Finally, Boxwood and Berries Gathering!

Carmin Garmin got us to Spring Green WI with no further problems. When we walked into the new classroom at Country Sampler we found this great wooden tote sitting on our tables. Inside was an apron and a wool kit. Each of the three designers were asked to design a pocket for the apron. Don't you love the tote? Our first designer was Maggie Bonanomi. What a sweet lady, and funny too! Here she is telling us about our first project, A Book of Days.

Here is the pocket she designed for our apron. It is all wool applique.

This is the front of our Book of Days, but it is the back of Maggie's as she stitched hers together backwards.

As you can see the back is lovely too.

Here are some of the pages inside our journal. Maggie gave us pictures to use that are beautiful. Pictures of old buttons, old cookie and tart tins and old Christmas bulbs are my favorites. I may also use some of my own pictures when I finish my Book of Days.

Here Maggie is making beeswax candles. Because of lack of time and space we only observed this project. I am going to try this. Probably not this year. Those little candles were so cute for that tree.

Next we made a feather tree from tissue paper. This is the lovely urn with raw cotton and pine cones that we put our trees in.

Here is the tree. I made all of my branches. I didn't put mine together because of the flight home. I don't know that I would have been able to carry it through three airports without being pulled aside for an extensive security check!!! I listened carefully to the instructions on finishing my tree to finish here at home. This is a picture of the tree that Maggie made.

This is Maggie's newest book. It"s lovely. We were fortunate enough to see a trunk show of all the projects from this book. What a clever lady!

This off white on off white wool was lovely.

This cutout was great too.

This is my favorite project from the book. It is a wool Punkin's Mat. I call my grandchildren Punkins. She had it sitting in this cutest twig stool. I love it. I am on the hunt for one.

So Cute.

Loved this hooked rug. See that cute little pumpkin pincushion. If only I had more time!

This looked good enough to eat.

This was so clever. Maybe next year.

I loved this pear too and the stand that it was on ..... a glass candle holder painted... Why didn't I think of that?

A wool mat for Christmas.

Maggie made several batches of cookies and showed several ways to package them as gifts. Maggie did not drink all the wine in those bottles. (we had a wine tasting, trying wines from South America)

We all got to try some. They were yummy!!

Maggie was a very busy lady in Spring Green. When she wasn't with us or baking she was out antiquing in her tomato red Jeep. She looked so cute in it!!!

We had a wonderful time with Maggie. She shared some great projects and ideas with us. She will have a new book out in the Spring on Rug Hooking.

Next time I will tell you all about our day with Stacy Nash. Another fun day. Until then keep stitching. I hope that everyone here in the U.S. had a very Happy Thanksgiving. I had a wonderful day spent with family and a bit of stitching.

Pat