Showing posts with label carolina stitcher. Show all posts
Showing posts with label carolina stitcher. Show all posts

Monday, February 17, 2014

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...
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


Thursday, November 7, 2013

Bittersweet Sisters Fabric Challenge


Do you remember a month ago when I mentioned the Bittersweet Sisters fabric challenge? You can read about it here. The challenge was for us to create something with Lori Brechlin of Notforgotten Farm's wonderful Bittersweet fabric.
Well, here is the big reveal ;)


 I created 6 little sewing boxes - one for each of us - filled with a little group of antique textiles for our crafting, a wool heart, and a wooden acorn. I was so thrilled with the plant markers that I bought this past summer from Wendy of Pineberry Lane that I asked her to make 6 bittersweet spoons. I love the way the spoons turned out!


Nicki sure was busy! Look at all the lovelies that she made from her bittersweet fabric!
Wow! I loved them all, but that Bittersweet crafting apron is really something!


Here you can get a better peek.


And look at this! Carla said the Bittersweet fabric reminded her of wallpaper - perfect for this lovely wallhanging. The border fabric looks just like an antique combed wood frame. And that's not all!
She also used the fabric for gifts for all of us!


This sweet little sewing bird box is just wonderful!


The bird is made of the Bittersweet fabric and look inside!


So many treasures! The box itself is lined with Civil War newspaper. And also inside - these wonderful scissors, a spool of our favorite faux suede ribbon, wool acorns, and from the fabric - a thread holder, needle holder with an assortment of Carla's favorite needles all labeled by size and type, and the tiniest little packet of morning pins. Did you notice the vintage pins and antique buttons on the pincushion as well? So many details that I have been frequently admiring and oohing and aahing over! 


Kim made us each this wonderful personalized heart based on a design by our favorite designer - Maggie Bonanomi! It is right at home on the doorknob of my hutch in my dining room :)


and look at this wonderful packaging holding one of the gifts from Wendy!


a soldered charm holding the Bittersweet fabric with sweet little embroidered hearts!
I put it on immediately and have been wearing it almost every day since!
Such a great way to keep my Bittersweet Sisters close to my heart!

And that is not all...

 can you believe that Wendy also stitched one of these wonderful bags for each of us?!?!
This design is by Nan Lewis of Threadwork Primitives who was also a TDIPT Sister of mine :)
And isn't the finishing awesome? 
The finishing was done by Faye of Carolina Stitcher. 
You can read about her finishing of this project here.
Faye, your work is absolutely wonderful! And I especially love the winding vine on the hanger ;)

And I can't forget Linda!
She wowed us all, by creating not 1 or 2 but 5 of these incredible boxes!
(Linda, we think you need to make one more for yourself!)


How incredibly appropriate is this design?!?!
The colors are gorgeous and so is the ribbon trim.
But wait - take a look inside!


The box is lined with our Bitttersweet fabric and wonderful vintage buttons!
Linda also made a soldered ornament of us witches and brought us each back a candle from her trip to Paris. 
(Oops! and the paper tag of us witches is by Carla. Stored in the box so it wouldn't get crushed on the way home.)

I think I am one of the most blessed women on earth to be included in such a wonderful, generous group of talented women. I love you all! I think that I kept putting off this post as it seems to wrap up the Bittersweet Sisters Gathering 2013 and I really don't want it to end. I miss you all. But I guess as soon as we can catch our breath it is time to start planning Bittersweet Sisters 2014.

And if anyone out there is still following along, the fun doesn't end!
Next up is the Country Sampler Star Party and then finally will be the big giveaway of my trip gift bag...
Thanks for letting me share this special time with these special ladies!

"From his abundance, we have all received one gracious blessing after another."
~John 1:16

Blessings, Patti