Happy Halloween to everybody

By on 4-13-2011 in Easter Patterns, Embroidery, Vintage Patterns

Watch out for the ghosts and goblins tonight. I kept these three photos aside just for tonight’s festivities. All of these photos could be used as backgrounds for a spooky digital collage or inspiration for a dark nighttime quilt.

Orange moon through white cedar tree

A summer moon taken on a hot night. The white cedar shadow gives this photo it’s Halloween flavour.

harvest moon

September gives us a different moody moon. The moon this night was a beautiful silver with a big dog ring that picked up the moon shine and through it around the scudding clouds below it.

harvest moon

This is another summer moon. A June moon which was taken on a hot evening and another shadow of a white cedar tree.

Santa all settled in his chair and a pretty frilled party basket

By on 4-13-2011 in Easter Patterns, Embroidery, Vintage Patterns

Santa too needs a rest once in awhile. Here he is snuggled into his favourite chair. This is a colouring page from a Whitman’s Golden Book. Doesn’t Santa look comfortable. It is a very traditional picture. Santa is puffing on his pipe. Mrs. Santa must be a very patient wife, baking cookies for Santa and the elves all year round and putting up with that cloud of smoke.

Santa siting in his chair

This Santa picture would look good painted on a window for the holiday season. He could also adorn a pillow or lap quilt for the favourite man on your list. Reduced in size and embroidered onto a small square of red cotton he could hang around on your tree or on a gift bow.

pretty little party basket

Although this pretty little party basket was also among the Golden Book pages it would be at home at any time of the year. For Christmas a white frilly basket with a red bow and candy striped handle applique around a tree skirt could adorn the Christmas tree and done in redwork around a circular table cloth to match would make a great holiday conversation piece.

Indian Summer in the Ottawa Valley

By on 4-13-2011 in Easter Patterns, Embroidery, Vintage Patterns

Autumn in the Ottawa Valley…my heart leaps at the sight of the burning colours on the horizon at this time of year. Is there anything quite so spectacular? The light and shadows play along the rivers creating serene outlooks wherever you cast your eyes or camera.

indian summer

My favourite photo of the blue heron at Andy Haydon Park while he is fishing for his dinner. He is a magnificent bird and would look good worked into a landscape or art quilt.

carp road maples

On our way to the Carp Fair this year we were halted in traffic and I was able to snap this photo of the trees. Carp has rolling farmland which is mostly rock, but good for grazing animals. It is a beautiful country area of Ottawa.

appleton

A trip out to Appleton, a very small town in the Valley. The Mississippi River flows through the town which has many heritage homes. Unspoiled by new houses it is an absolutely heavenly village to stop and take photos.

appleton

Weeping willows growing on the banks of the Mississippi in Appleton present the prettiest photo ever. The day was so peaceful and bright and this was the last day of Indian Summer. This willow would make a great landscape quilt.

appleton

The last photo of Appleton with the Mississippi River reflecting the tree colours back upon itself. This would be a pretty town to live in.

Vintage Autumn Embroidery

By on 4-13-2011 in Easter Patterns, Embroidery, Vintage Patterns

Pumpkins, wheat and corn cobs fill this cornucopia. It is a perfect embroidery pattern for this time of year. This is another pattern from the vintage McCall’s transfer books.

cornucopia with pumpkin

This cornucopia would be great on your Thanksgiving table as a runner or table mats. As an embroidered centerpiece among a maple leaf blocks it would be stunning, or used as a pattern for an appliqued block it would be a more modern table quilt.

Vintage ladies for those Christmas linens

By on 4-13-2011 in Easter Patterns, Embroidery, Vintage Patterns

These two ladies are two of a set that was published in the McCall’s Iron On Transfers Vol IV. They could be embroidered on linen towels for a great Christmas gift. Done in cobalt blue, turkey red or forest green they would stand out beside matching terry towels. These ladies could also be added to an old fashioned pinwheel quilt with appliqued dresses. A smaller version of one would also look right at home on the top of an embroidery case.

vintage ladies to embroider