Down to the Holiday Wire

I'm as excited about our adopted family's Christmas as I am for our own family! Scroll down to the previous post for a current list of items still needed - we really need boots and snowpants! We'll be wrapping like crazy on Saturday 12/19 at 10:30 - hope you can stop by!

Every year at Mariner's Compass I thank each of you for your continued support of our business and to show our appreciation (and have less to count for our inventory...) we're having a holiday savings blitz this Thursday, Friday and Saturday!
Cotton fabrics just $7 per yard and Batiks just $8 per yard with a full yard minimum please. We'll also have select kits and batik precut items on sale. Some of these would make great last minute gifts for yourself or your quilting buddies!

Downtown Bath is hosting a Holiday Open House this Friday night 12/18 and shops will be open until 8PM. Bath has been featured in the local media on both WSCH6 and the Maine Sunday Telegram - come down this weekend to see what we're all about!

MCQS Community Christmas

FOLKS THIS IS GREAT! WE'VE DONE WELL WITH THE ITEMS ON THE LIST - ALL WE REALLY NEED IS SNOWPANTS AND BOOTS - PLEASE HELP US OUT! THANKS!

UPDATED FOR YOUR SHOPPING CONVENIENCE ON 12/15/09
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE SO FAR WHO HAS DONATED AN ITEM OR CASH! KEEP IT COMING AND WE HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US ON 12/19 FOR A WRAPPING PARTY!

So, I really wanted us as a shop community to do something special this year to help folks who might not have such a great holiday. Wendy volunteers in a 2nd grade classroom at Dike Newell, with a wonderful teacher, Sue Michaud, with whom I used to work. Phew - now that we have that straight. The staff at DN adopted some families for the holidays and we asked if we could as well! We have been given a wonderful little family and I'm hoping you'll help me spoil them rotten!
So, here's the specifics. I have a wish list from Mom, Daughter #1, Son, and Daughter #2. I will list each item here as well as on a tree in the shop. If you choose something, either in shop or through an email, I will mark it on the list here and remove it from the tree. If you'd like to donate cash to help us purchase the items on the list, that would be welcome also. We will accept unwrapped items through Friday 12/18 and on Saturday 12/19 we hope you'll join us for a fun wrapping party. Wendy will deliver all the goodies to Dike Newell on Monday 12/21.
Here's the list (some items already spoken for)
Daughter #1, 8 years old
Shirt Size 7/8, Pants size 8/9 slim, Shoes 13/14 kids or 1 Girls
Long sleeve shirts, snowpants, boots
3rd grade chapter books
Puzzles
Anything Hannah Montana or Wizards of Waverly Place
Tinkerbell doll
Twitches movies
Son, 6 years old
Shirt size 7, pants size 7/8 slim, Shoes 13/14 kids or 1 Boys
Long sleeve shirts, snowpants and boots
Anything Nascar #88, RedSox or Patriots
Baseball and glove
Disney movies and items from Cars movie
Transformers
Arts and crafts
Daughter #2, 5 1/2 years old
Shirt size 5/6, Pants size 6, Shoe size 10/11
Long sleeve shirts, snowpants, boots, socks
Puzzles
Don't Spill the Beans game
Movies: Shark Tales, Cinderella, Garfield
Baby Ah-choo
This little girl loves to dance - a dance class?
Mother, 30 years old
Shirt size XL, Pants size 18/20, Shoes 9W
Black jeans, snowpants, socks
Gas card
Games-SkipBo, Yahtzee, Scrabble, Phase Ten
Ice skates
Movies: Disney Family, Twilight
I've highlighted in pink the items already spoken for. Obviously they can use more than one pair of socks and other clothes, so don't worry if they're already marked and that's what you want to get. Please help us! Anything handmade would also be welcome. I think I have a quilt for each person (might need one for the little boy). Please call with any questions or if you'd like to claim an item - or email to claim at item too. THANK YOU AND MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Last Minute Class / Great Gift Add-Ons!

Howdy folks - this Saturday is the last official class of 2009 at Mariner's Compass. We have a great lineup scheduled starting in January, so stay tuned! On Saturday 12/5 we're making 3D Ornaments, which can also be used as pins or package tie-ons. We made three dozen to use as the decorations for our tree at the Festival of Trees, a fundraising event for the Bath YMCA. Here's a pic of the tree and a close up of the star ornament.

A big thankyou to Sharon, Verne, Barbara Jo, Peggy and Fotini for sewing and donating fabrics for our ornaments! We made stars, hearts and flowers.

Class is from 10:30-12. There is a $5 class fee and then you can make unlimited ornaments for $2 each - all materials provided! Bring your machine if you want to stitch them up, or just cut them and take them home to finish. And, oh by the way, we're cutting them all on the AccuQuilt GO! Plus, Molly will have her Sizzix Big Shot for an extra special flower shape! Give us a shout if you'd like to come! See you soon!

Happy Holidays!

So, the season has begun and we celebrated in full force today with a meal at my house for lunch and dessert at Mom's in the evening. YUM!
The newly expanded classroom space at MCQS is fab! If you haven't stopped by to see our new space, we hope you'll do so soon. Watch for a great list of class and club offerings starting in January (there's a preview on the website).
So, as promised, here's my list:
Amanda's Top 10 Quilting Gifts
10. Gift Certificates - any amount available, can be used for merchandise or a class.
9. Calendars - be reminded of your favorite hobby every day, all year!
8.Notions make great stocking stuffers - blades, threads, pins etc...
7.Charm Packs - precut, coordinated 5" squares are an instant project and great gift!
6.Fat Quarters - tell your shopper your style, we'll help choose and make them pretty!
5.Clover Bobbin Towers - store all your bobbins neatly!
4.Wright's SideWinder - wind your bobbins without your machine.
3.LED Brightlight Machine Light - clips on for great light at your machine.
2.AccuQuilt GO! Buy a machine and become an official MCQS GoGo Girl! Dies make great gifts if you already have the machine!
1. LENNI - in any capacity! Buy or rent, he's a great date. Gift certificates available for rentals. Get more info about Lenni in the shop or call Marcia at 437-4177.
Our holiday hours are listed on our website, please make a note that we will be closed between Christmas and New Year's.

Our New Education Center

It's almost done and will open this Saturday 11/7 with a Grand Opening Open House from 8-10AM. Our new education center will house our classroom (outfit to comfortably seat 8 now and more in the future); the APQS Longarm GPS Studio with Lenni and our longarm supplies; and a quilt gallery which will feature rotating quilt related exhibits. I'll also get a brand new office-yippee!

So, here are the important details:

Saturday 11/7 is Downtown Bath's Annual Early Bird Sales. We'll open at 6AM. Our Early Bird Special will be 20% off by-the-yard fabrics from 6-8AM. There will also be Early Bird Coupons available all day from 6AM-3PM. If you receive my shop emails, you'll get the coupons this week. If you don't, you can pick them up in-store anytime this week, or simply get them on Saturday. There will be an official ribbon cutting ceremony at 8AM to open the new space. We have lovingly named the new space Pollyanna's Parlor, in memory of our good friend Judy whose business, Pollyanna's Antiques, used to occupy the space. Between 8-10AM we will have some great events happening in the Parlor.

* Demos & Make/Take with Independent Stampin' Up Demonstrator Molly Barter

* Demos of Superior Threads' Texture Magic with Demonstrator Mary Chick

* Demos & Test Drives on Lenni with Deb Boucher

* After-Market New Product Showcase - samples of the goodies we brought from Houston

* Demonstrations of new market products with Marcia O'Donnell and Barbara Jo Belanger

* FREE GIFT to the first 25 people through the door

* Door prize drawings at each demonstration

* MCQS Family Quilt Exhibit

These are the last photos you'll get before the Grand Opening - if you want to see the rest, you'll have to come to the shop on Saturday 11/7!