strapping one on - and other fun stuff

I'm so excited about all of the fun stuff I got this weekend, that I just wanted to share with the rest of the class. So here, in no particular order, is all of my fun new stuff:

:: buttons from Laura, my swap partner for the Vintage Button Swap Deux. She also sent me some beautiful hand-dyed ribbon and a favorite thimble. Thank you so much Laura!
(this is what I sent her).

:: new fabric from Japan. It's not much in terms of yardage, but look how cute it is!

:: some darling friends of ours sent us this statue of St. Joseph to bury in the yard of our still-unsold house. Not being a Catholic myself, I'm not sure just who this St. Joseph character is or why he'd want to help us sell our house, but seeing as we're going on eight months now, we could use all the help we can get.

:: more fabric. I was very busy with the fabric hunting this weekend. My brother came in from Minneapolis and I entertained him by taking him fabric shopping. He was delighted, I'm sure. But good company nonetheless.

Yesterday, I met up with an old friend I hadn't seen since college, and after a super yummy breakfast (Blackberry Bliss pancakes with mascarpone, fresh berries, and oatmeal crust - heaven!), we spent the day thrifting for more fabric and other delights. And then I took her to my favorite little quilt shop in Lincoln Park. If you're in the area, do stop in and visit with Colette, the proprietor of Quiltology. She's darling.

My final score was this candy rack. We had to strap it on top of Mary's car - thank goodness for bungie cords - and drive around downtown with it (see, I told you I strapped one on this weekend).
I thought it would be great for the kid's books.

Olivia wants to bring it outside and sell stuff from it. My little entrepreneur.