Today's my parents 50th Anniversary and yesterday was my fathers 70th birthday. They are in Coos Bay, Oregon for about a week and befor that they were in Salem visiting my Aunt Bonnie and my cousin Shannon and his family came down from Washington to see them. They really are trying to stay far away so I wont give them a party. They're not much on parties. Mon was in a fabric shop today and dad wondered across the street to an Antique store and found a miniature tredle sewing machine. He went in and talked to the man and was told it was in working condition from the 1920's. Dad thought if he waed $400 or $500 he might buy it! I was shocked when he told me he would spend that much for it to go in the shop!!!! That's just not my dad. Well he found out it was $3000.  So I guess the shop will have to do without one for now. I wish I could have seen it. I've been practicing on the longarm and taking pictures for when I can download them. I'll be on the phone all day with Vera I guess! She's such a sweetheart. But I have done two quilts for customers!!! One was a bady quilt quilted with stars and loops, the other was a throw quilted with falling leaves. Better go call the parents and wish them a Happy Anniversary and good night.

Vicki

Well I 've been busy practicing on the long arm and it's been fun!!! Today we had a class with Cheryl Almegren Taylor. Cheryl is a pattern designer, quilter, teacher and preachers wife. She leads a very busy life. Cheryl did a trunk show at the Bakersfield cotton Patch Quilt Guild on Thurs. and a class on snuggle blankets on Fri. and Sat. at Maricopa Quilt Company. The class was great and we all can't wait for her to come back next year for a couple of days.  Mom and Dad held down the shop so I could take the class. I don't know what I would do without them. And there getting ready to go to Oregon to see my Aunt and Cousin.Well Vera is still on vacation, I hope she's getting this out of her system everyone sure misses her. Connie is doing so much better, her blood preasure is up and she's up walking more with her walker. She can't wait to start sewing again. Hopefully tomorrow I can practice quilting, for now I'm tired it's been along fun day!

Yesterday brought a delivery. My new baby, I've yet to name her. I finally got my Long Arm. I found it's very addictive to quilt on, I hope it's not just because it's a new toy. My husband gave it to me for Mothers Day and I can't thank him enough. I think he's a keeper.

Vicki

It's been awhile since I've written, but I've been on the road. I guess I should say we've been on the road, Debbie and I. She's my partner in crime. June 13 th and 14th we were in Templeton for there Quilt show. I do have pictures but it's too hot to try and figure out how to put them on so you can see some on Veras' site. It's suppose to be 109 I think, it sure feels like it. Sunday I unloaded the trailer and got most of the stuff put up. Monday and Tuesday filling orders from the show and reordering and organizing the shop and getting ready to leave on Wed. morning at 4:30 a.m. for Sew Central Quiltworks in Hilma, Ca. 3 1/2 hours from here. Wed. & Thur. were spent in a Long Arm class. We had a great time and everyone was so nice. Check out there web site they have great things and are very helpful on the phone. Thurs. about 6 we hit the road for home. Fri. was work and catch up, Sat. was work and Thimbleberries. I'm counting down the days for my machine to be delivered, 9 days left!

Connie started Radiation and taking the Chemo pill and she seems to be loosing more and more strength everyday. Were all very concerned, Sun. morning I'm going to go see her and Jim and take a little food and our practice quilts from class that should really make her laugh. She seems to want to sleep all the time and no strength to walk or exercise.

Better go it's pretty warm in the den, just have swamp coolers. (evaporative coolers)

Vicki

Saturday evening we went to a wedding outside of Shafter. The people whose home it was has fixed up a place to rent uout to people for special occasions like this. It had a large pond and the wedding was next to it. Our youngest son Leo was in it. He was so handsome in his tux. April May and Ryan Phillips were who got married and we're friends of both families. Sunday we had dinner at my mom and dads ( they live across the street from us) for my brother Brets birthday. He's 49 today.    Well my day off and where do I go but to Bakersfield (50 miles from home) to do errands, I need to return a few things and go see Connie. I made one return then saw Connie, she's doing great and hoping to come home from rehad this week. She was so excited to get her quilt that Andi oieced, Vera quilted and I did the binding and had everyone sign it.  Her room mate just loved it too. Well After I left Connie I was planning in my head where my next stop would be and I needed to drop off the tux.  The tux....the tux that I left hanging at home! Well I finished my errands and came home. When Leo got off work he took my truck back to Bakersfield to return the TUX. What a day, now it's time to cook dinner.

Connie is finally in rehab, She's hoping to only stay a couple of weeks. Next week she should start Chemo and Radiation,  she is still very upbeat and can't wait to get back to quilting. In this place she can have her dog Sadie come for visits, that will do her alot of good. I told her I've already figured out a way to put a bicycle basket on her walker for Sadie to ride in. I finally typed up my first class schedule/newsletter. I think it turned out pretty good. I'll show it to the ladies tomorrow and see what they think.Some days it seems like I'm going a hundred miles a minute and getting nothing done, the store is getting busier and not enough time to make samples of the material coming in. Just can't seem to catch up. Well I'm going to go check out Veras' blog and another good one is Lynn Douglass http://lynndouglass.wordpress.com . Lynn is also an A-1 longarm dealer and she's very talented.

Good night.

Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers for Connie.  We finally heard from the doctor she has a brain tumor that is growing. They removed it but she told me today that it is growing and she's anxious to start chemo and radiation.  I've never met anyone with such a possitive outlook on life as her. She told me the doctor told them she has 2 years, but we all beleive in miracles and if there was ever to be one it will her!  My Uncle had cancer for over 20 years on and off again befor we lost him a year and a hlf ago. We talked about her going to rehab in a couple of days and she can't wait to get back to quilting!  I told her I would rotery cut for her!!! She saiod she's not in any pain other than the staples in her head are pulling alittle. With her being in such good health ( she watches what she eats, jogs everyday and annual check ups). We actually got some rain today, the news said we hadn't had any since Feb. 22. We sure need it.  I'm working on a 70 ft. x 3 ft. wedding isle runner in zebra fabric for a friends daughter. She finally found it on line in New York somewhere. They sent it in 3 pieces 1 was a bolt folded in half and it's 60 ins. wide so it is stretched in the middle where it was folded. Doesn't look like quality fabric but everywhere was sold out of zebra. I have to piece it and hem the sides. I'll be glad when I'm done with it. Well it's been a long week and I have one more day of work so I think I'll get ready for bed.

Good Night

Vicki

Well we had a great time in Las Vegas.The wedding was beautiful, I only lost $80.00. Sat. evening a friends husband called to tell me that Connie was in the hospital. Connie had been sick for 19 days and been to the doctor twice they thought she had a strain of an Austrailian flu. When she talked it was kind of like she was tipsy. She woke up Sat. and couldn't walk to the bathroom and just kind of stared. Jim called 911 and within hours she was diagnosed with a mass in the right side of her brain. I spoke to her Sat. evening and she had good thoughts and she told me all about what they were going to do.  On the way home Sun. we went into the hospital befor we came home they had taken her into surgery at 8:00 am that morning and that evening at 6:00 pm we were talking and she seemed to be doing well. Today Jim called right befor I got to the hospital and said she couldn't have visitors today her brain had swelled and she was running a low grade fever, tonight he said she had eaten some dinner and was talking so Jim and her brother were going home for the night. Connie is one of the most health conscious people I know you just never know when something is going to happen to someone you love.  All of the ladies have Connie in our prayers and thoughts, we can't wait for her to get better and come back to the shop and start quilting! Better go for now to tuck in my grandsons.

Vicki

Things have been so busy since I last wrote. After coming home from the showin Tulare I didn't feel so well for about a week, and having to unpack and arrange the store again takes time.  May 2 we went to Merced for my grandmothers 94th birthday. We stayed until Sun 4:00 and I wasn't ready to leave. We had a great time visiting with all of my relatives. (grandmother, aunts, uncles, greataunts, cousins, greatcousins great-greatcousin babies and friends) The time just goes way to fast. My cousin Monty and I were talking about how sad it is that we're all so busy that it's hard to get together once or twice a year with our families growing up and all the activities of our children and grandchildren. The world needs to slow down as do we. I do have more great pictures for you but my huband put all of my pictures in my computer somewhere, so when I find them I will try to download them. (I may be on the phone with Vera again for 2 hours.)  We've been having more classes at the shop, and that has turned out really good and July 19 Cheryl Almgren Taylor will be here to teach a class called Photo Finish. we can only have 20 in the class and it's already half full and I haven't even advertised yet. Cheryls' website is www.atimetosewquilts.com  We're off to Las Vegas today for the weekend for our neices wedding. And the best news I'm buying a Gammill! I sent the deposit yesterday so they can get it ordered, I'm so excited.  Dad's going to be remodeling the store this weekend so we will have room for classes and the longarm and mon will be running the store while were gone. Better head to work alot to do befor we leave today. Vicki

We're getting ready to head over to the show. Fri. was kind of slow and it was pretty hot in the big tent. I'll take a picture of the pavillion the quilt show is in. It's the first time they have had it in there. It's usually in the Ag Center right in front of the tent. It's suppose to be cooler today  . It was nice to see some of the guild ladies from the Bakersfield Cotton Patch Quilters. Thanks for coming by and talking and shopping it was really appriciated. I learned a few new things about applique from Nancy Amidon, from Amidon Quiltworks. There booth is right acoss from ours. Debbie finnally got her homework done and sent with 10 min. to spare. Time to head over, see ya. Vicki

 Well we're in Tulare and finally set up.  Debbie does such a good job arranging all the fabric and patterns. I got in Wed. a new little have to have quilt item called Quilt in a Cup. They are so cool, you make alittle quilt on this batting they've included,trim it , wrap it around the inside cup then slip it in the clear cup andyou have a Quilt in a Cup. Now for the big news.. I won a first place ribbon on my quilt the Morning Star. I can't beleive it. There are 38 vendors here so we have alot of shopping to do.  There's also a swap meat of antiques and an Antique Tractor Show going on all together. Debbie's doing her homework so I have to be kind of quiet so I've just got to go call Vera.

Vicki

It's been awhile since I've written for one reason or another.  The last week or so I've been cutting fabric and packing things up to go to the "Best of the Valley" Quilt show in Tulare, Ca. We will be leaving at 7 a.m.  My friend Debbie is coming along to decorate the booth help me with customers, well I guess I should just say she does it ALL! I couldn't do it without her that's for sure. I'm hoping we can figure out the picture thing or I'll be on the phone to Vera, depending on how buisy we are on how many pictures we take. I have a few more thing to pack so if all goes well, talk to you tomorrow .

Vciki

Good evening quilters, I've tried to download pictures for two nights maybe tomorrow my husband will be able to help. I started a new progect with Modas' layer cakes ( 10 inch squares ) Summers Basket Flowers, I'm just kind of making it up as I go. I'll let you know how it turns out. I kind of wished I had cut the squares in strips and did a strip quilt. Veras' scrap quilts are so pretty she's getting me in the mood. I better go get ready for my Wed. Ladies.

Sat. we founda flea Market in Carpenteria, there were some great finds and the prices were even better. I bought 8 antique thimbles and some quilt blocks. Then we hit theAntique stores and we found 2 toy sewing machines I'll take pictures and try to post them. On our way home today we're going to stop inVentura at a swap meet.

Well I'm in Santa Barbara this weekend hope to have pictures for you soon. We're going antique shopping tomorrow and to see if we can find any quilt stores.  We're staying at the Harbor View Inn right across the street from the ocean. We have a view of the Harbor and the beach. The weather is beautiful and the company is pretty good too. We're here with people from the company my husband works for. They have this Company Retreat every year. Most of the men went golfing today and the women went to a spa. It was great I had a manicure, pedicure and a microderm abrasion vitamin c facial. Gosh it was great! After the spa Terry my husband and I went for a walk on the peir. He got my computer hooked up in the room so I can blog, email and surf the net. Talk to you tomorrow.

Well Stephanie and Tom Finally got back from Rome.  She said 2 days would have been plenty of time to spend in Rome, it wasn't exactly like they thought it would be. They were suprised mostly about the food, it was bland, not very spicey and no meat in the sauces.  She said everything is old and it's dirty. They don't even hose off the sidewalks. Can't wait to see them.  I finished a quilt top today and I'll try to post it tomorrow.  It was 72 degrees today, I love it.  Tomorrow my Wed. ladies will be here hopefully I'll get pictures of everyone.

I've been waiting all day to hear from our daughter Stephanie, she went to Rome for 9 days with her boyfriend Tom so I'm excited to hear about the trip. They emailed us some pictures and they were wonderful. I would love to go some day.  We kept our 2 grandsons from our oldest daughter for the weekend so her and our son in law could go to San Francisco and down the coast for her 30th dirthday. They got home about 7:00 last night so it was quiet around here. Vera I hope you got your hair done, I got mine done this morning.

Good morning, today is a day filled with laundry, grocery shopping and grandsons.  Oh and paperwork.  Sat the shop was a good day.  Mom opened for me as I had a funeral but I was there by 11:00. The Thimbleberry Club ladies were fast at work and got alot accomplished. It was a rainy and chilly day, quite a change from the 80 degrees we've been having I hope they'll be back soon.

Toay was pretty quiet for the most part. One of my Thimbleberry Ladies can in and got caught up on her block, I worked on a quilt top that looks like a braid. I'll post it when it's done.  Vera I took some pictures of the Moda Posh fabric and will try to get it on here tomorrow. Tomorrow is Thimbleberries class and I need to be at a funeral first thing in the morning, I'll try pictures tomorrow.

I had a visitor to the store today, Paula Reid stopped in on her way home from a couple of seminars at the coast.  She'a a very nice lady and very talented. I bought some of her DVD's to sell at the store and she bought some material and complemented me on my store.  She said she would definitely be back to see me.  I'll watch the DVD's and let you know what I think.