THANK YOU...

 Hello sweet friends!  I am still here!  I am also still on my extended blog break but I had to break the silence to extend a thank you to all of you who have left such supportive and encouraging comments and to extend a special thank you to my sweet friend Vee.

I arrived home from the farm to find a wonderful package and the sweetest note in the mail from Vee...

Many changes are taking place here at the Quill right along with the change of seasons and Vee's gift arrived just in time to enjoy it to its fullest.  Inside its pretty ribbon and roses...

Was a soft bundle of friendship...

A beautiful handmade tea cozy...

You can't even begin to imagine how soft the gorgeous rose printed fabric is...

Tucked inside was the sweetest tag ever!  And a little something warm and spicy to kick of the cooler season, apple cider, yum!

Don't you love this little string nest?

And what an encouraging message too!

Spidery vintage lace and a precious graphic embellish the front...

Vee, thank you for the love and friendship that went into every detail of this sweet offering...

I will use it often and think of you fondly.

Sweet blog friends, I have also been thinking of you fondly, quietly slipping in and out of your pretty blogs keeping tabs on what you have been up to.  I hope to return to blogging on a regular basis within the next week or two.  I thought I would have completed my necessary tasks by now but had a slight set back when I badly sprained my ankle and was laid up for a little over a week and that threw me off schedule.  I hope your days are filled with pretty cozy things, until next time...

 
P.S.  Comments are off at this time, thank you for being so understanding.

BLOG FRIENDS ARE THE BEST...

Friends are kisses blown to us by angels.

-Author Unknown-Over the holidays I was virtually showered with all sorts of bloggy friend love and I can't thank each and every one of you enough for all your sweet comments, emails, cards, and even gifts, none of which I expected or even feel like I deserve. Blog friends really are the best, most kind, and thoughtful people. I treasure each and every one of you and am daily thankful to be a part of such a wonderful community.

I wanted to share some of the bloggy kindness I received over the holidays but before I do that I would love to share a new to blogging friend with you, Amy of Vintage ClubHouse. Amy and I " met" over the holidays when I read this wonderful post about A Special Gift that she made. Amy gave me permission to use a few photos to show you a little peek into her beautiful blog. A Christmas cone she created...A scrapbook page of her gorgeous holiday table...And what is not to love about seeing this sunrise each morning from her deck...Breath taking! I hope you will hop over and give Amy a big warm bloggy welcome.

I made a casual mention that I was looking for a certain type of button in a past post and precious blogger, Teresa of Maggie Grace Creates, sent me a note that she had just the buttons I was looking for. Being one of those sweet as peach pie Georgia gals, she offered to send me the buttons and I offered to pay her and she refused so I suggested a swap and she said no, so finally I relented and let her send them to me and I in return sent her a little goodie package anyway. Well, she not only sent the buttons I was looking for to finish out my studio window treatments but a whole bunch of wonderful buttons...And gorgeous laces...And colorful punched tags...
I plan to use these on the bottom of some larger spring themed tags I have in mind, perfect!

And the sweetest and most unusual note I have ever seen and it is edged in green, my favorite color!!!It all came wrapped it the prettiest tissue paper with green printing and I just had to use it in some way. I loved the note made from an old Christmas card scene and the delicate handmade edging so much that I wanted to preserve it and enjoy it. I made up a 3D paper star from some sturdy card stock and collaged some of the tissue paper over the top of it. After it was dry I inked the edges and ridges of the star and then brushed on a light coat of glue and dusted it with glitter. I added a little glue to the snow on the note card and dusted it with glitter too and then glued it to the center of the star...I now have a precious keepsake and holiday ornament to remember the kindness of a sweet blog friend who blessed me buttons and friendship!

And, as if that was not enough goodie goodness, I won a give away at Rebecca's A Re-Purposed Life! A package arrived on my doorstep on Christmas eve morning bearing the most beautiful glass trees I have ever seen! They made the winter scene on my dining table pure enchantment...These say " winter" to me and I can enjoy them far longer than just the Christmas season. Rebecca also tucked in a gorgeous Christmas tag that she made...And then a package came from my sweet blog friend Diane of Diane Knott's Musings. Cheeky girl, she sent me the most adorable bee hive pin cushion you have ever seen... She said this one would not sting, a little reminder of the wasp encounter I had earlier this summer. I love it and it is scented with the most wonderful fragrant lavender! I perched a little bumble bee from my studio stash on it...Just look at this pretty detail around the hive entrance...This thing is so cute that there won't be any pins stuck in it, I love it on my studio settee as a tiny little pillow and that is where it is staying. You can find sweet, like this bee hive, as well as stunning creations on Diane's Etsy store, Cottage By The Pond. My husband got me a Christmas gift from there and I love it! I'll post on it in another post.

She also included one of her yummy delicious art tags...OK, as if I had not been spoiled rotten enough, a suspicious yellow box that I distinctly remember sending to a blog friend, Sonya of Counting My Blessings, had returned itself to me FULL of goodies...There were vibrant red and green goodies...Patel pretties...Rich textural neutrals...And the icing on the cake of kindness, a beautiful wooden box...That Sonya altered inside with the most beautiful verse of Scripture...And nestled inside was a handmade gift, a vintage altered tart tin snowflake ornament!What in the world can a girl say to this kind of showering of love? Thank you hardly seem adequate and since everything tastes, looks, and sounds better in French, I offer these sweet friends a simple but heartfelt...Gifts are never ever necessary or expected here at the Quill but the one thing that is always readily and eagerly received is your friendship. I think of you often, love you much, cherish the time you take out of your day to spend a few minutes of it here, and pray sweet blessings rain down on your day!

YOUR OPINION PLEASE...

Before I get to the opinion poll on the artwork submissions I really have to say a huge thank you for all the support, love, and prayers you have all sent my way. It is appreciated more than you will ever know. Amazing things happened the day after my last post. Handy Hubby had three job offers and went to work the very next day, Friday (his 50th birthday!), for a new company. There are still some difficulties with the transition but I am sure they will work themselves out in time. On that same day I got some amazing news in regard to my artwork and I will share more with you on that later.

I cannot begin to fathom the goodness of God in difficult times. We have been living on the edge for six months now, waiting, wondering, hoping, praying, and waiting some more. So many of you shared your stories and I want you to know that each of you are in my prayers. Many of you did not experience immediate results as we did and I pray blessing of provision will be yours also in the immediate future. Some of your stories broke my heart at such depth of loss and it truly put our small hiccup in perspective. You are all amazing resilient people with spirit, heart, and hope that inspires me beyond belief. Thank you for touching my life.

I know the following will seem like fluff after all the serious stuff above, and really it is, but I find in the midst of troubling times it sometimes helps to have something a little light of heart to take our mind off our troubles and I really truly would love your opinion. I have pulled out seven pieces of art, old and new, to use as my submissions. I had wanted three new pieces but to tell you the truth, I have just not been able to focus. I did get two new pieces done but the third and largest is still on the work table.

Anyway, what I would like is to know which of theses seven pieces are your three favorites. I think I have made my choices but I would seriously love your input on the subject. To select your three favorites, view the selections below and then vote using the poll on my upper side bar just below my email link. Click on any photo to enlarge for better viewing.

COTTAGE BEALLE FABRIC COLLAGE:CLARA SCARLETT ASSEMBLAGE ART DOLL:HOME TWEET HOME COLLAGE:NEST ASSEMBLAGE: (Remember that chunk of wood bird I found? Here he is!)

PAPER SCULPTED COLLAGE BIRDS:INDUSTRIAL DREAMS SIGN:MISS MARY BEES WAX COLLAGE:Would you submit a series, like the three bird pieces, or would you showcase different styles and pieces? I'll leave the poll open until Friday and thank you so much for helping me with the selections! I hope your week is beyond blessed.

Blessings,
Miss Sandy