Saturday, February 28, 2009

~*New TDIPT offerings for March*~

Can you believe that another month is over? Where does the time go?? It speeds by way too quickly... and yet spring seems like it is taking so long to arrive. So instead I had to focus all my offerings this month on Spring.

Click here to read more about my Winding Vine Designs offerings. Also take the time to look at all the other talented artists as well. While you're there, be sure to sign up for the TDIPT mailing list - this month you will be entered in the TDIPT's 2nd Birthday prize drawing! Take a peek at all the lovely prizes. If you make a purchase before March 20, you'll double your chances to win!
Blessings, Patti

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Galena with the gals

Galena is a historic city in the northwest corner of Illinois bordering Iowa and Wisconsin. The city lies on the Galena River among bluffs and valleys. Eighty five percent of the structures in Galena are on the National Register of Historic Places including the home of Ulysses S. Grant.
We enjoyed the sightseeing and some shopping.I managed to find a few treasures:a prim carrier with a great patina.Some great old keys that I've been really drawn to lately, a four leaf clover old cookie cutter for luck and a miniature metal document box with only hints of its original decorative painting. I've never seen one this tiny before.We enjoyed a great dinner at Fried Green Tomatoes. Then returned to the lovely house that we rented in Eagle Ridge Territory - a five bedroom home with a lovely dining room with plenty of room to spread out our stitching and knitting and enjoy the views all around us.

We stayed up til the wee hours of the morning creating and enjoying the gently falling snow.


We awoke to new views of a quiet winter wonderland.We enjoyed the morning with more stitching/knitting. Unfortunately, I can't share what I worked on right now, but there will be a TDIPT update next weekend... I also worked on a swap project that I'll share once it reaches its new home (Hi Audrey! Be sure to scan down to the photos of her lovely 1840's home...)


Then it was time for me to head home. Family commitments prevented me from staying the second night, but I was so happy that I was able to go at all!


The roads were pretty clear, but after two hours of driving I decided to take a break and stop at my favorite primitives store in Rockford Illinois - Forgotten Treasures. I treated myself to a Schneeman bird and a Stein's bird.


And I just couldn't resist this Schneeman angel: I just love her fringed wool skirt and her sweet expression.


It was a lovely weekend filled with friends and fun - I can't wait until next year!


I hope that your weekend was just as blessed...


Blessings, Patti

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

I know Valentines Day is over, but...

I just had to share the great gift I received from my husband and two sons!

This fun little box from PajamaGram!

Inside I found...

A little box of chocolates, a sweet daisy sachet and an "unwinding" door sign.

And these great pajamas...

I laughed so hard! What a great take on the old "I'm with stupid"!

Perfect! New pj's for my stitching weekend away! Only 60 hours to go!

Hey girlfriends, Galena here we come!

Blessings, Patti

Monday, February 16, 2009

Honoring our Founding Fathers


Happy Presidents' Day! Take a moment to remember our founding fathers and the rights and freedom that we have because of their ideals.

One of my favorite old books is Lincoln's Devotionals. In 1957, Lincoln's personal signed copy of Believer's Daily Treasure (published in 1852) was discovered and reprinted as Lincoln's Devotionals. Lincoln scholars believe that Lincoln carried Believer's Daily Treasure with him daily.

Here is the entry from this book for February 13th:

Led by the Spirit

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." -Romans 8:14

Lead us to holiness - the road
That we must take to dwell with God:
Lead us to Christ - the living way,
Nor let us to from his pastures stray:
Lead us to God - our final rest,
In his enjoyment to be blest:
Lead us to heaven - the seat of bliss,
Where pleasure in perfection is.


I hope that each of you enjoyed your Valentines Day!


I received a lovely box of candy from my youngest son. I won't show you the inside of the box. He and I did a pretty good job and there isn't much left...

I also received an incredible package in the mail for Valentines Day...
My sister made me these lovely red mohair mittens! Aren't they great? I wore them all weekend - yes both outside and inside (ggg).
I have one more present on the way from my husband and oldest son. It was delivered to my office after I left on Friday. I've been told it isn't perishable (hmmm?) and that it could wait until Tuesday. I wonder what it is???

I also had one final Valentines Day finish:

Isn't this sweet? It's a freebie pattern by Sherry Senicar Designs. Click here to take a peek. I finished it on Valentines Day while watching West Side Story with my Valentines. (It's my youngest son's favorite movie.)

Back to work tomorrow. It's a short week - I'm off for a stitching weekend with my girlfriends on Friday morning!

Blessings, Patti

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Merry Valentines Day!


Wishing you a Valentines Day filled with love and Laughter!
I thought I would share some of the decorations that I've made to celebrate. Some were made years ago:
Others were finished just last night:
This is the Maggie Bonanomi Club project from The Country Sampler and I finished it just in time!

Some things I look so forward to putting out:
And some things really aren't my style (or my ususal colors), but I just can't resist as they make me smile!
This is another recent finish:The Stacy Nash Club Project from The Country Sampler. Even the back of this is so sweet:
I added some little scallops to the top of the scissor pocket.
Look at the sweet little dance card attached to the heart below:

I found it at an estate sale. It's from Leap Year 1944 and the name of the dance was "Red and Yeller, Catch a Feller". It was at "Forest Hall" and listed the names of the officers. There were no names written in the dance card. I certainly hope that whoever owned it danced all night and simply didn't have time for her "fellers" to sign their names. Or maybe she spent the night dancing with one certain feller.

"A song is no song 'til you sing it, And love in your heart wasn't put there
to stay, Love isn't love 'til you give it away."

-Oscar Hammerstein

Happy Valentines Day!

Blessings, Patti

Sunday, February 8, 2009

A Celebration of Love

Valentines Day is coming. Most people think of this holiday in terms of romantic love.

I prefer to think of it as a celebration of love - love of family (parents, children, spouse and siblings), love of friends, love of God (and God's love for us).


I celebrate "love" for the entire month of February with my collection of Valentine decorations.
Antiques and new creations by TDIPT Mercantile and The Primitive Gathering artists... "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
-John 3:16



Wishing you love...

Blessings, Patti