Halloween at My House

I'm not much of a fan of Halloween, but I did decorate some this year. Thought you might like to see my handiwork.

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I made a little candle mat for my entry table, and decorated it for the season with a little pumpkin instead of a candle. Candle mats available soon in my shop. Watch for them! I will have some for Christmas decorating.

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Next is my Halloween wall hanging. This is my first attempt at pioneer points for edging. I think it turned out pretty good! they are really very easy to do! This is my version of a patchwork pattern I found in Lots of Scraps: It's Time to Quilt by Jeanne Stauffer & Sandra L. Hatch.

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This book has several great quilt patterns to try if you are a quilter! I can't wait to try several other patterns in the book!

Friday Fence Post

A blogger friend, Anitra of CoffeePotPeople, does a great post on Friday. She calls it her "Friday Fence Post", with wonderful photographs of all kinds of fences. I've been meaning to participate, but it got to be Saturday and I didn't get it done. So . . . here's my Friday Fence post on Saturday!

This fence is an iconic fence that brings nostalgic emotions to many people. The traditional "Picket Fence" is a symbol of 'home sweet home' for many of us. Some remember paint cans and brushes and afternoons outside "whitewashing" the fence. This one is at a museum in Aurora, Oregon and surrounds the museum grounds.

Tag Number Two!

A blogger friend, Patch of PatchFirstShop, has challenged me (actually tagged me) with four questions. And they are not easy questions! So here goes:

1. If you can be the Hollywood superstar (actor/actress) for one day, who do you want to be and what you wanna do that day? Well, I have never had any fantasies about being a superstar! So I thought about it. I still don't have any fantasies about it!! I'd rather be out in the elements hiking, gardening or enjoying a sunset.

2. If you have a magic door to go to anywhere in the world, what is the place you wanna open this door to? One of my favorite stories is The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. The children go thru the wardrobe door into another world and time. If I could do that, I think that I would like to go to Independence Missouri in the 1800's. I would like to be a 'fly on the wall' watching all the people get ready to go overland in a prairie schooner into the West over the Santa Fe Trail or the Oregon Trail. I wouldn't be so brave as to go myself, but I would like to see the people who went and what they were like and what they left behind.

3. What is your favorite song you sing in the shower/bathroom? I used to sing lots, but life has been such a downer the last year or so--in fact the last few years, that my song is gone. When I did sing, it was usually as song from church on Sunday. I would like to recover that joy.

4. Choose between Batman and Superman. Who is your favorite Hero and why you like him? I guess I choose Superman. He was a down to earth person with a real job, but a super hero when needed. That inspires me.

So, there you go, Patch! Thanks for asking!!!!

Tagged by two!

Two of my friends on my Etsyblogger team have tagged me for a fun game! I really don't know if I should make two blog posts out of this, or what? Maybe I will do it twice! This one is for Edi of Memoriesforlife:

1. What was your biggest accomplishment for the week? Well, I think the quilt show was the biggest thing that has happened in quite some time! (See my previous post.) I didn't think that my quilts were as wonderful as some of the others, but each person has a way of being creative that is unique and right.

2. If you choose one age to be the rest of your life, what age would you choose? This may seem strange, but I think I would be 45! Old enough to have gained a lot of your life wisdom and have your kids all grown up! Young enough to still be independent, still be active and still have some degree of beauty left! hee! hee!! I know that may seem old to some of you youngins but when you are 60+ you have a different perspective!

3. What is your favorite season? I love the Fall season. The weather is cooler, there are some blustery days that are refreshing and not too cold. I love the colors of the fall foliage, and the leaves flying in the wind. And there is so much anticipation for the holiday's --GREAT!

4. What is your favorite color? I really don't know if I have a favorite. When I was little, I would always say, "Blue!" But now, I am not particular. Although, looking out at the sky, right now, with some puffy clouds in the sky, the blue behind them is just gorgeous!

Now for my questions and tagging!!!

1. How did you meet your hubby (partner or boyfriend). If single, how would you like to meet him?

2. What is your dream for this Christmas/Holiday Season?

3. What was your favorite pet as a child?

4. What kind of a car do you drive? No, car? Bus? Bike?

My tagging Sonja of VeryVerdant, Laurie of Indulgeyourshelf, Margret of SplendidLittleStars, and Marlene of Marlens' Musings. It will be interesting to see what the answers will be!

Clearance Sale!

Well, it getting closer to the holiday season! I've decided to put several of my items in the clearance section of my shop. Cards, gift tags and miscellaneous. Clearing out several items, most 1/2 OFF! Check it out!

Also, Halloween items 1/2 OFF - But . . . Halloween items have not yet been marked down - so convo (email) me for a special discounted listing just for you!

Aurora Colony Museum's Quilt Show

Aurora Colony Museum's 38th Annual Quilt Show!

You have a couple of days left to visit the 38th annual quilt show in Aurora, Oregon, if you are anywhere close to the area. The Aurora Colony Museum is the site of this annual quilt show which is a fund raiser for the museum and part of their mission of the historical society to promote interactive lifelong learning by inspiring curiosity about the heritage of the Aurora Colony.

I am privileged to have two of my own creations displayed in the museum show. I have also provided a quilt that was hand pieced and quilted by my mother-in-law Sarah Pruitt. It is a pattern called Grandmother's Flower Garden. Although, she called it her "12 year quilt", since it took her that long to complete it.

My quilt creations are a pansy quilt in Lavender and Green and my embroidery sampler quilt. There are many, many other quilts displayed in categories from traditional to contemporary and from antique to vintage.

Don't miss this show!

Toothless Wordless Wednesday

New food blog!

Meatball Kale Soup

My daughter has a new food blog that you might be interested in! She buys most all her food at the local farmer's market for the freshest items possible. You can find the above recipe and others there. If you are at all into food, stop by!
http://housewifechef.blogspot.com/

Autumn Wordless Wednesday

Yesteryear-Circular Skirts

Black Poodle Skirt by thevintagemistress on Etsy

With Halloween close at hand, my post today is about a yesteryear pattern that you can use for a costume straight out of the 50's. Of course, I am speaking of the full circular skirts that many call "poodle skirts." All you will need for your costume is a scarf around your neck or around your pony tail; a tight fitting, preferably sweater, top; and a pair of saddle shoes. Then you are ready to "boogie" AT THE SOCK HOP!

Making your own skirt is best done with a heavier weight fabric, like felt by the yard, lightweight wool blends, corduroy, or velvet. If you want to get fancy, try a shimmery taffeta, or satin with lots of petticoats underneath. You will need:

4 yards of 36" fabric or
3 5/8 yards of 44" fabric or
3 1/4 yards of 54" fabric.

one matching 6 inch zipper
and (depending on the weight of the fabric, one yard 2 1/2" interfacing for the waist band. )

Optional: bias tape, braid, appliques, or embellishments

Finished skirt length is 30.5 inches plus a hem. You can use a thread/string and a safety pin to draw a half circle on your fabric, using the selvage edge about 36 inches down from the cut end to attach the safety pin and mark out your half circle with a pencil or chalk for your cutting line. Do this twice, making sure that the half circles are exact opposites (with one straight diameter edge facing right and one facing left/repeating on opposite sides of the fabric - not folded). Cut a rectangle waistband to fit, making sure it is 5 inches wide and your waist size plus a couple of inches for the length. After joining the side seams of the skirt, leaving a 6 1/2 inch opening on the left hand side for zipper placement. Then any skirt pattern with a waistband can be used for instructions in attaching the waist band to the skirt, after you have joined the side seams and placed the zipper. Finally you will need to hem and embellish the skirt with your desired embellishments.

Or you might want a ready made skirt, or a more detailed pattern, available from various Etsy sellers. I've listed a couple of options for you:

Poodle Skirt Pattern from DotD on Etsy

Anyway you choose, it will be a blast from the past of yesteryear!

Update Aug. 2015:  I found a tip from a fellow sewer about making the correct waist size when useing a whole cloth donut method.  To make a pattern, she used a large sheet of paper folded in half and then in half again, making quarters. (You could use an old newspaper page.)  Then she determined the waist size that she needed.  Next she used her rule  "minus one inch and divide by six" to calculate the proper radius.  i.e. if the waist size was 34 inches, using this formula, the radius of your waist circle would work out to be 5.5 inches.  She went back to her quarter folded pattern paper, and measured from the folded corner of the paper, 5.5 inches.  Using a protractor from the folded corner marking a quarter circle.  Cut out the center of the paper (Making sure you leave a seam allowance) and you should have the inside of the skirt that matches the waist.

Harvest Bazaar

Well, I guess the vacation from blogging is over . . . . . . and that's good! I have missed all of you, my readers! This dialogue is so fun!

The big bazaar that I was working on, has come and gone, and I have no photos to share because I was ill for the last two weeks and didn't even get to participate while it was on! Also, I have had the sad experience of loosing a friend and my uncle in the last two weeks. It's been a very difficult two weeks! But I am feeling better now, and since I have no photos of the bazaar, I will share with you a few of the items that I had in the show.

Harvest Coasters, Harvest Season Pillows, and wall hangings that also double as a table topper, if you prefer.