Tuesday, October 22, 2013

A Busy Morning!

Tomorrow we leave for our four day retreat.  We'll be leaving around 3:00 pm for Gail's cottage located in Bear River, Nova Scotia, approximately 20 miles from where we live.  

I'm so excited and looking so forward to it!  Five of us are going and it promises to be a time filled with sewing, eating, laughing, playing pranks (this part I'm a little concerned about)...oh, and did I mention eating?

This morning I've been at it for almost 3 and a half hours, preparing Mr. Painted Quilt's favorite "snack" foods.  Of course I wouldn't want him to starve while I'm away having fun...and doing my share of eating too!  *wink*

So, the chilli is on the stove simmering...



The macaroni salad is made, covered and in the refrigerator chilling...



And the Cornish pastie pie is prepped and will be coming along with me to the retreat.



If you'd like the recipe to my pastie pie and to see how I make it, just click HERE.  I promise you, it's yummy!


While prepping all the food this morning, I realized that this was the longest I've stood at any given time since my surgery.  No wonder I'm so tired and admittedly, a little sore.  I think I'm going to need a little snooze this afternoon but not before I deliver a few more quilt samples to Darlene's new quilt shop.

My friend Darlene is opening a quilt shop in Digby, Nova Scotia on the 1st of November.  You've "met" Darlene before...she's the one who designed the mystery quilt that was so popular throughout blogland just a short while ago. You can visit her blog here...Quilts by Darlene.

Remember a couple of posts back when I showed you a sneak peek of a quilt that I was making for a friend?



Well here it is, finished and hanging in Darlene's shop which by the way is called, "A Needle Pulling Thread".



The picture isn't the best and you can't see any of the detail because the lighting is off due to the fact that the windows in Darlene's shop are covered with paper in order to keep everyone in suspense until her grand opening on the first of November.

So, if you're anywhere near Digby from that time forward, make sure that you stop in at A Needle Pulling Thread located at 3 Warwick Street, right downtown.  If you love country, primitive, Civil War and reproduction fabrics...not to mention hand dyed wool...then this is definitely the place for you to visit.  I don't think there is another quilt shop in Canada that I know of that will have the look and selection of products that Darlene is carrying.  She also has some gifts and antiques and collectibles to tickle you heart and tempt your pocket book as well!  

I'll be taking some photos of her shop once it's all set up and I'm sure Darlene will too.  Why not stop by her blog and wish her well?  I'm sure she'd love to hear from you!
I'll leave you with a photo of the boys taken this morning as they warmed their tootsies by the first fire of the season in the kitchen.


Ahhhh.  Bliss!
 Now I'd better give the chilli a stir before it burns!


Happy stitching!

26 comments:

  1. I saw your sweet gift on Darlene's blog - I wish her the best of success. Enjoy your retreat.

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  2. Hi Kaaren. I hope you have a wonderful time at your retreat. I have never been on one, but I would love to sometime. A wonderful little quilt you made for Darlene's shop. I saw it on Facebook. Your critters look so comfy by the fire.
    When I go away, I also make my DH lots of food so he just has to heat it up.....not many of us do that so I've been told.
    Take care
    Janet McClure

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  3. That shop sounds like a dream come true--so sorry I am not closer!
    What a wonderful little quilt you made for Darlene, and I love the shop name (of course, now I won't be able to get that song out of my head).
    I need to check out your recipe. Sounds yummy.
    I've never left DH for a retreat, but I have one in January and I am sure I will be prepping food for him then. : )

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  4. I'm so glad you are feeling up to a retreat but don't tire yourself out so much that you use valuable quilting/friendship time recovering. I am excited for Darlene and hope that sometime in her first week, when we're in the Valley, I'll have the chance to tell her myself. I hadn't shared yet but it's looking like we may Valley residents soon.

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  5. Oh, I so wish we had a quilt store like Darlene's out here on Vancouver Island. Most of the fabrics at the shops around here are a little to modern for me. Have a wonderful time at your retreat. It sounds like lots of fun will be had. And maybe even a little quilting will get done as well.

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  6. I have bookmarked the recipe fore Cornish pasty pie. I think I will add some turnip or rutabaga and make it as soon as my back surgery recovery is far enough along to allow it. Thanks. Have a great time at the retreat and make sure to rest!

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  7. Enjoy your time at the retreat, it's well deserved! Keep your shoes off, put your feet up and get some R & R!

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  8. Hi Kaaren! You certainly have been busy today! I copied your pastie pie recipe and can't wait to try it.

    I love the little quilt you made for Darlene and I wish her the best for her new shop. My next stop is her blog.

    Enjoy your retreat, looking forward to hearing about it when you return.

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  9. I love the quilt you made, it is a beautiful design and she will love it. I hope you have fun on your retreat and take lots of photos to share with us.

    Debbie

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  10. You've been such a busy bee! Mr. Painted Quilt will certainly be well looked after while you're away! Your quilt for Darlene is just precious...can't wait to see it in person. Her shop sounds like it will have everything I love...and a great idea to have some collectibles in the shop too! Enjoy your retreat!

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  11. Sounds like you girls are going to have a ball. I'm sorry I don't live near you, as I would love to visit Darlene's new shop. The quilt you made for her is just perfect. You are a good friend. Enjoy your retreat. Mr PQ is well catered for. He'll have a good time tucking into all that lovely food.

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  12. Have a wonderful time Kaaren, hopefully all the laughter will make you better so much quicker. Happy stitching and have lots of fun!

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  13. You know... as soon as I see Frankie and Ollie all curled up by the stove... i completely forget about anything else you've written in the post? lol! They are just so cute! :-) Have a great time at the retreat! The quilt you made for Darlene is awesome! I read how you presented it to her on her blog... nice! :-)

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  14. Your little quilt is adorable! How special. My dh is the head cook at our house, so I forwarded the recipe to him. ANd I don't cook when I go away, because that his time to eat the things I don't like! He's already planned his menu for my retreat in a couple of weeks.

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  15. I'm sure Mr PQ has appreciated your efforts at keeping him well fed while you are away!!! You certainly made a great effort, as standing in the kitchen preparing meals can be laborious at the best of times, no less than when you are still not all healed and fully functional!!!! I hope you have a wonderful time away, it'll be good for the soul!!!!! You did a great job on the little quilt to hang in Darlene's shop, how exciting!!, sounds like a great little shop!!!! Take care.....

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  16. Oh Kaaren, you are such a sweetie! Thanks so much for this wonderful boost for my shop! And so very much for the wonderful gift of the quilt, I will treasure it always! Can't wait to have some of your yummy pie at the retreat!

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  17. Yummies for the mister, fun with your quilting buddies and a wonderful gift--life is good

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  18. Gracias por compartir tan rica receta y a los chicos que están calentando sus paticas, claro, tienen que aprovechar esa Estufa tan Hermosa, son tan Bellos.
    Si estás recién operada tienes que cuidarte y no trabajar tanto, haz un esfuerzo para guardar reposo. Take care.

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  19. All the food looks great and that quilt you made for Darlene is awesome!

    We haven't had a fire in our woodstove yet, but we had our first snow today -- yuck! It's way to early for this kind of weather.

    Have a super fun retreat!

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  20. Wishing you a wonderful retreat with your friends. Have the best time ever and laugh often. Bev

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  21. have a wonderful time with your pals, think you will be aching, not from standing but all the giggling etc. Food looks yummy.
    Wishing your friend Dalene all the best with her shop, your wall hanging looks very good hanging there

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  22. have a blast Kaaren!!!! Love those two sweet babies all warm and cozy.

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  23. Gosh - I think we might join Mr. PQ and the boys to help him eat all the good food while you're away, Kaaren ;>) Darlene's quilt is so cute! Hope you're having a great time on your getaway!
    Cheers!

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  24. I'm so behind on blog reading... you are off on retreat by now and hopefully having a great time... sewing, eating, pranking, and napping too!
    Can't wait to see pictures of Darlene's new venture! Darlene's blog was one of the very first I became a follower of when I started blogging just over a year ago! I feel like I've known her for much longer, and I wish her the best! If I ever visit Nova Scotia, A NEEDLE PULLING THREAD will definitely be on my list of places to go! (And what a wonderful gift you gave her!)

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