Hi Everyone:

All of us at the BEE hope your summer was as wonderful as ours was.   Kids Kamp was once again a huge success and we worked on and finished a lot of neat projects.  The kids had fun and so did we - it's always a great feeling when you can teach children sewing, quilting and handwork; it's an art they will never forget.  We haven't had any young men yet, but they are certainly welcome.

BIG NEWS - Saturday, September 19^th is my birthday and I'm celebrating.    I always believed that when it's your birthday you should give a present instead of receiving one..so, my present to you is 25% off your purchase - if you guess my age that day you will receive another 15% off - get your thinking caps on and see what your final discount will be.   Of course, there will be cake..and I will make it!!!!!!  (Exceptions to the discount are the BOM, Civil War, Machines & Ruler Racks).

Fall is just around the corner and it's time to think about getting back into the swing of things.  We have been busy getting our website up to speed and buzzing around frantically adding products and a shopping cart.  The bugs are hopefully all worked out, but if anyone encounters any problems, please be sure to e-mail me and my behind the scenes crew will address the situation. 

Good news is that we will now be open on Sunday afternoons starting September 20^th from 1:00-5:00.   We are going to offer a free demo once a month as well as classes - please let us know if you wish to attend the demo so we can be prepared.   The demo is free with the exception of a kit fee (only if we are using a kit that you can make and take and the fee will be small). 

More good news is that we will be featuring a Bag of the Month with Alice Peters.  September features the Fold-Up Shopper, a great bag that folds up into itself until you are ready to pop it open and fill it up.   October will be a Pocket Tote that you can use as a tote or a handbag - the choice is yours.  Future bags will be the Strippy Hobo Bag in November and the Happy Scrappy Carry All in December - all of these bags make great presents.

The good news never stops - we are pleased to announce that we are featuring Juki Sewing Machines.    Juki is the leading commercial sewing machine supplier and has recently ventured into the home sewing machine market.  We have one on display and it really is a great little machine at an affordable cost.  It sews beautifully with its seven feed dogs - you barely have to control the fabric.   If you are in need of a basic machine, or a good second machine, please do come in and check it out.   The machines can be ordered and received in about 7-10 days.    As part of the purchase we offer a free class on how to maintain and use the machine...we are sooooo excited to add this product to the store.

Our on-going classes are coming along nicely - we are on the seventh row of the Civil War Love Letter Quilt and some have it put together as we are doing quilt as you go - coming out beautiful.    September brings us to the fourth kit for the Block of the Month and as this is a very quick to do quilt, everyone is keeping up, you can have it on the bed for Christmas or give it as a gift!

We will be vending at the Catawba Valley Quilt Show on October 16^th - 18^th and at the Lake Norman Quilt Show on October 30 & 31.   Stop by our booth and say hi!

Last but not least, stop in to see all the great fabrics that have arrived.  If you love Asian prints, we have indigo blue's printed  with sashiko designs - beautiful - use them all together or pair them up with other Asian prints.  And of course, plenty of fall and Christmas fabrics to suit your needs.  See a quilt hanging that you would like a class on?.......speak to me or my angels and we can arrange it for you.

Hope to see you at the shop - sew, sew, sew - then quilt!  Don't forget the chocolate to keep you going!

Diane & Angels