Fabric and Feedback!

Well, I'm back! It's been two weeks since my last post, and I apologize profusely for the absence. We were just so busy here at the shop with the Fat Tuesday sale that I was pulled upstairs to help out and didn't have time to write! The past few weeks have been both busy and fun. I would like to thank all of you that came out to visit us during the Fat Tuesday sale. We loved seeing you! It was fun to see the fat quarters you picked and hear about what they were destined to become! One customer walked out with quite a few bags full of fat quarters and as I was helping her to her car she said, "That was the most fun I've had all week!" So thank you to all that came, we always love seeing your smiling faces.

I have been busily working on something, and it is now up to date! We are selling fabric on the online store! Yay! You can now find not only kits, pre-cut fabrics, gift certificates, classes, and clubs online, but recent fabric lines as well! Click here to visit our online store and shop!

Okay ladies, that last part told you about the "fabric". Now, for the feedback! I was asked a few weeks ago to sing in a friend's wedding. I was very excited and instantly started preparing my piece. The reception was this last Saturday, and as I was introduced and handed the microphone I started walking to the piano. I had the microphone by my side and as I passed the speaker this BLARING noise shot out. Feedback. I was embarrassed, but quickly apologized and played my piece. While this story is slightly entertaining, I am going to tell you about a different kind of feedback.

YOUR FEEDBACK!

I am going to post a poll on the blog. When you visit The Parish Piece within the next two weeks you will see two questions in the upper right hand corner. If you will respond to them I would really appreciate it! I am always striving to make this a place for you to get some updates on the shop and to enjoy some fun writing. And, if we got over 100 responses on each question, then there might be a surprise in store so spread the word! Get all your friends to visit this blog and respond to the questions!
If the text on the options for the poll is too small to read, simply click on a blank spot on the web page, then hold down the "Ctrl" button and press the "+" until the text is big enough to read.

Thank you for being your wonderful selves! I hope this post finds you happy, well, and quilting.

May your bobbin always be full!

-Taylor

Peanut Butter Pie & Mardi Gras!

I hope you all had a marvelous month of February. I know I did! The month ended with a delicious Hershey's Peanut Butter and Chocolate pie. My sister gave me a Hershey's Dessert Book for my bridal shower, and this is one of the many desserts that caught my eye! It was a perfect way to end February.

And now, on to the marvelous month of March!

This month, we are having our

MARDI GRAS FAT TUESDAY EVENT!!

On Tuesday, March 8th come into the shop where all of our pre-cut fat quarters will be just ONE DOLLER A PIECE!

With our fat quarters regularly $3.00 a piece, this is a steal! Minimum purchase of 25 required.

In light of this event, I have been doing some research that I am going to share with you now!

Mardi Gras began long before the Europeans set foot in the New World. Back in Ancient Rome they used to celebrate in mid-February with a circus called Lupercalia. This was somewhat like a carnival, and is very similar to the Mardi Gras celebration later seen in New Orleans.

When the Romans embraced Christianity, the Carnival became a period of abandonment and merriment that preceded Lent.

In 1699 the French explorer Iberville brought Mardi Gras to America. Mardi Gras was celebrated in Paris since the Middle Ages and March 3rd was their day of celebration. On March 3rd 1699, Iberville set up camp along the banks of the Mississippi and named the site Point du Mardi Gras.

The celebrations we see today are filled with parades, masked marchers, and the colors purple, gold, and green. Those colors became the official colors of Mardi Gras in 1872, when The Krewe of Rex, an organization created to entertain the Grand Duke Alexis Romanoff of Russia, chose those colors in the Duke's honor. From that point on they have been the official colors of Mardi Gras.

I just thought I'd share with you some interesting information that I did not know until I did a little research. I think in life we all need a few periods of "abandonment and merriment." We can't always focus on our stresses and worries. If we did then life would be a drag. We need to take time to look around us and be grateful for all that we do have, and celebrate it!

I hope this finds you all happy, well and quilting.

May your bobbin always be full!

-Taylor

Thread Painting

I came into work yesterday and was listening to the talk about how much fun it has been to see everyone that has come in to shop our Spring Cleaning sale! The discounts are incredible, the selection is great, and the people are fun and friendly! If you haven't had your chance to get into the shop yet, don't worry. The sale ends on Sunday, February 27th, so you have time! This is a great opportunity. Just yesterday I got a couple books I have been looking at for a while, and am so glad I did!

As a newlywed couple, my husband and I are living at home and saving money while we get ready to go back to school. So I have been very excited and looking forward to moving into our own apartment and decorating it! Projects of every kind have floated into my head, most of them inspired by what I see around me here at Parkland Parish Quilt Co.

Well, this week we have some wonderful classes coming up. This Friday is Quilt Til You Wilt!

This class is so much fun! For only $10 you come to the shop, bring a project, and sew, sew sew until 11pm!! With employees from the shop there to help you if you need it and good company, this class is a fun one!

This Saturday we have our Thread Painting

class with Judy Irish. The technique of thread

painting is a beautiful one, and in this class you

will learn tips and tricks to help you master this craft. This picture is just an example of the beautiful things that can be accomplished with thread painting! The class is $40 and is from 10:30 am - 3:30 pm, here on February 26th. Call the shop, or sign up online!

Well, I don't think I have much else to share with you all today. Except, there is this one thought that has been on my mind lately. It's a quote said by Christopher Robin to Winnie the Pooh, and ever since I heard it while babysitting it has stuck with me.

"Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."

With all of our imperfections it can be easy to get down on ourselves for not being as brave, or smart, or strong as we may think we need to be. But none of us need to be perfect; and we are always stronger, smarter, and braver than we think we are.

I hope this post finds you happy, well, and quilting!

May your bobbin always be full.

-Taylor

Spring Cleaning!

I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day! When I went home from work yesterday I found rose petals scattered all over my bed, a long-stemmed red rose, a candle, and a home-made card from my husband. So sweet! It was a wonderful day, and I hope that you all took the time to show those that you love just how much you love them.

With all the rain we have been getting lately, I've been staying inside my house, reading books, and watching good movies. But sometimes, that can get a little tiring and I start itching to do something. And most of the time, I end up cleaning! And that is precisely what we have decided

to do here at Parkland Parish Quilt Co. We have been going stir crazy around here, so we've been doing some early spring cleaning and we're doing it for you!

The Spring Cleaning event starts on Saturday, February 19th and ends on Sunday, February 27th. Come into the shop to receive GREAT discounts on kits, fabric, books, and more!

Selected Kits & Pre-cuts – up to 50% off!

Selected fabrics - 50-70% off!

Books – starting at just $5.00!

Selected Magazine – just $1.00!

We cannot wait for this event to start, and we hope that you will make it in to take advantage of these never before seen discounts!

I don't have much more to share with you except to tell you there are a few spots remaining in some upcoming classes.

First we have "The Inside Secrets of Binding" class with Ann Sawin. It's on Tuesday, February 22nd from 6 - 9 pm. This class is only $20, and with the great "inside secrets" you'll learn, this is a great opportunity! Call the shop today or sign up online.

Next we have "Thread Painting: Plain and Fancy" class with Judy Irish. It's on Saturday, February 26th from 10:30am - 3:30pm. This class is $40 to sign up and is sure to be fun! The technique you will learn is absolutely beautiful, so hurry and sign up! You can call the shop or register online.

Don't forget! You get an additional 15% off on your purchase when you shop the online store and enter the coupon code "parkland parish". So go shop today!!

And that's all I have to share with you all today. I hope this blog post finds you all happy, well, and quilting!

May your bobbin always be full!

-Taylor

Valentine's Day Anyone?

As Valentine's Day approaches we are all inclined to let our minds linger a little more on thoughts of love, friendship, and romance. Chocolate, candy, and hearts are all over the place in grocery stores, the mall, and restaurants. It is in our nature as humans to make connections with people; to form meaningful relationships with loved ones.

So as this holiday comes closer, start thinking about a gift that would mean the most to those that you love. Whether it's a hand-made card, that cute pair of boots that she's been drooling over for weeks, or just 30 minutes of catching up with a good friend and some tea, do something for those that have meaning in your life this Valentine's Day. I know that I will.

And even though Parkland Parish Quilt Co. is a quilt shop we still want to help you celebrate this holiday! We have some adorable "chocolate" fabrics that arrived in the shop. To see a couple samples, click here.

We also got in a fun Lakehouse line that features polka dots, cakes, and TEA CUPS! These tea cups are absolutely adorable! To see more of this line that would be absolutely perfect for Valentine's day, click here.

THERE IS STILL ROOM IN UPCOMING CLASSES!

We have two wonderful classes quickly approaching that have spots left. I recommend you sign up quickly, before you miss your chance! This Saturday, February 12th is the English Sewing Box class. It is not only a cute box, but it is great for storing whatever quilting supplies you need to stay in one place!

We also have our Fabulous Floor Mat class meeting on Valentines day! From 10 am - 3:30 pm get instruction from Kathy McKenna on how to create your own beautiful floor mat! Call the shop today to sign up!

I hope this blog post finds all of you happy, warm, and quilting. May your bobbin always be full!!

-Taylor

February Classes!

Okay, so this past week has been a little crazy with the Super Bowl Sample Sale and all other sorts of madness, so my blogging has been a bit... irregular. The shop has been super busy!!

But this will be the last not-posted-on-Tuesday blog.

We have some classes coming up very soon that you won't want to miss out on!

Our Fabulous Floor Mat class is on Monday, Februray 14th and the last day to sign up is TOMORROW! So hurry! Call the shop today to reserve your spot in this wonderful class taught by our very own Kathy McKenna!

Also on the list for the next upcoming class is the English Sewing Box Class. It is this Saturday, February 12th from 10am - 4pm. This project is a fun, cute, and useful one! Call the shop today to sign up for this class, or you can register online.

I hope you all had a fabulous weekend and that you are enjoying every minute of every day.

May your bobbin always be full! -Taylor

Are You Ready for some Football?

I know that it's Friday and not Tuesday... and I know that I usually post a blog every week on Tuesday. (Don't worry, just because I'm posting today doesn't mean that I won't post on Tuesday.) But I just had to give you all one more reminder about the

SUPER BOWL SUNDAY SAMPLE SALE

going on this Sunday, February 6th here at Parkland Parish Quilt Co.! Not only are we going to have all of our beautiful samples on a GREAT sale, but we are going to be playing a fun game of football! To see a flier with information and instructions on how we're going to be playing our game, click here.

The doors open at Noon so come to the shop and get ready for some fun! The classroom will be open for some free sewing time and there will be snacks provided!

This is going to be a sale that you won't want to miss!!!

Treats!

I don't know about all of you, but for the past few days I have been absolutely freezing! Waking up in the morning to a frost covered car is not my ideal scenario. At that moment I feel like putting my sweat pants back on, making a nice cup of hot cocoa, and curling up on the couch with a blanket and my favorite movie on the TV. But since days where we are free from responsibility don't come around too often, I just go outside and scrape the ice off of my car and drive to work.

However, it is always good to be prepared in case a day where you have no

responsibility comes around. I found this amazing recipe for hot cocoa online the

other day, and I just have to share it!

It's called Cookie Dough Cocoa (just the title makes my mouth water.) If you'd like to see this recipe or print it out, click here.

I think the

only adjustment I would make to this would be to make homemade chocolate chip cookies instead of using Cookie Crisp cereal. That's just my opinion because I am not the biggest fan of Cookie Crisp.

Anyways, while you're all enjoying that recipe, lets get on to the quilting treats I have in store for today!

SUPER BOWL SUNDAY SAMPLE SALE

In your email blasts last week you were filled in on how our football game is going to work, how you earn points, and just how much fun it's going to be! But so far I have neglected to mention all of the amazing, incredible, quilt samples that will be on an incredible

SALE!

All of our quilts are already hanging up in the shop, so come in early and scope out the samples. They will be priced at rates that will knock your socks off! Hurry to Parkland Parish Quilt Co. and see what we have to offer, and don't forget to come join us on Sunday,

February 6th for a day of games, fun, and great deals!

THE ROMANCE CONTINUES - SATURDAY BOM

Our Saturday BOM class has been filling up quickly! There are very

few spots left and the last day to register for this class is Saturday, February 5th! You can register online, in the shop, or by phone.

And last but not least go to our online store to see all of the REDUCED KITS AND PRE-CUT FABRICS

that have now been added! With the majority of our online merchandise on sale, you won't want to pass up this opportunity!

Well, all of this talk about treats makes me want my own cup of hot chocolate. I'm going to go make myself some.I hope this blog post has found you all doing well and very happy.

May your bobbin always be full! -Taylor

P.S. Keep yours eyes and ears open because there's an extra-exciting

treat coming your way... (check your emails... *cough cough*)

I wonder what it could be...

Some Rainy Day Cheer

Good morning! ...or afternoon, evening, whichever time of day it just so happens to be as you are perusing this blog post. The rainy, cold weather has been making me yearn for summertime, and as I was thinking about how unhappy I was that it wasn't summer yet (I'm a summer and sun person through and through), a quote that I heard once popped into my head.

"Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look

beyond the imperfections."

As I let the meaning of this quote sink in, I realized that all I have to do is look past the rain and summer will come soon enough.

So if there are any imperfections in your quilts or projects you're working on at the moment, look beyond them! See the opportunity you have to laugh and learn and grow.

And while it may still be cold outside, I have quite a few things to share that are very good reasons to be happy!

First of all, we have a LOT of new fabric in the shop! But sadly, I'm not going to tell you about it in this blog. Watch your emails for the email newsletter that will be sent out tomorrow, and you will see pictures! All I can say is that it is all absolutely

ADORABLE!

Next month we have one of the best days of the whole year, and it is definitely a day to celebrate! What day am I talking about you ask? Well Superbowl Sunday, of course! All of us ladies here at The Parish are gearing up and getting ready to play some football on Sunday, February 6th and you can play in our game too! There will be two teams competing against one another for the most points. Now, you

don't have to go out in a cold, wet, football field and run around chasing the person holding the ball. You get to stay inside our nice and cozy quilt shop while you play!

The rules of the game are:

You will get a score card upon entering the shop. The color of that card will determine which team you are on. Then, as you shop you have the opportunity to earn a certain amount of points! The method in which you will earn these points will be revealed in the email

newsletter! So watch your emails tomorrow for more details!!!

Whichever team at the end of the day has the most points will get a special prize! And, even if you aren't on the winning team, the points you earn will be beneficial to you on your next visit to our quilt shop!

And last but not least, I suppose I should acknowledge Valentine's Day... because it is a

wonderful holiday! Even if you don't have a valentine this year, let someone that you care for know just how much. The

perfect way to show them is with a Parkland Parish Quilt Co. Gift Certificate! They are now purchasable online through a very simple process.

Well I hope this post finds you all very happy despite any imperfections you might feel in any aspect of anything. All of us here at Parkland Parish are always happy to listen and help you with some "quilt therapy."

May your bobbin always be full! -Taylor

Three Cheers for the Online Store!

Hello all! Taylor Morgan here, your friendly Parkland Parish Web Tech. You might not recognize my name because I got married three weeks ago today and I am happier than ever! ...Anyways, on to the quilting news.

Well, I have exciting things to share! Lots of work has been going on and some changes have been made to the online store. We got a lot of phone calls during the holidays asking about being able to purchase gift certificates for PPQC on our website.

Guess what? Now you can!

Simply go to http://www.parklandparishquilts.com/ and click on the "Gift Certificates" link

on the right hand side of the page, or click on this picture below that I have so conveniently provided.

These gift cards are redeemable both online and in the shop so take advantage of this

opportunity to get a fun gift for a friend.

And now for something just as exciting: You can register for classes and

clubs on the website!

The website will be updated with the upcoming classes and clubs every quarter. This means

that you can sign up for that class you have been waiting for from your home! Of course, all of us here at the shop would love to see your beautiful faces, but we do admit, being able to register online is terribly convenient.

January - March of 2011 classes and clubs are on the website right now, so go to http://www.parklandparishquilts.com/ and click on the "Classes" or "Clubs" link on the right hand side of the page to register. Or click on the picture below that I have so conveniently provided.

Now, I can't speak for all of you, but I know that I am excited about these additions! I love to work with the website and see how it continues to change and grow. As I work, I always have the goal in mind to make it the best for you!

I hope this blog post finds you all doing well and very happy.
May your bobbin always be full! -Taylor