First Tusal of 2013 and Homemade Gifts

Well the first part of 2013 has certainly gone by quickly.  I can't believe I've already had my birthday, Christmas and am starting a second week of work already! Whoooooshhhhh!!! Time flies!! So without further ado, I want to share with you some lovely homemade gifts I've received from my friends, my first TUSAL orts (lots of sparklies) and some stitching.

As many of you may know, I have a Russian background and many of my friends love to me anything that is Russian and a doll, since I am a Russian Doll!! Literally!!! Well, to my complete surprise, one of my dearest friends cross stitched me the most amazing gift ever.  A Matrioushka doll!! 

Isn't she a the sweetest doll ever?!!!

While I was in Prince George, I got to visit with one of my oldest and dearest friend.  We had a lovely time together and she surprised me with the most wonderful gifts: handmade soaps, scrubs, lipgloss, cream, little notecards, tags, and a pin cushion.  Both my mother and sister said that she should start her own business making these lovely things and I agree.  So A. if you are reading this, get an Etsy account pronto!! She also made the most adorable felted pin cushion I have ever seen complete with handmade pins! I will have a hard time parting with them!!

That mushroom pin I think I'll keep. It's too darling to part with!! As you can see, Titus got all involved as he likes to do.

When I arrived back home to rain (insert groan here) I had a number of little packages waiting for me.  One was from Tiki Stitches.  The other was from Mouse from Tales of a Stitching Mouse.  Tiki gave me some lovely fabric and tea. I already have a project lined up that will work perfectly with the fabric.  Thanks Tiki darling!! Mouse gave me a bourse to catch my orts!! That sort of rhymes doesn't it?! Thank you my dearest Mouse!! I love it!! So sweet of you both to think of me!!

Lovely fabric and tea from Diane

The prettiest little ort catcher from Mouse

My TUSAL picture didn't turn out as I wanted it to but someone popped into the scene to make it better.

Titus!!

Darling boy.  He missed us so much.  Our neighbour who looked after him, told us that when she visited him, he would often sit facing the door waiting for us to come home.  Awww, my big, baby boy! We are lucky though to have such a lovely neighbour come and make sure he's okay.

As for stitching, I didn't really stitch a lot during my  "holiday" with everything that was going on.  I forgot to take a progress photo of Baked Goods but there really isn't much to show.  I started two new RAKs for the Random Acts of Stitching Kindness blog.  I am nearly finished one and would show it but I can't since it would ruin the surprise. I also finally started Hannah Brassington tonight and am loving working with the silks.  Again I am mulling over whether to stitch 1 over 2 or 2 over 2.  Now that I've completed almost one flower with those pricey AVAS silks, I think I'll stick to 2 over 2 since I don't want to waste ANY of those silks!!! I think it'll be fine.  I'll post a photo to the Scarlet Letter Challenge blog tomorrow.  I do have some Tea Bath Fairy progress to show you.  Loads of sparkle!!!

I'll leave you with a photo of the Sister Cookies aka Sugar Cookies.  I designed the tree and angel.  They were really yummy!!

 PS: I still haven't caught up with all of you and your blogs...I feel so badly about it too :(  I really hope next weekend will be a bit slower although I have a feeling it won't as I'm trying to catch up with some girlfriends and I have to find the time to see THE HOBBIT!!! I can't believe I haven't seen it yet!! I may have to go on my own.  Anywho, when I do catch up I will be a happy camper!!

It's My Birthday!!!

How I wish I could stay at 35....oh well. Welcome 36!!!  I feel a wee bit old today as I usually do every time I have a birthday.  Funny how time flies.  I can remember my 2nd birthday when I spat out my candles! Now I just blow them out.  Thank goodness we learn from our mistakes!So today, my mom and I will be making a special Lenten cake because we are not eating dairy or eggs.  It'll be a chocolate cake with some icing on top.  My sister, her boyfriend, my brother, my auntie and best friend and her children will all be here for my birthday dinner. My mom just came in the room and said I was such a tiny baby when I was born and that she cried with joy.  Moms are funny aren't they! She says I will always be her baby!!

I hope everyone had a wonderful New Year's.  We had a lot of fun out in the snow.  It actually wasn't too bad with the firepit.  We all took turns warming our backsides!! As soon as we finished with the fireworks though, we went inside.  My husband and Dad stayed out there chatting for another 2 hours! Brave men!!

My Dad spent a lot of time snowblowing and setting up a nice area for everyone to enjoy! I thought it looked great!

Here are some photos of my parents tree.  Recognize that snowman ornie? I made that for my Mom earlier this year.

There are a lot of white birds on their tree. My Mom loves birds. I think they make the tree so pretty. Luckily Titus isn't around because he would tear them off! Oh how I miss my Titus!

I haven't done a lot of stitching, but I did finish a teeny tiny Noel heart and started LHN's Baked Goods last night.  I am stitching Baked Goods 1 over 2 on Creme Brulee 40 ct. linen with DMC and my favourite red, Nancy's Red from Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe.

Before I left for Prince George, I finally received my materials for Hannah Brassington.  Wow.  AVAS silks are scrumptious!! I can hardly wait to start Hannah when I get back home.  I would have brought her up here with me but I need room in my suitcase for Christmas presents, so I left her.  

That's all for now! I hope to spend some time visiting blogs in the next little while but every time I go to the family's computer, someone wants to use it or else they want me for something or other!! Even writing this post was difficult...many interruptions!

Big Hugs to you all!!

Anne

Happy New Years!!!!

I wanted to wish all of you the best New Year's ever!! 

Thank you all (((HUGS))) for your condolences on the passing of my grandfather.  It touched my heart and my family really appreciated your comments too.  They thank you for the love, the prayers and the support you have sent to me.  

I am currently with my family in chilly Prince George and will be experiencing New Year's outside with a bonfire, lights, the stars and some fireworks.  Oh right...it's very cold out too! Maybe -15?! That's okay because we will be bundled up and near the fire.

I will do another post tomorrow~~

Until then.....


HAPPY NEW YEARS FROM ME AND MY DARLING HUBBY!!!

My Beloved Grandfather

This is time of miracles and renewed faith in the Lord Christ Our Savior. 

My Beloved Grandpa passed away peacefully on December 22nd, 2012.  My Nana, my two uncles, auntie and I were all with him since Thursday evening, watching and praying over him.  My mother arrived from Prince George on Friday and that was a miracle she even got there since it was the busiest time of year to fly. When she was on the phone with the airline, the said it would be an 1 hour 45 minute wait to get to an agent.  She prayed and she got through in 10 minutes.  The flight was delayed due to de-icing and backed up flights.  She arrived an hour and a half later and made it in time to see her father and say the Akathist to the Archangel Michael (who helps the soul prepare for the afterlife).  My Grandpa was waiting for my mom.  I know he was.  We left late on Friday night to get some rest and at 3:00 am, I knew when the phone rang that he had passed.  I think he was waiting to be alone with my Nana to pass away. 

My Grandpa was an amazing man.  He loved his family and the church with so much devotion.  He was an extremely talented man in music and highly intelligent as an economics professor at UBC.  He co-founded the CGA with a number of others and had written some economics books. He was beloved by his students for his fairness and gentle demeanor.  His love for education and UBC he passed to me and I was lucky to have him in my graduation procession.  I am a proud grand daughter!!

He ADORED my Nana and was often singing "My Irish Rose" to her at any given time.  He always bought her jewelry regardless of her protests of being frugal and he was a hopeless romantic.  He once said to me " Women are more intelligent than men and if the world was run by women we would not be in such a terrible state as we are."  Men are nothing without women.  That is what he said!

His love of music passed on to many of us and I will always remember getting a birthday call from Grandpa as the best part of my birthday.  He would phone and sing "Happy Birthday" in the most beautiful tenor voice....loud too!! Even as he mind faded away from Alzheimer's, music stayed with him until he could no longer speak.  He often would break into an operatic song and make us all jump at the clarity and virtuosity of his voice.  He played classical guitar on a very special guitar called a harp guitar.  It was owned by the famous Dr. Perot, it was given to my grandfather and it is now considered a museum piece.  He could have chosen to become a professional classical guitarist like the famous Julian Bream, whom he knew and studied with, but he chose my Nana and a family as his path in life.  

Me and My Grandpa's guitar.  Please forgive the bags under my eyes.

I will always remember him and his gentle, humble soul who inspires us all to become more like him.  He was a peacekeeper and despised any bickering or anger.  He loved the church and was a pious man.  He never missed going to church and never stopped fasting and praying. He was the choir conductor of our church and I used to love going up to the choir and watch my grandfather conduct and sing the church liturgy.  He also read the Epistle in church and read/chanted the readings in a voice that filled the church and the whole block!!

I love you Grandpa so much and I will always remember you.  You inspire me to become the best teacher I can be.  The best person I can be.  

Vechnaya Pamyat

Wait until 4:16 when all the voices come in.  My Grandpa would listen to Church Liturgical Music all the time.  

Memory Eternal!!!

я тебя люблю - I love you in Russian

Your Annushka

 (Please forgive my muddled posts...my mind is not thinking grammar right now...nor is it very eloquent)

On the 24th Day of Advent

Merry Christmas to all of you on this 24th day of Advent for those who celebrate the 25th as Christmas!! As you all know, I celebrate Christmas on the 7th of January, so I will be doing another post on the eve of my Christmas!!

Thank you to Jo from Serendipitous Stitching for hosting this fun blogging event!! You are always full of brilliant ideas Jo!!

The theme for this year is "Stocking, Sack or Something Else."  I've chosen Stocking!  Our family have the common tradition of hanging up our stockings on the fireplace mantlepiece and filling the stockings with chocolates, oranges and little gifts.  My sister, brother and I were always the first up and we were allowed to open our stocking gifts without our parents.  It was very exciting!! We often put gifts that we bought/made for each other in our stockings to open on Christmas Day.  Since I'm no longer living with my parents, my husband and I hang our stockings on our TV stand thingy.  We don't have a mantlepiece but this suffices.  We've added a cat stocking that we usually fill up with treats for our cat, then Lucy, now Titus.  My husband's stocking I made last year and my stocking is kind of funny looking.  It doesn't look very Christmasy at all, but I love it because I've had it since I was 4!!!

We had some snow last week and I was not a happy camper traveling in it! I pulled my hamstring and spent around 3-4 hours a day on transit.  If I wasn't working and was able to stitch, I would've been enjoying the snow from inside.  But leaving the house in that wet stuff in this silly city is a miserable experience to say the least.  So glad it's gone!!

As for something stitchy, here's a photo of my first Christmas finish and my most recent finish.

Merry Christmas to all of you!!

I would love to visit all of your blogs but I have another post after this to tell you why I have not been around.  Love your family and thank God everyday for the breathe he gives to you.

Many blessings and hugs to you all!!

Anne