Neither Rain, Nor Snow, Nor Sleet, Nor Dark of Night...

Shall stay these quilters from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.

(That means getting their passports stamped from each and every quilt shop!)

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With humble apologies to the US Postal Service, I felt that the Postman's Creed says it all about the intrepid women, and a few sweet husbands, who have battled some very rainy Georgia weather to attend Shop Hop 2009. And I mean rainy- at times we have been deluged with water, thunder, lightening, flooding, tornado watches and warnings. The forecast for today? More of the same. But will that stop us from getting in our cars and driving to see the last few shops on the list (or taking wonky pictures)? Absolutely not. And this is why:

Yesterday found us in Marietta, first stop- The Red Hen. A Day on the Farm started with a greeting from this precious pup. How cute is that little scarf around her neck?




I loved everything about this shop. The colors, the decor (absolute vintage farmgirl perfection!), the staff in aprons that seemed to come right off the hook in the kitchen, everything.




But I especially loved the dogs. There were three in total, each one sweet as pie and a rather welcomed, unexpected addition. No wet dog smell, either. How can you not love that face?



The quilts were fabulous and begged you to come for a closer look. The center panel on this quilt is not a panel, it is assembled and appliqued!



One day I will find a red barn and convert it into a house. I'll be keeping this photo for reference.



Hanging up over the cutting table is the most extraordinary quilt- Aurora. This photograph does it absolutely no justice as it does not capture the shimmer and sparkle that is abundantly stitched throughout the quilt. No wonder it has received so many ribbons. It is a masterpiece.

Gathering our purchases, grabbing our umbrellas it was back to the rain drops for us. Goodbye, Red Hen. We will be back.

The next stop was Little Quilts. No pictures as it was too rainy and the shop is very tiny. Only two rooms and difficult to maneuver through with a fair crowd of people. But, I did find some sweet fabric there that I have not seen elsewhere. I'll be sharing my treasures tomorrow.
From Little Quilts to Tiny Stitches, where a charming princess greeted us with a rather over-the-top English accent that set the mood for some fun storytelling.

I loved this display. Just because.

The Princess and the Pea bed. It was very tempting. Very tempting.

How sweet is this? A delicate fairy floating over a luscious lavender and blue confection, decorated with nests and egg garland. Spring has arrived in Georgia.

This morning it is back out into the inclement weather, threatening us once again with hail, severe thunderstorms and drenching downpours. But we are not ready to give in or give up the chance to see what lies in store for us in the last three shops.

We have to go. We must. We are quilters.