A Prize and a Present...

Just imagine how tickled I was when I learned that I won Sharon's wonderful giveaway recently. Sharon's blog is Corgis In My Garden, and I've really been enjoying getting to know her, as well as her three corgi girls, Hanna, Arabelle and Heidi. (Need I say that Fezzik was immediately smitten when he saw their pretty faces?)

Sharon had a giveaway of eight of her handcrafted cards, and I entered the drawing. I was so happy when I found out that I won! The cards arrived last week and I can tell you that Sharon is a meticulous paper artist. Her cards are beautiful and well-made. The corgi cards captured my heart!

Thank you, Sharon. I'm so lucky to have won your giveaway and appreciate every second of your time (to say nothing of your talent), that went into creating these cards. I'm a lucky, lucky girl!
Remember, when I introduced you to my non-blogging friend, Ann? She made the beautiful Miss Sweet Mouse pincushion for me? You can read about it here, if you missed the post. Well, she surprised me with another package last week!

Ann made a small wall hanging for me...and a musical mug mat for Handsome! We were both so surprised!
She put so many personalized details into the wall hanging for me. I sat for quite a while, just taking in all the little bits and bobs that she had used to embellish the panel. The panel is a great "Needlework Diva" piece designed by Alma Lynne.

What Ann has no way of knowing is that I met and became friends with Alma Lynne (Hayden) years ago and, although I haven't seen her in years (heck! She might not even remember me now!), we used to have dinner together with a few other designers when I went to trade shows in North Carolina.

I love Alma Lynne's whimsical style, and Ann's eye for embellishing is a perfect match for Alma Lynne's artwork!
I mean...just look at some of the pieces Ann added! You'll see two little dogs, scissors, thimble, floss, sparkle, seashells and more. Everything chosen with me in mind.

Ann, my friend. You've done it again! I love your sense of whimsy and your generosity in sharing it with me. Your hanging is in my studio and I smile every time I look at it!

But, wait. There was more!
Ann also made a mug mat with a musical theme - for Handsome! She doesn't use a sewing machine, so she made this mat using only hand stitching! I'm impressed, girlfriend! You're talented with a needle and thread, too. Your mug mat is beautiful, and has a place of honor on Handsome's desk.

Thank you, Ann, for your thoughtful gifts. They're perfect. Now, I'm going to spend a little time thinking of something to make for you. Give me a little time, and then you'll have a surprise in the mail, too!

My Second Blog Birthday Giveaway is still open until the 31st. If you haven't entered yet, click here to check it out. You don't have to be a follower, but you get more chances to win if you are!

Thanks for visiting again. I love reading your comments and try to respond to all of you. If you're set as a "No Comment Blogger", I'm sorry that I haven't written back. I will always try to respond to bloggers whose messages display a return address. I just want you to know that whether or not I can respond to your notes, I always read your remarks - and I appreciate each and every one of them. And, if you don't comment, please know that I appreciate you visiting, too!

I'll be sharing projects, joyful life stories and more fun with you in the upcoming months. Of course, Fezzik will continue to share his adventures with you, too. I treasure all of you and hope to hear from you again soon. Whether you're a seamstress, crafter, cook, wife. mom or grandmom (or any or all of the aforementioned), I hope you have a creative and happy week doing something you love. See you tomorrow.