My Stitching Nest

My home has several "stitching nests"...those special places I like to curl up with my needle and work on my current project. Whenever I am going to go stitch I always say "I am headed to my stitching nest"...there is just something cozy about calling it my "nest"...maybe it stems from my love of birds...it just feels appropriate. I even designed a piece in my early years called "My Stitching Nest" that hangs above my favorite stitching chair.

Last week, during the height of my flu epidemic, my dear friend Lorrie dropped off a belated birthday package - I was not feeling well enough to open it...in fact, I didn't even come close to feeling well enough to open it until this past Sunday. It sat on our living room table all week and everyday, my husband would say, "I can't believe you haven't opened your gift yet"...but I really wanted to wait to open it when I could enjoy and appreciate it. When I opened it, I was speechless - a handmade "Bel's Stitching Nest" sign...complete with an actual nest!

Lorrie attached a detailed note telling me about this slate tile sign and how it came to be...the thought and time that went into this project made me feel so very special...her kindness touched me deeply.

A friend painted the large piece of slate for her...but Lorrie thought it needed more, so she added the bird's nest and filled it with treasures. As you can see from the enlarged photo, the nest is overflowing with personal touches. There is a vintage pewter button (from an antique tin of buttons found in an old Indiana barn) that actually looks like it has an ear of corn on it...a piece of white linen and a red button from the drawers of her Great Grandmother's old Singer sewing machine...beautiful blue hand-dyed silk thread and ribbon...a lovely piece of lace...and even a piece of cotton sampler fabric! It truly is how I envision "my stitching nest" and such a personalized gift...isn't it wonderful?! There are not words to describe how touched I was by this gift - Lorrie, you are amazing!

I just had to share this unique handmade treasure with you and some of the details that make it super special. I am beyond blessed to have so many generous, creative, and talented people in my life. I hope reading about this will inspire you to give a gift from the heart...

It's My Blogiversary

I had no intentions of posting today, as I leave for the New England Stitching Retreat at 8:30 AM tomorrow morning...I have such a pile of things to do before I leave...BUT, I couldn't miss my 1-year Blogiversary! Yep, it's been a whole year since my first post...and looking back, what a year it has been!! I have really enjoyed this first year - 140 posts sharing my favorite projects, giving some of my creations away...and of course meeting fellow needleworkers and new friends - thank you all so much for your comments! I am so happy I decided to start this "blog" journey...and I am thrilled to have so many fun followers and readers...

House Finch Update - the egg total remains at five...so looks like in about a week I will have a photo of five baby birds to share with you!

...and one photo to share. I managed to find time to work on a couple gifts this week - two more quilted journals. These were done with the same free pattern I have shared with you before...the pattern is from an older Quilts and More Quarterly Challenge and can be found in PDF form on the allpeoplequilt.com website. I took these gifts to Marie at ABC Stitch Therapy and Kathy from New England Stitching Retreats - a small thank you for all their all their hard work and a memento from their first stitching retreat (which I hope is the first of many to come!)...

Well, that is my short update for today....I am off to teach at a retreat in New Hampshire tomorrow morning and won't be back until very late Sunday night...I am taking my laptop with me, so we will see if I find any time to do an update while I am gone...

Wishing you all a wonderful week...and thanks for making my first blog year such a joy!

A Sign of Spring: UPDATE

A little update on the basket bird nest....

First of all, after seeing the mother bird in the nest and the father bird close by (and with a bunch help from my mother who is a bird aficionado), it has been determined that this nest belongs to a House Finch. When I posted on Wednesday, the bird nest had two tiny adorable eggs....Thursday morning, the nest had three eggs....Friday morning the nest had four eggs...and today, the nest had five eggs! Looks like my little bird family is growing...who knows, maybe tomorrow the nest will have six eggs....

Unfortunately, there are no cross stitch or sewing project photos to show today...I have been busy getting all the materials and kits finished and shipped to New England for the retreat next week. I have also been doing some charting for new summer designs, a magazine sampler, and a class for 2011...I'm keeping busy, as usual...

Wishing you a joyous weekend filled with sunshine...

A Sign of Spring...

The wonders of nature never cease to amaze me! While working on a project today, I was hearing a commotion outside our front door...several birds singing so loudly, it sounded like they were in our entryway. I went outside to investigate...only to see the birds fly quickly from our front door to the tree in the front yard. Next to my front door, I have a beautiful basket filled with geraniums...at first glance you would only see the geraniums....but looking closer, you can see the birds have built a nest in the lower left corner of the basket...and low and behold, two tiny eggs...

I couldn't believe it - it is tucked down inside the corner of the basket...and is perfectly round! Had the birds not been making a ruckus outside, I would have never seen there was a nest...it is completely camouflaged. Maybe I will be able to do a covert operation and get a photo of the parents at the nest...