five year celebration: a yarn giveaway!

I started this blog five years ago. Five years. Oh my! That's a long time. I've met a lot of friends through blogging who have changed my life in both subtle and substantial ways. It's amazing how much inspiration and influence can come from people I've never met in person, yet whom I've spent countless hours with online.

I've changed in these five years. I married my college sweetheart, earned a graduate degree, found a career, discovered a love of knitting, bought a house, planted gardens, baked countless cakes, and became a mother to the most wonderful little boy.

As much as I've changed, it's funny to look back and see how I've remained the same. I started this blog with a quote from "Apples and Oranges," a short story by Alice Munro: "The list of things that Barbara doesn't want to do is as long as your arm. Apparently she wants to do what she does--read, and go for walks, eat and drink with pleasure, tolerate some company." I planned to write this blog as long as it was something I wanted to do.

I've been wrestling with what to do here on field wonderful. I love writing and crafting, sharing my life with you, and reading about yours. But I've been feeling uninspired lately. It's hard to find time to write here while taking care of a toddler all day and working at night.

A couple weeks ago I wrote a post to quit my blog. It was a fond farewell, but it also felt like I was breaking up with someone I still loved. I hit the save button and wanted to cry.

I lived with the idea of seriously ending my blog for a few days before deciding that field wonderful is still a place I want to be, still a place I want to come together and share with you all, but that I want it to change to fit me. I want to give myself the time and space to sit down and be creative here.

The blogs I love are the ones where writers share their personal narratives. I want to get to know people through their words in addition to their photos, which is why I shy away from other social media platforms. I know, I know, I feel like a Luddite saying all this. Deep down I'm an old lady stuck in her ways. Maybe I just need to collect addresses and send each of you a nice handwritten letter. To hell with all these screens.  

In the end, I decided to take a little time away and return refreshed and ready to write.

But before I go, let's have a giveaway. Shall we? Oh yes. To celebrate the time I've spent writing this blog and the time you've spent reading it, I have a small giveaway for you. It's a skein of Shetland wool yarn from Ballyhoo Farm that's made from the fleeces of a mother and daughter sheep: Thistle and Shamrock. It's 250 yards of worsted weight and smells wonderfully sheepy, if you like that sort of thing (I do!).

To win, simply leave a comment on this post telling me your thoughts on blogging. Why do you read blogs? Why do you write a blog (if you do)? Make sure I have a way of contacting you if you win.

The contest is open to anyone. I'll ship to the far reaches of the world if that's where the winner lives. I'll close the contest on June 14, 2014.

Be well, my friends, and thank you so much for reading!

summer light (and a winner)

top photo: a sign. bottom photo: berries in my mug.

Oh me. Oh my. Summer is here. I've sweated through more clothes and taken more showers in the past week than I can ever remember. Despite the heat, humidity, and sudden avalanche of yard work (Seriously weeds? You're killing me.), I still feel so glad it's summer. I love the summer light (and I've been trying to capture it!).

* * * 

I chose a winner for the yarn giveaway using the random number generator. The winner is Kepanie of Knitspiring Odyssey! Kepanie, please send me your info and I'll send you a pretty skein of yarn.

Thanks to everyone who entered! I appreciate that you stopped by to visit, and I'm looking forward to checking out all of your blogs and pattern recommendations.

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yarn giveaway

Last weekend I stopped at ReBelle, a yarn shop in Lexington, Kentucky. I picked up a few skeins of yarn for me and a skein for one of you! I wanted to thank you for reading and commenting. I've been getting to know new blog friends lately and it's so fun!

 Giveaway details:

One person will win a skein of Malabrigo Sock yarn in Archangel. The colorway looks like a sunset to me; it has deep purples, swirls of orange, and hints of yellow.

The giveaway is open to anyone! I'll ship wherever in the world you happen to be.

To enter: 

Leave a comment on this post letting me know what you'd make from this skein (I bought myself a skein and am ready to cast on a Multnomah shawl). Make sure that I have a way to contact you if you win.

For one extra entry each:

• Share this giveaway on Facebook. Leave a comment on this post letting me know.

• Post about this giveaway on your blog. Leave a comment on this post letting me know.

• Tweet about this giveaway. Leave a comment on this post letting me know.

You can enter this giveaway a total of four times!

The giveaway will close on Sunday, July 1, 2012, at 8 p.m. EST. I'll choose a winner at random.

Good luck and thanks for reading!

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staghorn mitts (and winners)

I stayed up way too late last night finishing these Staghorn Mitts. I needed to finish them so I could give them to my pottery teacher today, and I secretly love an excuse to stay up half the night knitting, watching old movies, and drinking tea.

Summer in Kentucky (so hot and humid!) is not the ideal time for heavy wool projects, but since my pottery class ended I won't get to see my teacher anymore before the weather cools off. She'll have outdoor art shows in the fall, so I figure she'll get a lot of use out of fingerless mitts. 

I've been wanting to try this cable pattern for a while now, and since my pottery teacher likes textured pots I thought she might like textured mitts. She also encouraged me to embrace the imperfections in my pots, so I didn't feel too bad that these mitts didn't turn out identical (can you spot the difference?).

I'm pretty excited about my pots, too, and can't wait to show you all. They look so different glazed! 

* * * 

Thanks to everyone who entered the Job's Tears giveaway. 

I couldn't pick a winner, so everybody wins!

That's Amy, Kristen, Evelyn, Jennifer, Katie, Andi, and Jesse. 

Email me your information (fieldwonderful AT gmail DOT com), and I'll send you some natural beads to make your own necklace.

gardener's pearls (for you, too)

When the seed catalogs arrived back in January, I dreamed about growing Job's Tears for the sole purpose of making a necklace. Sometimes my craft projects can get out of hand. Job's Tears are tear-shaped pods that naturally have a hole running through the center, which makes them perfect for stringing as jewelry. I didn't end up ordering from the place that sold Job's Tears, so I figured I'd try again another year.

This weekend I went out looking for neighborhood yard sales (no luck) and instead poked around in a tiny shop nearby. I found a bag of Job's Tears for a dollar. What luck! After an hour of threading and knotting, I've got myself a necklace in much less time than it would have taken to grow and harvest the seeds myself. 

* * * 

I've decided to share the windfall and have a little giveaway. I'll send one of you enough Job's Tears to make a necklace of your own. Just leave a comment on this post and make sure I have a way to reach you. I'll pick a comment at random on Sunday evening, June 10th. 

This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only because I don't want any customs issues from shipping plant materials. I'm sure you understand. :)

400 posts yarn giveaway!

Hello, hello! I recently realized that my last post was number 400. That's certainly something to celebrate! It's been a long time since I held a giveaway, so when I was at the yarn store today I picked up a few skeins to give to some lucky readers. 

I'm giving away 2 skeins of Ella Rae wool in yellow and cream, 3 skeins of Mission Falls cotton from my favorite yarn shop (now closed), and 1 skein of Noro Kureyon in blue and green hues. I want to share the yarn, so I'll be choosing three winners--one for the Ella Rae, one for Mission Falls, and one for Noro.

The nitty gritty of how to win:

1. Leave a comment on this post telling me something about yourself. Anything will do--I'm a fan of random facts. I'd love to know more about my readers. Make sure I have a way to contact you!

2. For a bonus entry, become a follower of Field Wonderful. Leave a comment letting me know you're a follower.

3. For another bonus entry, post about this giveaway on your blog and leave another comment here with the link to your blog post.

Entries from all over the world are welcome. I'm willing to ship this yarn anywhere mail will go. 

This giveaway will close on Monday, September 12, 2011 at 8 PM EST. I'll put the names in a lovely vintage tin and draw for the Ella Rae and Mission Falls. The Noro is my favorite, so I'll choose my five favorite comments and hold a special drawing for it. 

The giveaway is closed. I'll announce the winners in a new post soon.

* * * * *

Good luck to you and thank you so much for reading Field Wonderful!

Lemon Drop Swirl Hat + giveaway links

Meet the Lemon Drop Swirl Hat, a complete Christmas present! I can show it here because I am pretty sure the recipient doesn't read my blog.

I used the Divine pattern again and got inspiration for the flower from Deb at Virginia blue.

I personally love the flower, but I don't know if the person I'm giving it to will. I haven't sewn it on yet because I just can't decide. What do you think? Flower or no flower?

* * * * * 

Don't forget that today is Sew Mama Sew's Giveaway Day! If you're anything like me you'll want to spend oodles of time visiting crafty blogs and signing up to win cool things. I really wanted to participate but ran out of time this year. There are three giveaway lists, so be sure to check them all out. Sewing/Knitting Supplies, Handcrafted Items, Handcrafted Items + Supplies

Belated thanks

Vintage goodies from The Jolly Bee

Happy Thanksgiving (one day late)! I had a wonderful time seeing my family and stuffing my face. I feel very grateful to be able to spend time with people I love. I'm already looking forward to Christmas when we get to do it all over again. Hanging out and eating are two of my favorite things. (You may also remember how much I enjoy red-wine-drinking and couch-sitting. I spend my time in quality ways.)

I also wanted to say thanks to a few fellow bloggers who have sent pretty things my way.

Jodi sent me some lovely things (above)--I can't wait to dive into that pile of vintage sheets and start crafting. There's a scrap with a blue butterfly that will be just perfect for sewing into a Christmas present for my grandma. The beautiful cream and brown threads are sitting with a crocheted stone in a milk glass bowl in my hallway. I'll have to get a photo sometime to show you. Thanks, Jodi!

I won this gorgeous fall tea towel (please forgive my lack of ironing!) from Claudia Pearson. Please check out her shop to see more of her work and much better photos. Thanks, Claudia!

I was also lucky enough to win a copy of Craft Hope: Handmade Crafts for a Cause from Ellie at petalplum.  There are lots of great projects in this book from a lot of great (and familiar) crafters. I'm looking forward to making some things over Christmas break. Ellie included one of her pretty fern zip bags in the package!Thanks so much, Ellie!

I hope everyone has a happy and relaxing weekend!

weekend snippets + giveaway winner

Monday, Monday. It comes too soon. I'm trying to get myself in gear for another busy week. It's that time in the semester when I'm in a near-constant tizzy of busy-ness. To get through the week, I'll be keeping these weekend moments in mind. These are the things I loved this weekend:

Kicking off "The Great Pizza Challenge." Sounds official, huh? The Great Pizza Challenge just means that K and I will be eating pizza from all (seven) of the local pizza places in our neighborhood and determining our favorite. One down, six to go.

Organizing recipes. Whew. This has been on the to-do list for a long time. Sitting down with a cup of tea in the sunlight made this chore quite enjoyable. I neatly sorted the recipes into categories and put them in a binder. Now we can easily flip through all of the recipes we've collected from blogs.

Baking Soft American-Style White Bread from this book. Yep, it tastes like white bread, except better. 

Having friends over for snacks, records, and games.

Finally buying new pillows. Now it feels like I'm sleeping on a cloud. It has been so hard to get out of bed ever since. 

* * * 

What did you love about this weekend?

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Oh yes, the giveaway winner. I didn't forget! The random number selected was 28, making Cnldesantis the winner of the Stone Blue Cable hat. Congrats, Cnldesantis! I've emailed you. Just send me your address, and I'll get the hat in the mail. You've got until Thursday to claim your prize. 

If I don't hear back from the winner by Thursday, I'll select another.

Stone Blue Cable Hat Giveaway [Giveaway Closed]

This is the giveaway I have been so excited about! I want to spread the crochet-cable love and say thanks to all of the lovely people who stop by to read my blog.

I'm giving away a stone blue (blue-gray) cable hat that I crocheted using Rheatheylia's design. The hat is made from 100% wool and will fit most heads. The cables add a layer of thickness, so this hat will keep you very warm come winter.

Here are the giveaway details:

1) To enter, simply leave a comment on this post answering this question: What's something you love about your life?  Be sure to include your contact information so that I can let you know if you are the winner (email address or link to a blog is fine!).

2) For an extra entry, become a follower of Field Wonderful. Leave a comment on this post letting me know that you are a follower.

3) For another extra entry, post about this giveaway on facebook, twitter, or your blog. Make sure to leave a separate comment letting me know you did this. (Feel free to use these three photos here in your posts.)

This giveaway will end on Monday, November 1, 2010 at 8 PM EST. Giveaway is now closed. I'll pick a winner at random.

This giveaway is open to everyone. I'll ship anywhere in the world.

Good luck! 

Thrifting + giveaway winner

 Lately I've been finding lots of good things at thrift shops.  Here are some things I found last week. Most all are from my favorite vintage shop, Tickled Pink. If you live in Louisville, I highly recommend stopping there sometime. The guy that runs the shop is so down-to-earth and passionate about vintage things. Plus, the prices are really affordable and the stock moves fast, meaning that each time I go in it's like entering a new shop.

I found some great textiles--a bit of old feedsack cloth, a scarf, and cloth map of New Zealand, which I have vague notions of someday incorporating into a travel quilt along with reminders of all the other places K and I have traveled. A scrapbook quilt, if you will.

I picked up quite a few doilies (the owner of Tickled Pink said they sell around 5,000 doilies a month!), some simple egg cups, and a pretty tin. We'll get back to the tin in a minute...

K and I have also had a lot of fun shopping for used records. There are actually lots of places in our neighborhood to find records, but we spent hours this weekend hunting for some real bargains at a peddlers' mall. K is very selective in the records he buys, while I want to buy everything cool I find. 

Lately I've been looking for older stuff and I scored quite a few good albums. The Nat King Cole one from 1963 is just perfect for summer--so carefree! The back cover reads: "So break open the popcorn, fill up a giant-size pitcher with root beer, and listen to some of the happiest music in a long, warm century of summers." When K saw that line he said the record sounds like it was made especially for me. And yes, I love it. I also like the super sweet 1937 sounds of the Andrews Sisters. Their music is absolutely perfect to listen to while baking a pie. 

The record I'm most excited about finding is the Crosby-Clooney one from 1958, which I recently read was Rosemary's favorite recording.  I had my fingers crossed that I'd find one of Rosemary's albums and am so happy I did!

Now back to that tin. I typed up the names of everyone who left a comment on my giveaway post, put the slips of paper in this tin, and had K pick one out.

The winner is Chrissy! Congrats Chrissy, I'll get your goodies in the mail soon. 

Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway. I appreciate all of your comments so much, and I especially liked reading what you like and dislike about blogs. 

Thank you again for reading my blog! I love getting your comments and emails and reading your blogs, too. I have been so inspired and encouraged by all of you who stop by this space and take the time to read my posts. Thank you!

I'm late for a very important date (but here's a celebratory giveaway)

Hello! So I missed my own first blog anniversary, which was back in May and I never did get around to celebrating the 200 post mark which happened sometime in April. Not all is lost, however, because I'm a 'better late than never' kind of girl, so let's have a little belated celebration.

To start, I wanted to share with you the origins of my blog's name. I picked the name from an embroidery I completed just before I began blogging which read "through the field wonderful," a phrase I had pulled from an ee cummings poem. I still love the poem so much. The stanza it comes from reads (and forgive me, I don't think I can replicate the spacing here but I'll do my best):

Tumbling-hair

                        picker of buttercups

                                                        violets

dandelions

And the big bullying daisies

                                             through the field wonderful

with eyes a little sorry

Another comes

                         also picking flowers

--ee cummings

To celebrate one year of blogging and over 200 posts and also to thank you for taking the time to read my words and look at my photos, I'm giving away 2 cards and a mini-doily pillow. These small gifts reflect some of the things I love: handwritten letters from friends, crocheting, and sewing. 

If you've been reading for a while you'll know that I am completely smitten by doilies and vintage lace. My house has become filled with doily pillows over this past year. This mini-doily pillow is made from a small doily that I crocheted, sewn onto my favorite unbleached cotton cloth and stuffed with batting and a couple of thimblefuls of lavender. It would make a perfect pincushion or a lovely sachet. You could leave it on your dresser to make your morning routine a bit more peaceful or on your desk to keep your working hours calmer.

To enter, simply leave a comment on this post and make sure to leave your email address so that I can contact you if you win (a comment that links to your profile is fine too, as long as your email address is there). Any comment will do, but I am really interested in specific things that you like or dislike about blogs. I'm always making little changes here at field wonderful, and I would love to get your input. 

**For an extra chance to win become a follower of this blog and make sure to leave me another comment to let me know. **

**For another extra chance to win, blog about this giveaway or post about it on facebook. Of course, leave another comment to let me know you did this.**

So that's 3 chances to win. Woohoo!

This giveaway is open worldwide and I welcome international entries. I'll close the giveaway on Sunday, June 20, 2010 at 8 PM EST. Then I'll choose a winner at random.

Good luck and thank you so very much for reading my blog!

Some new handmade things in my life

I'm happy to say that I lucked into winning a couple of SMS giveaways! I wanted to show off the prizes here as well as thank the bloggers who so generously gave away their handmade things.

I won this fabulous scarf from Elizabeth who writes the blog Toile. Her blog is new to me, but with her love of crafting and literature, I think I'm going to be visiting quite often. 

I have to say that this scarf my new favorite summer accessory. I've started trying to plan my outfits so that I can wear it nearly every day. Here's what I love about it: the colors, the floral print, the weight of the fabric--so light--and its versatility. At first I thought I would have to wait to wear this lovely scarf because summers in Kentucky are so hot and humid, but it's actually perfect because restaurants and shops blast the a/c this time of year and can be too cold. 

I mostly wear this scarf like you see in the top photo, just tied in the back (or, as my husband says, like a cowboy). I also like to twist and wear it as a chunky necklace. I haven't worn it out as a headcover yet, but I think it would be perfect to wear like this while working in the yard or on a hike. 

Elizabeth also made this green crocheted grocery bag, which I love. It's great for the farmers' market.

The bag on the left is a morsbag that I won from Steph (forgive the wrinkles, I've already been using it for groceries). I actually won two of these morsbags, which Steph made from thrifted sheets. I was really in need of some more reusable grocery bags, so I'm completely thrilled that I got these. 

On her blog, Steph encourages everyone to use their own cloth grocery bags. If you sew or know someone who does, she's offering a little incentive to get you to stop using plastic bags. She'll send you a morsbag kit for free--fabric pieces cut and pressed, plus a morsbag label--and all you have to do is sew it together and start using it. If you aren't already taking your own bags when shopping, what are you waiting for? It's an easy way to cut down on your plastic consumption. If you already use cloth bags, maybe you need another or know someone else who does. Check out Steph's post here for more information. And if you believe that little things can make a difference (I do!) leave her a comment letting her know. 

Thanks again to Elizabeth and Steph! Handmade things make me very happy!

Picnic in the Park Pillow Cover Giveaway Winner

A flower date?

Hopefully Emmalina will be seeing a lot more flowers as she picnics and enjoys the outdoors with her new pillow cover. Congrats, Emmalina, you were lucky #67! Just email me your mailing address and the pillow cover will be on its way to you.

Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway. It was so much fun to read all of your comments.

I hope you'll stick around because I sure do like you guys. Also, I wanted to let you know that my year anniversary of blogging is coming up, and I'm going to do another giveaway in a couple of weeks to celebrate. I'm excited about it already. 

May Giveaway Day: Picnic in the Park Pillow Cover

 

I'm participating in Sew Mama Sew's Giveaway Day. I woke up this morning just giddy about it. If you're new here, welcome to Field Wonderful! I hope you'll grab a cup of your favorite tea and stay awhile. If you've been here before, welcome back! I always enjoy visiting with you. Now, did somebody say something about a giveaway...

I'm giving away this Picnic in the Park pillow cover--it would liven up your home or would be the perfect summertime lounging accessory for outdoors. Cozy up with it in your garden chair or toss it under a shady tree for some reading time. Take it to the beach for some comfy sunning or to the park for an after-picnic nap. The fabric on the back is green, so there's no need to worry about grass stains!

Pillow Cover details: This pillow cover is made from vintage sheets. I love the funky patterns and finding a way to repurpose old items. It measures 16" by 16" square, has French seams, is envelope-backed, and of course is machine-washable. This giveaway is for the pillow cover only.

Giveaway details:

*To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment on this post. Any comment will do! If you're at a loss of what to write, I'd love to hear about your summer plans or favorite summertime activity.

*This giveaway is open to anyone who'd like to enter. International entries are welcome!

*Be sure to leave a valid email with your comment. I need a way to contact you if you win. If your comment links to your blog or profile and your email is there, that's fine, too.

*This giveaway will close on Thursday, May 20, 2010, at 10 PM EST.

*I'll choose a winner at random.

Good luck!

* * * * *

Wait, there are lots more chances to win things. And who doesn't like a chance to win something?

Sew Mama Sew's Giveaway Day includes three different kinds of crafty giveaways: Handcrafted Items, Supplies, and Handcrafted Items + Supplies.

Sewing Party

Julie came over today for her very first sewing lesson. It was so fun to have someone to craft with! She's a natural and the eye pillow she made is gorgeous. We had a little photo shoot--she was supposed to be looking relaxed but she just couldn't keep from giggling. I like the smiley pictures better anyway.

This week has been kind of funky--Julie picked out some funky vintage sheets for her eye pillow and Amy posted about funky potholders. So I've come up with something a little bit funky to give away on Monday. That's right, Monday is Sew Mama Sew's May Giveaway Day! I'm so excited. Their giveaway days are always  a great way to meet new people and to have a chance to win some cool things. There's still time to sign up to give something away if you're interested. 

Hope you have a great weekend! Got any good plans? K and I are helping my mom with some yard work tomorrow for a belated Mother's Day present. She's got quite a garden this year. I plan to soak it all in. I miss my garden already (but not my neighbors). 

Be sure to stop back here on Monday for the giveaway!

Weekend doings and a giveaway winner

This weekend was so restful and refreshing. K and I did make it out of the house to run errands, but the majority of our time was spent holed up at home, keeping snug and warm.

I did a little sewing...

Wrapped up in a ripple rainbow (great for chasing the winter blues away) and read this fascinating book for class...

Baked a British loaf from a breads of the world book I got at the library...

and picked a winner for the eye pillow giveaway. 

Congrats, Lisa, it's you! (I've sent you an email--just send me your address and I'll get a pretty eye pillow to you).

I want to thank everyone who entered the giveaway. Thank you! Your comments were lovely. It's so interesting to hear how other people relax! I think I've picked up a few tips.

**What did you do this weekend?**

p.s. I've got this winter manifesto as my desktop wallpaper, and it's been making me so happy all weekend! I thought you might like it, too.

Some home-sewn goodness for you: An Eye Pillow Giveaway!

This weekend passed quickly in a flurry of activity. One of the things that kept me busy was sewing up eye pillows--I think I may be addicted. I've got a stash of fabric scraps along with some vintage fabrics and thrifted sheets that were just calling out to be sewn into eye pillows. And so I heeded the call...

I've also stocked up on lentils, flax seeds, and lavender, which makes the house smell so fresh and calming. 

I made one eye pillow for keeping, a couple for giving, and several for selling in my etsy shop (look for them later this week!). I've been using mine every day, and it is so relaxing. The light, cool weight of the lentils and the soothing sweet scent of lavender makes me feels miles away from all of the things on my to-do list. The eye pillow is a great way to take a little break!

I'm giving away this pink and blue eye pillow. It's made from soft vintage pink flannel, blue flowered sheets, and pink gingham. It's filled with lentils, flax seeds, and lavender. 

Because I'm not quite sure about international shipping laws regarding seeds and things, this contest is open to US residents only. If you live outside of the US, I'm sorry! I'll have another giveaway open to everyone soon.

How to enter: 

*Leave a comment on this post. Any comment is fine, but if you'd like to tell me what you do to relax and unwind, that'd be nice.

*Make sure you leave a valid email address so that I can contact you if you win. 

***

Something new I'm trying is a way for you to earn extra entries by spreading the word about this giveaway. You can earn up to two additional entries, giving you up to three chances to win. 

*Earn 1 extra entry: Become a follower of Field Wonderful and leave a comment letting me know that you did. If you're already a follower, leave a comment letting me know.

*Earn 1 extra entry: Link to this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, or your blog and leave a comment letting me know.

This giveaway will end Friday, February 5, 2010 at 10 PM (EST). I'll put all of the names in a pretty tin and draw out a winner. Best of luck!