Fall Swap Goodies & A Special Purchase

Happy Fall blogging friends! It's a beautiful day here in Maine for the 2nd day of fall. I've had all my windows opened and have been busily working outside in the garden and inside getting things done such as laundry and vacuuming. Y' know... the fun stuff that never goes away. :)

I had joined Char's fall swap and my swap buddy was Sondra from Grace4home. Sondra is very gifted in creating homemade prims. She's got a great eye for detail and color. Here is was she made:
There is a ragg quilt done in warm fall colors, a beatifully done penny mat, some sweet chenille pumpkins, a fall checkerboard and the most yummy smelling candle in a pumpkin cornbread scent with a festive berry ring.

My heart was pounding with excitement as I unwrapped each gift from the box. Not only is Sondra gifted in crafting but she's also a sister in Christ. I just love everything and I thank you again, Sondra, from the bottom of my prim little heart!

Here are some pictures of the goodies after I had found the perfect place for them.

I put the chenille pumpkins in a wooden bowl with some raffia and bittersweet berries along with some homemade corn and some fall leaves. I placed the bowl on the penny mat she made on our living room coffee table, which is actually an old chest that was a roadside find from a few years ago. Don't you just love the colors she used in making the penny mat?? I do!!

The checkerboard found a home on our fireplace mantle along with some wood stump pumpkins that my friend Heather in Utah, made and a little pumpkin makedo from another swap that I participated in a couple of years ago. I've participated in many swaps and I must say, it's a great way to add a variety of decor to your home. If you've been considering participating in one of Char's swaps, I highly recommend it. It's great fun!


The quilt is in full view on the quilt shelf in our living room. I've been wanting to make a ragg quilt but never quite knew how. Now I don't have to, although I may try with some old flannel quilt squares I cut a long time ago. What a great gift idea!

I love how the colors go perfectly with the color in our living room and on the shelf. The candle is sitting on a round iron candle pan on my stepback cupboard. I guess I forgot to take a photo of that, but it looks great there and smells so good when I walk by.

Also, in today's mail I got the beautiful candle box that I had ordered fromKath's selling blog. Kath's work is amazing quality and I just love the finish she does. I couldn't wait to hang it on one of the pegs in our mud room. We have lots of pegs in there and I need help desperately decorating that small, narrow room.

I filled it with some pretty fall flowers and leaves. I love how these are made to hang over a shaker peg. That was one thing I noticed when visiting Shaker Village, how everything hung off the pegs in every room. They didn't put nails in the walls. I guess the color looks funny in the photo, but it actually has a beautiful, smooth black finish on it. Truly, it is a beautiful, primitive piece!


Kath also sent this sweet Hot Apple Cider sign and I just love it!! For now I've got it propped in front of some old stoneware crocks in our mudroom. I need to get some faux apples to place around it too. I think that would look nice. :) I'm also still on the lookout for some bittersweet to give it a nice finished fall touch.

Thanks for stopping by today and seeing what's happening in my neck of the woods. I hope you all enjoy some festive fall days! Hugs~ Birgit