Since, like so many others, I am getting tired of the cold of winter I thought I would turn my attentions to the garden. Amazingly, several of my plants are showing signs of life. Many have buds and my Mountain Ash (Rowan Tree) even has a couple of leaves starting to unfurl!
This brings me nicely to my latest ACEO entitled ‘Mauve Tulip’ series. I thought I might do a series so do watch out for the next instalment!
I had been out and on my return home found an official note from the Postman to say he had tried to deliver a package but it was too big to push through our letterbox and so I would have to make arrangements for a later delivery. This was Friday afternoon before our Bank Holiday weekend. I thought and thought about whether I had ordered something that I had forgotten about it or what on earth was I due to receive? I just drew a blank all the time and all through the weekend my mind kept coming back to what it was the Postman had not been able to deliver.
Through the internet I managed to arrange delivery but it wouldn’t be until the following Tuesday!!! The whole weekend my mind worked overtime!
Then Tuesday arrived and the door bell sounded. I ran down the stairs, opened the door and smiling acknowledged the Postman! Amongst the normal mail he passed to me a squarish looking package. Then I saw the name and address of the sender! The excitement juices were really working now!!!!
Rushing up to my workroom I picked up my scissors to carefully unwrap this well packaged parcel. The brown paper came away to offer a box that gave no clue to its contents. Carefully I opened the box which revealed a beautiful parcel in pink tissue paper tied up with a gold ribbon thread. My fingers were shaking I was so excited!!!!
Carefully I removed the tissue paper, ribbon and all was revealed! The most beautiful stained glass ACEO and stand. I was speechless!
I won’t go into the story as to why I was the incredibly lucky recipient of this ACEO but suffice to say it made me so happy! It was ‘Nonnie’ from a group called Boomers and Beyond Etsy Street Team (or BBEST for short) who had so thoughtfully sent me the ACEO and its very own stand. She is such a talented artist which I am sure you will agree when you have a look at her shop called ‘Nonnie’s Treasures’. And, above all a thoroughly lovely person too!
THANK YOU, Nonnie!!!
____________________
Nonnie specialises in custom and commissioned stained glass.
Still on the subject of the ‘Spring’ swap the ACEO created under my OAW banner was created in the encaustic medium or painting in wax. Using my trusty travel iron and hot stylus for detail I imagined this stream running through some rocky crags with plants rearing their heads gingerly as Spring approached.
Firstly from Hemlock came 
I think this was a ‘first’ and hopefully, not the last.
Personally, I thought it was a wonderful way to introduce ACEOs to creators new to this format. To some ACEOs can be very daunting; to have to work in such a small piece of art can be challenging when you are not used to it. However, these two folk had never attempted this before and there were many who have realised what a fun and interesting size it is to work on!
PQ
A super team on Etsy.com that I belong to is called Boomers and Beyond or BBEST for short. You may have heard of us or, certainly, read about the group in this blog. Do check out the group blog link above to find out more about them.
Each month we have an event and for the month of March members were asked to join in and create an ACEO (an item measuring 2.5” x 3.5”) in any medium they wished but the theme was to be Spring. Quite a few of us signed up and as the ACEOs were created they were posted on this site for all to admire. The fun of this swap is that you are given the name and address to whom you are to send your ACEO but you have no idea whose ACEO you will receive in return. Of course, I did try to suggest that all ACEOs could easily be sent to me! Somehow I think that request fell on deaf ears, can’t think why? Anyway, as many as possible are always encouraged to join in the fun as it is such a brilliant way of communicating with each other and learning more about other artisans in the group.
Several members had never created anything so small or in this format but it just goes to show that if you decide to step outside of the box you will surprise and surpass yourself!
In my capacity of PQ I wracked my brains for quite a while before I came up with my Spring ACEO. I had some old buttons 
OK, you will want to see what I received?
Today the postman stopped by with a package from Milton Keynes. That would have to mean something from Makeyourpresentsfelt! If you remember from the Flickr gallery pictures you might have spotted the chicken already. I had already mentioned/suggested that it come to me….. well, it did!
It is so cute! But, not only was I lucky enough to have won this ACEO but Chrissie also treated me to another using her felted expertise to create an ACEO entitled 
As if that wasn’t enough look at the pretty envelope that held them safe from the outer wrapping.
I would love to tell you who is due to receive mine but it would spoil the surprise. I do hope they like it!!!!!
PQ
An Etsy team called Boomers and Beyond or BBEST for short, are having a new swap challenge this month is to create an ACEO with the theme entitled….. Spring!
I love sitting back to see what comes out of the woodwork. Truly inspirational pieces are being created in all manner of mediums. The excitement is always that each person who contributed is given a name of their swapee but they do not know who will be sending them an ACEO. To remind readers, an ACEO has only one rule. That is, it has to measure 3.5” x 2.5”. It can be created in any medium. You will note there are glass based ones, fabric, painted ones. The list is endless.
What did I create? Well, under the name of Precious Quilts I decided to create an ACEO depicting Spring in the form of the sun shining down on some pretty flowers made with cute little buttons I had in my stash. For the centres of the flowers I added some seed beads to enhance the image. 
Oh yes! I love butterflies and have one in my avatar on Etsy
Now, I urge you to follow this link to see the other ACEOs offered for the March BBEST swap.
Hard to choose my favourite and even harder is the waiting and wondering which ACEO I will be lucky enough to receive!
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