2 Bags Full - My adventures in travel, knitting, and the blessings of my every day life.

The "Alicia Nest"....A "Breast Cancer Awareness Nest" Like No Other

2020-09-29T18:50:00.000-07:00

A promise made...

As most of you already know,

we lost our beautiful daughter in law, Alicia

to the ravages of breast cancer.

During her brave and courageous battle,

I promised her that I would create a special

Breast Cancer Awareness nest

in her honor....

little did I know then,

that I would actually be creating this nest in

her memory...

the creation of this nest

has been an emotional investment

like no other nest has ever required...

there can be no doubt...

this IS the MOST BEAUTIFUL nest

that I have EVER made.

Because there can never be another

Breast Cancer Awareness nest

to match the beauty of the

"Alicia nest"...

I will be retiring this series

FOREVER.

The "Alicia Nest"

will be my FINAL nest in this series...

there will not be any more

Breast Cancer Awareness

nests.

This nest is special

like no other nest I have ever made...

there are so many unique and beautiful features

in this nest.

The creation of these nests is all consuming,

and I absolutely could not do this alone..

I am thankful to have talented friends

who have volunteered their time and talents

to bring beautiful embellishments

to these nests...

and as always...

my very best friend Mary,

helps me to build these nests.

It is a monumental task for both of us.

Each nest is created with

vintage millinery flowers, fabrics and ribbon,

beaded embellishments,

vintage sugar fruit pieces,

and a tiny flowerpot...

with an "itty bitty" nest tucked inside.

A sampling of some of the treasures

that make this nest

so very special...

Beautiful and tiny crochet flowers,

hand beaded...

in shades of pink and white

were created by my talented friend

Teresa Atkinson.

They are absolutely exquisite,

and they are so perfect for this beautiful nest.

(You can find Teresa on her Instagram page

by clicking the link on her name above.)

Beautiful and delicate...

each nest is adorned with tiny satin sweet peas,

handmade by my friend

Karen Bailey.

These delicate treasures are so exquisite...

they are another very special embellishment

that makes this nest

so very special.

You can find Karen at her blog,"Todolwen"

by clicking the link on her name above.

As long as I have been making nests,

my friend Sue Kosec

has been creating beautiful

wrappings and tie on bird embellishments

for their packaging.

Presentation is everything...

and Sue has always created beautiful

packaging accents for my nests...

You can find Sue at her blog

SuZeQ Creations.

Those who have been patiently waiting for this past year

on the"Reserved nest" waiting list...

have now already received

their nests.

I have just listed 8 nests in my ETSY shop

that are available

to anyone.

(You can get to my shop by clicking on the link above.)

Charitable proceeds from the sale of this nest

will be donated to a local Breast Cancer charity

that was so very kind to Alicia.

PS...

tucked into each little nest...

is a tiny little gift.

Wrapped in tissue and tied

with a pretty pink string...

a little gift

💝from me to you...

A note from me...💖

I hope that you all are staying safe and well in this crazy and most difficult time.

Since we have been unable to travel...(most ironic, since I am now newly retired!)...

I have found that I have time to devote to my crafts and hobbies. We have mostly been staying here at home.... doing little figure 8's around the house and yard. Thankful for the summer and the ability to enjoy my flowers and outside activities... like my chickens.

I hope to have some knitted items available to share here and in my etsy shop this winter.

I'm sure you have noticed that I'm not here at my blog often. In fact... when I came here to do this blog post... I found that the entire set up had changed and I had a horrible time figuring out how to even do this post! Guys.... this is too stressful!

I am VERY active on Instagram... (it's So easy!!)...you can find me there almost every day at my page "2 Bags Full". I would love for you to follow me there...

xoxo

Vicki

Introducing the latest Woodland Spring nest... (a very special edition)...and updates on NEW NESTS to come

2020-05-13T13:27:00.004-07:00

My latest Woodland Spring nests are truly a cause
for Celebration...

the first nests
that I have created since my
RETIREMENT...

I wanted to commemorate
this special occasion in my life
with a beautiful new nest...

tucked inside a tangle of branches
is a tiny tea cup...

beneath the branches
is a beautiful tarnished vintage spoon...

an itty bitty bird has
claimed the tea cup as the perfect place
to lay her little
blue egg.

the little tarnished spoon
has also been claimed as a perfect place
for a nest...

these are the most elaborate and exquisite
Woodland Spring nests that I have
ever made...

My "retirement version"
is indeed very
special...
~
they are listed now
in my ETSY shop

These nests have all been RESERVED
and there is currently a waiting list
(in case that anyone cancels)...
HOWEVER...
next years waiting list starts
NOW...

Tags, paper, and tie on birds
are created for me
by my talented friend Sue Kosec.
Presentation is everything...
and your nest will arrive beautifully packaged
thanks to Sue's amazing creativity.
You can contact Sue directly at
kosec@sbcglobal.net

Anyone who is interested in
reserving a place on NEXT year's waiting list
may email me for more information.
vboster@yahoo.com
~
In this time of turmoil and so much uncertainty
I feel that I need to say something
relating to my nests...
~
So many people are finding themselves
in the midst of struggles right now...
trying to pay bills,
and face a world that has suddenly turned itself
upside down...
~
I realize that the purchase of a nest
is so NOT important and rightfully needs
to take a backseat to so many other necessities right now.
~
with that in mind...
I have offered to everyone on my RESERVED list
the opportunity to delay their purchase
until October of this year, and beyond.. if necessary.
~
A friend told me today...
(in relation to my nests)
"true joy and happiness in days like these have no price.
Everyone deserves to spoil themselves
with something that brings light into their hearts..."
~
With that in mind and
GOING FORWARD...
this opportunity will also be available
to everyone who is on the RESERVED list for my upcoming
Breast Cancer Awareness nest...
the "Alicia" nest.
~
for those who may be interested..
there are 3 spots left on the waiting list
for this next charitable nest.
You may email me for more info...
vboster@yahoo.com

~~~~~~~~~~~
NOW....
something a bit unprecedented...
Just in time for your "small family" Memorial Day celebrations,
followed by Independence Day, and Labor Day...
~
After the sellout of my Freebird nests last summer..
I found that I still had enough supplies
to make 4 more.
So...over the course of the winter,
I recreated a few more of these
beautiful Patriotic themed
nests.
They are listed now for purchase in my ETSY shop.
I have never, ever, done anything like this before..
recreated a Designer nest...
(and most likely will not ever do so again,
but I just felt like those nests
were calling out to me...
to be made.
~

If anyone is interested in one of these nests,
and would also like to take advantage of the opportunity
to delay their purchase,
please email me for more info.
We can make that happen for you...

That's it for now...seems like a busy post.

I plan on posting again in a few days... bringing you some updates on our life

here at home in the midst of all this madness.

I hope everyone is healthy and well..

xoxo

Vicki

Hello from Quarantine... (our life at home, nest updates,... some book reviews)

2020-04-08T08:22:00.002-07:00

Greetings from my little part of the "Quarantine" world...
We are trying to make the most of this situation,
sheltering at home...
I am so thankful for spring weather and all that it brings.

I am so thankful for spring weather and all that it brings.

Our yard is filled with beautiful blooms, their delicious scent fills the air

and somehow it helps me

to remain calm.

We are blessed to live very close to an amazing place of beauty...

Carter Caves State Park

We have been out almost every day trying to exercise and stay healthy...

all the while keeping our social distancing..

(which has not been difficult, as we have not seen one person on our trails!)

the Spring nests are coming along...

and will soon be finished.

I have been giving a lot of thought

to the release of these nests

in this time of turmoil and hardship.

I will be back soon with an update

and some "unprecedented"

options...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile...

(I've been doing a lot of reading...)

As someone who lives near the John A. Roebling bridge

(Cincinnatti-Covington Ky bridge)

I found this book to be absolutely intriguing...

Being the wife of an engineer myself,

I could not wait to read this book...

(and I absolutely hated for it to end.)

An amazing insight into all that is involved in the building of such an immense structure

while carefully weaving the story of the personal involvement

of the wife.

This is a story of a woman's determination

to carry out her husband's dream

of building the Brooklyn Bridge

while making her own personal sacrifice in order to do so.

There is great loss within these pages,

the loss of life, the loss of love, the loss of personal dreams...

all for the purpose of making her husbands dream come true.

The story of Emily Roebling's commitment to this project

has largely been lost to history.

I was happy to learn that a plague in her honor

is to be found on the Brooklyn Bridge.

This book has just recently been released for publication.

While I was fortunate to receive an advanced copy prior to publication...

this review is my own and is in no way required by the publisher.

A story of the crippling and isolating effect of unimaginable grief.

Iris has devoted her life to creating and maintaining a "secret garden"

type of oasis for herself...

this is how she survives and lives with her grief and loss.

She devotes every single day to her magnificent

"healing garden".

A duel story that focuses on Iris, and also Abbey,

a young woman and her family

who move into the house next door to Iris.

Abbey's young daughter becomes ever curious about the house

next door and the garden that she has seen when she stood on a chair

and peeked over the large fence.

She is also fascinated by the old woman who tends to that garden

every day.

Over time, Iris softens and allows this young girl to come into her garden

and also her heart.

There are so many reasons to LOVE this book...

The story of the garden, the flowers, their smells and blooms...

this is a powerful story of healing.

You can easily picture this beautiful garden in your mind...

the descriptions are so real.

This is a lovely book...

one to cherish as you read the story.

This book will be available as published on April 28.

I was fortunate to receive an advanced copy of this book prior to publication.

This review is my own, and is in no way required by the publisher.

You won't be able to put this one down!

Reading this story is like being on the receiving end

of THE BEST SUMMER GOSSIP...

Summer Darling's transports the reader to Martha's Vineyard

in the early 1960's,

home to the rich, famous, and spoiled.

The story centers on Heddy,

a college girl who dreams of a better life for herself,

and longs to be part of the jet set society on Martha's Vineyard.

She takes a job there as a summer nanny to a privileged couple.

All to soon she comes to realize what life is really like for the powerful

social set on the island.

This could be considered a coming of age story

as Heddy comes to realize what is really important in life.

If you ever wanted to be a little bird on the windosill

of lives such as this...

this book will put you there!

You can look forward to the publishing of this book on May 5.

I was fortunate to receive an advanced copy of this book prior to publication.

This review is my own and is in no way required by the publisher.

To all my friends...

please stay safe at home. My prayers are for us all, that we will soon be on the "back to normal" side of this difficult time.

Never again...

will I take things for granted.

If there is anything good that has come from all of this..

it is that I have a new appreciation for all that is a part of my daily life. I love my front porch, my beautiful yard, this quiet time at home, the feeling on not being rushed to get hings done... because after all, we have months to do it now. This slower pace is not a bad thing. We are getting projects done at home, my back deck is already scrubbed and ready for flowers,.... and today I plan to totally scrub down the front porch and wash the walls and furniture!

My love to you all...

xoxo,

Vicki