In The Spirit of Christmas...

As I spend happy hours in the studio, I find myself contemplating  what represents Christmas for me. ("Snow" was even on the list!)
My friend, DeeDee of DeeDee's Craft Spot shared this on Facebook yesterday and I thought it was perfect. It says just what I was thinking...only "prettier"! I hope you're embracing the Spirit of the Christmas holiday this year. I know I am. I'll be back tomorrow with more finished projects to share.

Ornaments From A Couple of Floozies...

Over the weekend, I received ornaments from two of my Button Floozies swap partners. DeeDee from DeeDee's Craft Spot and Debbie R. created two beautiful ornaments for me.

Debbie's ornament is a cross stitched tree on aida cloth. Then, she embellished the tree with button ornaments! The needlework was mounted on matboard and a hanger added. Isn't it sweet?

Debbie certainly put a lot of work into her ornaments. Remember, she did four ornaments like this to swap!  Thank you for your generosity, Debbie. This ornament will have a place of honor on our tree!

DeeDee and I are ol' blogging pals, and have been involved in swaps and personal gift exchanges almost since I started blogging. She really knows me and what I like. She's been saving that gorgeous woven acorn just for me - and finally had the excuse to send it along in her swap package. I almost fainted when I saw it!

As if the ornament and acorn weren't enough, she included a beautiful, handcrafted bookmark, a snowflake ornament, and a little fold-up book.

...and a bag of red, green and winter-themed buttons. Dang! Why didn't I think of that??? I did include tiny bear jars filled with Sarasota-grown honey along with my ornaments, but I should have thought to add more buttons. She really went over the top!

Thanks, DeeDee. You're too generous, my friend. Between you and Debbie, I was S.P.O.I.L.E.D. again last weekend. Thank you to both of you for your creative gifts. I'm a very grateful Floozie. (hee hee)

Button Floozie Ornament Exchange...

I'm a Button Floozie. No. Really. I've been a contributing writer to the weblog, Button Floozies for some time. It's a great place to read about all the different kinds of buttons and meet new bloggers who share this interest, too.

For the past couple of years, our administrator, Laurie has organized an ornament swap for our members. Each of us belongs to a group of five and we create ornament sets to share among our group. In my group for this swap are two old friends, Denise and DeeDee, and a couple of new friends, too - Debbie and Renee.

Our deadline to mail our hand-made ornaments is today. So, guess how I spent yesterday? Yup. Making ornaments!

I had help. Miss Ellie (my Babylock Ellisimo) was all too happy to help me create the base for my ornaments, and she stitched out her work in record time.

After she was finished, it was my turn. Sewing, stuffing, stitching, detailing with vintage buttons and making the cording for hangers all went into the creation of each ornament.

They're all finished and in the mail...right on time. I'd love to show you a picture of them, but I really have to make you use your imagination. There's a chance that one of the Floozies in my group might peek at this post, and we can't have her seeing her ornament before she opens her package, now, can we? Thank goodness for Photoshop and their special effects feature.

I'll show you the actual photo some time next week, after I'm sure the ornies have been received. Today, I'll be making the November mini quilt for our monthly QAL at Sandy's Quilt Shop. I'll be taking it with me to the shop on Saturday, but I promise to share it with you first.

Happy Friday, y'all. I hope you have a creative day, too.

Hands Across The Water...

I'm giving you a break from my christening gown project

to share my most recent ATC arrivals with you.
Remember when I posted about the ATC swap I joined?
(Here's the link to that post.)
Well, I've started receiving cards from my swap
partners and they're all pretty awesome!

The first to arrive was Andrea's card. It's called "Water".
It really looks like it to me, with the beautiful threads and beads!
Andrea's blog is Indigo Blue. If you haven't visited her yet, please do.
(Andrea's card came all the way from Cornwall, England.)
Next to arrive is Pril's card. It's called "Purple Hearts #1".
It's a quilted fabric card with fabulous machine embellishing.
Beautiful! I love the card, Pril, and your colors are fabulous!
I don't know if she has a blog...Andrea, if you're reading this
please let me know so I can edit this to post a link!
(Pril's card also arrived from Cornwall, England.)
Last week, when I went to the mailbox, Bridget's card was
waiting for me. It's called "Foil Series" 3/15, and uses
a great glue and metal thread technique. Wonderful texture.
Bridget's blog is Stitchety Grub...a new place for you to visit!
(Her card came from Australia!)

Last, but not least...My dear friend, Dee Dee from Dee Dee's Craftspot
sent me this wonderful card with the words "Heaven Sent" on the front.
It has sweet angels, hearts (including one that dangles from the ribbon),
and lacey, doily trim. Just like a huge hug sent through the mail!
Dee Dee is in Texas, and has a great blog to visit.
Tell her I sent you if you haven't checked out her blog before.

Although this isn't an ATC, I had to show you the front of the greeting
card that protected Bridget's ATC all the way from Australia. She cut out
the flower shapes and attached them to her card, and then she added tiny
crocheted flowers to embellish the cut-outs. Isn't it pretty?

Thank you to all the artists who have or are participating in this swap.
I really appreciate all the playtime you spent creating your stunning cards.
(Here's the link to my ATC album featuring the cards I've received to date.)

There's still time to join in the fun if you'd like.
Just send me an email and let me know you want to play.
I'll get names and addresses to you right away!

I'm helping Handsome prepare for a rehearsal at our house tonight,
so I may not get that bonnet sewn today, but I'll be back tomorrow
to let you know what I managed to work on.

Til then,
"May all your days be creative...
and all your nights filled with sweet dreams."
(I made that up. Do you like it?)

There's a giveaway going on at Dolls, Etc. blog
She's celebrating her 100th follower!!!
You have until June 20th to enter.

Love In An Envelope...

The mail delivery on Saturday held a surprise for me.
I recognized the return address and anxiously walked back
to the house so that I could open it (with camera in hand, of course!)
The gift is from my friend, Dee Dee at Dee Dee's Craftspot.

I've been reading on Dee Dee's blog that she's been learning to make charms. She recently took a class and was perfecting her technique. Well, girlfriend, let me tell you! Dee Dee, you've got it figured out now, girl! Look at the fabulous key chain my sweet friend created just for me! Acorns! She knows what tickles me! Blue Beads, a heart-embellished charm and acorns...
and when I turned it over, this is what I saw. Perfectly personalized from the studio of one talented Texas girlfriend to her grateful pal in Florida. Thank you, Dee Dee! A proper, handwritten note is on its way to you.

Dee Dee is celebrating 100 Followers, so click on her angel button to go sign up! She'll be choosing a winner on March 23rd.



If you can't get enough of the giveaway goodness in Blogland these days, The Brocantess is having a giveaway to celebrate her 100th Post. You won't want to miss a chance to win her gifts! Please tell her you heard about it here and Donna says "hi". Just click on her photo to enter before she chooses the winner on Sunday, Mar. 21st.

And don't forget to click here to participate in my First Blog Birthday Party!

One more thing. I've put a poll right under my celebration button in my left sidebar. I'd love it if you'd give me a little feedback and help me make a decision.

Texas Acorns...

The first surprise package of acorns arrived from Fort Worth, Texas today. Thanks to Dee Dee of Dee Dee's Craft Spot. I was pretty excited when I saw the package in my mailbox, but can you believe the special envelope I found inside? Dee Dee, I suspect that you crafted this envelope yourself, and I think it's great.

When I opened the envelope, I found these beautiful acorns waiting for me. I'm getting an education with this project. I'm finding that acorns, like people, come in all shapes, sizes and colors. I have never seen acorns in this color and shape before. Another thing...I guess I thought that, coming from Texas, the acorns would be huge. (Isn't the saying that "Everything is bigger in Texas"?) These are small, almost tiny, mahogany-colored acorns. I love 'em! Don't you agree, they are very cool?

My call for acorns is going to be more fun than I ever imagined! I'm excited in anticipation of all the different and equally fabulous acorns that I know are coming my way. I'll be sending out a little package for Dee Dee yet this week. Thanks so much for sharing some of your East Texas acorns with me!

Don't forget to go over to Dee Dee's blog and say "hi" from me! And if you're interested in sending me some acorns from your fair state, please just send me a message through my email link in my left sidebar and I'll get my address to you. You'll receive a little gift from me for your trouble.