How Cute is This?

It must be written someplace that all friends and acquaintances of grandmothers have to listen to and agree with the opinion of said grandmother about her grandchild! So here goes for Grandson #3. Just look at this photo. Now imagine this as a ten-foot poster in the trade show where people are buying merchandise to stock their clothing stores. Who in this wide world would not buy the entire line from Dickies after seeing this poster with this child's handsome face? If it showed up in the department store in an even smaller size wouldn't you buy those "togs" even if you had to find a child to give them to, not having a grandson of your own? I ask you again, "How cute is this?" Too bad he doesn't get royalties for this. I think it is worth a million! Now, just for the record, you should see his brothers and cousins.

Sara

H&C Feature of the Week: Clean Off the Bolt
At Heirlooms & Comforts this week we will feature Clean Off the Bolt all week long. Buy all the fabric left on the bolt of regular price fabric and get 25% off the price. (Special orders and kitted fabrics are excluded) Buy all the fabric left on the bolt of a sale priced fabric and get an extra 10% off the original price of the fabric. (Offer cannot be combined with other offers.) There are some really nice fabrics on the Sale Table, folks. This is a good time for borders and backings!

Sew Fest
Husqvarna Viking is having Sew Fest for the American dealerships during this week and part of next week. So, look for new things to come from Viking. We will return from the session in Atlanta with new ideas and plans bursting forth just like the daffodils in the garden! We will be ready to show and share with you whatever they have in store for us at this meeting. Watch out and listen for Bobby and me to spill the news.

It's Gone!

Finally the duck tape that held the face of my daily habitat is GONE! The glass company replaced the broken glass at the front of the shop. It had been held in place by duck tape for almost a year since the misguided young people threw rocks when they had nothing to occupy their time and their minds. Eight young people found that they could get "kicks" from destroying the property of other people and so finally were identified and arrested for numerous counts of vandalism and destruction of personal properties to the tune of $64,000 in restitution. It is so very unfortunate that young people have no guidance or direction other than destroying the property of other people. Hopefully the instruction and direction they are getting in pre-trial intervention is having some positive impact on their thinking and their behavior. I hate to think that all this effort has no uplifting value for these young lads. Let's hope and pray that the efforts of the judicial and penal system do some good!

Sara

H&C Feature of the Week: Quilt Books
At Heirlooms & Comforts this week we will feature Quilt Books at 20% off. You may choose books featuring whatever technique or process you like at a great discount. There is no limit to the number you can purchase at this discount this week. We have many books from many publishers to offer you. Learn to piece, or appliqué, or machine quilt, or make circle designs, or use only one fabric to make a beautiful quilt, or use scraps, or whatever process you are interested in from these great books. All of this week you can choose your favorites at 20% off.

Classes at H&C
At Heirlooms & Comforts we have had quite a lot of registrations for classes! If you have your eye on a particular class and have not yet come in to complete your registration, you should pay attention to that detail right away. Class sign-ups and registrations have been brisk and some people are having to go on the waiting lists. We are working hard to add sections to the schedule, but that doesn't always work out. So, don't delay in making your choices and complete the payment for registration!

Pay Attention
We are again reminding you to pay attention to the Husqvarna Viking web site for some special announcements of financing and special offers that are nationwide. These will expire before you can blink if you aren't carefully watching. Frequent visits to the web site can keep you up to date and in the know. These offers and deadlines come and go rapidly and we don't want you to miss the big deals. Go to www.husqvarnaviking.com often so you don't get left out of the fun.

Lessons in Life

Life is not always easy. That is a good lesson. When something is just handed to a person, she may not value the gift as much as she would have if she had personal effort invested in the acquisition of the goal. Remember those persons in college classes who worked hard to gain the understanding and achievement? They were always very proud of the accomplishment and the recognition. Those for whom the task was easy did not have the same regard for the recognition.

In the world of quilting all of this also applies. Our friend Anna Willis has worked hard to get to the wonderful age of 86 years and is finally getting some justly deserved recognition for her accomplishments in those years. She and our dear friend Jackie Herndon are the featured artists in the exhibit in Cox Hall of the Clemson Little Theatre in Pendleton for the two weeks beginning this Friday, January 20. These two ladies have quilted together for a number of years and they certainly compliment each other in their talent. Life has not been easy for Anna as she raised her son and a foster son, cared for her aging mother, helped with her grandchildren's up-bringing, studied and completed her High School degree in 1978 in night school while working full time. Her health began to decline as she experienced the aging process. But, thankfully, there are medical professionals who are willing to care for the disabled and now Anna is pain-free in her hip and legs. She can again be mobile and continue to sew and quilt.

Anna and Jackie became close friends through association with Heirlooms & Comforts, and are now sharing the artful exhibit so that we can all enjoy seeing what the two of them have done, both singly and as a complimentary pair. Go to see the exhibit and share in the pride of accomplishment that they have achieved.

Sara

H&C Feature of the Week: Spotlight on New Fabric
At Heirlooms & Comforts this week we will spotlight the new fabrics that have arrived from Moda and Barbara Brackman called Battle Hymn group.

There is a free pattern available for downloading from the Moda website. You can have great fun with this combination if you love the look of reproduction quilts. Check it out and come on in to H&C to get your choice of these fabrics.

Classes
At Heirlooms & Comforts this term classes are filling up rather fast. Be sure to locate the class schedule on our web site www.heirloomsandcomforts.net to see late January and early February classes that are available for your registration. One very popular class is the Friendly Snowman. This guy is very cute and is fun to make. Also, Gail's popular free motion quilting class may have one or two spaces left - call soon. If you miss these two classes, there are other very good ones to choose from.

We've Gotten to '12!

Some of us, more than others, have a hang-up about aging. As I see it, there is great celebration in aging if we can do it gracefully. To have lasted another year is awesome, considering all that could have happened to us in the last year or so. My gray hair is like a "badge of courage" as it increases yearly. To gain the wisdom of years is yet again awesome. To be deferred to by those who are younger and respect the "mileage" that I have amassed is great. I can now even be okay with someone responding to me with "yes, Ma'am". To have all the little ones who are friends of my grandchildren also call me Grandma is just fine. I never expect to attain the status that my mother had among friends and acquaintances of the community, but I do understand the pride she took in being known to all as Mema. I haven't relished the role of oldest female of the family, but I do love the recognition and affectionate response from the teenagers who defer to me and engulf me with their hugs and comments. So, I guess I'm "getting there" in a way.

All joking aside, it is nice to be able to start a new year. I read in the newspaper today about a lady who lived very gracefully to be 101 years old, 79 of those as a childless widow. I, therefore, find this a great opportunity to express my gratitude for a wonderful, large family and circle of friends that increases weekly. Hopefully my years will improve my grace!

Sara

H&C Feature of the Week: Embroidery Designs
At Heirlooms & Comforts this week we will feature our stock of Husqvarna Viking multi-formatted collections of embroidery designs ready for stitching out on your embroidery machine. Buy Husqvarna Viking Embroidery collections at 40% off this week (in-stock designs only). We have a variety of the newest and the best of these designs ready for your choosing. Notice that they are multi-formatted making them useable for all embroidery machines. Of course the best selections will sell first, so come by early in the week. 40% off=great savings.

Classes

At Heirlooms & Comforts classes are filling up rather rapidly. So, don't wait too long to choose the ones you want to take. Follow this link (www.heirloomsandcomforts.net) to see what is available. Then come by or call in to pay up for reserving your place in the class. Get a class supply list and save 10% at Heirlooms & Comforts when you purchase supplies from us that are on the teacher's listing of required supplies. Learn with the best!

Quilters of South Carolina
Are you familiar with the Quilters of South Carolina organization? Look at the web site for this group to see what great fun and learning this group of quilters has. There is always a large gathering in the spring and also a great retreat in the fall where South Carolinians learn from South Carolinians. On February 4, 2012 there is a planned Gathering of Quilters in District I of QSC being held in Williamston, SC not far from us. District I is the upstate counties and Carolyn Harris (chrrs@clemson.edu) is the Representative for this district. Send an email to Carolyn to learn the details and mark your calendar for a fun day with other quilters from our district.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! All the staff at Heirlooms & Comforts and Bobby and I wish for you a healthy and happy year to come. May all your resolutions be met and all your hopes and dreams exceeded.

My maternal grandmother always referred to "idle hands are a devil's workshop". We would like to suggest that you keep yours busy with the wonderful things that can be created with supplies from Heirlooms & Comforts. You can spend a year's worth of time and talent making beautiful things for yourself, your home, your friends, and your family. There are always places to sell your items for the sake of charity or to simply give some items to a charity organization for the benefit of those who are less fortunate. It is an up-lifting experience to deliver to a needy person or group something that can add comfort or cheer to their lives. Try it; you might like it.

Sara

Class Schedule Online
Our Heirlooms & Comforts class schedule is now on our web site at www.heirloomsandcomforts.net. Go there and review the offerings from our instructors. Choose the ones you like and call or come by to complete your registration with tuition payment very soon. Completed registration by January 21 will merit a 20% discount on supplies listed by the teacher as requirements for the class. The extra discount is valid through the end of the first meeting of the class.

Additionally, there are two classes that run for six months as block-of-the-month classes. If you pay the full tuition for either of these classes up front, you will receive a 10% discount on the tuition fee. Otherwise, you may pay in two parts: ½ now and ½ at the halfway point in the class. Act soon since the schedule is newly posted and sometimes classes fill rapidly.

H&C Feature of the Week: Clean Off the Bolt
At Heirlooms & Comforts this week we will feature Clean Off the Bolt all week. When you purchase all the fabric remaining on a bolt you get 25% off a regular priced fabric. If the item is a sale fabric and you clean off the bolt you get an extra 10% off. This is a great opportunity to add to your stash or to purchase backing fabrics. Check us out. Who knows what will appear on the sale table next?

Want to be a Professional?
At Heirlooms & Comforts you can become the user of 5D Professional Embroidery Software at a 75% off when you purchase a Designer Diamond DeLuxe or Designer Diamond or a Designer Ruby machine. Yep! You can be one of those who do the special effects, and designs, and cross stitch conversions, and resizing, and so forth. Also there is special financing available for a limited time. Get the best of the best while limited supply lasts. Don't wait around too long.