Give-away Winners!

Thank you to the Gentle Readers who took some time to comment on my 15th anniversary as a blogger...and to tell me a bit about their own journeys since 2003.  It's gratifying to someone who types words into cyber-space regularly, never knowing where they'll land, or who's "out there" reading, to get to know some of you a wee bit better.

Without further ado, here are the three who've won the magazines on offer, according to the random number generator I used late last night!

For Judy C.

For Mary

and for Kate

Watch for an e-mail from me...so you can advise me of your correct mailing addresses and I can get these packets of inspiration off to you!

Meanwhile...in the Sewdio...

We had a(nother) snow storm yesterday -- complete with "Blowing Snow Warning" (!) so I spent most of the day sewing strips of fabric together.  I'm working hard on stash-busting while I plan my next art piece...and will post further process-with-photos very soon.

Have a great rest of the week, and stay cozy!

Fifteen Thirteen

On February 8, 2013, I wrote my one thousandth blog post -- and celebrated ten years of blogging. An average of 100 posts a year.

I seem to have kept that up, as this is Post #1,513 -- and tomorrow marks, yes, fifteen years of writing this weblog.

I was a few months past my fiftieth birthday, with an ailing husband who was trying to get around on two artificial limbs.  Our son was about to graduate from high school, and our daughter was just a year out of university.  My mother, unbeknownst to us just yet, was in the last year of her life, as was my godmother...and my husband and mother-in-law would follow a few years later.

Blogging was in its infancy but Facebook didn't exist (launched in February 2004), nor did Flickr (March 2005), Twitter (March 2006) or Instagram (October 2010).

Ravelry was just a twinkle in the eyes of founders Casey and Jessica Forbes (till May 2007).  Back then, the inimitable Clara Parkes lead the way for yarn-crafters with Knitter's Review, with a pioneering online forum founded in 2000.  I was a member for a long time, and still enjoy KR in its newer iteration as a resource for all things woolly, including books -- all of which I own and have read!

I began the blog to share my knitting, and my original url was taken from "The Lady Who Knits on the Bus" -- a nick-name I'd earned by knitting on public transit to and from work each day.   The blog itself was then entitled "No Idle Hands"...after a book about knitting's history in the U.S. -- a thick tome which, I confess, I never got 'round to reading!

 I was very much a fledgling on the art quilt front, taking classes with the talented Anna Hergert, who lived in Calgary then, as did I, and taught at a quilt shop in Cochrane, Alberta.  And as you know, I'm still knitting...

But by 2006, several of us who'd studied with her for about three years formed small textile art group, which lasted until 2008 when distance and other demands of life conspired to scatter our members.

I'm still in touch with two members, though -- the gals I spend a long weekend 'playing' with almost every summer.  We continue to explore our crafts and have a great deal of fun at it.

Which brings me to...a way to celebrate this 15th Blog Anniversary -- my first give-away in years!

One of the aforementioned play-mates passed on to me a beautiful embroidery magazine from Australia.  Another stitching and quilting friend gave me two magazines -- one from Quilt Mania in Europe, and one from UPPERCASE here in Calgary, Alberta.

All are glorious sources of inspiration, and all are gently used...but ready to find new homes, to inspire yet another maker.

Love hand-stitch?

Inspirations Issue 93:"Birds of a Feather"

Love quilting -- especially the modern approach?

Simply Moderne Issue 11

Love making visual art with paper? Pen and ink?  Scripts and texts? Fabric and stitch? 

UPPERCASE - current issue (#35)

A week from today is Valentine's Day -- and the day I will do a random draw from all those who post a comment to this blog post.  Please Note: a comment or a "Like" on the Facebook link to this post won't do.  You have to visit the blog to make it count!  😊  (And the comments are moderated...just so ya know! No spam!)

What to say in your comment?  How about you tell me what you were up to in February 2003...or how long you've been blogging (if you do) and why you still believe in this form of social media...or a bit about your journey to your creative spirit, what inspires you.  How have you changed and grown in the last 15 years?

The Details:

1. The draw will be made by a random number generator by 10 p.m. Mountain Standard Time on Wednesday, Feb. 14.  The first person to post a comment will be number 1; the second, number 2 and so on.  
2. You need to have an e-mail address so I can contact you if you win.  I have some Gentle Readers whose comments come to me as "no-reply", but I have their address in my e-mail records.  If I don't have that and can't find you...the names will go back in and I'll try again.

I'll be linking this today to WIP Wednesday over on The Needle and Thread Network...and again on the weekend to Nina-Marie's Off the Wall Friday...

Have a great week, and I'll be in touch!

Happy Blog Anniversary, Steph! (A Give-away...for the Knitters)

Stephanie Pearl McPhee -- The Yarn Harlot

One of my Very Favourite People  celebrated a Blog Anniversary yesterday -- 11 years since she "cast on" in "Fibre Space" (with apologies to arlee)...

In the above photo, she's knitting on the ribbing of a sock I made for my daughter's friend P -- a Christmas 2014 commission.  The location?  The Hilton Doubletree Edmonton (formerly the Mayfield Inn).  The event? "Comedy Night" -- the Friday night opener of the "Stix in the City" weekend event back in October 2014, sponsored by River City Yarns.  

It was a "bucket list" moment for me...and one in a million  several thousand for Steph, I'm sure.  (grin)

But without that first connection...

• I'd have missed all the glorious books about knitting and knitters;
• I'd never have laughed so long and so well;
• I'd not found someone who so deeply understands what it is to be
• Canadian; and (simultaneously)
• A knitter... 

Happy Blog Anniversary, Steph -- and many more!

P.S. Thanks to Joe and 'The Girls' for enabling you to enable us all these years... ;-)

P.P.S. What would a knitting blog anniversary be without some YARN?

I have three (count 'em) lace weight yarn prizes to give away on a random basis:

• One skein of Misti Alpaca Hand Paint Lace - 100% Baby Alpaca - 800 m..847 yards in colour #21 (Lavender Blue);

• One skein of Misti Alpaca Hand Paint Lace - 100% Baby Alpaca - 800 m..847 yards in colour #03 (green mix); 

• And two skeins of Knit Picks Alpaca Cloud lace weight yarn:
• One 440 yards in CA07 - pearl grey; and
• One 440 yards in C740 - green mix.

So...If you are a knitter -- or you know a knitter that would like to have any one of these three lacy prizes...Please post a comment on the blog saying so, sometime between NOW (i.e. Saturday, January 24, 2015 at almost noon Mountain Standard Time) and midnight wherever you are on Saturday, January 31, 2015.  Three winners will be chosen by a random number drawing process when I get up on Sunday, February 1.

Happy knitting!

Four for Four

A week ago, Gentle Readers, I invited you to comment on your 'Special Place' wherein you can "simplify experience and bring forth what you are and what you  might be", to quote Joseph Campbell.  I had two books and two magazines to share with the first four respondents.

It's four for four!  elle identified her blog as her 'Special Place';  for Jenny, it's in a plane -- a place that took her by surprise.  Wil's place is her studio and Judy's, out in nature, be it near water or in the mountains but always, she adds, where it's quiet.  Ah.... she'd love it here in my wee hamlet!

And so...if these ladies will e-mail me their mailing addresses, I will send off their treats this week.  To heighten the mystery, I'm not going to reveal to whom which book will go...you'll just have to wait till your parcel arrives!

NOTE: please send the information to me either by Facebook private message or to margblankATxplornetDOTca.  :-)

Happy Sunday!

Sunrise, Mirror, Alberta, Canada - September 2011

Eleven

"You must have a room, or a certain hour of the day or so where you do not know what was in the morning paper.  A place where you can simplify experience and bring forth what you are, and what you might be.  At first you may find nothing's happening.  But if you have a sacred place and use it, take advantage of it, something will happen." -- Joseph Campbell (emphasis mine)

For eleven years -- as of yesterday -- my blog has been a bit of that sort of place for me.  This latest anniversary passed quite without fanfare, as I was busy in the sewdio, and will be so again this day, after this post, hunkering down in the - 30 C weather once more, and likely on into tomorrow.  It's not supposed to warm up significantly, weather-wise, till Thursday.  Snow is in the forecast between now and then.  Preparing to enter the Lacombe Show again in April, I will be busy and thus fairly oblivious to what's in the morning news.

That said, the weather and the anniversary require a bit of heart-warming, don't you think?  I mentioned some time back that I would have a give-away for this less-than-auspicious occasion, and the time has come!

I have two artful books and two gently-viewed magazines to share with you, my Gentle Readers.  Very simply, they will go to the first four people who comment on this blog, telling me a wee bit about their Special Place where they "...can simplify experience and bring forth what [they] are, and what [they] might be."   No pressure!  (grin)

These are the publications:



1. Layered, Tattered & Stitched: A Fabric Art Workshop by Ruth Rae (North Light Books, 2009);
2. Where Women Create: Quilters by Jo Packham (Quarry Books, 2013);
3. "Where Women Create" (the magazine) - May-July 2013 issue; and
4. "Where Women Create" (the magazine) - Aug-October 2013 issue.



I'll ease up the "comment moderation" requirements to make it easier on you, and check for the winners by the end of the day (for me, that's about 9 p.m. Mountain Standard Time) on Saturday, February 15.

Early Morning Win

I've lots to do today -- taking my display stand in to Lacombe to set up for the weekend's "Encore: Art Show & Celebration" -- so I thought I'd reveal the winner of my duplicate "Think Like an Artist" DVD.

(Drum roll...)

The winner is Wil!   So, my cyber-SAQA-quilty art friend...e-mail me your address and I'll send this off to you.  :-)  You are a pretty experienced artist, so you may find this DVD fairly basic...but I know you'll know who to share it with at your end if that is the case.  :-)

Have a great Thursday!

Murphy's Law of Lost Articles (Give-away)

MLLA:  When you finally go out and buy something you thought you'd lost, you will find the original item.

Yep; it just happened to me.  After several months of looking everywhere in my wee house for my copy of Pamela Allen's Think Like an Artist (DVD), I ordered another copy.  It arrived Friday and I watched it yesterday afternoon as the weather snowed and I stitched.  Lovely to see it again -- and yes, I learned a couple of new things in the re-watch.

This afternoon I got down on my hands and knees to get a close look at my modem, preparatory to attaching my new wireless router for my new computer (laptop).  And there it was; the DVD, that is -- under my computer desk back near the outer wall, behind some books I'd stored under the desk.  None the worse for wear.

What's a girl to do?  Much as I admire Pamela, I don't need two copies of her DVD!  And so...I'm giving away my new (only watched once) copy, and putting my old (equally beloved) copy back on the shelf with its instructional and inspirational sisters.

Let's see...what say I use my friendly Random Sequence Generator to pick a recipient for me from any comments to THIS post between now and Wednesday, April 17 at 11:59 p.m..MDT (to be drawn Thursday a.m., at the start of my Very Busy Eleven Days).  And if you have an experience to relate about Murphy's Law of Lost Articles in your life, do share!

It Was a Lovely Party

I had such fun in February, celebrating my blog anniversary with all of you, Gentle Readers!  Thank you for tuning in, for posting comments and for celebrating with me.  I know a few new followers came on board during this time -- thank you for your vote of confidence!  I hope you'll continue to find my musings interesting.

Now it's time to wind up the final week of the party, by giving away the "Fabric Goodie Pack".  Once again I've called on my friendly Random.org...and the winner is Judy W of Explorations in Quilting and Life!  This really warms my heart, because a) early on last week, she admired the fabric; and b) she's a dear friend whom I first met at the SAQA Conference in Denver -- and who is going to be with me in Santa Fe, too...so I can bring her gift in person!  (I'll still e-mail you, Judy, so you have confirmation of your gift.)

A delightful way to start the day, the weekend, and a new month!

And on that note...time to get back to work!

Yesterday was full of paperwork, preparing the application for my daughter and I to share a booth in the Lacombe Art Show and Sale (April 19-21, Lacombe Memorial Centre, Lacombe, Alberta).  Here's the check-list:

• Cover letter; 
• Application form;
• Printed photos of:
• Booth set up (me);
• Table set up (Gina);
• Examples of recent art work (each of us).
• Up-to-date Artist's Statements - each of us.
• Cheque to pay entry fee.

Phew!  Once Gina sends me her Artist's Statement, the application will go in the mail!

The booth set up photo was a challenge, because it meant dismantling at least part of the stand that I use on an ongoing basis in my studio to hold a good portion of my fabric stash and supplies.  I decided to take apart only one side, and snapped this photo for the application:

(For an example of what Gina's table display of photography will look like, visit her blog post HERE.)

My stand has 3 sides, which I usually keep folded in a triangular wheeled base.  However, for the purpose of the show, they will be standing like this (photo from the same show in 2011):

For the 2013 show, I'm making a few changes:

• Hanging the pieces with their dowels, using S-hooks to attach them to the bare frame, rather than pinning to fabric;
• Adding a small hanging basket for my selection of wrapped miniatures; and
• Mounting a professionally printed banner with my company name along the top of the frame (the white space in the above photo).

I discovered the banner on Vista Print two years ago, too late to order it for the 2011 show, but have it now and will use it this year.  I've also just ordered a batch of post-cards to give away at the show and at the SAQA Conference, which follows the next weekend.

What else is left to do?

• Cut and prepare five dowels for newest pieces;
• Attach hangers to the canvas-mounted pieces;
• Order more clear packs;
• Finish up-dating my inventory/price list;
• Sew hanging sleeves on newest pieces;
• Make and mount five more miniatures and at least one mid-sized piece (est. 16" square, finished).

The seed stitch is finished on "Trio II", and it's mounted, thus:

I'm going to have to ask Gina how to zoom in on small works like this, so I can show you more details.  I really tried to do that with this one, but the results were all a blur.  You'll just have to come out to the show and see these "up close and personal"!  ;-)

That list ought to keep me out of trouble till Decision Day (March 22), eh?  And if we're not accepted...well...it will be a disappointment, but think of all I'll have accomplished in the process!

Hooking up with Nina-Marie's Off the Wall Friday...and heading back to the sewdio.  Thanks for dropping by!

Ending on a Sunny Note

Ending the month, that is.  I've been thinking; isn't it odd that we can -- at the very same time -- wonder if winter will ever end and where December, January and February went?!   (C'mon now; you know that's true -- that's exactly what we do!)

To end the month on an appropriately sunny note (whether it's sunny where you are or not), here is the last of my "Quilty Vitamins":

"Sunflower Sunrise"!  This is a pattern  from Letitia Hutchings via Mount Redoubt Designs, for a lovely hanging -- a bit three-dimensional -- that finishes at 18" x 42".  (I tried to find direct links to both Ms. Hutchings and www.mrdquilt.com, but cannot.  Mount Redoubt's website is apparently undergoing a make-over so if you want to view it, try it and see...)

And the winner of this bit of sunshine is... L.E. of Elly Knits!  I will be in touch with her...and hope that she enjoys quilting as well as knitting.  If not, perhaps she has a friend or family member who quilts...

I'm off to a slow start today, as I was home late from the wonderful "Evening with C.S. Lewis" at Deer Park Alliance Church in Red Deer.  This was part of a fund-raising tour for World Vision, for which David Payne, the actor playing Lewis, is a spokesperson.  In addition to Lewis, Mr. Payne has portrayed the apostle Paul (as he was while under house arrest in Rome) and Aslan the Lion in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.   If you get a chance to see one of his productions, I highly recommend you do so! (See the link above for tour dates.)

So now...I must get back to the studio.  More later!

Mid-week Miniatures

A bit over a week from now and I'll be six months past my sixtieth birthday.  Six decades plus and I am still resisting the life lesson that "It takes as long as it takes", whatever it is.  I wake up each morning with a list of what I 'plan' to do...but rarely do I get it all accomplished, even if it's a short list!  And we all know full well that when we use the excuse, "Life got in the way"...well -- we were the ones getting in our own way, weren't we?!

Yesterday I 'planned' to make two miniatures and lay out materials for a mid-sized piece.  Well.  I got one miniature finished.  The sewing machine fought with me over the thread painting, even after I'd cleaned the bobbin case, changed the needle and tried several combinations of top and bottom thread.  By then it was late afternoon, I'd worked (fought!) through my usual jogging time and needed a break, so I sat with my coffee and read some of the blogs I follow.  In this lovely little post from my former watercolour teacher, Sharon Lynn Williams, was this nugget:

"How little can I say and still say the subject?"

She was quoting someone -- I don't know who -- but it made perfect sense.  I didn't really need that thread painting in the centre of this piece; the hand-dyed fabric could 'say the subject' all on its own.

Prairie Autumn (c) 2013
Inspired by a photo taken by my husband years ago
somewhere near Millarville, south of Calgary, Alberta

And now for today's mid-week treat, the second of my one-a-day "creative vitamins"!  The wee gift today is

Tulip Medley SBD142 is a pattern designed by Coral Love of Sagebud Designs,  for a paper-pieced and applique medallion-style quilt that finishes (as shown) 58.5" square.  I don't think the company has a website but it's located in Chico, California and markets patterns through "The Pattern Peddlers" and other venues.  I admit to purchasing it in a weak moment when I thought I might eventually get the hang of paper-piecing (the North American version, not the English, which I love and can do!).  Though a very pretty piece, with the clarity of age, I realize I will never be inclined to that art...and so pass along this unused pattern to Gill -- who will hopefully enjoy it and/or pass it on herself and share the love.  Congratulations, Gill, and I'll be in touch with you for your mailing address!

Now...back to those miniatures!

One a Day...

Quilty "Vitamins" to (hopefully) spark your creativity or liven up your project list -- or simply brighten a dull, wintry day.  :-)

As this is the last week of my "10th Blog-aversary" celebrations, I thought I'd give away a treat-a-day for the last 3 days of February.  I have three quilt patterns to share...and the first one is a packet of instructions for four different quilts designed by the Queen of Kaleidoscope Quilts, Paula Nadelstern.

As in the past two weeks, the names of all past commenters have been expunged from my memory (!) and I've begun a new list from the first 'Fabric Week' post on February 22 through this morning.  Names will continue to be added through Friday at 7:599999 a.m. for the 'big' draw that day... but for this morning, I went to my friendly draw-master, Random.org, and the winner of this packet of patterns is... Kitchener Quilter!  I'll be in touch with her by e-mail as soon as this post is published, so I can get her postal address and mail off her treat.

In the studio today: two more miniatures, and the stitching of sleeves (hanging, that is) on three finished pieces.  More later...have a great day!

The End of Week Two

In the ongoing celebration of  my 10th anniversary as a blogger!  This past week was focused on knitters, with a couple of treats given away mid-week.  Such fun!

Now it's time to announce the winner of the Knitter's Goodie Pack:

Once again using my faithful companion, Random.org, and including all commenters from February 15 through to this morning (just before this post)... the winner is...Regina!  How lovely to be sending this package to a fellow Quebecoise (Mais oui!  Je viens de Huntingdon, QC, au sud-ouest, pres de Valleyfield et Chateauguay...)!  I will be in touch with you momentarily for votre addresse postale.  One of my Tuesday Treats winners found my congratulatory e-mail in her 'spam' folder, so do keep an eye open for it, Regina!

Stay tuned for the Finale of my celebrations -- Week Three is all about Fabric!

Tuesday Treats

It's been cold, windy, cloudy and grey around here for the past several days.  I decided to lighten my mood by giving away a couple of knitterly treats, in this the Week for Fibre in my 10th Blog-aversary celebrations. :-)

I set before you these two lovelies:

1. TOP: Cadenza "Fire" from Colinette yarns - 100% DK Merino Wool, 120 metres in the skein, 22 stitches and 28 rows to 4" on 4 mm needles (that's a 6 for you 'mericans!) -- perfect for a kidlet's hat or mittens, eh?
2. BOTTOM: Hacho shade 304 from Mirasol yarns -- 100% Hand-dyed Merino Wool, 125 metres in the skein, 22 stitches and 30 rows to 4" on those same 4 mm (US 6) needles.

And it's my delight to send one to Pat and one to Suburban Prep!  I'll be in touch by e-mail for your snail mail addresses.  Now...what colour to whom?  It seems to me from looking at Pat's blog that the 'Hacho' in greens, purples and blues would suit, so that's how it'll be; the "Fire" will be sent to Suburban.  :-)  Enjoy!

Lest you think I've been slacking since my last post, here's the Lacombe Art Show Preparation Report:

• "Tree Line" - finished, bound, labelled and sleeve made and pinned to back;
• "Sentinels" - finished, faced, labelled and sleeve made and pinned to back;
• "Trio" - finished, faced, labelled and sleeve sewn on;
• "The Watcher" - finished and mounted on linen-covered stretched canvas;
• "House I" - finished, faced and mounted on linen-covered stretched canvas;
• "'Shrooms on the Sand" - finished, bound, labelled and sleeve sewn on'
• Miniatures - five (of 12) finished and matted.

For the latter, here are a few examples.  What a difference a matt makes, eh?

"On Forever"

"Autumn at the Slough"

"Prairie Twilight II"

Each matt brings the finished size to 8" x 10".  I've matted two more, but no photos at this point.  You'll just have to stay tuned!

And yes, the knitting continues...I've done the decreases on the left side of my camisole, and am making the I-cord strap.

And last but not least, in the way of the Atlantic Seaboard Sampler, I've done one line of Row 20's tent stitch, one thread over one thread.  Here it is...seen through the magnifying glass:

And without the glass...(that tiny row of stitching underneath the purple squares).  No, I'm not blind yet...but oh my!

Whatever your work of choice, have a happy stitching Tuesday!

For the Knitters

When I began this blog, I called it "No Idle Hands" -- taken from both the proverb ("Idle hands are the Devil's workshop") and from a book of the same name by Anne L. Macdonald -- subtitled, "The Social History of American Knitting".  It's quite the tome, and I confess I still haven't read it!

Later, I changed my blog title to "The Lady Who Knits on the Bus" -- my nickname at the time, given me by one of my fellow-commuters, who was fascinated by the way I passed the 1/2 hour or so to and from work every day.



"The Lady Who Knits on the Bus" was also my blogger URL (before I registered my name as my domain) and the initials TLWKOTB are still part of my signature whenever I check into Clara Parke's Knitter's Review Forum.

I learned to knit over fifty years ago and despite all the quilty goodness you see going on on this blog, knitting remains my first love.  I rarely pass a day without knitting, and there is always some in my tote.  That's right: tote.  I don't carry a purse; I carry a knitting bag with a wallet in it! Currently I'm working on UFOs with great intention.  In my hands at right is the body of a camisole, knit in one piece from the bottom up.  The yarn is 'Desire' from Diamond Yarns -- bought long enough ago that it's now discontinued.  It's a yummy blend of 75% silk and 25% cashmere, and I must have bought it at a discount from Elann.com, or I doubt I could have afforded it!

The pattern is "Silk Camisole", found in Last - Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson; the bookplate I put in the front shows I bought it in 2004.  Heaven knows how long ago, then, I got the yarn and began the cammie!

All this is to say that today begins Week 2 of my 10th Blog-aversary celebrations, and the Goodie Pack this week is for yarn lovers. (I apologize in advance to crocheters; feel free to enter and enjoy the pack if you win, but I don't crochet (except chains for edgings and very wonky Granny Squares), so what you see will generally be knitter-related.)

The pack includes:

• A kit from Sweaterkits.com for a "Three Silk Scarf" -- pattern and yarn, being three types of hand-dyed silk in deep purples and blues: silk chenille, 'plain' silk and silk ribbon;
• A kit for a lace bookmark in Qiviut, from the Needle Arts Book Shoppe -- a mini-skein of lace-weight 2-ply Qiviut in deep teal, and a selection of three patterns from which to choose;
• A pristine copy of  The Portable Crafter: Knitting by Leanne Bennett -- just the right size to tuck in tote of a knitter on-the-go; and 
• A pristine copy of knit wit: 30 easy and hip projects by Amy Singer, beloved founder and editor of knitty.com.

All comments from Week One have been dispensed with; it's time to start afresh.  As before, all comments to this blog post and to every post between this one and 8 a.m. Friday, February 22 will be eligible for entry into this give-away (even if you comment more than once).

And...as in week one, there might just be a surprise draw for a treat or two in between now and then.  So...my yarny friends, do please drop by and say "Hello!"  :-)

The End of Week One

in my 10th Blog-aversary celebrations.  It's time to announce the winner of these goodies, celebrating the craft of hand-stitch and embroidery..."Floss":

Using Random.org again...and all names entered (even more than once) by those who commented all week long (into the wee hours of this a.m., prior to this post)...the winner is Jenny of Quilt Skipper!  I'll be in touch momentarily to get your mailing address, and try to get the package off to you today.  Enjoy!

Stay tuned for Week Two: "Fibre", as the celebrations continue!

A Valentine Surprise

for one of my Gentle Readers!  What better way for a "widder lady" to celebrate this day than by giving a wee giftie to one of you?

Just now...using Random.org's Sequence Generator, and all the commenters from February 8th through today, I found a winner for this little stitchery kit:

Lovingly created a few years ago by a gal who taught stitchery on wool at a shop now closed (2012) -- the owner retired and wound up the business -- this kit includes fabric (yummy cream-coloured wool), DMC floss (#321) and a wee mother-of-pearl button: everything you need to make a Valentine gift for next year.  :-)

And the winner of this Valentine's Day Surprise drawing is... Peggy!  I'll be in touch shortly to get your snail mail address and send this off to you.  Happy Valentine's Day to all -- and happy stitching!

1,000 Posts! 10 Years!

It's a few minutes after 8 a.m. here in Central Alberta (that would be Mountain Standard Time), and it's time to start the celebration!

(Pause while I run outside to snap a couple of photos of pink cotton candy clouds against pale blue sky in the aftermath of the sunrise...)

Now...where was I?  Oh yes...The first Goodie Give-away!  "Floss" is the category, and here's how it's going to work.

Anyone who posts a comment on this blog post or on any other of my posts between the time this goes "live" and 8 a.m. MST on Friday, February 15 (that's a full week of posts) will have his/her name put in the draw for the Stitcher's Goodie Pack featured below:

This pack includes

• The pattern and thread/accessory pack for Thea Dueck's beautiful "Heirloom Memories" sampler (and/or needle roll), from The Victoria Sampler;
• The full kit (fabric, ribbon, threads, beads, charm) for the "Stargazer Lily" Spring Medley Treasured Stitching Band from Mill Hill;
• A pristine paperback copy of Shay Pendray's Inventive Needlework: Technique and Inspiration for Gold Work, Painted Canvas, and Shading -  Krause Publications, 2004; and
• A pristine hardcover copy of Cross-Stitch from a Country Garden  from McCall's Needlework and Crafts, Sedgewood Press, 1988 -- which I believe is now an out-of-print treasure.

Lest you think, "Hmmmph! I'm not interested in that traditional stitching stuff!"...remember, you might be able to pass on one of the items to someone who is...or you might want to use the beautiful threads, beads etc. in some other creative project.  It's my anniversary gift to one lucky Gentle Reader...postage included!

And yes, if you comment on more than one post between now and 8 a.m. MST next Friday, your name will be entered in the draw more than once.  :-)

And then again...there may be additional mini-surprises with the 'floss' theme through the week.  Stay tuned, and have a great Friday!

Nine Ninety Nine

Photo courtesy of FreePhotoBank

Yep.  Tomorrow is The Big "Blog-aversary" -- 1,000 posts and 10 years of blogging, all wrapped up in one sweet day!


To celebrate, there will be a give-away each week for the next three.  In keeping with my company name -- 3F Creations: Fabric, Fibre & Floss...Here's what awaits...

• Week One: 
• When?  The week of February 8-14, 2013.
• What?  Floss!  That is...stitchery stuff, for the embroiderer in you.
• Week Two:
• When?  The week of February 15-21, 2013.
• What?  Fibre!  For my yarn-loving friends, especially knitters.
• Week Three:
• When?  The week of February 22-28, 2013.
• What?  Fabric!  For my quilty friends.

Details on how to enter each draw, and photos of the goodies for each, will be posted weekly, as each one comes up.  

And...there might even be some surprise drawings in between; you just never know...

THANK YOU to all of you, Gentle Readers, who've stuck with me all these years, and those who may be new to this weblog and my ramblings.  THANK YOU to those who've blessed me with 'awards', and to those who've shared my posts on their own weblogs. THANK YOU to Blogger for an easy-to-operate platform on which to work.  And THANK YOU to the One who's given me the gift of writing and the blessing of all my cyber-friends through this weblog.

Let the celebrations begin!

WinnerS!

Yes -- winners, plural!  

First, congratulations to California Fiber & Music, winner of Books Unbound: 20 Innovative Book-making Projects.  I'll be in touch by e-mail shortly to get your snail mail particulars!  :-)

Now about the 'plural'...After I put the book up for the draw for post #975, I received two current magazines, both wonderful, and already in my library!

I thought long and hard about giving 'em away at the next milestone on the way to 1,000...but when?  980?  985?  990?  995?  I couldn't make up my mind so...I decided to use the second- and third-place entries (all sorted by Random.org's random sequence drawing system) to give away these publications.

Drum-roll, please...!

The first magazine is the beautiful Australian stitchery magazine, Inspirations, Issue #76, 2012.  I hope Judy C of Textile Images enjoys it!

And the second magazine, itself inspirational, is the Winter 2013 edition of Art Quilting Studio, which includes articles by my friends and colleagues, Kathie Briggs and arlee barr.  Some delightful reading to enjoy on wintry evenings for elle of elle in da coop.  Congratulations!

I'll be in touch with you two gals for your snail mail information too, and once the snow stops I'll get all three packages out to you by Canada Post.  (The way that this winter is going, that might be June!  ;-)  Just kidding!)

Now off you go and have a great day!

I've Just Been Reminded and...It's...

Post #975!

Which, of course means another give-away!

But first...Remember back at the end of December when I decided to participate in TUSAL?  Well, according to DaffyCat, we are to post our ORT 'progress' on the New Moon each month -- and arlee reminded me that today -- January 11th -- is the first NM of 2013.  Time to report in:

Here's what my ORT jar looked like on December 31, 2013 (before the start of the current TUSAL):

Before

And here she is today:

 TUSAL #1-2013

Shows I've been working, eh? Eh?  Eh?  ;-)

I know.  Totally Useless -- that's what the TUSAL is all about.  :-)

Now down to business!  About that give-away...

This is the third (and final) give-away in the run-up to my 1,000-post, ten-year blog anniversary -- the last of three books...about books and book arts.  This one is Books Unbound: 20 Innovative Bookmaking Projects by Michael Jacobs (North Light Books, 2006).

(N.B.: Cover in photo varies slightly from my copy.)

Again, it's been languishing in my library lo these last several years, in pristine condition, because I fell too deeply in love with fabric, fibre and floss to begin to play with paper and book-making...

So...let's just say I'll make a random draw from any and all commenters to this blog post between now and 11:59 p.m. Sunday, January 13 which, by the way, will mark the end of my daughter's birthday for 2013...And yes, just for that time, I'll ease up again on the Word Verification and put up with all the spam.  See how much I love you, Gentle Readers?  :-)

Ta-ta for now!