Wandering Camera – October Stories

 

Clearning Storm Sunrise Watercolour / Stormy Sky Sunrise Watercolor | Whims And Fancies

 

 

Every October, my attention gets blown around like a leaf in the wind and I continuously find myself in the midst of stories, but not necessarily stories made of words.  This Wandering Camera reflects that.

One late afternoon, with rain clouds outside my window, I was practising painting a sunrise after a clearing storm over the mountains of a distant land.  Unintentionally I tend to I create shapes in the painted clouds.  This time I painted a peacock.

 
 
 

Lego Harry Potter Halloween Feast | Whims And Fancies

 

 

I set up little patches of decorations everywhere that tell little stories.  I shared with you the Lego Winter Village before.  For October, I have the students back at Hogwarts.  They are getting ready for their Halloween feast. 

 
 
 
Wine Country Raibow And Hot Air Balloons | Whims And Fancies
 
 
 
 
One morning I found a beautiful rainbow right outside my backdoor.  I wondered what it would be like to follow one.
 
 
 
 
Solitary Rose And Ticking Clock | Whims And Fancies

 

 

I have a weakling rose plant in my garden that gives one beautiful flower every year.  This one was too heavy for the stem, so I brought it inside.  One of my cats knocked the vase over trying to eat a leaf, so I moved it to the mantelpiece where the clocks are (I collect clocks).  That in turn made me think of a story about a solitary rose and a ticking clock.

 
 
 
Shattered Star Quilt Pattern | Whims And Fancies
 
 

 

 
Earlier this month I showed the quilt block I made from my new pattern, Shattered Star.  I got the idea after seeing ice shards floating away as we admired the Esmark Glacier up close near Svalbard.  That block was about stars and nebulae
 
I made this block using the vibrant colours of Halloween.  The swirls in the fabric and the shards in the design make me think of the mysteries of smoke and mirrors. 
 
 
 
Bookshelf Of A Magician - Ink And Watercolour Painting | Whims And Fancies
 
 
 
My beloved ink-and-paper magician is brilliant, but is having trouble procuring books.  So I am building a bibliotheque for him.  Quoting my friend Dixie – a bibliotheque filled with books on practical magic, spells, and alchemy.  As soon as I bring everything to life with a bit of colour, he can have it all.
 
 
I love the romanticism of magic and fairy tales.  With the help of the autumn wind, October brings them a bit closer to me and sweeps me off my feet every time.
 
 
 

Charlie Cat On Harry Potter Quilt | Whims And Fancies

 

Charlie’s Adventure – A little Halloween story

 

Charlie and the rest of us wish you a Happy All Hallows Eve, whether or not you celebrate Halloween!

 

Camera And Photography Linky Party | Whims And Fancies

 

 
As my monthly goal was to finish the block,  I am linking up with One Monthly Goal hosted by Elm Street Quilts.
 

I am also linking up with the linky parties on my Events And Links page.  Please pay a visit to some of them.

 

 

 

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Floating At Dawn

 

Hot Air Balloons Quilt Pattern | Whims And Fancies

 

Purchase Floating At Dawn Pattern

 

I live in the heart of wine country in Northern California where balloon rides are quite common.  In the early morning, when we go out running at one of our local parks, we can see them rising up one by one.

Of course, I had my trusty camera with me to take a few photos of the balloons dotting the sky.

 

 

Hot Air Balloons Napa California | Whims And Fancies

 

 

Hot Air Balloons Napa California | Whims And Fancies

 

Floating toward the rising sun

 

 

Hot Air Balloons Napa California | Whims And Fancies

 

 

Pretty much all of my quilt patterns are inspired by life around me, and photography is a huge part of that.  As you know, I love it enough to be taking one photo for every day of the year.  I am hosting the monthly Wandering Camera event around that.  I also love to paint those pictures with paper piecing.  Once I had taken these photos, I just had to make a hot air balloon quilt pattern.

 

 

Hot Air Balloons Quilt Pattern | Whims And Fancies

 

 

I started off with one large balloon above the mountains for a vertical  wall hanging.  Then I decided to add another, smaller balloon in the distance.

The two balloons and the mountains are standalone pieces in the pattern.  They can therefore be made individually for different projects, or together.  I drew the mountains in a way that I could make multiple copies and join them together to get one continuous piece.

 

 

Hot Air Balloons Quilt Pattern | Whims And Fancies

 

Purchase Floating At Dawn Pattern

 

I played with a few colourways after drawing the initial design.

The whole piece was very easy and quick to sew.  The pattern is in shop if you would like to get a copy for yourself.  Floating At Dawn finishes at 24″ x 20″.

 

 

Hot Air Balloons Quilt Pattern | Whims And Fancies

 

Purchase Floating At Dawn Pattern

 

I am outside around dawn so I can run in the cool morning air.  That’s why I chose an early morning theme in the end.

After picking out a pale pink fabric for the sky, I got a bright red fabric for the up-close balloon and a faded blue for the one further away.

 

 

  Hot Air Balloons Quilt Pattern With Wavy Quilting | Whims And Fancies

 

At that time the distant mountains in the east are still in the shades of greys and blues.  We call them “Misty Mountains” and we hope never to encounter any nasty creatures.  I randomly quilted zigzag lines around them.

For the sky, the quilting had to be a wavy air stream.  ( I have gotten a little addicted to wavy quilting ever since I quilted The Dancing Wind that way. )

I was a little stumped about the binding.  Finally I ended up using a starry sky fabric, as if the dawn is spreading out into the surrounding dark sky.

The design was completely inspired by photography.  I am not a morning person, so this will serve as a good reminder to get up and enjoy the morning hours.

-Soma

 

I am also linking up on Photo Friday, Life Thru The Lens, Through My Lens along with with other linky parties on my sidebar.
 

 

 

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