Country Sampler Quilts

Happy New Year!!

Well, we're getting ready to kiss the old year behind and bring in the New Year!  Yeah!  Aren't you ready for a new year???  I know I am.  Me and the "hub" are going to have a pretty low key celebration (read as ... we're not going to do anything).  I'm still limping around from my hip surgery and he's got one of the nastiest colds I've ever seen. That's okay with me, I've always thought that New Year's Eve is for the young and the amateurs.  

I do have a New Year's tradition of starting a new quilt on January 1st.  I probably only going to get the cutting done tomorrow, but it's a start, huh? Here's a photo of what it "should" look like when it's done...

Isn't it cute??!  It'll be a model for the West Center store when it's done, since I don't have any grand babies yet.  (I do have a grand dog, but I don't make quilts for her - thank goodies I'm not that far gone!)

Today's our last official day of the annual Fat Quarter Frenzy and it's gone really well - thanks to everybody who's stopped by and purchased fat quarters.  I lot of other shops try to copy what we do, but nobody does it better than your old buddies here at The Sampler!  

We're getting ready for inventory in the next week or so, and it's great to have a little less fabric to count.  I got to tell ya though, as we've all gotten older that whole inventory thing has gotten a lot harder.  Lifting, weighting, and sorting thousands of bolts is more exercise than many of us get all year!

On another note, I was in the West Center shop on Friday (limping around for a couple of hours... arghhhh) and we all got a special "show and share" treat from one of our customers, Connie Sorensen, that I wanted to share with you.  Here's her wonderful quilt, called "Barns for All Seasons"...

Isn't it amazing?? She picked out and used over 200 fat quarters.  Here's a couple of close ups...

 

 

Tons of little people and really specialized fabric too.  All those little flowers aren't fabric - they're all embroidered on the blocks!

I think we have some of the most amazing customers and friends.  Here's hoping you quilt up something "amazing" this new year!!

Christmas....

 

Season's Greetings!  

Christmas is almost here and I wanted to take this opportunity to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas.  Hopefully, all your presents are wrapped and under the tree, and now you just have to sit back and relax, sip your cocoa, and wait for Santa to come!

 

With 2011 coming to a close and a new year upon us, I wanted to thank you from the bottom of my quilty, country heart for your loyalty to Country Sampler and for your friendship in the past year.  From all the gals at The Sampler - thank you!

I thought this might be a good time to go over the holiday schedule too...

Christmas Eve - 10:00 - 3:00

Christmas Day - closed (duh...)

Monday, December 26th - regular hours 10:00 - 5:30

And, of course, we know what that means - it's the BIG After Christmas Sale!!

 

       ALL Christmas fabric - 50% off!!

       Select Christmas kits - 25% off!!

       All Christmas gift items - 50% off!!

And, if that's not enough (and it never is!) -- it's almost time for...

 

                 Fat Quarter Frenzy!!

                 Friday and Saturday....

               December 30th and 31st

       20 fat quarters for just $25.00

    Additional "fats" - just $1.25 each

         1/2 yard cuts - just $2.50

(With these great sales, ya better ask Santa for a gift certificate - it's okay, it's not too late, we're open until three tomorrow!!)

 

Hip Surgery...

My postings have been pretty limited this last week because I had arthroscopic hip surgery last Tuesday.  I am stuck on crutches or a walker for two weeks... therefore, I'm stuck at home.  I'm suppose to put very little pressure on the one hip, so laying down and sitting down are my two best options.  What a pain and terribly boring too!

I've put together a 1000 piece puzzle ...

 

I've seen more movies - all the way through - than I have ever seen before.

I've read two books.

And, I got so bored yesterday I decorated my walker with this....

Ha!  

I have done a little sewing, but even that's hard.  It's difficult trying to rotary cut sitting down and even when you're sewing, it's amazing how many times you need to jump up and subcut or press a seam.  

I SHOULD have had some embroidery or punch needle ready to pick up when I needed a little diversion.  I still have to have the other hip worked on this spring.  I think I'll be a little better prepared for that one! Big sigh.

Birthday Update...

Well, some of you may remember that October was our 20th year birthday month here at Country Sampler.  To celebrate this quilting landmark, we gave away two big baskets full of quilter's "gotta haves" and "really wants" to two lucky customers.

So without further delay (trumpets blow here), our West Center winner, Jeri Boone....

(Jeri and I decided the reason most of us don't like our picture taken is because it looks nothing like what we "really" look like, but instead seems to be a picture of one of our parents --  hmmmm..... odd, don't you think??)

And next (again, trumpets blow here) the Papillion shop's big winner....

Let's call her Angelina Jolie, shall we???  Strange, you say??  Let me explain why... because NO ONE at the Papillion store can seem to recall her REAL name.  I know... pathetic, huh? Especially so since we have saved the name of every OTHER person who entered the drawing and DIDN'T win.  Big sigh.

Anyway, congrats to Ms. Boone and Ms. (uhmmm) Jolie.  I know you'll have fun with all those quilting goodies!