Des Moines!!!...the one in Washington!

When you start off your weekend by passing through THIS gorgeous scenery, you know it's only going to get better!! This is our beautiful Mt. Rainier in all it's glory. This is where I most love to be. It's just amazingly beautiful here! We passed by on our way over the mountains to the class at Carriage Country Quilts in Des Moines.....(beautiful too! Right on Puget Sound...sparkling water...sailboats....big ships............nope! Didn't get a SINGLE picture!) You can see the water right out of the front windows of the shop too! The class was held at a church nearby, so I didn't get to visit the shop until after class. Isn't this just the cutest shop you've ever seen?

Now.... for the class!!! The girls at Carriage Country Quilts really know how to spoil everybody! I think that even if you didn't really care much about the "class"... it would be well worth it to show up just for the flowers....and the food....and all the little (and NOT so little!) special touches that they provide!

Aren't these beautiful??? They were freshly picked from two of the CCQ ladies' gardens, and were arranged in these lush bouquets ALL OVER the room!!!

These were the "goody bags" they had made for everyone attending the class..... I got SO lucky!...they gave ME one TOO!!!!! These are pillowcases....all of them were different...there are snacks and provisions inside (their kits were in here too) and then it was all tied up with a wired ribbon bow. On top of each pillowcase "bag" was a hand embroidered, stuffed nametag! Susan (you'll see her pictured later) had designed and made ALL of them!!!! They're SO pretty!!! Such a perfect, special little touch, huh?? I love mine! I think I'll find somewhere to pin it up in the studio, maybe on a lamp?

I'm sorry....caught everybody eating in the next photo! This is "naughty girl corner"....no, not "knot-y girl"...these ladies are actually trouble makers! But in a very good way! They met at a class a few years ago and are BFF's now! Isn't that cool???

Busy, busy! Everybody's getting to work!.......it's taking a while to go through everything in the goody bags tho!

More lunch scenes.....or was this the continental breakfast? Bagels, muffins, homemade cinnamon rolls, orange juice....WOW!..... everybody finished just in time for lunch!!....by the way...come hungry to a CCQ class....just a hint! LOL!!!

Carol and Sandy checking out the new designs I'd brought...

HERE is Susan (who designed and made the nametags) and Kathleen showing off their pretty smiles!

OK!!... it's time for the afternoon snack!..........after all, we're all getting weak from lack of food (lunch WAS a whole 2 hours ago!!) and all this hard work! Emily and Wendy are all ready to make rootbeer floats!!! YES!!! Rootbeer floats!!.... They also had little cupcakes in different flavors.......not positive what they were.... I was busy and didn't get over there until all that were left were the rootbeer float and orange cremecicle flavors. They were REALLY good! I didn't even tell you what they did for lunch!!!!..........oh, it was really all about the food!! These girls need to put together a cookbook!!! Thank you to Debbie for such an enjoyable day! I didn't get a single picture with Debbie in it!.... darn!!!

Here's the aftermath of my trunk show.... ready to pack up again. What a mess!!!

Thank you to all the lovely ladies who came to the class, and thank you, THANK YOU to Debbie and all the girls from CCQ for such a special day!

XOX Meg