more from Vegas

I'm back now and can post a few pictures since I forgot my patch cord while I was gone! Being born in Denver, I love mountains. And what a difference a mountain range can be. Here is the view from our room. Desert mountains look a lot different and a bit barren. Now that I live in the Mid west..the mountains here (through Penn., WV and VA) are way different. The one thing that confuses me in Vegas, is that you are surrounded by mountains, in all directions! I become navigationally challenged here.

They are building a bridge over Hoover Dam...quite a sight to see! When I was at the quilt shop in Boulder City, I overheard them telling somone that it was a must see! Unfortunately, I didn't listen to their advice. Who wants to go see a bunch of construction! My hubby sent this to me right after we got back. Now I wish I would have gone the 6 more miles!

Here is fabric that I bought for a friend (and since she only needed 3/4 yard, I bought 1 and kept 1/4!) I loved it!

Another FQ bundle of Blacks and Whites. I'm always on the hunt for a variety and these fit the bill.

Another few pieces that were calling my name. I didn't get very much of them, 1/2 yard, but thinking a handbag of some type would look good.

I love to read but rarely take the time anymore. I'll go in spurts where I'll read a lot and then spend many months not reading a thing other than my Bible Study book. But I just finished this book........gave some food for thought. :)

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!

Las Vegas

I'm in Las Vegas with my hubby who's on business and I get the days for me! Being from Denver originally, I'm so navigational challenged here! When I was growing up, all you had to do was look for the mountains and you knew exactly which way was north, etc. Here in Vegas, there are mountains no matter where you look! Although these mountains look so much more desolate and barren compared to the Rockies in Colorado or even the Appalachians on my side of the country. On my second day here, I had to go to a Walmart or Target for so many things I forgot or ran out of already. I got in the car, thought I'd head away from the Strip and try to find something out of the main hubbub. The mountains were looking quite inviting and I thought I'd just go up into the foothills to see what they were like up close. Ran into a deadend at the start of the foothills on my first try and then the next road I took, I found myself in Red Rock Canyon! I took the first turn off I found, and look where I was! I thought it was apropos for me as a quilter to end up in Calico Basin! I took the short 1/2 mile trek to get up close and personal with the unusual type rock formations, petrogliphs? and flora. It was a beautiful day to be outside. The sky is SO blue here. I hate to admit it, but Ohio has some pretty gray skies. A lot. It sure makes me appreciate blue skies and lots of sun when I get it. :) What a different site than the nights on the strip--manmade beauty (and yes, it's quite striking with all the glitz and glam. Not the best picture to show off all the lights, but I have a new camera and am not quite adept at taking great pictures yet! LOL ) vs. God's natural beauty. If I had to choose one, I'd go for the natural beauty.

I'm sure I'll have more to report later this week. I happen to be here during the Las Vegas Quilt Shop Hop! Fun, but a dilemma for those who are Stashbusting and joined the No Buy rule, for fabric that is. Join me as you follow my quest to be good, but yet want to see all the new stuff!