GYBP WINNER and CHLOE'S SWEATER and WARM COWL

He Who Plants A Garden Plants Happiness....

DREAMING OF SPRING

OK, Back to GYBP Give Away!! vbg

HELLO EVERYONE,

Wow, what Great Fun I've had in the last couple of weeks with GYBP!!  What a Great Idea
 "Vicki at "2 Bag Full" had to create this Wonderful Party for us All! Thanks Vicki for all the hard work and time you put into this Super Party.  We are all Very Grateful!!

 Also Vicki has "The Pink Scarf Project" going for the next year.  Please give some thought to donating a knitted or crochet scarf to this worthy cause.  Thanks.

  I was thrilled to visit so many Very Beautiful Blogs with so many Very Creative and Talented People.  It has been a "Real Joy" to have so many "New Bloggers" come and visit me..It was also great to have
 "My Special Long Time Blogging Friends" come to visit too.

  I am "Very Appreciative" and "Thankful" for All the Lovely Messages that was left for me to read!! I've never had so many Wonderful Visitor come to My Blog before and I do hope You All will come back again.  Thanks..

Time to announce the "Winner" of My GYBP Give Away!!

To save time and paper, I ask My Sweetie to Pick a number between  1 and 60.  My Sweetie said, 45 so I counted down to the 45th comment and  "Betsy Adams" from "Joyful Reflections" is the Winner!!  Betsy, I hope you will enjoy wearing the Frilly Shades of Purple Scarf .  Thanks you again Betsy for visiting My Blog and leaving your Lovely Comment. Please email me with your address. Thanks

A few months before Christmas I finished some crocheting and knitting projects that I would Love to Share with You All.

First, I found a "Pretty Chunky Wheat Cowl Crochet Pattern with a Infinity Loop" by Jayna Grassel on  the Ravelry site.  It was simple but very pretty IMHO.  I learn a couple of new crochet stitches too. First I learn how to create a "Foundation Chain" where you are doing your chain row along with your first row at the same time.  Pretty neat.

Then I also learned how to do the "Herringbone Half Double Crochet" also another neat crochet stitch.  I made "My Cowl" with 100% Merino Wool which I found to be an absolute Wonderful to work with. The Cowl turn out to be Very Warm and Cozy to wear.  I made this one for myself to get me through our Long Michigan Cold and Blustery Winter. vbg See photos below.

What do you all think of My Fuzzy and Warm Cowl???

Many Month Before Christmas I decided to try and create a simple sweater for My Sweet Grand Daughter Chloe.  I did not get it finish until December 31th 2012.   It seem like I worked on it for endless day and night but I loved the challenge and it gave me such JOY knowing it would bring a Big Smile to Chloe's Face.

Above I wrote My First Official Letter to My Grand Daughter Chloe.  I used some very lovely Japanese Paper My Nursing Friend Jamie sent me from Japan awhile ago. Isn't this Japanese paper is just Gorgeous.?

I Hand Embroidery the "Special Label"  using the "Twilling Stitch".  This Sweater will  become a
 "Family Heirloom" and hopefully many more grand daughters, and great grand daughters will wear it.

I bought the "Birdie Button" at one of My several trips down to the Paducah Quilt Show.  The Birdie Button was a big hit with Chloe. vbg 

This is a up close photo of Chloe's sweater Hand Made With Love from Grandma Judy. What do you all think???

I wrapped the Sweater Up in Pretty paper the same colors as the sweater and added a Big Pink Satin Bow and then sent if off to My Sweet Grand Daughter.

Several Days Later the Pressie arrived.  Chloe is already smiling before she open  the Pressie.  Thank You Jenny for taking all these photos so I could share in all the excitement of Chloe opening her pressie.

Chloe has been taking Dancing Lessons for several years.  So it did not surprise me to see a "Dance Pose" and a Huge Lovely Smile!!  I was so thrilled that it fit and it looks like she will be able to wear it for some time.

Another Very Happy Dance Pose..  After the photo shoot My Sweet Grand Daughter call her Grandma Judy and thank her a million time for her New Sweater.  It was such a JOY to hear her voice and  to hear the excitement she was feeling about her New Sweater.  It made Grandma Judy smile too.  vbg

On this day we got 12 inches of snow.  Prior to this we only received  a wee bit of 1 inch or less.   Old Man Winter came late this year but when he did he left us some Lovely White Magical Snow.  This photo is of Our Back Yard.

Then on the Evening of the 29th it started raining and raining with lots of thunder and lightning.  Now on Jan. 30th all our Magical White Snow is gone.  I reckon our Snow gauge is not going to get much use this year.

So what does a "Girl" do when the weather lends itself to staying inside.  Well she crochets
 "Hearts and Roses!!  Olga from "Lacy Crochet" had this most wonderful "Brunfelsia Inspired Crochet Flowers" tutorial she shared with us all...  It was very "Kind and Thoughtful" of Olga to take the time to do this great Tutorial.

I enjoyed crocheting the Flowers so much they "Multiplied" Very Quickly. I even found a quick free Crochet Heart pattern and I went to town creating them too.  I used all kinds of soft and lovely yarns and of course they had to be in "Shades of Passionate Pink" and cream.

 My Wee Collection did Grow and Grow!

I plan to use some of these Wee Hearts and Roses in an Upcoming Wool Project.  You all will have to come back to see what I am creating next in My Studio!!


I  am so Very Happy and excited to say I have already Met Barb one of the New Visitors to My Blog. Barb it was so Very Wonderful to Meet You.  We met at Barnes and Nobles yesterday during another blustery snowy cold day in Michigan.  Barb from "Babs Just A Bagglin" and I chatted on for sometime.  We both love embroidery and working with wool so we had lots to talk about.  I am looking forward to spending allot more time with My New Friend Barb.
 

Thank you all again for Visiting My Blog and Leaving All your Very Lovely Kind and Thoughtful Comments.  They All were a Joy to Read!!

Hugs Judy

GROW YOU BLOG PARTY

HELLO EVERYONE,

I am very excited to join with Vicki who is sponsoring "Grow Your Blog Party"  today at  "2 Bag Full" !! I am looking forward to exploring many lovely blogs. It is Truly Very Kind of Vicki to put forth so much time and effort to benefit us all.  Thank you Very Much Vicki.

A wee bit about myself.  I started CJ Stitching and Bloom back in July of 2007. I was encouraged by many crazy quilting friends so I could share with everyone my Stitching Creations.  I jumped in and have never looked back.  I have met so Many Very Wonderful and Kind Friends from around the world that has brighten my days and have blessed me in so many ways. I Cherish All My Blogging Friends.

I worked as a Registered Nurse for 36 years and retired in 2012. I have been stitching every since I can remember but in the 1990s I really became passionate about "My Creative Stitching".  Every quilt I have ever made has had lots of stitching on it.
 
In the last several years I have learned how to do "Wet and Needle Felting"! I absolutely Love Working with Hand-Dyed "Wools" and "Stitching and Beading" on them. I love adding lots of texture to My Creations by adding all kinds of "Fancy Threads and Textile Fibers".
Click on "Bavaria Winter Wonderland" to see more detailed photos of this art piece and the inspiration behind it. 

Below is another Favorite Stitchery I called,  "Dreaming Of Spring" which I worked on during one of our really Blustery, Very Cold Long Winters!!

And the last Favorite Creations I will share today is a Wet Felted Wool Easter Vessel I made last Spring. There is lots of beading and stitching on this Wool Vessel...

In appreciations of My Visitors today I would like to Thank You All by having a wee "Give Away"..  I have made a Fancy Frilly Knitted Scarf  in shades of Purples, pictured "Below".   
"Anyone" can ENTER Anyone Can WIN regardless of where you live.  There is NO requirement that a person has to be a Follower of My Blog to Win.  The Winner does not have to have a blog.  I am willing to send the "Gift" any wheres in the World.
The Give-Away Drawing will take Place on "February 1st 2013.  So please check back on this "Date" to see who the Lucky Winner will be. So Please leave Me a comment to Enter this Give Away. I look forward to meeting you all.  I would appreciate if the "Winner" would email me with their home address as soon as possible from this date..thanks

The Photo above is of My Dear Sweet Grand Daughter Chloe enjoying  her self with a Very Fancy Snow Lady that she made with her parents.  Chloe melts My Heart With her Lovely Smile.  When I first saw this Snow Lady I thought to Myself,  Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, I think My Grand Daughter Is Very Artistic, what do you all think????  In My Humble Opinion I think Chloe is a "Budding Artist" and that really pleases her Grandma!! Huge VBG

Below I have a posting about Vicki's  "The Pink Scarf Project".  I also have a Button on the Right Side Bar that will take you directly to Vick's "2 Bag Full" blog and it will tell you all about this great project. It is a very worthy cause.

I wish everyone a Very Lovely Weekend.  And Thank you all for your Leaving Your Lovely Comments for me to read.

Hugs Judy