Got a number of compliments today on my new shirt, first from several of the Busy Bees at quilting this morning, and later from Cheri when she stopped by this afternoon with a mega bowl of strawberries for Pokey, and a penguin pin cushion for me. (And she really liked the owl fabric I found for her in Texas.)  I'd splurged on the shirt when I was in Sedona with Tami and Anita last month, but didn't expect to be able to wear it until temps dropped next Fall.  However today's cooler temps made me rethink that plan.  I expect to get a lot of wear out of the shirt, and obviously (judging from the number of positive comments) it looks as nice as I thought.  As a bonus, I just happen to have a pair of earrings that coordinate perfectly.

(And FYI no, Tom didn't seem to notice my pretty new shirt.)

This morning I got a start on the Disappearing 4-patch that was today's project at Busy Bees.  (It's a very effective pattern yet works up quickly, so it should work well for charity quilts; I've got several ideas rattling around in my head.)  My finished block on the right really IS square (although it doesn't look like it in the picture) and will eventually be part of a placemat for my BIL Don.

The ladies were using lots of beautiful fabric combinations for their disappearing 4-patches.  Melissa only had a fat quarter of a gorgeous Asian fabric and so I took one of her blocks with me to try and match it when I headed over to 35th Ave. hoping to find some sashing material for J&Z's wedding quilt.  I did find something that will work for me, but unfortunately her fabric seems to be 'out of print'.

I did drop off and pick up books at the library after quilting, had a nice visit with Cheri, and did a little weeding (hard not to when the ground is wet after irrigation) but then more/less relaxed the rest of the afternoon and did a little reading.  I'm learning so much from Bill Bryson's latest book, One Summer: America, 1927.  I'd gotten it as a gift for Mom last year and asked to borrow it when she was done, so she brought it with her to give me this past weekend.  She loved it (I think she mentioned something about reading it again one of these days?) and I'm certainly enjoying it also. 

To finish up this post I've added more pix from our day foo-foo shopping in Fredericksburg last Saturday.  Here are a few more signs from Remember Me that I especially liked.  I know <g> Lisa would appreciate this first one.

I have several ideas about where this sign would hang!

Gotta love these magnets!

And this pillow nails it.

Further down Main Street we wandered around an old-time five and dime, where I made my only (!) purchase of the day - for only 49 cents!

  Mom found some slippers to buy, and I modeled some of the hats.

cute crab

fancy flamingo

opulent octopus

plush pizza 

Now it's late (at least in Texas...) which explains why I'm tired, and heading to bed.