Blog Tour Book Winner!

I've had so much fun being a part of the blog tour!

I think you are all as excited about Rebekah's book as I am :)

I loved reading your comments ~ and there were so many of them!

In all 107 people commented or emailed to be entered.

Using random.org, the winning entry was #78...

Judy Zarlenga!

Congratulations Judy! 

Please email me at pgagliardi9@hotmail.com with your mailing address and your book will be on its way!

For those of you that did not win, you may purchase this lovely book here.

 

I had hoped to be able to share my progress on this project, but alas my bird will need to be patient for a little bit longer. I am finishing up my September offerings and then hope to work on this tote bag!

Can't wait!!!

Thank you all who entered the giveaway.

I have another giveaway in mind for September of something that I created...

"Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;

    let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come before him with thanksgiving

    and extol him with music and song."

~Psalm 95:1-2

Blessings, Patti

Blog Tour ~ final day

Today is the final day of the blog tour!

this week went by so quickly.

It has been a pleasure and a blessing to be a part of it!

Today's blog post is at Rebekah's very own blog ~ telling of her journey to create this lovely book.

And a final chance to win a copy along with some wool leaves...

Just click here to read and enter.

I'll be back tomorrow with the winner of my book giveaway...

Blessings, Patti

Blog Tour Day 5

Today's blog tour stop is with Cheri Payne of "Quilts by Cheri"

Cheri is a primitive quilter whose style is distinctly her own.

She often incorporates wool and sometime a little stitching.

I have several of her patterns on my to do pile :)

Click here to read her post and have another opportunity to win a copy of Rebekah's fabulous book.

And there is one more day left of the tour...

And one more day left of my giveaway, just click here.

Until tomorrow!

Blessings, Patti

Blog Tour Day 4

 

If you are a fan of teddy bears and other beautiful mohair fur and feather friends, no doubt you are familiar with the wonderful artwork of Lori Ann Corelis.

 

I am blessed to have a few of her wonderful works of art in my home.

Stop by Lori Ann's blog, The Spotted Hare for her post and another opportunity to win a copy of Rebekah's book. You can find The Spotted Hare by clicking here.

 

And my giveaway is still open on this post.

 

Blessings, Patti

Wool Applique Folk Art Blog Tour ~ My turn...

Almost a year ago, my friend Linda introduced me to the folk art of Rebekah L. Smith. I was immediately smitten. Her unique, distinctive style was immediately recognizable. The mark of a true artist is having an iconic style – and Rebekah truly has that. I was drawn to Rebekah’s use of aged and muted jewel tones – colors I didn’t know existed. And her use not only of the oft used whip and blanket stitches, but a larger array of embroidery stitches. Something I hadn’t really thought of in the primitive folk genre.

 Mom and I began following Rebekah’s blog and Facebook page. As soon as pre-orders of her book were announced, our order was placed. In the meantime, as we tried to patiently wait for the book, I had the pleasure of meeting Rebekah and attending one of her classes. She is a kind, gentle, caring soul as you would expect from her art…

Her book arrived and I was eager and apprehensive – could the book live up to all that I hoped that it would? The answer is - Yes, absolutely!

The book is helpful with techniques for processing and preparing your wool through completing your projects. Even more important to me are pictures and stories. I love a book that even when I can’t start another project, I can turn to the book after a long exhausting day and admire the photos and dream…

Whenever I see amazing projects, I wonder… where does the inspiration and ideas come from? I love that Rebekah shares the stories – photos of the antique inspiration and why she created what she did. It certainly feeds my soul, even when I don’t have the energy to stitch…

I’ve completed “For Needles and Thread: Sewing Caddy” and am thrilled with the results. 

I stepped out of my comfort zone with the embroidery and found that I actually enjoy it! I love how Rebekah stuffs some appliqués for dimension and then uses embroidery to accent it even more. The caddy is a beautiful yet useful creation – what more can you ask for…

I keep perusing the book front to back and back to front, trying to pick my next project… “A Patriot’s Rug” keeps catching my eye, but summer is waning and then my eye catches:

“Creatures of Habit: Blackbird”, how perfect for the coming days…

But still I debate… Mom completed one of Rebekah’s book designs as soon as the book was in her hands. She loved “Bird Out of the Bag”, but saw it in a different light… Mom completed the design twice and it became…

A lovely table runner.

Perfect on her entryway table.

And it will be my next project as well.

I’m ready to start stitching!

I'll be sure to blog about it once it is all finished!

I give this book a solid two thumbs up! It’s a book you can turn to time and again to inspire you. Thank you Rebekah for sharing your unique designs with us so that we may fulfill our own desire to create in that distinctive Rebekah style!

Rebekah and CT Publishing have been kind enough to host a giveaway so that one of you may receive a copy of Rebekah’s book.

This giveaway is open to all that live in the U.S. 

To enter, simply leave a comment on this post only 

or if you are not on Blogger, 

simply send an email to me at pgagliardi9@hotmail.com 

and enter “Rebekah’s book giveaway” in the subject line so that I can find it.

 I will pick a winner using random.org on the last day of the blog tour, August 29th.

Blessings, Patti

Blog Tour Day 2

Today is Day 2 of the Blog Tour celebrating the wonderful new wool applique book

by Rebekah L. Smith!

 

Please visit Doreen Frost of Vermont Harvest Folk Art.

You can find Doreen's blog here.

Doreen is an incredible folk artist herself and I really love her incredible punch needle designs. Since I don't do punch needle myself, I am thrilled to have one of her originals in my collection.

 

Doreen has also set up a wonderful Facebook group for those of us stitching our way through Rebekah's book. You can request membership here.

 

Be sure to stop by Doreen's blog right away -

she is having her drawing for a free copy at the end of the day!

 

I'll be back tomorrow for my turn :)

 

Blessings, Patti

The fun begins...

 

The fun begins today!

Day 1 of the Blog Tour celebrating the wonderful new wool applique book by Rebekah L. Smith.

Each day you will have the opportunity to win a copy of this beautiful book.

Today you can join the tour at the CT Publishing blog - click here.

 

Visit to learn about Rebekah's color inspiration and for your first chance to win a copy of her book.

I'll be back each day to let you know where you can visit next :)

 

Blessings, Patti

Stitching Finishes in the North Woods

Our trip up north included a trip to Bayfield.

We had booked a trip to the Apostle Islands,

but 20 minutes into it, the boat engine overheated and the trip was cancelled.

The area was lovely.

Another day, the boys and I took a 12 mile kayak ride down a section of the Brule River ~ The River of Presidents.

I was pleased that I was almost able to keep up with them.

 Presidents Grant, Coolidge, Hoover, Truman and Eisenhower have all stayed on Cedar Island on the Brule River 

The Brule is one of the best trout streams in the country. 

I was enamored by the wonderful old boat houses along the Brule - this one is on Cedar Island. 

 They look like a wonderful spot to spend an afternoon.

Relaxing and taking in the scenery. 

 This one is absolutely huge and decorated with driftwood...

Some look like they have been there a long time and have many stories to tell...

On vacation, I also like to ride along at the golf course, taking in the pretty scenery.

 And doing a little stitching, of course.

 Do you remember this piece that I was working on when we adopted Peanut and Leia?

You can read about it here. 

The dogs were revised a bit to look more like dachshunds :)

 Schoolgirl Sampler Spring Sewing Bag

Country Sampler Girls Club by Stacy Nash

is now complete.

 The colors reminded me of some French General fabric I had and I added a bit of wool, of course.

Most importantly I added a little tag to commemorate the pups homecoming :)

I also finished this Girls Club kit.

When I started it, I decided that I didn't want it to be a table mat.

So in Maggie's make do fashion, I added a bit of my own wool and created: 

 A wall hanging instead.

Live Each Season 

Country Sampler Girls Club by Maggie Bonanomi

 Gail at River's Edge Quilt Loft helped me pick out the pretty backing fabric :)

And I added a tag to remind me of the places where it was created.

(Oops! It's upside down, but you get the idea :)

Be sure to stop back on Monday, especially if you like wool applique and giveaways!

"If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else?"

~Romans 8:31-32

Blessings, Patti

Stitching fun in the North Woods

 

While our weekend in Washington D.C. was amazing,

I always look forward to our return each year to Northern Wisconsin.

This is our week of relaxation ~ spending time doing what we love at our own slow pace.

 

Most of it is spent on the water...

 

 

We spend a lot of time kayaking the flowage and exploring the islands.

The little dots on the water are a pair of loons feeding their two babies.

We let our kayaks drift quite close, but I was afraid that if I moved to get my camera we might startle or alarm them.

 

 

My husband and I had good luck fishing and caught enough for a Wisconsin style fish fry or two...

 

 

And our boys were pretty lucky as well.

 

I even got to do a bit of wool shopping...

 

Rivers Edge Quilt Loft is housed along with an antique shop in this lovely building.

When you pull up, you are greeted by a pretty garden that includes antique garden tools and implements.

 

The inside lives up to all expectations...

 

 

It has the serenity and peacefulness of a church with beautiful stained glass windows that softly filter the light that shines on the bolts of fabric.

 

 

Pretty displays and models fill the room.

 

 

I'm not a quilter, but this owl really caught my eye.

 

Then it was time to head up to the loft, where the wool is found :)

 

 

A lovely selection  of patterns from my favorite designers.

 

 

And look at this beautiful display of Valdani threads!

 

 

Gail Grassel is the owner and I had the pleasure of "meeting" her online through the Facebook Wool Applique group. It was such fun to met this sweet woman in person.

 

Don't you love the antique sewing collection behind her along with the Buttermilk Basin banners?!

 

I was lucky to get a sneak peek at her projects in progress. 

 

This Crane Designs by Jan Mott is so fabulous in person!

 

 

So much detail! I love the whale weathervane and the dolphins!

I think that she will be kitting this up. Hmmmmm....

 

 

The hand dyed wool in the irises in another Crane Designs by Jan Mott piece really make it.

(I think Gail is kitting this as well.)

 

 

Of course I had to make some purchases.

Lakeside Cabin is a perfect souvenir.

Oak 'n Berries is phenomenal finished and in person, how did I not take a picture?!

Gail was working on a kit for this one and I may just need to give her a call ;)

 

Do you see the fun little scissor fob that I bought too?

Love the heart in hand. I found the ladybug scissors on my last visit down to my Mom and Dads'.

Of course I bought some fabric to finish some wool projects that you will see soon.

 

Gail, I so enjoyed my visit to your shop. I just wish that I had more time.

I think next year I will have the guys drop me off on their way to the golf course...

Then I should have enough time to peruse ;)

 

You can find the Rivers Edge Quilt Loft website here

and their Facebook page is here.

If you are ever in Hayward, Wisconsin in northwest Wisconsin, be sure to stop by!

 

My only other shopping was a trip to the local flea market...

 

 

I found some interesting course, nubby wool, a pair of small pinking shears from Japan, and an old spice tin with an "alligator finish".

 

I'll be back to share what I stitched while in the North Woods...

"I keep my eyes always on The Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken."

~Psalm 16:8

 

 

Blessings, Patti