My Christmas 2011 Giveaways

Now it is time to do my usual "Christmas thing" and that is to have a giveaway from me to you. Well, two of you anyway. Don't I always say I wish I could send everyone something? Yes, I do. And, I wish I could, but as you know, none of us can do that. Instead, I will have the 'old navy man' choose two of you to receive my giveaways for Christmas 2011. If you will kindly leave a comment on this post, the two winners will be chosen on this coming Tuesday, 12-20-11 at 10:00 p.m. and I will post the winners after that time, that very night.

So, you ask, what lovely gifts will the winners be receiving. Well, as you can see here, I have a wonderful book for winner #1 and an equally wonderful magazine for winner #2. Along with these, each winner will receive a six inch pincushion. These are just about the most simple pincushions I have ever made....but since I like to applique, I thought for a change of pace, I'd keep them simple and just applique a heart on each one....letting the fabrics speak for themselves. As you can see, the heart is a red print that I just love and have hoarded for a while and it's just about all gone...with me managing to get two large hearts out of the remnants. The background isn't linen, but kinda looks like it and the back is a wonderful fabric, which to my mind looks 'kind of French.' As you know, I know nothing about French fabrics, but I've imagined these to be French. Well, we have to have fun in our own way sometimes.......

I know you will enjoy the book and the magazine. First of all, the book is one of my favorites: "The French Inspired Home" by Kaari Meng. Scrumptious! And, also very inspiring. The magazine is "Somerset Holidays & Celebrations." It, too, is very inspiring. I love many of the Stampington magazines and could actually spend all my 'mad money' (or more!) on them. Books and magazines are two of my weaknesses.....what about you?

So, there we are! Two giveaways.....just leave me a comment on this post and make sure I have a way to get in touch with you....because if you are one of the two winners, I'll need to email you on Tuesday night!!!! I'll be looking forward to sending these lovely things to you in thanks for all your visits this year...THANK YOU SO MUCH (!) for visiting me in 2011. Merry Christmas!
And, stay warm, safe and cozy........giant hugs, pat

PS. Remember, I'll be happy to send one of these packages to you no matter where you live on the planet....so comment please.......you might win!!

Art, Out and About

Yesterday, a special art showing was held at the Searcy Art Gallery. The gallery is located in a marvelous house build in the 1800's which has become the local city art gallery. Recently freshly painted and glorified, the house is a wonderful place to visit and see some artwork from local artists. There is also a small gift shop there.

This day, four of the artists from Second Saturday Studio had their work featured. The show will hang until sometime in January. Those four girls are the most precious people and I am lucky enough to get to spend time with them at our downtown studio. Of course, as you've read here before, one of them is my own daughter and the other three have become really good friends of mine. I'm so proud of them and their work and thought you might like to see some of the pieces in the show.

Kelly (my daughter) does abstracts. It's really fun to watch her create her colorful paintings. She uses all kinds of techniques to get the paint colors 'just the way she wants them' although at the beginning of each painting even she doesn't know how it will turn out. It's fascinating! Kelly is a realtor in 'real' life, with one grown son.

Micah paints whimsical little 'stories.' At least, that's how I look at it. There always seems to be a friend or family 'story' which has given her an idea and she runs with it. Her colors are delightful and we all 'ooh and ahh' as she works. In her 'real' life, she is a hairdresser and has two teenagers.

Cheri paints using oils, watercolors or acrylics and paints on a variety of different objects...from artist's canvas, to wood, to antique tin ceiling tiles....it's always a surprise what she will come up with. And, we always enjoy her adventures. Cheri used to work in the advertising world, but right now she is raising her wonderful twelve year old son.

Audra will paint your pet in watercolor. She's very good at it....the animals always look REAL.
She is young, with two small kids and has a job too. I'm always amazed at the portraits she paints.

How these girls do all they do is a mystery to me. They are constantly busy and yet make the time to create. They are inspiring!!!

Hope you enjoy seeing some of their work and remember to check back here later in the week. I'm having a Christmas Giveaway pretty soon! Enjoy your great new week too and stay safe, warm and cozy! pat

PS. YES, there IS a ballerina by the Christmas tree...there was dancing, a one act play, and a book signing as that 'little bit extra' for the opening! A wonderful time was had by all!

An AQG Auction Item

This coming Monday, night at the monthly meeting of the Arkansas Quilters Guild, their annual auction will be held. This annual auction began last year. If you read my blog last year at this time, you will remember that one of the auction items was a day at my backyard studio. Pat C. won that tour and we had a very nice day. This year, I decided to create one of my pincushions for auction. Inspired by my friend, Allie Aller and her book CRAZY QUILTING, I made this pincushion. Visit Allie HERE.

This pincushion is 6 inches by ten inches. At the guilds' last AWOL retreat, I asked for scraps of fabric from several of the attendees. I used those scraps to make this entire pincushion....including the back fabrics and the hexagon flower I used for a label. Being made from scraps left me with not a lot of choice when it came to colors, but I managed just fine. The back is made from all yellows and browns as I could not integrate all those yellows in with the pinks/reds, etc., that I used on the front. I have a reputation in the guild as working with 'mud' colors, so I felt more comfortable using the yellows on the back. I think it turned out ok.

So....here we are...scrap fabrics, some DMC floss in different colors, birds I simply have to always use, embroidered leaves...as you know one of my favorite designs. There are also French Knots.....now, those I could make for hours at a time!!

Then, of course, my favorite edgings...beads! I made bead soup to come up with enough beads in my color selection...and then, those antique looking gold beads too. I LOVE to make a beaded edge where you have to count every single bead to get a certain pattern in the beaded 'fringe.'
However, if I intended to finish the pincushion...I had to just go 'random' and not count those beads. This means that not all the loops of the 'fringe' are the same length. They vary. Well, it's handmade, so I think since this pincushion was made from scraps...the imperfect beading is ok.
You'll tell me, I know what you think. I hope you do.

The pincushion is now in the possession of my friend, Shannon, who is responsible for the auction items. She received it in the mail yesterday and let me know it had arrived. I hope she was right in her prediction that it will certainly raise some money for the guild. I'll be anxious to hear how it goes. And, I hope you have enjoyed seeing this pincushion...as you know, I enjoy making them.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend and I'll 'see' you soon. Stay warm. pat

Fun at Thanksgiving

Oh, I'm so behind in my posting.....how are you out there? I'm sure you may be like me....running as fast as you can to get things done and feeling at the end of the day as if you haven't accomplished a thing. That's me. I'm not very fond of days that end with me wondering what I did all day, with nothing that 'shows.' Do you know that feeling? It's very similar to days when you grocery shop, spend a vast amount of money, haul it all into the house and realize that you don't have much to show for the amount you've spent and the energy it took to get it all home. So similar.

So....I've been very busy, but have nothing of interest to tell you about. I have spent the last hour or so looking at photos I took over the Thanksgiving weekend, choosing these to show you. When I am worn out and feel the need for something to make me smile....I think some cute guys always do the trick! How about these two?

As you may remember, my son Scott came for several days over Thanksgiving week. One of the things he enjoys doing is making bread and he did that at least twice during that week. YUM! A couple of days after Thanksgiving, in his sister's kitchen, he was making some bread and my great nephew, John Carter, was invited to 'help' him. (John Carter is six years old.) So, he made a small loaf of his own....doesn't he look cute in these photos? Well, they both do, actually. John Carter was so proud and pronounced his bread 'fun to make and good to eat.' And, Scott enjoyed having his little second cousin join in the bread making. Adorable.

Are you smiling now? Me, too. Time has passed and they are both back home now. If you will remember, I always dread taking my son to the airport to return to California. I made myself do better this time, but his sister boo-hooed like crazy. She and I may go see him next year....oh, what fun that would be! And, I'm sure more bread would be involved....well, I should lose weight before then...oh dear!

Hope you are all well.......and taking time to smile and enjoy the cute guys in your family....of course, the cute girls too!!!!! pat

Home Sweet Home

My Goodness! It's Thanksgiving already. Time certainly does fly and from my viewpoint, at least, the last few weeks have seemed to be going at warp speed. My favorite son has arrived and you know I am crazy about that....he looks GREAT! So....I want to enjoy this time with him and his sister, the grandson, the old navy man...and the rest of the family. Let this post serve as my wish to you for a very Happy Thanksgiving..however you celebrate it...have FUN.

I made this pincushion in 2009. I hope you enjoy seeing it again. Applique, embroidery and beading. Three of my favorite things to do...all in a little four inch pincushion. From my house to yours...stay safe and happy! pat

My Coin Purse Collection

Hi there! I've been a bit under the weather for the last week, but am feeling much better today, so thought I'd share some of my 'favorite' flea market finds with you. Yes.....I seem to have lots of 'favorites' and I don't know what to say about it. Earlier I watched an episode of "Hoarders" and while I don't 'hoard' spoiled food, garbage and whatnot, I DO seem to have a talent for collecting many different vintage things....such as these little coin purses.

These are the only ones I have with the exception of one I keep in my own everyday purse. (It's an odd pink and I keep a few trinkets in it that I like to have handy.) Most of these I've had for quite a while. The little brown leather one I found recently. Why do I like these??? I have no clue, but every time I find one...it comes home with me. I find them a sweet reminder of days gone by and evidently, I can't resist them.

The smallest one.....very tiny, as you can see by the seam gauge I've shown it with. So dear. I've had it a very long time and if I recall...I paid a quarter for it. Such sweet little embroidery.

I also wanted to mention the little boy's shoes. Well, I think they are boy's shoes and they are vintage. Yes, there is a collection of kid's shoes here at my place, although these are down at the studio right now...keeping me company for a while. Perhaps one day you'll see those....most of the baby shoe variety, including my own kid's shoes. These vintage ones...all dark black and brown...I simply could not leave the flea market without them. Would you? Oh, don't answer that.

I expect someday we won't be finding any of these little purses around....unless, like me, you save the ones you might have. I wonder who used them and where they lived?

Hope you are all well and looking forward to Thanksgiving. My son is coming on Sunday and I'm super excited about that....take care out there and I just may show you something pretty in a few more days! pat

Pretty Little Birds!

Hey there! Hope all is well with you. It's been a very busy week here, so I'm once again feeling behind in my posting efforts. I figure you understand....as aren't we "all busy all the time" these days.

Today I decided that I wanted to show you some very pretty little birds that came here to the Nest all the way from Japan. One of my blogging friends is Julie. She lives in Japan and often comments on my blog posts. I appreciate her (and her comments) very much. These little birds had been living in her house, so she decided I needed to have them....and they needed to fly, so she sent them on their way to me. I was delighted to find they had landed in my mailbox on a recent beautiful Fall day. They are dear.

They are very tiny....the largest about an inch high and an inch and a half wide. Beautiful little things too. They have little pins on the back...so I could actually wear them (and I might on a special occasion)......but I think I will find an appropriate way to display them here in the Nest.....and when I see them flying around, I will be reminded of my friend, Julie and her thoughtfulness. You can see Julie's quilt work here. I know you will enjoy it....tell her I sent you!

In honor of these tiny birds, I thought I'd post a couple of quotes I like:

"The bird a nest, the spider a web, man friendship." William Blake

"Use what talents you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except the best." Henry Van Dyke

And, so....from a dear friend these pretty little birds came to me....I'm so very lucky and so appreciative...thank you again, Julie!!! take care out there, pat