Notes from the Patch

Losing my mind and not sure where I put it

This is my car

this is my office

this is the notions room

and this is the storage area in our current store.

If we don't move into the new store soon, I won't be able to drive to work or get in my office!

Urgh!

Encourage one another,

Just too excited to sleep

It's 3:45am.

I've already done a darling Kona solids display, hung the pattern wall and arranged the Bernina feet...

...all while I lay here in bed trying to sleep.

Customers say they bet I dread this move. Truth is, I can't wait! It's all I can do not to go over there in the new space and start decorating. Actually I moved stuff into the new storeroom on Friday. Left a note for my contractor to find early Monday morning that reads:

Dear John:

Please don't be mad that I moved the chairs and some display pieces into the storage room. I just couldn't wait another day. = )

Encourage one another,

 

 

 

You know you've ordered a lot of Minkee when...

...they deliver it in a semi!

Encourage one another,

These guys

Once I made my mind up to move I knew I'd need new cabinets. Ours had been pieced and added to over the past 26 years and they were tired. A big new store calls for lots of big new cabinets.

Deciding on who would build them for us was a no brainer since long time friend Dennis and his son Scott do the most beautiful cabinet work you have ever seen.

Meet Dennis.

The nicest gentleman with a love of wood, a mind full of great ideas and a life full of experience. I told him what I wanted and he magically made it happen. A lot like making a quilt but a whole lot harder. He'd chop up that lumber and intricately piece it all back together into the most fabulous furniture.

This is Dennis' son Scott.

I changed his diapers and fed him cereal when he was a baby. He was born two weeks after Jeff so he was like my second son. When I bought Jeff an outfit I'd buy a matching one for Scott. I guess you could say he was Jeff's twin brother from another mother.

Any way together these two guys are nothing short of genius.

You'll see.

I'm beginning to worry that the cabinets just might be so over the top that people will forget to look at the fabric!

I wanted drama so I chose black painted cabinets with gorgeous six inch crown molding and all of those little cubbies for tucking away fat quarters and jelly rolls.

Here is my favorite area, the embellishment center.

Slat wall for all of those special embellishments and buttons I've been collecting and cubbies for stacking ribbon. I have a feeling that you'll find me sitting there, about where the ladder is on most days just hanging out with my favorite things - buttons, trims and embellishments. The mere sight of that corner brings tears to my eyes.

Here's the eight foot wall for ric rac. You can get a better idea of the wall color in this photo. I'm really happy with the color and think it will look great with the vinyl flooring which goes in next week.

I am so blessed to have a team of skilled professionals working overtime to pull this project together by our deadline. There is a lot yet to be done but I wanted to share the progress and show you the transformation. After all, this is your quilt shop and I want you to love it as much as I do.

Encourage one another,

 

It's almost PARTY TIME!

With all of the excitement of moving into a new store it just occurred to me that I haven't talked about our up coming shop hop.

Besides planning and decorating a new store we also got to design and make a new quilt! Thankfully we have our plans and preparations pretty much completed and we are so excited about this years theme. (After all, every great party starts with a great theme).

Amanda has been putting the finishing stitches on our quilt and it is turning out so cute! Our assignment was to design and make a black and white block then come up with our own unique setting. Hoppers will receive a free pattern for a twelve inch block from each of the twelve participating quilt shops. We will sell fabric kits for our block and have a limited number of setting kits available.

Strawberry Patches is fortunate to have secured our celebrity guest chef again this year and he has once again planned a scrumptious menu for your dining pleasure. Of course there will be goody bags and lots of prizes, give aways and fun.    

 

 

             

   
You're invited to our second annual Heart of the Valley Shop Hop 

Friday, May 20th through Sunday, May 22nd.

Store hours will be extended these three days giving you plenty of time to visit all

12 stores located in the beautiful San Joaquin Valley.

Visit all 12 stores and you will qualify to win one of our 3 Grand Prizes. Plus, each store is giving away a basket filled with goodies to one lucky winner. Everyone will receive a free 12" block pattern from each store and have the opportunity to purchase a block kit and finishing kit!

Visit the Heart of the Valley Shop Hop website.


Store Hours for Shop Hop:

Friday, May 20th from 9am to 7pm
Saturday, May 21st from 9am to 7pm
Sunday, May 22nd from 10am to 4pm

 

 

Pom Pom de Paris

We've never had a fabric group sell as fast as this one!

Part of me wants to hide what's left in my sewing room and part of me wants to tell you to hurry and get what you want now so I don't have to hear you whine when it's gone!

My regret is that I didn't buy more!Totally blew it on this one!

It makes me swoon just to look at it.

Seriously gorgeous!

Encouraging you to get some...

A tree grows in Strawberry Patches

The painting in the new store is done and I really like the color. Whew. Good thing because there was no painting a swatch and standing back and analyzing it. Those guys got out their sprayers and by the time I drove up early Wednesday morning they were nearly done.

Why is it so easy for me to choose colors for customers and so hard to select my own stink'n wall colors?

This afternoon my cabinet makers brought in a few more finished cabinets and set them up against those freshly painted walls. I got chills because  for the first time, after more than two months of planning and designing and changing my mind and planning and designing again, it finally started looking like a store. The store I've been dreaming of.

Today a customer called about the tree. You know that nine foot paper tree that I have "growing" in the store? She wanted to know if I would be moving it to the new store or if I'd be selling it.

Twenty years ago when I was getting ready for my stores second move, my son Jeff stopped by to see how the move was going and to make sure I was going to move the paper tree. I had never thought about it, but Jeff insisted that the new store have a paper tree. He told me that Strawberry Patches is the only quilt store in the country with a nine foot tree and that I had to move it. So at his urging I did and over the years that tree has become sort of a trade mark for my store. There will be at paper tree in the new store in Jeff's memory.

Some things should never change.

Encourage one another,

 

 

 

Spring cleaning and moving sale

Today the painters spray paint the new space. As soon as the paint clouds settle I hope to take some photos to show you the progress.

The cabinets get installed later this week, then the flooring goes down next week.

It's exciting to finally see how two months of planning is going to look!

These next two weeks will be super busy because I can finally slowly start moving things in and begin to start displays. I can't wait since as you may know, doing displays is my favorite thing ever!

Speaking of displays. The majority of our current display pieces are not making the move and are for sale. Although we have already found homes for most pieces we still have some furniture available and I will be adding pieces as we get closer to the actual move. If you have a large sewing space that needs storage come see me. Prices are super cheap. Don't miss this rare opportunity to take a bit of Strawberry Patches history home (translated - take this old tired stuff off our hands before we haul it to the dump).

We have also put lots of fabric on the sale table and there are some great buys there for just $4 and $5 a yard. There is nothing like a move to get your back room, closets and shelves cleaned out! Come in for some really great bargains!

Encourage one another,

 

Friday

We awoke this morning to the devastating news of the earthquake in Japan followed by a reverse 911 call advising us to stay off the beach and out of the ocean.

Our fishing trip to the islands has been cancelled.

Everyone but Sarah and I went to the beach to see what's going on. (So much for following instructions).

Sarah is watching the Disney channel, I'm blogging in my PJ's and watching the news. Matt and Meridith say it's not going to be too bad. I trust them.

This afternoon I'm taking Sarah on a shopping spree. After eleven years my only girl finally likes cute clothes and shopping, or at least that what she says. We'll see.

I guess I'd better go get dressed just in case I need to evacuate.

Encourage one another,

 

 

Thursday

Today we...

found tiny jelly fish

started a fire using the sun

made ginormous paper flowers using napkins

worked on jewelry

played King of the Mountain

walked on the beach

found the best sea glass evah

including a huge piece of red...

all before lunch!

What am I do'n next?

Taking a nap!

Encourage one another,