A few Christmas finishes

"Merry Mistletoe"

I hope that each of you had a lovely Christmas with family and friends!

All the long preparations and the actual days go by so quickly.

As always, I have so many topics that I would like to post about, but just not enough time...

For now, I just wanted to share two final Christmas finishes.

I completed "Merry Mistletoe" on Christmas Day night after all of our guests had left (although I had not yet finished the clean up...) It's a small candle mat that I made for a small end table in our family room.

"Poinsettia Runner" by LakeView Primitives

I finished this late on 12/23, so I was able to enjoy it on the kitchen table for Christmas Eve and Day.

I just love the wool colors and textures. I was really enjoying natural decorations for Christmas this year - lots of poinsettias in different colors, mistletoe, holly and evergreen branches too. I'm thinking that I might leave them out into January...

Blessings, Patti

Christmas at Winding Vine

I just posted photos of some of my Christmas decorations on the TDIPT Mercantile blog.

If you have a moment, stop by and take a peek. Several of the TDIPT artists have posted their decorations during the month and it is fun to see.

Blessings, Patti

A finish & A winner!

"Sleigh Bells"

design by Country Rustic Primitives

Gosh! I feel so bad... Here I have a giveaway and then I disappear for a few days...

It's that crazy holiday time of year ~ busy at work and busy at home.

Crafting time has been slow going, but I did have one finish of the pillow above. Did you notice the little added fabric on the right? I stitched left to right and when I got to the end, I realized that when I started it very late one night I must have miscalculated the length of fabric - YIKES! So I had to "make do" and will just call it primitive lol. I appliqued a bit of leather colored wool and added some vintage jingle bells to make my piece complete.

So on with the winner...

I received 51 responses to my giveaway question (via comments and emails) and I am so excited about all of the wonderful music that was recommended! I've created a long list of music to investigate. I usually try to get CD's from the library for a trial run and to see if it is "purchase worthy", then create a wishlist of CD's to buy. Right now the library has a limit of 4 holiday CD's per person, but the day after Christmas I'm going to put my reserve list out for bunches! Lol! I'll be listening to Christmas music into February :) Thank you so much for the awesome response and all of your thoughtful recommendations ~ I truly appreciate it!

I used the random number generator and it picked #50!

Roberta of Cottonwood Lane Primitives is the winner!

Please send me your mailing address and I will ship ASAP...

not sure it will get there by Christmas, but we can try!

I'm hoping for another post or two before the holiday. I really wanted to share some of my decorations and a lovely swap that I was in this month...

And the monthly giveaways will continue in 2012 :)

Thanks again for participating!

Blessings, Patti

An obsession & a giveaway

When December arrives, my iPod, CD's and radio are all tuned to holiday music all the time. Since I only listen to it for the month of December, it always seems like way to soon the time is over and it is gone again. I probably should not admit to this, but I have 612 holiday songs on my iPod. One and a half days of music without listening to the same song twice.

I love the traditional favorites - Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Michael Buble. I also like music of all genres from George Winston's "Holly & the Ivy" to Bare Naked Ladies & Sarah MacLachlan's "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" to Kanye West's "Christmas in Harlem".

Each year I try to find a new CD to add to my collection. Last year I found my new favorite from Beth Twist's Heartstring Samplery blog - Dave Barnes' "Very Merry Christmas". Now I am looking for a new favorite for this year and would love to hear what your favorite CD is.

Please leave a comment on this post or drop me an email at pgagliardi9@hotmail.com with your favorite song/CD and I'll enter you in my Christmas giveaway.

This giveaway includes: a $20 Winding Vine Designs giftcard for use in my Etsy shop or on my TDIPT Mercantile page, a little giftcard pouch that I knitted and felted, a prim reindeer, a sweet little star pot ornament with a little battery powered candle inside (created by my SIL Joy of Joyfully Yours) and a Blessings tag/ornament also created by Joy.

I'll draw a name next Saturday and hopefully your package will arrive before Christmas.

I can't wait to hear about your favorites!

"In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

~Luke 1:42-45

Blessings, Patti

December arrives!

December arrives and with it an update at TDIPT Mercantile! Click here to see all of the lovely holiday offerings this first of the month.





And click here to see more of my offerings.

"He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. ³³He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."
~Luke 1:32-33

Blessings, Patti

Still Thankful

"Cornucopia Wool Applique Mat"

design by Maggie Bonanomi

One final autumn finish before I turn my sights towards Christmas...

I wish that autumn lasted longer! I have at least three other autumn designs that were waiting in the wings.

I just have to share my good luck/blessings!

I was oh so fortunate to win not just one, but two giveaways recently!

First, I won this fabulous collection of vintage postage stamps from Joan at "Anything Goes Here" - you can see her blog here and her awesome etsy shop here. I just love her photographs! Thanks Joan! I'm thinking these will be perfect for some type of Valentine crafting...

Next I won a half yard of the most wonderful wool from Wendy at Simple Folk. Stop by her blog here. Wendy has a great online shop for your wool & crafting needs here. I'm a happy customer and won her giveaway by suggesting that she kit Maggie Bonanomi's Tropicals Under Glass from her book, "Nature's Offerings". I'll be watching for it ;)

Well, now that I am moving on to the Christmas holiday season, I've started decorating and had to share the new home I found for the Angel Wings that we made with Maggie Bonanomi at Boxwood & Berries:

I probably shouldn't admit this, but I garbage picked this incredible window from an old Victorian house down the street. I love the monochrome look :) I'll be sharing more decorations, just as soon as we get a little sunshine ~ the better for picture taking!

"Mary said, `I am the Lord's servant. Let it be as you have said.' Then the angel left her."

~Luke 1:38

Blessings, Patti

Ever Thankful

"Let Us Be Truly Thankful"

Heartstring Samplery

I have so much to be thankful for...

God has blessed me with a life more beautiful than I could have ever imagined.

I'd love to make a list, but wouldn't even know where to begin and where to end.

"Bountiful Blessings"

Country Rustic Primitives

I'm thankful for all the kindred spirits that I have met through this blog and TDIPT Mercantile.

Life is so much more fun when you are sharing it!

Tuesday night was our United Methodist Women's Circle meeting. Lois served these sweet little acorns with her other treats. I was mesmerized! At 10:30 pm on my way home, I stopped at the grocery store picked up some Nutter Butter Bites, Hershey Kisses (milk & dark) and mini chocolate chips and whipped up a batch to take to Thanksgiving Dinner :)

Wishing you a Heartfelt Thanksgiving with an abundance of blessings!

"Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations."

~Psalm 100

Blessings, Patti

We interrupt Thanksgiving for...

A little holiday magic!

I firmly believe in enjoying each holiday as it comes. I relish Thanksgiving for its calm family time when we truly give thanks. But I did make an exception on Saturday. It began with my sister-in-law's annual Open House Craft Show and Bake Sale.
I love to go early and help her set-up because then I get the first peek at all of her lovely creations!

She empties our her living room & dining room and creates a lovely Holiday Gift Shop.

I think it really helps give ideas on how to display her lovely work in your own home.

Of course, I came home with some lovely items that I can't quite share yet... but maybe one or two might show up in next month's giveaway :)

I couldn't stay all the way til the end, but her home was quickly emptying out with lots of happy customers leaving with bulging bags. It was on to my next festive event...

The 20th Annual Michigan Avenue Festival of Lights Parade!

Mickey Mouse & Minnie Mouse officially light all of the twinkling white lights that Michigan Avenue has become famous for.

You can watch the lights being turned on block by block.

I enjoy it because it is from the comfort and quiet of the offices where I work. I wouldn't be there if we had to stand in the throngs on the streets as I don't do very well in large crowds. Although it is fascinating to watch all the people from afar.

My youngest son and I took some friends along to share in the fun.

The local television station broadcasts from across the street (see the bright lights & white roof?)so we get to see all of the musical numbers from the back :) This is Mary Mary (in the middle) - the gospel choir and dancers were fantastic.

We now resume our Thanksgiving celebrations and will delay any further mention of Christmas until Friday :)

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts."

Colossians 3:15-16

Blessings, Patti

A Winner & more treasures

Thank you so much to the 43 people who responded to my giveaway and question as to a fair price for my original milk painted trunk! The answers ranged from $45 to $425 with an average of $200. It's rare to find a trunk like this in the Chicago area, but if/when you do I think they are going for about $300. So now would you like to know how much I spent???

Well, when I looked at the price tag I almost hyperventilated when I saw it was $35! I was trying to keep my cool, when the owner approached. She said that she really needed to find a new home for it, so she would let me have it for $10! It was all I could do not to faint on the spot!!! And my husband still thinks that I spent too much! LOL! He really doesn't get it... he loves antiques, but says it just looks like someone took some old wood in the garage and hammered it together to create a box to hold tools. And I say, Exactly! A make do!

Well, the winner of this month's give away is...

Penny of the blog, Little Pen Pen. I just love the dachshund in her blog banner :)

Be sure and check back early next month for my Christmas Give Away! I have plans for it already :)

Recently I picked up another treasure at a local Estate Sale:

Isn't this old wool tongue rug just awesome? I love the four rosebuds on either end - each stitched in a different technique. I wonder if the wools are from men's suits? And the red trim is in wonderful shape. I treasure it knowing all the hours that someone put into it. It was the last day of the estate sale, so instead of the $45 on the price tag, I purchased it for $20 :) Oh how I love a good deal!

And I'll leave you with a picture of my Thanksgiving mantle:

I made a little maple leaf garland and more candle rings. They are about a week old and starting to curl and dry... The best part is they don't need to be packed away, just mulched and recreated next year. The beautiful paper cutting on the left is by Beth Twist of Heartstring Samplery. She mentioned on her blog that she is papercutting again and I just can't wait to see!

If you will be in the Bartlett, Illinois area this weekend, my sister-in-law is having her annual craft show and bake sale. (I'm baking my mom's famous melt-in-your-mouth sugar cookies as we speak.) Just drop me a note at pgagliardi9@hotmail.com and I will send you the address and directions. The show will be on Saturday, November 19th from 12 - 3, but come early ~ she usually sells out!

"I will praise God’s name in song
and glorify him with thanksgiving."

~Psalm 69:30

Blessings, Patti

A weekend well spent...

This weekend my sister and I traveled to central Illinois to visit our parents and attend not one, but four fantastic primitive shows!

First we attended Homesteaders on the Prairie where I was so fortunate to meet Ben Ashby & Heath Stiltner of FOLK magazine. I can't say enough about this exciting and innovative new magazine! They are both as kind and patient in person as they appear in the magazine. They had a sweet little booth selling the new Christmas issue (with a 2 page TDIPT Mercantile feature of which I am a part) and items from their new FOLK label private collection.
At Homesteaders, I also had the sweet pleasure of meeting Roberta of Cottonwood Lane Primitives. We've followed each others blogs and it was so special to meet such a lovely person inside and out :) I only wish that we had more time to visit. Be sure to stop by her blog to see lovely photos of the booths at the shows. I was too busy shopping and being overwhelmed with the selection to take photos lol.

It was so fun to see another familiar face! Marsha Albrecht of Kindred Spirits was a roomie of ours in the Second Story at Boxwood & Berries 2010. What a surprise to see her with a stunning booth!

We also attended the Country Spirit show, A Gathering on the Prairie show and A Rural Life show! WoW! It is amazing what you can pack in to 36 hours!

I came home with lots of goodies:

a piece of ticking, 3 pieces of coverlet, the latest issue of FOLK, a Distelfink (bird) by Woodland Primitives (FOLK private label), a framed spencerian calligraphy of two birds and a nest, 5 wonderful engraved sleigh bells, a treen ware needlecase, a notecard of Adam & Eve by Anne Childs, and do you see my treasure next to the needlecase? A lovely leather acorn by Marsha!

I also added to my collection of primitive wood boxes:

A wonderful bluish green box with original paint. The natural wooden box had it's treasure inside...

Covered in early wallpaper, it's a lap desk with lots of compartments, some hidden under panels covered in black silk. The paper is stored in the lid behind a silk covered panel.

The bottom compartment features a flowered label that I think might have been added later...

The green box also has compartments inside.

It was a weekend well spent and even more enjoyable since I spent it with my sister and parents.

Please be sure to stop by TDIPT Mercantile tonight! The 15th of the month artists are updating their offerings and the Open House giveaways are continuing...

And it isn't too late to enter my giveaway on the post below...

Blessings, Patti

A treasure & a giveaway

Earlier this fall, my sister and I went to an antique sale where we both found a treasure.

When I saw this antique trunk with original blue milk paint my heart skipped a beat!

I was in love :)

I brought it home, scrubbed it inside and out and knew just where I wanted to put it.

I love the trim details and the old wrought iron handles.

My husband is an antique collector, but just doesn't get primitives. My boys really don't get it either. But they all relented and let me put it in my place of choice - in front of the couch in the family room. After a day or so they realized it needed a pad on top so they could put their feet up on it. I just happened to have a wonderful patched feedsack gifted from my sister-in-law. So I stuffed it and sewed it up. Voila!

It matches the couch and I am just loving it.

Now I have a question for you...

My husband thinks I over paid for it, so I am wondering what you think is a fair price for my trunk? Please post a comment on this post or send me an email at pgagliardi9@hotmail.com with "Trunk" in the subject line.

Next Wednesday, November 16th, I'll pick a random winner for:

This angel on antique ticking pillow.

On Friday, my sister and I are heading to central Illinois for the primitives shows! I can't wait! If I find lots of goodies, maybe I'll throw in a treasure or two with the pillow ;)

Is anyone else heading to Arthur & Arcola?

Blessings, Patti

You're invited!

This month TDIPT Mercantile is celebrating our annual Holiday Open House & Giveaway!

Click here to see all of the lovely offerings this month.

And click here to see the fabulous giveaways. There are so many ways to get your name in the hat to win one of the lovely handmade prizes.


Our theme this year is "Peace on Earth"
I thought of the most peaceful images that I could to inspire my creations...

... and am sharing a few of my antique textiles in these creations.

And I didn't forget Thanksgiving... there's one final offering to celebrate my favorite holiday!

Wishing you a November filled with thankfulness.

Blessings, Patti Gagliardi

Happy Halloween!

Wishing you a Happy Halloween.

We recently visited a pumpkin farm to select the perfect pumpkins for our jack-o-lanterns and we picked a few gourds , too.

Believe it or not, we have already had our first trick-or-treater today!

Who could resist this little hotdog? even first thing in the morning :)

Sometimes we call him our little bratwurst.

I don't think he minds ;)

Happy Halloween!

Blessings, Patti

Boxwood&Berries ~ Final Day

All too soon, Boxwood & Berries 2011 was coming to an end...

Here are some of our creations drying in the sun after aging them.
Here is our group from Session 2. Unfortunately Sue had left before we had a chance to take our group photo :(

This is our wonderful group that stayed together at the Second Story - oh what a fun time we had! Me, Carla, Wendy, Linda, Nicki, and Kim.

And this is who I sat with each day as we created all of our treasures. Me, Rhonda, and my dear friend Kim. It was such a pleasure to meet Rhonda. She writes the monthly article "Small Town Stories from the Indiana Prairie" for Mercantile Gatherings magazine. The article is always the first thing I read when the magazine arrives and it always makes me smile. I find it interesting that although I grew up in Chicago instead of a small town, I can still relate so much to her stories! And she has a wonderful blog you can visit here.

What an incredible retreat it was with so many lovely memories created!

I haven't gotten any further on my Maggie Bonanomi bedcover:

Oops! Here's my little helper :)

Let's try it again:

But I was thrilled to complete my entire Stacy Nash basket & needfuls:

And here is my purchase from The Wood Shed that I forgot to share earlier:

Don't you just love how the entire corner is worn away?

And I was so blessed to receive some incredible treasures for souvenirs.

On the right is a sweet pincushion made by Carla. Can you believe that she made one for each and every person in the second session! Thank you so much Carla for your sweet generosity and thoughtfulness! And on the left is a shocking surprise! Nancy Knight from the first session made these sweet tags and pockets for the first session. She follows my blog and left me a sweet surprise in my basket! I was so overwhelmed by her thoughtfulness! Nancy, if you read this, please send me an email at pgagliardi9@hotmail.com I would so like to thank you ever so much personally off line!

Thank you so much for letting me share and relive those four precious days. Sharing and thinking about it brings all those lovely feelings back again and again! Heartfelt thanks to Maggie, Stacy, and especially to Jeanne and her staff at Country Sampler for making our crafting dreams come true!

Stay tuned... we will be updating TDIPT Mercantile late on Halloween night.

And I'll be having another giveaway here on my blog the first week of November...

Blessings, Patti