The Gabby Gals Blog
Archive for November, 2009
Friday, November 27th, 2009
Three weeks in the new store… it’s about time we made some changes around here!
Our classroom isn’t quite big enough… let’s cut a hole in the wall!
Incredible as it seems, Bob, our landlord agreed to do it. Doug, the contractor, ordered the lumber (although I did hear a comment about the paint not even being dry). Cut through the new wall? We were still nervous about pounding a nail. But the idea of a new classroom was too tempting. I got really brave and played graffiti artist.
At first we could hear Mark sawing and pounding and then we could actually see the saw come through the wall. Melonie encouraged the work with a plate of homemade cookies. Within minutes we had a window large enough to pass the plate through.
Mike just happens to stop by in time for cookies.
So that's what we look like from the other side...
Mark worked quickly and soon we had a large opening that he replaced with beautiful new classroom doors.
In reflection, this was a good idea!
But you really want to know is what is on the other side! Yes it is a classroom, with many outlets and great lighting. Want to see? Stop over for a tour and we will open the doors for you. In the meantime, the painters and carpet guys will be back. They probably missed Melonie’s cookies too.
Not to be outdone, the outside of the new barn got a little addition this week.
"Hey, Doug and Mark, what are you guys doing out there?"
"Hey Janet, it looks like Bob built the building to go with your sign!"
Wow! Bruce brought the sign over from the old barn to see if it would work in the very specific space on the new building. We had that sign made 5 years ago! It is perfect in color, size and shape for the spot under the lights. It really looks great at night. I just keep driving by to look at it.
Cool.
If the sign on the front and the new classroom-in-progress isn’t enough to tempt you by this week, maybe the mention of all of the new fabric deliveries will get you out. Better yet, send a loved one to check it out and pick up a gift certificate to tuck in your stocking!
Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
Monday, November 16th, 2009
Gather at the new barn
Calico Gals is the place to be and this week lots of people agreed! The Gals hosted three local quilt guilds on three different days. The guilds brought their members and lots more people stopped in to see what the excitement was all about.
On Monday, Candlelight Quilt Guild showed up with homemade chili and cookies. Gotta love it! Elizabeth Balderrama and Sharon Jarvis hosted the table where Elizabeth was proudly showing the current issue of Quick Quilts. Yes – that was her quilt on the cover! Congratulations to the team at Seams Like a Dream Quilt Designs.
Elizabeth and Sharon "wrap it up" at the Candlelight Gathering
On Tuesday, the Towpath Quilt Guild showed up in force! They were also enjoying 2 days of workshops with Barbara Persing and Mary Hoover, the popular designers of 4th &6th Designs. We were thrilled to see Barbara and Mary stop in to our new store. (Guess what… they liked it… a lot!) And we like them… a lot! They took a few minutes away from stacking bolts on the counter to autograph their books.
Barbara and Mary - just say hi!
Not to be outdone, the Plank Road guild members descended on Wednesday, with Charlotte Angotti in tow. What? You don’t know Charlotte? She fills the room with fun and laughter wherever she goes! Visiting from Myrtle Beach for 2 days and teaching at the guild, Charlotte climbed over boxes and settled into a rocking chair in our loft. We discussed the possibility of turning the loft from box storage into a stitching lounge. (What do you think about that?) I couldn’t get enough of Charlotte, so I accepted the invitation to meet her and the guild gals at The Retreat in Liverpool for dinner. Good food and great friends – can it get any better?
Charlotte, Shirley, Linda and June - wait for me!
Meanwhile, back at the store… Joan Ford was teaching one of her Project Therapy classes. When you join this group, you become part of Joan’s design process for her Scrap Therapy patterns. Everyone in the class is a pattern tester and Joan values the feedback that results. Barb Sunderlage, from Brewer Quilting and Sewing Supplies, “dropped in” from Chicago to take Joan’s class. Brewer is the exclusive distributor of the Scrap Therapy program and they love Joan as much as we do!
Barb and Joan choosing fabric for the Project Therapy class.
Let me ask you this…
What is your favorite part of Calico Gals new store? Everyone seems to have an opinion, so let’s hear them! We will take some pics to share. Here is the first one: Kathy B’s favorite thing in the new barn is the toilet paper holders. Here’s a great shot of her demonstrating just how wonderful they are. Thanks, Kathy, for your valuable comments!
Kathy, in her Spooktacular garb, shows off our TP.
Posted in Events, New Barn! | 2 Comments »
Saturday, November 7th, 2009
Hard to believe, but it is for real! Calico Gals has moved into the new barn at 3906 New Court Ave. Phew! As part of the Spooktacular Bus Tour, we were hosting 5 buses from PA and NJ beginning October 30th. I set the goal to do this in the NEW barn and although there were some days we had doubts… it happened! Those builder/carpenter/electrical/heating/painting/paving/carpet guys are my heroes! Just look what happened in the last 2 weeks!
They are working, but I'm a little nervous!
The painters came in and joined Shawn and Mark, Carpenters Extraordinaire.
And then, there was light! Doug, from Doug’s Electric, lit up the place. I got a little picky about light bulbs. Lights are important when buying fabric, right? Doug made it good for us.
Ta Da! Yes, Doug, it looks great!
Meanwhile, back at the old barn in Fayetteville… we got a team! It was time to pack it up and load it on the truck.
Where did we get all of this stuff? Nina refuses to take it with us! Garage Sale!
We are taking this, right Melonie?
Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who carried everything down the stairs an loaded it into a 24ft truck. Viki and Wenda packed it so tight, there was no room for air!
This is what a Quilt-Shop-in-a-Truck looks like. In case you wondered.
On to the new store – wait! Store that truck for a few days, they aren’t ready yet!
Paving in the pouring rain. These guys work hard!
It stopped raining and the siding guys got to work the very next day. Carpet went in on Friday and we unloaded the truck Saturday morning. No time to waste! The flurry of activity in the new barn was topped only by the sale in the old barn. Everything out of there! The gals worked hard cutting fabric by the mile! The customers worked hard carrying it to their cars! And then it got really quiet.
Nothing left but the empties.
Wow.
OK, something happy… We did it – well the guys did it – we just cheered and moved a lot of stuff. And then slept really well. I’ll throw the Spooktacular stuff into another post. I took the last 2 photos this afternoon.
Did we do good?
New home - come on over!
Posted in New Barn! | 1 Comment »
