Thursday, December 2, 2010

~*I've Joined Early Work Mercantile*~



My first update will be January 1, 2011!

I'm super excited to be a part of this wonderful group of artisans! With the progress moving along on the studio next door, I thought it was time to start 'working' more on creating. (No, it really isn't work... it is totally PLAYTIME!!) So... imagine my joy to be accepted to this awesome group.

I'll keep you posted on the whats and whens closer to the update... but in the meanwhile... you may just want to swing over to see what is up for offering now. Maybe you can do some holiday shopping... or add to your wish list.

Just click here... Early Work Mercantile

Wishing you all warm smiles...

Betty

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

~*Hey Peacock Fans*~

Hello Dear Friends! I received a sweet email tonight from a new friend, Jeannie of Appleseed Prim. She kindly told me how much she enjoyed my blog (Thank you Jeannie!)... and how she was so thankful that I have shared so many freebies (You are most welcome!). She has just started a blog and asked that I mention her here so she could get a little traffic at her new spot... PLUS... she too has a freebie pattern to share. Now... I know there are lots of you that just LOVE peacocks... so I'm helping Jeannie spread the word for her new blog and sharing the link so the rest of y'all can swing on over to get this sweet pattern... Enjoy!



Jeannie, welcome to Blogland and thank you so much for the sweet pattern!

Wishing you all warm smiles...

Betty

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

~*Star Rug Company Giveaway Antique Santa Rug*~


Okay... you DON'T want to miss this giveaway! Run on over to Maria's Blog Star Rug Company to enter for your chance to win this AWESOME rug! I just love Maria's patterns. She is so very talented & so delightfully sweet! I actually have a similar rug pattern of her's with the antique Santa & Reindeer, but have been too scared to hook it. I'm afraid I won't do good enough. I'm just going to either HAVE to win this one myself... or get busy hooking!

Best wishes to all of you... now get over there & enter!

Smiles,

Betty

~*Christmas Time is Here*~


Hello Dear Friends! This is our tree... simple, but so sentimental. We put it up last night. Tony and I put the tree together and string the lights... but Trinity puts all the ornaments in place. No, this probably isn't a 'magazine' display... but it is ours and it is just the way we want it. Heartfelt and joy-some! It is in the corner of our small living room. We set the tree in my old goat cart to make it a little taller... and so we don't have to find somewhere to store the cart for the holidays!

Christmas presents seem to have started for us yesterday too. My buddy Joanne got my name in the Christmas Exchange for our online Ebay group, AAPG. And oh my goodness did she spoil me... and Trinity... and Tony too! My 'big' gift was this beautiful tree skirt...

She sent me the kit to make the wool feather tree some time ago. I made it shortly after the kit came... but hadn't made anything to put around the base. And now I'm glad I didn't do it 'cause I wouldn't have made one as cool as this! For our exchange, our other buddy Deirdre, donated two patterns for us to choose from. We could work the patterns anyway we wanted to give to our exchange partner. Joanne adapted the tree skirt from the two patterns... and it just turned out wonderful!

The tree skirt wasn't all... she also sent all this!

A snowman hooked stocking, a penny-rug pinkeep, a gingerbread man ornie, some cute Christmas kitty socks, some brown shoe polish ('cause she knows how I love to use it to age things), and this really KEWL Woolens sign! In the group, we were talking about a neat Woolens sign... she must have read that I would LOVE to have one to put next door in the studio! I'm so excited about putting this over there... gosh I wish I was ready to begin decorating over there now! (The base coat of paint is finally on the walls... texture paint will be done in a day or so... then the trim & floors... and then I can move in!)
But this isn't all she sent! She also sent all of this to Trinity... and he shared some of the candy with Dad...

There were a couple of pouches of hot chocolate in the box too... we fixed it last night and also read "The Night Before Christmas"... what a great evening!

Joanne... thank you so much for the wonderful gifts... and for adding to our family Christmas memories!

On the crafty side... I have these stitched up... and they are now waiting to be sewn into some finishes.

I'm thinking needle books for the larger pieces and a simple Christmas ornie for the Noel. The kiddo has started basketball practice. So now two evenings a week are basketball practice and two evenings are tae kwon do classes... so busy busy busy. Thankfully, I can pack small bags of handiworks to take along for stitching while I watch.

Wishing you all warm smiles...

Betty

Friday, November 26, 2010

~*Friday Finishes*~

Hello Dear Friends! I hope you all had a marvelous holiday... celebrating with family and friends... making some memories to treasure always. We had a nice Thanksgiving... but, like I do each year & every holiday, I ate too much. Maybe you did too? Oh well, if you went out in the crowds today for some Black Friday shopping (I'm about to... just running a little late) that burnt a lot of those extra calories off... didn't it?

Well... sit back & relax now... here are some great ~*Friday Finishes*~...

This one is just a true TREASURE! It comes from Tracey. She converted my ~*Live, Laugh, Love*~ pattern into a birth sampler for her Grandson Dagg. Notice she added his name and some family initials... and also changed the date. This is just so beautiful! It is sure to be a family heirloom always. (You can see a larger image by clicking on Tracey's name above.)



From Murf ~ her finish of ~*Simplify*~... Isn't this just lovely? She said she used the floss colors I suggested... then finished her little pillow with some sweet rick rack. I just love how the blue POPS! It just makes me smiles...


Thank you to both ladies for stitching and sharing!

Wishing you all warm smiles...

Betty

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

~*Warmest Thanksgiving Wishes*~

For you, my friends, may your Thanksgiving be filled with an abundance of happiness, special moments, and pie...


May your holiday be filled with memories that will be joyous and cherished always...

~*Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving*~

Warm smiles for you...

Betty