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!

Happy Memorial Day!

As I told you in a recent post, The Quick and The Thread written under the pseudonym Amanda Lee is now available for pre-order from Amazon.com and AmazonUK.com.  To celebrate, I’m having a special contest for the month of June. Anyone who pre-orders The Quick and The Thread from either Amazon or Amazon UK by June 30 will be entered to win a $50 Amazon gift card.

To enter the contest, simply forward a copy of your Amazon confirmation e-mail to gayle@gayletrent.com or send a jpeg of your order. If you choose to pre-order from your local bookseller, please send a jpeg of your receipt with sensitive information blacked out. Be assured your Amazon confirmation is safe. Sensitive information is protected by the customer’s password.

One winner will be drawn from all the e-mail addresses submitted on the morning of July 1, 2010. The winner will be notified by e-mail and will receive an electronic Amazon gift certificate in the amount of $50 US.

Order from Amazon UK at http://www.amazon.co.uk/Quick-Thread-Embroidery-Mystery/dp/0451230965/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1275316489&sr=8-1.

Or you may order from Amazon using this link:

Good luck!

Marcy’s Musings

Hi, everybody. Angus and I are happy to see signs of springtime. Although it’s still cold here on the Oregon Coast, the trees are budding and we’re seeing more sunshine.

Gayle tried her hand at a new embroidery technique this week: ribbon embroidery. We’re going to spotlight that technique in just a moment. First, take a look at Gayle’s projects, a keepsake box and a tote bag.  The technique is surprisingly easy, but you can’t rush it. Gayle says she caught herself humming that old .38 Special tune Hold On Loosely while she worked!

Before I forget, I want to direct your attention over to FreshFiction where you can enter Gayle’s latest contest. The contest is called Beautiful and Cozy Springtime Prize Pack and the prize is a signed copy of Dead Pan and a Tarte Health Couture Spring Greening Reusable Straw Palette (a $95 value).  Be sure and enter (and you can do so more than once), and good luck!

Embroidery Spotlight: Ribbon Embroidery

Even if you’re new to embroidery, don’t be afraid to give this beautiful needlecraft technique a try. To get you started, here are some links to ribbon embroidery sites:

Beginners’ Silk-Ribbon Embroidery: Five Easy Stitches - Here the editors of Threads magazine provide illustrated step-by-step instructions.

Gathered Flower Demonstration 

Silk Ribbon Embroidery Beginnings - Allow Suite 101 editor Michelle Dompierre Southern to help you learn the basics of ribbon embroidery.

Ribbon Embroidery Patterns and Instructions - Includes links to patterns by various About.com contributors.

If you try your hand at ribbon embroidery, please share your photos here!

Check out my cover!

Don’t you love it?! I do. I’m really thrilled. Gayle told her editor she wanted to hug the artist. So she (a/k/a Amanda Lee) and I have something else to be thankful for tomorrow.

I’m keeping this newsletter short and sweet since tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day. I hope all of you have a wonderful, blessed day.