Marvelous Monday Update 2/20/2011

GIVEAWAY
Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe is hosting another giveaway! Click on over to see what it's all about.

STITCHY STUFF
Coming up with the perfect frame is a fun challenge! I scour thrift shops searching for the right size and "look". More often than not, the frames I find are solid wood and can be refinished to look gorgeous! Remember the frame for ABC Lessons?

I saw this frame and had an inkling it would be perfect for Purple Garden. If you look close, you can still see traces of the gold finish. I didn't work too hard to get it all off since it will be primed anyway.

Now comes the fun part! I've decided PG will hang in my bedroom since it won't fit into the decor of my living room. A trip to (where else?) Menards yielded a purchase of Aubergine paint that matches one of the two purple colors on my comforter. I painted this frame with the Aubergine (for another project).

Or, I could use the Expresso paint like I did for ABC Lessons:

Aubergine... Expresso... Aubergine... Expresso. Which shall it be?

The is stitching done for Blossom Splendor. Woo Hoo!! I was diligently working the Kreinik pattern on the obi when guess what?!? I used the entire spool. I ran out of Kreinik!! Wahhhhh. Here's a close up of the "shinies":

The photos don't do the embellishments justice,
but they're clickable for a larger view.

STITCHY GADGETS


For beading of Blossom Splendor, I used the bead nabber. I like that it holds 5-10 beads on my finger tip while I have my threaded needle in my other hand.


A while back, Rachel from What Looks Like Crazy posted about how JoAnn Fabrics resurected "Jammers" cases from yesteryear. It seems JoAnn's is already sold out on them. While I was shopping at Hobby Lobby this past weekend, look what I found:

Creative Options
Double-Sided Thread Organizer
by Plano Molding Co
They are exactly the same ones sold by Walmart years ago for less than $6. I know, because I've been storing my DMC in them.

The price is considerably higher now at $12.99. Back then, they were used to store 1/24 scale Matchbox/Hot Wheels cars and found in the toy department. Now they're purported to be used to store spools of sewing thread and found in the sewing department. With the HL 40% off coupon they're much more reasonable.

You can also find them at:
Hobby Lobby Online
Walmart Online
Connecting Threads
Plumbers Surplus