~ Supplies ~ Shopping ~

So ... I was gone last week on a quick jaunt over to (my former home of) 

the great state of Arizona.

The purpose of my trip was to see friends ... which I did with abandon ... but also to stock up on a few needed supplies.  Along with shopping at my former place of employment, Bernina Connection, I also happened upon the happy accident that was the AQS Show where I spent one day and a whole lot of moola.

One of the "needs" on my list were some fabrics with sparkle.  Let's face it, the ocean is sparkly. Imagine my delight when I came across a table chock full of sparkly fat quarters at The Fat Quarter Queen.

The greatest thing that I came away from the AQS Show with was pure, unadulterated inspiration from the multitude of talent that was there for the viewing. And inhaling. But ... not touching.

Thank you Arizona. Thank you AQS.  

Thank you LifeLong Friends!

~ Harvest ~

Big news people.
I have officially turned off my A/C.

I have retrieved this wreath from the garage to hang on my front door.
Other fall decor to follow.

I have this beautiful harvest painting in my home that finally has her time to shine.
My bestest friend Kelley painted it with pastels. She is over-the-top talented.

I found some fall leaves on this tiered server.

I found some on my canisters.

Baking with pumpkin is just around the corner.

I'm very excited about Autumn.
And you?

~ Beach Brights ~

I went to the beach this week.
Oh yeah.
I spend a lovely afternoon in the shade of these colorful umbrellas with my uber-talented artist friend
Kelley ... aka Glamma Fabulous.

We discussed everything under the sun.
And in the shade.
We dipped our toes in the salty water and our hands in the bag of cookies.
It was all very colorful.

While downloading my pictures, I came across this one from over a year ago.
Different SoCal beach.  Same lively colors.

Then I started searching and found these from a NoCal trip in the summer of '10.
On the boardwalk in Santa Cruz.

Just when you think that beach and coast and sea are synonymous with cool, calming colors ...

Think again, my friend.
 

~ Go Ahead and Judge ~

A week or so ago ... I made this bookcover.

The outer fabric was from a scrap a friend had given me a couple of years ago. I purposely centered those lovely roses on the back.

I lined it with flannel because the front of my "book" is actually a screen and I wanted to protect it.

Then, in the process of designing my latest quilt, I got out my handy-dandy design notebook. I had forgotten that the same friend who gave me the fabric had helped me make this book cover, from a pattern she designed at Liberty Star.

She helped me with the construction and then I added the monogram on the front and the inside pockets. When I opened it up and saw the inside pocket I realized ...

... oh yeah, I had used that fabric before. Also to cover a book.

The back flap has a double-duty pocket.

Handstitched with some bright pink running stitches.

I love that the notebook is a graph book. I used it to design the appliques on my June Bug quilt.

Reading is a lot more fun than it used to be.

 Linking to:
Country Momma Cooks
Potpourri Friday

~ Fa la la la Fabric ~

When the bell chimes and it's officially time to get out the goods for Christmas, the first place I go is the closet in my studio and start with the essentials ... Christmas Quilts. 

I taught this little (and I do mean little) number just a year ago.  It is not my own design, it's from a book called Fat Quarter Quilting by Lori Smith.  The fabrics are all my own choice and I changed up the applique on it to add a Christmas vibe.  It measures 16" x 20" and was extremely fun to make.

These next two came from a block exchange quilt from several years ago.  These two blocks were my own.

These next three were from an even older block exchange (bordering on the prior century). The first two pictures are from my own design, filling in the other blocks.

This last one was the contribution of my friend Claudia, who organized (and taught) the whole exchange.  Turns out my friend Claudia has gone and made herself famous among sewing circles, especially those involving machine embroidery.  She is pretty much the Queen of Machine Embroidery and sells her own original patterns here.

Prior to doing that ... she was just The Queen. 

Speaking of quilts and queens and questions:  Who won the GiveAway from last week?

Why, Nanette from Freda's Hive, that's who!  Congratulations, Nanette.

I am in the thick of decorating for Christmas, these quilts are just the tip of the iceberg.

And even in Southern California ... this is a mighty fine iceberg.

Linking to Sew Happy Geek

Linking to Made By You Mondays