Another WIP be Gone for 2021 - STAR SPANGLED BIRTHDAY and a giveaway

Star Spangled Birthday
stitched area is 8" x 4" 

Toot toot!  

                            Whoop whoop another finish that is totally done.  

The design is Star Spangled Birthday by From Nancy's Needle and I loved it the first time I saw it.  The stats are being listed for my own reference only and changes I personalized being asterisked for easy notation.  It was basically stitched as designed with the called for threads on 18 count sandstone zweigart mono canvas.

The Watercolors by Caron numbers threads used are:   008 Nerfertiti, 016 Bark, 138 Winter Wheat, 160 Night Sky, 165 Granite, 255 Cornflower Blue,  and 257 Spearmint.  

DMC#5 weight colors were: Ecru, 498 Dark Red Border*, 321 Flag and Bunting*, 823 Navy - Bunting*.  

The Kreinik #12 weight Tapestry Braids used are: TR279 - Dark Multi darker windows on Left home *, 3202 Cats Eye for the Lighted windows.  

Gold Rush #18 used were *GD109C darker windows on Right Home*, GD45C Red, GD136C Navy and then added extra sparkle in the self designed fireworks using an assortment of sparkly threads like, *razzle dazzle Orange, an unknown *Green Sparkle I got through a thrifted mermaid item while visiting Mom in Florida, also unknown maker of two colors of a *Hot Pink Sparkle and an *Aqua sparkle. 

Many fibers were used and am glad I changed it up along the way.   The border colors only used the Rainbow gallery sparkly Blue in it and then I changed the called for Nefertiti red toned to a deeper toned DMC instead with out the sparkle*.  The *patriotic items were brightened up with a truer red as well as the windowed glass bits*.   Also made were changes to the design of the street lamps with a more to my liking simplified lamps and attempted successfully I think, a "truer to my memory" images of actual fireworks going off then the illustrated patterned lightning strike effect printed and designed.    Am so glad as I progress with my hobbies that I'm at liberty (yep- pun intended!) to change and stitch projects my way.  

Also was able to bring it to Aaron Brothers (Michaels) with 2 coupons, a 60% off and with an additional 25% off to get it framed with  the 2  mats and the selected frame which complements it perfectly.  That white pickled finish on the frame has hints of gold brushed through it letting it highlight the light affect of all those threads.  SO in honor of this finish... I did mention a giveaway:

To share in my self-finishing glory and joy,  I'm hosting a giveaway of this gently used chart to the continental US only.  My regrets to my other followers though for this exception but due to expense of international mailings it's unfortunate but too costly.  The winner will be drawn and announced here in November and I'll try contact you if I'm able to.  I plan to mail this out on my Birthday, November 10 to celebrate.   To enter, leave a comment on this post and share what you are most thankful for.  That's it.  Good Luck!

It was a fun stitch and only took me about 3 months to do and that's with sending it out to be framed too,  LOL.   But I work at a snails pace sometimes.  

  

TTFN,

Jane

Giveaway closed,   Sorry there were no entrants, so I will be letting this go in another manner.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Passion for my Ginghers

 

 



Sorry for the Glare, I still need help with my photography skills.

A blurry shot of the beaded  tassel.
Oh I need a tripod to help stabilize these little tremors.

 

 

 

I was able to make time to finish this Sheperd's Bush Scissor fob for my Gingher Scissors - Sonia.  The design has been  stitched for  months.  Again with this kit I wasn't thrilled with the trim that was included in the kit for  finishing it  and despite shopping when ever possible and using some vendors that I had done business with in the past,  I came up empty.

I was even shopping on ebay when I found Nancy2500 with an assortment of chenille and cluny lace trims besides some charms, Heaven!  

While waiting for my order and working on another project I rumaged through my  DMC 5 storage bin.  Eureke!  I stumbled onto this glittered ribbon I bought years ago from Ribbonsmythe, Ahhh yes, thinking to myself this could work. and Viola!! When my little Circle of Friends quilting group recently met I brought this to work on.

Instead of having the ribbon trim just end tied and left dangling as per the instructions, a little cascade of beeds with a  beaded tassel  was called for in my eyes. 

 

Since it took me several  days to finish stitching on the ribbon imagine my delight when my shipment from Nancy came.  Yippee! 



Such lovely trims and charms.  So what what else could be better than the  little scissor charm that  I just received to make the fob  complete.  Perfect!

 

Check out all the other trims I received from Nancy.    I found out she also has a web business for hand dyes and trims through her blog.  And guess what else?   She'll be hosting a tremendous giveaway starting in December.   So when you have time and if you are interested in items like these,  go to her site: Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe.    Her trims are beautifully done and she is a very generous vendor.

Jane
 

 

Happy Halloween!

Have a Happy and Safe Halloween!
I recently stumbled across a terrific giveaway by Connie at Quilting By the River. Good Luck!

Jane

Getting decorated for Halloween and giveaway of an Accuquilt Go!

I finally am getting more decorated for Halloween. Two weeks ago when I went to my Doctor he ordered an Attends Unit to help me alleviate the continuous pain I live with. So I was instructed on what to do and did follow the directions strictly the next day.
Can I say OUCH! OMG! I couldn't use my arms, hands or walk. DH was asking, "So, how is that helping you?" Can I mention now that he always said this after each Physical therapy Treatment I went to since the exercises crippled me until the next appoint during the week.
I've been told by different physicians that I need to use arms and leg muscles otherwise I'll lose them. Anytime I try to push anything other than light housework and do something I always used to before I herniated my cervical discs I am a very sore and crippled unit. The herniation impinges my spinal cord which affect my neuromuscular anatomy so if I am able to win an Accuquilt Go! would be absolutely heaven sent!

So I have been laid up with pain because of this new treatment again. I called the medical representative and told him this unit was killin* me and that I was hurting so bad. So his advice was to just do the first portion of it and not the muscle stimulation portion. Even that makes it hurt a bit. The best comforts are the hot tub jets massaging the area or an actual massage, when I take the medicine, which helps I turn into a sleeping idiot that can't think or talk. I'm out cold. So it is a rough balance between functioning and being tolerable with the pain. Since I deal with this continuously my typical Halloween decorations were put off. Glad I was able to get to it recently when PGD#1 and PGS#2 stopped by after school and they helped.

Now, since I mentioned the Accuquilt there is a giveaway over at Micki's (a friend in Connemara) blog - Irish Muses. She is fortunate enough to have won an Accuquilt GO! AND now she is able to host a giveaway of another Accuquilt GO! The drawing is on November 5th. So close to my Birthday, wouldn't that be sweet to win something like that so I really shouldn't be spreading the word but I love to share good news, whenever I can.

Stay Well and good luck!
Jane

Another Go! Accuquilt is being given away. Can you believe how generous all of these quilters and Accuquilt Go! has been? It's not too late to sign up for this one on a quilting life. Go over and check out Sherry's blog. She has many other goodies and great eye candy throughout her blog too.

Good luck, but I seriously hope I win. This would be heaven sent.

I did finish making the backing for my Alien Invasion quilt too. After it's quilted, I'll post a picture and calculate how much fabric I used. After making several attempts on facial features, I came up with this one.



I think it fits him nicely, this lop-sided quirky smile. This makes him not so frightening. I'm not sure who will get this quilt yet. My daughter saw it the other night and thought it was real cute, so perhaps it'll go to her youngest son who will be 2 in December. Time will tell.

I also slept really well several nights ago and came up with "the perfect plan" for the backing for my Patience Corners King size quilt that is also waiting to be assembled. I was able to do some calculations to figure out how best to proceed and think it should be rather smooth going. I might actually try to machine quilt that beast too, by quilting it in sections and starting with the center section first. Oh no! I'll have to some more math and make sure it'll fit okay. Ohhh, I love to tease! Check back soon. (I think I'm on a roll again.)

Last night while watching TV, I did restart organizing my button box. This is what I have left to go through.





The next few photos are the piles currently on my sewing table. See what I mean about so many buttons. I am using quart size plastic bags and I'll probably use a couple of gallons size bags too for the larger quantity colors of the black, brown and white.


Does anybody have any great ideas on how to store Buttons? I know these bags won't be the best solution for the long haul, but after shopping at Walmart today while my car was being repaired, nothing there seemed like a good solution.


Jane

On your mark, get set, GO!

Karrie Lyne over at Freckled Whimsy is having a fabulous giveaway. Go! check it out. If you GO! to this post, you'll see what I'm talking about. Good Luck everyone. I know by yelling out about it here I am lessening my own chances of winning this, but it is "sew wonderful" of Accuquilt GO to share these useful tools with so many of us quilters. Their generous contributions have made many happier quilters. Thank you Accuquilt GO! as well as Karrie Lyne!

Good Luck,
Jane




PS: Would you believe I just came across another Accuquilt Go! Giveaway over at Heathers' blog at alamode fabric's blog. Go! right over and sign up. The drawings are happening soon!

Giveaway

Check out this fantastic giveaway that Terrie is having and good luck! It's a Shakespeare's Peddler design as well as the floss pack for Jenny Bean Humble Servant Sampler. The floss pack has 15 full skeins of Gentle Art Sampler Floss which includes: Royal Purple, Portabella, Chives, Endive, Wood Trail, Jasmine, Antique Rose, Baby Spinach, Grecian Gold, Chamomile, Hyacinth, Lavender Potpourri, Old Purple Paint, Toasted Barley and Onyx. Lovely!

Have Almost finished my Winter Whites CXS and am wondering which chart I'll be working on next. Stay tuned.

Be well,
Jane

The winner is:

The One World One Heart Giveaway is at it's conclusion. I numbered slips of paper number 1 through and including 140 since that's how many comments were left. Drum roll........the winner is Mitz, number 10.

Mitz said...
I have no doubt that your give-a-way will be wonderful.. thanks for
the opportunity.. tc
mitz_zee@yahoo.com

While checking out other participants, I noticed very few were quilters, so I thought I needed a gift that could be a nice prize for any persons interests. The prize is a pincushion and a pencil set of chalks. I'll be contacting Mitz so I can get the address.

This is what it looks like.


It's been a pleasure meeting and talking with the many entrants participating with this event. Ta ta for now...
Jane

Look what arrived!!!

I won a giveaway from Susan Brubaker Knapp just before Christmas. It's this pattern for a Pinata Purse.



Susan Brubaker Knapp and Sarah Smith were hosting a duo giveaway and I was fortunate enough to be the winner of Susan's pattern. Now how did she know that I love bags? I am so grateful.
Since that time, I've noticed her name in other places. Such as in a video with Pokey from Quilt Arts showing free motion machine quilting and other places like advertisements in magazines. She has an amazing book out as well as check out her blog, Blue Moon River. The painting she currently doing on the orchid quilt is absolutely stunning!

Around the same time as the drawing, I had to wrap a gift for PGD#1's Christmas Party at preschool. So after pancakes for breakfast and getting her presentable, I grabbed a roll of wrapping paper, wrapped it, decorated it and labelled it. So while picking up the wrap, I boinked her gently on the head. Of course, she quickly grabbed the roll of paper and boinked me back. BUT THEN with a wicked gleam in her eye, she said, "Pretend this is a bat and you are a pinata!" all the while she was homing in towards me. So funny, I laughed and smiled over this little escapade for awhile now. Love that girl!

Stay warm and laugh often,
Jane

The winner is.....

Thank you all for your nice comments and visiting my blog. I have enjoyed blogging this past year and am amazed how quickly the time has gone by. If you know it or not, your kind comments, visiting this sight has all helped me in some way. Whether it was a kind word, a thought of how to do something, or commiserate with a sorrow each of you have shared with me and for this I am grateful and I thank you.

So, without further adieu I printed out all entries, cut them apart and place them into the kokopelli container. Drum Roll please..............Closed my eyes.. then pulled up the winning name.

Congratulations to Pam.

I just sent an email out to her for her mailing address. She doesn't have a blog to link to her with the comment she left. So Pam C, your winnings are headed your way.

Enjoy your day,
Jane

Bloggiversary is coming.

It hard to believe that almost one year has come and gone while I've been blogging. So to honor this event, I'll be hosting a small giveaway. Here's what I'll be giving away.



The Book- Scrap Savers Solutions by Connie Kauffman
Gingher Embroidery Scissors
Pattern- Indigo Junction's Boxy Backpack
The Trilogy's Autumn Spots

What you need to do is to leave a comment to this post. On Oct 21st I'll randomly pick one comment and announce the winner. Please leave a way I can reach you or check back to see the winner after the 21st of October. Good Luck and thanks for stopping by.

Happy Stitching,
Jane

Another Block of the Month starting

The above button is a little snapshot of a new block of the month starting by Dorothy Baker. She is one talented quilt artist. So if you are interested in a 1930's quilt look to work on, check it out!

Happy stitching
Jane

A fantastic giveaway!

Helen, from Hugs from Helen, has released a new BOM pattern. She is giving away a copy of the pattern to celebrate. I'm not that keen on sending you over since this is something I'd love to win, but if you really feel you must, then go on over and sign up too. Good Luck!

Jane

Enter HGTV green home in Port St. Lucie, Florida

I am trying to add a link to my side bar. DH & I visited this area this past Jan-February 2009 and what a gorgeous place. Enter only if you would want to live where the sun shines and the weather is easy. Smiles,
Jane