Calling California and a Quilt Update...

 Remember that there are three panels for the "Over The River" quilt I'm

teaching at Crazy Quilters. The first one (on the top of the quilt) is the actual 

"Over The River" section. The center is designed with the words, "Over the river 

and through the woods, to Grandmother's house we go", and the third panel, 

located at the bottom of the quilt, is the "Through The Woods" section.

I'm planning to create an applique' design for the center panel. I want mine to 

be unique, so I've decided that's where I'm going to make my alteration to the 

original design. I frequently do this, and you really shouldn't be afraid to put your 

own touch on anything that you create either. The other thing I like to tell my
students is that, when you show your family and friends your final creation,
they will almost never see the original pattern next to it. They will only
appreciate what they're looking at and have nothing else with which to
compare it. That will really free you up to let your imagination carry you away.

You can see here that I'm nearly finished with the "Over The River" panel.

I'll start on the "Through The Woods" panel as soon as I finish the applique'

block for our guild quilt. I'm hoping that I'll have that finished by the weekend.

Fourth Blog Birthday Giveaway Update...

When I post my giveaways, I always ask that you PULEEEEZ make sure that

I have a way to contact you if you win. Well, I've been trying since I announced

the winners to reach the winner of the first giveaway package...without success.

Subsequently, I have not yet mailed any of the packages so that I can give

the second place winner a chance to change her selection, and so on for the

rest of the winners. I really don't like having to take away a gift, but this is

LAST CALL to SEWCALGAL

If I don't hear from you by the end of the day today, I'll be contacting the other 

winners and then picking one more name for the fourth giveaway set. Please put

"GIVEAWAY WINNER" in the subject line if you send an email, so I'll know it's 

from you. (Send the email to dliljegren (at) brynwoodneedleworks (dot) com)

If I don't hear from the winner by the end of today, I'll send another email to 

the other winners so they can have a chance to change their minds on their prizes.

Thanks to everyone else for your patience and understanding. I can't think of a

better reason to go to your "settings" and amend your "No Comment Blogger" status.

Pretty Bugs and Giveaway Winners...

 By dinner time Friday night, I finished all the setup for the CT block!

Woot! Woot!

Time for the stitching to commence.

Where to begin?

I bet you're dying to know who the winners of Brynwood's

Fourth Birthday Party Giveaway 

are, aren't you?

Time to announce the winners...

 First Choice - VINTAGE PACKAGE - goes to:

#58 - SEWCALGAL

 Second Choice - CRAFTER'S PACKAGE - goes to:

#78 - LORI @ APPLEGROVE

 Third Choice - LET ME KNOW YOUR CHOICE - goes to:

#88 - TINA EUDORA

 

 

 and last, but not least...

The Final Choice - LET ME KNOW YOUR CHOICE - will go to:

#43 - Lesley UK

Congratulations, everyone

and 

Thank you to everyone who entered.

ATTENTION WINNERS:

Please contact me with your full name, address and email so that I can

send your choice to you. Tina, please let me know your choice. Lesley, I'll 

contact you to let you know your choices after Tina makes her selection. 

Thanks!!

Red, White and Blue-ness...

 I'm nearly finished with the set-up for the applique' block I'm working on,

but my mind is already moving on to another project. This has been in the 

works for a while. I thought I might show you a peek at what's on deck.

 All the components are right here...everything I need to do this project.

I'm planning to debut it on Monday the 25th, so I hope you're curious

enough to come back to see what this all becomes when I'm finished.

 Today is the last day to enter my giveaway.

I'll choose the winners tonight and announce them tomorrow.

Click here if you haven't entered yet,

and for those of you who have...

Good Luck!!!

It won't be long now.

Some Days...

 Our dear, old dog trainer friend, Ray Sommers used to say, "Some days it just

 don't go by the book." Truer words were never spoken! Just when you think 

it's safe to start a new project, something happens and changes your focus again.

I found out on Monday, that the ladies working on our last guild quilt block hit the 

wall and weren't able to finish it. I really appreciate that they gave it their best effort,

but, it's a really good thing that I started that "extra" block all those weeks ago.

I resurrected the block yesterday and made good progress toward completing the

setup. The first photograph shows how far I got by dinner time, and the copy of

what the block is supposed to look like is next to it. By the end of the evening,

I had finished all the oak leaves and gone back to concentrating on the "bugs".

 There are two praying mantis on this block and I'm nearly finished

with the first one. All those teeny, tiny parts are falling into place!

 Who knew making bugs could be so much fun? 

I'm hoping to have the block all set up by Friday, and three of my 

friends have already volunteered to help if I need it. I'll start the

stitching myself, but I'll probably hand it off next week so that I 

don't develop that nice "needle catcher" callous again. Ouchie!

This is going faster than I thought, which is good. I hope we can stay on 

schedule, and perhaps this can still go to the long-arm in a couple short weeks!

 Only two more days until the drawing for my Fourth Blog Birthday Giveaway.

Click here to enter if you haven't yet.

Tuesdays With Tag - Hydroponically Speakin'...

 Hi, Everybody!

It seems like just yesterday we spent the day together, doesn't it?

I had a lot of fun decidin' what I wanted to share with you today.

At the end of our block is a really weird-looking yard. Mom told me that

Fezzik showed you our neighbor's yard when they used to have GOATS!

Now, that's somethin' I think I could have been interested in.

However, now that same yard looks like it's full of aliens.

 There are all kinds of white pipes stickin' out of the ground and pots of all

sizes stuck on those pipes. They used to be empty, but almost overnight

they all have green leaves tumblin' out of 'em. Mom says it's a farm.

They grow all of their vegetables "hydroponically", and that means 

everythin' is growing out of pots full of water! Mom said they also

grow 'lobstahs" in their back yard, and that the waste water is what

fertilizes the plants growin' in the front and side yards. We were impressed.

 Mom likes visitin' Pinterest from time to time and she read on there

that when you cut the bottoms off celery and lettuce, you can stick it

in a dish of water and it will grow another plant. To tell the truth, I 

wasn't really buyin' that. It just seemed like all kinds of voodoo to me!

 But Mom said, "Tag, honey. If it works for the people down the block

I just bet it will work for us, too. After all, what will it hurt to try?

So now, as soon as Mom cuts the bottoms off our lettuce and celery

she sticks 'em with toothpicks and puts 'em in a dish of water.

Less than a week later...CAN YOU BELIEVE IT???

We're farmers, too!!!

I'm the official "Root Inspector"! 

Every day, Mom pours out the old water and adds clean fresh water,

and we make sure our plants are continuing to get big and healthy.

 Before long, we're gonna have our own home-grown salads!

Mom has done this with pineapples before, but we're really on a 

roll now! I love an occasional carrot, so I'm gonna see if we can

try that, too. What else, you might ask?

HOW ABOUT SOME BISCUITS FOR THE CORGI???

(I can make the request, can't I?)

I can't wait to see what's gonna be next. I promise I'll keep ya posted.

'til then,

"More Waggin' and Less Barkin'!"

 

P.S. Mom asked me to remind everybody about our  

Fourth Blog Birthday Giveaway.

Click here to enter!

Keepin' Up...

I've been busy working on "Over The River" for the class I'm

teaching. I'm busy trying to stay ahead of my enthusiastic students!

I'm really enjoying the needlework aspect of the project, and I'm

loving the way this project is progressing. What's really fun is seeing the

color and fabric choices that my students are using in their quilts. 

They're going to be truly stunning when they're all finished.

 

 I'm going to finish making my flying geese blocks today and then I'll

work on completing the stitching on this panel before the 28th.

I'm going to be helping to finish our guild quilt in the next few weeks

too. I'm only waiting for two more blocks to be handed in, and I think

hope pray that I'll have those back this week. It won't be long now!

If you haven't heard about my Fourth Blog Birthday Giveaway yet,

you'll want to click on this link to my post to find out all about it.

Fourth Blog Birthday Giveaway...

 To celebrate my FOURTH BLOG BIRTHDAY, I've selected an assortment 

of wonderful things to share for a GIVEAWAY! There are five different

gift packages, but only FOUR will be given away. I want the winners to

be able to choose from a variety of things that might appeal to their interest.

The first gift package (above) is the CRAFTERS GIFT PACKAGE.

This package includes: a box of Japanese art tape (6 rolls!); an oak leaf paper 

punch; Autumn-themed buttons and paper fasteners and two really cool books.

These books were originally given to me by my blog friend, Shell May, but

I've absorbed every beautiful word and I know she wouldn't mind if I send 

them on to another creative friend. The first book is "Living the Creative Life",

and the other is "Taking Flight". They're chock-full of gorgeous inspiration!

My second gift is the VINTAGE GIFT PACKAGE.

The centerpiece of this package is a favorite ivory capodimonte rose basket.

I've filled it with vintage lace and crochet, and there will be ribbons and

buttons added to this gift, too. If you love all things vintage, you'll love this!

 Perhaps your first love is spending time in the kitchen. For you,

I've created the COOKING GIFT PACKAGE. It will include a 

sweet bowl with pestle for mashing up your favorite herbs and spices;

and "Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Cooking" cookbook. I'm going to

add a beautiful set of wooden spoons to this gift, as well.

 You know how much I love to sew, right? Perhaps that's your interest, too.

You can choose this SEWING GIFT PACKAGE.

I've pulled six sweet girly patterns (you could choose boys patterns - or I'll exchange 

them for a few quilt patterns if you prefer!); a folding measuring tape (12"); 

a mini sewing kit; a ring pincushion and a box of button-head straight pins for you. 

 And, last but not least I have a KNITTY GIFT PACKAGE.

I've included seven pre-wound balls of Tahki Cotton Yarn and a copy

of the "Knit Hats!" book with fabulous hat patterns. I tucked everything

 into a little, old wicker basket that you can repurpose as you choose.

Once the winners have been announced and they've chosen their gifts,

I'll be adding a few more items on the same theme to each package, so

you're not seeing everything that will be included in the gifts. That will

be a surprise to each of the giveaway recipients. Don't you love surprises?

So, there you have it. All the choices that will be available to FOUR lucky

winners. The winners will be able to choose their package in the order their

names are drawn. Now to tell you how to enter your name for the giveaway.

• You must be a friend/follower of Brynwood blog to enter. 

Leave ONE comment telling me that you're a follower for one chance to win.

• Leave a second (SEPARATE) comment telling me which gift you'd chose.

This comment doesn't have to be left right away - so you can put a 

little space between your first and second comment.

• Leave a third (SEPARATE) comment if you post my giveaway 

button on your blog to tell your friends about our celebration gifts.

This will be your third chance to win!

ONLY COMMENTS ON THIS POST WILL COUNT
TOWARD THE DRAWING.

That's it.

I'll close the drawing and choose FOUR winners on  

FRIDAY, March 22, 2013.

(As always, winners will be chosen via Random.org)

I'll announce the winners on SATURDAY, March 23, 2013.

Drawing is open to all blog followers, no matter where you live.

Please be sure that I will be able to contact you!

This is all just my humble way of thanking you for sharing your days
with me these past four years. I can't tell you how much I appreciate you!   

Thank you and Good luck!!!

My Blog Is FOUR Today...

Image from Scenic Reflections.com

Who knew when I wrote my first blog post on March 15, 2009, I would

continue to write to you on a nearly daily basis for FOUR whole years? 

I sure didn't! I have written a total of 1406 posts since that first one!

I'm putting together FOUR giveaway gifts to share with you, and I hope to

have a little something you'll like, whether you love all-things-vintage, 

sewing/quilting, paper crafts or some other relaxing pursuit. 

I'll be posting the FOUR different gift packages tomorrow.

So, the celebration starts today - and in my traditional form - I'll be 

e-e-e-e-extending the party through the next week! 

Come back tomorrow to see my party gifts, and to enter my 

FOURTH BLOG BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY!

(Party hats optional.)