Final Summer Fling and Autumn Progress

The Summer Postcard Blog Hop was a great success and I included the full list of participants in the previous post to this one.  A few kind people sent me two pictures to choose from so I thought I'd so a Final Fling and show them here.    Click on each photo for a link to the sender's blog.

First is Christine's Welcome Home Banner:

I love the variegated blues and whites in this piece.

Next up is Debbie's Cottage, she says Hi, Stitcher!  I wish my home was surrounded by beautiful flowers like this, but since I don't have a green thumb, I can stitch French knots instead!

 And thirdly, and finally until next year, we have Joyce's Beacon of Hope by Thomas Kinkade:

Which cottage would you prefer, the country cottage with all the flowers or the lighthouse cottage by the sea?

I have two finishes this week but can't show either as they are both for other people.  But I can show my Autumnal progress:

This is a Just Nan design which I'm stitching using DMC alternatives to the charted GAST.  I'm trying to get all the letters in place first although I have stitched some of the leaves and acorns for placement.

Finally, I'd like to share a lovely blog.  As well as following my fellow bloggers I also follow a few "professional" blogs including the Plum Street Samplers blog.  Paulette had just made a great post with some amazing photos taken during her recent trip to the St. Charles Market.  I love the idea of taking over a hotel with all our favourite designers, with each one having a room to "set" with their beautiful works of art.  How many times have we heard "This looks so much better in real life"?  The market is the perfect time to see the pieces in person.