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So many blessings!

 
Spring has returned.  The Earth is like a child that knows poems. 

 ~Rainer Maria Rilke

Everyday there is a new plant peeking out of the ground, others stretching to new heights, an explosion of colors all around me....oh, how I adore Spring. And March Madness....as in NCAA basketball tournaments. Seriously. Die hard fan of college basketball. Especially the ACC, and specifically the Duke Blue Devils.

Despite the warmer weather calling me outdoors, I do come in for the games I need to watch. Which is most of them! And blessings heaped upon blessings, my Dukie boys are still in the dance!

As if all of that isn't enough, I was also blessed to win Cherie's {Humble Pie Designs} recent giveaway! {check out her She Art she has posted on her blog...next class begins April 11th!}

 

Amy Barickman's scrumptious book she was most generous to donate to the cause...

 
Lots of special little touches in the box as well....

 
It's filled with articles from days gone by...Department of Good Looks makes me smile. When stress has the better of you, it's time to melt into the mattress of the couch. Such timeless wisdom...

Speaking of stress, and the NCAA games, and not being someone who sits still very well....

...I've been reading through this book while watching the games. This little illustration from the book sort of jumped off the pages to me. Sparked an idea to keep my hands busy...inspired me to stitch some little embroidered flower medallions...

 

 

 
....lots of stitching going on during the games...the little flower pieces are stitched to a 100% cotton batting...the quilt squares, if you will, are pieces of vintage wallpaper first glued to a sheet of paper {also did a linen backing version} and then stitched...

 
Okay...and maybe I pop a few of those healthy ALMONDS {covered in sugar and chocolate} into my mouth as well, to relieve stress, of course.

I'm a big fan of cheetos and nacho doritos too but those leave orange fingerprints on handwork...m&m's don't!

Also tucked into the box was this pattern of Amy's...I'm pretty sure I could see myself melting into the couch in a pair of those jammie bottoms...

Good thing all my little ones are old enough to drive themselves to where they need to go these days.  Cuz back in the day when I was the driver to all the practices...

....and my gardening time was interupted to make the next run...

...i can't tell you how many times they'd ask if I was going to change into normal shoes before we left. They'd be asking the same question if I ventured out in these fun jammie bottoms as well....

 
What's wrong with these garden boots?! Why didn't they want their mother to wear them out in public? 

Oh well. You can't please all of the people all of the time.

Unless of course, you put a sweet package in their hands like the one I received from Cherie! Cherie who is always such a bundle of warm encouragement and talented little creator of all things artsy! Thank you so much {and Amy too!} for such wonderful gifts.

Xo and many warm blessings, Sue

GO DUKE!

Online Classes

Sometimes I think about the impact of computers on our lives. Wow. Twenty-something years ago when working in corporate America, in a 75 story building, in the heart of a major city, our floor of maybe 50-60 people received "ONE" PC to share!!!

And one night I was in that building way past midnight ripping my hair out trying to load in data [to a flawed program] for a meeting the next day. For a client. Because my boss said so. We were going to wow them with our advanced technological abilities....NOT. Do you know how creepy it is to be in a skyscraper, in the middle of the night, in a huge city? Really creepy...especially for this scaredy cat!

If you had told me way back then that someday I would ENJOY being on the computer and even taking online classes...

 
 
...i probably would have laughed...and not believed you!

 
Fast forward to today: now I'd believe you. While my first attempts are fairly simple compared to how elaborate you can go, I am thoroughly loving stitching away in the evening hours on these two little pieces.

 
 

Specifics: Jude Hill's Cloth to Cloth: The Basics of Quilt Weaving online class.

First read about it here.

Of course, back then I never thought I'd spend time wiring vintage buttons together either. But I do that too...

 
Maybe the lessons I can learn from those seasons of frustration,

or when things aren't going right at all,

is that

 
And one of those POSSIBILITIES that I am anxiously awaiting is this:

 
Christy Tomlinson's She-Art class...the second round which will launch on April 11th. Thank you Cherie for sharing about this class so beautifully in your own creations! Check out her recent posts and be wowed! 

And very soon I will be sharing with you the YUMMY package that came my way from Cherie. Oh my. Lucky little me! 

Last but not least, another class that is in the works is another journaling class by Mary Ann Moss. I am so taking that class!  Meanwhile I am in love with her posts from Paris...it is a city that I so long to return to for a visit. One of my most favorite trips ever...

So wherever life finds you today...and esp. if you're in the heat of one of life's battle...just remember, tomorrow is full of NEW possibilities.

Xo, Sue

Postal Joy!

Anytime mail arrives with stamps like these...

 
...you are smitten and then grinnin' almost as if fun HERSELF had come knocking on your door. Seriously. That's how my world spins... I so enjoy little details like this...

Not long ago, Linda hosted a week long giveaway. One of the prizes that Patty won  was this delightful deck of playing cards. You can read about them here. Linda had some extra decks she was offering up to anyone interested.

 
Well, I was interested and my deck arrived today!!!

 
Linda had the cards wrapped so cute in some vintage crepe paper...and snuck in one of her adorable embroidered buttons she blogged about here.

But as I was opening the box, there was another complete surprise inside...

 
Linda's BFF, Virginia, included something FOR ME! Linda often features some of Virginia's beautiful handiwork on her blog {Virginia isn't a blogger}. It's quite evident that these two Texas  girls have a lot of fun together. Once, after seeing something very special Virginia made or did {or probably both!}  for Linda I left a comment asking how I could become Virginia's BFF too!

Well girls, I think I'm inching ever closer.....

 
Are these not the most adorable [wool felted] acorns you've ever seen?

 
And lookie at the little pouch they arrived in....the turquoise bead is being used as the button! Love it!

 Linda and Virginia, you are both dolls! Your little package added so much happy joy to my day!

I wish for heaps of blessings on you both...blessings as perty as this beautifully faded vintage crepe paper....

And just as a little added tidbit, Linda & Virginia both live in the same neighborhood where hubby and I lived over 25 years ago! [But we didn't know each other then.] It's a small world sometimes, isn't it?!

Xo, Sue

 

Happy Mother's Day

   (my mother taken in the 1940's) 

Mother's Day is one of those days that can stir the emotions like no other day...At different times in my life, those emotions varied. During seven+ years of infertility, or following a miscarriage, the day stirred an emotion of deep longing. But the one consistent theme year after year was a deep sense of love and appreciation for my own mother.

Now at age 87, she is mother to six, grandmother to 18, great-grandmother to 22, and even a couple  of great-great grandchildren! No doubt those numbers will continue to increase as there are still 7 grandchildren {our 3 children and my baby sister's 4 who have yet to either get married and/or start their own families}.

One consistent theme in my mother's life next to having her family visit in person, are the piles of photos she loves to receive and sort through often.

 

She also loves to receive my handmade cards. Despite the fact that my creative muse seems to have taken a long vacation and refuses to return to me, I knew I had to try to come up with something. Recently I stitched the little verse that I blogged about here and decided it would be perfect to use in my card.

{front} 

 

{back}

Starting with an 8.5 x 11" piece of heavy chipboard I covered the front with an old piece of drapery and began layering different elements. The back was covered with a piece of vintage wallpaper with a photo added of my mom from days gone by. It always tickles her to see one of these forgotten photos included in my cards. [the little fragments of green glittered lace on the two corners were from Patty and now shared with my mum...]

 Despite the fact that my mother lives 1200 miles away and I won't be able to share this day in person, I know how blessed I am to still have her. 

Here's wishing all my bloggy friends a most blessed Mother's Day.

 [And huge hugs to the hearts of those for whom this day stirs the sadness emotion for any number of reasons.]   

Clever and Kindness...

When I was young, I admired clever people.  Now that I am old, I admire kind people. 

~Abraham Joshua Heschel

 

But when clever and kindness become intertwined and it arrives in your mailbox....

blessed be the recipient...and in this case, that would be me!

Is this presentation not A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E. or what?

And there's still another view you have to see to appreciate the entire gorgeousness...

 

 Now you have witnessed seriously A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E. Not to mention, clever. 

And if that isn't enough, check out what was tucked inside.

 

(click on any photo to enlarge)

There was even more. More clever and more kindess.

 

...just a sampling of what was tucked in this box of kindness...i've considered making a special blankey {our word for special childhood security blankets} out of the goober-silky-soft french velvet ribbon in a heavenly aqua color.. 

Patty, your kindness warmed my heart to it's core. You are such an inspiration to the blog world and I A.D.O.R.E. your generous heart.

xo,sue

More Freestyle Embroidery...

 
  Not sure how the idea popped into my head, or somedays if there's even much working up there in my head {please say you can relate} but I decided to cut one of my vintage feathered friends in two and carefully glue him to my sampler. VOILA! It worked!

Also added some more sparkles...a chandelier crystal and an old vintage rhinestone necklace that I sewed on using invisible thread. Love using that invisible thread for items where you don't necessarily want any thread to show.

Still have lots to add before I'm finished but here's a photo of my progress...

And speaking of stitching, some time ago I had bookmarked a webpage found here of a darling saying. Never did order it, but when JoAnnA at Moss Hill Studios did a post using this same darling saying, it inspired me to put the quote in stitches.

 
 

It's still a work in progress...haven't decided if the old victorian die cut of the birdies will be staying, but for now I think so.

I wish I could take credit for the creative idea of stitching the piece of notebook paper. But even more importantly, I wish I could remember the couple of different places on the web where I've seen it done and give proper credit. Unfortunately, I never wrote it down. If I find out, I'll come back and update my post. 

Oh, and before I forget {remember the head issue I mentioned earlier!} the fabric for this little piece is from an all natural cotton batting.

Wouldn't this be a fun anniversary card? Or even a birthday card for someone special in your life.... 
 

Freestyle Embroidery

A work in progress....

Still stitching away on my freestyle sampler from an online class I'm taking from this person. Still not too late to take the class! You can join at any time since it's a work at your own pace sort of event.

Since the weather FINALLY feels like Spring may be coming after all, I'll quit with the words and let the photos do the rest of the talking so I can run outside with my canine friend and soak in some more sunshine...

 
  

...hoping the sun is shining in your world today as well....

this, and many more blessings wished for you all...xo, sue