Happy Halloween!

Happy Hallowen! Here are some more Martha Stewart-esq pumpkins on stoops. If only they weren't $24 for a small one here in Sydney. Somehow a Queensland Blue just wouldn't cut it!

More Houston

At Quilt Market there were quite a few traders of vintage treasures. We spent long periods of time at all of them, time well spent as they had great stuff.

Bad photo. Amazing quilt. Gorgeous chaise.

Quilting hall of fame? Stars in the pavement? No, just Kaffe and Lynn checking out Lynn's, just purchased vintage beauty. Full of eclectic glory this quilt will be treasured for many a year to come.

Deb talking the talk with Brandon.

Houston

From Napa, it was down to Houston, Texas to meet up with Deb. We wagged Schoolhouse and went shopping instead. Anthropologie again, plus all the other all American places we could fit in. Saturday was the start of Quilt Market. It's big! Here are some of the things we saw.


Amy Butler's new range - Love. A quilt at the Westminster stand.

Amy Butler's stand. Too shy to ask her to pose for me - although, being the all American, sweet as pie gal she is, she would have.

More Amy.

Heather Bailey's pretty stand. Must have got over my shyness, because I did ask her for a photo - it's just too blurry!

Anna Maria Horner's stand featuring her new gorgeous line of voile fabrics. Her oh, so cute babe was there too! But back to the fabrics - can't wait to have a play with these, they are super pretty.

After San Fran, I headed up to Napa to stay with some of our friends. Napa is a beautiful town surrounded by other beautiful towns like Sonoma and of course the beautiful wine growing region. It's nice to get out of the big cities and experience a slower pace of life and just take in the beauty around you. I was so endeared by the street our friends live it, I could have moved in! I walked the streets early in the morning. It was crisp and quiet and only a squirrel running about, possibly stocking up for the winter to come. The homes are quaint and often dressed for Halloween - very Martha Stewart! This street was lined with poplar trees and some type of fir trees. The leaves were starting to turn, I can only imagine what Christmas would be like.

The French Laundry. The famous restaurant of chef, Thomas Keller. One of quite a few that he now owns in Yontville. Across the road from The French Laundry is their garden. It is super stunning as it looks across the nearby valley.

Some vines! Wow! Taken to show hubby. Prettiest wine growing area I've seen. Maybe some quilt related stuff tomorrow......

San Fran Continued

Anthroplogie! Oh, Anthropologie. How you consumed so many of my hours. This place is fantastic. The visual merchandising is to die for. We very much need this store in Australia! Anyone out there willing?

The famously crooked Lombard Street in San Francisco. Check those tight curves!

The Trip

Few would know that I've recently returned from a recent trip to the U. S of A. Few are waiting patiently for some photos, so here they are. It would be very easy to start at the end in NYC, however, I'll start at the very beginning....in San Francisco.

My first stop, Britex Fabrics. A San Francisco institution from what I can gather. Four floors of goodness and oh so overwhelming. I managed to find some vintage lace, some Liberty and the directions to Anthropologie.

A quick stop at Union Square to look up.