing their technique and ready to move on to the lap quilt that Cecile has prepared for class. She will be teaching on Monday afternoons. I know, we're not open on Mondays but we decided that this might be a good day to hold one of these classes. So many people moving in and out of the shop sometimes classes are interrupted and students who are trying to concentrate can't. Hopefully this will be a good thing.
I have just two borders left to put on Judy's blue and white dresden plate quilt and I must say that it is beautiful. There is just something about blue and white. I received four quilts back from Hattie and with any luck I will get the binding on one or two of them this weekend and be able to display them in the shop.
I just received two large fabric shipments yesterday. Stars and Cockscombs from Moda and an assortment of doggie prints and a beautiful cat print that is so clear that you feel like you are looking into a real cats face. I also received several tone on tone blacks for those of you who are making black and white quilts. I picked up some cotton with a metallic thread that is more fashion than quilting fabric. I couldn't resist. It would be great for shawls on a cool evening or beach cover ups or even dresses for summer. It was to neat for me to leave behind and the colours were fabulous.
M.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

I'll Try that again

What a day! I actually was five minutes late opening the door today and there were two people in the parking lot. That is you first clue. When that happens, and it does on occasion, I am usually busy all day and I wasn't disappointed. I tried for three hours to get the back room tidied up but it was twenty to one and Bev was at the back door already arriving for knitting.
Thank you to Barb for leaving behind her scarf pattern and sample for me to show the knitting group and also for the chemo cap. Everyone was very happy with the results and took a copy of the pattern with them to use up the balance of the Marble Chunky. Thanks to Maureen for the copy of her sock pattern. I found a copy left on the back table so I claimed it for myself.
New arrival of sock yarn today generated some excitement. Jawoll Bambus and Jawoll Magic.
Both are very nice yarns and are going quickly thanks to the Tuesday afternoon Knitters.
New arrivals of Sirdar Country Style Dk in a nice pale yellow and spring green.
I have two shipments of fabric coming and can't wait.
M.

What a day!

Saturday, March 20, 2010

WE WON!!!!

The Deseronto Storm beat out the Elliot Lake Bobcats tonight in Deseronto 6-4
Woo Hoo! That means they don't have another 10 hour drive back up to Elliot Lake.
After going down 2 goals right away in the first period it was a pretty somber night. I'm sure the boys were worried about the 10 hour bus drive they might have to take back up to Elliot Lake while I was thinking I'd probably have to float Travis another loan of seventy or so dollars.
Nothing to do in Elliot Lake but eat and from the amount of money he consumes he must do alot of that.
Our next series is with the South Muskoka Shield in Gravenhurst from the Russell Cup.
Can they make it any farther away?
And for you Maureen, I'd love to be a fly on the wall when you pull up in the stretch limo at the Bass Pro Shop.
M.

And the rain moves in

Well, of course I slept in this morning. It appears to be a dark and dreary day out there today.
This was the day Cliff was coming down to clean up my gardens and trim some of the brush and now that won't be happening. Oh well. He is also having to take Travis for a morning skate before tonights big game so he can't be in more than one place at a time. I'm not sure why not as women are expected to be but that's another topic.
The Marble Chunky arrived yesterday in the just two colours. The beautiful rich plum colour which I forget the real name of, and the pink and plum verigated. If you wish to see it come quick because at the rate the ladies are making those shrugs it won't be there long. I'm even thinking of making a small one for Sheena in pink her favorite colour.
Speaking of Sheena. She gets her first call for jury duty and it is definately not in her plans at this moment. I didn't know that you could get a message left on your answering machine from the Attorney General for an emergency jury on a Friday afternoon to show up for Monday morning. Wow! That's a wakeup call. I explained to her that she needed to call them but true to form she was just a little freaked out. All turned out well and those people at the Attorney Generals office are pretty nice people to talk to. Thanks. I have never been called in 53 years and don't want to be but it is your duty as I explained to her. Right!
After the Hook In I went into my storeroom where everything went in order to clean out the room for hookrs. Imagine the lack of space. I have started another quilt. This one I have been holding on to for some years. When Karen Osborne , one of my employees and a good friend passed away from bone cancer I received all her stitching notes as well as this fabric that had been left over from a comfort quilt. I remember that she had purchased the fabric at the Silver Thimble in Whitby and Geri Logan was the one who made the quilt as Karen was not able to make it for herself. I have been avoiding the fabric for a long time but Friday as I was tidying up I finally felt the need to start working on the quilt. I thought of all the laughs we had at the Sheep to Shawl in Kingston and some of the wild drives to the doll shows in Marmora. I think the time was right. I had sent four quilts off to Hattie Van Dyk so perhaps having them quilted and completed was the push I needed or perhaps the events of the past week gave me that push. Who knows. Off to the salt mines.
M.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Happy St. Paddys Day

To all of you I wish a very Happy St. Patricks Day as I sit hear drinking my green beer. Cliff picked up the food dye as he was picking up the prime rib, that he is outside barbecuing and insisted that I have a beer and get in the mood. I'm not sure what mood he wants me in but I'm a cheap date and one beer will be it for me.
Spring is in the air and although I know I'm not supposed to touch my lawn I am dying to get outside and rake and burn and clean up in the yard. I'm itching to start planting something so I think I'll get some peat pots and start some plants this weekend. For those of you at Canada Blooms enjoy yourself and bring me a little something to share for my garden.
No one's getting thin. Bad Betty is swimming like crazy but today Phyllis brought us two bite cupcakes with green sprinkles to celebrate the day. The idea is you are to eat one , two bite cupcake but I find that they are so small that we all eat more than one and therefore defeat the purpose.
A very sad day today. Carolyn formerly of the Bees Knees in Warkworth passed away. She fought a very valiant fight but in the end succumbed to the cancer that had invaded her body.
My thoughts are with her family at this time.

Live every day like it's your last.
May you be in heaven a half an hour before the devil knows your dead.
M.

Monday, March 15, 2010

What a weekend!

Well, as most of you who know me know that Travis is in playoffs for the Deseronto Storm. The Storm played the Elliott Lake Bobcats last night and beat them 7-0. Tempers were fairly good until the last ten minutes of the game when boys will be boys and the hits were flying as well as I'm sure the yipping on the ice. I am beginning to think that it takes a special kind of person to be a referee. You are verbally abused by the fans and then have to take the guff on the ice from the players unless, when you have finally had enough, get a trip to the penalty box.
Keep your fingers crossed as we play them again on Monday night and then are off to Elliott Lake for another game. I don't know how those young men endure that 8.5 hour bus trip but they do and that is definatley the sign of dedication for me. Travis says the view is beautiful but there is nothing else up there to entice him to stay. Lots of elderly retirees who were all very polite to our boys and wished them well with their hockey match. Nice!
Sheena's husband Kurt, played sledge hockey in Sundridge on Saturday night but they were beat out of playoffs by that team. Unfortunate as that is a very long ride home to Oshawa after losing a hockey game. They are hosting the championships in Oshawa this year and that will be a bit of a disappointment but you do what you have to do in this game. Durham Steelhawks will recover and move on for next year. If any of you have been watching the paralympic hockey it is not a sport for the fainthearted.
Moving on......
I have a good portion of my rug hooked. I find it very difficult to stay on task. Once I get a small portion done I am dying to move to the next colour. I decided to mix some Noro boucle in with my wool fabric and am loving the outcome. The texture that I am getting is really amazing.
Back to work Tuesday.
M.

Friday, March 12, 2010

Hook In a Huge Success!

First I want to thank everyone who came to todays Hook In . You made it a huge success.
You came, ate, drank and never complained even once. Thank you.
We were a little stressed out leading up to this day as we knew there was going to be a large group and we wanted you all to be comfortable. No one complained about lack of space and that made us giddy enough to do it all over again next month. It was good for the soul.
I'm very excited about my Deanne Fitzpatrick piece that I am working on and made great headway today.
A special thank you to Janice Daniels for moral support and Bad Betty and Joan McCulloch for the treats . Cecile did a great veggie tray along with her pumpkin bread so we were all well fed.
To the ladies from Brighton, thank you for coming out. I don't see you often enough and to the girls from the County it was nice to see you too. Campbellford was well represented as well as well as Belleville.
We didn't have space for John this month but we have a chair reserved for him for the next hook in and I look forward to it.
Don't forget The Gathering next month in Port Hope on the 17th of April.

Thanks again
Mary Anne

Thursday, March 11, 2010

New Classroom

Well, Cecile and I have decided that we are definately to old to be moving anything as heavy as the fat quarter shelves and it is also not a good idea to be laughing when you do it. Drop one of those babies on your feet and you'll know it . We survived the ordeal unscathed but we are definately out of our league when it comes to moving heavy furniture.
We have it all set up for tomorrows Hook In for 20 people and have decided with a few adjustments that we will be able to leave it that way. That does mean however, that there will be no more storage of fabric under the cutting table. That will keep me out of trouble. I'll have to put my money where my mouth is , either use it up or clear it out.
I'm not sure we will be able to get the Thursday afternoon girls to make another crazy quilt block but they humored Cecile this afternoon and tried it. It seems to me that it took a little getting used to when I did my first block and it did have to grow on me a bit. I actually like the crazy quilting and with all the new threads for embellishing and the machines that can do the work it makes the task alot easier. If you don't want to embellish it's a great way to use up scraps.
Frank, from Breakfast Television tells me this morning that Environment Canada has officially said that winter is over. Yippeee! What a great winter. Not much snow, no freezing rain to speak of and very few ploughing bills. My kind of winter.
I have got the front and back of the Crofter dk sweater done and am going to knit the sleeves at the same time and hope that I can match the yarn fairly closely. My socks will have to wait.
Project Helmet Liner is growing by the day. I don't think that there is a day that goes by that we don't have someone in to pick up the pattern or the yarn.
I have got enough of my Deanne Fitzpatrick piece hooked that I feel I can sit in tomorrow with the rest of the hookers. Can't wait!
Mary Anne

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Hook In

Fridays Hook In is full up. We have 20 hookers registered to be at the shop on Friday and we have been moving the back room around to make room. I think the fabric cutting table is going to have to go for one day. That is not a big deal but the trouble is the stuff under the table.
Now, I should know better but when someone asks the answer is always "put it under the cutting table". You can only imagine what can emerge from under the table. Good thing I cleaned up the store room on Saturday. Cliff thinks the shelf is going to fall off the wall and doesn't like the way it bows in the centre but I keep checking the brackets in the wall and so far so good. Keep your fingers crossed.
Bad Betty showed up with cookies again today but they were on sale she says and this is the last time. Want to bet?
I power walked home tonight. Not that far but every little bit helps right?
Travis is off to Elliot Lake to play hockey for the next three days. They've arrived in one piece and all is well. Cliff's having separation anxiety and I'm putting my feet up and enjoying the holiday. lol
Mary Anne

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

How sweet it is.

Bad Betty didn't let me down. Today we had cookies and miniature butter tarts.
Did anyone notice that I had sneakers on today? I'm warming those puppies up for a big walk 'cause if I keep eating like this I'm going to need it. Don't worry Betty your secret is safe with me. Linda doesn't need to know that we aren't eating healthy all week. We'll eat carrots on Thursday. yum
New arrivals
I had new quilt books arrive today. After counting the books on the weekend I don't know how I had the nerve to buy more books but I did. There are some interesting, just released titles and I only bought one of each so hurry in and check them out.
I think only one colour of Marble Chunky arrived today so be patient as the girls bought up all the purple jewel before it was out of the box. I will order it again in the morning.
Friday is our Hook In and it is booked solid so for those of you who didn't book early I apologize.
This is going to become a regular thing for us so I will keep everyone informed as to when the next Hook In will be.
Cheers
Mary Anne

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Another great day!

Wow! That says it all. It is early March we have very little snow and the sun is shining. I love it.
I spoke with a lovely 80plus lady today from Vancouver and her knitting group are joining in on Project Helmet Liner. What a great country we live in and what great citizens we have. She also gave me a few suggestions for a provisional cast on after the ribbing is done and when I hesitated for a moment she said " you sew don't you "? I was caught! I love to knit and I'm a pretty nice knitter but I would never say that I am the "Shop Knitter". That would be Cecile or would have been Sharon if she was still working. Know your place I always say. Don't try to BS your way out of anything because you know they're going to see right through you.
I knit socks and am proud of it.!
I left the Stitchers alone briefly this morning and Bad Betty and Linda decided that we are going off treats and starting next week it's going to be raw vegetables and fruit. Now I like both of the latter but is there going to be no more cookies, butter tarts or pumpkin bread ? Oh girls, say it isn't so. I figure we will all lose twenty pounds by the first of May at this rate. lol
Franny where are you ? You have been noticeably absent and I hope your tooth isn't giving you any problems.
Olive has a new great grandson and she was very excited on the phone today. Mother and baby are doing well as far as she knows.
Anyone out there that has any larger cardboard boxes Geri is looking to pack the clothes for Hatii in them. If you take them apart we will store them at the shop and Tom will put them back together as they need them. Thanks. If anyone has any ideas as to where to go and ask for boxes email me and we'll go after them.
You know you're in trouble when you're going over the inventory sheets and you don't recognize the names of some of the yarn. Not a good sign.
The boys are at hockey until after 8 so the Mom is in charge of the dinner tonight. Travs off to a birthday party at Kelseys so that just leaves Rico to feed and he is no problem at all. I''ve made some homemade chicken noodle soup and he can take it from there. They're a pretty good pair.
Most of the time.........
M.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

What a beautiful day...

I can't believe I'm doing it again but my goodness it was a beautiful day today. Having said that we'll probably get hit with a blizzard for my punishment.
We had a great turnout for knitting today. Everyone came to try out the new chairs and they were a huge success. lol
I left my knitting at home so I had to start a new pair of socks. I had a good excuse and a customer asked just the other day "what does this colour look like knit up"? So I'm just making everyone happy and knitting it up. There are so many knitting projects that I would like to do so I had better get it in gear. Cecile says she came to work to lose weight and after a year has lost only one pound. The Dr. told me that as you get older you gain two to three a year so I figure if she's only lost one she's really down three cause she refrained from gaining the other two right?
Bad Betty brought biscotti (say that three times) for our treat today. I think we're going to have to put some kind of treadmill in the storeroom soon.
The boys won their hockey game in Innissville last night so they have a week off (that means alot of laying around and playing video games) before heading off to Elliott Lake for the next round of the playoffs. Playing in this league we have seen a different part of Ontario. Living here in Trenton Travis has always played in what they refer to as the Lakeshore League and I don't remember going any farther north than Port Parry but with the Jr. Club he is playing for now we have been to Sturgeon Falls, Nippissing, Elliott Lake and others. The north is a beautiful place. You have to like snow and it wouldn't hurt to speak a little French when you get that far north.
M.

Monday, March 1, 2010

Getting ready..........

The Hook In is not far away and I'm not going to leave everything to the last minute so I've gone out and purchased a few comfy chairs. After the boys leave for Innisville today I am going to take my measuring tape and do a little surveying of the back room in order to make space.
Nobody make space like we do. Cecile and I are to short to move anything so I will be calling in the big guns to help. aka Cliff and Travis. They will wine and have a better idea but the whip is out and I'm not afraid to use it and they know it. lol
It was a pretty exciting night last night with the Canadian Hockey team winning gold and the spectacular closing ceremonies. I think we can give ourselves a big pat on the back and be very Proud to be Canadian. I think we did " Own the Podium" and if my tax dollars are going there then I would rather that than into some politicians pocket. What a great investment in our youth! As Travis pointed out to me last night, " Mom you win the gold in hockey the silver is what they give to the losers, it's the consolation prize". Out of the mouths of babes............
Back to work tomorrow
M.