Last roses

These may be my last roses.

The red ones are from a Knockout rosebush - you've seen them - everywhere. It really does hold up well - to black spot, drought, and those dreaded Japanese beetles.

The pink roses are from a David Austen bush that, despite my ignoring it and it's losing almost half its leaves every summer to black spot, still blooms.  They smell as lovely as they look.

Pumpkin --> Jack O'Lantern

Daddy came home in the afternoon b4 bowling (I have 3 quilt-related evening activities a month so...I can't complain).  I thought it was so funny that he was so grossed out by touching the pumpkin's innerds - and I still do.  Look at him carving with gloves on!  L-O-L!






"Let me help, Daddy."



Ruby got into the act and HAD to try the pumpkin.  I think she wanted to see what object was stealing away attention that would otherwise have been showered on her.  Of course, dear son was more than happy to oblige her wish. Yes, she ate raw pumpkin.  No ill effects as of the writing of this post.

Here's the finished result - a little vampire-ish!

Change...just that time of year

As much as I wanted to sew - I couldn't get near my work space today as it was about 10 feet from the work zone.  We're getting a new hot water heater -- bye, bye old tank.

Hello new, tankless hot water heater!

My sewing space is in the finished part of the basement but still too near all the commotion.  It gave me the chance to catch up on some blogging.  My son now goes to preschool 3 days instead of 4 days - my, my what a difference 5 hours makes to my week!

Took the opportunity to finish the yard.  Emptying pots, putting stuff in the shed, planting this poor cabbage that had been sitting on my porch for a week, at least.

This afternoon we can finally carve our pumpkin, which has also been sitting on the porch for a week.  Until last night it was just too warm to cut it.  It was 80 degrees here Monday!

Tomorrow we will finally see some normal temps with highs in the 60s and it may get down to freezing tonight - I'm ready and still shunning my jacket b/c it feels so god to be chilly after the summer we had.

Yummy! ...Fabric!

Thanks very much to Kelly over at Charming Chatter, the goodie pictured below arrived last week.

 
I knew I wanted to work with Clermont Farms - loved it every since I saw it at Spring Market. I also like the other collections - aren't they classically pretty?

I had promised my LQS owner to make a shop sample from the new Bali Pops but Clermont Farms came in first, which was very good for me.  As much as I like batiks - and I do like them, especially Hoffman - it was quite a lot of  fun to to work with this collection.  Here's a peak of the project - it's being quilted so I shall post a photo later.

Can't wait to see it quilted!

There aren't many patterns for the candy bars.  There is a very simple pattern in the box and then 2 or 3 more that call for 4 candy bar packs (let's not discuss how much extra we all pay for these precutes - you can do the math on comparing the price of yardage, or even charm packs, to candy bars.)  There is one beautiful table topper at modabakeshop.com.  And Jan Patek has designed a cute one for Fall Market to accompany her new line which debuts this week.  Wonder what I could make with a candy bar section and a FQ or maybe two...hmmmm.

Time flies...

Wow! Time just keeps flying by and my computer time is not keeping the pace.

Briefly, some fun things that have come to my attention over the past weeks: fall is here - woohoo - lots of time outside; Leona has a new look for her blog; looking forward to some dark candy bars arriving soon; Martin & Me club meets this week; a friend got a new used machine; tomorrow is fun day with my son.

Are you ready for Christmas?!

....then head over to Leona's Quilting Adventure and see what she has to give away this month to jump start your holiday spirit.

Guess why I'm on the computer now!  My 3 year old is napping at home for the first time in weeks!  He occasionally naps at pre-school but rarely at home.

new quilt pattern

While on vacation, I discovered that DH likes Civil War fabrics.  We stopped at Kindred Spirits in Denmark, WI.  It was the first shop I have been in dedicated solely to CW reproduciton fabrics.  I had no idea there was so much variety!

Well, DH called me over and pointed to a quilt on the wall (I hadn't even looked up at this point, I was looking at the bolts).  He said he liked it- just as it was. No surprise - it had log cabin-like blocks - I learned some time ago that he liked log cabins.  In my short quilting "career" I figured out that I have made over 100 log cabin blocks!

I explained that it would be costly, buying a kit, but he liked it so I said I'd make it.  Well, the staffer couldn't find the kits so a few days later I called and learned that all the kits presold b4 the fabric arrived.  I had written down the pattern name so we went home the route we had intended, not the way we came, and I ordered the pattern.

"In all its glory" is from Cozy Quarters and the sample we saw was the designers own sample.  Now I'm on the lookout for Civil War fabrics.

Time flies...

WOW!  I cannot believe it has been more than 30 days since I last posted.  Between trying to finish quilt projects, getting the garden ready for fall/winter, and just celebrating the fact that the temps are below 90 and we can once again be outside without air quality warnings - well, it's been busy.

My son and I have been to the park almost everyday this week.  It has been so lovely.  It did get cold last night so the remaining plants are in the house, for now.   There soon will be a day of soaking their pots in insecticidal soap b4 they are allowed to stay in the house permanently for the winter.  Last year I brought in a toad along with my plants!  Guess he didn't mind the soap.