Road trip and an auction!

On Sunday, I had a fun day going on a road trip with one of my favorite peeps, Paula and attending the Kindred Spirits Sampler Guild fundraiser auction together.  I recently joined this guild and wanted to help support their fundraising efforts.  It was an awesome day for several reasons!

Design: "P" from "Spring Alphabet"

Designer: Lizzie Kate

Fabric: 32 ct. cream

Floss: DMC as charted

Started, Finished, Completed: 3/9/13

Before we left on our grand adventure, I surprised my travel buddy with a belated birthday surprise. She had a birthday last week and this was the first time I'd seen her since. I just couldn't help myself, this just screamed her name and it turns out she loves blue!

I like to personalize the backs of gifts with initials stitched over one and the date. I've had more fun using these charts! They always turn out so cute and make perfect little gifts. I just love stitching for my friends.

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One of the things that made the day awesome was that  I got to meet Terri!  Yes, the Terri of Chocolates for Breakfast; Stitching for Lunch fame!!  She is just as sweet and wonderful in person as she is on her blog.  She extended the warmest welcome to me and it was like meeting a long lost friend.  I never imagined I'd ever get to meet someone who reads my blog that isn't local.  It was so fun!

Terri was the auctioneer for the event.  Oh my goodness that gal is a bundle of energy!  She had us crackin' up the whole time and really kept things moving.  Want to see what got auctioned off?  These are just a few of the lovely things that went up for live auction bidding.  I didn't even think to get a picture of the silent auction tables!

With Thy Needle and Thread's Be My Valentine

 

I love how the maker of this set painted the Whitman's box and decoupaged the lid!  You can't see it, but there's a tiny little envelope needle case underneath the stitched heart too.  This one was so sweet!

With Thy Needle and Thread's Gathering Acorns

This one was filled with walnut shells and really had some weight to it.  I was very tempted by this one with my love of acorns and all but I was holding out for something else!

Pea Pod pincushion (I don't know who designed this one)

Now isn't this pea pod just the cutest thing ever?!  Those little peas were made out of the softest velvet.  Yep, it was hard to resist this one as well.

Hardanger Set

I liked how the maker of this one used a salt cellar to make the pincushion.  I'm going to have to try this...the salt cellar idea not the hardanger.  LOL!

Sampler's and Santa's Pear VI freebie

It was so fun to see one of Marly's pear charts stitched and finished. The maker rolled up brown fabric to use as the stem! What a really cute idea.
 

Tomato Cardinal Candlestick Make-do

Terri won this little cutie! Everyone was eyeing it too. The maker's husband drilled holes on either side of the thimble so she could turn it into a little basket pincushion!  This was just too stinkin' cute!

Sewing Basket (designed by a guild member)

Can you even believe this was designed and stitched by a guild member?  OMG, what talent!  It was truly drool worthy.  Apparently several people thought so too!  The price just kept going up and up on this one.  It really helped build the guild's treasury!

This one made me swoon!  This sewing box was made using The Twisted Stitcher's tutorial.  The maker told me the design on the lid came from My Aunt's Attic blog using the her own color choices.  Isn't it simply amazing?!  I love that she painted the box black. 

Sewing Set complete with personalized smalls!

This was one awesome set to see in person!  The maker put a lot of thought and effort into this one.  I can hardly believe she was able to part with it.  All the smalls were personalized with the guild's name on them.  This too had the bidding going wild!

The Drawn Thread's Sampler Necessaire
 

This is what I was holding out for and I won! I've had the chart for this one for a while and have been searching for the box ever since. Now I don't have to search anymore because I have one of my very own that's already finished!   I can hardly believe someone could give this up but I'm thankful she did!  I'll always remember the auction when I use it.

I was also lucky enough to be gifted with these two wonderful Berlin style charts to add to my collection!  The winner of this silent auction pile didn't want them and I asked her if I could have the DMC one.  Then she gifted me with the other one.  Aren't stitchers just the nicest people?!

I commented to Paula on the way home, how impressed I was with how nice the auction items were...everything was perfectly stitched and finished.  If this is what these folks stitch to give away, I can't imagine how amazing the things they make for themselves must be!  Wow, what a talented group of stitchers!  Seriously, I wish you could have been there!  W-O-W!

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Thanks so much to Terri for a super fun auction and thanks to my peep, Paula for a grand Sunday adventure.  It was a day filled with stitchy goodness, new friendships and a whole lot of fun.  I'm looking forward to more road trips to this guild's events!

I hope everyone is having a good week so far!  Welcome to my new followers.  I'm so glad you are here.  Thanks to all that take the time to leave me a comment too.  You all really make my day!


Until next time,

The Inspired Stitcher