Better Late Than Never

Better late than never ... I hope Flower Lady agrees.

Back in January I participated in Vicki's, from Two Bags Full,  Grow Your Blog Party.  Many participants offered a prize for visiting and leaving a comment. At my post I chose to do this also. I love the idea of creating a gift for someone I do not know. There's a peace in creating something for someone just out of love for your craft and the love of spreading joy.

 Lorraine from Flower Lady's Musings was my winner. I've been following Lorraine's blog for a while, and I was so happy she was my winner.

I won this adorable handmade pillow from Jessica from Blessings in the Country.

                      

I had already decided what I was going to make for Lorraine. I had joyfully browsed through books for inspiration. I had sketched my design. I had made the fabric for the front of the pillow. Then I got the flu. Ugh! Sitting at my worktable needle felting and sewing was something I did not have the strength to do. For now ...

BUT, after drinking lots of fluids and getting plenty of rest I got better, and I was able to return to creating my special project for Lorraine. I am always in awe of how God created our bodies with the ability to heal themselves.


This photo is of my sketch. Drawing is not one of my gifts so I use cookie cutters and stencils to help me with my sketching.

This is the fabric that I made. First, I knit it on my knitting machine, then I threw it in the washing machine to felt. I used Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool to create my fabric. This yarn creates a felt that is soft to the touch and so wonderful to work with.

Next, I needle felted my design onto the felt. I used cookie cutters to help me with my design. They also protect my fingers from the sharp felting needles.

I added some embellishments. This is my favorite part! I love to embellish things! 

I apologize for the poor photo. The sunlight streaming in the window makes the right side look a bit tan colored. The whole backing is ivory. Photography is a skill that I want to improve. 

                                

I then sewed on the fabric for the back of the pillow and stuffed the pillow with fiberfill.

                               

I hope Flower Lady likes it. 

The Winner and the Flu

Inspiration was searched for.

Sketches were made.

Embellishments were chosen.

Felted fabric was made.

AND

THEN

I

GOT

THE

FLU! 

I was feeling so awful I couldn't even pick up a pair of knitting needles. When I'm not well enough to knit my family knows I am really sick. 

So, sadly the prize for Vicki's Grow Your Blog party has not been completed. BUT IT WILL!

And the winner is Flower Lady Lorraine from http://flowerladysmusings.blogspot.com!

I promise, Lorraine, your felted pillow will be on its way to you shortly.

Thank you to everyone who left a comment on my blog post. 

With gratitude,

Terry

GROW YOUR BLOG

 Hi! I'm Terry. Welcome! 

First, I would like to thank Vicki from 2 Bags Full for hosting this annual "Grow Your Blog" party. Thank you, Vicki! 

I am most happily married to Gary. I am the very proud mother of Meredith, Rick, Shannon, and Tracy. My children are 26 years old. Yes, all four of them. They are quadruplets. Here's a picture when they were babies. 

 

I also have a furry baby named Dory. 

I am an elementary school special education teacher. I was blessed to be able to stay home with my children for the first 8 years, then I returned to work - part time at first, but full time since they were 14. I am looking forward to retiring. I dream of baking cookies and doing crafts with my grandchildren (none yet, but I'm dreaming) and having lots of time to devote to my other passions.

I love to teach, read, write (in the form of journaling and blogging), take long walks with my girl friend Denise, care for and decorate my home, spend time with my family and friends, craft, knit, crochet, and needle felt. 

I named my blog "Sharing Divine Inspiration" because every morning I have my first cup of coffee with God. I express my gratitude, read a devotional or two, and listen. I listen for Divine Guidance and Inspiration. I then go about my day following that Guidance and Inspiration. I blog to share with you what I am Divinely Inspired to do.

I choose not to blog about my job, however I may occasionally share a good child's book or website.  I sometimes blog about my home and family. I always blog about my creative passion.

My creative passion is hand making felt fabric, then needle felting a design on it, then making pictures, pillows, and handbags with it. Here are a few photos of my projects: 

Above is a pillow I made for my sister. I hand knit-felted, also known as fulling, the green fabric then needle felted the design. Green is her favorite color, and she has a granddaughter named Daisy. 

This was my give away for Vicki's first Grow Your Blog party. I made this using the same procedure as above, then matted and framed it. I used cookie cutters to help me with the house and the heart. The stars are buttons. 

To make the bag above I hand knit, holding two strands together, the bag in two pieces, front and back. Then I crocheted it together and felted it. The bumps on the sides were by accident - I think they were the result of crocheting. I needle felted the design, and attached the handles. I still need to line this bag, then it will be done. I've been making this for myself, so it keeps getting put on the back burner. I am planning to use this as my knitting bag. 

Thank you so much for visiting my blog. I am designing a prize for a visitor from this wonderful party. I don't know exactly what it will be yet, but I can tell you that it will be felted. Just leave a comment on this post, and you are automatically entered. I will announce the winner on February 15 as Vicki requested. 

I am looking forward to curling up in my favorite green chair, with a hot cup of coffee, my iPad, my cat Dory, and visiting your blog. 

With gratitude,

Terry

Handmade in 2014

My Divine Inspiration: One of my favorite bloggers - Matt at According to Matt - blogged his craft year in review. You can read Matt's post here. I thought that was a great idea. So here I go!

These are my projects completed in 2014.

 2014 started with prayer shawls. A prayer shawl for a friend who lost her husband. He was a first responder to 9.11 who died of an associated lung disease.  

I also made a prayer shawl for my cousin - who is now cancer free! My daughter was flying to CA to visit her, and I stayed up very late the night before she left finishing the shawl, and I was too exhausted to photograph it. However, my wonderful daughter Meredith thought to video my cousin receiving it. 

2014 introduced me to Uptown Art. Uptown Art is an art studio where you select the night you want to go by which painting you would like to paint, you sign up, bring your own wine and snacks, and they provide everything else. On top of that they teach you how to paint a beautiful picture. Wonderfully relaxing music is played in the background. It is a fun and relaxing evening. Uptown Art is a franchise chain. Google it. There may be one in your area.

The picture above is from my first painting class. I am in the top row between two of my dearest friends. The three beautiful girls on the bottom are my daughters. Isn't it amazing how all of our pictures came out different yet they are all beautiful!?

The second time I went to Uptown Art I went with my daughter Shannon. It was just the two of us on a cold rainy Friday in December. Usually the classes have about 40 participants, but this night there were just five of us. That was nice ... for us. We painted holiday wreaths. Shannon and I brought gingerbread lattes from Starbucks instead of wine, the teacher put James Taylor radio on Pandora, and we spent a very relaxing evening painting. It was a wonderful evening!

2014 was the year I taught myself how to use my knitting machine I was blessed to receive as a gift. It is a 25 year old Bond knitting machine that a friend of a friend had in her attic. I needle felt, and I like to knit felt my canvas, pillow fabric, or handbag fabric. This can take a very long time - like a month or more. Receiving the knitting machine was a God-send. On the machine I can make fabric for two or three projects in a day. Then I go to work creating a picture, pillow, or handbag. 2013 was the year of pillows. 2014 was the the year of pictures. Above is the needle felted picture I made as a thank you gift for the lovely lady who found the knitting machine for me. Below is the thank you gift I made for the generous lady who gave me the machine. I am eternally grateful!

 Every now and then I enjoy making a wreath. The hydrangeas came from my garden. I made this wreath for myself. I was hosting Thanksgiving this year, and I was enjoying decorating my home. I made this to hang in our mud room where our guests hang their coats.

2014 was the year of Mother Bear Project teddy bears. If you knit or crochet and are interested in making a bear to comfort a child you can check out the Mother Bear Project here. 

While spending a day in NYC with my daughter Shannon I found some wonderful knitting books at Strand book store. I made the knitting doll in the center of the picture.  I forgot to photograph my own doll before I sent it off as a gift. This is a fabulous book. If you click on the book you can find out more about it. 

New Year's Eve 2014 I took my hand to painting an old table lamp. 2015 is going to be the year of Annie Sloan Paint. My husband and I have will celebrate 34 years of marriage this year. Our dark pine furniture is old and battered. We decided that instead of buying new furniture - we are still recovering from putting 4 children through college - we would paint what we have and make it new for us. I took an Annie Sloan painting class in DE in the fall --- so in 2015 I will be doing lots of furniture painting. This table lamp will be my first completed project in 2015. I will share it when it is done. Wish me luck! 

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog. I hope you enjoyed your visit.

With gratitude,

Terry