Who doesn't love a quilt!

Seriously, do you know anyone that isn't comforted by a beautiful quilt? Especially one that is old and worn. So worn, that the cotton is so smooth it feels as soft as a baby's cheeks? That is my favorite kind of quilt, but to get one like that, you either need to buy an antique or spend a few years breaking in a brand spanking new one. And that leads me to my story today. As I mentioned in my previous post, I had the pleasure of seeing some quilts that I would love to spend some years breaking in and in the process do some snuggling with my favorite people; my sweetie and grandchildren come to mind.

The quilting friend from my knitting group is Sandra and she has a very special talent for working with color. She loves color and it really suits her. Her sewing room overlooks a lovely garden patio and is washed with the most wonderful light, so much light, she calls it her beach room because she feels like she is at the beach while she works.

One of Sandra's bag patterns. That is her in the red dress!

This would make a beautiful Christmas quilt.

Sandra creates a unique tag for the back of all of her quilts.

I don't know why this wants to be upside down. :^(

What she calls a simple pineapple print!

A lovely beach inspired sand castle.

A fun quilt with Bees!

This was by far my favorite. Such a a wonderful use of batiks to create a coral reef!

There were lots more to see, but mostly I wanted to give you a sneak peek into my "knitting" friend's world. And now that I have you all thinking about quilts, how would you like to win a quilt from another wonderful quilter? Yesterday, I came across the blog of a lovely lady named Tammy from The Stitching Coop. She has been making rag quilts for 11 years now and she is graciously offering to give one of her quilts to a lucky winner. The quilt she is giving away would be perfect for my granddaughter so I would be kidding if I said I wouldn't love to win it. Please head over to her blog and follow and even though it will water down the pool, enter to win this little lovely!

Click here to enter!

Later in the week I will be sharing some fabulous Advent Calendars by my crafty little sister, so make sure you check back. You might want to order one so it will arrive in time for December 1st!

Sharing my blessings on another beautiful fall weekend!

The weather here in Central Virginia has been outstanding this fall and today was no exception! We have had cold nights and warm days and the leaves have been giving us a show for over a month now!

On my ride to work the other morning.

This past August I was lucky enough to be invited to join a lovely group of ladies for their knitting group that meets in Crozet, Va at a place called Trailside Coffee on the 1st Saturday of every month. Not everyone knits, but most do so they call it a knitting group. One of the ladies does bead work and one of them is a quilter. Yesterday, after our time was done, we were all invited to the home of the quilter to see some of her wonderful quilts - more about that tomorrow. She lives about 2 miles from where we meet and on the drive from the coffee shop to her house I saw one of the most stunning scenes I have witnessed this fall so I had to turn around and go back to take some photos. Crozet is nestled in the foot hills of the Blue Ridge Mountains about 5 miles east of where the Skyline Drive meets the Blue Ridge Parkway and from almost any vantage point you have fabulous mountain views.

A Red Maple ablaze with the Blue Ridge Mountains as its back drop.

Another place I have been enjoying the fall foliage display is at Thomas Jefferson's University - better known as The University of Virginia. I am blessed to be a part of this great community and as I was walking around campus the other day I captured some of the gorgeous "grounds" where I spend my working days. I say grounds because that is what they call the campus here. The central campus area has 1,160 acres and fifteen libraries (the overall size is 3,340 acres, with 529 buildings) and I am lucky enough to be able to walk these hallowed grounds on a daily basis.

Path leading to the West side of the Rotunda.

One of many serpentine walls leading to one of the Pavilions that line the Range on The Lawn.

And last but not least for today is our girls; the chickens that is. Their lovely home is all finished and they seem very happy. If you remember, they came to live with us on June 21 and they are all thriving in their new home. We let them out to free range about an hour before dark each day so nothing has time to get them and they are all quite beautiful and happy. They are very friendly and quite inquisitive and should start laying very soon. I am hoping they will start laying just before Thanksgiving so I can use our own organic eggs to make the noodles for dinner!

8x10 hen house with run.