Spring's Promise finished

Spring's Promise

just finished and unironed 

32 count Vintage Cream linen (I think this is not available any longer as I looked to order more)

Crescent colors cottons and 1 silk

copyright 2011

Feathers in the Nest

This week's inspiration from these Springtime happenings at our homestead:

My lemon balm is coming back!!!

Iris's and violets

Yes, Spring is here at the Dalenberg homestead. A promise for brighter days ahead.

Pray Without Ceasing

Yesterday at work, I heard about the devastation in Japan. When I got home, we were glued to the TV and awestruck by the horror that this country and others through aftershocks went through and still are going through now. Words are not enough.

 When I first saw the pictures online yesterday morning, the phrase Pray Without Ceasing came to mind and wouldn't leave. I felt like I should put my thoughts to graph and will share with you. This horrible disaster effects the entire globe and it's my hope that we all who live far away and close continue to Pray Without Ceasing.

To keep your stitchy hands busy while watching the news, stitch this one up as a reminder that our guardian angels are busy and we should be in prayer for the recovery in this global event.

I am touched so by the victims of the disaster and those who have loved ones there and do not even know if they have survived or not. How horrible is the unknown.

Pray Without Ceasing

copyright 2011

Feathers in the Nest

in memory of those who are struck by the Japan disaster March 2011

in honor of all of us who contribute to recovery with prayer

stitch on linen of choice

 CC Vintage Violet--med/dark purple

CC Fool's Gold---gold

CC  Frozen Margarita--light green

This will be online as a freebie for the month and if you would like to stitch to display, email me your finish (and email again if you don't see it....I get lots of emails) and I will display  on the blog.

Thanks again.

Jennifer

Fixed The Freedom Sampler at previous post

So sorry, I got lots and lots of emails about this one not clicking larger. I'm so glad you told me because I wouldn't have found out yet till I started stitching another model!!!!!  Thanks. I worked yesterday and then  stitched and watched the news all last night so was not on the computer. One of my goals for now and in the future are to make the patterns large so that you can see them. This is so important for an enjoyable stitch experience.

 Fixed it this morning.......I don't know how or why the post now says "read more" and then when you click on it there it is this time. Then click on the image and it will be larger and you can print. On my computer you can double click to make it even larger if you want to. That should work!!  XX my fingers.

I am working on a website as well. This probably will take some time. I project to start having it available with patterns after I return from Washington DC, around 2nd week of April or soish. Dates are set yet but I have a business conference to attend as well as going through Williamburg on the way back for a day or two.

So, later when I finish Spring's Promise sampler I will post a pretty picture of it. This one will be for sale on my new website and local. More info coming ahead.

 Onward to some more little things to do, letting my breakfast settle and then a yoga session in my studio. I'm in love with yoga and its benefits and hope to stay that way!!!!! Helps the mind and body.
Till then,
Jennifer

The Freedom Sampler ~~ in honor of American soldiers

I heart my space and creating a peaceful place

There are days when I'm reminded that it's most important to me to keep those things that either bring peace, comfort, or functional. I'm not always the most practical part, as my other half is, but trying to get better as the years roll on.

Life is too short not to enjoy, what you enjoy.

I find in my journey that I have finely teased out many things that do not bring joy or really not functional lately. It's freeing. It's balance to the busy days. It's embracing serendipity.

One thing I love is the color pink so in my creative space I have alot of it.

  I love my studio/guestroom/yoga/meditation room as well. It used to be my daughter's room. She loved art and did well with it in school and therefore there are many of her drawings around the house that I would never part with, well, of course, for her, if she wanted them but she has not expressed an interest in them which is quite sad as she is very talented. So for now they are housed here with some of my favorite things.

I thought I would share a few pics around the room tonight. It makes a very good place to stitch in the mornings as the sun shines really bright through both long windows. At night I stitch better downstairs by the sunshine then!

Of course tonight it's pretty doggone dark out in the country. ;)

Over my favorite, most comfortable chair that I've had for years, I have a new pic I found last week at The Martin House near Helen, Ga., not far from where we live.

I knew it would be an inspiring piece for this room.

I don't knit (took one class LOL) but one day I will pick it up again. I know this for sure as I did enjoy the class I took. Anyways, I put this pic over the chair and really like it here.

Time to get the bunny pillow out again. It pretty much stays out except for Christmas. Found this last year at a thrift store for a goooooo deal.

I love bunnies too!

This one has been in my daughter's room since I became pregnant with her and knew she was a girl!

This one too. And I have several more I'll post closer to Easter but just a few in here, actually several more that I won't part with.

I'm so ready for Spring.

The tin tart warmer is THE best thing EVAH! I have 3 of them. This room I usually put the tarts from the primitive store local that is called "clean cotton" It smells like fresh laundry and line-dried sheets!

And here are my new stash boxes and I have the bottom full of linen cuts already.

The left side of the room is mainly my studio stuff.

This is where my Kay frame stays and now it's loaded with a design for DV awareness that I need to be finishing up when I'm in a purple mood as it is full of purple colors! On the desk I weeded out everything except what is functional or special. I have my son's dress military pic with a star light beside it and essentials for stitching ( in this room HA!) ;)

I have many of The Sampler Girl's samplers in this room.

Here's my patched heart pillow I made and put my scissors I got from a special trip. I made this pillow on a special day when my heart broke, literally, so I put to good use a torn comforter that was in the donate pile and cut the velvet into squares and there were several heart squares.

Then I backed it with some cotton fabric and put a patch of Raspberry Jobelan I had a scrap of, on the front and put my scissors in it for my stitching chair. I will never forget the day I sat in the floor, crying, making this and it will stay with me as long as I am alive. Not because of the pain, but because it reminds me that after the pain, I can and will patch my heart and something good will come of it. 

There is a much bigger purpose for our house one day and I just know it.

Nite-nite.  May your night be full of rest~~~ surround yourself with those special things and things that make your heart sing. Ditch all the others. ;)

Jennifer

Josh Groban - "Hidden Away" Official Music Video

Twisted Tuesday--Confidence

There are several things I feel confident about today:

~~that I can finish this  5 x 5 sampler this week while inspired by yellow flowers and rain this past weekend. Spring's Promise, designed by Feathers in the Nest, stitching by moi

~~that Abbie is confident even on bad hair days

~~that she has learned how to go up AND down the stairs at her leisure

~~that she has at one point in time, gotten my yoga mat upstairs confused with her potty mat--Who me? I'm too sweet to make tootsie rolls.

~~and that she doesn't want to discuss it anymore either.

~~that I love Crescent Color cottons and silks, making the flowers dance on linen
~~that Vintage Cream linen is going to be a staple at the homestead.

~~that we all will bloom best when surrounded by nourishing elements.

~~that Saturday's bud is Tuesday's bloom with confidence

~~that the daffodils every year will be housed for a short time in this green frog

~~and that a hot, soothing drink of either tea or coffee starts every day right.

designer, The Sampler Girl

stitched and framed by me 

and hangs in my kitchen by the coffee pot!

Enjoy your day with confidence.

Rachel's Challenge

Tonight we randomly saw a program on TV about Rachel's Challenge and I think it's very moving and so positive. We need to all think about it.  She was the first Columbine high school victim. The program was about 1 hour and her father and others were interviewed. Seems Rachel died at 17. There were lots of things her father didn't know until he was searching in her 6 journals she kept as any parent would when their child has died.

Check out her site here as her legacy lives on and this week take the challenge. The Chain Reaction that Rachel always talked about. In her diaries she stated that she felt she would die before the age of 20 but that she would touch millions of people. On the day of the shooting, in her bookbag was this paper.

13 tears from her on a rose. There were 13 killed that day.

Since 1999, her life has changed many. Her legacy lives on and on and she knew what her destiny was.

http://www.rachelschallenge.org/

Her father has taken up on this and he said he would not hate the killers. This would please them. He wants to make something positive from it and the Rachel's Challenge is spreading across all schools now and very effective. This program was the best thing for the weekend. Of course, we all knew about the 1999 Columbine shootings, but we weren't aware of the premonitions in her 6 diaries, her desire to help others because she knew her time was limited on this Earth.

Won't you take the challenge?

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1278667/a_celebrity_story_that_will_bring_you.html

click here to read about it if you make the time. I promise it's worth it and the world will be a better place.

Her dad is so strong. She was a witness more than any of us could be in just 17 short years.

I hope your week goes well and you share just a little kindness this week. You never know how it will effect others.

Peace.

New Winner of the Giveaway

Let's try this again!  :)

Yes, this morning over my cup of tea I combed through both boxes of emails many times and no Phyllis. I hope she is ok. That kinda worries me but I try not to be a worry wart.


But without further rambling, I did set a day to answer and if not would draw another name, and the winner this time is:

Jessica @Before the Dawn in Colorado!

Jessica, please email me at feathersinthenest@yahoo.com and let me know on this posting you got the message too! I will email you as well for your snail mail address to send your package!