Lodge News

April in the UP . . . . .

2009-04-09T11:41:00.000-07:00

Well April is here and no sign of the April showers . . . . yet. Personally, I can't wait until the rains come and clean up all the dirt and grime that the winter snows left behind. I think early spring is always really depressing for me because all the snowbanks, streets and roads are completely covered in dirt and mud. I always get disgusted when everything is grimy and dirty. Let the rains come I say! :)

Much is happening in the month of April at the Northern Lodge. We will be adding a new design area in the store, where you can peruse through catalogs of furniture, lighting and wall coverings! We are also getting ready for the big SHOP THE TOP shop hop with the other quilt shops in the UP and Marinette, Wisconsin. The SHOP THE TOP hop will be held May 1st - May 9th and will include the following quilt shops:

Quilts 'n Stuff - Escanaba

Northern Lodge - Gladstone

Ben Franklin Crafts - Marquette

Alley Kat's Quilt Shop - Marquette

Country Garden Quilts & More - Ishpeming

Portage Quilt House - Houghton

Brambleberry Inc. - Ewen

Fabric Patch - Ironwood

Wardo's - Iron River

Quilter's Haven - Menominee

Pine Street Quilts - Marinette

The Shop the Top Hop is a $5 cost for your passport, and each store will be giving discounts and goodie bags! This years theme is BAGS - so if you like bag patterns, this is the shop hop for you. Each store will have a free pattern for its bag! Each store will also have a raffle prize and the Grand Prize for everyone who completes the entire shop hop is a $50 Gift Certificate to each and every shop! Awesome!!!

There has been some chatter about possibly including another store, but at this time it is not confirmed. I will know more in the next couple of weeks when we finalize everything at our meeting in Marquette.

This time around, all the stores will have separate hours of operation, so please please PLEASE be sure to check you times before setting out. If you are going to be close to our closing hours, please call ahead to give us a heads up! We will most likely stay open for you as long as we know you are enroute.

We will once again be offering a 10% discount at the Terrace Bay Inn for anyone who would like to make a night of it! The Terrace is located just 1/4 mile from our store and is on the bay. They have a great resturant and bar as well as a pool. Just tell them you are with the shop hop and stay anytime between May 1st and May 9th!

If anyone has any questions regarding the shop hop or need directions, please feel free to call us! 1-888-737-3696 or 906-789-9300.

We will be adding a few new items to the store in the next coming weeks and some fun and exciting changes are on the way as well. Be sure to stop in and say hello and see what's new!

Have a wonderful Easter! Pam

ABC CABIN FEVER Shop Hop

2009-03-04T13:50:00.001-08:00

Hello to all!

Well, we had a wonderful time with everyone for our ABC Cabin Fever Shop Hop in February! It was just what the doctor ordered - although the weather wasn't all that cooporative! All the brave quilters weathered the storm - so to speak. We had a nice turnout for the hop, so thank you to everyone who came out and North for the hop. It is always great to see girls having fun!

The big winners for the ABC Shop Hop are:

1st Place - Diane Murphy, Peshtigo, Wisconsin ($50 Gift Certificates from each shop + $50 Gas)

2nd Place - Betty Pick, Coleman, Wisconsin ($25 Gift Certificates from each shop +$25 Gas)

Our "IN HOUSE" basket of goodies goes to Lois Thibault of Garden, Michigan.

Our "BEST OF SHOW" winner is Betty Calouette from Gladstone, Michigan!

Congratulations to all the winners!

We have our March Quilting Class Schedule up! We have lots of fun and cute projects coming up, including the "Irish Eyes" and "Spring Hare Line" wall hangings.

We would like to welcome our new instructor - Joan Lee! Welcome Joan! Joan will be teaching classes on Thursday, Friday and/or Saturdays - so if you have been missing out because of work, now you will be able to join in the fun on the weekends. Please sign up for the class in advance so we can reserve a seat for you! Some classes fill up fast fast FAST! We will also be offering the pillowcase class again. For anyone who has not taken this class - it is SO MUCH FUN! This is a great pillowcase to make. Call us at 906-789-9300 to sign up for a class today!

The Upper Peninsula Quilters "SHOP THE TOP HOP" will be held at the beginning of May. Look for more information coming soon!

The Jewelry classes will be starting up again at the begining of April! Please look for the new jewelry schedule on the website coming soon! Any requests for projects - please let us know!

Have a great and glorious SPRING!

SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS GIFT SHOP HOP

2008-11-04T10:05:00.000-08:00

Hello to all our readers!

Well - October came and then flew on through like the proverbial "Witch on her broom"! Can't believe that Halloween has come and gone already. We had a ton of fun at the store this Halloween, as Debbie LOVES Halloween and went all out booby trapping the store with all kinds of creatures. Some were more creepy than others - like the 6 ft butler with the eyes that seemed to follow you everywhere. I think I might have screamed the first time I saw him when I came barreling around the corner. He is VERY creepy. The people who made him should be very proud of their achievements. For anyone who didn't like our spooky Halloween store, be rested assured that Santa and his reindeer have driven out all goblins, spiders, skeletons, and all the other creepy and kooky Halloween creatures from the store.

The October ABC Shop Hop was a HUGE success. We had 112 people visit the store in 4 days and sold a TON of fabric! I think I cut fabric for 4 hours straight on Saturday! PHEW!!!!!!!!! Thank you to each and every one of you who joined in the fun. We had a very good time with you and some of the stories we heard . . . . mmmm mm m mmmm. Very fun. Our IN STORE raffle prize winner was Sue Service from Adrian, Michigan! Congratulations Sue!!! She won the tote bag full of wonderful items such as a cutting board, rotary cutter, patterns, fat quarters, and much more. Thank you again to each and every one of you for participating. We will know our Grand Prize winners shortly.

CHRISTMAS is upon us!!!!! What a great time of year! The trees are up and trimmed, cider is on and the festive music is playing. Every year I am grumpy when we start decorating for Christmas - I think because I love the autumn so much. I always think it is just not right setting up for Christmas already - until I see all the really cool items we ordered for our customers and hear the music playing overhead. Then I start getting into it and in no time flat we start to sing and dance around while decorating. You definitely feel a lightening of the spirit, so to speak.

We are getting ready for the Spirit of Christmas Gift Shop Hop which is November 7th through November 15th. We are extending it to cover over 2 weekends and 9 days! What fun we will have. Lots of sales - lots food - lost of laughter and good cheer awaits us all . . . . . . This time around, we are asking for a non-perishable food item as a donation in exchange for your passports. The passports are still free to anyone who would like to participate in the hop, but any and all donations of food are GREATLY appreciated. All the food donations will be going to the Salvation Army and the food pantry in Escanaba. They are in such need to fill the food pantries, as last year was extremely hard on the residents of Delta County and they ran out of food! So please - give what you can. It feels wonderful to give and it lifts the spirits like nothing else can. It will get you in the Christmas spirit and put a smile on your face to start your shop hop off with the perfect holiday mood!

Here's how it works . . . .
The Spirit of Christmas Gift Shop Hop will include 14 stores and has a Grand Prize valued at over $400! You can start and finish at any of the participating stores. You receive your passport at the first store you stop at. At each store, you will have your passport "stamped" by that store, verifying that you traveled to and were at that store. When you reach your last store and receive your last stamp completing your passport, you turn in your completed entry form on the back of your passport for the Grand Prize drawing! Each store will have specials and sales, refreshments and some will even have a free goodie bag for everyone with a passport! This is a fun promotion for all the gift stores involved and we encourage people to get out and visit our little hidden gem gift shops in the area! So fill your car with friends for a day of shopping and fun!

We need our community support to be able to keep our doors open in this economy. So please SHOP LOCAL!

We have a full November Schedule of quilting classes and are working on the December schedule right now. The November Jewelry Schedule is on hold right now, as I am sooooo busy, I can't find an open time to actually schedule anything. The Tuesday night open Jewelry Bar is still offered, so any given Tuesday night between 6 & 8, anyone can come in and sit down at the bar to create some really great Christmas Gifts! I do plan on offering a full day of BOOKMARK making. It will take you approximately 15 minutes to make a wonderful bookmark for someone on your Christmas list who loves to read! Watch for more details on the Jewelry Schedule.

We will be getting our Fresh Wreaths and Greens in the next week! If you would like to order roping, please let me know. This year we also have MAILBOX WREATHS which go over the mailboxes! They are awesome!

Well . . . . . that's all for now! Hope to see you for the Shop Hop!

It's PUMPKIN time!!

2008-10-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

The PUMPKINS are HERE! The PUMPKINS are HERE! The outside of the store is decorated full of pumpkins, hay bales and corn stalks. The leaves are erupting in a riot of color and there is a wonderful cool snap to the air! This is definitely my favorite time of the year and everyone at the store is excited to see the autumn come into full view.

We have our ABC Shop Hop coming up October 16th - 19th! This will be our second experience participating in a quilters shop hop and we are gearing up! The ABC Shop Hop includes 6 shops - all within 107 miles of each other. This shop hop is definitely doable in 1 day! A very LONG day - but it could be done in 1 day. We will have extended hours during the Shop Hop, as will the rest of the quilt shops.

ABC Shop Hop
OCTOBER 16 - 19, 2008

Northern Lodge (EST)
Gladstone, MI

Quilts 'n Stuff (EST)
Escanaba, MI

Quilter's Haven (CST)
Menominee, MI

Pine Street Quilts (CST)
Marinette, WI

Sew Much More (CST)
Crivitz, WI

The Quilter's Escape (CST)
Oconto Falls, WI

All Shop Hours will be:
Thursday 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Friday 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Saturday 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Sunday 12:00 NOON to 4:00 PM
**Please remember Time Zone Changes

All completed passports are eligible for the Big Drawings. 1st Prize is 6 - $50 Gift Certificates & $50.oo Gas Card. 2nd Prize is 6 - $25.00 Gift Certificates & $25.00 Gas Card! All stores will also have in house drawings for all the Shop Hop visitors!

For this hop we have all made your free pattern using 9 log cabin blocks and 9 stripe blocks and put them together in different patterns. This will be your free pattern from every store you visit on the Shop Hop! You will also receive other freebies in your "goodie bag", as well as yummy treats!

We also also getting close to our 2nd Delta County Gift Shop Hop! We will be having our Gift Shop Hop during the month of November and it will kick off the Shopping Season! We have extended the days to accommodate more shoppers this time, which will cover 9 days and 2 entire weekends! Stay tuned for more information and the list of shops along the trail.

I have FINALLY gotten the Jewelry Schedule made up! I am so sorry it has taken me so long to get this off the ground again - and I am excited about the new projects! October is Cancer Awareness month, and I have come up with several new projects to help promote awareness. Please download the new schedule from the website and check out the new classes. Remember that if the scheduled class time does not work for you, we have OPEN JEWELRY BAR every Tuesday Night from 6pm - 8pm! You can come in and make ANY of the classes projects on our Open night.

Well, that is all for now!

Autumn is here . . . .

2008-09-19T12:29:00.000-07:00

Summer is winding down and autumn is slowing showing it's glorious face. Aren't we lucky to live in such a spectacular place as the Upper Peninsula of Michigan!? Perfect weather today, with more days just like it ahead. Almost time for PUMPKINS!

September has been busy with lots of foot traffic through the store, as well as on the website. Tara is now enjoying her first year down at Grand Rapids Community college and we miss her tons! Debbie has been a god send to this little store! Such a talent at putting things together and always cheerful! I don't think the smile ever leaves her face! Our newest addition to the staff is Trish Alexander - she is attending Gladstone High School. She is also very warm and friendly with a little laugh never far. Please be sure to stop in and say hello to the new girls!

The quilting classes are back in full swing from our summer break! We are offering many classes in September and October will be BUSY! We are one of 6 stores included in the ABC Shop Hop, which will be over 4 days in October. October 16, 17, 18 & 19 - 6 stores / 4 days. This shop hop is doable in 1 day if you pushed it. You wouldn't have an extraordinary amount of time in each shop - but you would certainly be able to hit them all! I am excited to be a part of this one! Each shop is putting together a free pattern for all the shop hoppers, which will include 18 blocks - 9 log cabin blocks and 9 5 stripe blocks. This is the VERY FIRST project I have personally sewn - and I must say that I am quite proud of myself for getting it done! I hope you like it. I am interested in seeing all the patterns that the shops come up with - and YES! I did have fun putting it together. I hope you all come out for the ABC (Annual Border Crossing) Shop Hop! Why ABC? Because there are 3 shops in Michigan and 3 shops in Wisconsin. There is 117 miles between the two farthest points - Gladstone and Oconto Falls. Grab a car load of girls and get ready for Fun Fun FUN!

CONGRATULATIONS to our top three winners from our Gift Shop Hop!
Grand Prize = Jean Spodeck ($325.00 in gift certificates and gas)
1st Prize = Ann Christianson ($215.00 in gift certificates and gas)
2nd Prize = Tom Brown ($120.00 in gift certificates and gas)

We will also be involved in the 2nd Delta County Gift Shop Hop in November! We had a very successful first Shop Hop with the area Gift Shops! We had tons of fun and lots of traffic through the store! Boy did we go through the cookies! We are adding a couple more stores this time around and extending it from just one weekend to a full 9 DAYS! We want to make sure that all the hoppers have ample time to get to all the shops and to allow time to shop once you get there. We will of course be having LOTS of fun!

Be sure to pick up a sheet of coupons for the month of October! We will not be giving them out after October 1st - so make sure you get yours before the month starts!

I am trying to get together a schedule for the jewelry classes, but there just doesn't seem like there is enough time. I am still doing the Open Jewelry Bar night every Tuesday between 6pm - 8pm. Pretty much anything goes at open Jewelry night. Feel free to bring in drinks and eats if you would like. Keep checking the jewelry schedule to see if I can actually get something together! I have a whole bunch of ideas brewing.

That's all for now!

May Days

2008-05-01T13:47:00.001-07:00

Today is May 1st - the first day of our 10 day Shop Hop! Welcome QUILTERS!

This is our first year with the Shop Hop and we are very excited! Our shop is small, but we have a lot of fun. We hope everyone comes in to join the Shop the Top-Hop! There are 11 quilt shops in the Upper Peninsula and Wisconsin who participate in our shop hop. For a list of all the shops, please stop by the store or send us an email.

This is how the shop hop works. You purchase a "Passport" at any of the participating shops for $5. You receive a "goodie bag" at that stop and at each shop you visit after that. Your "goodie bag" includes 1 free fat quarter and a free table runner pattern. It will include other items as well, which will vary from shop to shop. Each shop will have a drawing for an in house prize which you will be entered for when you get your Passport stamped. If you make it to all 11 shops in the 10 days alotted, you will be entered for the Grand Prize drawing, which is a $50 Gift Certificate from each and every shop! That's $550 of shopping spree! WOW! What a prize!

On May 10th, we will be having our Mother's Day Celebration! at the store. It is the last day of the Shop Hop as well. We are expecting an extremely BUSY day! We will be giving away tea light candles to the first 50 people through the door, lots of sales and a huge amount of fun! We will be doing Mother/Daughter jewelry sessions all day long. Grab an empty seat and make a great gift for Mom! We will also be doing a meet and greet with two of our area artists! Chrissy Wilbee will be here with the Boh Bon Soap Company to fill you in on what she has been up to, and we will be featuring Jenner Levely and the Flat Rock Candle Company! Jenner will be introducing her new spring scents to us! She has not been at any of the Spring Craft Shows, so we are extremely excited to be one of the first to smell her new fragrances.

So much happening - so much to do. Have to run and get ready! Hope to see you soon!

Pam Cavadeas

April Showers . . . .

2008-04-11T08:01:00.000-07:00

Well April hasn't been IDEAL to say the very least. Today is the 11th, and we are again under a Winter Storm warning. When will it end? We have come up with a quick way to help with the blues in the meantime! We are having our very first CUT-UP SALE!

All of our pre-cut fabric will be on sale for 20% off!

No quantity limits or restrictions apply to this sale

(other than we would love for you to buy LOTS!)

Refreshments and prize drawings for free punches on your Quilters Club cards and also a fantastic Door Prize! Be sure to come on down to the Lodge for the CUT-UP SALE this

Saturday - April 12th!

Well, that's all for now! See you Saturday!

Pam

March Madness!

2008-03-03T07:42:00.000-08:00

Hello and welcome back to the Northern Lodge!

The Month of March will be a busy one for us, as we have many things planned for our customers. We have 3 really great quilt classes happening! The Table Runner of the Month, the Thread Bag and the adorable Wall Hanging - "The Watering Can Series". Stop in to see the samples. We have some kits pre-cut and ready to go - so get in quick to pick up your kit before they are gone!

We are also making plans and will be included in the Upper Peninsula Shop Hop this year. I believe word just came that we will be doing a table runner of our own design - not the mystery quilt that we thought it might be (mystery quilt will be the project for next year!). Be sure to get your passports and get ready to start hopping! We do have a hotel deal for anyone who might be interested in staying in the Escanaba Area! The Terrace Bay in will give anyone associated with the Shop Hop a 10% discount on their rooms! Go to www.terracebay.com for information about the hotel and all it has to offer.

March will see us making our very first Rosary at the Jewelry Bar! This is something that we have never tried, but have gotten many requests for. We will have various beads and findings to choose from and we are very excited about this! Call ahead to reserve your seat and let us know if you would like a specific bead to ensure we have enough on hand. Pink Rose Quartz means Unconditional Love, Amethyst power is healing for addictions, etc. . . These classes are going to be held on Tues - March 11th at 6pm and again on Thurs - March 13th at 2pm. We have the capacity for 9 people at the bar. See our website to download the class schedule.

We hope to see everyone out and about as Spring Fever hits the North! We also have something very special in the works for Mothers Day! It will be a wonderful celebration and a much needed fun transition into Spring!

IN HOUSE SALES THIS MONTH -

All Wildlife Wall Prints - 15% off, all remaining hand knit sweaters - 20% off. Come in for a Yooper gift basket and mention you read our blog online and receive 10% off!

Hope to see you soon!

LOVE OF QUILTING SALE!

2008-02-05T07:32:00.000-08:00

In honor of Valentines Day and to Celebrate the Month of February, we are having our
14 Days Sale - the LOVE OF QUILTING SALE!

For the first 7 days we will feature one item in our quilt shop on sale. For the second
7 days, we will hold a drawing for a different prize each day! It's our way of telling you
how much we appreciate you, our customers and your LOVE OF QUILTING.

7 Days of Drawings!

A Different Item Each Day!

Spool of Thread, Pack of Needles, Sewer’s Aid
12 1/2” Ruler
Holly Lane and Gather “Round Patterns
Gingher Scissors
Happy Hour Book
Shangri La Jelly Roll
24” x 35” Cutting mat ($50 Value!)

Come on in out of the cold and help us to celebrate February.

January Freeze

2008-01-21T07:43:00.000-08:00

Well - we are currently in a January freeze and the store is a bit on the chilly side.

We are having our classes as posted, but you might want to call just in case, as the furnace is having a hard time keeping up.

We will be a part of the UP Shop Hop this year! We are really excited to have been invited to be a part of this, as we have had such an unbelievable response to the Quilt Shop! Fay is doing an excellent job as our quilting instructor, and everyone is having a wonderful time.

We are currently promoting our "Table Runner of the Month" club. You can purchase all 12 patterns, with a charm pack and large project bag for $35, or you can purchase the patterns separately as you go. All classes will be $10 plus your materials. We have some really fun runners in store for the months to come - so please stop in to see the samples.

Don't forget your punch cards when you come in! This is a great time to quilt - quilt - quilt!

The Jewelry Bar is now in full swing. We have had 2 birthday parties for girls, with the girls each getting to make 2 projects. We all had a lot of fun. The kids blow me away with some of the beautiful things they come up with. Jewelry design really has no age limits and it is so fun to be able to wear your creations and show them off!

Check out the Class Schedule for the Jewelry Bar and consider taking a class. All the projects are geared toward a beginning level, as I like very simple jewelry design. It is really fun to sit and gab with the "girls" for a couple of hours and then come out with a great piece of jewelry! All supplies and tools are supplied, so you do not need to bring anything with you - only an open mind and a fun attitude!

Are you planning a wedding in the future? Have you ever thought about making the jewelry for your wedding? Get your girls together for a party and make the jewelry to compliment your dresses! How about wine charms for all the glasses? or sandals or slippers for after the ceremony? Make your own shoe clips to jazz up the bridesmaids footwear! At my own wedding (many years ago!) all the girls had different size heels, as some girls were more comfortable in heels, while others were not - but all the girls had the same color shoe with the added clip! That way they all looked very similar and everyone was comfortable in their shoes. Very happy girls they were!

Want something different to do with the girls for an evening out?? Plan an after hours party at the Jewelry Bar! Sitting fee is $10 and then you pick out the project you would like to do! Its as simple as that. Prices will vary depending on the project and materials you would like to do. Bring your own snacks and beverages and really make it a night out! Call the store for more information.

IN HOUSE SALES THIS MONTH -

All remaining Christmas and Holiday items in the store is 60% off! All sweaters are 20% as well. We need to make room for the new stock coming in - so make sure you come in and check out the wool and cotton sweaters. This is the perfect week to pick up a new wool sweater! I think I'll go and pick one out myself.

Hope to see you soon!

Quilt Class Schedule REVISED

2007-08-25T13:00:00.001-07:00

Hello to all the quilters out there!

We have revised our class schedule due to the overwhelming response and requests for evening classes. Please click here for the revised list of classes as of Saturday, August 25th. Class%20Schedule.doc

We have not changed any of the classes or times we were offering, but have simply added evening sessions for three of the four orginial classes. If anyone has any suggestions, please let us know. We are certainly looking for all the suggestions and advice we can get from all the quilters. We want to know what you would like to see in the quilt shop. We want to make this YOUR quilt shop.

Thank you for bearing with us as we start this new adventure!

Pam Cavadeas

Northern Lodge Quilt Shop

2007-08-16T07:04:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been a long labor throughout the hot month of July, but our new Quilt Shop is now open! It looks fantastic! I think we have already outgrown our space before we even got through our first class! How crazy is that?!!

We have been busy ordering, checking inventory, pricing and getting all the fabric and notions out for all our quilters to look through. We have a small but nice selection of notions, some very fun patterns and books and of course all the FABRIC. With much MUCH more fabric to come! Like I said - I think we have already outgrown our space. We are still working on getting cutting table made, as well as our side shelves, but we are feeling pretty confident that people will really like it. Please stop by and check out your new Quilt Shop. Be sure to sign up for the Northern Quilt Club to receive rewards and discounts on your merchandise.

A big THANK YOU for everyone who helped us by suggestions. It really helps when you tell us what YOU would like to see available for you.

Here is the very FIRST class schedule for the month of September. Please click and print the schedule. You can sign up for the class by emailing us at sales@northernlodge.com, calling the shop (906) 789-9300 or by stopping by and signing up. We have space enough for 6 people per class - and we need a minimum of 3 quilters to make it go.
Class%20Schedule.doc

We are soooo excited about all the beautiful fabrics we have. You simply must see it for yourself. We look forward to seeing you!

Crazy Thursday

2007-05-24T10:27:00.000-07:00

Many new items are being loaded onto the website this week. More bedding, jewelry, and some very interesting jewelry boxes are coming soon! Our most popular Father's Day gift are fully stocked and ready to go - the Antler Backscratchers!

We are getting ready to expand our brick and mortar store in Gladstone, Michigan! Our expansion will include an additional 800 square feet, and will include a quilt shop offering fabrics and notions for sale as well as classes. We are also very excited to announce our very first Jewelry Bar! We should have 6 seats available for customers to "belly up to the bar!" and learn how to make your very own jewelry! We will be incorporating after hours parties and birthday parties for girls. We can't wait to get started renovating! Be sure to watch for updates.

We are hoping to also add another of our local artists on the web site this week. Be sure to meet all our artists currently in our Artist Community.

This week the weather has finally broken and it seems as though May is finally here - just before it is gone again.