Blessings

On January 29th, I received the phone call at work. My dear Uncle Jack was being transferred to hospice care. I left work to go to lunch alone to have some time to process this news. As I waited for my luch and tried to eat, I flipped through my Blog reading list looking for distraction...

Later that evening I received a second call. 

He had passed away peacefully - all too quickly and all too soon.

  

As we mourn Uncle Jack's passing at the age of 77 and as we mourn our loss,

I am trying to focus on the blessings, 

How blessed that I was to have him for an uncle.

How blessed to have his stories and humor that always added smiles and laughter to our family gatherings growing up.

Focusing on the blessings rather than the loss, when possible.

Back to that lunch and flipping through my blogs...

As I did, my name caught my eye...

It was on Faye's blog of Carolina Stitch

Faye was having a giveaway to celebrate her 1,000 followers and I had won!

I looked around the restaurant to see who I could share this won, but no one was there and so I was temporarily distracted and pleased!

In a jiffy, my package arrived despite the nasty weather on both sides.

The photo at the top of the post shows how sweetly it was all wrapped.

And inside I found:

Faye's sweet card and tag, some wonderful linens,

some needles, buttons and pins and this wonderful little supply bag.

I opened it slightly  so that you can see the wonderful lining fabric and the sweet spool zipper pull.

And if that all wasn't enough!

 

Can you believe this incredible project bag?

Oh my goodness gracious! The stitching, Stacy Nash design and colors are perfection. The lining is the same as the supply pouch and the zipper pull is a tiny stork scissors. And look at the incredible scissor fob with the buttons and scissor charm. 

Here is the whole shebang. I was so blessed to win this incredible giveaway on such a difficult day.

Faye does beautiful finishing work for others and I already knew the impeccable workmanship as I had received a pouch that Faye finished as a gift from my Bittersweet Sister, Wendy.

Thank you Faye! I will treasure them always.

I had also won a few giveaways around the holidays and hadn't had the time to blog about them. 

A sweet kit from Ginger of Prairie Moon Primitives.

A lovely kit from Nancy of Victorian Motto Sampler.

A wonderful selection of wools from Laurie at The Wooly Red Rug.

And blog reader Deb was oh so kind to send me a wonderful assortment of wools, wool felt and an incredible wool kit for a loon table mat - one of my favorite birds!

Thank you ever so much Deb!

With all these many blessings, my intention was to create something special for a giveaway, but as always time ticks away so quickly...

I do want to pass it on, so let's have a giveaway.

The winner will be selected through a random number generator on Friday.

The winner will win one item of their choice from my Etsy shop. Click here to take a peek and let me know what you would choose.

As always, my giveaway is open to everyone. Simply leave a comment on this post or send me an email to pgagliardi9@hotmail.com with "Etsy giveaway" in the subject line. 

Let me know if you are a follower of my blog or my Etsy shop and you will receive an additional entry.

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us."

~Romans 8:35,37

Rest in eternal peace, my dear Uncle.

My daily prayers are with my dear Aunt Barb (and my Mom) as they travel through this difficult time.

Blessings, Patti