Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Living in a material world and I am a material girl

I love fabric. Sometimes before I go to sleep at night, (and I share this without a hint of embarrassment or awkwardness), I will place different swatches on my bedroom carpet floor and imagine. As my mind unwinds from the day, I move the squares around and see the different patterns I can create. The Hubs will walk into the room and ask me, "What are you doing?" He doesn't get it as he just sees a junky mess. It's a fabric thing. And I have a ton of it. Yeah, I am a material girl.
This past weekend, I journeyed to one of my favorite places. Mary Jo's in Gastonia. It is the promised land on earth for someone who finds fabric fascinating.

Thankfully Mary Jo's is conveniently located only an hour away from some of my favorite people on the earth. I have a large extended family in South Carolina and although they alone make the trip worthwhile, Mary Jo's is a must-stop on my emotional map. And I am equally blessed because I have two of the most awesome OS a girl could ever have usually traveling with me. The reason for their respective awesomeness is that is I have trained them on how to behave at Mary Jo's.

The rules are quite simple.

1. Don't bug Mom when she is shopping for material.
2. Don't ask her when she thinks she is going to be done.
3. Cheerfully hold the fabric bolts for Mom and don't drop them.
4. Keep annoying jokes to a minimum.
5. Encourage Mom when she is shopping. Compliment her fabric choices.
6. Smile when Mom wants to take pictures of you holding the fabric bolts.
7. Don't tell Dad how much Mom spends.

These seven simple rules allow us all to maximize the Mary Jo's experience. This time, as an added bonus, we also found material for the OS. Aaron and Ike both selected fabric for me to make them unique, one of a kind pajama pants for Spirit Week 2010. I can't wait to reveal their fancy pants in the future. I assure you no one else will have these pajama pants...stay tuned sometime in February for their unveiling.

You've got to love a store that has everything. You can upholster your couch, make a bathing suit, sew one of those horrible, overly frilly beauty pageant dresses for a little girl, design your own wedding gown AND buy fabric of nearly every vegetable imaginable. I saw garlic fabric, eggplant fabric, grapes, corn, olives, lettuce and more.

One day I'm going to make my own dream skirt...I want to make a salad skirt, no joke. And I know exactly where to go and two of the coolest, most secure with their masculinity guys to take with me. Sorry ladies, they aren't for rent, them's boys are mine!

MaryJo's + Aaron + Ike + camera + credit card = Happy Mama Sew Much Fun!

4 comments:

sunstarfish said...

There are so many wonderful fabrics! I love em. That is how I decided to "quilt" even though I am not good at sewing.

Holliday Family said...

ha ha! great post (from girl who doesn't know one end of the needle from the other....well, hardly!)

Mary Jo's Cloth Store said...

Cindy, Thanks for featuring your very fun trip to Mary Jo's. We are featuring your blog article in our email blast and on our Blog this week. Thanks so much, Material Girl, it takes one to know one! Log on and check out.
www.maryjosclothdesign.blogspot.com

KDB
Blog Editor...

Anonymous said...

Hi Material Girl
I can certainly agree with you--MaryJo's is heaven on earth for us fabric fanatics. I found your blog by opening up MaryJo's blog this AM. What an interesting life you lead! Bless you for including bible verses in your postings -- what a wonderful testimony your blog can be to so many people. I've "subscribed" to your blog entries and look forward to hearing from you again soon. The Lord works in mysterious ways--because of Maryjo's website I now have a new friend. Carolyn Morgan (fellow Christian friend from Gastonia, NC -- I'm privileged to live just down the road from Mary Jo's Cloth Shop) Where do you live and what town in SC do you visit? I have lots of friends and family in SC. Check out my Facebook page -- Carolyn Lancaster Morgan (clm47@yahoo.com)