Monday, June 18, 2012

An enjoyable day out with a friend :-)

Good Monday Morning friends,
Hope you all had a lovely weekend and managed to stay warm :-)
As much as I enjoy my cottage a great deal, one of the downsides is the huge tie that it is.  I find myself often fretting whenever I am away from it, who might be calling & I am closed :-(    
  So consequently I dont do alot of things with my friends outside of the property.  I dont go and have "coffees & catch-ups" like alot of them seem to do.  So when I got the opportunity last week to go catch up with a friend who happens to live very far away (in another island) - then it turned out to be a most enjoyable days outing.
A little gift I made for Therle as she has so generously sent me bundles of fabrics over the years

Therle & I met through an online craft swap that we both entered into a couple of christmas's ago.  We were both given swap partners in other countries & both of ours disappeared into cyberspace - never to be heard from again ! !  So the lady organising the swap put us together even tho we were from the same country.  We have kept in touch by email and when her & her husband were coming up to the Waikato for the Field Days, we decided to have a girls day out.
We met up just outside of Hamilton and the 1st place we drove to is Donna Wards Quilt Studio in Frankton - a lovely shop filled to the brim with beautiful fabrics.
We were so busy doing the chatting/ oohing & aahing that I completely forgot to take any photos at this shop :-( typical ! ! 
 We then drove out to Gordonton to the very lovely Grandmothers Garden Store - they even have seats outside for bored husbands to sit in & wait . . . 
 
How inviting does this look ? ? ?
 Now I have to confess that one of the highlights of this store for me most definately was the 2 beautiful dogs wandering around inside the shop - one I think was called Brutus ??  & I am sure the lady called the other one Mac.  Therle asked me if I had found a friend?? as he didnt leave me alone & when I would browse the fabrics I would feel this little warm head gently push itself into my hand . . . 
Brutus (I think??) - my friend :-)
Now who looks like they might be offering free pats ? ? ?
This one was Mac (I think) - the lady had a "treat" in her hands - cant you tell . . .
 I did notice a large beanbag in a sunny spot for them - as you can see, they lead the most stressfull lives.
It was hard to choose fabrics as the choices were so amazing . . 
Yes I'd like one of each please . . .
Therle loved the poppy fabric - bottom right
 From there we travelled across to Cambridge & had lunch in a lovely old converted church with a cafe upstairs.  By this time we were both starving & so once again, I forgot to take any pics of our wonderful lunch.  
Downstairs was a gallery shop & I snapped this lovely pic of a corner with some very gorgeous handmade bags . .
After we had quenched our hunger & thirst I wanted to take Therle to a wonderful shop in Cambridge - Quilters Patch - owned by my friend, Bev Johnson.  Bev has the most amazing array of fabrics to choose from + quilts lining all the walls & it is a lovely open airy shop with something to tempt you at every turn.
 I did love these 2 blocks of the month - Bev has a very good eye for colour combinations.
On her counter I spotted this "interesting"  book . . . 
which Bev pointed out had a very nice write-up in it about my cottage (& so of course a copy had to come home with me . . . )
Hard to read but gives you a general idea . . .
All in all we both had a wonderful days outing - I dropped Therle back at her vehicle to go collect her husband from the Field Days and then came on home on a definate "high" & sat down & looked at all my purchases. 
Now let me share something with you here friends - I need more fabric like I need a hole in the head - & so I had given myself a strict talking to before I ventured out, NOT to buy any more fabric . . .  but as you can see by the photos below . . .   - my willpower needs some serious work done on it  . . . 


the beautiful Singer sewing panel was only $9.00 from Bevs Shop :-)


Gosh what good "soul food" the day was - especially as I dont do it often - it was a real treat & I am still feeling the inspiration I got from looking at all those amazing creations in the shops - plus I am thinking that perhaps Therle needs to accompany her husband to the Field Days next year also  . . .
 (now Therle - if you happen to be reading this - thank you for the wonderful day out & No, I havent gotten to the sewing machine yet! ! !)


Wishing you a creative & inspiring week ahead friends - hope you have enjoyed reading about mine :-)

(a couple of footnotes . . .  my butlers sink has arrived & been installed & so far- okay ! ! - maybe some photos next week,  & also still no sign of missing Willis despite having checked Mr Wolfs kennel & blankies)
Warm wishes, love & friendship,
Julie :-)  X x x x  

4 comments:

  1. Hello dear friend...so glad that you caught up with Therle. Mm I feel a little bit the same..being tied to our little fruit stall so what a lovely adventure you had. I have come across other additions of the Crafty Girls Road Trip..how wonderful to discover yourself included. Did they not let you know? Goodness how long ago was the hammock incident? Evidently you have made a good recovery. I was actually going to ask you if you would mind if I use your photo of Isabella so that I came tell my followers about Threadbare Cottage?...as you know pictures tell the story best. I love the bags in the corner of the Cambridge shop..very pretty. So pleased that the butler's sink has re-arrived! Was fairly quick considering the distances involved. Ah yes the singer panel...delightful. Hope it's a good week up your way. Much love Catherine x0x0x

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  2. Hello Julie,

    Just found your blog, beautiful, will be following along through Google Reader, love the golly sign.

    Happy days.
    Bev.xoxo

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    1. Hello Bev, thanks so much for your "following" - how lovely to have you along. Yes my Isabella sign is great tho at present she is looking MOST grubby & needs a good wash down. Have a great week Bev - hugs, Julie :-)

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  3. Hello Julie I just found you via Angel in the Garden. What a lovely blog you have and your gollies are delightful. Blessings to you - I have become a follower as it is very cheery to see such a lovely part of the world and read such happy thoughts. Bettyx

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