Fun with Felt

Greetings, friends! I am gearing up for my first Benzie Maker Team post that will be live on their website on June 3rd...but I had to stop by and share a few recent makes and the welcome package that Benzie Design sent me...along with a personal order I placed.

First, I have to tell you about the welcome package I received. This package was a beauty! If you are new to Benzie Design, you should know, they package everything impeccably - every package from them arrives like a present. The welcome box was full of Benzie Design favorites:

• Bellwether Swatch Chart (72 Colors of 100% Pure Merino Wool) 
• Bellwether Felt (Cutting Table Palette)
• A Selection of Benzie's Favorite Threads
• Felt Scissors
  
• Linen Embroidery Fabric
• Sequins and Beads
• Stuffing Tool
• Needle Felting Tool
• Corriedale Roving Bundle
• Felting Pad

I posted a video on my Instagram and YouTube Channel, should you want to see each individual product. Here are a several images - one of the packed box (minus the welcome letter) and a couple photos of the contents.

Since the announcement that I made the team, I have been itching to play with some of the welcome products, along with the supplies I have purchased from Benzie Design over the years. I decided to create several adorable felt donuts using the Valentine Treat Trio Tutorial by Mollie Johanson of Wild Olive. I already had all the supplies for this project, including the Circles & Scallops, Deep Etch Die, making the cutting easy! I had been wanting to make some of these since I first saw them...and I am so happy I finally did. I normally don't have much time to play in my studio for fun...but this project made my heart happy. I have already gifted the few that I made.

I also placed a personal order for a few things I needed and a few things I wanted...oh, how difficult it was to decide what to order...I would take at least one of everything they sell, if I could afford it! I narrowed my order down to a couple pairs of scalloped shears, a couple more deep etch dies (Daisy Flowers Small and Daisy Flowers Large), some super strong small magnets, a pair of metal snips, and a screw punch. These are all tools that will make my creative life easier. I may need to get a part-time job or rob a bank to start paying for my Benzie Design addiction...

Finally, I wanted to share a project I finished yesterday...a Graduate Pennant! This tutorial was posted on the Benzie website by one of my fellow team members (Happy Camper). It was posted at the perfect time, as we have a high school graduation party to attend this weekend for the daughter of dear friends. I already had all the supplies and her tutorial made it easy! I chose the colors of our local high school (purple and yellow) and of course, I chose the option to sew all the pieces in place. I was so happy with how it turned out...and the mother of the graduate was impressed too, so WIN, WIN!

Graduate Pennant Tutorial by Happy Camper: https://www.benziedesign.com/blogs/tutorials/graduate-pennant

I can't share my first project for the Benzie Design website just yet...but look for a sneak peek photo real soon. It is a very fun summery project...and just makes me smile! It is due to them next week and will be live on June 3rd.

For now, I am back to work - I just finished my Therm O Web project for this month and I am working on posting all the details. It will be up on the Therm O Web Blog on Monday, May19th.

I hope you will stop back and visit with  me again soon!

Boho Rainbow Stitch Sampler

Greetings friends! I thought I would stop by for a (very quick) late night chat - my workload has been a bit hectic and we are still on a night schedule in our household, so I haven't had much time to blog the last couple weeks. Feeling some frustration the last few days, I need a project to clear my head...and luckily I received a very special one for my birthday from a dear friend. I decided to take a couple hours and stitch up this Boho Rainbow Stitch Sampler by Selah Creative Company. 

This kit was exactly what I needed - bright and cheerful...and it had EVERYTHING I needed to complete the project and put it on display. If you haven't stitched on wood before, here is your sign to try it! It was quick, relaxing, and something new.  I enjoyed each and every stitch. The designer has a step-by-step video available, if you are not familiar with the embroidery stitches. This sampler has the Stem Stitch, Running Stitch, Chain Stitch, Cross Stitch, and French Knots. My kit was packaged beautifully and even had the floss, floss holder, and needles. I am not affiliated with the designer (I just love sharing unique projects from other small business owners), but if you want to check out her cool products, she has a website and is available on Etsy...

Here is a direct link to the kit I received: Boho Rainbow Stitch Sampler by Selah Creative Company

I'll be back real soon with a sampling of my creative projects - my studio has been buzzing! I have new Poppie Cotton projects to show you this month, along with a very cute project for the Therm O Web blog....and several other fun things are in the works. I also need to share an update on my new cross stitch design model.😊 See you soon! 🌈

Holiday Lights

Greetings friends! Welcome back to my holiday content and Christmas cheer. I hope you have been enjoying my countdown to Christmas posts and getting in the holiday spirit.

Last night, we had a small neighborhood gathering. One of our neighbors rented a 15-seat passenger van and drove 14 of us around to see some of the best holiday light displays in Kansas City. We drove all over Overland Park, Olathe, Lenexa, Gardener, downtown KC and the Plaza. We all wore ugly Christmas sweaters or Christmas pajamas...and Christmas light necklaces (that lit up). The adults had cocktails...and the kids had juice...and there were homemade cookies. The final stop of the tour was Austin's (a bar and grill in Gardner, KS), where we ordered food and beverages and just enjoyed each other's company. The photos are from one of the stops were we got out of the van and took some group photos...this is Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park in Lenexa....

Next up today, I wanted to share the last five days from Jenny's Countdown to Christmas Box with you. It has been truly delightful to open a present a day...and every day has been special! If you are not familiar with this box, it is a sewing advent calendar from the Missouri Star Quilt Company with 25 numbered and wrapped presents. I previously shared the first 10 days. Today's post includes days numbered 11 through 15. Before I go any further, this is not really a spoiler, as everyone who has this box should already have the gifts from the 11th - 15th opened - but if you do not want to know what was in each of these packages, stop reading/looking now... Click on images, if you want a larger view...

Day 11:  A Quilty Wooden Box with Magnetic Lid...
...with a compartment for a needle/needle threader, one for scissors,
and one for snippets. Mine is already in use in my stitching nest!

Day 12: A Snowflake Embroidery Kit with Frame
Can't wait to stitch this up!

Daay 13: Mat Scrubbers (for rotary cutting mat)
I will be trying these out soon - and the CUTE factor is top notch!

Day 14: Quilt Build Card Deck MSQC Special Edition
I was so excited to see this - I have three other sets, so this will be a
great addition.

DAY 15: Quilt Block Ornaments (Ceramic)

Tonight was a holiday dinner with my girlfriends. We went to Fortune Wok in Overland Park for dinner (it was really good!) and exchanged a few gifts. Spending time with the strong, intelligent women in my life is always uplifting and inspiring.

Now, I am back to work at my desk for a fun surprise I have coming on Tuesday...so stop back on Monday for the cross stitch finishing tutorial and on Tuesday for a holiday surprise! 🎄🎄

Cookie Class - Chiefs Edition

My cookies!

Greetings friends! It has been a super busy week, but I had to stop by and visit with you again today - I wanted to share photos from my second cookie decorating class over the weekend...

You may remember reading about my dear friend Leslie and I taking a Christmas cookie decorating class in December. This past Saturday (the day before the Super Bowl), we took a second class and invited two more friends along for the fun! Living in Kansas City, of course this class was a Chiefs cookie decorating class. We visited the same local small business owner that teaches cookie decorating classes in her home. Cindy's Cookie Co. is located in Olathe, KS...and if you are in the area, you should check her out! We arrived at 10:00 AM on Saturday morning for the 2-hour sold-out class. We each had our own workstations with six fresh baked sugar cookies, several bags of royal icing and all the tools needed to complete our decorating. This time we were able to be a little more creative and pick how we wanted to decorate a couple of the cookies. I opted to put #95 on my jersey (popular numbers were 15, 87 and 10, but I opted for a defensive player) and I decided to put TRAVIS on my friendship bracelet (it worked for my husband - his name is Travis...and for Travis Kelce). I felt more comfortable working with royal icing this time and I did a pretty good job - in fact, everyone did...we had a great teacher. She gave us more tips and tricks regarding tools and supplies and where to purchase materials...we had a practice sheet to work with the icing before starting our cookies...plus she had a bottle of water and a snack at each workstation. We had such a great time! Plus, Leslie embroidered matching Chiefs aprons for the four of us, which made the day even more special and memorable!

The teacher's assortment of cookies...

I also have some photos from Union Station in KC with all the Chiefs decor - the entire city has been RED for a few weeks! I asked for a Super Bowl win again this year for my birthday and our hometown heros did not disappoint (my husband told me not to get used to this gift every year! 😂). We will be headed downtown bright and early tomorrow morning to attend the Super Bowl parade and rally at Union Station - which we know will be insane (plus the best people watching around). We will be spending our Valentine's Day with a million plus members of Chiefs Kingdom...it will be an adventure!

Building a Life They Love

Greetings friends! It is a quiet Saturday afternoon and I needed a break from chores and a complicated work project, so I decided to stop by for a quick visit. I thought I would pop in and share the machine embroidered pillow I made my mother-in-law and her new husband as a wedding gift (and a few favorite wedding photos). 

It has been a while since I have made time to do some machine embroidery and it was a treat to pull out my embroidery arm and software. I was able to find a digitized design I liked on Etsy, but wanted to add the names of the bride and groom and the wedding date (which I digitized with my software).  This was a larger design and took some time to stitch out, but I was quite pleased with the end results. I created an envelope back pillow and used an 18" pillow form - I also padded and serged the inside of the pillow cover, so it could easily be laundered. It was a rewarding afternoon project! To add a chuckle to this story, when we left for the wedding, I actually forgot the wrapped gift on our dining room table and had to ship it to them after the fact...yep, I was so scattered, I forgot the wedding gift...once we realized it, we were to far from home to go back and get it....so USPS to the rescue.

It was a beautiful outdoor wedding and reception. My husband walked his mother down the aisle and his half-sister was the maid of honor. The bride's sister made her dress and the family did all the decorations. The wedding took place at a lovely farm in eastern Iowa and the happy couple were surrounded by family and friends. They served walking tacos for their reception dinner...and there were delicious cupcakes and soft serve ice cream for dessert. It was a very special day! We are thrilled to have new extended family and made lots of memories...

This past week, I have been busy working on custom client finishing and sewing orders and I'll be back to show some creative photos really soon...

I hope you are enjoying the weekend...make a little time to do something creative!