Springtime Giveaway Recipients

What a delight it was to read all of the comment entries in my latest blog giveaway...I loved reading about what "springtime" means to you - and about how you enjoy this springtime weather - it was such a treat to hear from each and every one of you! I must thank you all for visiting and following my blog, posting comments, and inspiring me on a daily basis. I am making this post a bit later in the day than expected - I have been experiencing some technical difficulties, therefore there are no photos posted today (I apologize) - but rest assured, all of your entries were put into my large basket and the recipients were randomly drawn...yes, that is right, I said recipients! The comments were all so bright and cheerful, I decided to draw two names...so without further ado...here are the posts from the two lucky recipients - congratulations to both Barb and Jannie:

• Anonymous Apr 2, 2012 06:22 PM
  I enjoy the colors of spring - esp after a drab winter! Snowdrops bloom first in our garden, and the Lenten roses are beautiful. Daffodils are so cheerful! But my favorite spring bloomers are the Redbud trees and the azalea bushes, and later in spring, the mountain laurel (our state flower in PA). We have all of these in our yard.
  You create beautiful designs Belinda and I enjoy reading your blog.
  Barb 

• Jannie Apr 1, 2012 07:26 AM
  I live in Colorado - our springtime here is the best! No humidity. Beautiful Mts. in the distance with snow on the top reminds me that the snow is far far away frome me - right where I like it. The deer come out a lot more to drink from the creek behind us and the ducks in the creek continually do the Happy Dance. Of all the places I've ever lived, the skies are bluer here than anywhere & especially in the spring and summer seasons. I love your blog and I check it everyday - your designs astound me ( - : Thx for the way too generous giveaways. Bless you.

I will be sending an email to both recipients momentarily....and I sincerely thank you all for taking the time to post a comment - I truly wish I could afford to send each entry a prize chart. Rest assured, there will be more giveaways in the future!

BRD Springtime Giveaway

Spring has definitely arrived in my corner of the world - we are having lovely, sunshine filled days and everything is green and starting to bloom - so let's celebrate by having a Blue Ribbon Designs giveaway!

The prize?? - a duo of Blue Ribbon Designs needlework charts - "Sweet Songs of Spring" and "Blooming with Inspiration"...yep, one lucky recipient will receive both design charts...

To enter, simply leave one comment on this post - tell me what you love about springtime, what you plant in your gardens, or what you enjoy doing this time of year - all comments will go into a random drawing where one fan/follower will receive this special pair of design charts.

Fine print:

• Giveaway is open until 11:59 PM CST Tuesday, April 3rd, 2012.
• International entries welcome.
• All entries require a valid email address. Please make sure your email address is visible in your profile (so I have a way of contacting you, should you be randomly chosen) - if you are uncertain or post "anonymously", please leave your email address and your first name with your comment - entries without a valid email will be disqualified.
• No chart substitutions.
• E-mail entries will not be accepted, you must leave a comment on this post.
• One comment per person; multiple comments will be deleted/disqualified.
• One recipient will be announced on Wednesday April 4, 2012.

There you have it - all the "Springtime" giveaway details...I am happy to be able to thank those who continually follow my blog and leave encouraging and enthusiastic comments! I hope my future posts maintain your interest and inspire you... Good luck to all!

A Touch of Spring

What a beautiful few days we have had here in Iowa...the sun has been shining, temperatures are unseasonably warm, and most of the snow and ice has melted away....and although we have not seen the end of the cold and snow, this vacation from winter weather has been welcomed with open arms! I am itching for spring to arrive...and little signs are popping up - I heard birds singing outside my bedroom window this morning, kids are outside playing basketball this afternoon, and it seems everyone is outside walking their dog. It is fun to see fresh patterns and fabrics arriving in shops...and summer clothing is already on store racks. This is the time of year I am itching to spring clean my home and start fresh for the year ahead. I was telling my girlfriends - I just want a few days off to wash and scrub everything - a deep cleaning - get rid of the winter blahs.

Yesterday, I received the cutest package in the mail...and it definitely put me in the mood for spring! My dear friend Lorrie send me the sweetest birthday card...along with a gorgeous pale pink wall-mount bud vase and beautiful rose handkerchief. This was one of those super surprise packages that was completely unexpected and immediately made me smile. I have not seen a bud vase quite like this one before...it is cone-shaped with a flat back and a hole at the top for hanging - isn't it wonderful?! It is the perfect touch of spring for my home. I was also giddy with the handkerchief - it has a stunning rose pattern - and handkerchiefs are really making a comeback...there are numerous new books and articles featuring them and their uses in sewing and craft projects. I was tickled to receive such a thoughtful gift for my special day. Like I said yesterday - friendships are definitely good for the soul - I am so extremely blessed!

"Pocketful of Peppermint" - Ornaments

Now that the new designs have FINALLY shipped and are on their way to a needlework shop near you, last night I had time to finish up the Christmas ornaments for the Stitcher's Hideaway Retreat in October. As most of you know, I really enjoy the finishing work and had a nice time working on these while listening to the Olympics. Poor Sue, I have been promising her a photo of the ornaments and the framed sampler since January - she has been so incredibly patient! The sampler has ten specialty stitches (in addition to basic stitches). The class will cover stitching the sampler, how to work each of the specialty stitches, three types of ornament finishing, adding beads when finishing an ornament, personalizing your ornaments, and making twisted cord. This class has been filling up super fast...and I can't wait to meet the stitchers that are attending (I've read they are a TON of fun!)...I hope to finally put some faces to names and email addresses! And before I get asked this question again, I will answer it - yes, this piece will be available to the general public, but not for at least one year after the class dates. I have never been to New England before, so I am really looking forward to teaching in Enfield, NH in May (photos of class piece can be seen in my January 8th post) and then in Mystic, CT in October!

...and lastly, now that I am finally starting to get things under control, I will start taking photos of my grandmother's needlepoint pieces - I know several of you wrote to me wanting to see pictures of her framed work...and I will get them posted here soon!

For My Grandmother

Hello dear friends and followers - I am happy to be back! Thank you all for your patience with me, while I was away....and thank you to those of you who sent me emails and notes while I was dealing with the death of my grandmother - your kindness brought me comfort. My grandmother (photo right) was a brilliant artist and needleworker...her paintings and handwork are amazing. I was blessed to ship home twelve of her framed needlework pieces (mostly needlepoint)...I plan to share them here on my blog in the near future. She truly loved living in Las Vegas (five minutes from the Strip) and I tried to find time to see her favorite things while I was out there. The Botanical Gardens, The Fountains, and Gallery of Fine Art, all at the Bellagio Hotel were among her favorites...along with the view from the Stratosphere. Below are a few snapshots...

Now time to focus on work, so I can get the new designs out this month. Visit my website "Future" page to see photos (be sure to check out "Schoolgirl Samplings" - I am so very proud of it - it has been in the planning stages for over a year!)...more info will be posted soon...and I will get a newsletter written soon (really, I will )...I have a TON of BRD stuff to share...

Sneak Peek - "Sweet Songs of Spring" & A Personal Note

A very short post today.

Here is a sneak peek photo of "Sweet Songs of Spring"...there will be an accompanying set of needlework smalls and finishing instructions with this release. This new design is currently at the framer and is set to be released in February.

On a personal note:

Many of you know I tend to be a very private person - I like to keep my blog posts light and limited to creativity and inspiration. Lately my blog has been neglected, as I work on market designs...and I thank you all for your patience with my limited posts. Now, I have been faced with a new challenge. My grandmother is currently dying and she has become my top priority. I will be flying to Las Vegas to visit with her during her final days. During this time, emails may not be responded to in a timely manner, market releases may be delayed, the email newsletter will be delayed, and my communication may be minimal. Thank you for your understanding. Please know Blue Ribbon Designs means the world to me and I will do my best to keep things on schedule.