Autumn Equinox and Fall

Last night was the Autumn Equinox, or Mabon, celebrations when day and night are of equal length. In keeping with the time of year the weather here has now turned decidedly autumnal, with leaves dropping, nights drawing in and a definite cold nip in the air. Here's a wonderful display of harvest produce, snagged from Wikipedia, that sums up the feeling of this season and celebration:


Celebrating in my own way, I decided to have a new stitching start last night and settled on a suitably apt piece called Fall which is a freebie design from Homespun Elegance. It's such a quick and easy piece I finished up the stitching this afternoon whilst watching Dawn Bibby on QVC (didn't buy anything, in case you were wondering LOL). Here's a pic:

I used Polstitches 28ct evenweave Hot Potatoes fabric and Carrie's Creations Pumpkin Spice, Raven and Pina Colada, Ozark Emerald and a scrap of DMC 966 for the cats' eye. I left off the Fall wording, as this is intended as a Samhain or Halloween decoration (plus I didn't like it). I haven't decided what to use to finish it yet but I know I want to hang it from a handle on one of the four doors leading off from the downstairs hallway. The intention is to have ornaments of some description hanging on each of the doors, so that's one down and three more to go. The second ornie has already been chosen, I've just got to gather the threads and choose a fabric for it. :0)

So, what else have I been up to whilst absent from Blogland? Well, I completed the finishing on the JA/S&S Monthly Challenge piece, as planned, and a pic has been taken and sent off to Karen for the album. I tackled another new to me technique in this finish and was very pleased with the outcome (even if I do say so myself)........... but you'll have to wait until Reveal Day to see what it was. ;0)

I also made a start on the next part of the Ozark Mystery SAL piece, completing one motif...... but stalled when I noticed the other motif was positioned a stitch out on the chart. I don't know if this was meant or if it is an error and have queried it. There's no way I am going risk guessing wrong then end up with yet another frog visit so, meantime, while I wait for an answer, this piece has been put on hold - so that's why there's no update pic just yet.

DH only worked half a day on Sunday. He thought we would go to Epworth for dinner at The Lemon Tree, then go to the Festival of the Plough event after - as it was already around 1pm, meaning we'd only end up with a couple of hours at the event by the time we'd eaten (hardly worth the entrance fee) and I could see that he was shattered I knew he was being a tad unrealistic, so suggested we had lunch at home and pottered about here instead. After an initial strop (boy, don't they get moody when you don't fall in immediately with their plans? LOL) he soon realised staying home was a more sensible option. After lunch and a chill out he felt better and fitted the new ceiling light in the living room and what a difference that has made. Unfortunately when he turned off the power to do the light we soon realised that the back-up battery for the burglar alarm is dead, so we need to get a new one - otherwise next time there's a power cut the darned alarm is going to keep going off and pee off the neighbours big time. By late evening DH said he was glad we'd stayed in, instead of rushing off out.......... I guess that was his way of apologising. ;0)

Monday was jobs galore - got such a flying start on those that I gained a bit of extra computer time and had an enjoyable browse of the Freebies Gallery site, looking for Halloween/finishing inspiration and trawling for suitable charts. Thoroughly enjoyed that and found what I was looking for, then had a good natter with Alex when she arrived. She and my DS had been to a Mind, Body and Spirit event at Harrogate on Sunday, so that was one of several topics of conversation we got through. After she left I kitted up the Fall freebie and..... well, you know the rest.

Today being Tuesday makes it UFO Night tonight. No idea what I'm going to stitch yet............. may end up tossing a coin at this rate. Drop by tomorrow to see which piece guilt tripped me the most and won out. LOL

Thanks again for taking the time to visit. I hope you all had a good weekend and an even better start to the week. :0)