turkey feathers

Jelly Roll Day

Since I've been on the subject of fave fabrics and strip-quilt stitching lately, I think Jelly Roll Day deserves a mention.  Not exactly sure when this became a thing, I only just found out about it--and well, it sounds like fun! 

Here's the skinny (copied from the Fat Quarter Shop newsletter from Kimberly): 

"Did you know National Sew a Jelly Roll Day is THIS Saturday? We're celebrating early with a special five day sale on select Jelly Rolls, design rolls, and 2.5" strips! Get up to 40% off your favorite precut from now until Sunday at midnight CST!

What is Sew a Jelly Roll Day? This wonderful quilting holiday was established by Moda Fabrics on the third Saturday of every September to encourage quilters of EVERY skill level to try making something beautiful from their favorite precuts.

So grab your rolls and get sewing! Join us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest on Saturday, September 15th, and share your creations to inspire your friends, and wow your loved ones!

To get ready for Sew a Jelly Roll Day on September 15th, you need a project! Try one of our wonderful Jelly Roll patterns and get 25% off! Don't delay, this offer ends Sunday!

Do you have a pristine Jelly Roll that you just can't bring yourself to take apart? Show us your perfect, most favorite roll on Instagram with #cantcutthis and be entered to win one of two $100 gift certificates!

We can't leave out our FREE Jelly Roll Shortcut Quilt Patterns! Check out some of our favorite Jelly Roll quilt tutorials on YouTube for 14 easy-to-make projects that you'll adore!

Let's get sewing!"

 

All I have to say to that is, Hurray, Hurray for Jelly Roll Day!

 

Small Spaces Book Winner

Another cozy little nook from the book, Making the Most of Small Spaces.  It looks like someone has brought in kindling for the fire. That sounds lovely.  It's been so very cold here!  Today I am working on a little sewing project that I will share tomorrow, along with the pattern.  But first, I wanted to pop in to announce the winner of the book give-away.  So without further ado, congratulations to Laura!  (Check out her gorgeous applique quilt in progress.  It will make you happy!)

Calico Kitty:: Winner!

Ready or not, 2012 is here.  

Happy New Year everybody! 

Well, Miss Pinky Rose is on her toes, and is ready to go to a new home. 

Who will it be? 

(Insert drumroll and fanfare . . .)

The winner is Sharon of A Merry Heart Journal! 

Congratulations to you!  

Potato Soup

Grandma and her friends really knew how to have fun!  No snow here yet.  Just lots of rain. Like six inches in the last few days.  I might need a small boat instead of a sled if this keeps up.  These last lingering days of 2011 have been a whirlwind of activity inside the house though.  The girls and I have been crafting up a storm, so to speak, with various projects that we can't wait to share.  Oh it's all very exciting.  In between the paper mache and the modge-podge, my to-do list has also kept me rather busy:

1) Re-open the PatternBee Vintage Embroidery Shop.  I'll admit, it was nice to have a little break from all the printing and shipping, but I'm getting excited about jumping back in and conversing with everybody again on Tuesday.  I miss you guys!

2) Finish vintage pattern restoration/contribution for "Baby Blankie".  Thanks again Cathy, the new pattern will be on its way to Canada soon.  (For everybody else, find it on the website under 'New Additions'.

3) Create the January 2012 Bonus Design.  I went straight to Valentine's Day with this one, with a LOVE theme, so you have plenty of time to stitch up something cool for gift-giving if your heart so desires. 

4) Make my special crock-pot potato cheese soup for our New Year's Day Open House.  This was by request so how could I say, no?   Obviously, I am making no diet-related resolutions this year.  (ahem.)

5) Choose a winner for the Pinky Rose Give-Away!  I know you are holding your breath; I'm rolling up my sleeves.  Check back tomorrow to find out who won.  It might be YOU!  If you haven't entered yet, hurry and do so before the comment section is closed.

OK.  I think that's it for the blog, 'til next year.  See ya on the flip side friends.  Have a safe New Year's Eve! 

Preserving Memories

In the past, creating photo albums and scapbooking journals is something I've really enjoyed doing.  Fun rummaging through pictures and putting something meaningful together.  I recall the first 'Creative Memories' workshop I went to at a friend's house in 1994.  The scrapbooking phenom was new back then.  We were all sitting around tables and learning how to crop photos and make "theme pages".  This was a revelation!  A BIG step-up from "magnetic" albums with tacky cardboard pages covered with plastic, that over time warped, faded and discolored your photos.  So yes, I suppose we were all hankering for something better.  The vast array of decorative papers, stickers, templates, tools, and trimmers helped motivate me and move the projects along.  And for years that's pretty much how I rolled in an effort to preserve the family photographs.  

These early albums are still very much enjoyed and cherished; they are practically a work of art for all the time and money that went into them.  I still have six or seven shoe boxes of photo prints tucked away that end at 2001.  That's when I began to transition over to digital photography.  At some point I plan to get them all into albums like this one. But everything that came after that is on a disk or in a file on my computer.  Which in some ways is good.  No need to worry about dust gathering there or where to store boxes.  But there are also some drawbacks.  Like when the computer crashes and all your data is lost, or you copy everything onto a disk and it gets lost or destroyed.  The reality is, you can never get those bits and bytes back.  They are lost in cyberspace forever.  Since I only take digital photos now this worries me a little.  Often I have wished there was an easier way to put it all on to a hard copy for safe keeping.  Yes, Blurb and a few other book services can do that, but without frills.  Adding your own can take a fair amount of time and know-how.

Well, recently I had the opportunity to review a product called My Memories Suite, a digital scrapbooking software designed for photo journaling.  It's been out for awhile, and lots of people are talking about it, blogging about it, raving about it, and doing give-aways for it, but somehow all this escaped my attention.  It's easy to get tunnel vision sometimes!  I need to look up once in awhile.  Wow!

 
It could not have come at a better time.  After I downloaded the program I was able to make a 30-page photo album in just under a week!  Remember the Summer Book I was trying to put together for my granddaughters?  That project was about to fizzle because it was taking more time than I had just to edit the photos and create the design elements for the pages.  But then My Memories Suite came to the rescue and I now have a lovely album to give as a Christmas gift, and to more than just one person because you can also print duplicates.  All for about $20 each.  What! 

I still can't believe how easy it was to use.  The program does all the work.  It has everything you need to jump-start your way into making beautiful photo albums, books, calendars, and even note cards.  There are background papers, trims, word art, and a host of other nifty design elements and embellishments traditionally used in making scrapbook photo albums.  You can even create and load your own art from other programs, or purchase additional package sets from the My Memories website as needed. 

Are you as thrilled as I am?  I hope so, because My Memories would like to give one of my readers their My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbooking Software FREE!  Here's what you need to do to participate.  Visit the My Memories website, take a look at the digital paper kits and/or the different layouts in the gallery, then leave a comment here on the blog telling about your favorite, or anything else you love about scrapbooking.  I'll announce the winner a week from today. 

Special Offer:  To purchase the My Memories Suite V2 Scrapbook Software, use this Share the Memories code  STMMMS37056 to get a $10 discount off the purchase price, and a $10 coupon for the My Memories store.  Just use your mouse to copy and paste the code into the box as prompted on the order page to receive your discount.  (Once you're up and running, you can easily download all the free digital scrapbook kits currently available!)  Be sure and visit the My Memories blog for updates, events, workshops, and tutorials for inspiration and fresh ideas.

I'm already thinking about my next album!  It will have to wait until after the New Year though because I think my Christmas plate is pretty full right now.  Hopefully, with cookies and fudge soon! Oh, and BTW, the PatternBee Embroidery Shop is closed for the time being, but you HAVE to visit to get your Holiday Greeting from me.  (Turn on your speakers!)  I'll be back with another give-away after this weekend too!  Ho ho ho...   

 UPDATE::  Contest is now officially closed...check the December 23rd blog post for the winner!

And the winner is . . .

 
I know.  I'm late.  And just in case you're wondering . . . I didn't forget.   I've just been sitting on the edge of the world drifting along with the ocean waves these past few days.  Taking a little bit of a breather.  Long walks.  Lots of reading.  A little sight-seeing and some shopping.  The weather was mixed as it often is on the Oregon Coast.  Sunny and warm one day, rainy and stormy the next.

  
During the storm we had our first blaze of the season.  Which was wonderful in the big stone fireplace.  It was also the first time we've ever sat in a hot tub under the stars in the howling wind and rain, with plastic frisbees on top our heads (to keep our hair dry).  It worked!  Luckily no one was around to witness such goings on, except for one small racoon who bravely peeked through the fence and got more than he bargained for.  I'm sure he thought we were from another planet.

 
September is here and there's much to do!  I think I may even detect that unmistakable autumn nip in the air.  One of the first things I did when I got home yesterday, was run out to the backyard and check on the vegetable patch.  I'm always worried the deer, somehow knowing I'm away, will find a way inside the enclosure and eat everything in sight.  They didn't, thankfully.  Although they did nibble a few green beans that were hanging outside the fencing.  Can't blame them for that.  As you can see we still had plenty.  I was so grateful for this little bounty too.  Saved me another trip out to the market, as provisions were low.

OK then--no more yacking about beans, because I know you're excitedly waiting and I really do appreciate your patience.  But first I want to tell everyone who stopped by and left a comment, that I happily read every single one.  More than once!  And then I re-read them again out loud to my family, which made them happy!  We appreciated every kind word.  So thank you all very very much!  (And I also want to thank Susan and Christy for mentioning my books on their blogs, and anyone else that has done so!)

And now without further ado...the winner is . . . Vee!  Congratulations to you!! I'll be contacting you ASAP.   That's it for now . . .

Sweet Blessings

 
As I write, the house still smells of cinnamon and cake.  Grace was in the kitchen all day yesterday baking up a number of scrumptious things to celebrate her sister's birthday, and for a day of giving thanks.  I still have some presents to wrap, and more housekeeping to do, company coming this afternoon and more tomorrow; so I have to make this short and sweet.  

After re-reading all the stories last night (left in comments for this post), I kept coming back to one.  The story of Henry, the shoe-fetish Quasimodo ROOSTER! It really tickled my funny bone.  The story goes as follows::

 

"I'm sorry to hear of the loss of your furry friend. I've been there myself, and I truly sympathize. Now for a funny story....

Growing up, everyone in the neighborhood knew we were the family with a weak spot for unwanted critters. We ended up with a wide variety of stray creatures over the years, including the infamous Henry.... An eighth grade class at the local school had raised a rooster as a science experiment. Now that they were done, they needed to find a home for him. The cage in which they had kept Henry had caused his feet to become deformed so he walked sideways with a limp in a very quasimoto-like fashion. In addition to this, he was more than a little neurotic and had some behavioral issues. My Nana was a sweet and compassionate woman, so, of course we took in Henry and gave him a new home.

Henry was an interesting creature, and soon began to run the social empire that was the pet population of the back yard. He decided the garage was his, and defended it vigorously against intruders, both animal and human alike. It was soon discovered that Henry was also very amorous, and had an unnatural fetish for shoes. Anytime a person walked out the door and attempted to enter the garage, Henry would come hobbling sideways with his wings spread wide and proceed to get frisky with the offender's shoes! Needless to say, all of us ladies and children were terrified of Henry and gave him a wide berth...

The problem was, the extra fridge and freezer were in the garage and we often needed access when there were no men folk around to venture into the fray. A creative solution was needed, and finally found. We collected old shoes in a basket near the garage door. When we needed something from the garage, we would throw a shoe to the far end and wait until Henry ran to make his romantic advances on it. As soon as he was otherwise engaged, we would run in as fast as we could and grab what we needed. We were always sure to make a speedy exit. The highlight of the weekend for us kids was watching Papa go into the garage with his work boots on to collect all the shoes. Some of my earliest memories are of him in the garage with Henry clinging to Papa's feet for dear life, clucking and flapping away. Henry went on to live a very full Rooster life in the garage. Despite his early life in a rotten old cage, he was happy in his own way, and fancied himself to be quite the ladies (well, shoes) man. I always think of him fondly whenever I see roosters, and remember how much color he added to my childhood days."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

So, Kristy my dear,  CONGRATULATIONS you are the winner -- my book will be on its way to you pronto!  Thanks every body for participating and sharing your funny stories with me.  It was a blast reading through them and it really brightened our days.  Here's a funny for you. . .

 

H a p p y   T h a n k s g i v i n g !

Washing Away the Blues

Oh the humanity!!  I keep stopping in here and reading your stories and laughing---SO much!  If you haven't already, just go read a few, you'll see what I'm talking about.  Thanks, good peeps of the earth.  We are smiling again.  And keep those stories coming--I'll announce the winner of the book give-away Wednesday the day before Thanksgiving. 

Speaking of turkey day, are you ready?  It's coming up fast and Sarah's birthday is smack dab in the middle of it too. Busy, busy...  We're planning a small gathering here again this year, so time to clean my house and start making pies.  Pronto!

Unrelated:  I keep running across recipes and testimonies in favor of homemade laundry detergent and finally got around to making some and testing it out this weekend.  I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by all accounts.  I started out with a small batch: one bar castile soap (this is Dr. Bonner's above), 1 box baking soda, and 2 cups Borax.  I took liberties of adding a few drops of lavender oil.  Then I used one tiny ladle-full (about 2 T.) to wash a full load of white towels, and they came out beautifully.  If you're interested, there are dozens of other recipes out on the Internet--just do a search for: homemade laundry detergent; and be prepared to be amazed.

In Memory Of

Another batch of books just arrived and I do believe it is time for another give-away!

If you'd like a chance to win an autographed copy of my book for yourself (or to give to a friend), please make us laugh!  Tell us about a funny thing that happened to you.  Share your story in the comment section, so we can all giggle together.  We especially need some cheering up around here, having just laid to rest our furry little hamster friend, Pumpkin, who died peacefully in his sleep (of old age) Thursday night.  He was actually Sarah's pet, but I think I sobbed more than anyone!  I do have a soft spot for animals.   And not just woolly ones either.  I'll be using my laugh-O-meter this time to choose a winner, which will be announced on Wednesday (11-25-09). 

To readers around the globe: I welcome your stories as well---but due to sky-high postage rates the drawing is limited to U. S. residents.  

Farewell sweet friend. 

You touched our hearts and will surely be missed.

*Update:  Thanks everyone for all the laughs and cute stories!  Comments are now closed.  Winner to be announced soon!

Get Back Jack

 

These two pulled a fast one and they're still laughing about it. 

One of them was rotten and stunk up the whole house.  

Definitely a trickster.

 

Puffed Sleeves & A Winner

 

We are making progress on the baby-doll dress, one loving stitch at a time.  I love puffed sleeves.  Whenever I make them though, I start thinking about Anne (of Green Gables), begging Marilla for a gown with puffed sleeves.  I believe at the turn of the century those enormous puffed sleeves were referred to as "mutton sleeves", because they looked like 'legs of mutton'.  You know, the hind quarter of a lamb.  (Ew!) Sorry, my sincere apologies.  But it is true. 

Anyway, these puff sleeves are tiny and sweet and not a smidgen of mutton anywhere in the vicinity.  I'm edging them with lavender bias binding to match the piping on the bodice.  I couldn't believe that I found a scrap left-over from another project that was just exactly the right length and color for this.  I so *LOVE* when that happens.  

OK.  Before I duck back into my sewing corner and pick up my needle and thread, I need to announce the winner of the Blanket Statement give-away:  The winner is Rebecca, who authors not one, but two blogs.  (I'm amazed how some people can do this when I can barely keep up with one.)  Her food blog, Kitchen Riches is amazing and has me drooling.  I'm definitely going to have to try her recipe for Cappuccino Chocolate Chip Bread.  (Congratulations Rebecca!  Please email your address and I'll get a signed copy of my book in the mail to you pronto.)

Thank you everyone else for stopping by, and for your very lovely comments.  I so enjoyed reading them and visiting your blogs too! 

 

And now, we return to the puff sleeves...

 

 

 

Good Day

 

And...we have a winner for the spring chicks tea towel!  Comment::  "I'm not exactly a Spring chicken, but I sure do love these Spring chicks! Definitely happy!"  Posted by: Shari

Congratulations Shari!  After visiting her blog, Big Yellow Farmhouse I can see that this little treasure will fit in quite nicely.  (And I ask you, just how cute is that farmhouse? And that chicken?)  I'll pop this little prize in the mailbox ASAP!  Thanks to everyone who stopped by and left a comment and joined the fun.   Happy Spring!

Spring Chicks Give-Away

I just wandered in from my sewing room after putting the last finishing detail on this;  a bit of vintage rick-rack as "grass"---it's interpretive, use your imagination here.  (smile)  Yesterday, after I found this cute old pattern among my boxes of orphan transfer sheets, I  literally dropped everything I was doing and took up my embroidery needle.  It's been awhile since I stitched anything and I could not resist such cuteness.  Spring chicks also seemed like the perfect "conclusion" to the newest*sweet surprises* towel designs too (don't ya think?),  so I made them part of this month's bonus collection which is up on the website now.  And...I'm giving away the dishtowel shown here!  No April foolin' either.  Leave a comment to enter the drawing and I'll announce a winner on Good Friday (4-10).  My sincere apologies to International readers, but due to sky-high postage rates this drawing is limited to U. S. residents.   OK, I think that's it...now I need to go make more of these. 

*Comments are closed--a winner will be chosen soon*

Vintage Embroidery #1 Give-Away

Well.  I must say, I've missed this kind of fun craft sewing and am thoroughly enjoying myself here in this quiet little corner.  Just stitching away the hours, stopping occasionally for a chocolate break and a coffee refill.  Don't want to stall the momentum.  I hope you can find a little time for yourself today -- doing what you love to do.  Soon, I'll show you how this little production (above) turned out.  But first, we have another winner to announce.  The random number generator thingy has spoken; and Judy is the lucky recipient of  the Childhood Dreams FolkWear pattern!  Woo-hoo...I see lots of beautiful nightgowns in your future my dear.  I know this because I just went to visit Judy's blog, daily yarns 'n more, and discovered she has eleven children and fourteen grandchildren.  It's a good thing the pattern is multi-sized from 2-12!  I really don't think it could've found a better home, do you?  Perhaps providence at work here.  (And thank you Judy for being a supporter of my blog--- your blog has been added to my new links list.)

OK, so for the next round, I'm offering not one, not two, but three vintage embroidery pattern reprints from my PatternBee shop.  These lovely things have been restored and reprinted from the original patterns as hot iron-on transfers.  As you can see, we have another childhood theme here--cute animals, kewpies, and an old-fashioned fairytale sequence, featuring Goldilocks & the 3 Bears.  Perfect for a sweet little quilt.  (The patterns are on my website--just click on the link if you want to see more images and details.)  Leave a comment (or just say "HI" if you're shy), to enter the drawing to win the lot. 

Time to settle back in with my sewing now...and maybe just one more homemade double-chocolate brownie, courtesy of daughter Grace, whose amazing baking skills only rivals these tiny treats of hers from the dollhouse bakery.  This peppermint fudge set is new to her shop this week.  Each of these miniature creations are thoughtfully crafted by hand.  You just would not believe how much attention to detail and time goes into making these little lovelies.  Which accounts for why there are only a few available at a time.  And like most sweets...they never last long.

UPDATE:  Comments are closed--thank you everyone that participated--I'm still reading through them and will announce the winner on the next post!

Holiday Surprise Give-Away

It's that time of year again...ready for some fun and games?  Last year I sent you all on a scavenger hunt for prizes, and the year before there was this holiday special.  As I was sitting and sipping my cocoa last night, I was thinking...how do I top that? 

Well, actually I don't think I can, in terms of spending lots of time pulling something elaborate together - given the craziness of the last few weeks and the usual mayhem ahead.  So instead, I'm just going to *surprise you* with freebies (at random) here at turkey feathers.com, starting now until the gift cupboard is empty.  You'll actually be helping me reduce my stash a little.   

OK.  Here's the scoop.  No restrictions apply.  This is open to every one where ever you are on the planet.  You can be the proud owner of a blog or blogless.  It matters not.  Regular readers, newbies, lurkers and peeps -- all welcome.  No strings attached.  Leave a comment (or just say hello), to get your name thrown in the hat for a chance to win.  I'll announce winners at random.  Maybe within a day or two.  Maybe even on the same day of the post--you just never know.  It's a *surprise give-away* remember? 

Today I am offering this beautiful Japanese embroidery book #2498.  I know.  Can you believe it?  These books are pricey and not always easy to get a hold of, but somehow or another, I managed to wind up with two of them.   And...'tis the season...so--I'm passing it on.  Sample pages are shown. 

Have at it.  But, please.  No pushing and shoving.

_________________________________________

UPDATE:  Thank you for stopping by.  Comments are now closed.  I'll announce a winner tomorrow, along with another give-away!

Without Further Ado

Thanks everyone, for the chit-chat and chuckles on my Sentimental Journey. I kind of hated for it to end.  So many great memories and stories out there. I think I identified with all of them in one way or another.  Anyhoo, time to wrap it up. So, without further ado the winners are Gina, Betty, and Nina.  Congratulations Ladies!  Please send me your pattern choice (and address) when you have a minute.  There’s no cut-off date to claim your prize, so take your time browsing if you need to.

 

I wanted to offer a little something to everyone else too, so I gathered a few fancy florals that can be traced and embroidered.  The pdf download here. Use it on clothing, I'm thinking Redwork peasant blouse (yum), or pretty pillowcases, or table linens; actually anywhere you want to add a *fancy flourish*.  The designs are some I collected a long time ago,  from "The Wonder Package" c. 1933.  This big box, boasting over 800 different designs, was mailed through newspapers and contained quite a varied collection of these very VERY large pattern sheets.  The transfer method is interesting; requiring tamping the back of the paper with a damp cloth.  Similar to applying a fake tattoo.  I never tried it because I didn't want to cut any of these up, besides it seems like a messy affair.  Most of these are quite elaborate, but the few I chose for you should be easy enough to trace.  (However, if you absolutely hate tracing, Paypal me a couple of dollars and I'll mail you the design sheet as an iron-on transfer instead.) 

Enjoy!

Just Passing Through

Me too!  The Senitmental Journey contest is officially closed.  I'll be tossing your names into my super sonic spinning bonnet numbers generator and will report back tomorrow with 3 winners AND a *surprise* for everyone!    Toodle-Loo. . .

Sentimental Journey

I found myself tripping down memory lane after running across this blouse again.  I made it in the summer of ‘68 while staying with my great-aunt.  She lived year-round at her lake house and each summer, along with my cousins, I’d spend a few weeks swimming, fishing, picking blackberries, and basically running free; my own private summer camp.  When the sun got too hot, I would retreat to the cool of the shade and doodle in my sketch book, write love letters to my boyfriend (the Mister), or sew.  Sometimes I’d help “Nanny” with one of her quilts.  As far back as I can remember she always had a quilt in progress or some other type of handwork on her lap, like most of the women in my family did back then.  So, I guess it just seemed natural for me to have a stitching project too.

I was fourteen at the time, and really into peasant blouses.  I’d been practicing sewing my own clothes and these tops were easy to make and I made a lot of them.  Mostly from sweet calico cotton prints that grew soft and faded from the California sun, but this one, I embroidered, using a Vogart pattern I’d found at the local five-and-dime store.  My memory of stitching this, and all the peripheral details of that time are as clear as if they happened yesterday.  Memories seemingly held in place by the stitches themselves. 

 

Often, I get letters from women who share similar stories, of how an old pattern or piece of needlework has had certain significance in their lives because it reminds them of something or someone from the past.  Just this week, Elizabeth shared a story with me and Lisa shared another about a set of towels that had been in her family.  I’m always so tickled when I get letters like this.  Old patterns have a way of coming full circle sometimes! 

I was thinking about all this and thought it would be fun to encourage more stories.  Just share your thoughts in the comment box, so others can also read them, and I’ll pick a few at random to receive a free pattern from my website.  Contest is open to one and all, near and far.  You don’t need a blog to participate, but if you have a post and a picture all the better (be sure and include the link).  I’ll announce the winners next week sometime.  That should give everyone who wants to participate enough time to do so. I'm looking forward to reading the fond memories this conjures up!

Shuffling Along

Happy Monday!

To everyone who stopped by and left a comment and a song, Thank You! 

It made my day.

I recognized most of the songs mentioned, others I can't wait to check out. 

Most of my morning has been spent in the comments, following links to your blogs where I totally lost all track of time with your stories, pictures, crafts, cooking, decorating projects, sewing, gardening and other fun amazing stuff. 

There's so much crafty goodness out there, it makes my head spin. 

Speaking of spinning, the Super Shuffler Spinning Bonnet (our very own personal random numbers generator), has just selected a winner for the pink bunny doll quilt. 

The winner is . . . {drumroll please} . . . Tinker! 

Congratulations!

But wait, there's more . . .

Behold, another dish towel!

I love this design, it reminds me of an old fashioned Valentine.  Also works for all-around everday kitchen cuteness. This very lovely birdie motif is included in the PatternBee Bonus set for March. 

I'm also happy to announce that the very first set of twelve Bonus patterns for 2007 are now available. I plan to add each successive year to the web site as time goes by.  That way, if you miss any you can still get them.

And check out the FREE kitchen towel embroidery designs here.   

Awe Inspired

Will you just look at the kind of thing that happens when you're not paying attention?  Oh my.  Like a watched pot that never boils. This lone tulip poked its gorgeous head up and made an unexpected appearance.  Well, well, well.  When it comes to flowers of any kind, better late---than never, I say.  I happened to notice it yesterday as I was passing by with the weed cart.  The sun was shining on it like a spotlight and set the petals all a-glow.  I stopped in my tracks to stare.  Quickly skipped inside to grab my camera.  Glad I did too, because its cold and drippy today, a far cry from this scene, but one that I can now continue to enjoy here. I don't recall planting this bulb, or seeing it before.  Maybe a squirrel carried it over from another's yard and buried it at the base of the tree.  What a wonderful surprise!  It's the only tulip growing out in the open here, and it appears to have escaped the attention of the deer, who are still lurking. Could. it. be. the deer don't actually eat this one?  Or possibly, they're just put-off by the daffodils and grape hyacinth that surround it, which they don't care for.  I was once told that deer don't eat red tulips, so on that advice, big red tulips we planted with abandon.  However, to my horror, their lovely heads were promptly and thoroughly chomped-off at the neck before they'd even had a chance to bloom.  (OK, I thought, so much for that theory.)  But now I'm wondering.  Maybe there's some truth to that, and this is the red tulip they don't go for.  I can only hope and dream that's true, because oh, the loveliness of it is beyond description.  Must find out more about it so I can plant some companions.  In the meantime though, I'm keeping my eye on this one to be sure.  Be brave my darling.

Anyway, after being tagged by several people this month to list my five fave blogs, and finding it impossible to narrow it down to only five, I decided instead, to share those that have *inspired me the most* this past week (and even that wasn't easy), but here they are...in alphabetical order with links so you can be inspired too:

Calamity Kim: Incredible collage quilts and aprons.

Echoes of a Dream: Simmy's fabulous felt dandelions, along with a tutorial for making them. 

Molly Chicken: Lynn's "grumpy" doll Hattie and more links to amazing things.

Peace & Serenknitty:  Whimsical handmade Shoes, Victoria's gift from her mother.

Tales from Pixiewood: Cherry Menlove's interview with Susan Branch.

Ok that's it. Now I'm tagging these five bloggers to share their fave five: Isabelle, Tatania, Dannielle, Sabine, and Tracy.

And a grand parting-shot of my lovely, unfurling garden gift here.  Hope you all find inspiration today!

Something Old, Something New

Moving right along, I've decided that for my next finish what you have project, I'm going to do something with this crewel piece I did way back when.  This was done from a kit called Country Life, an Erica Wilson design from the 1980's.  I finished every bit of the needlework at the time, but never had it blocked and framed properly.  Which is such a shame really because I've always loved this and have no excuse for leaving it in a plastic bag all these years.  None whatsoever.  So often I'd take it out, admire all the work, then put it away.  I think it's high time I get on it before moths find a hole in the bag.  Now, I'm all for originality but you can learn so much by doing kits.  This piece alone has about 40 different stitch designs.  Things like the fishbone stitch, turkey work, vandyke, couching, spider's web, cretan, and wonderful little bullion stitches.   I finally mastered the French Knot on that rabbit.  There's so much texture to this piece due to all the different stitches, and I thoroughly enjoyed learning new techniques as I went along.   I'm thinking of framing this in a shadow box instead of with the glass right on top which would flatten it.  I really have no experience with this sort of thing, but want it enclosed somehow.  So that's the direction I'm headed with this one....

...and then there's this brand new something, just starting to take shape.   This should be interesting to say the least.  It's been a while since I tackled anything like this.  Stay tuned for project updates.  One of the nice things about keeping a craft blog is, now I've committed myself to finishing something. 

Thing One & Thing Two

So this is one of the things I've been working on.  I guess you could say, two things.  They don't have their hair yet;  thought they were cute though, like a pair of kewpies with that little point at the top of their heads.  I got the pattern here and have so far made Autumn and Winter.  Somehow I missed Spring.  Oh, well, next year perhaps.  I'm making one for Ginger and one for a special birthday girl.  The party is Friday so I've got to get back to this today if I'm going to finish it in time.  I'd been dreaming about making a rose-colored one, and found this velour quite by chance at Joann's.  Just walked in the door and there it was.  That just never happens and I was so happy because I'm working under a time crunch and have no time to go driving all over tar-nation hunting for stuff. 

Speaking of which,  I might as well confess that I'm late getting my Club Little House project finished too.  (I'm so cringing here and hanging my head in shame...shame I tell you!)  It all just took longer than I thought it would as some things didn't exactly go according to plan.  Actually, none of it did..oops.  The idea was good, but the construction aspect just didn't fall into place like it was supposed to.  I'm just not used to production-line crafting.  I can't say that I really enjoy it either.  I suppose though, if I'd stuck to a simpler project things might have run more smoothly.  Lesson learned.  As it stands I am behind and in fact, still waiting for more parts to arrive by post, as I was short a few pieces, and another component was damaged in the package and thus had to be replaced.  But that is the least of it, the biggest challenge for me was the measuring, cutting, and gluing X 12.  I didn't think I was ever going to see the end of it.  One evening I spent two hours working on this and only managed to finish ONE item and then ended up throwing it out because it wasn't right.  I somehow glued the top to the bottom and the bottom to the top and I don't know what.  And I messed up again the following night, wasting hours of time with nothing to show for it but a pile of  tiny disasters!   I finally got my groove on and eventually things began moving in the right direction but getting there was painful.  Because I really wanted these to be perfect, and well, they are not.  Not even close.  But I hope they are well-received anyway, and I'm really hoping, with fingers crossed, that these are in the mail soon and Amy doesn't kick me out of the club! 

A Stitch In Time

The quilting is done!  I don't think I've ever quilted so much and so fast in my life.  Luckily, my fingers are still intact, albeit a bit sore and misshapen from the metal thimbles.  Just how much quilting was that anyway?  Well, about 250 yards to be exact.  That equals one entire spool of quilting thread. I wasn't really keeping track.  I just happen to realize it after I reeled off that last bit of thread.  I suppose I should've jumped outta my chair and danced around the room, but instead  I just sat there staring at the empty spool in my hand!  

Ties That Bind

It's a bit soggy here this morning with more spring showers.  I went outside between downpours and found this little corner of the yard looking so pretty. The daisies planted themselves here with the clematis and next to the lupine.  They've popped up all over the yard and even make the weedy patches look presentable. 

The Mister's been cooking all the meals this whole entire weekend and I couldn't be happier about that.  (His idea and gift to me!) He usually makes breakfast on the weekends and in fact is making French Toast as we speak.  The kids all got their first kitchen experience from him.  As soon as they were old enough to stand on a stool and hold a spatula they were at his side flipping pancakes or stirring the waffle batter every Saturday & Sunday morning.  It's great when the whole family participates together and makes a contribution toward bringing food to the table, whether it's the planning, shopping, cooking or clean-up, with the acknowledgment that it's not just one person's "job".  I do the bulk of it without too much whining, but it's really nice to have supportive helpers. 

Not having to think about meals really frees up my time for other things... like um...driving all over town yesterday to find enough bias binding for this quilt.  I only needed four little packages for heavens sake.  Resources are often limited in a small town and that can make it near impossible to find all you need in one place.  A simple outing turned into a quest.  I ended up with two packages from Joann's, one from a local craft store and one from the drug store. The last two weren't from the same dye lot and didn't match, but I bought it anyway because by that time I just wanted to get home.  No wonder I have such a hard time finishing things--ha!

And speaking of that, I'm pleased so many of you are getting into the race with 'Finish What You Have'.  I'm setting up a flickr group over here so we can share the projects we've dug out.   Seeing what others are doing will help inspire us.  A big thank-you to Justine for making a button for this.  Actually, I think her hubby made it which explains the racing flags thing.  I would've never thought of that, but he did and I think it's very clever.   I love the colors!  Feel free to use it on your blog.  I'll be adding it to my sidebar once I figure out how to do this again.  (I have the code, but it doesn't seem to be working, nor is my email to Justine going through to Australia, so if you happen to be reading this dear...help! ) This should be fun, I don't want anyone to feel like they're under a deadline or anything though. Quilts for instance, may probably take longer than a month to complete.  And we all know life happens.  The main idea is just getting the stuff out again and committing to finishing it.  I'll most likely start a new project here and there in between, even though I'm still pushing to get my older projects to the finish line.

Finish What You Have

After my last few posts about re-claiming and working on unfinished projects, I've heard from many of you out there in the craft community (online and otherwise) about how many unfinished projects are collecting dust underneath beds and behind closed doors.  This seems to be a problem for most crafters in general.  We often start something with lots of enthusiasm only to abandon it somewhere down the line because we run out of time, materials, or patience. Or there's an illness in the family or a crisis.   Maybe a new baby.  Sometimes we just loose motivation.

Well, here it is.  The motivation part.  As I was sipping my tea and staring off into space this morning I was thinking about that, and what it accomplished for me personally, and it inspired this challenge. 

I'd like to suggest this June as Finish What You Have month.  Find something that needs buttons, or stitches or stuffing or seam-ripping or whatever, and finish it.  This can be *anything* you started over a month ago or twenty years ago that was abandoned and forgotten for some reason.   Share what inspired you to start the project and what stopped you from finishing it if you desire.   Finish one project or a dozen.   Personally, I could take the challenge for the rest of the year and never run out of things to show and tell about!  And I know I'm not the only one.  Anyone else up for it? 

Take Five

We're making progress in the "enchanted garden".

This is what we started with three days ago.  And that was one seriously wicked rose vine that had to be taken out.  I love old roses, but this spot gets only a few hours of  morning sun so it just got all leggy and wandered in search of  it...or victims.   I'm not quite sure which though, remembering the number of times it snagged me and my clothes!  Last year, I think we had like one or two roses on it.  Not worth getting poked and pricked for.  Three years ago, right after we moved in, I'd cut this nearly to the ground (because the siding had to be replaced and repainted), and it grew back with a vengeance and a vendetta.  Honestly some of the canes were about an inch or more in diameter with huge thorns like claws.  Yes indeed, there were moments of sheer terror when confronting it this weekend.  Really though, I was kind of sad to see it go, the few roses it did manage to produce were pretty and I love the romance of climbing roses.  Another time, another place perhaps.  There's a polite little clematis in its place now and I'm content with that. 

Update on the peony...it's taking its time...keeping me in suspense.