Harvest Festival

Hello Everyone,

Joe and I took a break from quilting, pattern writing, and woodworking last Saturday and headed to Murphys, California for the Home Harvest Festival at Ironstone Vineyards.  It was a beautiful Autumn day with crystal blue sky and shirt sleeve weather.

What is it about Autumn that makes it such a special time of year?  Is it the low angle of the sun in the afternoon?  It is the beautiful colors everywhere you look?  Is it the smell of apples and pumpkin pie?  I know for me it is all of the above and I LOVE IT!  You have to get outside to really enjoy Autumn and feel the subtlety of change in the air..

These caught our eye and we were totally mesmerized by this garden art swirling in the sunlight.  They are copper marble spinners by Copper River Creations out of Pioneer, CA.

They were very unique and we thought one of the best buys at the festival.

This is the entrance to Ironstone. 

My friend Kathy and I are off to Pacific International Quilt Festival tomorrow in Santa Clara.  It is quite an event and feast for the eyes.  I'll take my camera and you'll be dazzled by the quilts.

Today I will be  hauling out my fall decorations and tear the house apart before it gets all back together again.  I'm really late getting my decorations out this year.  I was just way too busy quilting and pattern writing.

 Before you know it, we'll all be decorating for Christmas!  On that cheery note......have a wonderful week.

As always,

Lynn

Christmas Quilt-A-Long

Hello again,

Wow, two posts in one day! I've never done that before. This is all in the spirit of the Christmas Quilt-A-Long.

I decided to go shopping in my stash and make Christmas placemats. I'm sure that most of us have enough money tied up in a stash that equals the gross domestic product of Finland......so let's use it! Go shopping in your own closets, cupboards, pie safes and drawers. It is so much fun to say, "I forgot all about that!"  I have yards, and yards of this "vintage-looking" Thimbleberries fabric that I've always loved.  It was just sitting on the shelf begging to be used.

More Thimbleberries fabric tossed in with some Bonnie Blue fabric and I have the making of some nice looking placements. 

If you don't already have a flying geese ruler, it is time to buy one now!  Buy all sizes and you'll be so pleased.  You can make four absolutely "spot on" geese at once.  I have geese flying all over my dining room table right now.

I love the look of these old cards.  So pretty.....and fits my Christmas decorating style.  Of course I may not be keeping these placemats for me.  Too many family members read my blog, so everyone is just going to have to be surprised!

Placemat #1 in blue and red.

More half-made flying geese.

Placemat #2 in red and black.

Possibly another post after a bit.  We bought some fresh peaches at the Harvest Festival that need to be made into a juicy peach pie.

Sue, the winner of the pattern contest, selected the Party in the Garden pattern.  She was so elated when she emailed me that she forgot to give me her address!  Send me another email Sue so I can send your pattern to you in Canada!

As always,

Lynn

......and the winner is...................

Hello Everyone,

Today I'm announcing the winner of one of my patterns.  It took Joe, Zinny and me a fair bit of time to set up this photo shoot.  First, I wrote down all the names that I received from the comments and emails and assigned everyone a number......and wrote that number on the back of Zinny's doggy treats.  (While I was doing this, she was pacing back and forth waiting not too patiently for her treat.) 

Then we took her out to the backyard by the "Dogwood" (wasn't that clever) and placed all of the treats on a rock.  Joe was just off-camera ready to stop Zinny from eating every treat.  As much as I tremendously enjoyed all of your comments, I can't afford to send all of you a free pattern.

Zinny was intently trying to decide just which number to select.

There she goes.....making her selection.

The winner is #24.....Sue from Central Alberta Canada.   YEAH, applause, applause.

After reading Sue's email I think I have an idea which pattern she is going to choose.  I'll let all of you know after I hear from her.

Have a wonderful Saturday everyone.  Joe and I are headed to Murphys for the Harvest Festival.  When I get back, I have to start working on the Christmas Quilt-A-Long.  Click on the Christmas button on the left side of the blog and check it out.  People all over the world are spending the day creating Christmas presents and memories.

As always,

Lynn