Home from Camp!

Well, just like with our kids, I was so busy that I didn't even have a chance to get home sick :)

We started on Wednesday evening with a "Meet and Greet" to meet our camp leader Stacy Nash and our camp counselors - Jeanne and her fantastic shop girls. And, of course, to meet our fellow campers - old friends and new! 

What a wonderful meal! Beef sandwiches, over the rainbow mac and cheese, watermelon and cherry vodka lemonade (yum!). And do you see the sticks in the tall red bucket? Those were for our s'mores! Double yum!

Each table had a stitchery related name and I was assigned to "The Eye-lets".

Go Eye-lets!

At each place setting we found an awesome camp messenger bag.

Our name tag was appropriately campy and made of wood and twine.

And underneath... 

was a great burlap project bag filled with all of our supplies.

Our finished camp projects were on display.

A lovely sewing tray complete with two plump berries.

And a wonderfully aged velvet sewing book.

Don't you love the color and texture of the aged hand-dyed velvet?!

And inside the book a sweet wool heart.

Stacy brought along the models of some of her other designs. 

Pomegranate Sewing Tray (already kitted at home and ready to go lol) 

Her newest design ~ Three Sisters Pinkeep

And the beloved Emilia Poole.

Also kitted and ready to go at home!

After seeing it in person, I really want to start it soon!

So many projects, so little time to stitch!

Stacy also brought the model for her newest club kit.

I took a picture, but don't want to spoil the surprise for the other club members.

Let me just say... Think Autumn and you are really going to LOVE it!

Well, this was just the first evening. I'll try to get back soon with Day 1

"You did not choose me, but I chose you

 and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—

and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 

This is my command: Love each other."

~John 15:16-17

Blessings, Patti

A Finish and off to camp...

"Country Sampler Spring Gardener Sewing Roll"

Design by Stacy Nash

for Country Sampler Girls' Club

I just had to share my latest finish.

I was excited to find an antique mother of pearl flower shaped button in my button box. I think it makes a sweet addition.

Here is the back.

I tweaked the colors just a bit.

Here it is as you begin to open it...

There was supposed to be a button and button hole, but I was to afraid to cut the linen :) So instead I added a little ribbon attached with some tiny buttons to wrap around the flower button for a closure.

On the inside I added some hand dyed velvet and a little wool and button flower.

And here is the entire stitched piece:

In just a few moments I am off to camp!

Stitch Camp that is!

With Stacy Nash as our Camp Leader at Country Sampler in Spring Green, Wisconsin.

You can read about it here.

I will be back in a few days with a full report :)

"Now glory be to God, who by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of—infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes. May he be given glory forever and ever through endless ages because of his master plan of salvation for the Church through Jesus Christ."

~Ephesians 3:20-21

Blessings, Patti

Stitching Progress and a Winner

I thought I would share my progress on the Inspired Summer Seminar Projects.

The strawberries are all stitched and now. I just need to find an afternoon or evening were I can sit down and put them together.

I've made a bit of progress on "Liberty Inn" from the Seminar as well and it really is a fun stitch.

(The little quilt stars are reminding me of the fireworks from this past weekend :)

Thank you so much for the 40 entries in my giveaway! 

It sounds like a lot of you enjoy the fireworks too. I'm jealous of those of you that can watch them from home :) Random.org selected as my winner #38 - Amy of Bumble Bee Lane!

Congratulations Amy! Please email me your mailing address and your prize will be on its way...

"What profit is there in gaining the whole world when it means forfeiting one’s self?"

~Luke 9:25

Blessings, Patti

4th of July Giveaway

Time for a giveaway!

I may be a little late, but you can enjoy these for the rest of the summer and have them early for the next 4th of July :)

Included in the giveaway are:

•  A cross-stitched pillow (I think it is a Lizzie*Kate design) featuring four of my handmade buttons (that I used to make and sell.) 
• A cross-stitched quilt
• And a star pillow from an antique quilt top

As always this giveaway is open to everyone.

Simply leave a comment on this post or email me at pgagliardi9@hotmail.com with "4th of July" in the subject line. 

And tell me are you a fireworks fan?

I will pick a winner on Monday, July 7th.

(I just had to share this favorite picture from a few years back.)

Last night we attended our local fireworks and as always the finale thrilled me :)

To me there is nothing better to make it the 4th of July than fireworks, family and friends!

Wishing you a safe and spectacular 4th of July!

We are so blessed to live in this country ~ even with its imperfections,

as nothing is perfect, but God.

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,

the people he chose for his inheritance.

From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind;

from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth—

he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.

~Psalm 33: 12-15

Blessings, Patti

June Roses

I thought I better hurry up and write and publish this post before midnight :)

These are my "Knock Out" Shrub Roses and they never fail to delight.

They bloom constantly starting in June and sometimes, if the weather cooperates, they will bloom into December.

This is one of my carpet roses and I failed to see the tiny bee until now :)

These are my newest shrub roses, inspired by roses that I saw on a trip to California. 

I love their vibrant color and deep green foliage. They are surrounded by lambs ear and I love the combination of colors. I'll need to take another photo of the full effect. 

I have some roses inside, too. Including this miniature faux rose that I think looks so real.

"Prim Rose"

by nikyscreations

And an older design. I can't recall the designer.

I just realized that I don't have any roses in wool applique. Hmmm I think that I will need to remedy that...

"And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: 

in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one."

~Zechariah 14:9

Blessings, Patti

Inspiring Stitching Weekend Part 2

Well get comfy, because this is going to be a loooong post :)

The second part of my inspiring stitching weekend was spent with some wonderful stitchers.

The Inspired Needle hosted a lovely

Inspired Summer Seminar with Paulette Stewart of Plum Street Samplers!

I love The Inspired Needle and Paulette's blog always makes me smile, so I knew this was the perfect combination!

On Friday night, Cathy hosted a meet and greet at the shop.

This included an opportunity to see many of Paulette's models up close.

This inspired me to want to pull out those I have already kitted at home!

Some models can really touch us in person, more than they do on the pattern cover.

This one kept drawing me back... I love the little shepherdess and her little row of sheep.

And those flowers!

These were the treasures that I brought home on Friday night.

Yes, I did purchase not one, but two pairs of scissors :) They were both so sweet and I couldn't decide!

And yikes! I forgot to buy the sampler that I was admiring. 

Guess that I will have to take a trip back to The Inspired Needle soon :)

We could hardly wait for Saturday morning to arrive!

At each place setting, we were greeted by our class kit, a great project bag and a darling wooden thread holder to match the motif on our kit. On the back it was inscribed with our seminar and date. 

What a perfect souvenir to commemorate the magical day!

Then it was time for the unveiling:

Paulette designed "Liberty Inn" for our class.

I just love it!

But, that's not all! The icing on the cake:

Our kit included all we needed for these sweet stitched and wooly pinned strawberries!

Be still my heart!

I guess I will be creating some strawberries this summer after all :)

Aren't they lovely?

We all dove right in!

The room was lovely with all the nice windows and our lunch was delicious.

Even the views were inspiring!

We had a great table of friends new and old.

Pam, Sara and I have taken classes together at the Country Sampler before.

Cathy, who owns the Inspired Needle, is in the back.

We had a great time laughing and sharing our passion for needlework.

We had some great show and tell including this piece that Ranae is working on. I love the fabric!

And I had a great surprise 

My old stitching friends, Paula and Nancy were there!

I hadn't seen them in many, many years. How fun is that!

Paula and Nancy were both brilliant as they brought framed Plum Street Samplers to have Paulette autograph on the back.

Aren't they lovely?

I should have thought of that!

Thanks for hanging in there through this looong post.

If you still would like to see more from other people's perspective, you can read about it:

On Paulette's Plum Street Samplers blog

On the Maude and Mozart blog

On The Southpaw Stitcher blog

On Ranae's Stitch by Stitch blog

Thank you Cathy and Paulette for creating an unforgettable weekend!

"For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

~Galatians 5:13-14

Blessings, Patti