Colours of Fall, Embroidery, Old Hangings and Gingerbread in the White House

 The light is changing just as I know the transitioning to another season is happening all around me. And it's become one of the warmest Octobers on record so the days have been pleasantly warm with lots of sunshine. There was a noticeable absence of rain till yesterday when it poured steadily all day. Oh my, the colours though, are so wonderful. I brought in these leaves to show Tony who is not walking the back woods like he used to. But he has started to take a brief walk with the dogs late afternoon and so far it feels fine which is a good thing. Interesting patterns here as green fades and yellow dominates.

Still flowery brights to be seen under your feet here too. This is a wild one, perhaps one of the Stork's Bills. 

I was busy inside and out last weekend. I used my battery operated hand trimmer thingy to do trimming around the garden areas. The Gorilla cart sure comes in handy too. 

That tool makes the job easier for those branches and stems that are a little too thick for hand shears. But I don't trust myself completely with it as it's a bit heavy/awkward and noisy too so it's not a tool I enjoy using. But it gets the job done. 

I finished Melisa's cute Autumn Saltbox House pumpkin. 

And I'm going to try to show the colour of the house, a mossy green, which is not showing in any of the photos. I'm going to find a bead for the door handle. 

Kathleen Tracy is running a fall mini quilt SAL called Darting Birds. The pattern is free- links are here at A Sentimental Quilter. I came across it when searching for another pattern.

It reminded me I completed one of Kathleen's SAL's years back so I dug it out and put it on the wall.

I've always wanted to stitch one of her very sweet thimble quilts. What a great way to use scraps! And there's something so attractive about that particular blue with browns, isn't there. 

 HERE is the link to the Thimble pattern at Kathleen's Etsy Shop. What a boon PDF's are for us international stitchers!

Here is what Simone at Soedidee  says..."a SAL is more than just a pattern-it's a creative journey you share with others." Simone is running a 2026 Cross stitch Anniversary SAL to begin January 3. I just looked through her lovely Autumn patterns section...with a little trepidation I might add. I don't need any more inspiration right now. :) Simone is in the Netherlands, btw. 

Kate at Life in Pieces shared a beautiful embroidered piece featuring cross stitched butterflies. What intrigued me was it is a stamped piece. I haven't seen such in a very long time. Have you? 

Last week LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color was talking about gingerbread. I love ginger, drink ginger and lemon tea and buy the crystalized ginger to also use in tea sometimes. I have those ginger candies called GinGins in the car for Tony in case he feels a bit hypoglycemic. I always baked gingerbread cookies especially for Christmas in the old days. And Saturday evening supper growing up was pea soup and gingerbread cake with a custard sauce for dessert.

And of course, the US White House has a famous sweet tradition of displaying a Christmas gingerbread house each year. Here is the 2024 one with the theme " A Season of Peace and Light". HERE at the White House Historical Association you can read more about their gingerbread traditions down through the years. I love learning about that stuff. 

I wonder what the theme will be this year. 

And on that sweet note, I'll end this post. Hope your week is going well with perhaps something sweet in it too!

Happy to share this post with The Inquiring Quilter, Melva Loves Scraps, Kathy's Quilts, Small Quilts and Doll Quilts, Quilting is More Fun Than Housework and Art Creations Quilts.