hangin' out in Vegas

(Check out this sign..it was erected in 1959 and they had to finally build a little parking area for it because so many people were stopping to take their pictures in front of it. Read more here...)

Um, I mean, working hard while hubby is REALLY working hard! Kirt has to attend the AAPEX trade show, held in Las Vegas this time of year, and what's a wife to do, but go with him. Not to the show..that would be too much like work! AND it would be like me asking him to go with me to a Quilt Show! Not gonna happen! So, what am I doing while he works hard?

Doing my own quilt shop hop! I am not here in time for the Las Vegas Quilt Shop Hop (Nov. 13-16), but I can certainly do my own. So, after dropping Kirt off at the show, I headed to Henderson for quilt shop #1, Quiltique. It's one of my favorites...bright and spacious, friendly staff and lots of eye candy to take in. Oh, and it's featured in the latest issue of Quilt Sampler! (by the way, they do have a correction to their pattern..so check online for it--I just did http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/ and didn't seem to find it right away). I purchased quite a bit of fabric for a friend, who told me to just use my own judgement on buying for a pattern. So I did..and if she doesn't like it, I do and will keep it! LOL oops, did I just say that?

After almost 2 hours at Quiltique, I headed to Boulder City (close to Hoover Dam) to #2. Fiddlesticks. Not a very big shop in size, but in personality. Their darling little vignettes were fun to check out. Had a nice little sale as well, so indulged in a Black/White bundle, which I'm going to share with a few friends when I go home.

One thing to note about visiting Boulder City, IF you want something good to eat, i.e., a good salad or something healthy? DON'T stay in town! All they had to offer were the usual chain fast food places and a couple of local diners, with fried foods, etc. Which I resorted to eating because I was hungry. Someone recommended one place had good burgers and I was thinking it was going to be like Red Robin burger, which are to die for by the way and you can get an awesome side salad instead of fries. They are so good, you can eat them without the bun (which I do--saves on those carbs!). So, I went to this Pit Stop. Hamburgers? Mickey D's are better! And side salad? a few pieces of iceberg lettuce, two little chunks of tomatoes and a sprinkling of cheddar cheese. And fries were nothing special. BUT since I was hungry, I ate it. And paid the price for it!! My sugar went sky high and had to come back to the hotel and work out for 45 minute to bring it down. Hmphh...next time I'll know better!

After lunch, I thought about just heading back to the hotel and skipping the rest of the shops but remembered that although they don't always carry my type of fabric, The Christmas Goose is another inspiring place to go. I stayed in Rt. 215, which skirted the southern part of the city and headed to the far west end. Quick and easy drive. And I'm so glad I did. They again, did not disappoint me. I ended up with a new line of fabric for Christmas (after going through my Christmas tubs, I NEEDed new fabric!) Return to Romance by WillowBerry Lane for Maywood Studio. I also found a couple of patterns for purses (my downfall.) One is darling and has an unusual component. I'll make one up and share later.

At this point, I checked my sugar (my eyes were getting blurry--and a clue to high sugar), so I thought I better head back to the hotel to work out. I didn't get to Nancy's Quilt Shop or Fabric Boutique. But I'll be back!

We had dinner at the MonAmi at the Paris hotel last night and was fortunate to get a table outside, directly across from the Bellagio and it's famous water show. Beautiful weather and a great dinner with my hubby. Life just can't get better!