Happy December!!! It is hard to believe the end of the year is almost here but we still a few weeks before we need to worry about resolutions, etc. Right now we all need to concentrate on the season at hand, getting those lists checked off and all bases covered. I know I have told you before, there is still time to get a quilt made for that person who is still waiting for their "quilt from Mom, or Grandma".

Also, it is time to consider which Club(s) you are going to belong to next year. We are taking signup and beginning this week, we will be taking payment and locking your space(s) in. We have the prices available at the shop and you can stop in, sign up and pay or you can phone with a credit card or check in the mail.

Check out the Scrapebook on the web site--the Baltimore quilt is pictured. It really did turn out great and we have plenty of kits available. We have ordered more Simply Irresistible from Robyn's current lines and will be doing more kits for the sample I made during the Summer.

I am working on the newsletter--Ann, Lou Ann and Gina have some outstanding projects lined up for all of you next year and I am adding a few new things myself. Classes at Nutmeg Lodge for 2006 are going to be better than ever. Plus I am working on some great fun ways to offer you savings from the Web Site. Can't wait share all of this with you soon.

Enjoy the Season!!! Barbara

With Thanksgiving behind us, we can look forward to Christmas with no distractions. We had a number of shoppers on Black Friday and several returned on Saturday to complete their tasks. Judy and Marcy have begun cutting the Harvest Spice kits and several of you signed up for it on the spot. It really is going to be a dynamite quilt. Remember we are only cutting 20 kits--we have almost half gone already. Come in and see for yourself before they are all gone.

Tomorrow is Cyper Monday and that is a reminder that if you can't get in and want to do some shopping "on line". You can email your order and we will attend to it on Tuesday. You can also email or call with any questions you have about merchandise. Also, if you want to come in and "shop" for your gifts from that special someone or anyone in your family, we will hold your items until they come in and pick them up. Anything we can do to help out.

I have almost finished quilting the hottest thing in the shop. Don't know what that is? Just arrived last week the newest Baltimore cheater panels from Robert McLenhan from RJR. I have to say that this is the most exciting preprinted quilt to date. Come in and check it out--we did order a lot of this fabric so that everyone can have this "heirloom".

I am busy working on the class schedule and getting everything ready to unveil our Club projects for 2006. We have great things in store for everyone next year.

I will be updating the blog on Wednesday, so check in.

Look forward to seeing you soon. Barbara

Happy Thanksgiving!!! This is probably my most favorite holiday. No shopping, no wrapping, no returns, but the food is the best. We have a small table this year--all the children are going to the inlaws and everyone will be home for Christmas but we are still looking forward to the turkey and all the trimmings. I hope that each of you has an abundant table and all the blessings that goes along with the occasion.

We will be decorating our tree at the shop this week and decking the halls for the season. I put the tree up today and I think it will make everyone feel good when you come in to visit. Harvest Spice has arrived and we will be cutting the kits to make them ready for a January distribution. If you have seen the ads in the magazines, we will be offering as a block of the month. It will start in January and will run 10 months. Come in and see the picture if you have questions.

I am busy getting the 2006 class schedule ready. Ann, Lou Ann, Gina and I are working up some great new classes. You will be delighted with the line up.

To celebrate Black Friday, you can print this page, bring it in on Friday, November 25 and get 25% off your purchases--no punches.

Don't forget to mention gift certificates to everyone who is looking for a gift idea for you. We can also help with your wish list, just get a card from the file box, fill out your wish list, put it back into the box and we will give it to all your shoppers when they come shopping. You can send your punch card along with the shopper or we will punch a new card.

Looking forward to seeing all of you soon. Barbara

What a week--the workshop at Shepherd's Spring was great--I met new and talented people from different parts of the country. Everyone got their blocks finished. Two got borders on and everyone else had decided to make more blocks and make a larger project. This program will be offered again next year and all plan to come back and continue this journey.

We are still dealing with the sad news of the death of our dear friend, Dorothy Holliday. Dorothy was one of our treasured longarm quilters and her passing will leave a large hole in our hearts and our quilts.

The red and green Santa and Saturday Sampler quilt is on display at the shop. Come in and take a look--for all doing the blue and brown version, that sample will be ready the first of December.

There is still time to make Christmas gifts. If you are stumped for ideas--come in and let us inspire you. The Turning Twenty pattern is an unbeatable and doable project that can easily be ready for that special someone on your list. We have those adorable bears for little ones. A homemade pillow case and a bear would be a perfect gift for grandchildren. If yours are like mine, tuck in a gift card and everyone will be happy.

Gift certificates are always a great idea. We have several unique items to put your gift in for an extra surprise.

The web site is really enjoying a lot of activity. You should be checking it out regularly. At the bottom of the page there is a counter for the number of people that have logged in. If you are the 1050 person to log in, print out the page, bring it into the shop and receive 25% off your purchase.

I am going to start and update the blog twice a week so that I can give you more frequent information on what is going on. The bus trip to Baltimore went so well that next year we will be planning a variety of trips, so stay tuned for more on that.

Looking forward to seeing all of you soon, Barbara

The bus trip to Baltimore was a great adventure. I hope that everyone who went on the trip had as much fun as I did. We left promptly at 10:00 in a beautiful new coach, our driver was most courteous and competent. We arrived at the museum at 12:00 and had more than enough time to see all of the 40 quilts that were on display. There were four Album quilts and all of us spent most of our time scrutinizing every stitch. This was a small, non-professional show and we were able to really get up close to the quilts and study them up close. Patricia Presky thinks she found a relative in one of the signature quilts. The sanctuary of the church was also quite breath taking. We left Baltimore at 2:00 and were back at the shop by 4:00. Our driver Ken did a superb job.

The girls at the shop had done an outstanding job setting everything up for Market Review and the house was really full at 5:30 when we were ready to begin our semi-annual review. As I told everyone, I had decided not to actually go to Market this fall and, instead we ordered everything in advance. We were so pleased with all of the goodies that we had and, judging from the way everyone shopped, so did everyone else. We still have everything set out for those who could not come on Friday night. We look forward to seeing you and giving you a personal tour. There were a couple of things that we sold out of on Friday and we will reorder. Some of the new gadgets are outstanding. A great number of new punch needle patterns--and yes, that still is the hottest thing on the market. New books from Need'l Love and Blackbird Designs were the most popular along with Terry Atkinson's new book, My Red Sofa. In addition to all the new Market stuff we had also received the new Moda panels from those crazy girls Ora and Opal. You really do want to make sure you have this in your collection. Those gals are really something. We have a number of coordinating pieces from this line as well.

I am off this week to teach the Underground Railroad Elder Hostel quilt. Stop by and say hi to everyone at the shop and I will see everyone on Saturday for Saturday Sampler. We will have two red and green quilts ready for your preview with finishing ideas. We will also be giving you a few hints about what we will be doing next week.

See you soon, Barbara