leafs me breathless . . .

Welcome, welcome, welcome -- I'm so happy you're here today!

The moment I first saw the "Leafs Me Happy" button, I *knew* this was a hop for me!  I'm not just a fall person (or a pumpkin person, for that matter), but I'm also very much a LEAF person!!

Leaves have been a part of my projects for ages.  From blocks . . . 

To table toppers . . .

To old Cherokee leaf pounding techniques . . . 

Plain and simple?  

Living out here at Camp MACOBA in the middle of 110 acres of woods means I sure do get my fill of the gorgeous fall foliage . . .

I mean c'mon ... this is the stuff poetry is written of -- and the more color, the better!

Inspired by the September doll quilt over at A Sentimental Quilter, I went into EQ and chose the closest thing I could find to Kathy's Doves in the Window.   The block I found was called Premium Star and I enlarged it just a tad.  The big empty space was screaming for something *leafy* so I found some fun leaf coloring pages and added some stitchery.  What I ended up with were these pretty little blocks . . .

Oh Canada! Leaf

Oak Leaf Forest

Leaf Me Some Maple Syrup and Plainly a Leaf

Put 'em together with a darling fall print, some glittery quilting, a plaid binding and voila!

October's Leaf Party!

And do you know?  It's not *just* the last day of the Leafs Me Happy hop . . . it's also my birthday.  And not just *any* birthday.  Today I turn . . . 

Whoohooo!!!  Light the fireworks!  Strike up the band!!  Where's my parade?!?! Bring in the cake and ice cream and PRESENTS!!

Or how about this?  How about I do a little giving today ... a little Leafs Me--Happy--Birthday to Me love??

Some sweet little charm packs (both sporting leaves, I might add), my favorite magazine, Celebrate, all decked out for autumn, a sweet little jar of some pumpkin spice tea . . . and who knows what else will make it's way into the box before it's all said and done??!!  

Wanna chance?  Be a follower and leave a single comment telling my your favorite way to decorate for fall!!  Make sure I have some way of getting in touch with you if you're the winner.  That's it -- easy-peasy!  Personally, I'll celebrate my birthday the whole month of October ... but I'll close the giveaway at midnight on Saturday the 20th and announce a winner on Monday the 22nd!!

In the meantime . . . be sure to visit the rest of the fabulous blogs lined up for this final day of the hop!

Wednesday 10

Quilter in the Closet

SewMuch2Luv

Peanut's Patchwork

Quilting Lines

Mochawildchild

Ariane Quilts

Lily Patch Quilts

Cindy's Crafty Creations

Hill Valley Quilter

Count it *all* JOY!!!
Rose Creations

Sew We Quilt

And a rousing cheer for Cherry and Madame Samm who've done a *marvelous* job with this happy hop!  Thanks so much, y'all!!

:)

tuesday's tour . . .

So, after being so totally delighted about finding the hexagon table topper on my mom's kitchen table, I thought I'd share a few more delights I found around and about . . . 

The little squirrel and acorn tea towel, hanging on the oven door.

The leaves and acorn table topper, in the front entry hall.

I think my mommy needs something quilty-pumpkiny.  It would make her feel better.  I know it would make *me* feel better!  LOL!

And of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't include a shot of the Grand Hands Quilt ... and newly added . . . 

The Grand Hands Quilt addendum - Lucky 13, the quilted pillow!

And of course, because this quilt is so .... ummmm ... *colorful* ... the back is more 'sedate' so that it fits nicely in the family room decor.  The pillow had to match!

Mom hasn't seen the finished project yet. But I'm taking it for her to see today!  She's doing very, very well -- thank you to those who've inquired!  Yesterday, during the down times at the rehab center, I finished up this little stitchery (which, you can tell from the hoop marks around it, I started AGES ago) . . .

Today I've got Mr. Owlie with me and I hope to make some good progress on him!

There's another clip of the Balloon Release event -- one from a different channel that has a great shot of Miss Ellie (being held by her Neesey)!  If you so choose, you can check it out HERE!

Y'all ... today is Day NINE of the Leafs Me Happy hop!!  How inspiring have these beautiful autumn blocks and projects been???!!  I know today's participants will be just as marvelous.  Here's the list so you can check them out!

Tuesday 9

Till We Quilt Again

Sheilas quilt world

ferristhoughts

Home Designs by Amanda

Quilt n Queen

Polka dot classic

Moonbeams in a Jar

Stitch, stitch, stitch

Sew Me Something Good

quiltingbydawn

My collection of Things
Jessisca

Have a most fabulous day!!  And do NOT forget to stop back by here tomorrow -- when it's my day for the Leafs Me Happy hop and time for a giveaway!!!

:)

dealing design . . .

At least that's a little bit what it would feel like if I were to show what's on my "design wall" today. Because I'd have to lift the hatch on the Cruiser to share it with you . . . heh heh . . . wanna see my design wall?  Come to the back of my car!  LOL!!  At least I'm not wearing a trench coat.

So, all that to say I can't really post pics of what I've got going, unless you want to see a pic of the bag in the back of my car.  Non?  Can't say I blame you.  I brought the whole cloth quilt to work on as well as June's pendant quilt, my Mr. Owlie stitchery, and all of that new stash ... which I will wash and press and start to put to work as Christmas projects (so most of it will never see the light of the blog). 

I've also got a Wicked block to design (I've dreamed of several different options, so I know the direction(s) I'm headed).  Mwwwaaahahaha!!!

I was delighted to find this on my mom's kitchen table . . .

Yay!  It's look perfect . . . like it was made for the spot.  Oh wait . . .  *grin*

In case you're wondering, yes -- that *is* my birthday cake box in the background.  Can I tell you a secret?  I stopped for lunch at the Cracker Barrel in Wytheville yesterday.  When I paid for my meal, I asked the cashier if they had a plastic fork I could take with me, which they did. I went back out to the car and sat there in the parking lot and had a little slice of birthday cake for dessert. Cake on the run. Have cake, will travel.  The soundbites are traveling through my head too quickly to get 'em all down.  

Be sure to head over to Judy Laquidara's Patchwork Times to see actual projects on actual design walls.  

And also don't forget to check out today's participants in the Leafs Me Happy hop!!

Monday 8

Feathered Nest Studio

Grandmama's Stories

From This to That

Little Mama Hen

Quilt Monster in my Closet

Kathy

in stitches & seams

Buzzing and Bumbling

Nunu's Quilt World

Quilts And Dogs

Briarside Lane 

Loads of lovely, fall-inspired projects to check out on this happy Monday morning.  I can't believe we're at Day 8 already!  Don't forget ... I'm up on Day 10 -- which is my birthday (10/10) -- so there will be a giveaway, too!!

:)

feline furrrriday . . .

And a canine thrown in for good measure.

This is Merlin.  He moved to Sawyer's when we moved to the RV.  He's an outside cat.

The garage is his safety spot.  But mostly he likes being out and about.  But food and water are in the garage.

Unfortunately, so are mice.  He's not a mouser cat.  *sigh*  When James put glue traps in the garage to catch the mice that Merlin wouldn't?  Merlin ended up with glue traps stuck to his back and tail and body.  He's not the brightest cat in the world. Be sure to check out Feline Friday at Sarah Did It! :)

Here's . . . 

SAWYER!  (There was a "tah dah" that came with that pose!)

Here's Sawyer and Bear seeing eye-to-eye . . .

Here's Bear and me seeing eye-to-eye . . . 

That's one BIG dog.  And he's still a PUPPY!  Yup -- six months old.  Sheesh!

Where is Sawyer??

HERE I AM!!

Boxes still make the best toys!

Last photo -- quilters take notice -- this one is *important* to you . . . 

Cotton.  Looking good -- just sprayed so it will be ready to harvest inside the next week.  The corn crops were shot this year, but it was prime growing for cotton.  So don't you let the retailers/manufacturers blame the high fabric prices on a bad cotton crop this year!

Today is Day 5 of the Leafs Me Happy hop!  Yesterday there were some wonderful blocks -- it's all be fabulous!  Here's today's list:

Friday 5

Insanity Defense

Michelle May and the Bunnies

Sparrow In Flight

Quilted Delights

Quilting With a Marmalade Cat

Traveling Quilter

A Stitch in Time

Cherry Blossoms
Tea Time Creations

Moose Stash Quilting

Stitchin By The Lake

Have a *marvelous* Friday!!   We are having a family afternoon at my favorite fall place -- Tate Farms!!!  YAY!!!

:)

raggedy day . . .

Oh what a lovely day I had yesterday.  I promise you, this darling little cutie-pie gets sweeter each time I see her!

She's gotten very mobile and very chatty.  It's so fun to see her personality emerge (very strongly, too)!

And I'm so tickled that she definitely recognizes me and knows me ... she's even reached for me a time or two.  

Although sometimes she does the old "reach for Neesey and then turn back and grab Mommy" trick.  Then she looks at me with that grin . . . that "Haha!  Mommy has me and you don't!" grin.  LOL!!

Remember this pic?

How could you forget?  It's just the most darling pic ever!  Anyway, this cute little red head needed an outfit.  And that's where my sewing abilities were concentrated this happy day!  Joc picked up some really cute fabric for the dress and then a little off-white for the apron.  I didn't have a pattern, so I had to do the old wing and a prayer thing.

I think it turned out really cute!  Ellie will be the cutest little Raggedy Ann ever.  

This morning I'm headed over to spend the morning with Sawyer, while Kim goes in for her weekly "June" appointment!  And this afternoon, I'm getting new tires for Princess Buttercup so she's already for the drive to Maryland!

But you?  You should definitely check out the Day 4 participants in the Leafs Me Happy hop!

Thursday 4

Debby Kratovil Quilts

Patchouli Moon Studio

Freemotion by the River

Quilt Doodle Designs

Apple Avenue Quilts

Jane’s Quilting

Spoilt Dog Quilts

Ramblings of a Quilter

Deborah

Gracie Oliver Arts

Have a blast!!  And while you're at it, take a look over at Katherine's Corner -- and Favorite Things Thursday!!  :)

:)

september newfo's and science . . .

Like every other month, I forget how many new things I started until I see Barbara's post over a Cat Patches about NewFO projects.  And then I go back to see what I can dig up, and lo and behold, I *did* get my NewFO on!

I can come up with a couple of things for this past month.  First up is . . .

My simple spiral topper.  First time I've done a circular project, purposefully made it reversible, machine quilted a spiral and used bias tape for binding.  Wow -- a lot of firsts in that little mat, huh?

Next . . .

I worked on a new idea for a little apple topper.  That poor little project got waylaid by a couple of other things.  Maybe I'll finish it up...next September?? LOL!

And then . . .

My Color Theory project -- I have this hanging in my sewing room -- I really adore this!  Using the embroidered strips as my sashing was a new challenge.  And using the same block in different colorscapes was a new thing for me as well.

And finally . . . 

My very first hexie project!  This sweet little piece is now at home in Severna Park, Maryland.  Along with a a little squirrel and acorn salt and pepper shaker. This was my annual Squirrel and Acorn offering to my mom!  It got there just in time for her to open it before surgery, so she had a little happy.  Yay!

I'm really pleased that three of my four NewFOs were also finishes (which is great -- takes a lot of pressure off of October)!  And that all my quilting was machine quilting -- which has been a challenge for me.  The new "stitch in the ditch" foot that I got has made such a difference!

Be sure to head over to Cat Patches and see what other quilters were inspired to start in the month of September!!

This past Saturday, we scored free tickets to visit Sci-Quest, so Kim, James, Sawyer and I loaded up and headed out.  

How darling is this little fellow?!?!?!  :)

I would be totally remiss if I didn't share some of the fun "captures" I got from our trip.  Sawyer was totally enamored with the place.  He's still a tad young for a lot of the exhibits, but he definitely found a few that were right up his alley . . .

Or tube, as the case may be!

The xylophone was a big hit ... literally.  He really displayed a great sense of rhythm and beat! What was funny was that none of the other sets appealed to him (there were five).  He liked the clear, bell-like sounds of the steel bars.  Funnily enough, he didn't give the bongo drums more than a pat as he walked by them.  Yay for Kim!  ;)

P-u-l-l !!!

The sand art captured his attention for quite a bit.

What a precious, sweet family!!

I think this is my favorite shot of the day.  Aren't they cute?!
My heart is melting.

It was a fun morning and Sawyer is such a sweet boy ... he's growing up so fast! Two going on ten, I'm afraid. He's excited about June getting here. Should be fun to watch that family transition!

Today I'm headed to spend the day with Ellie ... so expect more cuteness here tomorrow.  It's my life -- and I'm pretty darn happy with it!

You, on the other hand, should definitely check out today's Leafs Me Happy blog hop participants. Are you loving what you've seen so far?!?  I know I certainly am!  Gosh -- I'm hoping there's something *new* left for me to show on the last day!!

Wednesday 3

Plum and June

The Recipe Bunny

VroomansQuilts

It's Sew Kiki

PigTales and Quilts

Quilting fiesta

GrammieQ's

Nancy

Just Let Me Quilt

Selina Quilts
The Learning Curve~Quilts and Such

:)