Fall and a New Beginning?

Here in NE PA, the Fall colors have been changing daily.  In the higher elevations, the colored leaves are falling fast and lower, near the river some of the Maples are just coming into full color.

Being a lover of the Spring and Summer flowers, Fall tends to be a sad time for me… the first killing frost means no more bright colors in the gardens.

The woods are looking pretty bare in the background…  It is usually rare to still have Vinca and Verbena flowers blooming with no leaves on the trees. It has been warmer than usual this Fall, at least 2 weeks longer than average years.  A bonus!  Tomorrow morning promises to end the color… a very cold night is coming and I expect it will be a sad sight in most of the gardens in the morning… I guess it has to happen…

Fall also brings the International Quilt Festival in Houston, TX. In a previous post,  I showed some photos that will be part of an exhibit there, but I will also have a few more items there, too.

I had an opportunity to send some items to Houston to be used as door prizes at a Mix ‘Mingle gathering near the end of the show.  I am in the process of re-thinking the direction my quilt and art business will go, and this is a great opportunity for me to get some of my items seen by a number of people.  As in the previous post, I finished my first Art Quilt Pin pattern that will soon be available for purchase. That pattern shows how to make the fan pin in the upper photo along with other shapes.  The next pattern to be done will be the “Christmas Collection” that will include patterns and instructions for making the Christmas tree, Wreaths, Candy Canes and more.  (While packing up my goodies to send to Houston, I forgot to get photos of the other half of the pins I sent as well as 2 of my larger journals.)  I am hoping to begin promoting my patterns more.  Selling only the finished items needs me to keep making new items, but patterns don’t require constant work once they are written and uploaded to Craftsy where they will be sold from. This will help me to hopefully bring in a bit of income even if I have runs of nasty pain flares that keep me out of my studio.  I have had requests for patterns for some of my smaller art quilts and will be trying to decide which quilts people are most interested in to make for themselves.

I have thought at other times that I was finally kicking the creative block to the curb and getting myself back into the studio regularly, only to be flattened by a flare that knocks those plans out… This time, I am not sure what will come of the newest re-start, but this time it won’t be as dependent on my being in the studio making things, it will enable others to learn how to do their own creating, using techniques I have developed that have worked so well for me in my work.

With the update of my website and this blog, I have tried to make it easier for customers to find my finished items to purchase or use as inspiration as well as my pattern shop.  I am not totally sure that this is the direction I am meant to go, but I am sure the Lord will guide me along the way… He has brought so many opportunities my way, and I hope I will be a good listener….

If you will be attending IQF in Houston, the Mix ‘n Mingle  gathering will be on Friday evening. Maybe you could be one of the lucky winners of one of my goodies!