Fancy a spot of tea?

You are cordially invited to a Tea & Jewels Party at my parents's home to celebrate the beginning of our new jewelry business- Lots More handcrafted jewelry!

Sunday, May 22, 1:30-3:00

or
Tuesday, May 24, 6:30-8:00

at the home of Angela and George Blair, 2861 Blair Rd, New Albin, IA (click here for a map and directions).  (My parents live in a beautiful renovated 1860 log cabin in the most gorgeous green valley, with a spring fed pond in the front yard- you can see Mr and Mrs Canadian Goose and their 6 goslings swimming about.  All of the trees are flowering and it smells like heaven right now.  Tilly, the former shop dog, says she would really love to see you!)

We have a very special event planned just for you!  Sample a variety of teas and savor delicious home made desserts. Enter to win a specially designed Tea Party necklace! Oh, and did we mention door prizes?  Cuz, we got those too!

Please RSVP at 563-544-4480.  Leave a message if we’re not available, or email Angela at alblair@acegroup.cc.  Just let us know the date you’ll attend and how many in your party.
Hope to see you!

Ah... spring....

Spring is here!  That means lots of cheer here in Louie & Bella land!  I love me some spring.  oh yes indeedy.  The blush of color on the trees and perfect little blooming flowers put me in the frame of mind to grow new ideas, and nuture those hopes and dreams I got climbing up the trellis. 

Mom and I have been busy plotting and planning this spring.  What you say?  Yep, we're schemers.  (insert maniacal laugh here)  We've been making jewelry together - we both make jewelry on our own, but coming together to create jewelry has been so fun.  We're loving what we're making- it's so pretty!  

 

Pretty, huh? So, mark your calendars, my sweets! You're cordially invited to our Jewelry Open House

Saturday, April 30, 10am ~ 3pm
130 N 3rd St, Lansing, IA, 52151

Our jewelry is easy to wear, beautiful, and very affordably priced.  I think you probably need some.  :) 

Absolutely pip!

What am I listening to lately? 
Well!  Since you asked... 

I'm a bit obsessed with Nellie McKay's album of Doris Day covers, Normal as Blueberry Pie, right now.  Lovely...  


I really wanted to play her version of Crazy Rhythm for you, but I couldn't find it in on the vast wide world of the internet.  drat.  If you have a chance, you really should give a listen- it's too fun.  I'm walking around singing it all day!

Do you know Blossom Dearie?   She was seriously sassy.  Evidence:


Anything else you want to know?  hmmmmmmmm???

Wanna see my studio?

I love spending time in my studio.  It's filled with all of my favorite things. 

See that white thing on the table?  That white fluffy thing?  The thing that looks suspiciously like a cat?  Well, that's Louie, my assistant.  He thinks he's my supervisor.  But he's not.  huh-uh.  nope.  no way.

Let's take a look-see here, shall we?

January 30 seems like a good time to look back over 2010, and the first month of this new year. 

First off, let me say to you, 2010- I did not love you.  You were rather tough on me, and I was not sad to see you go.  However, I do have a renewed belief in my own resilience, thanks to you.  You did teach me some important and difficult lessons, and for that I must show you respect.     

But you, 2011- we are getting on just fine, and I'm so glad for that.  Let's be friends, shall we?      

My Big Brother

My brother just turned 40!

When we were kids we fought like crazy... oh man- our poor parents. We fought alot in the car (and everywhere else too, but this is a car story). The backseat was "divided" in half, with an invisible line down the middle.  I would be innocently minding my business and my brother would poke me, or pinch me, or steal my beloved teddy bear and hang it out the window, or wave his hand back and forth over The Line and I would scream, "Moooooommmmmm! He's on my side!", or WORSE, he would LOOK at me!  Oh!  the horror of it!  On and on it would go... for who knows how long.  Hours probably.  Eventually mom's arm would come flying into the back seat, wacking blindly.  We'd smoosh ourselves up to the sides of the car to avoid her flailing arm.  There was nothing like getting into trouble to turn us back into the best of friends.  And then we'd be all like, "what? us? we weren't doing anything- we were just playing a game.  geesh."

My brother is awesome and super cool, and I wouldn't trade him for the world.  Love you Matt!

An Ode

Oh, sweet, sweet vacation- how I love you.  In my life, I've always gone from job to job straight away- no vacations in between.  And, when I've taken vacation time it was generally with a purpose in mind: going here!  going there!  visiting you!  visiting them!  seeing that!  doing this!  (with the exception of a day here or there just bumming around)  This is the first time I've had an extended amount of vacation time to just be, and hang out with no real agenda.  and OH!  Do I ever love it!  I'm giddy with freedom.  So, while vacation is short lived, I'm gonna soak it up and enjoy it to the max.  Just you watch out vacation, cuz here I come and I'm gonna love you up!!!


(Don't be fooled though- I do have a to-do list and it goes like this: sleep in; eat cake for breakfast; watch funny morning TV (Ellen Degeneres, you crack me up); take the dog for a walk; nap time; clean the house wash the dishes organize closet sort out the basement plaster the hole in the ceiling touch up the paint replace kitchen baseboard mow the lawn; visit with friends; watch the sunset; enjoy a margarita... you know, stuff like that.)

The Boss of Me

I live with these characters...

Louie. 

What a handsome devil he is. 

Fern McGillicuddy.  

Her last name carries on the legacy of a cat I once knew, named Brian McGillicuddy.  The cat Brian was named after a soldier who lost his life fighting in WWII. 

And Bella Jean.

And boy, oh boy, are these guys task masters.  Get my food!  Where's my water?!  Clean my litter box!  Take me outside!!!  Pet me!  Where's my toy!!

And I do it all.

gladly. 

cuz I love em. 

Where, oh where, did you come from?

Once upon a time, not so very long ago, in a land, not so very far away, there was a quilt shop. It was owned by Amy (that’s me!), and it was a lovely little place filled with color and laughter and so many very good things. After over 4 years of fabric and fun, a darkness descended over the delicate economy of the area, and alas, the shop owner decided it was best to close the lovely little shop. While there was sadness, there was also joy- in friends and family and fellow creative enthusiasts, and the opportunity to start anew.  And so, this is where we begin our story…