Thought I'd snap a quick photo while the shelf is still dusted. Of course I moved stuff to dust and I'll have to get out an old photo to make sure I have everything back in its spot.. you know since I got rid of that dust map I had going.

I hope you little chickadees have a great week. I'll be back before you know it, with tales of all the get-together-goodness. xop

My Big Head Revisited

Its always fun to head into the shop for work on Monday. There could be plenty of new things from the time I left on Wednesday and today was no exception. More Amy Butler, so I'm thinking next week I'll be picking up some more fabric to make something. Maybe something clothing related.

The real fun for the day was when Chickie and Sandra came in the shop. Chickie and Sandra have been cutting fabric for me at Thimblecreek for years, so it was nice to return the favor. They were on the way to the Japanese bookstore, so it sounds like they were having a very fun day. Chickie and Sandra have always been so friendly and nice up at Thimblecreek and they make it a pleasure to shop there. I haven't been to their new location, but I think Chickie works on Tuesdays, which is my field trip day, so she'll be seeing my big head again soon.

At the end of my day Lisa Quan came in. I just love Lisa, not only so very clever and talented, but so warm and generous. I just can't say enough nice things about Lisa. You just feel good when you've seen her. I've missed her so it was a delightful end to my working day.

Of course we had a lot of regular customers in, it was a busy day. As much as I love fabric, the people really make working in a store fun.

Tomorrow is my last ditch effort to pick up and get whatever I need for my visitors. I am so excited to see my cousin! I may be taking a little break from posting because I think we'll be having so much fun yakking and drinking coffee and driving around I won't have time.

Have a great week!!!

Take and Make

Last week we had a bunch of the new Amy Butler fabric in the shop. This pile of light blue and grey really caught my eye. I grabbed up a few pieces to make something new, I figured a purse.

That pile turned into this. I think it's cute enough. But it seems kind of dull really. Like there's no spark to it. Maybe its the surroundings. That yellow lemonade pot is so bright and cheery. And probably caked in a coating of dust. BUT DON'T TELL ME IF IT IS. I have enough dusting still left to do. Man, now I know why I don't like dusting.

Speaking of dusting, last night Bret and I were out running some errands and this little girl came up to me shyly and offered a business card. I could see her parents around the corner waiting for her. Grand Opening, Cleaning Service. I must look like I need help.

A Question for Blogger

Dear Blogger;

Why doesn't your spell checker recognize the word blog?

Your friend,
Pam

A Swiffer Free Post

Before Christmas I participated in a fun contest over at Angelina's blog, and I won this cute potholder. It came along with one of Phillip's postcards which I love. The contest was about the worst gift you ever got and I thought the salad spinner from an old boy friend was pretty bad but turns out there are some people with some real bad-gift stories. I really enjoy Angelina's blog, I find it interesting and thought provoking, and often eerily like looking back on the years where Frankie was young. I would have enjoyed standing in the back of the classroom with Angelina. I always felt a little bit of an outcast during the school years.

I've been sewing. A lot. The mystery quilt clues are going out this week so I have to get on the ball, I'm not all that much farther ahead of the crowd. You can see here I'm ready to get busy, coffee, sewing, Sidekick. Gotta keep in contact with my peeps. The quilt is turning out cute. I'll post photos once the quilt is revealed in a few weeks.

Some people have asked just what a mystery quilt is. A mystery quilt is one where you don't know what the finished quilt looks like. Clues are passed out giving you fabric amounts, cutting and sewing instructions and you follow along doing each step not knowing where its all going to end up. This quilt we're working on is twin size I think. Or close to it. I think I'm on step 4.

And this is a pretty box of spring. Soon to be in a pot on my porch. I hope you have a super day my dears!

NEWS FLASH

KITTY CRAFT IS OPEN. MORE PAMKITTYMORNINGS FOR ME!!!! WHOO HOO.

Let Me Apologize in Advance for this Post.

Yeah people, this is how we're keeping it real over here at PamKittyMorning. Just when you've recommended my blog as a good read to all your friends, here comes a post like this.

I know, two photos of Swiffer, I hope you all realize that I did go to some effort styling my Swiffer packaging. This is quality blog action.

Actually after yesterday's Dr.Pepper incident, I felt the need to improve my mopping situation. I have company coming you know. And I'm often a sucker for this kind of gimicky cleaning product.

Lets just say while I loved it, its not really for people with dirty floors. Its for those households where someone cleans everyday. Not just when their company is coming. So clearly not me. I can't remember the last time I mopped. Well that's a lie, it was yesterday. But maybe now with my Swiffer, I'll actually mop more often and I won't need that real mop. Well it's a thought. A thought that needed sharing.

Just so you don't leave thinking that this is a blog where I talk about my housekeeping skills because wow, I so am lacking in that area, I actually accomplished some things. Like sewing. And I received some lovely mail, which I will share in my next post! Until then my lovely friends!

Big Head Blogger

Well my friends, it's been that kind of day. Yup, Big Head day. I was at work and it was nearly first thing after we opened. Phone rings. "Good Morning In Between Stitches this is Pam can I help you?".. and someone asked

"Is this PamKittyMorning?"

Well lets just say I was SURPRISED. It was a rather well known lady who works at Thimblecreek calling. Yup it's you Chickie! Anyway she said a lot of very complimentary things about my blog and again let me say I was beyond flattered. I still cannot believe anyone reads this even occasionally.

On top of all the compliments, she said she told 'about 50 people' about my blog. Ok, maybe it was more like 5 or possibly 3 but still. It was an OMG moment and it's not like I'm saying it to suck up or anything.

After a fun day at work I came home and checked my email. I found some other famous people blogs, Anne Sutton from Bunny Hill Designs and Brenda from Acorn Quilt and Gift Company. I have met both of them before, and Brenda had the booth behind us at quilt market. I had left comments on their blogs and I had email from both of them.

I have to say I was feeling a bit smug. Famous people. Reading my blog. That's right, and lets not forget the email. Email to me my friends. And not that kind that goes to everyone! You gotta live it up when that kind of thing happens.

But just so you know the forces of nature are still at work keeping me real , I went to toast my good fortune with a cold Diet Caffeine Free Coke (because seriously, do you think I need the caffeine?) and a Dr. Pepper flew out of the fridge, fell on the floor and from the tiniest hole ever shot Dr. Pepper all over my nice still-feels-new-to-me fridge, all over the kitchen, under the fridge, onto the walls and cabinets and into the living room as it spun around like some kind of amazing fireworks. Sticky, sweet fireworks. At high pressure. Tiny hole. Wow. Back to normal in just an instant.

Still, life is good, isn't it?

In the meantime, I just want to send out my thanks to everyone who reads my blog. I really appreciate that you take the time to come by and comment or even not comment. And to all of you with blogs where you share your thoughts, your daily life and and your creativity, thank you for showing me new ways to think about things, make things and inspiring me to grow.

Now I need to get back to work.

The Late Bloomer's New Blog

Elizabeth's blog is up and running! Head on over there and check it out.

The Quilt Show

Here's my friend Alex Anderson the other day at the shop! She's got a new business, The Quilt Show, with Ricky Tims and she's showing off her new credit cards. Sometimes we forget that people we've seen on TV are just real people, thrilled about silly stuff we're thrilled about.

Anyway, you can head over to The Quilt Show's website and read all about it. She's excited like a kid over this. You can also listen to her podcasts on her website. There's a funny one about how she managed to shoplift a bottle of Syntropol from the shop and she even mentions me. ME MY FRIENDS.. she mentions me. You can listen to it, it's podcast #3.

Anyway she was in the shop with Kris Spray to work on a project for the Manteca Quilt Guild. Alex is the featured artist in 2009 and she's designing the opportunity quilt and Kris is making it. We had some fun choosing fabrics. I can't wait to see how it turns out.

I have had a lot of thrilling opportunities thanks to Alex, she's had me do some 'stunt sewing' for her and I even was invited to participate in a book due out this fall. Thanks Alex for giving me my quilting moment in the sun! Good luck with The Quilt Show!

Our Own Team Player!

JERSEY DAY

This is probably not a sight you'd be used to seeing at a quilt shop, Jersey Day!! Meet Leslie (right) and Elizabeth (left)who are repping our favorite Jacksonville Jaguar Maurice Jones-Drew. Maurice is the childhood sweetheart of Leslie's daughter Ashley. He's just the nicest guy ever. I even watch football to see him.

This is his first year with the NFL and he's up for Pepsi's Rookie of the Year. If you're so inclined please head over and vote for Maurice at the NFL site. I'd love to see him win this Pepsi Award.

GO MAURICE!

Time Marches On

Its just about time for my little Jedi to head back to school. We've been living it up here with her at home, taking the opportunity to be lazy about everything but time's up. We've had mall outings and craft outings, and even mini-vacations. Its been a great month.

Yesterday we found out our cousin Linda from Minnesota will be coming for a short visit at the end of the month. She's really my husbands cousin but we're very close and I have visited her many times on my own. She used to live here when I first joined the family. She shows me a wonderful time driving me all over for quilt shopping and antiquing and I am thinking of all kinds of things to do with her for her few days here with us. She hasn't seen Frankie since she was maybe 3, so we'll be taking a day trip to see her. That should be fun. I'm proud of my little girl, and can't wait to show her off. I'm so thrilled she's coming.

In the meantime I'm sewing a couple of mystery quilts, so nothing to post here. Its going to be a busy few days getting those done and getting Frankie packed up and then of course completely transforming this place for company. I could use some Jedi skills for that. So guess I should get ready for work and wish you all a good day friends! May the force be with you!

The Scariest Place on Earth

Ok not really, but lets just say I'm not over my fear of heights. This weekend we were lucky to have a two-for deal at Disneyland and day two found us making a quick trip into California Adventure. That place is chock full of rides I'm never going to go on, like Tower of Terror. The whole idea of that door opening up at the top is enough to send me into a panic.

They might as well open those doors and dangle my feet over the edge. And speaking over the edge, I rode that Soaring over California ride. I remember some women talking about that ride at the shop, they were older Grandma style ladies, so I figured if they could take it, must be tame. Well I guess compared to Tower of Terror yeah, tame. I had no idea that row 1 on that ride would be 30 feet up with our feet dangling DANGLING. The lady next to me took great delight laughing at me and waving her arms and feet around and Frankie was laughing her head off next to me and I'm clutching the handles like a madwoman. Yeah, cool ride. Can't wait to never do that again.

I did find some great inspiration at the parks. Who doesn't love the teacups.

Day or night they are so cute and happy. I want to live at a place that has that same feeling, colorful, cheerful. You know, like Alicia.The whole little Alice in Wonderland area here reminds me of her. Everytime Frankie walked by it she kept saying "I want that in my apartment", she's got home dec on the brain. Who could blame her, I would love to have that starting out feeling again myself. Decorating a new small space, making it cozy.

And this, I love everything about this. I would have a mosiac like this in my kitchen. I wonder how long it would take to save up things to break and then put back together. I love the colors. I find quilty inspiration in this.

So my dears, I must run, time to finish getting ready for work. I hope you have a lovely day!

The Happiest Place on Earth

Luck was finally with us this week, we got in our trip to Disneyland. It really was our good fortune having had to postpone the trip, the park was empty. No lines. I know, can you believe it? When does that ever happen?

We stayed at the new Disney Grand Californian Hotel which was amazing. Its a huge Craftsman style hotel and I spent the whole time inside oggling the details, like the vintage style telephones in the lobby and the cool tiles in the bathrooms, and the linens and the lamps and well just everything. I could have taken a million bad photos but lets just show these. The first is the view from the 4th floor down into the enormous lobby. There is a fireplace down there, not that I wanted to get anywhere near that, it was quite warm, but Bret and Frankie enjoyed some downtime there.

We had early entrance to the park on Thursday, here's Frankie and I all ready to bolt into the park and run to Space Mountain. Which sadly was down for the first half hour of our early entrance time. We rode the Matterhorn and then came back at Frankie's urging and it was open.. we were on the first car of the morning and wow, how much do we love Space Mountain. Enough to run around to the entrance and ride it again.

After the park opened up to the rest of the people, it was still pretty empty and we managed to ride everything we wanted to and headed back to downtown Disney for lunch. When we were younger there's no way we would have left the park but this is who I am now, and I really need the break.

Lunch was good and afterwards Frankie wanted to take a nap. Bret and I had a date with Splash Mountain, my all time favorite ride in Disneyland.

We rode it twice, and I managed to stay relatively dry the whole time. It seemed like tempting fate to ride one more time, so we walked around the park and then somehow I managed not to fall into a heap at the side of the road bawling and haul myself up to the room, where we napped for a couple of hours. Then back to the park for more rides and Fantasmic. It was really a great day!

Belated Thanks

Hello hellooo! So good to be back home. More on that later, I'm still recovering. Having fun can be grueling!

Thank you all so much for the lovely comments on my little Scotties quilt. It was a fun little project, and when I say little, I mean that the whole thing is only 13" x 14". The genius is in Elizabeth's pattern. It's all machine work, except handstitching the binding down. I do all my stuff by machine, I just don't have the patience for handwork for the most part. It was fun and I'm thinking about other things that would be fun made tiny. I love tiny. (to go with my attention span)

In the meantime, I'm bringing you a little glimpse into In Between Stitches. Wednesday Leslie was working on spring displays.. at the time of the photos they weren't complete, but you get the gist and well, Leslie's just a genius when it comes to this stuff. Who wouldn't love working at a store so pretty?

Little Friends

Just to prove I actually do make things, here's a little something that I made last week. I just got around to posting it (blogger you *&#@&*). I just love scotties and love Elizabeth's pattern. Elizabeth had been mentioning she'd like to do some small items to frame and I thought the dogs were perfect for it. I simply reduced them 50% and used just basket elements. You can't see their tiny little button eyes but they're there.

As usual, I didn't think things thru, so its not really a good size for a frame. Well for a regular off the rack frame anyway. And who knows when I'll really get around to that anyway, let's be honest.

Work was good, glad to be back in the shop and see my peeps. Back there tomorrow. I'm getting back in the groove and it feels good.

The Last of Christmas..

This quilt is the last of the Christmas decorations to go. Its not the best picture of the quilt, I just can't get a nice closeup that shows the quilt in it's wonderfully quilted glory. (quilted by CJ Behling on a longarm) I made this a few years ago as a sample. Its from a line of fabric by RJR, and as soon as it was printed, it was discontinued leaving a bad taste in the mouth of shop owners and customers everywhere. By the time it was done we couldn't kit up many, we couldn't get enough of the companion pieces, and we substituted where we could, but there just wasn't enough to go around. I don't know why fabric companies are doing that now, creating this demand with their glossy printed quilt patterns and fabrics and then dashing our hopes for reorders.

It seems like customers come into the shop months before a line is due, and start asking about it. I appreciate that magazines are available before their actual date, but some companies advertise an arbitrary availability date, and then don't deliver. This leaves customers irritated with shop owners, like somehow we're lying to them about the fabric. We're hoarding it secretly in a backroom gloating over our cleverness. Not so my friends, not so.

Well enough of my pet peeves.

Back to work for me tomorrow. Its been three weeks now since I've been to the shop. Can't wait to get back to my normal schedule. Hope you all have a good week!

Showtime

Groove.. I need to get back in it. Being sick really has taken it out of me but I feel like I'm on the mend. Yesterday seemed a bit like a breakout day finally. Not like I still don't have the air of some Hall's Mentholyptus around me, but I got some stuff done. Seriously, shocker huh?

Today is Elizabeth's birthday. I actually left the house for a while and dropped off her birthday gift. We need to get her blog up and running so she can start posting her own goodies. I didn't take any photos of the bag I made her. It turned out cute. Anyway, HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELIZABETH!!

We had a nice visit and I got to check out her piles of fabric all ready for new projects. I wish I'd brought my camera, there were some pretty things there just aching to be photographed. Elizabeth, find your blog stuff and lets get rolling. No rolling for us today, she's working, maybe tomorrow.

Anyway, I'm also working on a mini-version of her Best Friends quilt. I love those little scotties so much. I need to get on the last of that blanket stitching... today. Seriously, I'm going to do it today. It felt good to be back at the machine.

Just so you know I've not forgotten, I sat down and finally had some good luck getting my cup block diagrammed so I just need to find tune that, get the instructions typed up and I'll have that for you. I've had some frustrating moments with this project, but I'm determined. DETERMINED I TELL YOU.

Next week things will really get back to normal as my work vacation is over. No more spending the entire afternoon and evening watching Dexter on Showtime On Demand. Frankie and I could not stop yesterday, just doing it one episode after another. Just two more to go.. that shouldn't suck my day away, should it?

Nerd alert

Ok, am I the only person who didn't know Wil Wheaton had a blog? I happened to be cruising the blog world and came across someone commenting that one of the highpoints of blogging that year was Wil Wheaton stopping by and commenting on her blog.

My husband was a Star Trek fan from the first show, but I didn't come around till after we were married and got to watching The Next Generation. Could I have loved Captain Picard more? I don't think so. Frankie even got to meet #1, Jonathan Frakes, when Bret worked at a company that had the actor in character in to do some promotion. I'd dig out that photo if I had any idea where it was.

So today I commented on Wil Wheaton's blog. Totally smarmy fan freak post, I'd hate myself but OHMYGOD it was Wil Wheaton's blog. And if you can't be a geek there, where can you be one?