Almost too much fun!

Today my wonderful husband and I took off for the day and left the kids at home......and you will never guess where we went!

Alright I guess you can't.....guess that is....so I will tell you!   First we dropped DH's car off to the mechanic to have some major work done - I know!  Exciting right?  OK  well maybe not.  Then we dropped over to Retro Mummy's to deliver the quilts for Queensland and then the real fun began! 

The first stop was   Ta Dah!.....................Calico and Ivy, a quilt shop that has been in Perth, Western Australia, my home town for years and has recently opened a new store in Sydney!

 It was little, open and airy - very friendly staff - lovely Kaffe fabrics and lots more

 Lov-er-ly Liberty

 and assorted other lovely bits and pieces.  Not many quilts on display which is unusual but check out the gorgeous little purse made from hexagons!  Cute!

 And WOOL for those that way inclined - not me!

 Rugs too - very Kaffe looking ones I think!

I was fairly restrained  - a pattern for zippered purses, some cute Japanese dog fabric, a gorgeous pair of Kaffe which I think will be useful for Round Robin blocks heading my way this year and a great Michael Miller Bicycle fabric that I just love - I feel a bag coming on maybe!

Next stop was Drum Roll Please.........  Material Obsession

 This shop is quite a bit bigger and the staff were lovely here too.  Lots and lots to look at.

Loved these buttons - just needed the excuse to add them to my already HUGE collection

 Loved this quilt - called My Zoo I think! 

 Loved the Square cushion (top right) and the square cushion with the circular pattern (on the chair bottom right) so much that I bought the pattern.

So cute and TINY stippling in between all the flowers!

I was almost as restrained here.  Gorgeous red and white spots plus a piece from the French General range by Moda (for a Round Robin again I think).  The pink is by Reece Scannell (check out his site for cottons that look like silk) and the green is from Ink and Spindle.  I hadn't seen their fabrics before but I will be looking for them in future - fabulous!!!!!

 I also chose three patterns - the cushions I told you about, a great shopping bag and what I call a messenger bag.  Love the patterns and can see some of today's purchases making it into these styles!

After waiting in the car outside these two shops reading or snoozing my very patient husband drove us off to a restaurant for lunch - unfortunately whilst our food was nice we had the slowest service known to man even though we were the only customers in the restaurant for most of our meal!  very disappointing!    We won't be going back there in a hurry!  Actually ever!

When I got home there was one more piece of quilty loveliness waiting for me in the letter box.  My friend from Stawell, Sandi, sent me three shopping bags to send to Ireland later this year with all the things I am making for the Irish Charity Bazaar that my friend is in charge of.  More on the Bazaar in the future but aren't the bags great - they fold up like a quillow - there are three - I have folded the one in the middle so you can see what I mean!  A big thankyou Sandi!   She doesn't have a blog or I would link you to it!

So, no sewing today but lots of quilty goodness anyway!  Lucky me!

Now I am off to watch a movie with my boys (all three of them) Till next time...Happy stitching!