Liebster Award

First, I want to say "thank you, Ineke!" for nominating me for this blog award.
Liebster is a German word meaning favourite, dearest or beloved. The Liebster Blog Award is awarded by bloggers to other new bloggers who have fewer than 200 followers, to help spread the word about their blogs and to help them gain wider recognition.
The Liebster award comes with four conditions that each recipient must satisfy when accepting:
1. Choose 5 up-and-coming blogs with less than 200 followers to award the Liebster to.
2. Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.
3. Post the award on your blog. List the bloggers you are giving the award to with links to their sites. Leave comments on their blog so they know about the award.
4. Share 5 random facts about yourself that people don't know about you.

OK, #2 and #3 - done.  Now choosing 5 blogs...very difficult, but I will give it a try:

1.  Anne Marieke
2. Giovanna (although I am not sure how many followers she may have)
3. and here is where I got stuck.  Evidently, out of all the blogs I read, there are none that have less than 200 followers.  This is the best I can do for now..sorry.:(

Now five facts about myself...
1.  I love white chocolate (I know, I know, it's not really 'chocolate'...but it sure tastes good!)
2.  I hate lines...at the grocery store, the bank, etc.
3.  I am half German.  My mother was born in Berlin, and married my father during the Korean Conflict.
4.  I went to art school for one year.  (Would have gone longer, but that's what my parents could afford at the time.
5. I have a very good friend I have known since Kindergarten. (Waving 'hi!' to Helen!)

OK, that's it for now...that was tougher than I thought it would be.

Pillows

New curtains and a new slipcover for the sofa called for a few new pillows.  Very quick and easy to make (especially since I reused the pillow forms I had used on the old pillows).  The fabrics are from my Primitive Gatherings fat quarters I used for my garden quilt. 

Progress

I made quite a bit of progress on my Weihenbug Contest Sampler.  I really like how this is coming together.  This portion is the very central section, complete from top to bottom.  Now I will not have to worry about the middle section where the motifs were incomplete and I had to match up all the lines correctly! 

A little close-up of the central large flower. I think this is the biggest motif in the sampler.

And just for fun...my niece's wedding was Saturday.  My sons, Mike and Sam were groomsmen.  The bridesmaids wore deep purple gowns, so the guys all wore purple vests and ties.  A bit unusual, I guess, but everyone looked nice.

Well...

Where in the world have I been all week??!!  Stitching, quilting, moving furniture, cleaning...and best of all, hooking up my new - very fast - computer!  So, now a few pictures of what I have been working on this week.

Here is Chatelaine's Peacock Garden...my little bit of progress on Part 4.

Next, a finish!!  Rhiannon by Nora Corbett.
And the next block of Snowbound by Bunny Hill Designs was released the other day.  I am still working on that one!

Addicted

Yep, I am coming clean....I am addicted.  To what, you say?  Stitching, quilting?  Well, those are not addictions (he, he)....those are hobbies!  Nope....Jim Shore....I just love his pieces.  When I saw this one, it, of course, screamed at me - BUY ME NOW!  So I did. :)  I originally had seen the male rabbit who carries a basket appropriately decorated for each season that you can change (Don't worry - he may still find his way to my house!) .  The girl bunny is new...you change her hats...little seasonal hats.  Here she is in her hat decorated for spring.  (Oh, and this is no tiny little bunny....she is about 18" tall!)

Another Pillow!

I LOVE my new pillow!! I was looking at various patterns when I was trying to find one for my curtains. I had seen a pillow similar to this one. I thought...ya know...I am not spending all the money for a pattern for one pillow. I knew I could come up with something on my own. I am thrilled with it. More leftover fabric from the curtains. I had purchased a rectangular pillow form in the hopes that I would be successful.

An hour and a half later and some thinking about the logistics of this one....and TA DA!! I think it took me longer to sew on the buttons than to actually make the pillow!

Here's a shot of Rusty, the new rug and the curtains. (Sorry, it's really blurry...but the others did not have Rusty in them.)
Although it does not show very well, the rug has a pattern of leaves and stems in it. And...a picture of one of the new end tables with the new lamps:
Don't ask me why the pillow is on top of the chair....I guess someone did not want to sit on it! ;)

The 20,000 Ode (Get ready to laugh!)

Now a poet, I am not -
Nor claim to be.
But a goal has been achieved that
Has quite astounded me!

It has been two years and a little bit more,
Since beginning, what I thought, might be a bore.
Pictures of stitching, quilting and, yes, even the dog.
Each visitor tallied and counted upon my blog.

Who would think there would be
20,000, visits, just for me?
Not me - it's definitely true.
But fun ~ because of each of you!

Maintaining this blog has certainly been fun.
Now, let's see what else can be done.
Stitching, a bit of quilting;
Gosh, who knows what they will find.....
Once you enter this little "home" of mine.

A sillier poem has never been written,
But believe it. It's true ~
The sentiment - honest and grateful-
To each and every one of you!

Last two....

I had promised to stitch three pincushions for Bears Paw Fabrics (a quilt shop). I finished up the last one this morning...the little bunny. I finished the squirrel yesterday. I'm still wondering why she has an apron, but she does look cute! Take a peek.

Can you believe that this little bunny is the fifth one I have made? ;)

Forgot to say that these designs are also by Bunny Hill Designs. :)

Lookee!!

I hope everyone had an enjoyable Easter holiday! I know I did!

Look what I received in the mail late yesterday.

A beautifully stitched little drawstring bag (love the plaid fabric).

A little alphabet pincushion. Don't you just love the finishing on this one? The little stars on the folded over corners? Wonderful!

The little angel pillow - which is not for me - but for someone very close to me going through a difficult time...the finishing of the little angel cushion is so nice, too. Can you tell I am running out of descriptions??...and last but not least - see the fabric in the background?? A nice piece of fabric, which I can use in one of my many little finishing projects.

All - just absolutely gorgeous - and all from Isabelle! Thank you, thank you, thank you, my friend! What a great way to start the week!

Questions...

Well, let's start with Gabi's....the new stash. Hmmm....sometimes I embarass myself with the amount of things I purchase. Therefore, that was one of the reasons I did not take a picture this time.
But I can list some of the things (if I remember them, since I already put them in different places!). With My Needles Fair Maiden Etui, the collaboration piece, A Petite Sampling Etui, the Workbasket's House ofAlphabets, Little by Little's O' Starry Night, Chessie & Me's Blossom Scissor Fob, Jeannette Douglas' Tiny Christmas Biscornu, all four new Prairie Schooler's and, of course, Mirabilia's White Winter Santa. Then there was the Acorn Box from Milady's Needle which I almost forgot. I also purchased the fabric for the Petite Sampling Etui and all the floss, beads and treasures for Winter White Santa....phew! (oh...and these were actually in two separate boxes!) At least if I am stitching on all of these projects, it keeps me out of trouble, right?

Chiloe, good to hear from you again! That little tree seems to bother a lot of people. For some reason, I am OK with it. It just strikes me as a new little tree just waiting it's turn to help celebrate Christmas. I think the Santa is supposed to be the focus. I am also thinking of a group type arrangement....the Santa, with the Sleigh, the eight tiny reindeer....so to me, I really wouldn't want a huge tree.

Tagged

I have been tagged by Ashley to share six random things about myself, according to the rules.

The rules are as follows:
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know your entry is up.

So here are six random things about me:

1. I started stitching with needlepoint.
2. I love anything with bees, ladybugs or sheep.
3. I went to art school when I was 13.
4. I love anything Christmas.
5. I barely watch any TV.
6. I visited my grandparents in Germany when I was 16.

There are so many wonderful blogs I read, that I am going to pass on choosing six. I appreciate you choosing mine, Ashley; thank you!

Bits and Pieces

Here's a little bit more of my Dutch design. I did add some beads to this design, Delica #434 (a pinkish gold):



and more progress on Victorian Christmas Eve:

Wow! Another blog award!! Thanks, Gio ! Well, I'm stunned to say the least. :))


OK, now to follow the rules for the award:

Put the logo on your blog;
2 Add a link to the person who awarded you;
3 Nominate at least 7 other blogs;
4 Add links to those blogs on yours;
5 Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.

No. 1 - done
No. 2 - done
and working on No 3

1. CreativeThread
2. Committed Stitcher
3. Contemplating My Needle
4. Three Cool Pugs and Me
5. Plush
6. Stitching with a View
7. With Needle and Thread

4. Done
5. Off to leave a few messages!

Wow!

Thanks, Jan! She has nominated me for a Kreativ Blogger Award...wow! This is really too nice! So as part of receiving the award I am listing the rules.

Here are the rules for this award:

1. The winner may put the logo on her blog.
2. Put a link to the person you got the award from.
3. Nominate 5 blogs.
4. Put links to the blogs.
5. Leave a message for your nominees.

Now to comply with the rules, here are my 5 picks:

1. Carolina Dreams
2. Arthemise's (Mostly) Stitching Blog
3. Giovanna's stitches
4. TheTwisted Stitcher
5. Cross Stitch Happy

Thanks to everyone on these blogs for inspiring me!

New Stuff

Sorry about the glare, but everything is in plastic bags.....this is the new stuff I got from Nashville. All except one is kitted and ready to go! Here's a picture of the fabrics and threads:

...a tin....

Look what I found at the grocery store...


very pretty...silver and red...about 8" x 10". I wonder what I can put in it?