Welcome!

There’s only one more day to pre-order Gayle’s latest book The Quick and The Thread (the embroidery mystery written under the name Amanda Lee)  for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card. For full contest information, see the Contest Announcement in an earlier blog post.

Spotlights:

Today, I have two spotlights. The first is Matt’s collection of necktie cakes. As a necktie lover, Matt has amassed an adorable assortment of necktie cakes. (I know, in keeping with the alliteration, I should’ve said “ascots.”)

I’d also like to point you in the direction of Holly Clegg’s burger cake–just the thing for those upcoming summer picnics! The “burger” uses yellow cake for the buns, a fudge brownie for the burger, yellow tinted whipped topping “mustard” and strawberries and kiwis for additional garnishes (pickles and tomatoes, anyone?). How easy and cute is that?! If you try the burger cake, please take a photo and share it with us!

Take care and have a wonderful Independence Day!

Marcy’s Musings

Hi, there! Only one more week to enter the pre-order contest for The Quick and The Thread and be entered to win the $50 Amazon gift card. If you pre-order the book, just e-mail Gayle (gayle@gayletrent.com) with your confirmation e-mail or a jpeg of your order form or receipt by midnight on June 30. You don’t have to preorder the book from Amazon. You can order it from any online or brick-and-mortar store.

Thank you to everybody who has entered so far!

There will be plenty more fun and prize giveaways on August 3 at the virtual release party. “Like” the Facebook page, follow Gayle on Twitter or stay tuned to this blog for more details.

Summer Embroidery Spotlight:

If your weather is like our weather, it’s too hot right now to go out and enjoy much of the great outdoors. So why not use this as an excuse to stay inside and get some stitching done? Below are some sites featuring summer embroidery projects:

http://www.dollarstitch.com/home.php?cat=509 - I love the Soda Pop Top Covers or Coasters!

http://www.sulky.com/embroidery/summer_sampler.php - Isn’t the kitten adorable? And how pretty are those flower borders?

http://www.bunnycup.com/viewset.aspx?designset=344 - Cool appliques!

http://www.homeberries.com/summer/ - Freebies!

http://livinglearningandlovingsimply.blogspot.com/2009/06/simple-summer-embroidery-project.html - Wonderful keepsake idea.

http://www.marthastewart.com/article/fruity-button-napkins - How cute are these?

http://www.coatsandclark.com/Crafts/Crochet/Features/summer+projects.htm - For those of you who like to knit or crochet.

Have fun and stay cool!