Spring Giveaway!

Good morning, everyone--it's SPRING! Yes, spring officially began at 7:21 PM last evening. Finally--I don't ever remember a winter as long and cold as the one we just experienced, do you? So, in honor of the arrival of spring, my 100th post, and the special day that is today, March 21st (I'll tell you about that later), I have created three little pieces for three lucky people. Will one of them be you?


First up is an old Prairie Schooler freebie called "S" Is For Spring. This is probably the third or fourth time I've stitched this one--I like it that much. The chart is not available on the PS website any longer, but I was able to track it down for you via "The Wayback Machine"--oh, I love that name! Click here and be patient...it takes a while to work. I've found a number of older Prairie Schooler freebies that I didn't own via that site. It takes some patience, but there are a lot of goodies to be discovered. This is stitched on 32 ct. white jobelan and accented with a yellow/gold cord and ribbon.

Another oldie, but goodie freebie is this one from The Drawn Thread. Yes, the power of "The Wayback Machine" helped me track this one down, too. You can get it for yourself right here. Just wait a bit and then click on "Free" and you'll see where to click for "The Spring Keeper." The designer meant it to be a scissor keep, but I stitched it as a little spring ornament. Again, I used 32 ct. white jobelan with DMC and WDW threads. I love the little specialty stitches that are on the basket. And a new first for me--I made my own cording in the most luscious shade of soft purple! I finally used the Kreinik Custom Corder that I had been given for Christmas back in 2009 and I was so pleased with how the cording turned out.

Since I had so many wonderful comments about the little Just Nan "Spring!" ornament in my last post, I decided to make another little pillow to offer as my third giveaway. This is stitched on 28 ct. gray Monaco using DMC threads and backed with the leafy green fabric shown underneath it. I topped the white cording with a pale pink ribbon and pin (they're actually much lighter than my photograph is making them look). I'm sure the little brown bunny will find a welcoming home somewhere in the world.


So, now it's up to you to decide which one you would like to try to win. You may enter all three contests and the giveaway is open to my followers, old and new alike. Just leave a comment on this post telling me which ornament(s) you would like to win. And to make it more fun, please tell me your most memorable vacation spot or share with me a favorite memory from one of your vacations or holidays. For me, the image that sticks in my mind is the Cape Cod trip my husband and I took in the fall of 1981 before we had children. I still have a photo of me lounging on the beach in my pale pink bathing suit with my hair blowing in the wind. But, it is the look of complete contentment and joy on my face that makes this photo so special. You see, I was pregnant with my first child--my oldest son who was born 29 years ago today: March 21, 1982.

What a special day for any mother--the birth of her first child... I'm very proud of the young man he has become and it is so heart-warming to look back on that photo of myself, the young "soon-to-be" mother, and know that so many of my hopes and dreams for my child have come true. So Happy 29th Birthday to my firstborn son--may the coming year bring you every happiness!

Thank you so much for visiting my blog and for your many kind comments. I so appreciate the time that you take in saying hello each time I post! I'll keep the giveaway open until April 2nd--good luck to all. Bye for now...