Congratulations to Donna from sunny Florida - you're the winner of the Snow Blooms charm pack this week. Your comment about "missing your regular stuff" made me think of my sister who decorates for the seasons - fall, Christmas and "ordinary time". Her house is full of bird and pear motifs about half of the year for ordinary time, then does up fall with a flurry of leaves, pumpkins and autumn colors by Labor Day.

Thanks to everyone who shared their Christmas decorating strategies. I've enjoyed reading each one. Our kids/grankids gather on the 23rd or 26th - whenever everyone can come without another commitment. I would rather have everybody there for the day than see them on the 25th for an hour on their way thru to yet another dinner. Over the past few years, our tree has shrunk from an 11' prelit artificial tree - that took hours to decorate - to a skinny 5' tree in a crock.  I even tied the ornaments on with bias strips of red plaids so we could store it already decorated! We take it out before company comes and put it back in the storage room with a sheet over it when they leave. Because the cabin doesn't accomodate large groups, we have family celebrations at the KT studio building where we have a table that seats 18-20 comfortably and lots of room for the kids to run and play. Since we're no longer hosting quilting retreats there, the decorations have dwindled considerably. I pull out several of my favorite Nativity scenes by WilliRaye, Willow Tree and Jim Shore, add lots of Christmas quilts and greenery and call it good. A couple of years ago when we switched to a much smaller tree, then 4-yr.-old Delainey asked me "But where's Christmas?" I responded, "In my heart, just like you." It was an off-the-cuff remark, but it really struck me as true. All the decorations don't make it Christmas, it's the faith and love of family that makes it all special.

Thanks for sharing your stories and your time here on my blog. Watch this Thursday for Autumn Journey. I'll be on the road to Bloomfield, IA for their guild program that evening and a workshop on Friday, then on to Cherokee, IA for workshop & program at Quilt 'n Kaboodle quilt shop. I'd love to see you there!

Check in tomorrow for a preview of the new Flannel Days fabric - it feels divine! We'll have fat quarter bundles on the website soon.