A teacup pincushion swap sent........

A couple of weeks before my mother arrived, I participated in a "Teacup Pincushion Swap" in a Yahoo group that I belong to. Our challenge was to use a teacup and create a pincushion from it and also include a totebag (purchased or sewn), along with some goodies. My partner Susanne from Australia said she liked blue and so I went in search of a blue teacup. This turned out to be a difficult task. It never occurred to me that blue would be so hard to find. I found lots of teacups with pink roses and pretty yellow ones but the delicate blue china teacup I could see in my mind never came to be. Finally, at the Salvation Army Thrift Shop I found one with some blue on it and here's what I made........
I had some tea-colored fabric that I used to make a fabric ball and then stuffed it for the pincushion. I added a little floral piece to represent a dollop of cream and then a pretty bow and a doily from another thrift shop completed the teacup pincushion that I sent off to Susanne.

I wanted to make a totebag for her but time became an issue because I wasn't feeling well and my mother's visit was coming up so I was busy with that. I sent along a purchased totebag and then added lots of goodies.....woolfelt bundles and a tin filled with yards of pretty trims so that Susanne can make more pincushions. In my search for a blue teacup, I found a couple of other treasures in blue that she can use for a pincushion or whatever she wants. I was surprised to find pins with button heads at JoAnn fabrics and sent a pack of them along to her. And the Dollar store yielded the notebook and the little Teatime Treats book. Of course, I had to include a fat quarter of sewing themed fabric. :-) Susanne enjoyed all the goodies I sent and I enjoyed what she sent me. It arrived just a couple of days before I left to go to Iowa to get my mother. Wait til you see what Susanne sent. I'm going to share photos of all the pink goodness that she made for me and I can tell you right now that she spoiled me!! She is awesomely talented and I could hardly believe my eyes when I opened the box filled with so many pretties. I will take photos tomorrow and share in my next post.

In the meantime, here are a couple of photos from places my mother and I visited when she was here. This photo was taken in the community of Arlington, MN and is a park area near the hospital. The flags were still on display as this was the day after Memorial Day.

Surrounding the helicopter are bronze statues of men in the various branches of the U.S. Military. As my mother noted.....they almost looked real. It was quite impressive.
Just west of Arlington, is the community of Gaylord (our county seat) where we spotted this pretty view.

We were just driving up and down streets looking at houses, when we came into a park that is at the north end of the town and a small lake. There we saw this pretty gazebo/band shelter and the most lovely view of the lake. My thought when I saw this ........ it's amazing what one finds in their "own backyard" when visitors come and you take them sightseeing! I had no idea that little lake was there so I've decided I have to wander around streets in the little towns I pass through more often and see what treasure I can find! Tomorrow, along with Susanne's pincushion goodies, I'm going to share another little hidden treasure that is in the town to the south of us.

I'm hoping for a little sun today. Weather has been a wee bit rainy and gloomy which I don't usually mind but this is summer so I'm hoping for sun!

Sandi