Saturday, 18 February 2012

Why a U.S. skiing holiday is the best (and a giveaway)

Because when the sun shines you have all this:

Note the lack of snow on neighbouring mountains. The eastern USA has had a very mild winter so far and not much snow


Snow making has featured heavily this year

Not exactly sure it is possible to look glamourous in a helmet?



Breathtakingly fantastic views and US half term is a week later than ours this year therefore slopes not crowded

But some days the weather is less than stellar

Yes, there is a mountain in there somewhere
Which means if you are on a US skiing holiday there is always one of these within striking distance

Eat your hearts out Alps, Dolomites etc. Where are your quilt shops?

I was actual very abstemious - just went to soak up the atmosphere of a real life quilt shop.

I didn't think I would be able to get to a Jo-Anns this trip so tried to make an order online and have it delivered to the hotel. It doesn't work as they will only deliver to the address that is registered to your credit card. So I sent them an email, asking what I could do if I wanted to order online as I couldn't get to a Jo-Anns store.

Here is the ingenious reply from the lovely Mary:

"I suggest visiting a local Jo-Anns store and purchasing a gift card. You can use this gift card to place an online order."

I predict a bright future for Mary at Jo-Anns.

Anyway, as luck would have it, we spent a night near a Jo-Anns after skiing so I did get to visit one. And what did I discover in the discounted section?


Yup, discounted Denyse Schmidt. It's in Portland, Maine Jo-Anns if anyone is passing.  But more importantly I got these:


Cost me an absolute fortune if I buy in the UK. In Jo-Anns, $31.99 for a pack of five.

Bargainiferous.

See those Denyse Schmidt fabrics? They are half yard cuts. I'm going to make them quarter yard cuts and send a set to one of you. You can leave one random comment if you already follow. For a second bonus comment (and I am completely and unashamedly copying this one from Kristie because I think it is such a fun question) have a guess in which US city I spent the first part of my honeymoon some 19 years ago. (Edited to add: and if you get that one right I'll throw in some bonus fabric too...as of comment number 13 no one has got it right!)


Givewaway stays open till next Saturday 25 Feb after which time I'll use Mr Random Number Generator.

Have fun!
Posted by at

82 comments:

  1. Isisjem18 February 2012 at 16:16

    oooh great photos - I'm a follower as you know. Bosses have been skiing last week in Austria - although when one phoned the office last week they had too much snow and the resorts were closed!

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  2. Isisjem18 February 2012 at 16:17

    I think you spent the first part of your honeymoon in New York

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  3. Quilterbell18 February 2012 at 16:29

    Ummm, I love to be there!. I am a follower. Thank you for the chance.

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  4. Quilterbell18 February 2012 at 16:30

    I think you were in San Francisco?

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  5. Karen O18 February 2012 at 16:33

    I love your pictures! I am definitely a follower. Love your blog and your quilting creativity astounds me.

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  6. Karen O18 February 2012 at 16:33

    My guess is Boston for your honeymoon. It is such a great city.

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  7. Canadian Abroad18 February 2012 at 16:45

    I am a happy and devoted follower. I think you started your honeymoon in Chicago.

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  8. Canadian Abroad18 February 2012 at 16:46

    Oops! I think Chicago was supposed to be on a separate comment, so here you go.

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  9. Carla18 February 2012 at 16:49

    My dream vacation would be to come where you live! So beautiful. Sigh.......

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  10. Nicky18 February 2012 at 17:15

    I follow!

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  11. Nicky18 February 2012 at 17:15

    I guess you were in Philedelphia!

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  12. Gill18 February 2012 at 17:15

    I'm a happy follower!
    Why haven't we got JoAnn's in the UK???

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  13. Gill18 February 2012 at 17:16

    I'm guessing New York is where you went for your honeymoon!

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  14. DianeY18 February 2012 at 17:46

    I'm a follower! We don't have JoAnns in Hawaii either & their shipping here stinks!

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  15. DianeY18 February 2012 at 17:46

    My guess is Honolulu! See a pattern here?

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  16. supersara2018 February 2012 at 18:04

    I'm a follower!

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  17. supersara2018 February 2012 at 18:06

    I am from Maine! I miss views like those in your pictures. I now live in Austin, so I guess I'll use that as my guess for your honeymoon! Enjoy my homestate! If you have a chance you should go to Winslow (my hometown) and go to Big G's deli! Have a sandwich and the best version of the state desert, a whoopi pie.

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  18. Catskill Quilter18 February 2012 at 18:11

    Loved the photos of the mountains! Hope you are having a fabulous time!

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  19. Kristie18 February 2012 at 18:15

    Welcome home! I wish we had a JoAnns in Canada, too. Highway robbery for rotary here as well.

    It IS an awesome question :) If you want to learn MY answer I posted it today! Feeling like my home country is a bit too neglected in your travels, ahem!

    (and I am thinking you will draw on FEB 25, not March??)

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  20. Leo18 February 2012 at 18:21

    a random commetn for a great possibility .. or so ... I'm not good at random comments. It's nice too see some mountains (being in rather falt England makes me a bit mountain-homesick). Ohh everyone looks glamurous in a Ski-outfit.

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  21. Kelli Fannin Quilts18 February 2012 at 18:23

    Love the fabrics! What a great find. I might have to head out to my JoAnns to check it out! Looks like a great ski holiday! That looks like a great quilt shop you found! I am a follower. :o)

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  22. Kelli Fannin Quilts18 February 2012 at 18:25

    I will guess that you spent the first part of your honeymoon in London.

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  23. Leo18 February 2012 at 18:29

    Guessing where you spent part of your honemyoon in the US (I couldn't even name 5 US cities without havign a little thinking time) ... hmmm how about something snowy (mabye not the most romantic...) as there are millions of towns over there I know there were at some point winter Olympics in Salt Lake City .... (I bet you didn't go there, but it's the only town that could have snow thath I can name) .... I guess you are having a good laugh reading all the names. In the end it will probably turn out to be the tiny little village of Whoknows in rural Minesota with amazing 43 inhabitants....

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  24. Rachelle18 February 2012 at 19:02

    I really don't know the US very well, but I love that fabric!

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  25. Ella18 February 2012 at 19:35

    I'm going to guess Washington, DC...partly because I used to live there, and partly because no one has guessed it yet.

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  26. B Greene18 February 2012 at 19:37

    I was going to guess Washington DC, but it is alrady taken, so I will say Atlanta GA. Hope it was happy wherever it was :-)

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  27. audrey18 February 2012 at 20:04

    looks like a great vacation!

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  28. audrey18 February 2012 at 20:04

    i'll guess portland oregon

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  29. Gwen18 February 2012 at 20:09

    I am a new follower! Thank you for the giveaway and for sharing your beautiful photos!! :-)

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  30. Gwen18 February 2012 at 20:09

    Beautiful!! I love snow-- have only seen it a few times as we live on the Gulf coast... I was going to guess that you went to a warm tropical beach for your honeymoon, but then decided that you more likely went to a beautiful mountain... so I'm guessing Lake Tahoe! :-)

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  31. Cathy18 February 2012 at 20:11

    I so follow!

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  32. Cathy18 February 2012 at 20:14

    I am going to guess Portland Maine

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  33. Lisa Cox18 February 2012 at 20:38

    Gorgeous fabrics! The closest Jo-Ann's to me is over 1 1/2 hours away.
    I am a follower!

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  34. Lisa Cox18 February 2012 at 20:40

    Hmmm, I think you spent the first part of your honeymoon in Aspen, Colorado.

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  35. rockgranny18 February 2012 at 20:55

    I am a follower

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  36. rockgranny18 February 2012 at 20:56

    I think you were in Miami, Florida

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  37. Mrs Flying Blind...18 February 2012 at 22:05

    Well I am a follower, and feel like I should have followed you on your hols, looks great. I need a job at Jo-Anns, it seems easy enough! Thanks for the chance x

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  38. Mrs Flying Blind...18 February 2012 at 22:13

    Oh I reckon you went to somewhere like Cape Cod or Hawaii (is that 2 goes? just pick the correct one!) x

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  39. cakegirl18 February 2012 at 22:59

    Were you in Orlando?

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  40. cakegirl18 February 2012 at 23:01

    My JoAnn's never has great fabric like this for 50% off. Thanks for sharing your treasures.

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  41. Fiona @ Poppy Makes18 February 2012 at 23:34

    I'm a very happy follower, and I quite enjoyed the lovely Mary's response!

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  42. Fiona @ Poppy Makes18 February 2012 at 23:38

    I'm thinking maybe LA?

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  43. Tracey @ The Peony Teacup19 February 2012 at 01:29

    I'm going to go with Los Angeles, California so that you could visit Hollywood & Universal Studios with a trip to Anaheim so you could honeymoon at Disneyland.

    Either that or you were gambling in Vegas!

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  44. Marcia W.19 February 2012 at 01:39

    Blogspot told me:
    You already follow Little Island Quilting
    http://littleislandquilting.blogspot.com/
    I like your selection of DS fabrics!

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  45. Marcia W.19 February 2012 at 02:16

    Guess: Portland, Maine

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  46. Mom C19 February 2012 at 05:34

    I follow. I grew up in Salt Lake City Ut and spent a lot of my Saturdays in high school skiing in our mountains. We have great resorts but like you, this year a lot of the snow is man made. Then when I married I moved to So. Utah and just up the mountain is another ski resort, Brianhead. It has great snow too! So fun. We had a JoAnn's move into town about 2 years ago and my fabric bill has skyrocketed! Thanks.

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  47. Mom C19 February 2012 at 05:35

    Niagara Falls, why not?

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  48. Judith, Belfast19 February 2012 at 09:01

    Looks like you've had an amazing holiday! So wish we had Joanns here! Jxo

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  49. Judith, Belfast19 February 2012 at 09:02

    I'm a follower. My US geography is woeful and any cities I can think of others have already mentioned, so I guess I'm a fail on that one! Jxo

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  50. Tamie19 February 2012 at 19:29

    I don't have a JoAnns near me but I have other sources. You just need a good American friend to get those things for you.

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  51. Tamie19 February 2012 at 19:31

    Perhaps you spent the first part of your honeymoon somewhere warm- Miami??

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  52. Yorkshire Quilter19 February 2012 at 22:47

    I'm already a follower on Google reader- and very envious of your trip to not only a quilt store but a Joanns too!

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  53. Yorkshire Quilter19 February 2012 at 22:48

    I'm guessing that you went to San Diego - which is where we went for our honeymoon 20 years ago!!

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  54. Peggy20 February 2012 at 00:55

    I'm a follower and would love to win these beautiful fabrics for my group, World of Charity Stitching.
    Thanks,
    Peggy
    peggy_verdongibbs@att.net

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  55. Peggy20 February 2012 at 00:56

    I would guess you spent your honeymoon in Vail, Colorado.
    Thanks,
    Peggy
    peggy_verdongibbs@att.net

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  56. Lisa20 February 2012 at 01:54

    OK ... I can't imagine what those blades cost in the UK, because I will only buy them at JoAnns when I have a 40% or more off coupon! Your vacation looked lovely!

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  57. Lisa20 February 2012 at 01:58

    Honeymoon = Ft. Lauderdale?

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  58. Janet20 February 2012 at 03:53

    How about that beautiful full moon in your blog header!

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  59. Janet20 February 2012 at 03:54

    I'm going to guess Nashville. Just because it would be a cool place to go to...

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  60. wordmama20 February 2012 at 04:09

    I love the mountain pics. If you watch for sales, JoAnn's puts the rotary cutters and blades on sale sometimes for 40% off.and then there's the 40 % off coupons, but you can't use them if the item is on sale. BTW I never saw those DS fabrics at my JoAnn's. My guess is New Orleans for your honeymoon.

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  61. robin20 February 2012 at 14:59

    I'd love some Denyse Schmidt fabrics. :) Thanks for the chance.

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  62. robin20 February 2012 at 14:59

    Miami?

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  63. Archie The Wonder Dog20 February 2012 at 17:39

    Bless Mary@Jo-Anns. I think she was behind the door when brains were being given out...I'm a devoted follower!

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  64. Archie The Wonder Dog20 February 2012 at 18:16

    Hmmm...Sacramento?! Bakersfield? (Seem to have 'Mentalist' crime scenes on the brain!!)

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  65. Lizzie Allen20 February 2012 at 20:55

    I'm a follower.

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  66. Betty21 February 2012 at 16:12

    I am a follower

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  67. Betty21 February 2012 at 16:13

    19 years ago?
    I guess it's Alkmaar!!

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  68. Rosa21 February 2012 at 21:57

    congratulations and more happy years to come!

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  69. Rosa21 February 2012 at 22:00

    Great photos and guess you went to Aspen,to say somewhere.

    I`m a follower.

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  70. Heather A21 February 2012 at 23:17

    Orlando? After all, they have great amusement parks there!

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  71. Heather A21 February 2012 at 23:18

    I'm a follower. It also doesn't get much better than skiing in the Canadian Rockies! There are some great resorts!

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  72. Pat V.21 February 2012 at 23:35

    I am your follower. I'm jealous you got to enjoy the snow! We had one large snowstorm in my town this winter, and that was it!

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  73. Pat V.21 February 2012 at 23:35

    I will guess Portland, Maine!

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  74. Zoe22 February 2012 at 04:45

    Gorgeous pics of the snow - it's still technically summer in Sydney and I can't wait for winter! (I am a follower :)

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  75. Zoe22 February 2012 at 04:45

    As for your honeymoon, how about... Austin, TX? :)

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  76. Annabella22 February 2012 at 15:02

    I`m a happy follower - hope you are having an amazing holiday!

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  77. Annabella22 February 2012 at 15:02

    Vegas??

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  78. tusen22 February 2012 at 20:21

    Even with not a lot of snow these views are just beautiful. Hope you've had a wonderful time.
    And I envy you the visit in a real quilt shop.

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  79. WandaFish24 February 2012 at 10:00

    Lovely pics - it looks a great place for a holiday, just wish I could ski, lol.
    I'm a happy follower of your lovely blog!

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  80. WandaFish24 February 2012 at 10:01

    I'm guessing that you spent the first part of your honeymoon in New Orleans.

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  81. Ali24 February 2012 at 17:14

    I have been checking your blog every day for ages, but hove now discovered how to 'follow'. It takes a while for this new tech to sink in... Love the snowsuit!

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  82. Kelly8 May 2012 at 23:27

    Sign up for the Jo-Ann emails where they send you coupons. I NEVER buy anything at Jo-Ann without a coupon!

    ReplyDelete

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