Ushering in the Season of Panic...

Well, the cottage is all buttoned up for the winter, and I've said goodbye to the sunset side of the Big Lake. Back in Chicago, it's time to really get working on all those projects that need to be done in the next seven or so weeks!

The zinnia quilt is complete. I'm really happy with the boldness of it, and I've totally fallen in love with the French blue in the upper right of this picture.

The quilt matches the cottage, but it's not staying here!

I couldn't get a good picture of the whole quilt out on the beach -- too much sun was messing with the contrast.  But what a great complaint to have the first week in November! It was close to seventy degrees on Tuesday, which made closing up the house seem a little premature. But it's the wacky-weather Midwest, and it could very well be snowing in a week (it's in the forties and raining today), so leaving on a high note was the right thing to do.

I'm very glad Jacquie talked me into going with a black and white binding. I was going to use one of the zinnia prints (kind of boring), and this one gives it a little more zip.

How's everybody doing on their gift list? Panicked yet, like me?