Wooly Fun Done and more to come...

 

 "Chalkware Cat Sewing Caddy"

design by Rebekah L. Smith for

 From Our Hands ~ Creative 2016

 

I have now finished two of the class projects with two left to go...

I always dislike trying to get two eyes to look alike, so I used antique abalone shoe buttons for the eyes :) 

 

 The back has a little pocket for storing supplies.

 

 And on the front, the flower and face are stuffed and could be used as pincushions.

(Oops! I just remembered that I was going to use pins for the whiskers... I will need to rectify this ;)

And the little orange chest lifts up to store needles.

 

Good thing that I have finished both Rebekah class projects, as I recently received this in the mail:

 

Wool from Rebekah for another class that I will be taking with her tomorrow!

 

 

My homework is done and all 41 pieces are ready to go!

I will leave in the morning with the rising sun!

It will be a long day ~ drive to Iowa, take the class and return the same day ~

but I am up for the challenge ;)

 

Can't wait to share with all of you!

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."
~Ephesians 3:20-21

 

Blessings, Patti



From Our Hands ~ Creative ~ The End & a little Giveaway

After the Mercantile, we took a little road trip to The Fabric Peddler in Wadsworth, Ohio.

This shop sells a great selection of cross stitch supplies as well as quilting and wool.

They had just received a shipment from Dames of the Needle, so needless to say...

I had a lot of fun shopping for trims, velvet and linen :)

(I did heed my husband's plea not to bring home any more wool lol!)

All of our shopping made us hungry and led us back to Peninsula to check this place out.

Just as fun inside as outside! 

I was too busy salivating to take pics inside ;)

I've never seen such a selection of unusual candy and sodas!

We had to try out a selection of ice cream from Pav's Creamery.

Salted Caramel Truffle was the big winner, but we ate them all ;)

Here are the Bittersweet Sisters before we headed home.

Nicki was missed terribly, but not forgotten.

We sent her a box full of goodies found on our trip that reminded us of her :)

So on to the little giveaway:

Just a few little items...

a few fat quarters from Mabel & Ethel's, a tiny antique paper package of needles from Maumee Antique Mall and a bee's wax heart and a sweet little jar of threads from Rebekah Smith's booth.

So tell me, what needlework retreat is on your bucket list??? 

Please comment on this post or send an email to me at: pgagliardi9@hotmail.com with "Giveaway" in the subject line.

I will pick a random winner on Thursday, May 26th.

Thanks for coming along on our trip. This giveaway isn't much, but hopefully it will help you feel like you came along...

"Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle in the evening, 

for you do not know whether morning or evening sowing will succeed, 

or whether both of them alike will be good."

~Ecclesiastes 11:6

Blessings, Patti

From Our Hands ~ Creative ~ The Mercantile

All too soon it was time for the grand finale of 

From Our Hands ~ Creative ~

The Mercantile!

The day dawned quite chilly and we had a bit of a wait.

But when you are together with other creative souls, talk makes time fly by...

There was even a bit of show and tell!

It was such fun to meet Terry and see her beautiful masterpiece.

Isn't it gorgeous?! This is from an Ali Strebel workshop the week before.

Soon the doors opened and it was time to discover the treasures that awaited inside!

I had seen this lovely chalkboard the afternoon before and should have guessed that it would be the backdrop of one of my favorite folk artists -

Ginny Henson of Heart in Hand Folk Art!

May I have one of everything please ;)

The mesmerizing booth of Heartwells - oh my!

I could have spent an entire day in this booth alone!

Jackie Cessna's Jackieland Antiques.

Here are a few of the textile treasures that I purchased.

And the wonderful trims and needles that Kim purchased.

And some wonderful wools that one of my Bittersweet Sisters purchased.

This is the sweet booth of Donna and Connie

a lovely combination of antiques and folk art.

Kim bought a beautiful antique sewing bird here.

And I bought these darling cards hand made by Connie (and several more which were put in the post before I thought to take a photo...) Connie also gifted me with the precious little boot scissor holder.

I met Connie last year when I purchased a beautiful box crafted by her sister Bobbie. You can see it here. I was so hoping that Bobbie would send more of her boxes to the show this year as I was smitten with them!

Not only did Connie bring Bobbie's boxes, she brought Bobbie to the Needle In!

It was such a delight to meet her, but I am sorry to say that I didn't take a photo...

Bobbie is a master of many mediums and has even appeared on the Martha Stewart Show twice. You can view her appearances here and here.

Well, needless to say, I am not very good at decisions.

So I couldn't pick just one box to come home with me...

Instead I bought two :)

Aren't they absolutely stunning works of art?!

Can you believe that she cuts the silhouettes freehand while watching tv?!

I love the antique papers that she uses...

 They mean even more to me now that I have met the woman whose hands crafted them.

I will treasure them always!

Thank you Connie for bringing Bobbie for me to meet!

It was a blessing to visit a bit with Connie, Bobbie and Donna.

It was also a blessing to meet these lovely ladies!

Melissa (Handicraft Creations), Bobbie (The Evening Stitcher) and Lauren (Rugs & Pugs)!

Such wonderful women and such stunning creations!

I've followed Lauren's blog for so long that I felt like I already knew her.  

I wish that I would have had an unlimited budget!

This wonderful pendant from Lauren was perfect for my Mom for Mother's Day 

and was tied to the top of her gift.

I bought these pendants by Lauren for myself.

The embodiment of 1 Corinthians 13:13

 "But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love."

A Bittersweet Sister  bought this stunning necklace from Bobbie and I just love it!

Several of the Bittersweet Sisters bought wonderful wool bracelets from Melissa, but I didn't take any pictures :( Believe me they are gorgeous!

It was such an overload of the senses and I missed getting photos of many of the booths and even missed visiting some of them. I ran out of money way too soon LOL!

One of the Bittersweet Sisters bought this ever so sweet bear from Lori Ann 

and this sweet bunny to keep her company :)

This little pinkeep from Lori Ann went home with one of the sisters as well. 

Somehow I also managed to miss the booth of Kelsey A. Smith, 

but one of the sisters found these wonderful treasures there.

I was able to make it to Rebekah's booth and was so happy to find a few treasures to come home with me. 

I love how Rebekah is incorporating antiques into her creations - a treasure in both forms :)

It was such a very special day! And a perfect way to end our trip.

I'll have one more post about our trip that will include a little giveaway.

As you do not know the path of the wind,

    or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb,

so you cannot understand the work of God,

    the Maker of all things.

~Ecclesiastes 11:5

Blessings, Patti

From Our Hands ~ Creative ~ The Needle In

 

The Needle In is such a fun day - a chance to stitch all day with the teachers and our classmates.

A great time to continue working on class projects and ask any last minute questions.

I missed the morning, but was back in Peninsula for lunch and the afternoon.

It was a bit of a whirlwind, and I didn't get to visit with everyone that I would have liked to.

But it was all fun, nonetheless!

 

Rebekah and Lori Ann are such amazing women brimming with talent and gracious hosts!

 

I borrowed this photo from the retreat - there's me intently working on my little mohair robin and Lori Ann being extremely patient with me ;)

 

After the Needle In my little bird was just about done - Oops! He still needs his tail feathers... 

One of the best parts of an event like this is seeing everyone's sewing supplies/treasures and some of their finishes. 

 

Kim has a fabulous "Bionic Bag"

 

Look at all these pockets and zippered pouches!

And she made it herself!!!

 

Kim also has this fabulous tote bag for her featherweight sewing machine.

When the machine isn't in it, it is big enough to hold everything you could possibly need!

And it has a board in the bottom for great support. We all want one ;)

 

Look at Kitty's awesome Eskimo pincushion from Alaska

 

Aren't they so sweet ?!

 

Carol had a wonderful bag that she made from upholstery fabric!

 

and look at the beautiful back!

 

I didn't get everyone's names but look at this sweet pincushion and project bag.

 

An entire basket of Stacy Nash goodness!

Be still my heart!

 

Ever so sweet! I recognize so many patterns that I have stitched and have yet to stitch ;)

 

This treasure was miniscule!

 

 

You can see the perspective from my finger and the tiny little thimble holder.

 

and this is the inside of Rebekah's own sewing book

 

I was so pleased to see the antique paisley heart that I made being put to use and the two wool hearts that I had wrapped it with :)

 

And our trip still wasn't over  ~ wait until you see the Mercantile next!!!

 

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

~Proverbs 31:30

 

Blessings, Patti