Welcome Fall!

Happy Halloween!
OK, I spent the day yesterday cleaning out my old Halloween decorations! I had a great time going through of a lot of stuff and getting it ready to donate it to the Thrift Shop! I  My goal was to get rid of at least two of the 5 containers I have full of stuff. I accomplished that goal and more! I did put up some older and dearer Halloween decorations around the house. Some of them haven't seen the light of day in at least 10 years!  I know it's only September 9 but I feel like it's Fall! Of course, I haven't put out any of my candy corn decorations yet!

I found these old pins in my decorations. They have to be at least 15 years old! I have to figure out some way of displaying these pins. Maybe on a piece of black ribbon or black fabric? Updates to follow!

Can't remember why I bought them all except for my usual; why buy one when 6 will do! : ) I honestly think they are from several years ago or I bought them for the kids. I used to buy these types of pins when I worked at Woolworth 35 years ago! I had one for every season, holiday, etc. Not sure what happened to them all!


I also found several little figurines that my dear Mother made for me. I'm sure all my sisters received these sets too. She took ceramics for several years and loved making things for us. I also have a lighted ghost she made! This is the little vignette I put together with them all.

Now I know you are all waiting for the Floral Arrangement of the week at the Firm. Here it is! As you can tell, this arrangement also has put me in the Fall spirit. Very much a Fall floral arrangement!

This has been a fun project for me - I've really enjoyed posting these pictures. It's fun to share these beautiful arrangements with my blog friends.











I also did some crafting yesterday. After trying to figure out how to do paper piecing without getting frustrated, I finally found a great method. I watched a YouTube post on how to do it and really thought it was a great method for basting the fabric onto the paper. After cutting several 1 1/4 octagons using a quilting die on my handy dandy Sizzix cutter (from my scrapbooking equipment!) I was ready. I did the basting as shown and it really worked. As you can see, I have one flower made already! I also have several basted and are ready to make another flower. Not sure what I'll do with these flowers but I'm sure I'll figure out something! The bag is full of the papers I use in the center of each petal.








This is one finished flower. Each petal is on a one inch paper. It sort of curves upwards because I still have the papers in each octagon. You need to keep the papers in until you sew each side to another. I could take the center paper out because all sides are sewn but I haven't done that yet. You can't tell but the outside fabric is a beautiful color with gold thread through it. My camera doesn't take great pictures as you can tell and the lighting doesn't help either. I bought these two fat quarters at the new Quilter's Heaven location. I may try to applique the flower onto fabric for a pillow? The possibilities are limitless! Unfortunately my time isn't! DARN!!! 

I am really enjoying this craft now since I figured out how to baste the fabric onto the papers!







You may remember a couple months ago I told you about a block of the month my knitting friends and I were going to begin. We got together several times recently and finished our square for October! How convenient for me? DO you think that had anything to do with my desire to put up Halloween? This is the finished project. We all bought stands for ourselves so we can display each one each month!

We are so crazy about these squares. The next time we get together, we'll finish our November square and begin cutting fabric to do the December one! Once we figured out how to do them, we're going like gangbusters! The one thing we want to do at some point is free form quilting on each one. That's a bit scary to me but maybe I'll check out YouTube!

Of course, I've been knitting my spa washcloths. I don't want to bore you with more pictures. Suffice it to say I have many and am enjoying knitting them. I'm also knitting lots of stuff but will update you on my next blog.

Until then, enjoy this heat we're experiencing because before you know it, we'll be complaining that it's too cold and snowy!

 

Monday.....

Hello!
This weekend was great for me! I went to my new favorite quilt shop, Quilter's Destination, in Arlington Heights on Saturday morning. I intended to go to Joanne's Fabric but decided to go there instead! They had a 15% off sale that started on Friday. I figured I would get a better selection of fabric at the quilt store and I did! I also made a stop at the Joanne's Superstore close to the quilt shop.. Boy was that place great! I could really imagine myself working there!

But I digress...I managed to find several Halloween fabrics and a lot of fabric that was 40% off! I bought enough to make seven 10 minute table runners! I cut everything out on Saturday after I came home and then sewed them all day on Sunday! It was great! I'll post some pictures of these table runners soon. I am so in love with these table runners!



Close up of the design.

The chicken and rooster design - my favorite!

I also decided to make some curtains for my kitchen with fabric I've had for over 10 years! I had to do some cutting and a lot of sewing but I think they came out really nice! Unfortunately I only had enough to cover one window. I have coordinating fabric that I will use to make a panel for the other window. Here are some pictures.

Sunday was a great day for sewing! I sewed and watched 4 episodes of Doc Martin and did 4 loads of laundry. I wanted to cut out a pattern for an apron I would like to make - chicken and rooster pattern of course! This will be for all the times I cook! Don't laugh! Unfortunately I ran out of time to cut it and then my back started to hurt! Oh well, a lot of pleasure and a bit of pain. I just popped one of my pain killers from the tooth extraction and I woke up fine!

I also had a nice dinner on Saturday night with my brother Michael. We went to Noodles and then had ice cream later on. A great night with my dear brother! His apartment is being fixed up and I saw the beautiful new floor they put in and the new kitchen cabinets and counter tops. All they need to do now is wash the walls and paint! He stopped smoking so now the apartment will be perfect! Let's hope he keeps up the good work and doesn't start smoking again. He's given up all his bad habits!!!!

I'm close to finishing up the 3 inches I need to knit for the baby hat. It's going very slowly because it's on size 2 needles! I hope to have the 3 inches done tonight and start the top tomorrow! It's just a baby hat but it's taking me so long....maybe because I'm sewing so much! : )

That's it for now. Back to work today wasn't too bad. The weather is wonderful and the day went by fast! Now we just have to get through the week with the 100 degrees they're predicting for Thursday! Think cool thoughts!