One Last Birthday Gift...

Brynwood Needleworks - Fox Buttons To Pins

When I was shopping for buttons for the little girls' dresses, I found these. Considering that there were little foxes running through the print I used for the pinafore fabrics, these couldn't have been more perfect. I immediately knew what I'd do with these.

Brynwood Needleworks - Fox Buttons To Pins

I got back into the studio and grabbed one of the tools in my toolbox to cut the button shanks off the backs. I made sure there were no high spots where I wanted to put the pin findings, and then grabbed my tiny pin backs and glue.

I glued the pin backs...and then waited to be sure the glue was completely dry. I pinned them onto the pinafores of each of the dresses.

I also embroidered the girls names (and year) onto a queen-size pillow cover, cut a hole in the opposite end from the zipper, and then finished the cut opening with pink ribbon as a folded binding. That created a perfect child-size garment bag for the dresses.

I had a great time at the party, and when it was time to open the gift from us (Handsome and me), the little girls sat on chairs, watching their mommy open up the garment bag. Everyone was quiet, and when the dresses were revealed, the girls' eyes widened. They even noticed the little pins!

Their parents thanked me, and later, my sister and others looked at the dresses and told me they thought they were beautiful. I asked their mom to let me know when we might get together next week so I could take pictures of the twins, wearing their new dresses. She liked the idea, and we agreed to get together again soon.

It's so much fun to watch the world through the eyes of children, and last night was especially fun for me. I sat on the staircase as they opened myriad wrapped gifts, revealing one treasure after another. Four is a magical time, and each of the girls squealed in delight, and always thanked each person for the gifts they received. I felt so blessed when they both came running up the stairs to hug me for the dresses that had love sewn into every stitch. Those hugs and kisses were the best thanks of all.

It's hard to believe we already have one month of 2020 behind us. Where does the time go? 

Next week, I'm turning my attention to a custom order that came my way. A long-distance friend mailed her daughter's well-worn jean jacket to me with the request to turn it into a handbag. I've got some contemplating and drafting ideas ahead of me, so I'm going to kick out of gear for the rest of this weekend. That way I can approach this with a fresh and rejuvenated mind. I'm looking forward to this one!

Happy February!

 

Button, Button...

Brynwood Needleworks - Buttons

 

I chose the buttons I want to use. Well, mostly. I love my choices for the colored dresses. Those were easy. I made sure they're flat (so they don't dig into the girls backs if they lean back on a chair), and I picked colors that are close to the fabric colors.

Brynwood Needleworks - Which Ones?

I brought home two choices for the pinafores. I really am not sure which style to choose. What do you think and why? Would you use #1 (top) or #2 (bottom)? Unlike the dresses, whose buttons are on the back, these buttons will be on the front of the pinafores. 

 

Please leave a comment and let me know which ones you'd use. I'm leaning toward one over the other, but I'd love your input. If you can't leave a comment on the bottom of this post (click on "__friends clicked here to leave a message for me"), just send me an email by clicking on the email icon in my sidebar. Thanks!

Now, That Was Fun...

We went to Sarasota yesterday and toured Mote Marine. Uncle Dick really 

wanted to see the manatees and other marine life on exhibit. We didn't miss a bit.

After we had seen every exhibit, I asked what his favorite thing was. He said,

"The manatees.". They seemed to like him quite a bit, too. They were like puppies.

So many colorful (and, in the case of this lionfish, dangerous) things to see.

This spiny lobster was huge!

But when I reviewed all the pictures I took yesterday, I realized that one of my

favorites was this one of a tank loaded with jellyfish. Is it just me, or do they 

look like buttons to you, too? Yes. I thought so. Big, clear, beautiful buttons.

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)

It's True. I'm A Floozie...

I was accepted as a contributor to Button Floozies blog yesterday! I'm pretty excited to be associated with this group of bloggers who all share my interest in these small items that are so fascinating in their diversity and beauty. I'm working on my first entry, and promise to let you know when I add a post there.

If you love buttons as I do, you'll enjoy visiting the Floozies, and seeing our latest creations. Handsome says I look like Scrooge McDuck in his counting house when I sit down and sort through my buttons. Now, he can just call me a "Button Floozie"!

You can click on the Floozie header photo or the blog name above to visit all of the Floozies with whom I'll be sharing button-lovin' space.

Today is the last day for you to sign up for my
Alice in Wonderland First Blog Birthday Celebration Giveaway!
You must go to THIS POST to enter.
It won't count if you leave a comment on today's post.
You have until 9 pm et today to enter.
Good luck to everyone! I wish I had a little something for each of you!

Thank you to everyone who sent good wishes for Kes. The vet liked the new x-rays today, as they showed less intrusion from the tumor than the x-rays from the weekend. She's going to show the films to a few specialists and we'll probably start with a little needle biopsy to confirm whether its benign or not. After we have that answer, we'll decide how to proceed.

Brynwood Boutique Offerings...

On Sunday afternoon, I listed the first items in the Brynwood Boutique.

I spent time last week completing my Brynwood Birds Nest Button Jars just for you! The jars are limited edition from the Longaberger Basket Company. All the jars I'll be offering are pint size. They are embellished either with Swarovski "pearl" beads, or semi-precious jasper beads as eggs. I chose a bronze wire to make the nests, and sparkly bronze ribbon tied in a bow.

Because the jars are collector items in themselves, I have chosen not to put a permanent embellishment on the lid insert. You may keep the unique inserts in place that I have made for each jar, you may replace it with your own permanent embellishment...or you may remove the lid embellishment and just expose the Longaberger information as you wish. The jars I'm offering are empty, but you can use them for buttons or any other small collectibles.

Click here to go to the Boutique. I'll be adding more items in the coming weeks.

You can always visit the Boutique by clicking on the Boutique header image in my left sidebar.

Today Is My 100th Post!...

Today is the day! I can scarcely believe that I've posted one hundred messages to you since I first started my blog in March. Time sure flies! In celebration of this auspicious day, I have selected items from previous posts to offer as giveaway gifts to three of my Brynwood Needleworks readers.

Do you want to see the gifts first, or do you want me to tell you how you can enter to win one? OK, I'll show you what I've selected to give away first! (I know, you're doing a little happy dance, aren't you?) Drumroll, please. (Handsome is sitting here with his favorite snare drum, just to help me announce my gifts!)

Giveaway Gift One
This gift includes items from the fragrance line that I wrote about here.

Philosophy produces their "Grace" line in two or three different fragrances (Pure Grace, Amazing Grace, etc.), and the one I love is Pure Grace. When I wrote about it in my original post, I said that in addition to smelling so fresh and light, I also liked the messages that the company prints on some of their containers. In this set, you will find Pure Grace Perfumed Buffing Wash (to which I've added a white tulle bow and one of my handmade birds nests); a tube of Perfumed Body Butter (who doesn't LOVE butter?); and a roll of twill tape with the word "Blessings" repeated over and over its 4 ft. length. I love what's written on the bottle of buffing wash:

" pure grace is the sweet breath of God, the soft green grass that lies still against a child's back, the whispers of the words i love you, the quiet and the solitude, the prayer that is always answered with "i will guide you home" rather than yes or no, the heart that makes forgiveness its soul passion, the spirit that drapes itself in humility, the mind that exercises free will while surrendering to divine outcome, the person who takes their hands off the wheel, closes their eyes and says "you drive and I'll enjoy the ride".

All of these items will arrive in a beautiful box decorated with birds, eggs and butterflies.

Giveaway Gift Two

I wrote about the Brynwood Lazy Daisy Tea Towel here and more recently, the Silk Ribbon Shaker Pincushion appeared here. Both of these items, handcrafted by me, are part of this giveaway gift. In addition, I'm including a pair of snips with large-holed handles to make them easy to use, and attached to that is one of my handcrafted Scissors Fobs that I wrote about here. I sell the fobs in my Etsy store. This one has pretty crystals and a pewter spool of thread to "pretty up" the scissors. Also included is a small purse-size tube of Aveda hand cream. Everything is packaged in a tiny hat box - a smaller version of the one that I used to pack up my granddaughter's birthday crown.

Giveaway Gift Three

My third gift set features the Birds Nest Button Jar that I wrote about here. I started by making the birds nest and added a silky ribbon to the jar lid (so that you can still remove the lid without removing the embellishments). I then attached it to a Longaberger Basket-patterned jar. I've even included some buttons in the jar to add to your own collection! You can read the original post for the rest of the details. To this I've added one of my duplicate vintage pincushions. This one is a sweet owl...a bit "loved", but so sweet. Both will arrive nestled in a beautiful box decorated with birds, eggs and butterflies.

You can click on any of the photos to enlarge them so you can see more of the details.

Now, be truthful...Wouldn't you love to own one of these giveaway gift sets? I hope so! So, let me tell you how to get your name in the drawing.

• If you're a "follower" of my blog - your name and/or image appears in my "followers" list - you automatically have TWO entries in the giveaway. If you're not already a follower, you can become a follower now and you will receive your TWO entries.
• If you write a comment IN THIS POST ONLY, your name will be entered an additional ONE time. Multiple posts here will not earn you multiple entries, though. I'd love to hear which gift you like the best and why.
• If you write a comment IN MY UPCOMING POSTS, your name will be entered an additional one time per day. REMINDER: Be sure to sign your posts so that I know who to credit with an entry!!!
  
• If you have a blog and post a link to my giveaway, you will earn another ONE entry in the giveaway. (Please be sure to let me know you've done this, so I can give you credit!)
  

I will draw the winning names NEXT FRIDAY, August 14th.

• The First Name I draw will have First pick from the gifts.
• The Second Name drawn will have Second pick from the gifts.
• Of course, the Third Name will be the recipient of the final gift available.

I hope you're as excited about this as I am!

I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has stopped in to read my musings. You motivate me to be my best so that I can share the best of me with you. God blesses my life daily with my wonderful Handsome husband and our family. You honor me when you stop in to read what I've written to share just with you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Sharing My Favorite Things...

I thought I'd share some of my favorite things with you today...buttons and seashells. I love making collage hearts! The two styles I like the best are created with old buttons or with seashells. I also insert additional trinkets in them when I find the perfect element.

I started making them a couple of years ago, and love searching through my collections for just the right elements. In the seashell collage, I also made the charm to add to the piece. I features an image of The Birth of Venus.

Because of my choice of materials, no two are exactly the same which is just another aspect that I love about them.

In the coming weeks and months, I'll be adding items like this to my Etsy store (as well as my hand created jewelry pieces). I hope you'll go window shopping from time to time to see if there's something in my store you just can't live without!

Passing On Our Common Thread...

Today, I pulled a small selection of old buttons and family treasures from my collection to share with you.

The heart-shaped dish belonged to Handsome's Aunt Eula and it eventually became ours. Many of these buttons were from my grandmother's or my mother-in-law's button jar. I especially love the variety I've chosen to show you...different colors, textures and finishes.

Grandma is going to be 97 this year. She only recently moved into a nursing home, and she is still a prolific crocheter. (She's also still pretty feisty, as evidenced by her sly smile in this picture!)

When she gave me her button jar, she told me that most of the buttons had been taken off old coats and tattered dresses and blouses for future use...a recycler before it became fashionable! I know I'll use them some day, but I get great pleasure just sorting and handling them. (Remember my "Scrooge McDuck" reference in yesterday's post?) I love the uniqueness and character of the old buttons, and they'll eventually adorn handbags, ATCs and other garments.

My mother-in-law, Evelyn was a most accomplished needlewoman. All the women in Handsome's family were avid seamstresses and needleworkers. She sewed for her family and her home, and she loved needlepoint. I have a pair of framed needlepoint gamebirds that she stitched, as well as a beautiful bargello pillow.

Evelyn died the year that Handsome and I were married, but having these pieces - as well as using some of her needlework tools - evokes fond memories of her. I'm reminded that I am preceded by many talented women in my family. (This photo of her resides on the wall in my studio. It's nice to have her there when I work.)

My dish is sitting on a lovely crocheted doily. I'm not sure who made it, but I love its colors of pastel pink and ivory. You can also see the embroidered edge of a pretty little hanky. It also came from Aunt Eula's home. I assume that her mother made it for her, but it could also have been created by Evelyn as a gift to Eula. When you don't know exactly who created something pretty, it's fun to imagine who might have spent hours with needle and thread in hand. I love the fact that it's embroidered with the tiniest of perfect stitches. It's a real work of art.

One of these days I'll pull out the antique linens that were passed to me to share with you, but for today I hope you enjoy these few buttons and the other pretties.

One of the reasons I love owning these needlework pieces and buttons is because of my shared legacy with these talented women. I will enjoy and care for them until I pass them along to our daughters-in-law and granddaughters, along with the stories of these amazing women. I'll be honored to be passing on our common thread.

One final thing for today: We're lucky to be enjoying the start of what I hope will be a fruitful rainy season here in Florida. We've had a couple of years of drought, so the rains are welcome. My friend, Bonnie, shared this link with me. It's a Slovenian group called Perpetuum Jazzile performing an incredible version of Toto's 1980s hit Africa. In their performance, they begin by simulating the sound of rain with their hands. Click on the group's name above to go to the link, turn up your sound, close your eyes, and sit back and enjoy.