Perhaps It Was The Faerie Dust...

Be sure to click on the pictures to get a closer look!

 If you recognized this as the cabinet that used to be in my studio, congratulations! 

I know I said I wanted to get rid of it, but I just couldn't. I love it too much.

I moved it onto the covered lanai so it would be out of the weather, and then 

I placed my Nantucket baskets and seashells into it. It's been like that for

most of the summer, but we came home from Wisconsin with "company", 

so I decided it was about time I did something to make them feel at home.

 You see, we came home with faeries. They followed Tag back to Florida!

 I had lots of things that were just their size, along with a few other special

touches, and I think they'll be so much more comfortable here now.

 On this end, you'll see that they have sweet, little chairs to settle into,

and I've made sure the faerie bunnies have a little hidden place to play.

My friend, Krisann crocheted a little brown, covered acorn for me, but 

it's just the perfect size for a faerie basket and the acorn top is now a

tiny tray to hold snacks on the chair arms when the sprites get hungry.

 If you peek in the back, you'll see a couple of faerie babies tucked in

and sleeping...and a wee Corgi will watch over them to keep them

safe! He'll bark an alarm if anything dangerous tries to bother them.

 There's a little red-haired faerie hiding behind the morel mushrooms. 

I know one red-haired granddaughter who will love this faerie!

Morels grow in Wisconsin in the woods, so I knew they'd be a nice addition

to help the faeries feel at home. Do you see the heart-shaped stone? It was 

a gift from my friend, Denise, and we want the tiny folk to know they're 

loved. There's another baby sleeping under the oak leaves, too! Good babies.

If you've got the feeling that this is a little faerie "daycare" you're so right!

 If you're wondering, "Why a daycare?", this corner explains everything.

You see, the other faeries aren't just hanging out in the Florida sunshine.

They're gardeners! They've been collecting acorns and air plants, but 

there's also a tray of mini faerie veggies and empty pots waiting for 

them to plant more! If you look around, you'll find other treasures 

they've collected and brought into their yard. 

I even gave them Wellington boots in their size so they don't get 

muddy feet. Of course, they're still sitting next to their tools, so I 

guess they really prefer to be barefoot when they're out exploring.

Even though I have a placed a lovely acorn-adorned birdhouse in

 back for them, it can be a sturdy, little house for the faeries live in, too. 

 I know when our granddaughters come to visit, they'll have fun investigating the faerie garden their Grandma created. Until then, I'll play there from time to time, too. I'll rearrange and add more treasures to it as I find them. It's fun to create something that's different from what I usually do. I found myself setting everything up, moving pieces around, and I was  surprised to see how quickly the time flew. Perhaps it was the faerie dust?

Tuesdays With Tag - Here We Go Again...

Disapprovin' Corgi Look

Hi, Everybody!

Boy, am I peeved. Not only is it still rainin', but yesterday I missed all the

 action. I know. You're wonderin' just what the heck I'm even talkin' about.

There was all kinds of activity around this place again. I can't give you details

yet, but I'm seriously feelin' like that golden Retriever in the Bush's Baked Beans

commercial. I'm bustin' at the seams to tell you, but Mom swore me to secrecy.

Mom said I could share one picture today. Here it is. Doesn't tell you much, does it?

You're wonderin' where I was durin' all this activity, too, aren't you? You'd think I'd

be right in the thick of it...supervisin' and givin' these guys directions and stuff, right?

Yeah. No.

Here's where they put me. Waaaayyy back here. I could see a lot of

what they were up to, but there were no treats, pets or snuggles.

I was told to hang out here so I didn't get stepped on, but HEY!! I'm

a herdin' dog. We were bred to herd ducks, sheep and COWS even!

We know how to stay out of the way. What a stinkin' lame excuse!

So, I don't have any cool outside pictures to show you 'cuz of the crummy

weather, and I can't show you what was goin' on in the house 'cuz it's secret.

I complained to Mom and she promised (PROMISED) that we're gonna do

somethin' extra special for next week. I've got a reputation to uphold, after all.

 I guess a guy's gotta almost file a formal protest to get attention around here.

Well, I'm gonna give her a list of grievances and a list of things I think we

 should do together this week. I'm even curious to see just what I write

about next Tuesday. I hope you'll come back again! 'til then...

"Bark Like Ya Mean It!"

Jelly Roll Jam II Quilt Progress...

Jelly Roll Jam II Quilt in Moda™ Midwinter Reds Fabric

My Jelly Roll Jam II quilt is nearly ready to quilt. I added the red border

and assembled the piano key border in the ivory and tan fabrics. I pinned

everything together so I could see see what it looks like and I'm happy with it.

I'll straighten up one side of the keys and sew them to the quilt top. After I've

done that, I'll square up the outside edge and then I'll be ready to quilt it up.

I've decided to use the tan dot fabric for the back and I'm going to bind it in red.

I have something fun to share with you on Wednesday. Here's a peek.
Tag will be here tomorrow. The poor lad is going stir crazy with the rain. We'll see what he comes up with for his blog post. Either way, he's always fun!

Sunday Scripture...

Sweet to the Soul Ministries (FB) Image

    Link to FB page: https://www.facebook.com/Sweet.To.The.Soul.Ministries

Stitching, Cyphering and Sewing...

I decided on the border fabric for my Jelly Roll Jam II quilt.

After I attach this, I'll be adding the tan/ivory piano keys, but first things first.

I had to figure out how much fabric to cut for those borders.

Do you know how to calculate how much fabric is needed?

Do you want to know? (If not, you can skip the rest of this post and wait

for a picture of the finished top - or even the finished quilt - on Monday.)

My actual calculation. I'll still round up to 6 strips.

If you're still reading, you'd like to know how to calculate how much fabric you need for the border. Here's your answer...

1) measure the length of your quilt, down the center of the quilt

2) measure the width of your quilt, again down the center of the quilt 

(Why down the middle, you ask? Pulling the edges could distort the fabric and skew the numbers.)

3) Double both of those numbers and add them together. (length x 2, plus width x 2 = total number of border inches)

4) Add 10" for creating the mitered corners and joining binding ends.

5) Divide that number by 40 (40 is the likely number of inches in the full width of the fabric, after removing - and saving - the selvage.)

The resulting number is the number of strips you need to cut to have enough to border your fabric.

Example: Your quilt measures 64" long x 48" wide

64" x 2 = 128

+48" x 2 = 96

 224 + 10 = 234

   divided by 40

= 5.85

I round that number UP and cut 6 strips of fabric my desired width.

 

If you want 6" strips, multiple 6 x 6 and you will need 36" (or 1 yard) of fabric.

In my case, I'm going to cut 3" strips (3 x 6 = 18"), so I only need a half yard of fabric to do my borders. 

 

So, I'm going to attach my first border and then measure and cut my piano keys to add outside the red border. In case you're wondering, my self-imposed deadline to finish the Strawberries s mid-month, October. When I take breaks from the stitching, I can fill in my time with sewing. Lucky me!!!

Time Out Of The Studio...

 It's been a while, but yesterday I got to spend hours with my girlfriend, Amy.

 We had so much fun catching up that I didn't even think to snap a photograph

 to share...that much fun! (This one is from a day we spent together a while ago.)

Amy, her daughter and son, Megan and Clay, have joined their creative minds
and talents to form a new company called "Post Stitch". I had to find out all
about their new venture and am so excited for them. Please click HERE to see
their website and learn more about their online knitting projects-in-a-box.

She left late day to go to fly north. She's going to spend a little time with
Megan's family in Georgia, but we'll be getting together again as soon
as she gets back. I'm looking forward to seeing her again. I love this gal!

web image

Handsome and I are also taking turns helping a dear friend with eye troubles. Wednesday, I took her for a surgical procedure and yesterday, Handsome did the follow-up appointment with her. She's going to need another surgery, so today, I'll be taking her to a specialist in Ft. Myers for a preliminary evaluation.   Please say prayers for her. The doctors are thinking she might have macular degeneration. She's one of my Paneras friends, but more than that, she's a dear, loving friend. We're praying that the surgeries will reveal other, curable issues and not a slow loss of her eyesight. We'll know more today after she sees the doctor. I'm taking my ribbonwork projects with me. They're great busy work while I wait.

Starting Something New (Again)...

Just a peek at what I'm working on the rest of this week.

I have a commission for five of my Strawberry Rose Sachets that will be 

Christmas gifts for five sisters. I want to make sure that they're ready in plenty

of time for my client, so I'm going to be working on them until they're done.

These can be filled with wool, crushed walnuts and/or lavender, so they can

be pincushions or decor in addition to sachets. You can choose your favorite.

  I've gathered my supplies (many more than shown), and I've prepared my ground fabrics. Five Strawberries in five different colors of silky goodness. I'm looking forward to this. It's going to be so much fun!
If you're interested in ordering one or more for yourself or as gifts, please go to the "Brynwood Boutique" (link is in my top menu bar) to  place your orders in time for Christmas. You can also click HERE for  pricing or more information. These are handcrafted by special order. Please contact me through my email link if you'd like a color not listed.   You can find other treasures there, or ready-made gifts in my Etsy shop.

Pineapples For The Birthday Girl...

You've seen these before. Now, I've created a Birthday gift with them!

I had six finished pineapple blocks and decided that four should become a table

runner for someone special. I completed the runner last night and will mail it today.

I decided against sashing, and chose blue border fabric to bring out the yellow.
The blocks are Pineapple blocks, so I'm glad I chose the yellow to reinforce
the design of the block. (Did I tell you that pineapple fruit has been a favorite
since I was a child? Yup. I know I'll do this block again for something for me!)

 This is the runner before quilting and binding, and...

Here's the finished table runner!
 Beautiful blue Bali™ batiks and little Florida sunshine accents.
(The back is the same yellow fabric with one blue fabric strip.)
A gift of love from me to the Birthday girl.

Tuesdays With Tag - Rain, Rain, Go Away...

Hi, Everybody!

Mom said I should be nice today, just in case there were some

new visitors. What? I thought I was nice every, single week?!

Actually, I hadn't planned to be super, sappy, sweet today.

I'd like to register a few grievances to whoever is in charge.

(Aside from Mom and Dad.)

I mean...it's been rainin' every stinkin' day since last week.

(It's even pourin' right this very second, as I'm typin' away here.)

I've had this same soggy view every day. My pants have been wet more

 often than dry. They even get a little curly and that's so not my style!

I can't even just run back in the house after I've been out there.

Mom makes me dry off my under parts and paws with a girly towel!

Then, she's gotta get all cuddly and mushy when she's done. sigh

I even have ponds in my front yard now...and they're full of the

noisiest frogs you've ever heard. How am I supposed to do my

business? They're so bad that I can't even think straight. Jeepers!

I know this is partly my fault and partly Mom's fault. See, it's like this. 

We have a friend in California...Miss Sherry at Createology blog. She told 

us that it's dangerously dry and there are lots of fires close to where she lives.

We've been very worried about her, so we kinda made a little promise to her.

Mom and I said that we'd do rain dances for her, hopin' that she'd get enough

water to be safe again. I think it backfired, 'cuz we got the rain instead of her!

I guess it matters where you dance, and you can't telegraph it somewhere else.

"Uh, I think we'd better stop dancin' now, Mom."

We're still gonna pray for rain for Miss Sherry and everyone who really needs

it, but I'm sure we don't need any more of the wet stuff around here, thanks.

I'm gonna stay here where it's high and dry until the weather changes.

Until it does, I think I might take up a new, little pastime...like karaoke!

I've got a great voice!  AaaaAArRRroOOOooooo! Bark! Bark! 

I'm good, right? (Of course, I am!)

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 Heck. If this kid can do it, I sure can!

So, I'm gonna go rehearse now. Inside. Where it's not rainin'.

(Maybe even on the sofa...if Dad's around to chase me off.)

I'll see you next week. Who knows? Maybe I'll even have an

 adventure or two to share with you. 'til then, you know the drill...

"Bark Like Ya Mean It!"

Around The World Blog Hop...

 Hello, Blog Hoppers! I'm a little late posting this for today, but Taggart (aka "Tag") would like to welcome you if you're new to Brynwood Needleworks.

 I'd like to thank our good blog friend,  Sharon Chapman of Wildflowerhouse for inviting me to join in the Around The World Blog Hop.

 Thanks also to Barbara Lilian in France  who organized the Around The World Blog Hop.   I have been a huge fan of Sharon's blog and her incredible artwork since I first began following blogs in early 2009, and I continue to look to her for daily creative inspiration. Thank you, my friend, for inviting me to join this fun event. Now, on to the rest of my assignment...    In case you're new to Brynwood Needleworks, I'll tell you just a little about me and what I like to do in my south Florida, USA studio.

I'm a wife to an incredibly talented, retired photographer, who has been

a musician all his life. (We've been married thirty years!) Now, he gets  to play (percussion) to his heart's content, and I am always his #1 fan.    We travel all over the country for his musical pursuits and performances  in our 27' Airstream Flying Cloud. We live a happy, blessed life, indeed.

 I used to own a needlework shop in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin in the late 1980s until the mid-1990s, called "Stitches". At that time, I also designed counted thread samplers and sold my designs as Brynwood Needleworks.

 Although I no longer sell those designs, I have and will always be a needleworker first and foremost. You might be able to find some of my charts available online, and you can check out my sidebar link to see them.

Many babies have worn my custom Christening gowns.

My creative process begins with creating heirloom-quality items. 

I made all the gowns for my niece's wedding.

 I began sewing when I was eleven, and have made garments for years. I then  moved to handwork, and have enjoyed embroidery (needlepoint, crewel  embroidery and counted thread work), knitting and crocheting over the years.    I learned early on that I'd rather spend my time creating things that  will outlast me and be cherished by those who come after me.

One of my recent quilt projects

These days, you'll most likely find me in the studio creating quilts, handbags,  and home decor items. As we move toward Christmas, I share my gift list  and my creative process as I work toward my holiday giving deadlines. So  far, I haven't missed getting them out on time! I'm already starting to put it  together and I usually start November 1st. I'm getting anxious to begin!   I try to spend some time in my studio every single day. I have what I refer to as a "creative imperative"...I need to have my mind and hands busy working on something all the time. When I'm not able to work, I'm thinking about what will be my next project. I can't help myself.

 Oh, and I adore everything 'acorn and oak leaves". From my 25 year old  logo to dishes and silverware and fabrics. You can see some of my acorn collection by clicking on this link, or you'll find acorns all throughout my blog  if you look for them. Funny how one small thing can make me so happy!

 

One of my favorite quotes is attributed to William Rutherford: "The way to use life is to do something that outlasts it." It's something I've internalized and have tried to live every day. Thanks, Sharon, for inviting me to join the blog hop.   I hope all of you enjoy exploring my blog. I'd love to hear from you!   Now... I'd like to introduce you to two of my blog friends. I know these ladies  personally, so I know you'll love them as much as I do! They will be joining the hop with their blog posts next Monday (September 29th).

Susan Slaton of Wazoo Quilting is an award winning quilter and longarm quilter extraordinaire.  She belongs to our quilt guild, and I'm fortunate to call her my friend. Check out her blog HERE to see what she's been up to.

I'd also love for you to meet my (camera-shy) talented and funny friend, Loreen of Miss Loreen's Schoolhouse Loreen designs quilts and other projects, and she loves teaching others her craft. Her blog is loaded with projects, patterns and fabric goodness. Loreen and I have been good friends for about ten years.  She moved back north and I still miss her every day! Check out her blog HERE to see what's on her design board.   Remember, these ladies will post for the Hop on their blogs next Monday! Tag writes his own blog posts on Tuesdays, so I hope you'll stop in to see him.   Next time you visit, make a cup of tea and stay a while.  There's something new going on at Brynwood Needleworks every day.