Road Trips ...

In the last two weeks I've fortunate in that I have gone on two very enjoyable road trips. The first was to Michigan on a home brewed shop hop. Although leaving home @ 7 am (NOT my idea of fun) we drove to the border and proceeded to shop 'til we dropped! ... I thoroughly enjoyed the drive, the company and the new quilt shops we visited. My friend, who did the driving (thank you thank you thank you) purchased a GPS .... tada ..... we did not get lost - not once! Marvelous gadget! One thing I must say, I was a wee bit shocked at the lack of customers in the quilt shops in Michigan - so the evening news is right about their depressed economy. Besides the price of gas - it's still a bargain for us since our dollar is more or less on par with theirs and their fabric prices are definitely lower!!! So a U S shop hop is worth it!
My second road trip was to the semi-annual outdoor semi-local antique show. I started going to way back when I was collecting vintage quilts. My collection now is well into two figures - more than my shelving capacity, and the prices of vintage textiles has shot through the roof! None-the-less it was a gorgeous day outside and wonderful to be out and about with friends doings what I enjoy - shopping!


TTFN

Winner

Yes folks - we have a winner!!! Not the first prize I was hoping for - but still a winner! This piece is for the challenge in two of my guilds. The appliqued fish around the outside and in the very center are fussy cut from a piece of Laurel Burch fabric, the challenge from my first guild, and the fish theme is meant to represent Blue Hawaii since the theme from my second guild's challenge is anything Elvis!

It was meant to be a real Hawaiian quilt, but I have to admit that I cheated somewhat, and it's not all made out of one fabric ... none-the-less it is pretty much all a mirror image of itself. What you can't see in the pic is the amount of beading that I put on this. I also wanted to do something with tulle and angelina fibre, and a lot more echo quilting - but simply did not have enough time!!! (who does). As it is I did hand applique, hand bead and hand quilt, but the quilting pattern was circles - to represent bubbles in the ocean!

My other "win" this week was with BMO, or more specifically with a particular male employee who did not understand the word NO and got a much needed lesson. I made a formal complaint which I am happy to say was taken seriously and handled well by the local area manager. It's not that I'm vindicative, but as I explained to the area manager - I'm old enough now to not accept passively when I am disrespected or mistreated. So, for all you ladies out there, and that includes my mother, who think "Oh, just let it go" WRONG. If you let it go then the next woman gets dumped on, and the next and the next... etc.

TTFN