Dream Come True ~ Meeting Pat Winter at Tinsel Trading in NYC!

It was the end of an uneventful day this past September 13th when I jumped on the computer after cleaning up the dinner dishes. Imagine my shock when I opened this email from Pat Winter ~

Hi Sweet Pea,
Dawn just told me we were flying out tomorrow early and will be at Laguardia 9:15 NY time so she thought if you wanted, we could meet you at Tinsel Trading around noon, if the train and all goes on schedule. Is that possible?

I think my reply to her was something like

HOLY CRAP!!!

So there I was on a hot September day standing in front of Tinsel Trading and in no time there was Pat and Dawn, walking my way...I could hardly believe it!

Pat, Marcia (owner of Tinsel Trading), me and Dawn

It was simply magical ~ my attention didn't know where to fix itself....

Pat and Dawn or these amazing surroundings!

Pat and her dear friend Dawn won out every time.

I simply couldn't believe this dear friend who's voice I had never even heard was suddenly standing before me and in all places Tinsel Trading, N.Y.C.

The three of us were in wonder as we walked the old wooden floors of this gem of a place.

Then as we were starting to pay for our things, Pat handed me this pack of gorgeous playing cards  each with a picture of a different piece of her work.

 They are on a heavy stock and high quality. We opened the pack so I could show the owner Marcia and the other girls there Pat's amazing talent. She is so completely unassuming about her talent ~ I wanted to shout it from the rooftops!

Then she gave me this beautiful necklace ~ I ran around the store looking for the owner to show her this as well! I was so excited, I forgot to put it on!

 We also wandered into M & J Trimmings and got giddy all over again! New Yorkers generally keep their excitement to themselves so I'm quite sure we stood out ~ it was so much fun!

Pat and Dawn

After all the excitement, the girls treated me to a meal. Dawn was so surprised Pat ordered a beer instead of a glass of wine that she had to take a picture.

It was getting close to the time the girls had to head back to their hotel as they were staying near Laguardia Airport so I treated us to a carriage ride through Central Park before we said our good-byes.

It began to get dark as we rode through the park, the contrast of woods and tall buildings rising behind them was so beautiful. 

I tried to savour this incredibly special moment, a dream come true really.

As our magical ride finally came to an end, we found out the name of our horse was "Lucky".....the very same name Pat's beloved father was called by his war buddies.

Of course this didn't surprise me at all. Our long on line friendship has always been filled with these little coincidences and heart warming moments ....too many to mention.

As I walked away from these two wonderful girls and started down 5th Avenue, I was light as a feather. I felt luckier than any other person that I walked by including the models in the million dollar dresses.....and will always be so grateful to dear Dawn for making the whole thing possible.

Here is some of the loot we bought.We also each "sneaked" buying things for each other...I mean three crazy quilters loose in Bead and Button Row in Manhattan is just well...CRAZY!

 

If your wondering what Pat is like in person here it is in a nutshell ~ even more beautiful than in her pictures, so soft spoken you almost want to protect her but strong and solid on the inside so you know you don't have to.

I hope to be sharing more adventures with these two "crazy chicks" this coming year!!!

 Pat's playing cards are available at her etsy shop HERE. and make a great gift for anyone who enjoys beautiful things quilter or not.

The Winter issue of her magazine "Crazy Quilt Gatherings" should be out any minute now ~ go to Pat's blog HERE for a link or check back here for an updated link.
Link to purchase Winter Issue HERE

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And on a completely different note, I had to share with you a picture of my 25 year old baby Ashley with her first ....make that first and second deer!

Even the deer seem to be smiling!

This was her FIRST time deer hunting with her Dad and she got two deer, one right after the other.
We now have a freezer full of venison for the winter ~ I could not be prouder!