Back from my Bus Trip to Nancy's Notions Sewing Weekend in Beaver Dam WI

Wow I had a great trip, met some very nice ladies from my ST Paul/Minneapolis ASG Guild.  I roomed with 3 of the nicest ladies.  Olga, Joyce & Edith  The trip started out a little treacherous.  We were in the Middle of a May Snow Storm.  Imagine that! On the morning we were to leave for Beaver Dam I woke@ 5:30am to 7+ inches of white wet heavy snow covering my driveway.  I knew that the fellow that does our plowing would not be here before I needed to leave at 7:15am.  I packed the car and opened my garage door and backed out with as much force as I could plowing out the snow with my car.  and made my way up the slight hill to the city street which wasn't even plowed yet; slipping & slidding all the way.  Once I got to the highway the drive was much better.  I was 20 min. late but the bus came 45min later.  So I guess I was really early.  :}.  I was so thankful that I was not driving all the way to Beaver Dam.  Above is a picture of how the trees along 94 looked as we drove thru Wisconsin towards our destination. The poor trees were so stressed with the heavy snow that they bent to the ground, some breaking with all the weight.   The Snow cleared after the Dells and the skies were gray and rainy.  I could see that the grass was starting to turn green and as we got closer to Beaver Dam I even saw some spring Tulips.  Spring was definitely here in this part of the country although it was very rainy and cool while we were there.  The Sun finally came out on Saturday, of course it was the day we left to return home. 
We arrived at Nancy's Notions Ware house about 2:30pm that afternoon. It was raining but we didn't care, we all were so excited to be here.  Once inside we got to roam around the store & warehouse.  I even met Nancy Zieman herself and had my picture taken with her.  I had watched her on Public TV for 35+ years.  I was so excited and she was very sweet.  I learned much of my sewing techniques from watching here and reading her books over the years.  My youngest daughter said "OMG how strange to see you standing next to her."  (She had grown up watching Sewing with Nancy along with me,)  Yes you do hear some Awe in that statement don't you.  It is so interesting to hear her viewpoint.  I know I've sewn for all my kids over the years and wondered how they felt about it. 

ASG Minneapolis/St Paul Ladies on the Bus Trip to Nancy's Notions in Beaver Dam WI May 2013

Above is the group of us & our bus driver, of course, taken on Saturday May 4th when it was sunny out.   I loved looking around the store and ware house.   one wall in the hallway between the retail store and the ware house was covered with a bulletin board telling the story of  Nancy's Notion's. 

I do apologize for the fuzziness of the last one but did not want to leave it out.

She also had Quilts along the walls.  They all were beautiful.  Here are just a few of them.  

I loved the color and symmetry of this small quilt & the beadwork was exquisite



I could see my Grandparents in this Quilt.

The Handwork and Beading was just beautiful. 

Last week was a very Quilty Busy week!

My Two Owls mug rug received from Anola in Canada

My Winter Birdhouse mug rug Mug Rug Swap

 



Winter Birdhouse Mug Rugs Quilted by me

Two Owls

4" pinwheel blocks to represent the 23 Union States

Civil War Sampler Pattern

It has been a very busy and exciting week for me between Family Tree updates and Quilting.  In Monday's mail I received my 2 Mug Rugs from my Anola in Canada; a swap I participated in hosted by Michelle at the Quilting Gallery - wow she even included some other goodies for me.  Thank you - I love my new mug rugs - and in my favorite color scheme of tans and browns - the fabric, pattern and note card were so special.  I emailed her right away to say thanks. The patterns for the mug Rugs was from The Patchsmith.  I had sent my mine off to my partner in Brazil on the 11th so she should be getting them soon.  I will upload pictures of them to for all to see.  On Tuesday I got visits from my 2 girls Elizabeth and Nancy,  what a wonderful surprise,  I both of them are super busy and I was so delighted that they took time from their busy schedules to visit me. To top it off my youngest delivered a Christmas present from my daughter Marie.  Wow - it was a plethora of antique pins that she had gathered from her forays to thrift stores and garage sales...Wonderful, she knows I love these...and she has a great eye for picking them out.  one pin was a little sewing machine that I am going to pin to my Name Tag I have for my guild meetings.  Wednesday I spent  piecing my pin wheel blocks for my the Civil War Quilt I am making - 23 4" blocks in blue and gold.  I plan to square them up and sew the rows together tomorrow when I have my Civil War Club mtg.  So Thursday I finally was able to attend The Civil War Club at my LQS - my 1st time being there, it was so fun quilting with the ladies in my group, Carol Lee, Carol .  We meet 2x a month.  Then Friday I went to my monthly ASG (American Sewing Guild) mtg.  I needed to bring a jelly roll since we were going to be making a  strip quilt top.  So fun - I finished up my quilt top at home...(a little slow I was).  On Saturday morning I attended my Hudson Heritage Quilters monthly meeting.  Mary St John did the presentation on Fabric Embellishments - wow! she has great boards on Mary St John - Pintrest so click and enjoy her boards.