ATC Reveal...

 

 

Sherry let me know she received her Artist Trading Card (ATC) from me last weekend, so now I can share our cards with you. I love the card I received, and it's so wonderful that she stitched the heart and then added ruching to her card. Isn't it fun?

 

I stitched mine for her, too. Once the roses and wheat embroidery were complete, I added a vintage heart-shaped button to it. I had Sherry in mind when I stitched it, so I hope she finds it as special for her as I think she is to me.

 

I'm working on my second ATC that will be going to MA in Canada as soon as it's mounted and signed. I'm planning to complete it today and then it will be on its way to her.

 

If anyone else would like to trade ATCs with me, just send me an email at dliljegren(at)brynwoodneedleworks(dot)com. I'd love to trade with everyone who contacts me. So, I'm going to have a cup of coffee with Handsome and then I'll complete the next ATC and send it out by tomorrow, latest. TTFN (Ta Ta For Now)...

 

Studio Play And Friendship...

Cork For BW Crossbody Clutches

 

The sun was shining. There was a gentle breeze, and I was in my studio cutting parts and pieces to make fifteen new BW Crossbody Wallets (I'm working on a new name for them) for my shop. These will all be cork, in various colors and patterns, and some are already spoken for. I'll sew them up over the weekend.

Mail Call!!!

Our mailman, Tim, delivered a package from my sweet friend, Sherry of Createology blog. She has commented on nearly every post I've written since she started reading them. We've become friends through our blogging, and I'm truly blessed by her friendship.

Sherry's Artist Trading Card 07/2017

We have traded gifts back and forth for quite some time now, and I figure that I'm the one who is on the better end of our exchanges. She always sends such wonderful surprises for me!

If you've read my blog for a while, you know that I love making and receiving Artist Trading Cards (ATCs). I have quite a collection of them, and now I have one more to add to my treasure trove. Of course, thoughtful Sherry used balance as her theme. Isn't it perfect?

The Back of Sherry's ATC

Sherry even has this fabulous stamp to add her signature and other important information for the recipient (lucky me!). Every detail shows the care and talent she puts into her work. Her heart really shines through.   

A Custom Made Bubble Wand

 

The last (but certainly not least) item in my gift package is this fabulous bubble wand, created by my dear friend. She even included a homemade bubble recipe! Can't you just imagine me in the yard, blowing bubbles for Tag and Bella? If you can't, you don't know me very well! I'm that kid-at-heart who will run through the rain (as long as there isn't lightning), and I have no hesitation taking my iPhone into the tall grass and dancing to my favorite music. I'd better be careful or poor Shelly and Andy might wonder what kind of loon lives next door to them now. lol

 

Thank you again, dear Sherry. Once again, you've made this gal feel so special. 

 

 

Shelly and I have been invited for lunch by our sweet neighbor, Mary Jane, today. I'm really looking forward to our visit. I'm sure it will be a lovely day for an afternoon with friends. It's hard to believe it's Friday again already! See you tomorrow.

 

Studio Bliss And More Dresses...

I had a great weekend in the studio. I actually took the day "off" on Saturday and spent time with Handsome and the pups, but Sunday was very productive. I'm making more pincushions for my Etsy shop.

I'll be stitching and embellishing today. I have vintage jewelry that I'm repurposing, and all those yummy seam bindings are waiting for my needle and thread.

Tag will be back tomorrow, but I'll post the finished pincushions on Wednesday, even though they'll be listed by the end of today.

More dresses arrived over the weekend, too! Sherry E. of Createology blog sent a package filled with so much sweetness!

There are pretty flowers and colorful caterpillars.

Look at these baby elephants!

...and this pretty dress for a bigger girl. It's just the right amount of sweetness, without being a "baby" dress. Really. It makes me wish I could be there when the children choose from the dresses I've received so far. I know there are more on their way...and lots of little girls who have no idea of the efforts being mounted around the country on their behalf.

  I'll be back on Wednesday. Hope you have a great week ahead.

A Pinch Of Joy...

We spent much of yesterday with our friends, Mike and Joann, again. It's wonderful  being able to reconnect with old friends and share stories as we catch up on our lives.    There's just something so comforting and joyful to be able to come from shared  experiences. We can laugh about an old quote without needing to repeat the story  behind it. It's nice to catch up on mutual friends as we make new memories.

The heart lace and card are from my beautiful friend, Sherry. Happy Birthday, hon!

I found this sweet measuring spoon while in Wisconsin. Now it hangs in the 

studio reminding me to add a pinch of joy to every single day. Handsome and I did 

that with our friends yesterday. We've already planned to see them again soon. 

Today I wish the same for you. I wish you a simple "Pinch of Joy" each day.

It's Official...

Thanksgiving 2013

 We had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday. Just the right amount of

food, dessert made by our friend, Richard, and Tag had a canine pal to

chase around for the day. The weather started out chilly, but warmed

up in the afternoon, so we had all the doors open as the kitchen heated up.

Tag was more interested in his pal, Stout, than in having his photo taken.

Maybe he'll behave better for our annual Christmas pic! A girl can hope, right?

 Now, here's the "official" part...It's officially the first day of my Extended

Birthday! My first package arrived in the mail from my beautiful friend,

Sherry! I saw this package in the mailbox and had no idea why I was

getting something from her, so this was a complete surprise, my friend!

 When I opened the box, there were wrapped goodies inside. Her card

warmed my heart, and then I realized that she was sending Birthday
gifts to me!  She sent stunning acorn fabric, an acorn cookie cutter, and
hand-crafted elf shoe ornament, and a gorgeous glass acorn ornament.
I was overwhelmed with her generosity! I already know exactly what
I'm going to do with the fabric, and I can't wait to use the cookie cutter.

 The elf shoe will hang on our Christmas tree this year and I immediately 

headed into the studio to hang the ornament with my other acorn ornament 

treasures. (I didn't have one like this, Sherry! It's perfect.) So many fun gifts!

Thank you, my dear friend for your thoughtfulness. You've officially kicked

off my Birthday celebration for 2013. (Handsome said "thanks", too! lol)
Let the festivities commence!
 

I really can't tell you how much I appreciate you in my life. 

I love ya, girlfriend.

A Gift And Today's Class...

If wealth can be measured in loving friends and family, then I'm rich

beyond measure. Over the years that I've been blogging, I've "met" 

some truly loving and generous new friends. I've written about many

of them in the past, so my friend in today's post will not be unfamiliar to

you. Her name is Sherry and her blog is Createology. If you haven't

visited her site yet, you don't know what you're missing. She's so kind

and generous, and today I'm sharing just another example of her talent.

Last month, I sent a little gift to her and was honored to find a lovely

post she wrote about it (here).  When I sent my package to her, I really 

didn't do so expecting a gift in return, so you can understand my glee

to find a package in my mailbox from her on Valentine's Day!

When I opened the box, the contents smelled of cinnamon and spice! Inside I
found a stacked pillow pincushion sewn in a linen-colored fabric.They were tied
together with a red grosgrain ribbon, and topped with a white, sparkling pinecone.

 Sherry completed her gift with three handcrafted, beaded pins and

a sweet note. It was a thoughtful gift from her hands, and I'm so

grateful that she made it just for me. Thank you, dear friend.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

 No Coffee Club for me this weekend. 

Today, I'm the student, taking a class sponsored by our quilt guild.

I'm going to learn the "Quilt As You Go" technique.

The fabrics that you see in all the photos with Sherry's pincushion are

the fabrics that I'll be using for my project. I'm looking forward to trying

this technique, and we'll be creating a traditional "Drunkard's Path" pattern.

I firmly believe we should never stop learning, so this should be a lot of fun!

It Started With Cake...

My Sweet Chocolate with ButterCreme Birthday Cake!!!

Just when you think your life can't possibly get any better, 

along comes a Birthday...complete with family and friends 

to show you just how loved and special they think you are.

I'm warning you right now...I took pictures of almost everything!

From our granddaughters. Handcrafted goodness!

My first package arrived on Monday of last week. Handsome said, "It's not your

Birthday yet." To which I giggled and replied, "It is now!" 

as I opened the gifts from our granddaughters.

 I opened the wrapping to uncover a sweet, little wooden purse that reminded me of

the style of Queen Elizabeth II. The girls had embellished it with corgis and beads...

and Birthday glitter!

When I opened the box, I found a little fabric pouch.

Inside were two real acorns with faces and smiles, a tiny beaded pin,

and a bead that Granddaughter #2 had created that she called her

"Erf" button. See the oceans and the land? Yup. Erf!

From my friends, Kathy, Nora, Brenda, Flo, Fay, and Joni

When I got to our coffee group on Saturday morning, 

I was greeted by Kathy, Nora, Joni and Flo.

They had gifts and treats! 

(Remind me to get the recipe for Joni's Brownie Cheesecake. It was awesome!)

When each of our group celebrates a Birthday, we create a quilt which holds

meaning for each recipient. Each person does a different part of the quilt so it's

a group effort. The girls made one for me this month and I can't tell you how much

I love it.

It has a December theme with Christmas trees in the corners, a wreath above the 

roaring fire, a mittened-Sunbonnet Sue (who is in every quilt in our group) and

 a corgi reclining on the rug in front of the fire!

It's simply perfect for me...and of course, they knew it would be!

Joni made a Candle Cradle for my new candle

 Joni created a Candle Cradle for my new Yankee candle to sit upon. 

She picked a perfect fragrance for the candle, too.

Brenda's Handmade Fabric Card

Brenda makes the sweetest fabric cards, too...

Inside Brenda's card

 and if you know me and have heard the story, you'll laugh when

you see the inside of this card! We all roared when I opened it.

Acorn ornaments from Denise in Vermont

When our mail arrived on Saturday, not only were there cards from 

our sons and their families, but a package from my sweet friend, Denise in Vermont. 

Inside were these felted acorn ornaments to hang on our tree.

A Kit from Shell at The Raspberry Rabbits

 I've had my eye on this kit since Shell first debuted it on her blog.

When I opened the package from her, there was the entire kit inside!

I danced a happy dance, because everyone knows you're not

supposed to cry on your Extended Birthday!

A gorgeous bracelet from Sherry at Createology

There was one more package on Saturday from my dear friend, Sherry at Createology

As if her friendship and uplifting notes to me weren't enough of a gift, she found

a quartz bracelet (with an acorn) that she felt had to belong to me! What a generous gift!

Flowers from my BFF, Lee

Around mid-morning on the Big Day (my actual Birthdate), the doorbell rang.

Tag ran barking to the front entry, and when I got there the poor delivery woman

was running away from the front door...until she saw "Killer". She started to laugh.

She said, "When I heard the barking, I thought you had a much bigger dog!"

We shared a laugh and Tag was friendly all over her as I signed for this arrangement.

It was a beautiful greeting (with a loving note) from my Best Friend Forever, Lee.

She never forgets. (((hug)))

My Beautiful Dreamer

 Handsome gave me something I had my heart set on from the moment I first saw it.

When he, our friend Richard and I went to Sarasota two years ago in search of

the perfect salvaged item to turn into a kitchen light fixture, I saw this sweet face.

I never said anything about it then, but whenever I'd go exploring the salvage yard's 

website, I'd wish for her again. About four months ago, I sent a link to Handsome's

email inbox with a hint that he might like an idea for my Birthday gift this year.

When he took me out to the back of his truck. There was something wrapped in 

big, fluffy towels (his protective wrapping 'paper'). He said I should 

unwrap it where it sat because it was a "little heavy". I had no idea what I might find.

I actually squealed with delight when I saw it!

Handsome thought we might decide where she should go before lifting her.

She's made of cement, so she's pretty heavy. I was concerned about protecting 

the patina, so we decided against having her out by the pool 

(as I'd originally considered).

My Beautiful Dreamer from Handsome

Rather, we decided that she would be perfect on the built-in bookshelves 

in our living room. These shelves are right next to the hallway to the studio,

so every single time I head back to play, I pass her and look at her peaceful face.

After she was settled in, Tag seemed quite curious about her, too.

Being the good blogger that I am, I caught a picture to share with you!

Wonderful gifts from Marydon at The Blushing Rose

 Even though it's already Thursday, I've managed to extend my celebration 

long past the actual day. Thanks to the gifts that arrived from Marydon, the

festivities have managed to stretch through Wednesday when the mail arrived.

Marydon sent a feed sack kitchen towel to which she'd machine embroidered

a corgi (beautiful, at that!) and two angels...one that's embroidered in a favorite

blue, and the other is a sweet, little quilting angel ornament which will be

treasured for years to come.

I also stopped to see the Panera's group before coming home from the guild

Christmas party. All of them had signed a card for me, and they gave me a 

box of malted milk balls (a personal favorite!) You weren't expecting a picture,

were you? I started eating them that night!

Thank you to Tammy, Margaret, Adele, Krisann and the 

rest of my Panera's friends who signed the card to me.

You're a treasured part of my life.

If you've read this far, (and you're like Shell) you're already saying, 

"Wow. What a spoiled brat!"

Truth is, I've always considered myself "well-loved" by my husband, 

our sons and their families. Spoiled connotes a level of "expectation".

I sometimes joke about that, but I really never take anything for granted.

Our granddaughters called and sang Happy Birthday to me (cha cha cha) and then

we talked about how they're prepariations for Christmas...and a mid-winter trip

to visit Grandma and Grandpa. (We can't wait!) They giggled when I told them

I was delighted with their artwork and that I'd treasure my gifts from them forever.

Our grandson called to wish me a Happy Birthday, and I spent a little time teaching

him the concept of the Extended Birthday. It was another gift to hear his laughter

as I promised to teach him the finer points in years to come so that 

when he's an adult, he'll be a Master of the Extended Birthday, too!

Thank you to all of you who wished me Happy Birthday in your comments, 

sent cards or gifts.

Thanks to Sherry, Denise, Marydon, Shell, Lee, 

the girls from our coffee group and my dear family.

In a world with so much "ugly", you help make my little corner of it a beautiful place.

I'm forever grateful to each and every one of you.

Such Creativity...

 Yesterday, I received a long-distance hug from my friend, 

Sherry at Createology blog. She's been busy in her studio 

creating these sweet little triangular fabric pouches.

You can read about her pouches here.

Each side of the triangle is decorated with a different embellishment.

Her label on one side,

A pretty button on another 

and 

a beaded pin on the third side.

 Sherry told me that the fabric with butterflies signifies happiness.

Just what the doctor ordered!

You always know the perfect gifts for me, Sherry.

Even the butterfly pocket that you wrapped it in is beautiful!

(See it behind the pouch. Gorgeous, right?)

Thank you again, my friend.

Your artful hands and your generous heart are so appreciated.

Be sure to visit Sherry's blog to see what she's working on.

There's always something interesting over at Createology!

More Gifties Arrived...

Can you even believe that today is December 1st already? 2011 is quickly coming to an end and I still have so much left to do! Yesterday was another day filled with surprises. There were two packages in the mail for me!

I opened a package from my generous friend, Sherry E. of Createology to find this clever origami bag. (I took the liberty of staging it with my acorn fairy in an acorn-adorned frame.) The fabric Sherry chose fits right in with my acorn decor, doesn't it?

The fabric is folded and sewn to create a pocket on each side of the bag, and Sherry chose tiny tree charms for the flaps. They're perfect choices, Sherry!

I haven't figured out how everything folds together to make up this little tote, but I'm going to keep examining it until I do! I can't wait to use it, too!

Sherry, you are so generous with your time and your talents and I can't tell you how I appreciate the treasures you send my way. Thank you, my friend. I will cherish you and your creation(s) always!

Although I knew a second package was on its way, I had no idea what to expect inside. Wendy W. of The Frog Palace and The Life of Me contacted me to ask for my address, telling me she had something she wanted to send to me. I admit I was intrigued and couldn't wait to open her package when it arrived!

Her handcrafted card had this tiny acorn glued on one corner. (I bet she made that, too!)

Inside I found ornaments made of glass and other natural elements. A glitter-sprinkled pine cone ready to hang in the studio as well as a little "nature boy" ornament created from wood.

Wendy added this artful collage of craftsy items and the verse about creativity. I see something new every time I look at it. (Wouldn't it be fun to play "Eye Spy" with my granddaughters using this?) I have placed it in my wall organizer hanging across from my sewing machine. It looks right at home there!

Look at this teeny, tiny glass squirrel. I'm so glad it made the trip safely to me - as well as the slightly larger glass acorn. They're both so beautiful, and I've never seen a little squirrel ornie before!

I have the perfect spot to hang them so they can be viewed and admired every day. This is the arch in the window in my studio, and the all three new ornaments will join the rest of my collection where they'll be visible from inside the studio - or outside when I'm in the pool area. (Don't miss the new, little "Green Man" ornament hanging on the right end of the rod!)

Thank you, Wendy for thinking of me when you saw the ornaments...and for all the wonderful gifts you sent to me. I love your thoughtfulness and generosity. Sending great big hugs to you across the miles.

My actual Birthday is December 3rd (Saturday), but without even knowing it, my friends are helping me stretch my celebration. Mum told me a package is on its way and Handsome ran a secret mission yesterday. At this rate, he's going to declare me a bona fide "Spoiled Brat" by Saturday...and he'll be right! One of our running jokes around here is that he's not Mr. Right. He's Mr. Always Right** (again).

I find that I'm constantly inspired by my blog friends. I hope that even in the process of writing about the gifts I receive, you'll find inspiration or ideas for gifts to share with your loved ones. As I work my way through my handcrafted Christmas list over the next two weeks, I'll write about them for a little inspiration of my own.

(**I'm required to add a little right-hand wrist flair for effect when I say that. lol)