Happy Hello to November...

So long, October!

The tips of my toes have already crossed over into November and December. As long as possible, I held off, but you know how it is --- commercials, magazines, blogs... life - we must move forward into the bustling joy of the upcoming holidays! 

This last day of October is, for me, the beginning of a new year of Le Petite Projects! (last year called Schnibbles) with Pinkpincushion and  AQuiltingLife. Hop over there November 1st or 2nd and see the parade of quilts! For mine, I opted to yank some bright scraps out of my overloaded drawer and make a Happy Birthday quilt. Sew fun! It will be used as a table topper on our birthdays. Yippeee! (The binding is not finished because I have to wait for Michael's to get more ribbon in. The spool I bought is not enough to make it all the way around my quilt....)

 

Early Merriment

 

I admit it - I collapsed under curiosity!

Williams-Sonoma sends me emails, 

and I allow them to flood my box because looking at their fabulous pictures inspires me. 

I can't usually afford their enticing products,

but I can mimic their table-setting ideas with items I already have in my home. 

Those emails are tasty treats, like mini decorating magazines! 

Delish to the brain!

So when their email came this morning,

I couldn't resist taking a very early peek at their CHRISTMAS selection. 

My son Noah's favorite holiday song when he was a kid was the Twelve Days of Christmas, so naturally, I liked looking at these plates. 

That's it. 

Back to their THANKSGIVING BOOKLET that has lots of tips, recipes, and techniques for THE BIG FEAST!

I Love Pumpkins!

The gals in my Bible study group tease me. They know that on my day to bring snack it will almost always be something pumpkinny -- whether it be scones, a pie, muffins, a deep-orange bundt cake, or whatever.

Do you love pumpkin, too?

Send me your favorite recipe, would you???  :)

For my birthday I got Williams-Sonoma the Pasta book that has a pumpkin ravioli recipe. On an anniversary dinner, eons ago, this dish was savored and remembered. I now have my own pasta maker (only tried it once, but am willing to try again) and will one day try again. {I need an Italian cook for a friend!}

Oh... and not all pumpkins are orange! 

Or perfect...  :)  

{Let this encourage your little heart! We don't have to be perfect, either, to be beautiful!}

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
       your works are wonderful,
       I know that full well." 

Psalm 139:14

So... if your recipe does not come out as perfectly as you wish... blame the pumpkin!  :)

Celebrate and Be Happy!

Snippets of Stuff

Good morning!

What a flurry of fun last week was! During that Fall Giveaway, two surprise emails greeted me - I had won two different giveaways. Happily shocked and surprised was I, as you can imagine, with soooooo many people trying to win them also.

So, twin THANK YOUs to Winona at Cat Love and Quilt Maker and Sue Susan's Scrappy Domain!!! 

I'm going to be the happiest mail-getter in the world! ~ It's just like getting a big bouquet of flowers!!!   :)

October 15th - Giveaway Day!!!

Oh Happy Day!

It's going to be a busy day in blogland, as we all hustle from one blog to the next, seeing if we won any of the giveaways!

Thank you to everyone who made this giveaway so fun. I wish I had a prize for every single one of you, because you are all so awesome! !!!

So, I won't keep you...

The winner of my fall giveaway is...

Kelli at 
 Small Town Stitcher.

Congratulations!

A Blogging We Have Gone

Hasn't it been fun 
(this fall giveaway extravaganza, I mean  ~HERE)?

I have felt like a contented frog, leaping from one blog giveaway to the other! So many wonderful blogs have been discovered along the way. 

How will I ever keep up? 

24hours just isn't enough time to visit and ooogle! When would I sew? or read? or ride my bike? or golf? or cook? or go to Bible study? or HOMEMAKE? 

Hmmmm???

How do you do it???

  

Looks Like a Party!

(Hurry HERE for the fall giveaway!)

You will not want to miss this fun!!!

Superman has told me before that I can make a party out of anything. This was said one day while I was paying bills and had myself surrounded by party things... happy music, a vintage aluminum tray with polka dot bows arrayed on each handle, topped with a cold drink packed with fun ice (store bought kind) and a cool & colorful straw, a few cookies looking like confetti on a plate, and a brightly decorated napkin.

So... is it any wonder that my sewing room trashcan would look like a party was going on in it?

Wednesdays are our trash days, but I just could not empty this thing; it was too happy! 

Since we have to pay bills, and there's always chores to do, why not step into the joy of it... even if we have to make our own party favors!

Even when life is throwing dirt balls, our hearts can party on in the Lord. His faithfulness is steadfast and unchanging. The party favors of praise & voicing thanks are great noise makers!

"The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. 

He will take great delight in you, 

he will quiet you with his love, 

he will rejoice over you with singing."

Zephaniah 3:17

Throw some partying into your day!

Go Go Giveaway... Go Go!

(Hurry HERE for the fall giveaway!)

You will not want to miss this fun!!!

New must-haves abound!

This morning, right after reading my Bible, I plopped in front of the computer and began visiting new blogs. But time was a'wastin', so I told myself, 

"One more blog and then... hit the gym!"

Boy, am I glad I allowed myself that one bitty more blog.

  I think you will be really glad my slothful side played a wee bit longer at the keyboard, too, because YOU and ME and LOTS OF OTHERS have a chance to win this latest quilting must-have (okay, not must have, but surely-would-love-to-have)!

AccuQuilt Go

For your chance to win one of these dreams, go to Alderwood Quilts. Go!

No-Sew Cute!

Traipsing across the vast Bloglands, I came across some very cute, no-sewing-involved pumpkins. 

(I got this idea from crazydomestic  and you can GO right HERE and see her very simple pictures and instructions.)

Oh... and the originator of these little darlings is from a daaarrrrlinnnng blog:

http://alisa-thesweetlife.blogspot.com/

They took me 10 minutes to make!

& they are completely recyclable!!! 

(I used fabric that will be used in next year's fall projects)

See? ... 

 

 As you can see, the weather was perfect for an autumn bike ride. So, I was sewing my November 1st project, wondering where I was going to get the twigs for my pumpkins. Right about then, I felt prompted by the Lord to go on my bike ride...

"Now? When I'm in the middle of this project?"

But, I arose and took off. Right around the corner from my house was this -- trees, trees, and more trees, just freshly pruned and ample for picking!

"Thank You, Lord! You care about everything! You even know the numbers of my hairs, which tells me that you are not only all-knowing, but also all-caring about every detail of our lives! Thank You, our Father!"

 

 

 

An Apple A Day...

(Hurry HERE for the fall giveaway!)

You will not want to miss this fun!!!

 

Look, if you want to keep the doctor away, then take heed to Johnny Appleseed's advice and eat one every single day!

Really!
(click on the underlined words for recipes)

You could have a CARAMEL APPLE today...

You could have APPLE FRITTERS tomorrow (click on each word for separate recipes) ...

You could have APPLE PIE the day after tomorrow...

Or...You could have THIS ~ because we also must heed this unknown author's great wisdom... 

"Put "eat chocolate" at the top of your list of things to do today.

  That way, at least you'll get one thing done."

I am quite sure that all of this fall eating will not only keep the doctor away, but depression as well, because who wouldn't be happy eating all those apples?! 

Eat your APPLE today!  :)

Snail Mail Rocks!!!

(Hurry HERE for the fall giveaway!)
You will not want to miss this fun!!!
  

Never, ever, ever think snail mail is a waste of time. Though it is not instantaneous, it slowly carries along many unexpected and marvelous surprises & blessings!

Like this...autumn packages from a friend who loves you and autumn's appealing darlings...

and this... anniversary date plans from someone who has loved you many years...

and this... a little birthday love from Starbucks (a free drink) because they'd love you to celebrate every birthday with them, this year... and mannnny more...

and this... A little love for me and mine, as I love to cook; a yummy cookbook all the way from Australia...

See? Never, ever, ever think snail mail is a waste of time!

 . . . who can you send some LOVE to this season? . . .

May mercy and peace and LOVE be multiplied to you.

 Jude 1:2

Sew Much Fall Fun@

This has been the funnest FALLest... 

Why?

1. The Fall Giveaway going on in blog world (click HERE to see my prize for you and to leave comment for chance to win it)! I'm meeting you all and seeing your wonderful blogs (and prizes), and it is just sooooo, sewwww much fun! And I love fun... and surprises... and my bloggerinas!!! Look what I discovered on my blog jumping.... a brown paper bag! Ahhhh.... but go look what SugarSpunQuilt is stuffing it with...  :) Tell her Liz sent you (not that she knows me, but if you say that, then she will!)  :)   
2. On October 1st, I was in my favorite spot (the beach) with my favorite person (Superman... couldn't always say that, so how fun is that?), then my Bakersfield BFF came over for pizza and came bearing an early BIRTHDAY GIFT! ~ yAHooooo   
3. Anticipating my annual  fun! with Shannon, my BFForever, when we cast our cares out the car windows and tootle over to the coast to celebrate our birthdays (two favorite things and persons in one little month! Oh my pumpkins!!!) A triple gift from God!!!! (Thank You, Lord!)  
4. Fun everywhere.... leaves swirling off the trees, sweeping them off the front porch ~ to leave a welcoming path for guests, Starbucks free Birthday drink (go sign up!!!), ditto with a Jack-in-the-Box free birthday dessert coupon, baking with pumpkin, letting in the cool autumn breezes as I clean.... so much fun!
5. Leaving comments and entering giveaways!

Giveaways Galore!!!

(Giveaway now closed.)

Hurry! It's giveaway time (again!)

Leave a comment here on my blog... and, ummmm, what do I want to know about you????

Okay, I've decided.

Share with me your ONE,
very most FAVORITE  FALL thing to do.

This way, I learn about you, and it also just might add to my list of favorite fall things!!!

Win-Win...oh, and WIN (when you leave a comment).

Then,

Hurry here  
for a chance to win 
over 150 prizes!
(Click on each of the links on the right for a chance to win great prizes. In my way of thinking, Christmas is just a few calender pages away, so you might win gifts to give!)

150+

a chance.... for Y-O-U!!!! 

But today, right here, right now
is my giveaway....  :)

Included are...

1. Mary Engelbreit Friends panel 
2. Two Schnibbles patterns ~ Madeline & Tagalong
3. Black & White Quilts book
4. Two patterns that were included in my Fig Tree Club projects (kept the fabrics; didn't use the patterns).                                  
5. Four thirties-fabric fat quarters 

Leave your comment on my blog, 

then Hurry here 
 for a chance to win over 150 prizes!
Hope you winnnnn! 
(All winners will be announced all on the same day - October 15th.)