Meet the Metro QBees!

In the five years since developing and implementing the dillydally lifestyle the most amazing people have entered my life!  On August 7th I spent the day with two wonderful women!

Meet the Metro QBees Randi and Mary Ellen!  I met them two years ago...

...Sister DillyDally and I participated in a quilt event hosted by Rosebud's Cottage held at a Minnesota Twins game!  You can read about it here!  Randi's husband was unfortunate to have ended up sitting next to me that evening.  It was my very first major league baseball game!  I know I drove him crazy with all my silly questions, but that is how I met both Randi and Mary Ellen!  Poor man, there he was trying to watch the game.

Last summer they met the AK QBees and I for lunch!  They even prepared beautiful gift bags for each of us.  They really made our trip extra special ... you can read about it here!

Sister DillyDally had to leave town on a business trip last week, Randi and Mary Ellen invited me to spend a day with them ... it was perfect timing ... they picked me up Tuesday morning and we dillydallied all day long!

We visited three shops in the metro area ... I will blog about each one eventually.  My internet access during this trip has been limited!  We had such fun shopping and exploring the shops together ... I love seeing things through the eyes of others ... it really broadens my view and heightens the inspiration!

They took me to the Taste of Scandinavia Bakery and Cafe for lunch!  I know ... how perfect is that!

Here is a photo of one section of the menu!  Too fun!

I had a Finnish Pastie with a side of lefse!  Yummy!

For dessert we share a generous piece of the cake on the left ... to die for dillydally delicious!

We visited Designer Roseann Kermes in her studio!  As always ... it was inspiring to spend time with Roseann.  She is always so generous with her time and talent!  It is also a thrill to see the things she is working on ... of course we are sworn to secrecy!  I consistently leave my visits with Roseann inspired and empowered!

The whole day was lovely, but the highlights were when both Randi and Mary Ellen invited me to their homes!

We went to Mary Ellen's first.  It was so nice to meet her husband and to see her quilts.

This hand appliqued quilt was not made by Mary Ellen, but has a very interesting back story.  A history that teaches all of us quilters an important lesson ... a story that deserves it's own post.  Stay tuned ... sorry to be a tease!

Little did I know ... Mary Ellen has an extensive collection of antique toy sewing machines!

Wow!  I could have spent hours looking at it all!

What treasure!

Her collections were displayed beautifully!

What fun!

I could have spent days looking through all the treasure she had on display!  I have not even posted all the pictures I took of her collections.  Collecting is something that she and her husband enjoy together!  What fun!  Plus...everything is displayed beautifully!  I love how collecting sewing toys are an avenue by which she and her husband can find a common interest!  How cool is that?

Antique scrap quilt hanging in Mary Ellen's living room!

I have mentioned on earlier posts that Randi is a professional long arm quilter.  A lot of her work in published in quilt magazines!  We ended our day together by visiting her home and studio!

Yep...here she is...this is where the magic happens!

It was a thrill to see how Randi has organized her creative space.

And to see the projects she has made.

Here is a wall quilt that she designed to "tell" her story.  Not only was it beautiful, but inspiring to hear Randi's journey into quilting and her business, Jubilee Quilting!

Randi wanted the AK QBees to see that she actually uses and treasures the notebook that we gave her last summer!  Too cool!

Quilts hanging in Randi's home.

It was such a lovely day ... in every possible way!  This was only the third time I had met these two wonderful women ... how fortunate I am to have them in my life.  When creating my dillydally lifestyle changes five years ago ... one of the most important decisions I made was to minimize relationships that were negative and to invest in those that were positive.  It has been life changing!  I relate it to cleaning out a closet ... it has created room for positive people like Mary Ellen and Randi to enter my life!  I am so grateful for the day we spent together ... but mostly for their friendship!

Do what you love.  Be a positive force for others.  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally