While I hated leaving poor Mark at home, I am hoping he got a chance for some me time as Jill and I got up Tuesday morning and headed to Michigan.  What’s another 7 hours in the car?

Our mission.  Meet Ms. Sue Johnson Blach.   I have known her online at least 8 or 9 years but never got to actually meet her.  Jill figured what the heck, ROAD TRIP.  So off we went.  After gas and McDonalds for breakfast, we arrived at the one and only Best Western in Lapeer Michigan.  What an amazing change from the one in Virginia but I’m trying to forget that nightmare.   After a great dinner at Applebee’s (it really was delicious) it was a dip in the pool and the hot tub and off to sleep.

What can I say about Sue and Duane?  What an awesome, friendly, amazing couple.  Their home and the property are as stunning as they are.  Duane hooked up his John Deere with the trailer and gave us a ride around the property.  I’m pretty sure that John Deere is his pride and joy.  He sure looked happy driving it.   We even got a picture from his game camera of our ride.

So glad Duane decided to join us for breakfast.  He is so adorable and turned pink each time Jill called him sexy cupcake.  I think he likes being a cupcake.  After breakfast it was a whirlwind of quilt shops, fudge and more quilt shops in Michigan.   I think Sue took us around half of Michigan.  We even ended back at Sue’s to have pizza before heading to the hotel for the night.  If you ever hesitate about meeting people in person or wonder if they are as nice in person as online, don’t let it stop you.  I wouldn’t have changed a thing.  They are such warm, friendly people and seem to really enjoy each other.  So GLAD I went.

We got so busy we never realized we didn’t take pictures of Sue and Duane but here are some I took and a couple I got from Sue’s pictures.  And I bet they are the only couple with a treadle sewing machine in the deer blind.

Thursday morning it was back up and head back to Ohio.  I wish we could have stayed longer. Such a wonderful couple.

Ok people, you have not stayed at a hotel until you have stayed at Hotel Hartshorn.  Upon arrival you are met by two fur babies that are so excited to see you, no matter who you are.  Maggie and little Etta.    I’m so mad I forgot to get a picture of little Etta but I will include one of cuddle bug Maggie with the pictures.

Immediately upon being shown to your room, you realize it was arranged and decorated just for you.  From pineapples (because I stand tall and wear a crown and I’m sweet – lol) to chocolates, to a basket of necessities.  There was nothing the owners did not think of.  Even a handmade pillow to take home as a memory of your stay.  All that awesomeness and they still take you out for an amazing Indian dinner.  Chicken curry, chicken briania, tandora chicken and something really hot Mark ate that I don’t recall.  We even got to take it home and relax while we ate.  You can bet I’ll reserve a room here next time I come to Ohio.

Mark was so gracious and let Jill drive my car the rest of the way to Ohio.  THANK YOU MARK.  Hopefully it gave him some time to stop and smell the roses on the way home as well because you know of course, Jilly and I couldn’t possibly leave Virginia without stopping at the local quilt shop.

What a hoot that when I looked them up, I found it was the same shop I’d just recently purchased fabric from online called Sew What.  What a neat little shop and such friendly employees.  Just so happened we caught the last day of a big sale.

Of course Jill finds tons in the sale room but I rarely if ever do.  I did find one Singer fabric on sale as well as a pattern and the background fabric in the regular priced room.   Here’s my haul from the Virginia shop.

I feel like I just came back from Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride.  LOL.  I heard that somewhere and while I’ve never actually been on that ride, the name explains my vacation.  I got to see family, meet new friends and meet ones I have known online for years but never met.

Stop number 1 was Virginia.  I won’t go into my stay at the Best Western in Wytheville so suffice it to say, avoid that hotel at all costs.   The state is beautiful and certainly cooler than Florida but the whole reason for stopping was to meet Ms. Brenda King.  Mark and Jill drove over from Marietta and we had a fabulous day.

What a super lady.  Not only did we get to meet her in person but she gave up her day to show us around the area and a lot of historical sites that pertain to not only the area but her family in particular.   Such much history and she takes great care of that history and shares it with everyone.  It boggles my mind how much work and dedication she has put into tracking it, matching pictures to diaries and keeping it all straight.  She even showed us a community cannery.  I had no idea those even existed.

While there not only did I get to sit in one of aunt Gertrude’s actual rockers but I got to see and learn about the legendary Updyke rock.  Hope I spelled that right.  It was at her old homestead and she had it moved to her current house.  Oh the things I bet that rock has seen.    We even got the privilege of having our photos taken not only with Brenda, but on the Updyke rock.   I better message her and see if I spelled that right.

We saw so many amazing things including a brief glimpse into her quilt collection and were gifted with homemade jam, apple butter and an awesome lady bug painted rock.

One of the vet tech co-workers of my daughter’s is a young veteran so I wanted to thank him for his service.   Not only did he love it but insisted on being in the picture with the quilt.   I enjoyed the pattern and am beginning to really enjoy paper piecing.   Hope it brings him some joy as well.    Pictures are before it was quilted and after it was delivered.

Robert built my pergola for Mother’s Day.  I’ve been debating buying one for years and decided life is short.  It allows me to enjoy by backyard more.   Can’t wait to add a sink to the grill area then we’re all set.

If you can’t tell by the fall flowers, this was intended for Thanksgiving.  I wanted to hang it over the glass panel in my front door.  Well as usual it was made in time but had to wait it’s turn to get quilted and bound.

It’s finally done last week and it can hang up next fall.  I might even use it for a tablecloth for Thanksgiving cause my amazing sister is coming.  I think I have 5 more to baste and quilt.

I have no idea why I fell in love with this panel when I saw it, but I did.  I ordered it from a couple of places only to hear sold out, back ordered, etc.  Finally found a seller on Amazon in China that had 2 left.  So I bought them and shared one with my friend Dee.  It’s been laying on my chair waiting for binding for about 2 months and it’s finally done.

No pattern.  I just added my own ideas to a panel in the center.   The border is hard to see but it’s all bones.

Can’t believe I’m been absent again since February.  Seems like I never have much to post about.  Life consists of working, taking care of the house and the dogs.

I am excited to be going to Ohio in May and visiting my sexy sister Jill and her muffin husband Mark.   Then it’s off to Michigan to meet a long time online friend in person.  Can’t wait.   See you with pictures some time soon.

One of the basic beginner quilt blocks has been a headache to me from day one.  I love the log cabin and the court house step blocks but have struggled for years to get the blocks made to lay flat.   I’ve bought special rulers, squares etc. and still they never want to lay flat.

I decided I would try the Missouri Star pattern for a curved log cabin.  Viloa, 36 flat blocks.  I was impressed.  After putting them together twice and picking them back apart, I finally found a layout I liked.    Not sure where it will end up living, but it’s finished.   They are made using a Robert Kaufman jelly roll called Holiday Flourish and a silver on white small print.

Updated to show it was gifted to a friend of my cousins who gifted me a beautiful treadle