Keeping My Postie Busy

My mailbox was a busy place this last week! In addition to all the usual bills there was treasure to be found. First up was an RAK from Lindsay of Caring Stitcher. Lindsay knows how much I love the UK so when she saw these goodies she knew they had my name written all over them.

Some Diamond Jubilee tea towels, rhinestone studded socks, pens, ribbons and best of all is the little tote. I've already been carrying my lunch to work in the tote and I'm just thrilled to not be using a used plastic grocery sack any more!  Thank you for the sweet gift, Lindsay, I couldn't be more pleased!

Then came my giveaway prize from Angela of Hooked On Stitches. Angela stitched me the Dear Diary design of my choice and finished it into the most beautiful box:

Isn't it gorgeous? You wouldn't believe how PERFECT this thing is! Angela is definitely a finishing pro. Every single detail is amazing. I cannot believe this is mine! I wish you could see this treasure in person. I'm over the moon every time I look at it. Thank you so very much, Angela!

Then a wee thank you gift came today from Annette of California Stitcher. Annette was the winner of my business card giveaway and she promised to send me one when they arrived. I guess she couldn't resist sending a few goodies along with:

Lovely handmade greeting card, some peach tea tucked into a little decorated bag and a few pretty variegated DMC threads. And of course her wonderful card from Printrunner. Thank you, Annette! 

I've been thoroughly spoiled this week, haven't I? 

Blog friends are such fun and I'm so thankful YOU are one of them.

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

The Coffee IS Safe To Drink!

"Is this coffee poison?" called Dash from the kitchen, sounding worried.

"No!" I assured, "It's safe."

"Okay," Dash said, "I just never know around you."

No, I don't usually brew pots of poison coffee, but I'd spent all morning dyeing stuff and Dash is used to warnings like, "Don't drink any stuff in a Mason jar, it's fabric dye!"

I spent lots of time today preparing for finishing. I have an exchange project I've been working on so I can't share photos of that but I can show you a few other things:

I dyed trims with tan Rit dye. Some rick rack, twill tape and chenille. These turned out nice and I am looking forward to using them. It took me forever to find chenille...bought it here. If you search for chenille, all you get is sweaters. Go figure. The rick rack and twill tape I got at Joann Fabrics.

Then I painted a small round box and waxed it. This was preparation for a project I started today. You can find these boxes at the crafts stores, they are just paper mache. The wood boxes work too! A coat of craft paint, sandpaper to antique then apply a bit of wax stain and buff it to a shine. Looks like a million bucks. Dash thinks this dark brown one looks like leather. I also did the box for the project below but didn't take a picture of it yet.

Any of the brands of craft paint will do, choose it for the color. The wax I use is Briwax, dark brown. I found this at a specialty wood finishing shop in Oklahoma City. Wear vinyl gloves when applying this! 

While I had the tan dye out I tossed in my latest little finish to give it a spot of color. This is Blackbird Designs, Birds and Berries Pinbox. This will (hopefully) be a little pinpillow inside a box like the one above. If I can swing it. I never did one before but I'm feeling adventurous! Many thanks to Barb & Alma of Blackbird Designs for the exquisite instructions in their publications. You ladies rock!

What have you been working on? Have you tried anything new lately?

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

A Meaningful Craft Project

As some of you are aware, my husband is a ride captain with the Patriot Guard. This group attends the funerals of Veterans (when asked) to show honor and if needed, they act as a shield between the mourners and any protest groups. Most of the members of the Patriot Guard are motorcycle enthusiasts. You can see another post I made on this subject here.

A while back, another Ride Captain, Cowboy, gave Dash a tassel to hang from his handlebars. The colors on one side are for the American flag and the other side has the blue and yellow of the Patriot Guard Riders. The grommet used is from a retired American flag. A sweet remembrance, isn't it?

Dash asked me if I could make him another tassel in the POW-MIA colors of black and white. Ooo fun! I stopped by Hobby Lobby for supplies after work and came up with this. 

We had a few grommets from retired flags and I was able to whip out six tassels before I ran out of leather cording. 

 "Crap," I told Dash, "I have to go back to Hobby Lobby!" 

"How horrible." He replied, dryly. He knows I never mind a visit to any craft store.

I will make more of these for Dash to give away on rides. Quick and easy to make and people love free stuff, especially with meaning behind it.

I don't think Dash was pleased I wanted to snap photos of the tassels on his bike (it's covered in bugs from a recent ride) but what do you do when you are trying to leave for work and your wife is in front of your bike with a camera? Thanks, Sweetie!

Why does Rick use the road name Dash? Click here.

POW-MIA you are not forgotten.

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

The Big One

Remember last October, when I started a new project? Specifically, the Prairie Schooler 12 Days of Christmas, stitched as separate ornaments. I'm behind on sharing where I am at on these so I thought I'd catch you up!

Barbi girl...you got some catching up to do!

Firstly, I think I skipped sharing 9 Ladies Dancing. I am sure I showed you 8 Maids and 10 Lords and I don't know how I missed 9 Ladies but here it is:

I already showed you 10 Lords finished ~ remember all my silly photos finding missing stitches? So now here is 11 Pipers completed:

And 12 Drummers:

I can't believe the stitching is completed! You can click here to see all my posts featuring these designs.

I have had a great time stitching each one. These were easy stitches and very relaxing! Don't they look great?

The fabric I tea stained for these ornaments was perfect. I used a 32 count Jobelan from 123Stitch, spotted it with strong tea, then dunked the whole piece. After dyeing, I cut the fabric into 12 even (mostly) squares and started stitching. I think I worried all these months that I'd lose my pack of fabric squares mid-way through ~ or that I'd lose one of the completed squares! Silly me.

Now for the mammoth task of finishing all of these into ornaments. I would like them all to look the same and I'm thinking to make them like the ornament in this post. This is going to take some determination to sew all 12. What the hell was I thinking???

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

Whoops!

ORT fail. Many apologies...your fearless TUSAL leader thought the New Moon was today! This is a little late but I'm here with some rather sparse ORTs to show. It looks like a nice full jar but really, compared to my last few months of ORT photos these are lousy!

Plus, this is a really craptastic snap but I wasn't too worried because I'm late enough as it is. Leave a comment on this post to let us know you have posted your ORT report for June...you will receive an extra entry in the TUSAL giveaways. Those of you who posted this month to last months report might want to post again here as well.

As many of you have noticed, I have been taking a little break from blogging. Thank you all for the emails and comments inquiring as to my whereabouts. I didn't mean to be gone so long! Life hasn't been the same these last few months. Losing Sheba was such a heartbreak, she was such a big part of our lives. How can one little soul leave such a giant hole? Dash and I have been trying to cope, sometimes not very well. I am hopeful the worst is over and sunnier days are ahead. 

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

May ORT Report

My ORT jar for the last moon. I've been stitching like a fiend! So many of these ORTs were travel-saved...carefully preserved to place in the jar when I arrived back to my stitching desk. The weather has been perfect for outdoor stitching and when I get the chance I plant my rear!

As always, TUSALers leaving a comment here receive an extra entry in the giveaway at the end! Happy New Moon everyone!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

And The Winner Is...

Sorry for the delay announcing the winner of the business card giveaway. Life has been absolute hell these days. I'm trying to cope but not doing a good job of it. Forgive me if I am not around much for a while...

Big congratulations to Annette who blogs at California Stitcher! Thank you to everyone that entered.

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

Business Card Giveaway

I love business cards! I have started including one with my information on it in with exchanges, RAKs and giveaways. On mine, I have my name, mailing address, email address and blog address. Isn't that a great way to keep in contact with your online friends? I'm using homemade ones now but I'm really, really looking forward to receiving some professional ones from PrintRunner very soon ~ I hear they have awesomely fast turnaround time!

Did you know you can Print online with PrintRunner?  They print business cards that look professional and expensive at an affordable rate. PrintRunner is a full service, high quality printing company located in Chatsworth, California.

I was so excited to receive this offer from PrintRunner this week. They are providing a set of 250 business cards to give away to one of my readers AND a set to me for hosting! The offer as follows:

• Prize: Business Cards
• Business Card Size and Style Business Cards - 2x3.5 (Standard)
• Quantity:  250
• Colors:    4/4 Color Both Sides
• Paper:   14 pt. UV Coating on Front, 14 pt. UV Coating on both sides,
• Proof:    NONE
• Rounded Corners:   NO

The Fine Print ~ *Giveaway is open to US Residents only, ages 18 years old and above.

If you would like to enter this giveaway, leave a comment on this post. I will need your name and email address to send to PrintRunner (if you are the winner) so be sure I have a way of contacting you.

Hurry now ~ I've found my giveaways do best if they are quick (meaning = hardly anyone enters after the first couple of days lol) so I will choose the winner next Wednesday, May 17, 2012. The actual prize gets awarded on May 31, 2012. Be aware you can only win one giveaway prize from PrintRunner in a two-month period. You can also "like them" on Facebook like I did!

The Disclaimer ~ Thank you to PrintRunner for providing us this giveaway. I will receive a set of business cards for hosting this.

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

Try, Try Again

I meant to post again last week but I kept getting sidetracked. Then, I meant to post on Sunday for WIPocalypse full moon but sat my butt on the back porch and stitched instead. This really wouldn't be a problem but circumstances prevented me from WIPocalypse last month so it's about time I make a WIPocalypse post!

Now that my traveling patterns are all finished I've been concentrating on my Prairie Schooler 12 Days of Christmas ornaments. I finished 10 Lords-a-leaping! Isn't he handsome?

Wait! He looks kinda funny. Oh no...I forgot his eye and golden buttons!

There, that's better! Hmmmmm, still looks odd. Is something missing?

Holly berries! GEE ~ Is this one done yet? How long have I been at this hobby? I think I'd better check all the other ones I've already "finished" too...

I made a really good start on number 11 as well:

Traveling Pattern? You mean the Shepherd's Bush one? Oh, heck...I nearly forgot that as well! Sorry, sorry, sorry! That is heading out to Kathy of Kathy's Sit and Stitch. Congratulations Kathy! Those of you really, really wanting to stitch this please bookmark Kathy's blog and be watching for her finish!

I'm trying to arrange a treat for you. Yes, that was cryptic, wasn't it?

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox

Tweet Heart

Well, you didn't think I'd get anywhere near Tulsa on a Saturday and not visit The Silver Needle, did you? Of course, almost the second I walked through the door a few Blackbird Designs things got stuck to my hands. I couldn't get rid of the stuff and I ended up having to pay for them! Can you imagine? Then after I got home this little project kept calling my name, begging to be stitched. Chalk this one up as the miracle project...one that Daffycat stitched AND finished with 24 hours, beginning to end. This never happens!

Design ~ Tweet Hearts, Exemplar #1

Designer ~ Alma Allen of Blackbird Designs

Fabric ~ 32 count tea-stained Belfast Linen

Fiber ~ DMC

A darling project. It is from the book For My Friend. I'm fond of mildly prim finishes like this ~ very forgiving of my inexpert sewing skills! This shaped bit of sewing was somewhat a challenge to me ~ I had a little trouble catching both fabrics in the seam. Not like a square pillow, is it? I neatly covered my doofy seams with a buttonhole stitch using # 12 Perle Cotton. The green plaid fabric shown was my backing and since a sweet pinpillow needed some pretty new pins, I made four to go with. I'm just tickled with it. Be aware...99% of the credit goes to Barb and Alma for the lovely detailed finishing instructions in their books. 

Thank you for visiting my blog today!

xox