Time to reveal…

Posted on June 22, 2008 by Suzanne

A few more details. I think it’s probably time to come clean. Especially because I now have a logo, and that makes it feel all the more real:

As some of you have probably guessed, I’m not just moving my longarm quilting business into the shop that I’ve shown pictures of over the past weeks: I’m also going to be opening the doors as a retail store. We’ll have yarn and fabric, and the assorted tools that go with those things. I’m starting very small (although every time I talk to a sales rep, my dream gets bigger, but I keep having to remind myself of the goal. and the budget). Everything will be online right from the start, too, and thankfully I have my sister to help with that.

So far I’ve got fabric from Marshall Dry Goods (all closeout stuff, so the price will be LOW) plus some yarn. And more yarn arriving on Thursday. I still need to make a decision about kntting needles, and to order some notions. The fact that I’m going to be gone on vacation for part of July makes everything seem even crazier, but it’ll all work out. I figure I have to start somewhere, and if what I’m doing when the doors open doesn’t work: I’ll readjust.

One thing on my list? Buy a bunch of nuts and bolts at the hardware store, so I can have them in a jar on the counter for the smart-alecks that come in asking for them.

Anita asked about the shelving, and what we used to make it. It’s plastic shelving from Lowe’s that is supposed to be 4-tiers of shelves. We bought 5 sets and then Mark cut the tubes that make up the supports to a specific length (to make the shelves the right height for bolts of fabric). He staggered the shelves so that each shelf is used to help keep another row of bolts from falling over.

My mom gets credit for the name of the shop. Isn’t it clever?

Now you probably understand why there is a lack of quilting content, or just a plain lack of content, period.

OK, back to work.

Suzanne

p.s. before anyone asks, i’m planning on being open somewhere around the 1st of august. i don’t know if the website will be ready then, but the doors need to be open in time for our town’s summer festival…

He’s got my number

Posted on June 22, 2008 by Suzanne

Scene: Bedtime

Mom: Joe, come give me a kiss.

*Smack*

Joe walks away…and wipes his mouth off.

Mom: You could at least wait to do that until I can’t see you.

Joe: I do that because I know it annoys you.

Joy Defined

Posted on June 20, 2008 by Suzanne

That’s Joe jumping, and Will mugging. Too bad they weren’t having any fun.

Some things take awhile

Posted on June 17, 2008 by Suzanne

But are totally worth it (according to Joe).

As evidence.

The ingredients:

The process:

Unfortunately, the photographs of them eating their s’mores didn’t turn out, too dark.

Remarkably, Mark had never actually had a s’more. And the boys had had them at a friend’s house, but without chocolate. And the marshmallows were microwaved. So they’d never really had them.

We tried to sing campfire songs, but I couldn’t remember any words, and the boys really hate it when I sing. I don’t know why. I don’t like to brag, but I have a really good voice. They are weird.

And speaking of weird, I’m including this photo just because it totally cracks me up.

Mark got a camera for father’s day, and so of course, it was necessary to make crazy faces.

Other things worth waiting for? The yarn sales rep coming tomorrow. She was supposed to be here on Monday, but the highway was closed.

Bedtime here at the ranch, I’ll yak at y’all later.

Suzanne

Colors

Posted on June 15, 2008 by Suzanne

The main problem with a two-color paint job is that there is twice the clean-up.

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Not that I’m complaining, mind you, because I managed to avoid having to do any painting. I waited long enough that Mark was able to tackle it this weekend. With the boys.

They’ve done the lion’s share of the rolling.

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The yellow didn’t cover the purple (or pink) that was there before real well, so it’ll likely need another coat. But it’ll be finished with a different roller, the nap on the roller used for the yellow wasn’t as good, which is why I’m washing all of the brushes and rollers.

I love how the paint cans say ONE COAT COVERAGE. Yeah, if you are painting on WHITE, I suppose. Not so much when it is a dark purple underneath.

The colors on the RADAR continue to be scary off and on. We had a tornado warning in the middle of the afternoon yesterday, and another one again in the middle of the night. I’m not sure what woke me up, the wind I suppose. Mark was going to roll over and go back to sleep, but I made him turn on the TV. Tornado warning, the storm was pointing straight at us.

After the Parkersburg tornado, I found myself thinking about what it would be like if hit here, but consoled myself with the though that even though tornados can happen, it was unlikely we’d be hit. Sitting in the basement last night during the 2nd tornado warning in 24 hours, I felt sick to my stomach.

I feel a little bit guilty doing normal quilty things, but I don’t know what else to do. I can’t just sit and watch the 24 hour coverage of the flooding that continues. I’ve gotten some piecing done, some quilting done, and even some knitting done in the last few days. Nothing much to show yet, though.

On a happier note, I’ll leave you with some more pretty colors. Make note of the clever shelving my DH put together for me.

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