We all know, don't we, that anything worth having, such as: the freedom that we enjoy, our relationships, our material possessions, our very sustenance, and yes, even those beautiful embroidery designs, takes commitment and effort on our part to acquire?

Think about it. Why is it so important to commit ourselves to putting forth the effort to work and pay for what we have? Because doing so creates value and a sense of accomplishment and respect for what we've worked and paid for. If we got everything for free, would those things really mean anything to us? Would we appreciate them? Or would we just take them all for granted?

You might have, by now, noticed that there is no longer a Freebie category. When we started SunBlossom Creations we put on the free designs, for surely having something for free would attract potential customers. But what we've realized, is that all we've accomplished is to put out a product that's held very little value and respect. So, we no longer have a Freebie category, but the free designs that we currently have are still available at this time. You can find them interspersed with the designs in the Design Library.

I came across this video. It's from www.eightprinciples.com, and if there is anything I want to remember and implement in my own life, it's these eight principles.

One effective way to remember these principles is to express them creatively, just as has been done in this video. A big thank-you to the creator of the video. It is literally life-changing.

It's amazing what can turn out when two hearts come together. All it takes is a couple scraps of fabric, a natural touch of cotton batting and a few stitches binding it together. And the end result is one bright, colorful and fun heart that adds character and style to any item.

Isn't it interesting how symbolic those Heart Appliques are? We all are but a "scrap of fabric" ourselves and when we come together with the natural touch of love that binds us together, our hearts are bright, colorful and fun.

Grace a towel set with these Double Heart appliques and you've got the perfect gift to give to that special couple. These appliques are available in our Applique Category, along with instructions on how to sew out the Double Heart Applique. Enjoy.

A burst of laughter erupts from around the dinner table. Everyone watches in amusement as one of the guests valiantly tries to spear a baked potato with a toothpick, while another guest attempts to scoop up a bite of lettuce salad with a dinner roll.

Welcome to a Mystery Dinner, where laughter is served up in healthy proportions, and where the food is served up in.....well, now that'd be telling. What you are going to be eating and/or eating with, is a mystery. You are presented with a menu that only has clues on it as to what the food, and, yes, the silverware, might be. If you want to eat, you will have to figure out those clues. And if you get 'em right for the first course, you might even be able to eat with silverware, instead of a toothpick or a dinner roll, or your fingers.

So you've got this big box of leftover scraps of fabric that's been collecting dust and cobwebs in the attic. You haven't the foggiest notion as to what you are going to do with them, yet it seems like such a waste to throw them away. So there the box sits. Well, go up to that attic and pull out that box. Shake off the cobwebs and brush off the dust. Those scraps are about to change your life. Okay, maybe it won't be that profound, but you might be amazed at the difference a little scrap of fabric can do. It can turn an ordinary item into a unique, colorful and fun, one-of-a-kind treasure.

Welcome to the new edition of SunBlossom Creations! Our machine embroidery designs are still free for downloading (with registration). Plus, we have many more free machine embroidery and machine cross stitch designs that we are adding.

We also invite you to become a part of the SunBlossom Creations Machine Embroidery family. When you join the SBC Machine Embroidery Community you can create your own personal Profile and Blog. You can upload your own photos and invite your friends. And it's all Free!

By all appearances, the moments ahead were slated to be unmemorable, thus rendering the possibility that, at best, the day would turn out to be unremarkable.

Heavy clouds, hanging low, unleashed their burden of moisture. The rain poured onto the roof of the building, the drops landing with a loud, clattering sound on the rusting tin. Rivulets of water streamed off of the eaves to collect in puddles on the ground below. A sudden, blinding flash of lightening split the sky, followed closely by a boom of thunder that echoed off the surrounding canyon walls.

In the distance the faint throb of an engine could be heard, the sound growing louder as it drew nearer. Headlights pierced the gray veil of rain as a jeep jolted around the bend in the narrow mountain road.

Several years ago we took a trip up a winding mountain road going out of Crested Butte, Colorado. As we climbed amongst the tall grove of aspens bordering the road, we had no inkling that we were about to discover one of Colorado’s ghost towns. And we may have missed it altogether had it not been for the wooden sign by the roadside that stated “Gothic”, and a few dilapidated buildings still standing.

 We stopped and stepped out of our vehicle. I paused in the beauty and quietness of the mountain countryside to have a moment of silence for the memories of the past.

On a rocky outcrop, high up on a rugged mountain slope, the lone figure of a man stood silent and still, silhouetted against the grayness of the dawn. The man’s gaze was fixed on the valley far below him.

The sun rose, bathing the distant mountain peaks in its golden glow. A crisp breeze swept across the rugged expanse of the outcrop, ruffling the man’s hair and gently swaying the branches of tall, shadowed pines hugging the rising mountain slope. The breeze whispered through the pines, carrying with it the melodies of the birds serenading the sunlit morning.

The man folded his arms across his broad chest. As he continued to silently peruse the scene below him, a smile spread slowly across his face. He had a plan.

The ringing of iron striking rock, punctuated with hoarse shouts and boisterous laughter, echoed across the valley. Deep in the canyon, the swift current of the river tumbled and crashed over a winding rocky bed, the rushing water a muted roar.

It was the early 1900’s and the Crystal Valley in Colorado was swarming with miners. The towns of Crystal, Schofield, Gothic and Irwin were all booming with discoveries of gold and silver. However, the rush on in the neighboring town of Marble was not for either gold or silver.