Surprises From The Queen of Generosity...

Francie from The Scented Cottage swapped ATCs with me for the December swap. Seems my assigned partner and I never connected and Francie was generous enough to share with me, as well as a few other swappers.
The Blissfull ATC group's December theme was "angels". I was the fortunate recipient of one of Francie's creations. She even painted the delightful roses so that they would stand off the card! Then, she added just the right amount of sparkle to make a girl smile.

Her work is always so incredible and I'm honored to have this angel artist trading card to remind me of my friend in Georgia.
You might remember when I shared this photo of my angel card. This was sent to Francie, along with a few little goodies of my own.

Francie always reminds me that I'm a rank amateur in the generosity department! Look at all the scrumptious gifts she included with the ATC!!!
My atc arrived in a card with a frame front, so that I have a way to display it. But then, look what else she sent! There were lavender buds and spray; beautiful blank notecards, and a set of Bucilla playing cards featuring gorgeous cross stitch designs. But then, OH MY GOODNESS, look at this!!!
Isn't this a beautiful spatula? Uh, huh...more acorns for this lucky girl! Francie, my dear friend. You've done it again! The Queen of Generosity strikes again, and I'm so grateful for the thoughtful gifts you sent to me. I love everything!!!

My Beautiful Little Bible...

This was originally published today sharing my August Blissfull ATC swap cards. I decided to separate them and feature just the Bible today, and will post the August ATCs on Monday. Thanks!I promised to tell you more about my Polyglott Bible this week, so I have a few more pictures to share with you.

This Bible was copyrighted in 1858 in Philadelphia by J.B. Lippincott & Company. It measures a mere 5 3/4' x 3 1/2" x 1 1/2" deep. It's small enough to transport easily in a purse or pocket.
Inside the front cover is a fold-out map of the Holy Land which is titled "Map of the Missionary Tours of the Apostle Paul". I have to admit, it's in pretty rough shape, but I love old maps. Don't you?
There is also an inscription on the inside plate. It took a while for me to be able to read it. It's written in the beautiful script of the time, but additionally, the ink is faded. I finally managed to read what had been written:

"Presented to Jos Reeves by JE Pendelton December 2, 1860 Murphreesboro, Tennessee
May you, my dear, always live near to the Lord - and keep sacredly the vows we took together this day. Call upon the Lord in every time of trouble and he will hear your cry and answer your petition."

I wonder which vows were taken by the two people on December 2nd all those years ago.
The inside pages are all in English, in very tiny print. I mean, teeny, tiny print. For every entry, there are date references and side notes. Perhaps one day I'll sit with a magnifier and attempt to read the words. Until then, I'll be happy to have it and treasure the promises behind the words.

Wishing you a restful and joyful Sunday, my friends.

Waiting For Williamsburg...

Sunday was spent relaxing and sewing the binding onto the "Williamsburg Welcome" quilt. This quilt measures 45" wide by 66" long and will make a great lap quilt for one lucky person buying a ticket from the Williamsburg Consort in September.

Remember, this quilt will be a raffle item to raise funds for their student scholarship fund. I hope it raises LOTS of money! I'll also have a completed pillow using some of the same fabrics with the same logo in the center. Another chance to win and raise more money for the kids.

Oh, yeah. I really don't like having my mug in the photos of my finished quilts, but Handsome has an aversion to taking pictures of my work with just hands and feet showing. I think I need a clothesline.We had a curious blue dragonfly that kept landing on the quilt during our photography session. I guess it was drawn to the colors. Did I ever tell you that dragonflies make me smile? I think they're so cool, and I love watching them dart around near dusk, hunting for a meal. This one would fly away when Handsome would try to get closer, and then come back and land on the quilt as soon as the coast was clear.
Again, my finishing touch...the label. I'll make a nice muslin cover for this quilt, perhaps sporting the embroidered logo that appears in the center square of the quilt. Then, I'll tuck it away for safekeeping until we pack for our road trip. Now, like us, this quilt is just waiting for Williamsburg.
On Sunday, I also created a new Artist Trading Card for the Blissful ATC Swap group that I've joined. We have rotating swap partners and a new theme each month.

This month, the theme is "orange". You might think that, living in Florida, I would have chosen the fruit. I didn't. I can't show you what it looks like until my swap partner, Francie of The Scented Cottage receives it. I'll be sending it out to her this week. If you're interested in joining the group, you can click here or on the Blissful button on my left sidebar for more information.