A TISKET, A TASKET

A tisket, a tasket, I've been working on my Easter basket. Tonight I want to share with you a fun punchneedle design by "With Thy Needle & Thread" called "Speckled Eggs". It is stitched with variegated Valdani thread and Weeks Dye Works.

I started this on Sunday evening and completed it on the following day, Monday. It was so fun!!! Silly as this may sound, but I enjoy looking at the back of the fabric as much as the front. I have some osnaburg which I will stitch to the back side of the Easter design to form a pocket. I am deciding whether or not I will distress it a bit, what do you think? Then I will attach a wire handle and fill the basket with some moss and a few speckled eggs. Some silk ribbon will adorn the handle for the finishing touch. I can't tell you enough how much I love the way this is turning out....so exciting for me.

I have posted a few pictures to show you some step by step progress on this design.

What can I say but LOVE it!!!! I want to hurry and finish it off but just had to take a minute and let you know what I have been up to. As always, thanks for visiting, I hope this inspires you to try punchneedle someday, it really is rewarding. When the basket is finished I will show you how beautiful it will become. Until then, the following is a picture of a scrumptious chocolate cupcake pincushion that my friend, Diane, made me for part of my birthday gift. She knows how much I love pincushions!!!! I will cherish it always...Doesn't it look sweet???

The Happy Needle Giveaway

Is this not an adorable little scissor fob/pincusion??? Head on over to visit Sharlotte's blog for you chance to win this little lovely. You have until midnight January 31st to enter.

Job Offer Accepted!

Thanks for your interest in the stitching job for the Tapestry Peacock. This post is to let you know she has found someone who is willing to accept the challenge. I hope everything goes well and they are able to help her out. She has crippling arthritis and can't stitch. Money wasn't an issue to her, she just needed to find someone willing to help her out. I wished I could have helped her but I just knew there was no way I would be able to stitch it so quickly while I work a full time job.

Are You Interested In A Job???

I have had a request to stitch a custom order for Teresa Wentzlers "Peacock Tapestry". Unfortunately I do not have the time to accomplish this in the time needed because I work a full time job. So, I thought I would post this opportunity to my blogging friends to see if anyone is interested in making some extra cash. The item needs to be completed by the end of March. (There may be a little flexibility in the deadline) If you are interested, please email me and let me know if you are interested.

((((EDITED))))

This is being revised to anyone who is interested and how long (appoximately) would you need to complete this? Also, how much money would you charge to complete this? I have told her how hard it would be to complete in such a short time and she is now "seeing the real picture".

I will relay your information on to her so she can review/make a decision on what is possible.

Thanks you guys!!!!

BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER - MY GARDEN 2009

Every gardener knows under the cloak of winter lies a miracle--a seed waiting to sprout, a bulb opening to light, a bud straining to unfurl. And the anticipation nurtures our dream.

You're only here for a short visit.

Don't hurry, don't worry,

and stop to smell the flowers along the way.

All through the long winter, I dream of my garden.
On the first day of spring, I dig my fingers deep into the soft earth.
I can feel its energy, and my spirits soar.

Garden fairies come at dawn,

Bless the flowers then they're gone.


In my garden there is a large place for sentiment. My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams. The thoughts grow as freely as the flowers, and the dreams are as beautiful.


Flowers are the sweetest things God ever made, and forgot to put a soul into.


The best place to seek God is in a garden. You can dig for him there.

Gardening is about enjoying the smell of things growing in the soil, getting dirty without feeling guilty, and generally taking the time to soak up a little peace and serenity.

I'll seek a four-leaved shamrock in all thy fairy dells,

And if I find the charmed leaves, oh, how I'll weave my spells!

Deep within the winter forest among the snowdrift wide

You can find a magic place where all the fairies hide....

Bread feeds the body, indeed, but flowers feed also the soul.


There can be no other occupation like gardening in which, if you were to creep up behind someone at their work, you would find them smiling


Gardening requires lots of water - most of it in the form of perspiration.

The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses.

Shall we compare our hearts to a garden -with beautiful blooms,

straggling weeds,

swooping birds and sunshine,

rain -and most importantly, seeds.

Love is like dew that falls on both nettles and lilies.

"Gardening is a way of showing that you believe in tomorrow."

The earth laughs in flowers.


The garden is a love song, a duet between a human being and Mother Nature.


Grow what you love. Then love will keep it growing.

The kiss of the sun for pardon,
The song of the birds for mirth,
One is nearer God's heart in a garden
Than anywhere else on earth.

10 WINNERS FOR THE TWENTY-TEN GIVEAWAY

Good morning my dear blogging buddies and friends. It is a cool 20 degrees here at the moment, quite a bit warmer than it has been (usually about 12 degrees) bbrrrrrrr!!!! I don't know about you but my body doesn't sense the difference between cold and colder, it just knows it is freezin' outside. I could sure go for some coffee with a bit of french vanilla right now to warm me up. Yum! As you can see from the picture above, Sunday was kind of a relaxing, don't want to do nothing, lay around and sleep kind of day. Tinkerbella sure knows how to take advantage of it to the extreme! lol

Isn't this such a pretty sight? I just love the beautiful white branches, they look so peaceful and serene at the same time, yet so bold. I know that sounds kind of strange but it's just how it makes me feel. My hubby and I went out to rent us a movie to watch last evening when I caught a glimpse of this tree and thought (wow!) how beautiful! Anywho, I can't even remember what it's called, wait.......hubby just said it is called "Extract". I have no idea what it's about or anything, he went in and got it, I just went along for the ride. For some reason he is not the best at choosing movies so I hope it will be entertaining. We didn't watch it Sunday night so we will probably get to it tonight. Keeping my fingers crossed for some stitching time. Haven't had too much of it lately.

I have been working on "Spring Fling" by none other than Black Bird Designs, I LOVE their patterns. Here is a not so perfect snapshop of where I am on it. I keep thinking "You need to put this down and start on 'I Thee Wed', but I keep plugging along thinking, no, if you start another project you won't finish this one". What's a girl to do????? I know the answer.......I will take this one to work and work on it at lunch time and I will start "I Thee Wed" to work on in the evenings at home. Yes, I can do this!!!



I came across this photo I took at my Aunt's house this past summer and when I saw the glass frogs I chuckled and thought I should share this photo with all of you. I am sure alot of you are familiar with Deb's passion for "scissor frogs" and how she so cleaverly displays her scissor collection in her many "scissor frogs". So seeing that my Aunt has a collection of antique marbles and she displays them in "frogs" too, made me think of Deb. I love that that they both chose to display their collections in the same manner. What fun ideas they came up with!!

Here is a little "valentine" project I stitched up rather quickly. It is stitched on light pink aida, which I don't use hardly ever, but it was the only fabric I could find in that color. I used plain DMC thread, nothing fancy. I found this pattern in an old magazine I had and thought it would be a fast stitch and offer me something to do for a quick change of pace.

My obsession for stitching the word "Love" began when I stitched my first "Love" for a birthday present for my sister some 9 or so years ago. You see her last name is "Love" so I found it fitting to make her something that had a double meaning for her. It turned out so pretty that I have made several "beaded" stitcheries with the simple word "Love". Even though the word love is simple, it is elegant and the projects I have made are anything but simple. I have always loved the saying "Love wasn't put in your heart to stay, love isn't love til you give it away". Speaking of which (give it away) brings me to the results of the 2010 giveaway. I used the random generator (only because it was faster this time). I prefer to do it the old fashioned way "out of a hat", but either way here are the lucky winners:

Winning Numbers are:

63.....Blyn

Blyn said...
You are so kind with all of your giveaways. I love all of the signs that you have in your sidebar. There is a restaurant that we enjoy going to and they have these great big signs just like them. I love the sayings on them. Now for chocolates..I love chocolate covered cherries, the kicker is I hate the cherry. I eat them and (spit out) the cherry...bad I know.. :)

4 .....Brigitte

Brigitte said...
Oh Jolene, what a treat to be able to visit Shepherd's Bush whenever you want to. I visited once and it was a dream. If I lived near them my cc would be smoking all the time, lol. What a wonderful idea for a giveaway.
When it comes to chocolates my favourite ones are the ones filled with marzipan or with caramel. I don't know any American brand but what I like here is Lindt. Hmm, I have to stop thinking of chocolates, lol.

37.....Melissa

Melissa said...
Oh how fun, how generous of you, Jolene! My favourite chocolates are Belgian chocolates from a local chocolate shop called Daniel's. I especially love the Cointreau, Espresso, and a Strawberry Heart. There, now you know what's in my chocolate stash drawer!

Thank you for this giveaway!

60....Myra

Myra said...
I am happy you found the chart you wanted. I know how it is when you have the "itch" for that one special chart and as always it is OOP.

Another Happy Birthday to Kerry!

I would love to be entered in your generous giveaway.

Oops! I forgot to tell you that my favorite chocolate is always the dark chocolate with coconut in the center. Yum! (Sorry for the double post.)

13.....Heather

Heather said...
I love Ghardelli Dark chcocolate with carmel. We don't get them in Canada so such a treat when i do get them
Thanks for a great swap

65.....Katrina

Katrina said...
Happy birthday to your brother!

My favorite chocolate is the Cadbury eggs with the candy coating. You can only get them at Easter and Christmas so I stock up, LOL.

What a great contest, I hope I win ;-).

40.....Peg

Peg said...
Happy Birthday Kerry! I love alot of the Shepards Bush charts not sure why I own so few of them. I may have to rectify that real soon. LOL!

My favorite candies don't come in the box they are Brach's and they are a cream colored noughat with the little colored chewy pieces in them. My grandmother always had those in a dish and we could have them whenever we visited.

Now if I have to buy a box of candy I always get the turtles. Yummy carmel nuts and chocolate. :)

Your are so generous with your give aways. I would love to have a grab bag from SB.

68.....Tammy K

TammyK said...
You always have the coolest posts. I like the Hershey's rum caramel. Ate way too many of them this Christmas but they were delicious! Love the peacock on your header.

25.....Michelle

Michelle said...
Happy New Year to you and your family!

Wow - what a great giveaway - again!

I LOVE Lindt chocolate, especially the dark Lindor Balls, because they are just the most delicious and smooth chocolates ever!

79......Edgar

Barbeeque4 said...
My Favorite boxed Chocolates would have to be those from Angell and Phelps - made in Daytona Beach FL -

Throw my name into this super give away!!!

edgar

WooHoo!!!! Congrats to all of you! Thanks so much for visiting my little corner of the blogging world and taking the time to comment. I love to "get mail" so it is always refreshing to me when I open up my computer and find "I have mail".....it brings a smile to my face and heart.

Will the winners please send me their mailing address so I can get your Mystery Grab Bag in the mail for you. Have a wonderful week and I look forward to visiting your blogs for more inspiration.

Kindly,

Jolene

Happy Birthday and 10 Giveaways for 2010!!!

Today is a great day for a celebration. First of all it's my brother's Birthday, he is 49 years young! Also, it marks the 114th Birthday that Utah became the 45th state in the USA. Below is a picture I took of my brother this past Christmas 2009. Happy Birthday Kerry!!!

“My momma always said, Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.”
This is one of the most memorable quotes from the hit movie Forrest Gump. I had never thought about life like that before, but how true it is!
When I was a little girl, my grandpa always shared his box of chocolates with me. I would gaze wide-eyed at the large assortment, wondering what was inside each one of those tiny chocolate-covered surprises. My favorite is the milk chocolate covered caramel, (oh so delish!!) and like a kid at Christmas I would hope to get what I wanted. Of course I was terribly disappointed if I didn’t!
Life is like a box of chocolates, loaded with surprises, some delightful and some not so much. The yummy ones, of course, are easy to swallow, but the yucky ones are sometimes hard to stomach.

On Saturday, January 2nd, 2010, I ventured out to Shepherd's Bush for a little fun. Every year they have a big sale and I bought some "grab bags", ten to be exact. I thought it would be fun to send 10 people a "box of chocolates" so to speak. Each grab bag contains 10, yes 10, different cross stitch patterns. They are all packaged up and like Forest Gump says " You never know what you're gonna get". (Not even me). Entering this giveaway is easy. Please leave me a comment on this post only telling me what your favorite "boxed" chocolate candy is and if there is a special meaning why. You have until the 10th of January, midnight to leave your entry. I will use the random generator for this giveaway and I will post the winners on January 11th.

I LOVE having Giveaways, they are soooo much fun, and this time they will be a surprise for all. I enjoy reading your comments and look forward to a great 2010!! Thanks for visiting.

P.S. Thank you so much for your help in finding a pattern for "I Thee Wed". This is such a special year/milestone for my hubby and I. I can't believe how many of you were so generous to offer/help out a fellow stitcher. You are the best!!! I hope I can be of help to some, if not all, of you if the need of something special arises.

Good Luck!