Happy Halloween & Farewell to October

from Darlene

and Fuzzy

Halloween Blocks

   I was in a Trim and fabric swap a year or so ago with a Halloween theme. I finally got the blocks out and decided to finish them this year. These are the four nearly finished crazy quilt blocks. I will put them together to make a small wall hanging.... I know it's really getting late for this year, but I will be REALLY early for next Halloween.  The first block just needs something in the dark green spot... Any ideas?

The next has kind of a witch theme. I think I will add a spider web to the burnt orange piece.

This block needs something in the top pumpkin print and the checkerboard. My husband had the idea for the skeleton holding the chain...

The final block has a ghost theme. The bottom ghost is Free Standing Lace done on my embroidery machine. I think I am pretty satisfied with this one. 

Naked Flower Fairies

The blocks are naked that is.... These are the 6 blocks I have put together for the Flower Fairy Round Robin that will begin in November. The blocks will be sent to one of 6 participants each month. Each participant choses one block and embellishes it, then sends to the next person. Finally, this spring I will get them all back and embellish the 6th block. The flower fairies are a creation of artist Cicely Mary Barker who was born in 1895 in Croydon, England. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cicely_Mary_Barker  More about the round robin and how it plays out will follow in the coming months....

Halloween Season

   Well, it's October and that means thoughts of spiders, candy and costume. This was a sweatshirt I spotted at the quilt show yesterday. The lady graciously let us photograph her and even gave tips on how she created it. It will go on my to do list... So simple but so cute!

   Here is a cute Halloween quilt, but check out the 2nd picture. It's the back of the quilt, the machine quilting is great!

Durand Quilt Show

   A small town nearby had a quilt show today. Hubbie and I went last year and it was a nice show. We spent most of the morning there. There were some nice quilts and quite a few vendors.. The only bummer was NO crazy quilts. I guess I better enter something next year and represent... Here are a few pictures. The first was the favorite of both my husband and I in the pieced category.. Done by a man who is also the manager at the local JoAnn Fabrics. I have found my husband likes batiks.

   The next one is interesting in that is was made with old ties.

   The next was my favorite in the applique category. It is a Southwest motif.

  I may post more tomorrow if I have time. I am working on a crazy quilt for a contest that is due on Wednesday.

  

Crazy Ornaments

   I have been at a conference all weekend for Play Therapy so haven't been able to get to any yard sales. I have had a little time this week to finish up some Christmas Ornaments. They are crazy quilted and will be sent to be swapped. I was in the swap last year too. I will enjoy having a little tree with just crazy quilted ornaments. Here are the ones I will be sending. I will post the ones I get in return later next month.

Weekend Sale Finds

   We found several garage sales throughout Michigan and Indiana. Probably the best bargain was an Ott Light for $3!... (It is a full spectrum lamp used often for crafters and sewers to give true color to projects). The one I got goes conservatively for around $100. My favorite two finds of the weekend were first of all these pretty dishes. They are ironstone imported from England. A set of 4 for $2. Two had chips on the edge and two were in good shape. I love the color! I figure if nothing else, I can break the two chipped plates and use them for a mosaic.

   At the same sale the woman had a plant that I had never seen before. We got to talking and she let me have a start for $1. Upon further investigation I found that it is a Pokeweed or Poke Plant. It is to some considered a weed. But the price was right and I thought it was cool. The only problem is that the berries are supposedly poison, so I am going to give some thought to where I plant it.