New Year, New Online Class with Craftsy

Happy, Happy New Year!! I hope you had an amazing holiday & New Years. I'm in California soaking in the sun and warmth of the west coast and spending all the time I can with my family and friends until I go back to the cold of NY.

I'm very excited to kick off the new year with a big project I've been working on behind the scenes for awhile now. Today I get to announce....drum roll please: I've filmed an online class with Craftsy called, Design it, Stitch it: Hand Embroidery!!

People have always asked me if I had online videos on how to do stitches, and now, I do! So happy that you can now take a very in-depth embroidery class with me anytime, anywhere, and in your pjs if you wanted!

In the class I teach you over 25 stitches, different transfer methods, how to stitch on tricky fabrics, and my favorite, designing your own patterns. We stitch a few projects together a sampler of all the stitches and a beautiful customizable shirt and you also get some bonus patterns.

To celebrate the launch I'm giving away one free class subscription. All you have to do is sign up for Craftsy here. If you already have a Craftsy account you can use the same link and just log in to your existing account to be entered. (If any trouble seeing the giveaway page try using Firefox.) I'll announce and email the winner Jan. 14th.

 

If you've ever wanted to learn to embroider, refresh your skills or pick up a new hobby for the new year this class would be perfect! I hope you'll check it out & don't forget to enter to win the class for free!

Pom-Poms! Sneak peak of the new book & Giveaway

I never made pom-poms as a kid. Recently, though I got a bunch of my grandmother's notions and there were a set of mysterious circle thingys, which are actually pom-pom makers in various sizes. One afternoon I made a shit ton of pom-poms to make up for all the missing childhood poms that never were. I feel like I've missed out for too long on the crafty magic these puffy little balls of string can bring. For the love of all things pom Sarah Goldschadt & Lexi Walters Wright have a new book coming out real soon (Oct. 1 2013) all about 'em, Pom-Poms! 25 Awesomely Fluffly Projects. It's such a bright, fun collection of projects for your home, events, and to wear. 

The ideas are clever. Things I wouldn't have thought about and fell in love with instantly like the pop-pom cowl above, tinsel poms, and pom-pom piñata (below). I've now got more pressure building for that quilt I've been dying to make–there will be pom-poms!

Seriously love the "Wrapping Styles" section (above), which gives recipes for getting different effects like polka dots, speckles, and stripes. There are also instructions for how to make poms from cardboard, a fork, even your fingers, and other materials like tissue paper, t-shirts(!), felt, tulle, fabric, and even coffee filters are transformed into a dreamy, dramatic pom-pom.

Thanks to Quirk Books I have an advanced copy of Pom-Poms! to giveaway to one lovely reader (or handsome reader. Wait you can be lovely and handsome. Whatever. You, you.). Just leave a comment here &
I'll pick a random winner a week from today, next Thursday, Oct. 3. Comment ideas: creative descriptive words for pom-poms other than pom-pom (I don't think I've ever said pom-pom more than in this here post!), what you'd like to make, and/or your fave crafty story about pom-pom making...

p.s If you become a pom-pom master make me a sweater just like this. Please & thank you.

**10/3 The giveaway is now closed. Thanks for all the comments! The winner is Sandra of The Slow Catwalk! Please send me an email hello (at) miniaturerhino (dot) com with your mailing address.

A visit with Jenny Hart & a giveaway...

The queen bee of embroidery...

I'm a lucky lady. A few weeks ago I got to meet Jenny Hart, see her studio & her work in person. I even ran my fingers over that lovely piece you see above. It's huge! Loved seeing where she runs Sublime Stitching and creates her personal work.  

Jenny has been so kind to me. She wrote a sweet lil' blurb for my new book, Stitched Gifts, and is giving away a copy on her blog today. So have a peek into her studio below & then head on over here to win yourself a copy of Stitched Gifts from the queen bee herself.... 

It's not every day that Jenny Hart pulls open her flat file cabinet for you to see her work. It was such a nice day....

This is just a small selection of her vintage embroidery books! And check out the vintage wood cabinets....

All that thread!

You should be following Jenny on Instagram for peeks at her projects in progress. I do! And now go, right now to the Sublime Stitching blog & enter to win a copy of Stiched Gifts. Comments will be closed on Wednesday 10/17/12 at NOON PST. One winner will be picked and announced on Thursday 10/18/12 7pm PST. Good luck!

Hope you're having a great day!!

Squam + MR giveaway winner....

THANK YOU to everyone who stopped by and shared their favorite scent memory! I really LOVED reading the comments. There's something so nice about sharing our favorite memories.  Even though the giveaway is over you should still read the comments & keep sharing.

Ok, so....The winner is comment 23, Teri S. who shared....

My scent memory? The spicy sweet smell of the rocks I used to climb. It's imbued in my husband's climbing gear. And it's not just the rocks at Carderock. It's the rocks in the region (Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland). Whenever I am lucky enough to be near a rock outcrop, I press my face to the rock and breathe deeply. Ahhh...such wonderful memories!
And my second favorite scent is the scent of very old houses. The houses in Riquewihr, France literally *exhale* the centuries. Exquisite!

Thank you again so much & big thanks to Squam for offering up this sweet treat! The Sweet Forest Sachets are still available but only until August. Hurry!

A smell good giveaway....

Hope you're having a great weekend!!

 

My friends at Squam wanted to share a little something with you - a beautiful Sweet Forest Sachet  hand made by Heather Renz. They are filled with balsam pine needles, which smell so sweet, light and like being in the woods. I have a little sachet of balsam fir tips that I got two years ago at Squam Lake that still smells so good and I enjoy everyday when I open my drawers! Reminds me of Squam, a lovely place to learn + explore. You can read about my past experiences teaching there here. 

To enter to win this sweet gift from Squam just leave a comment here saying hello and perhaps – since this is a scented giveaway – your favorite scent memory. Or like me on FB & let me know! I'll collect all the names entered until July14 & announce a winner then.
I'll start... I remember my grandmother grating lemon, picked from her lemon tree in the backyard, over a white frosted cake that we made together. The tart lemon scent with the sweet white frosting made such a great combination – one that even today can make my mouth water. You?

Squam pics...

a giveaway....

UPDATE 11/5: The Winner... Susan of Joey Five Cents (for the giveaway 10.26 - 11.2 Giveaway!)thanks to everyone for their comments and suggestions!! i really, really appreciate you!! wish i could send something to everyone of you...

a little giveaway... for my Facebook Fans!
Just "like" Miniature Rhino on Facebook and leave me a comment here to let me know.  Also tell me what you'd like to see in the MR shop for the holidays then you'll be entered to win this little Book & Letter Hybrid.  It includes vintage papers, lots of details, a hand stitched binding, and a pocket in the back for mailing a CD or photos.  It's a book made to be mailed, so there are flaps that flip over the book, so you can seal it up like an envelop after writing your message.  You can read all about the details of the book design here and see the book you'd win below...

I'd love to send you something nice. I pride myself on sending Good Mail.  and always add little paper extras and I will make this one special for sure. Seriously, who doesn't like getting little packages like this...

what: win a book & letter hybrid
when: 10/26 - 11/2
how: "like" Miniature Rhino on Facebook & leave a comment here letting me know. Also tell me what you'd "like" (i amuse myself) to see in the MR shop for the holidays
and: don't forget to leave your email or some way to be in touch if you win!

thanks!!

a little something for you, a giveaway hosted by monsterbites for a DIY Message in a Bottle Kit. leave a comment over here sharing your favorite miniature thing and you could win...

i like little glass bottles filled with specimens, tiny tin figures, miniature toys, small snapshots and really anything tiny...

no joke, an april first giveaway

happy april fools today everyone!

i always remember this day, because it's my grandparents wedding anniversary. kinda a strange day to get hitched. it's also a beautiful, sunny day here in brooklyn. i thought i'd kick off spring with a giveaway for TWO! new items in my shop, my Matchbook Stationery and my DIY Message In a Bottle Kit. So there will be two winners.

one winner gets a set of two Matchbook Letters. these are bits and pieces of my favorite papers sewn to flat olive and kraft flats. they come with a matching envelope. remember i shared i was working on something new?

second winner gets a DIY Message In a Bottle Kit, which is a vial with a charm of your choosing, two sheets of nice creme paper and a little cotton bag to gift your letter.

did a great big spring update in the shop listing new items, like vintage stamps, and lots of old favorites, like stars!

just leave a comment to enter. tell me what your most excited about for spring.... i love exploring brooklyn on long bike rides!  can't wait for some adventures.

if you don't have a blogger profile please leave me your email, so i can get in touch with you if you are a winnah.