1-Year Anniversary Celebration & Bloggy Giveaway!

Marty, my faithful rabbit sidekick, suggested that I have a bloggy giveaway to celebrate the 1-year anniversary for Cottage Days and Journeys. I couldn’t agree more with the little furball! So I put on my thinking cap, got to work, and came up with a couple of handmade prizes for my readers.

Everyone loves to “nest” during the cold winter months. So these winter-theme prizes reflect some of my favorite activities during this peaceful time of year: sewing and reading.

For sewers, I have created a pincushion with bali fabric in a blue and white snowflake motif, and embellished it with dark blue wool felt, perle cotton, and stacked buttons.

For readers, I made a set of three bookmarks using heavy waxed linen thread and a hodgepodge of blue and white beads.

Here’s how to enter:

(1) Leave a comment on this post and tell me which prize you would like to win: pincushion or bookmark set. (Pick only one, please!)
(2) For an additional entry, snag the anniversary photo above and put it on your blog with a link back to this post. Be sure to tell me in your posted comment if you have done this!
(3) Entries outside the U.S. will be accepted. However, only entries from bloggers with active web sites will be eligible.

The last day to enter is Wednesday, January 7. Good luck and thank you for helping me achieve the 1-year milestone!

Spiral Rope Beaded Necklace

I have made quite a few of these necklaces in the past few years. Some I keep, and some I give away as presents! I sent this recent one to a sweet lady on a Delphi forum that I regularly visit. We had a “mosty posty” contest in April to see who could chat the most. I offered to do the prize and this necklace was result.

I stitched the necklace with the spiral rope chain pattern, using delica beads for the core and 11/0 seed beads for the outer spiral. I completed it in a 24-inch length and a continuous style. So it can be conveniently popped right over your head without any fumbling with a clasp.

I love how the colors turned out, and it will be the perfect complement to a dressy or casual jeans outfit.