This Week's Contest Winners Plus Nifty Gifties From Dover Pinterest Boards

First, congratulations to this week's contest winners- Christina and gcogman! They will each have our Nature Stencil Designs collection added to their DoverPictura account absolutely free!

We hope this week we've given you that little bit of motivation you need to get your gift planning off to a great (and early enough) start so that your holidays can be relaxed and joyful. But, if you need a little more inspiration to get you going, here are some lovely crafts created by our wonderful and talented customers:

Holly Seeger says "This is a gift box I made using a cast-off cigar box, again using Dover clip art; the dancers and flowers. It is a variation on the same theme as my book safe. Thanks again Dover Books for the image inspiration!"

Jo Bauman: "This clutch, with a fabric front printed with art from 'Children's Book Illustrations,' is lined, and the back is leather."

 
Here's a work-in-progress photo by Esther Paris. "A baby blanket I crocheted using angel clip art...I scanned it into PC Stitch software and created a chart. Then I crocheted a baby blanket the size of my kitchen table (which seats six)."

Naomi Lipsky creating this amazing piece of art as a gift for her daughter, who loves dragons. "My work uses quilling, which is the craft of rolled paper, or paper filigree. In this piece, the 3-d hot air balloon is 2 1/2" deep. It is all paper, except for the blue "jewels". I am also a gilder, so some of the rolled paper is edged with 23k gold leaf. The castle wall stones are also rolled paper antiqued with gouache, and the bricks are painted with gouache. The dragon in the balloon is from the Dragons and Wizards collection and the castle dragon is from Monsters and Dragons."

Looking for even more inspiration? Be sure to have a look at our Heartwarming Holidays Craft Contest entries from last year...you'll find all sorts of amazing gift, wrapping, and decor ideas!

What will YOU make for the holidays this year? Tell us in the comments. Have a crafty weekend, everyone!

Guest Post: Quilter Patty Swatzell on living in "The Great Outdoors"

Each Thursday we're opening our blog to hear from talented crafters in our community. This week's guest blogger is quilter Patty Swatzell, who explains how living near the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has inspired her work.

I am one of those fortunate quilters living in “The Great Outdoors.” For the last 25 plus years, we have lived near the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and spend a lot of time visiting our favorite place…Cades Cove, a valley with an 11-mile loop perfect for sightseeing.

In the springtime, we love seeing the yellow jonquils blooming where old homesteads once stood, surrounded by Dogwoods and Mountain Laurel in bloom. Deer can be seen in the open fields where crops once grew. The black bears and their young cubs are beginning to roam and seeing them is a real treat. There is nothing prettier than a big Momma Bear running with her 3 cubs trailing behind.

We take our RV to the campground during spring and autumn. It’s these times of the year that I get most of my ideas for my quilts or do hand sewing. Evenings we find ourselves sitting by the campfire and I find myself thinking about future projects and what fabrics I will be using but then it’s roasting marshmallow time.

Back home, the view from my sewing room is looking out at those mountains I love. Every moment I spend in my sewing room I am in my happy place enjoying a quilter’s life.

 

Most of the quilts I make are donated to various individuals that have touched my life. The quilt I am working on now includes memories of our time living in Fairbanks, Alaska with the USAF. I am also into sewing small wall hangings of the mountains using a rotary cutter, Ombre and landscape fabrics. I like to blend and fade the colors into each other. This leaves a lot to my imagination and with the mountains forever changing, each day is more beautiful than the last.  --Patty