Garden Gifts From A Friend...

Brynwood Needleworks - Seashell Garden Pik

 

I received a lovely gift in the mail from my dear friend, Sharon. We "met" many years ago through our blogs and our mutual affection for Corgis. In fact, when Handsome and I traveled to Williamsburg, VA ten years ago (I wrote about it HERE), she and I met up with her Arabelle and my Tag. It was a delightful day. I can hardly believe it was already ten years ago! Tag was just a puppy. How time flies.

Although she doesn't write much on her blog, Corgis In My Garden, anymore, we manage to stay in touch via Facebook and Instagram. She regularly shares images of her pups, and her home and gardens. Her summer-decorated porches are breathtaking.

 

Brynwood Needleworks - Seashell and Seeds

When she shared pictures of her garden pik, I commented that I thought it was lovely. She contacted me and asked if I'd like one. YES, PLEASE! So, she sent one of her lovely fairy seashell piks, and some cleome seeds from her own garden. She told me they were her childhood favorites, and asked for hollyhock seeds in return. 

 

I'm working on a little surprise to include with the seeds, and will have her package on its way early next week.

 

Brynwood Needleworks - Cleome (Image ©TTSeeds.com)

In case you're not familiar with cleomes, here is a photograph I found on the internet. Sharon said hers are pink, so I can't wait to plant them into the garden here next spring. Of course, I'll be weeding the garden first so they can really shine.

I'm still working on my embroidered table mat. I'm going to take a suggestion to try a wider lace than what I shared yesterday, so I'm auditioning some of the selections I have here to see if any of mine will work. 

I'll be busy with Handsome tomorrow, but I'll definitely stitch over the weekend. I do have a few things up my sleeve to show you on Monday. Of course, I'll choose a timely scripture with you tomorrow. Be well, my dears.

 

A Gift From Sharon...

I'm sure that if you quilt, you've heard of Quilter's Newsletter Magazine.

I had never seen old copies before, but my generous friend, Sharon of

Corgis In My Garden surprised me in January with four issues that

she found at an estate sale. I couldn't wait to sit down and read them!

 These issues are from four months (July, August, September, October) in 1974.

 Quilting magazines have sure come a long way since the 1970s, and

even though the old copies aren't "flashy" like our contemporary ones,

they're still filled with lots of valuable information, block patterns and quilts.

Although I've gone through each of them multiple times, and I find something new

each time I look at them again. It's amusing to see the older prices on things, too.

 I am so grateful to Sharon for thinking of me when she saw them, and 

then for sending them along for me to enjoy. I know she'll appreciate

that her furry pal, Taggart is always at my side while I read them!

If you don't know "Corgis In My Garden", it's a fun place to visit.

Of course, Sharon has corgis, and her sweet Arabelle spent time with Tag

and me when the four of us spent a day together in Williamsburg, Virginia.

She also has a love of dollhouses and other vintage things, so I hope you'll stop 

and say hello. She's a gracious hostess and there's always a hot cuppa tea for you.

Thank you for these fabulous vintage magazines, Sharon.

I enjoy every second I spend exploring the pages between their covers.

Give the girls a hug from Tag, and don't forget to save a big one for you from me!

Mementos Of The Day...

 

I have to write one more post about the day that Sharon and I spent together in Williamsburg, Virginia last week.

You'll remember that I made the ribbonwork heart for her, but Sharon also surprised me with gifts during our visit. (I think I got the better end of the exchange, my friend!)

 

She arrived with the most beautiful pound cake that she'd made in a bundt pan. Of course, being the good forgetful blogger I am, I neglected to take a photograph of it before Handsome and I tucked into her delicious treat. I'm only sharing this photograph to give you an idea of how scrumptious this cake looked perched on the tray that was also part of her gift.

She had covered the tray with napkins prior to placing the cake on the tray, and I soon realized that it was her way of "wrapping" the second surprise under the cake...the tray itself.

You can imagine my glee when the tray pattern was revealed. I realized that the design formed into the aluminum was embellished with acorns!!! (You did know that I adore acorns, right? I'm giggling. Of course you knew that!)

Isn't this design gorgeous? I'm not going to be able to put this tray away when I'm not using it. It's going to reside in a place of prominence once we get back home. I'll be able to look at it every day and remember the wonderful time spent with my friend, Sharon in Williamsburg.

Perhaps you're wondering about the first photograph in my post today? Well, that was another gift from Sharon. She makes these adorable little nests and turns them into pendants. She makes them with the pretty robin's egg blue bead or with pearl beads for the eggs. They're petite and perfect and I'm really looking forward to wearing mine - a lot.

She gave me two of these elegant pendants. At her suggestion, one is going to be a gift for someone special, but I can't tell you who the recipient will be because she reads my blog and I don't want to spoil the surprise.

I was really overwhelmed by Sharon's generosity, and I will always cherish her gifts to me, and think of her friendship whenever I look at them.

Finally, Sharon showed me the stunning button bracelets she creates. They are available for sale with one or two rows of buttons, and I can attest to the fact that they're very well made. Through trial and error, she found the best supplies for bands and clasps, and they are now pure perfection.

If you're interested in purchasing a bird's nest pendant or button bracelet of your own, please contact Sharon directly through her blog. Click here to go directly to her blog and then send her an email through her contact button. (I'm sharing Sharon's creations on Button Floozies blog today, too!)

Even if you're not in the market for a new piece of jewelry, she shares many wonderful stories of her life with her corgis in Virginia. Her blog is a restful and interesting place to visit. (I love her blog look for fall, too!)

Tuesdays With Tag - Williamsburg Play Date...

 

Last Friday was a grand day for Tag and me. Our blog friend, Sharon of Corgis In My Garden brought her fluffy Miss Arabelle to visit us in Williamsburg, Virginia.

When they arrived, there was a "greeting period" which involved a lot of running, jumping and snuffling. Miss Arabelle thought that Taggart was being a bit presumptuous, and didn't hesitate to let him know, but Tag is a persistent little bug and it didn't take long for Arabelle to warm up to him. What can I say? He has a way with the ladies.

Sharon and I decided to take the kids down to Colonial Williamsburg so they could strut their stuff down Duke of Gloucester Street. Sharon warned me that corgis are always a hit on her frequent walks in town.

We needed to get into the car to travel into Williamsburg from our campground, so it was into the crates for the corgis for their own safety during the ride.

I know. Just look at that tongue and those ears! He makes me giggle every time I look at him. Arabelle was so sweet. (During our group photo, she came over and just snuggled and smooched on me. She's such a dear little dog.)

When we arrived at our destination, on went the walking hardware and we were off to the races. Sharon agreed to take the reins for a bit so I could take photos.

Tag must think he's a sled dog because he really leans forward against his collar. He completely frustrated me with his pulling, and I was afraid he was going to hurt himself. (We later went to the pet store and purchased a gentle harness for him, which is much safer for him and actually gives me more control. He's already heeling better already!)

The real reason I wanted Sharon to take both leashes was because I had to get a photo of Arabelle's pants (which Sharon says are referred to as her "prom dress"). Arabelle is four years old and that is an impressive prom dress, for sure!

Of course, I wanted a picture of Mr. Tag walking next to her, so you could see how little he actually is. For some reason, he always looks bigger in the photos of me holding him. I know the camera adds ten pounds, but I didn't know it would apply to the dog, too.

There were a lot of dogs in Williamsburg on Friday. Tag had already said "hello" to the black and white Great Dane and Labrador when I shot this picture. By the time I snapped the shutter, he was busy scoping out other targets of opportunity.

I didn't get the picture of Tag and Arabelle greeting a huge Rottweiler (the owner said the dog was over 100 lbs!). I was more concerned with making sure there were no interaction issues. All was well, and I was relieved that the Rotty was actually quite gentle and friendly.

They were both checking out a pair of German shepherds here, but we thought better of them getting nose-to-nose. To tell the truth, Sharon and I were getting a little tired of all the excitement by then.

We enjoyed watching our dogs interact with each other, too. If Tag and I were separated from Sharon and Arabelle by foot traffic or obstacles in our path, the dogs would stop to look for each other. It was really fun to see how quickly they had become pals.

 

Tag particularly went out of his way to greet children. He adores little kids and the smaller the better. It doesn't matter if they're little girls or boys, only that they're little folk. It must be his fairy heritage, and the fact that he can relate to their smaller stature. 

These two little boys were petting Tag, and he responded by kissing on the tiny tot and making the older brother and mama giggle.

Sharon and I laughed that we were completely unable to carry on a conversation while we walked the two short-legged dogs. Sharon would ask me a question and I'd start to answer, only to be interrupted by passers-by asking what kind of dogs they were, or how old were they, or why their coats were different. We heard a lot of "They're so cute!" and "Look! Corgis!" Teenage girls surrounded Tag at one point, taking his picture and trying to cuddle him. (Sorry. I missed that picture, too.)

We finally decided to kennel up the dogs and head to Chickahominy House for lunch and quiet conversation. There may have been dessert involved, too, but I'll never tell!

I can say for myself that I thoroughly enjoyed meeting up with Sharon and sharing the day with her. She's everything I expected from reading her blog and she's a delightful woman. I really look forward to us being able to spend time together again and becoming good, good friends.

I'll be sharing more surprises from our visit during this week. (You didn't actually think I could fit it all into one post, did you?)

I want to change the subject for a minute: I just adore this little, needle felted Corgi! If you'd like to see the tutorial to learn how to make one for yourself (or for me!), here is the link on Living Crafts website. (http://www.livingcrafts.com/blog/giveaways/needle-felted-corgi) For some reason, I'm unable to use the link feature on Blogger again. sigh

Stop And Smell The Roses...

Tag has been busy learning about being a good and faithful corgi. He borrowed a corgi book to look at the pictures. He's only three months old and hasn't learned to read yet.

I want to tell you how I chose his name. Many of the names in the past came from favorite books or movies. One of my favorite books is Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand.  One of the main characters is Dagny Taggart who owned Taggart Transcontinental Railway.

After going through my list: Brody, Bromm, Frodo, Bilbo, Merlin, Chase, Dodger and many others, I decided that Taggart, aka Tag would be a perfect name for our new little guy. 

We stayed with our dear friends, Doug and Marion during our trip. They are now Tag's first Aunt and Uncle. They were so sweet with him and know first-hand the joy of sharing their life with a corgi. Their beautiful Ben has crossed the Rainbow Bridge, but will always be in their hearts, too. They were gracious hosts and we all had a grand time together.

One of the things I want Tag to know is that it's always important to stop and smell the roses. (Or in this case, hydrangeas.) I think that's something we should all remember.

Golden Slumbers...

They're finished and "installed" in the Flying Cloud. I got the two quilts back from Kathy on Friday and I bound them over the weekend.

Flying Cloud quilt - Manly (Handsome's) is on the left and Flying Cloud quilt - Girly (mine) is on the right. Handsome's is 12" longer overall because he needed the extra length.
After I finished binding the quilts and they were ready to go to the "cottage", I realized that I needed coordinating pillow cases. I've made multiples of these, but they give you an idea of the main fabric, trim and borders I used for each pair.

These pillow cases are easy to make. I created six of them in about an hour and a half, so they're quick projects too. Sorry I didn't get photos of them on the pillows in the cottage. Let me know if you'd like a photo tutorial for the pillowcases.
One more view of the bedroom in our cottage. I wanted you to be able to see the difference on the borders, too. Handsome's (Manly) quilt is more musical and a little darker than mine. My (Girly) quilt has more flowers, but does have border and binding in the same music-themed fabric so that they "go together"...just like Handsome and I do! More cottage projects soon. I do have a question for my crafty pals out there. The photo above is from "Julry" on etsy (Here's her link) Do any of you have tutorials for safety pin button bracelets like this?

My friend, Natalie of Hungry Hippie has shared one, but Sharon of Corgis in my Garden has been looking for one that uses lots of buttons with shanks. Something on the order of the one in this photo. I told Sharon I would put the question out there and see what my readers might be able to share.
Finally, I want to remind you that my Second Blog Birthday giveaways end on the 31st. There's still time to enter. You can click on the giveaway button here to enter.

Thanks, always for visiting and leaving comments for me. Good luck to all who have already entered the drawing! See you again tomorrow.

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.