Autumn Update & Ornies

We're still having a fairly proper fall season here in Lancaster, PA, for which I'm exceedingly thankful for. We had a hot spell for a couple days which produced a new population of fleas (we're constantly combatting this one here along the Susquehanna River) & a scrambling for those comfy shorts again.

I love October the most. There are no big holidays to prep & stress over; colorful combinations fly past windows on autumn air; soft sweatshirts; SWEATPANTS; pumpkin anything; cold toes close to warm fires; and snuggling up with my manly BFF under the covers after a long day (and yes I'm talking about Marshall & not one of the "manly" dogs!!)

OMGosh I'll have to post pics of our HUGE pumpkins! I'm not kidding when I tell you at least one had to be rolled out from the backyard! Next post...

Onto the quilts...

A Yellow & Green Batik Top; QUILTED with a Freehand Leafy Swirl

And this Bear Claw Top; QUILTED with an Oak Leaf Panto

I'm thrilled to have this Halloween ornament set finished. It's difficult to get the full effect, but I sprayed them with Instant Antique by Primitive Gatherings. I love working with felt! Not having to turn edges or use a fusible interface takes out extra steps, so you can just start stitching already!

Does it feel unreal that it's time to start thinking about Thanksgiving plans? Or that I'm READY TO START CHRISTMAS SHOPPING?? Or that some have already started shopping??? 

Bring. It. On.

I'm feeling "ready" this year.

Holidays are rough from a stress perspective to begin with ~ trying to get everything "just so", finding those perfect gifts, and trying to fit in all the fun stuff. 

Our family has struggled much with holidays these four years since losing Montie. Every year I feel we've made small steps toward a more joyful season as we become more accustomed to being without him.  Last year I could listen to some Christmas music. And last year I enjoyed wrapping presents again.  But there's still some of "Montie's" wrapping paper in the bin I'll see but won't use & I haven't been able to unpack his ornaments yet much less hang them. In fact, the first Christmas after Montie passed, we bought an artificial tree (which we'd never had) & Maegan braved the stores with a friend and bought for us several sets of coordinated balls, so that we've not unpacked what we used to use. Do you all attach such meaning & remembrances with ornaments? We have so many that we and/or the kids have had since little. I don't know what little baby step(s) we'll take this year, but I feel READY & not just "bracing for it". 

Until then, I'm going to enjoy some more calm of Autumn in October :)

Summer Update

I've been totally remiss in updating here lately! So many quilts, so little time!! School will starting up soon, and although that means more busy-ness, it also means a more regimented schedule. Maybe THEN I'll visit here more often!

Here's a Double Wedding Ring I did for Stitch & Craft with freehand Custom Quilting.  Although the quilt itself is beautiful, I love the back more to see all that quilting :)

The pastel hand-dyed fabrics in this quilt are BEAUTIFUL. The photos don't do them justice. 

It's quilted with a freehand Heart Meander.

This half-square triangle quilt was quilted with freehand S-Curls.

Here in Pennsylvania autumn seems to be falling on us early. As I walked the dog the other morning, I could hear the season changing in the rustling leaves that had already fallen. I needed a sweatshirt! And there's already talk of when to close the pool. 

As always I see the close of summer in a bi-polar manner. Part of me still feels the panic from my much younger years, thinking of summer vacation ending. But part of me is giddy anticipating cooler days, soft sweats, cozy fires, and snuggling under a warm quilt!

Quilt Show Eye Candy

Anybody else out there make it to Hershey, PA for Quilt Odyssey?? It's a little slice of Heaven for those of us obsessed with fabric, notions, and all things quilting related! 

I stayed within my spending budget so long as you don't count my longarm thread purchase, which you know technically I don't, because four cones of longarm thread aren't "fun", they're for my business. No matter that I LOVE quilting for hire :) 

(did I justify myself well??)

So here's what I bought: 

A couple packs of embellishment-type buttons, the Quilt Odyssey 2013 pin, a clay pendant, and a set of clay earrings. If you haven't checked out the products sold by Quilted in Clay, you should. The artistry is amazing & her work is beautiful!

(not affiliated but LOVE her work!!)

I thought the candle wraps might make nice Christmas gifts since so many of my gang love their candles. And the Santa wall-hanging is to be made out of wool/felt & I'm planning on keeping that for me.

Halloween stitchery patterns, a Snowflake Angel stitchery pattern, and a Snowman table runner using a combination of cotton & wool (though I suppose you could do either-or too)

A cooking fabric panel to be made into "something" for "someone" ~ sorry can't say more than that right now.

A Singer sewing machine fabric panel for me. I'm not sure what I'll do with this yet. I saw the cutest wall hanging done with one of these by someone in our guild that included embellishments such as I showed a couple pics up, so that's a possibility...

An old-time-Santa wool table topper kit, Instant Antique spray, and my technically-not-fun longarm thread purchase.

Now do you want to hear something slightly pathetic? I never made it to the actual quilt show!! I met my BFF at the convention center before the doors opened & we always make a bee-line for the vendors ~and let me just interrupt for a moment about this... there were ladies standing at the doors, lining up to get into the show. The convention hall is HUGE, and there isn't typically the worry that the vendors will run out of items. But dang it, those ladies would see the products FIRST!! lol 

One of the fabulous thing about going to a trade show is that you can wonder aloud if "this" is as cute as you think, or do these colors match, and other equally important questions, and everyone around you will turn to look & voice their opinion. As a generality, quilters are a chatty, friendly bunch. 

Thus I made three new friends, we talked here & there throughout the show as we kept running into one another, ended up exchanging names, emails, found each other on facebook, and then we blabbed so long toward the end, my BFF & I just skipped seeing the quilts. No worries my new-found friends from VA, DC & Saudi Arabia; I place no blame on your terrific conversational skills, but y'all were fun to talk to & my BFF & I typically run through the quilt show part murmuring under our breaths, "WOW, that's incredible, I can't believe he/she did that, I'm NEVER doing that" kind of commentary. Sometimes the skills we observe & realize we don't have are down-right depressing, until I remember I don't really WANT to spend 365 days straight on the same project... the point being, that my new friends really then, in effect, saved me & my BFF mental anguish & a session of self-loathing. So thank you!

I think I'll go play with some fabric for the rest of the afternoon...