Lorraine’s This2That

It's been 2 weeks since Lilly passed and it hasn't got any easier.  I sure miss that sweet little fur baby! She was my shadow, companion and lap/nap fur baby!  She passed on January 5, 2017 at 9:36 pm very peacefully.  In December she had developed Congestive Heart Failure and we were treating her with medicine.  She seemed to improve a little bit but then slowly decline.  She was always so active and never showed her age until recently. She was my Mother's Day gift in 2005.  I remember like yesterday the excitement and that cute little black bundle of JOY!!  I will continue to remember all the JOY and MEMORIES that she brought to my life!!  Sugar has had a hard time without her too.  She lays where Lilly did I think waiting for her.  Lilly would groom Sugar - it was the cutest thing!  Sugar has only know life with Lilly.  I have received such wonderful gifts honoring Lilly from my friends.  We did bury Lilly in the front left corner of our home because this is the only hom

St. Charles is such a quaint little town nestled in the back woods just 30 minutes west of downtown St. Louis.  It was like taking a step back in time, walking along the brick streets, brick side walks and the horse and buggy. There were many unique shops including an adorable quilt shop - The Quilt Cottage .  And many unique clothing shops to enjoy! I would definitely love to visit again.

I've really been enjoying my visit here in St. Louis!  So many things to do but especially all the wonderful quilt shops.  More quilt shops today!  Only one regret... I didn't bring a sewing machine!! From the Arch, to the City Museum, restaurants and SEW many QUILT shops!! There is truly no better therapy ...

Oh my I am having an incredible time in St. Louis!  If you're a quilter you may have thought you stepped into "Quilter's Paradise"!  The quilt shops in this area have been incredible - wall to wall fabric, crafts and supplies!  My dilemma - 50 lb weight limit on my luggage - not even funny not to mention the lack of foresight to budget a bit more. SEW I have decided that I want to buy something that I can have as a souvenir from each shop so I started collecting the Row by Row license plates.  I just decided that today so I don't have the fabric plates from the other shops I have shopped before today.

Merry Christmas to ALL - may you have a day filled with many blessings. Since I purchased the St. Louis fabric from The Quilted Fox  I have been thinking of a pattern design. I think a tote bag will be appropriate!   The blue fabric I will use in the tote bag pattern but the brown fabrics I will be making a purse from my new purse pattern that I have yet to name. I purchased the brown/black for contrast.  I actually can't wait to get home to SEW.  Each of ,my designs always have a story.  I hope to share the story of how my pattern designs evolve.  

It's hard to believe that 2016 is coming to an end.  So much has happened this past year. It was such a busy year of brides, wedding and alterations!  I got the opportunity to go to Quilt Market Salt Lake City, it was such an amazing experience.  I met SEW many amazing people. Luke left for a 2 year mission trip to Chile.  Josh graduated high school and left for college in August. Mari and I started "The Sewing Studio" - teaching and inspiring SEW many in the Art of Sewing and Quilting!! Spending the end of 2016 in St. Louis Missouri what a rich history this area has!  Enjoying the time off and the site seeing and the many quilt shops.   The Quilted Fox  was a wonderful shop that had over 6,000 bolts of fabrics - it was a quilters heaven!   The Quilted Cottage  was in St. Charles but they were closed today but will be open on Monday.  I can't wait to make it back there Monday. What a GREAT way to spend the end of 2016!