Spring Cross Stitch Giveaway!

I haven't had a giveaway in a while, so in honor of my favorite season and my favorite month, May, let's have a giveaway! 

I started this blog intending to post about all kinds of crafts, with the main focus being on cross stitch.  You've noticed lately a definite lack of cross stitch, haven't you?  With the secret cross stitch project going on, I just can't post yet.  I am really concentrating on getting that one done and am not working on any others right now.  Therefore, no stitching posts. 

To hopefully make up for that, my Spring Cross Stitch Giveaway includes a colorful chart in lovely springtime colors, fabric, floss along with a cute charm and beads.

The lucky winner of the giveaway will receive the Lizzie Kate Flora McSample chart "Heart Sampler", the 28-count Cashel linen fabric in mint, a tiny heart charm and beads, and every color of DMC floss that you'll need to complete this project. 

The fabric color is really a pretty mint green color!  Sorry I couldn't get that in the photo. 

Just look at the beautiful color combination of the floss in this project!

And all you have to do is:
1.  Follow my blog. 
2.  Comment ON THIS POST by noon EST on Friday, May 27th. 
That's it.  Nothing complicated or demanding. 

I will draw the name of our one winner on Friday, May 27th at noon, and will announce the winner right here on my blog.  I'll also contact the winner by e-mail.  Oh, I almost forgot.  Please, please, please, make sure that there is a way I can contact you!!  

Thank you for all of your kind comments.  I appreciate each one, as I do all of my followers.  If you're not a follower yet, please join by clicking on the "Join This Site" button.  

Good luck, everyone!

Meet & Greet

 

Welcome to my blog!  Today is the Meet & Greet which is organized by Madame Samm at the Sew We Stitch blog. I'm looking forward to this event because I like seeing what other stitchers, seamstresses and crafters are doing.

I've been doing cross stitch since about 1981.  Patterns, fabrics, floss and accessories have sure come a long way since then!  One of my favorite pieces that I stitched is a pattern called "Square Dance", which I made into a pillow.  I stitched this in the 1990's when I found this chart in a magazine. 

Another one of my favorites is "Peppermint Twist" by Blue Ribbon Designs.  I love the colors and all of the little motifs in this one.

I even framed it myself!

Sewing is something I've been interested in since I was 8 years old.  I used to make tiny dresses for my Barbie dolls out of tiny patterns.  And I sewed them by hand.  Then I graduated to making clothes for myself.  Nowadays, I like sewing things like tote bags and other small accessories.

I made these little bags for the ladies in my stitch group.

My latest project is an embroidery project called the Summer Garden Pin Cushion.  I had done some embroidery in the past, but really needed a refresher course.  This project was perfect for re-learning some things, and also for teaching myself some new stitches.

You can find the first part of the tutorial here.  Then just follow the rest of the tutorial posts for the complete instructions.

I hope that you enjoyed your visit to my blog today.  Please consider becoming a follower.  Other than the hobbies mentioned above, I also like to make beaded jewelry, crochet (A little.  I'm working on that.), and other miscellaneous crafty things.  And I enjoy blogging about all of them.

As part of this Meet & Greet, I am having a giveaway!  One winner will receive this little sewing companion that I stitched up just for this event!  Inside you'll find a pair of the cutest golden embroidery scissors.

All you have to do to have a chance at winning is comment on THIS POST by Friday, March 27th at 11:00 a.m.EST.  Also, please make sure that there is a way that I can contact you.  There is nothing sadder than not being able to reach a contest winner.  I will draw one name on that day and announce it right here on my blog.  I will also e-mail the winner.

Thank you for taking the time to check out my blog today.  Stop by again sometime!  You never know what you'll find here!

Spring Ahead Giveaway!

One of the happiest days of the year for me is Spring Ahead day, when we move our clocks ahead one hour for Daylight Savings Time.  I know that a lot of people hate springing ahead, but I love extra daylight at the end of the day.  I feel like I have more energy and get more things done.  And it means that spring is right around the corner!  This weekend we will be setting our clocks ahead one hour, and I've decided to do a little giveaway to celebrate.  Here's what one lucky winner will get:

It's a mini Ott Lite!  And look!  It has pretty spring flowers and birds on it!  Here's a little extra light to go with the extra light we will be having!  My husband says that I should do this giveaway in the fall, when we "fall back" and lose an hour.  His reasoning is that a light is what someone will need with less light in the evening.  Makes sense, but I couldn't wait to do this giveaway!  And besides, this light has springy BIRDS and FLOWERS on it!

If you would like to enter this giveaway, please leave a comment on this post.  You have to be a follower of my blog to enter.  It's easy to follow - just click the "Join This Site" button on the right (underneath where it says "People Who Follow CraftyCat").  Make sure there is a way that I can contact you.  I will draw the name of one winner on Friday, March 13th at noon EST and will announce that winner right here in my blog.  I'll also e-mail the winner.  Good luck!

ATTENTION BLOGGERS!
 I thought I'd also mention the Meet and Greet that is taking place on March 20th at the Sew We Stitch blog.  It's for bloggers who do applique, embroidery or cross stitch and will give us the opportunity to share our favorite projects with bloggers from around the world.  It's a great way to get your blog seen and to highlight your favorite needlework pastimes.  So just go visit Sew We Stitch and find out how to join.  And even if you're not a blogger or just don't feel like participating, you can still go to Sew We Stitch that day to see the different blogs taking part.  Check it out and have fun!

Triple Word Score - You Win!!

I've been wanting to try my hand at making some of these Scrabble tile pendants for a while now.  So I was looking through my craft junk supplies and found that I had almost everything needed to make them except for Diamond Glaze.  Off to the craft store I went only to find out that they didn't have the elusive Diamond Glaze, but the nice lady at the store recommended something called Triple Thick.  That sounded good, given that it had the word "diamond" on the label.  Then another product caught my eye - Mod Podge Dimensional Magic.  Something new?  I don't know, but the word "dimensional" made me think that it might be something like the Ice Resin that Sheila and I used to make pendants.

I arrived back at the craft room only to discover that I already had a product called Aleene's Paper Glaze.  I don't know how long I've had this, or what I used it for, but there's that word "dimensional" once again.  With three different products at hand, this turned out to be an experiment in Scrabble tile pendant creation, to see which I liked best.

Surprise!  I like all three of them!  Their finishes are all very glossy and ceramic-like. And the pendants are as cute as can be.  I'd recommend all three products.  Next, I'll be using the Mod Podge Dimensional Magic in a little metal pendant frame to see if it compares to Ice Resin. 

Let's call them (from left to right) A, B and C

I know that the photo doesn't show the shiny glossiness of these little pendants, but take my word for it, they are simply sparkly!

Here's where you come in:
                     It's Giveaway Time!!!
If you'd like a chance of winning one of these pendants, just become a follower of my blog (if you're not already), and then leave a comment on this post letting me know your first, second and third choices (A, B, or C).  I'll draw 2 names on Saturday (each winner wins one pendant), March 9th in the afternoon.  Make sure I know how to get in touch with you.  The drawing is for the pendant only, no chain.  Good luck!