Friday, March 25, 2011

Celebration Give-Away

True friendships isn't measured by time,
but by the times shared.
Kelly Eillen Hake

    I am hosting a celebration give away. What am I celebrating you ask. Well today is my one month of blogging. It is also been one year since my husband retired and I can say I am still happily married.


This is my give away package. It will also include something sweet to be added right before shipping.


This is a homemade pin pillow with a small scissor fob.
I have included a pair of my favorite snips.
They can be taken anywhere including air travel.

Because I am new at blogging I am not sure of the meaning of some terms or why you do what you do. One term I cannot figure is TUSAL. Why do you save your thread scrapes in jars and stuff? What do you do with them?

The rules for my give away are simple.
1 point for being a follower - new or old
1 point for including your blog and posting it there
1 point for telling me if you save your TUSAL or not and why

Only leave one comment with all the above information. If you do not have a blog leave me your email address so I can contact you if you are the winner. I will close the comments on Thursday night March 31st.

Thank you for making my first month of blogging so much fun!

Always keep love in your stitches,
Teresa


41 comments:

Amy said...

Oh, how cute!!! I am a follower, no blog, and I keep my fibers just because I saw everyone else doing it. I am a follower, don't ya know. :)
amyfrazier@hotmail.com
Thanks,
Amy

Mouse said...

oo lovely I am a follower :) I keep my Tusal (totally useless sal ) in my bursce (sp) bag and every so oft I use them to stuff humbugs , biscornu's with :)love mouse xxxx

www.talesofastitichingmouse.blogspot.com

CalamityJr said...

TUSAL - Totally Useless Stitch-a-long, pretty much what it says. Not very useful, but a fun way to look at the thread scraps and colors and see what you've accomplished with them. Often posted on blogs, just to share visual proof that stitching IS being accomplished. I have read of one thing keeping them from being totally useless, and that is to put the "strings" outside in the spring when birds are building nests, and then they're often put to very good use! Sometimes also called ORT, which I think used here means something like old ragged threads, though literally was an old word referring to a scrap of food.

I am a follower and love seeing what lovely things you're creating, and I do keep my TUSAL jar with my current WIP (work in progress) on the table by my stitching chair because I enjoy seeing a reminder of what I've finished, and, besides, the colors are pretty, lol! Unfortunately, I don't have a blog so can't post your giveaway there, so I qualify for two chances for the lovely package you've put together. Thanks for the chances!

Tricia T said...

Fun giveaway!

I'm a follower and I don't save my thread scraps. :-) I'll put your giveaway in my sidebar!

moreofhim said...

I'm a long time follower! I didn't even know what a TUSAL was but after much searching on Yahoo, I figured it out! I haven't done this before (obviously) but am thinking it's a good idea. I like the idea of a visual reminder of how much (or how little) stitching I've gotten done from new moon to new moon. :) I posted about your giveaway on my blog here - http://www.moreofhim.net/2011/03/giveaway-on-heartfelt-stitches.html

Thank you for entering me! Everything is beautiful!

-Julie
moreofhimblog(at)gmail(dot)com

Deborah said...

I am a follower. This is my first year doing the TUSAL (totally useless SAL). It's fun to see all the different threads and colors that you use. Thanks for having a great giveaway!

Kate said...

Those snips are so cute!
I'm a follower, It's my first year of doing the TUSAL and I'm collecting mine into clear christmas baubles - that may or may not change!
Will post this on my blog.

Lesleyanne said...

Please enter me in your giveaway. I am a follower. TUSAL is a totally useless stitch along. I have saved mine for a couple of years but this is the first time I have officially joined in. I am hoping this year to use mine for christmas baubles if I can find them .I will post your giveaway on my blog tomorrow.

Midge said...

Hi, I would love to be part of your giveaway. I am a follower of your blog - as you are of mine.
You can blame Sharon at Daffycat for the TUSAL - she is running it this year. We post our ORT jars as a photo every new moon and if you complete every one, you go into a draw for a prize.
Eventually, I put my ORT's out for the birds and they take them to line their nests.
I'll pop a link to your blog on my blog right now.

Unknown said...

That's an amazing generous giveaway. Thank you for the chance.
Would love the pincushion. So sweet.
I kept my TUSAL up to January this year. Then a tiny owl chick fell from its nest and I rescued and adopted the poor little thing. I used all my TUSAL for its nest. She has grown into a very handsome bird.
I suppose my TUSAL was very usefull after all.
You can check my little girl here http://gina-catswhiskers.blogspot.com/2011/02/bruna-owl.html(I hope she is a girl as I have named her Bruna the Owl)
Posted your giveaway on my sidebar
Gina

SheilasEmbroidery said...

Hi Teresa, I am a new follower thanks to another blog watcher. I have my own blog http://sheilasembroidery.blogspot.com/
and always keep all my scraps in my TUSAL jar. At the end of the year I use my scraps in a created fabric usually using vanishing fabric. You can see one piece in my top photo on my blog - the dark red heart. Oh yes TUSAL Stands for Totally Useless Stitch Along and ORT stands for Old Raggy Threads - which make up the TUSAL. We blog a photo of our containers every new moon.

Unknown said...

I am a new follower and a TUSAL is a Totally Useless Stitch A Long. I like to just gather mine in a jar and look at all the colours and threads I've used for the last month.

This is my blog

http://ruthsrunningstitch.blogspot.com/

Lucie said...

I am a new follower too :) I have recently started a TUSAL as I used to find the threads everywhere!!! My blog is:

http://luciesstitchingjourney.blogspot.com

#HeatherMakes said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
#HeatherMakes said...

I like my totally useless stitch a long because I can see what threads I have used, plus if I am looking for a little piece of thread just to do one or two stitches I can dip into the TUSAL and pinch a bit from there!!

The main advantage I have found is that there are no little scraps of thread on the sofa, me or the floor so for me the TUSAL is very handy!

Love your blog and I am a new follower!

May you be here for many many many months to come!

Happy stitching and blogging

Heather

http://heathersstitchingstory.blogspot.com

natalysneedle said...

TUSAL Totally useless stitch a long. Teresa I do save my snippets for a couple of reasons, one is that by placing them in a jar it keeps them out of the kitties tummies and second I put the clippings out in the springtime so the birds have something soft to line their nests. A couple of years ago I had an Oriole nest that was the most colorful on the block.

pam said...

I save my threads in a ORT jar just to help keep the stitching nest from being so messy. Posted a link on my blogg and alreay a follower. Congrats on one month of blogging.

Nancy said...

Congratulations on one month of blogging! Thanks for hosting such a nice giveaway. I am a follower, I posted your giveaway on my blog and yes I do keep an ORT jar. I have a little thread gathering sewing bag on the arm of the sofa where I stitch to collect the little thread ends. About one a week or so I add these to my ORT jar which has a frog on top to hold my scissors. The jar is pretty and functional. When the jar is full I put the threads outside for the birds to use.

Dani - tkdchick said...

What a lovely giveaway you've got there. I don't follow blogs I tend to visit back the people who leave me comments.

Congrats on 1 month of blogging.

Debbie Bauer said...

Teresa your work is gorgeous! I am a new follower.I don't have a blog.(maybe someday I'll get brave enough)I am even new to following blogs.I am hooked now and find it so inspirational.I keep my TUSAL in an old glass mason jar with a pin cushion in the lid.It looks really cute in my sewing area and it useful.I would love to be entered in your giveaway.Debbie

Kttycat said...

Congrats on one month of blogging! I keep my bits. I think it's fun to see what colors you've used over the years and to see how much adds up. This year Daffycat has also turned it into a giveaway. Unfortunately she has closed the sign-ups. I also know one person that takes her orts (the little bits of string) and she will use them to make bookmarks and other patterns. They turn out pretty cute. But I don't tend to have big enough bits to do anything like that.

gracie said...

I have been a follower....I have been keeping a TUSAL for many years...love the colors that appear inmy jar and then I share them with the birdworld for nesting. I will post on my blog...

Blu Stitcher said...

I am a new follower, I found you blog from Gracie. I have been doing the TUSAL but I don't know what I am going to do with it. I do know how fun its been to see all my little pieces of thread add up and how pretty all the colors are. I love Gracie's idea of giving them to the birds for their nests. How smart is she..... I will mention your giveaway on my blog. It's a tiny one, but it's a blog. LOL

http://blustitcher.blogspot.com/

Catherine said...

What a fun giveaway! I am a follower and will post in my sidebar. I do keep my TUSAL and put them around my garden in the spring for the birds to use for their nests. I have also used some to use as filling in small finishes.

CRAFTY STITCHERS said...

Hi, I saw you visited me, so I thought I will visit you and saw you were having a great give-away, I am now a follower and will post on my blog. Thanks, Cyndy

Lynn B said...

Thankyou for the lovely comment on my blog.

This is a lovely giveaway, I would love to be included in the draw!

Kind regards

Lynn B

lanybleu said...

Lovely giveaway, I do save my Tusal, in a bag hung on my frame, I usually clean it out after a few projects, always amazed on how much there is.
Good luck with your Blog.

Vicky L said...

A lovely giveaway! I am a follower and will be posting your giveaway on my blog. I save my TUSAL in a jar. The reasons are 1. I like to see the piles of orts filling the jar and 2. if I dont save them, I find little threads everywhere. It is just neater.

Janet said...

Congratulations on both of your anniversaries. They are both great accomplishmnets. My TUSAL lives at my elbow in a fruit jar and looks very interesting.

My e-mail address is mjharp718@hotmail.com

My Life In Stitches said...

I would love to be entered in your giveaway I am a follower and I do not save my threads-I usually stitch to the very end . Happy anniversary! I enjoy your blog and your talent. Darlene darclerob@hotmail.com

Peggy said...

I keep my TULSA and plan on making a small bird nesting packet for my beautiful backyard birds. The male cardinals are starting to feed sunflower seeds to the females, so it won't be long before they start building their nests.
I would love to enter your giveaway; I am now a follower of your blog, and have posted about your giveaway on mine:
http://keepmeinstitches-peggy.blogspot.com
Thanks.
Peggy
peggy_verdongibbs@att.net

Crystal said...

I would love to be entered in your give away. I'm a new follower, and I save my ORT's in the TUSAL at the end of the year I fill up a clear glass ornament with them for my stitcher's tree.

Ranae said...

Congrats on one month of blogging, you are doing a great job.
Please enter me for the fun give-away
I am a follower.
I use my scraps to fill a special finished piece, like a pin cushion or the like.
I finished one for my daughter like that, even if she don't get it, lol
otherwise it makes a colorful looking jar, even if people ask me what in the world is that???? LOL

Sue said...

Your pincushion and scissor fob are adorable. Would love a chance to win. I don't belong to the TUSAL but I do save my threads. I know them as ORT's (Old Ragged Threads). I keep them in a tall glass vase and have years worth piled in there. They look so pretty and sometimes I'll look at them and remember pieces I've worked on.

Val said...

I am a follower and my blog is :


http://talesfromastitchingwitch.blogspot.com/

I love those little snips - where did you get them ? As for TUSAL's - the name says it all for me - totally useless - my odd thread ends go in the bin - actually I have heard that some folks put the ends out for bird nest building - and have heard that bird societies say not to do this x

blueladie said...

I am a new follower and really enjoy your blog. Thanks for the chance and please enter me in your giveaway. :) Cathryn (blueladie at hotmail dot com)

Mary Joan said...

What a lovely giveaway. Please enter me. I'm a new follower to your blog. I've also just started blogging this year and really enjoying it. You can find me on http://maryjoanstitching.blogspot.com/.
I have posted your celebration giveaway in my post dated 21st March along with some more giveaways.
TUSAL - I have a tin with about 4 or 5 years of threads inside. It's almost full. I keep it just in case there is an odd bit that I might need, if it's long enough. I have used the odd lengths to make small scissor keeps with small oddments of aida that I have cut off. It's amazing what you can do with small off cuts of thread and fabric. I am also going to use the smaller left overs to stuff humbugs and pincushions with.

Happy Stitching and Blogging

Mary Joan

Bobbie said...

I'm a new follower. You have a lovely blog and you do beautiful stitching. What a fantastic give-a-way. Thank you for the opportunity to win. Congratulations on your one month blog. I don't have a blog so I will leave you my email address in hopes that I win your give-a-way. I love your "stitch" pillow!!
Bobbie :)
bobbiejess@comcast.net
I do not have a TUSAL jar but if I did, I'd take all my threads to my backyard for the birds to use to build their nests.

Unknown said...

Oh what a scrummy give away, I would so love to be entered.

http://craftymoo-sarah.blogspot.com/

I have to do a PIF and my TUSAL will be used to stuff two humbugs I have to make.

I have posted on my blog about your give away.

Wagapapa said...

Hello Teresa!

I'm a new follower and I'd like to enter this fantastic giveaway :D

I have also taken one of the photos with the link of the giveaway to my blog (http://wagapapacreations.blogspot.com/).

I save my TUSAL into a plastic bottle because it's easier for me than stacking them in the table befoer throwing them to the dustbin.

Regards from Bilbao!

Noemi (mimideusto@gmail.com)

Kim Reid said...

Congratulations on your wonderful new blog!!
I am following and I save my floss bits in a glass vase :)
Thanks,
kimberlybreid at hotmail dot com