The Case of the Missing Face

     After the big power out, we were in danger of missing our Halloween. Fortunately, the artist-in-residence was home last weekend and we pulled it off with just a few hours to prepare. The pumpkin was carved, the seeds roasted, the candy bags at the ready!

At the last minute, we decided to invite the entire family over--

have you noticed that the best things in life are usually not planned?

We kept it simple with hamburgers and a salad, but dessert should never be scrimped on, so we made a giant candy corn shaped cookie cake and Rice Krispy Treats in Halloween shapes. I had a set of cheap cookie cutters, and it was fun to try to guess what they were supposed to be. A ghost? A tombstone? :-)

As the guests chatted happily and unaware at the kitchen table, out front a rather strange transformation was happening!

After the party, the artist suggested we all watch the latest San Francisco Stitch Co. tutorial. It was due to be released the next morning, and needed review. A bit mortified, I consented. 

My family was just bowled over... it was if they suddenly discovered I wasn't just in the sewing room to sneak chocolate bars-- I honestly had skill! They sat and watched the entire fifteen minutes. Even the artist herself commented how impressed they all were. Of course, I assured her that her video editing skills were no small part of the achievement. I mean, the music chosen-- well, it is exactly what has been playing in my head all this time.

Everyone got up to go, and Mr. SFO gave me a big hug--

it was a very special moment. Then we stepped outside...

Now, can you solve The Case of the Missing Face?

CLUE: No-- it was not Mr. Hyde, the rabbit! God knows where the candle went-- I should probably be pretty concerned about that!

This week was an improvement on last week--
it does so help to have power when it comes to productive sewing.

I finished the Scrappy Oak Table Runner,
to match the Acorn Zen Mug Rug.

It's always fun to go outside and take photos-- machine embroidery, in the wild. Even though we are currently misplaced in New England, it was hard to find colorful leaves-- the closer you get to Cape Cod, the more pine trees there are. Pine trees and cranberries-- those are two things I never knew about Cape Cod before we moved here.

The next night, we had our first frost, so no more coleus or marigolds-- they all turned black and limp. Next it will have to be snow pictures. BRRRRRRR!

I cleaned out the gardens yesterday, and planted a ton of spring bulbs. They are just waiting a few months to be photographed with the spring quilts. <3

The next set of Carefree Highways has begun--hello, Northwest! I'm just starting, but there is Mount Rainier all sketched in. You'd have thought that every state could pick a different bird, but I believe this is my second Goldfinch, but at least it's the first Rhododendron. Don't worry, I refuse to cut and paste the first Goldfinch in. I'm better than that.

Bats and Boos is in the finished column, and I have ten of twelve table runner pieces done for my goal this year. I did want to do four quilts. Two are done, I could probably count the Cross Stitch Cottage Quilt, and there's one more I want to make.

I'm ashamed to admit it, but my son doesn't have ONE quilt from me! This is probably also due to the fact that he's not that interested in one, but I gave a lot of thought to it and came up with an idea he will love.

It's the Chicken Quilt! 

He raised backyard chickens last spring-- and it has been a complete love story. It's so cute to listen to him talk about "the girls," and "my beautiful boy." (He got a rooster by mistake :-) I'm using a Lori Holt chicken pattern from her first Farm Girls book. I'm planning twelve 12" blocks, and with sashing and a couple of nice borders, I should come up with a decent size piece. It's red, white, and blue-- he's my Fifth of July baby!

Hoping to have it for Christmas (pieced, not quilted). There's the first of twelve "combs," easy as pie! This pattern has fewer pieces than some of Lori's blocks-- stay tuned.

And finally, enthusiasm is waning on the Sandy Orton Autumn cross stitch! I finished the upper left corner farmhouse, and now I'm in the upper right-- my least favorite part of the design.

The other diagonal bands had easy gingham designs in them-- this side has corn and tomatoes, and there's at least a dozen different colors and miles of back stitch. There is a turkey in the octagon-- oh, sew appropriate for November stitching, but it's just not as colorful as it could be.

Is this the point that it gets thrown in a drawer for twenty years?

Do I even have twenty years left?

What is about that split-second moment in a project, where a project suddenly gets "old" and laid aside, replaced with the a new one?

These are the questions that rattle around my head with the aforementioned music, never to be answered.

Have a wonderful week!

xox

Carol

Acorn Zen Mug Rug

Scrappy Oak Tablerunner
Carefree Highways Series

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