Spring Fling Shop Hop

Kathy, Judy and I spent Saturday doing the Spring Fling Shop Hop in Arkansas.

We started out early, 7:00 a.m.

It was chilly and very foggy.   We decide to head north and work our way south through the  seven shops that participated in the shop hop.

Our total mileage driven was 352 miles.  It was a fun day and we met some very nice people.



The Rabbit's Lair in Rogers Arkansas, was our first stop.  

This is a shop you need to check out.  Even if you are not a quilter, check this shop out.

It has all the original character from when it was first built as a pharmacy.

This little shop also has a lot to offer anyone who is into quilting, crocheting and knitting.

In the Rabbit's Lair you can go behind the counters and go through the drawers.  They have quilting, crocheting and knitting items in every nook and cranny.

The second shop we went to was the Country House Quilting Quilt Shop located in Pea Ridge, Arkansas.


This is off the beaten path, but is a shop worth visiting if you are in the area.




















They had a in store challenge we could vote on.

Our third shop to visit was the Sew a Stitch in Rogers, Arkansas.

This shop caters mainly to those looking for a sewing/embroidery machine.  It has sewing notions and fabrics as well.

Next we were on our way to the Quilting Corner in Sulphur Springs, Arkansas.

This was a nice little shop.

I got a helpful tip on a quilt made out of men's neck ties.  I am collecting ties to one day make a neck tie quilt.

I found this picture hanging on one of their walls and thought the words were worth reading.













Sager Creek Quilts & Yarn Works was our next stop.  It is located in Siloam Springs, AR.

This shop has a lot to offer a quilter and anyone into crocheting and knitting as well.

Mama's Log Cabin was next.  This is another shop off the beaten path in Huntington, Arkansas but well worth the visit.

This little shop is packed full and I'm sure you will find what you need there.  They do a lot of online sales too.  

This group of ladies is very helpful and happy to answer any questions you might have.

 



Our last stop was Crooked Creek Quilt Shop in Greenwood, Arkansas.

This shop is the closest to where I live and the ladies there are members of the guild I belong to.

They have some special rulers that are worth checking out.




You know how when your try to square up a half triangle square and your ruler rocks on the seam?  They have come up with a ruler that has a groove in it so that it doesn't rock on the seam and squaring up your block is much easier.

So that's my Saturday.  I totally enjoyed it but was tired by the time we arrived back in Caulksville, Arkansas, where I left my car for the day. I was kind of numb driving the rest of the way home in Paris.

I hope you enjoyed your weekend too.  :)

Hugs,
Sonia

Thursday Favorite

One of my favorite things, something I don't get to do much, is to spend time with my son or my daughter or both over a game. Playing anything from a game on a game system or a board game.

Earlier in the week Audre and I played a couple of board games.  She won both.  :)

SORRY 

LIFE

Hugs,

Sonia

We have a Winner!

Congratulations Stephanie! 

@ www.thewritesteph.com

I want to thank everyone who participated in my giveaway.

There are blooms galore!  

The daffodils are in bloom.

The hyacinths are perfuming the air.

Some of the trees are in bloom. Colors of white, pinks, lavender and yellow dot the neighborhoods.

I'm glad Spring is here.  

Until next time, 

Sonia

A Quilting Southpaw's Thoughts: GIVEAWAY

A Quilting Southpaw's Thoughts: GIVEAWAY: SPRING GIVEAWAY! DRAWING: 03/20/2014 Sorry due to shipping cost, this giveaway is limited to the United States only. In look...

Blessings in disguise

I believe blessings, inspiration and lessons come in many types of ways.

This morning I was blessed by a visit to a sister in faith.  She has recently had surgery and has to wear a neck brace.  

Now when I hear of someone wearing a neck brace I think of how restricting, how daunting that could be.  I can see how it would be easy for a person to get down in spirit in such a situation.

That is not what I saw this morning.   What I saw was someone trusting completely in God to see her through the situation.  She was in good spirit and revealed to us that she is learning a lesson during this healing process she it going through. She is learning to be still and know.   She feels good enough to be out and about but is restricted from doing so.  So this lesson is probably not easy, but she is learning from it.

It was an inspiration to me to see her in such good spirit and her trust in God.

How often do we let little things, get us down?   How often do we forget that God is in control?   I'm afraid more often than not and it was good to see the example my sister in faith showed me this morning.

Sonia

The day...

Today was the day...

The day for prom dress shopping.

Audre and I took off around 11 a.m. this morning in search of a prom dress. 

We looked at a lot of dresses.  








 

We looked at dresses that she wasn't very impressed with.

She gave me this look over several of the dresses we looked at in the first shop we went into.   

Needless to say we moved on...




Audre is petite and finding her size was a challenge, but three stores later we found a dress she was happy with and fit her.  Shoes were next and they were easier to find than the dress.

We had fun and Audre kept me chuckling throughout the day with her comments and faces over certain dresses.

I will have to show you her dress, but will wait until the day of prom.  There's no need in spoiling the fun and showing her dress before it's time.

Sonia

PS check out my giveaway by clicking on the GIVEAWAY tab at the top of the page.

Double Take

Today, I saw something I haven't seen before.  I went to get a cup of coffee this afternoon, to try to cut the afternoon drowsiness, and I looked out the window and on the street below a car was driving by with the front passenger door completely gone.

I did a double take, not sure if what i saw was true, but sure enough it was.  I can tell you the car had bright green seats or maybe bright green seat covers.  I also saw stuff in the seat, like clothing or bags, tan in color.  I'm wondering how it all stayed in the car and how carefully did the driver take turns and such so that the items would not fly out?  I also wonder how cold the driver might have been, as it was a cooler day with a slight nip in the wind.  I imagine it got pretty chilly driving down the road.

Needless to say seeing that helped know out some of the drowsiness too.

All day long I had to remind myself it was Friday.  For some reason it didn't feel like Friday to me.  You know?  The feeling of accomplishing your work goals for the week and anticipating the opportunity to unwind and enjoy the weekend.  I wasn't feeling that earlier today.   Not because I didn't accomplish my goals this week, I did, and not because I don't anticipate the weekend, I always do.  I'm not sure why really, it just bothered me that my Friday felt more like a Monday.  Ugh!

Anyway, I got over it during my drive home.  I took it easy, chilled out with the radio and enjoyed the drive home.  Then... I was ready for the weekend.

Bring it on.  YEAH!  Its the weekend!

Sonia

Thursday Favorite

Just thought I'd share my favorite things or this week.

 One day this week we had fog like you wouldn't believe.  On the way to work, it was so foggy I couldn't see 10 feet in front of me.  I called my husband and asked him to take a photo for me. It was still dark, so he took this photo mid-morning.  The fog hung around for quite a while.

On the way home one day, the moon was in the eastern sky and the craters were the same color as the sky, as if the sky was shining through it.  So I took this picture when I got home.







This is one of the first paintings my husband did. He painted this for my parents.  I think it is pretty.

He has painted other pictures since and I think he is getting better with each new painting.

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GIVEAWAY REMINDER

We only have a week left for the Spring Giveaway.   Celebrate Spring with me and enter my giveaway.  http://aquiltingsouthpawsthoughts.blogspot.com/p/giveaway.html



Until next time,

Hugs,
Sonia

MUSIC

What is it about music that moves us?

Is it the melody...the tempo?

Could it be the lyrics, if there are any?

Could it be the style of music?

Or...

Could it be the frame of mind we are in while listening?

I find music motivating, encouraging, inspiring, relaxing, and even depressing sometimes, at which point I hurriedly find another piece of music to listen to.

I cannot imagine life without music.

I grew up with music, from my dad playing his harmonica and singing to church congregation songs every service.

I married a man whose family if big into music.  They either play an instrument or they sing.  This has been passed down to my children.  Often I wake up hearing or go to be hearing a guitar being played by my husband, my son or my daughter.

There is always music playing in my car and until I took my current job, there was always music being played at work.

Music is so much a part of my life, many mornings, when I wake I'm singing on the inside.

So... what is it about music?

Sonia

PS don't forget about my giveaway.  You can find it on the GIVEAWAY tab above.

0% Clearance

Good morning,

It looks like I will be staying home today.   I just checked the road conditions for what I travel to work and all the roads I could take are icy with 0% clearance.   

It's just safer if I stay off the road ~ safer for me and for all those who might be on the road with me.

I took this picture through my front window, as it is too chilly for me to step out (15°).  What you are seeing mostly is sleet and ice with a light covering of snow.

Though we were hit with ice and sleet first, then snow on top, I'm thankful we still have electric power and no frozen water pipes.

I want to remind you of my Spring Giveaway.  You can sign up on my post titled Good Music and a Giveaway.  

Here's a link to it.    http://aquiltingsouthpawsthoughts.blogspot.com/2014/03/good-music-and-giveaway.html

SPRING GIVEAWAY

Since I'm staying home today, I plan to make it a productive day and work on the log cabin quilt.  I am close to getting it finished.  I'm very ready to have it done and move on to something else. 

It seems I always learn something with each quilt I make.      

The lesson I learned with this one is, if you are going to do a "quilt as you go" type quilt, pick a simpler pattern.  

Hugs,

Sonia

Good Music and a Giveaway

Fond memories and new memories were made this evening at my house.   My husband, son, and brother-n-law got together tonight to play music.   It has been a long time since they have done so.

Tuning up and getting ready to play

It brought back good memories of when they use to play every weekend, when my kids were little, and new memories were made tonight with my son playing with them for the first time.

Playing music from left to right: Josh, son; David, hubby; Mike, bro-n-law

Though the weathermen and women are predicting yucky weather again this weekend, and by yucky I mean freezing rain, ice and snow, this is still the month in which Spring begins.   So I've decided to have a spring giveaway.

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SPRING GIVEAWAY!

DRAWING: 03/20/2014

Sorry due to shipping cost, this giveaway is limited to the United States only.

In looking forward to Spring, I thought these items would be a great starter to the season.

• A Coffee Cup Planter
• 8 Rules To A Better Life plaque
• A cute baby Chick for stress
• Flower Seeds
• Crocheted Spring Mug Rug

Here are the Giveaway Rules.  

You have up to five chances to enter this giveaway.

1. Become a new follower and leave a comment to let me know what you like best about Spring.
2. If you are already a follower, leave a comment of your favorite thing about Spring.
3. Share this giveaway on your blog and let me know.
4. Share it on Twitter and let me know.
5. Share it on Facebook and let me know.

GOOD LUCK!  

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I thought I'd share a recipe with you.

This morning I decided to try something new with pancakes.  Instead of using a regular pancake recipe, I changed it up a bit.  They turned out yummy.

Here's how they are made.

1. 2 cups flour
2. 1 tsp salt
3. 1 tsp baking powder
4. 1 tsp cinnamon
5. 1/4 cup brown sugar
6. 1 tsp vanilla
7. 1 egg, beaten
8. 1/4 cup pecan, finely chopped
9. milk, enough for pancake consistency

Mix a first five ingredients together, then add the vanilla, egg and milk.  Mix well.  Stir in the pecans.  Cook on hot griddle or in hot frying pan.

Try them out.  They are good.

Have a warm and safe weekend!

Hugs,

Sonia