March Surprises Me

Bonjour mes amies!!

It's been too long since I've posted but I know everyone understands that I've been busy.  Reports are finished! YAHOOOOO!! I still need to add a few things here and there but they are finito. Huge waves of relief washed over me when I completed the last kid's report.  I had quite the past couple of weeks.  This reporting season was especially difficult for me for some reason.  Other teachers felt the same.  One gave me some good advice about saving my first, second and third term comments so I can use them for next year which will save me a lot of time and agony.  I'll take that advice! I also suffered a cold/lost my voice last week.  The kids said I sounded like Yoda and laughed at me. It was pretty funny to hear me, although my hubby told me to stop talking since he couldn't stand hearing it anymore!

Like Yoda I sound. Yes Hmmmm

I have a lot to share with you today so be prepared! There wasn't a whole lot of stitching done until this weekend so I only have two small things to share.  My Friday night SAL with Maggee has been going well.  I'm nearly finished Magic Garden! I can hardly wait! 

Although it's now March, I managed to finish LHN's February last night.  I think I've said this before but I need to plan my stitching a bit better! I'm always late with monthly themes...stitching them after the fact! I think I'll make this into a pillow since that's the easiest finish for me. 

It was stitched on 28 ct. Lambswool using CC threads that dear Cindy provided in the kit.  I by accident stitched the roof white but I like it! We had a lot of snow in February so it's a good reminder of the snow we've had!

After leaving the peacock for awhile, I picked him up again Sunday night and tackled him.  No frog came visiting me that night! Yay! 

Now for the best part of the post....all the wonderful packages that have been sent to me.  

I did a biscornu exchange with Sarah, from Sarah in Stitches and our theme was Spring. She sent mine a bit early because she has other exchanges to stitch and send out.  Hopefully mine will get to her in two weeks. Anyways, she sent me the most beautifully stitched biscornu and pretty monogrammed pillow, plus some mint tea from UAE, fabric and two VMS charts. I am a lucky gal! Thank you so much Sarah for such a wonderful package!Your biscornu is so sweet and finished beautifully. It made me very happy especially after the harrowing report card experience!! Hugs to you my dear!

Setting up for a photo and look who pops in and flops all over it?!

The pretty two-toned biscornu.

Front

Back

Hanging out with new biscornu friends

Tea, chart and fabric from UAE...the tea is amazing!

Sarah is such a sweet heart and I remember seeing her blog over a year ago and was one of her first few followers.  It's so nice to "meet" kindred spirits from around the world!!

The next surprise was from dearest Carol, Stitching Dreams.  She has told me she was going to lend me a chart I'd admired on her blog, but didn't tell me she was going to send something extra!! Boy was I surprised! She made me a beautiful pillow personlized to me! She stitched a little cat in the corner and made it look like Titus. We have become quite close friends over the years and I treasure her friendship.  Thank you my dear Carol! Your finishing skills are so admirable and very creative.

The sweet pillow and chart

Such a pretty design and I love the added button detail

Love those little spools of thread!

Little Titus!

I feel so spoiled by Sarah and Carol.  They have truly made my week, month! I mailed out a few packages last week and hope that my recipients receive them soon.  This Spring Break, which I'm itching for desperately, I hope to stitch a few more RAK's and do another mail art exchange with Meari.  So looking forward to catching up with everyone too.  I've been very remiss with blog commenting and posting.  But that's how life is and I now you all understand.  

Almost forgot to show my fabric and thread toss for Sarah Chapple.  I ordered it way back in January and it finally arrived. The R &R Rook 36 ct. linen is quite dark but I like it.  Hubby says he wants me to keep it since it's very army like and manly.  I had to laugh since the sampler is anything but manly!!  I'm going to start her properly during Spring Break.  

Beautiful silks and fabric

I'll finish with a few photos of our late spring.  We had some snow at the end of February which set back the flowers from blooming.  Now I'm starting to see some sprouting around.  Can't wait for more to come!

Snow berries

Some pretty pink flower bush on the river

Finally I spy a crocus!

The last of the snowdrops

That's all for now.  Titus and I are going to lie down in a sun beam and relax.

Hugs

Anne

PS Lent started and I have 5 more weeks to go without dairy and meat...sigh...

IHSW

Hello again!

It was a great weekend for stitching, visiting and snow of course.  I just hope the snow doesn't stay for too long.  The poor crocuses that were coming out are now frostbitten and don't look very happy in the snow.  

I have a busy few weeks ahead of me and am looking forward to Spring Break.  I also hope we have better weather for Spring Break because my husband wants to go camping!! Crossing everything that it doesn't rain!!

I stitched a bit on 3 WIP's.  Magic Garden is getting lots of love. I took a photo on Saturday morning with a Stellar Jay feather I found on the street.  I love Stellar Jays although they are very noisy and love to squawk right by our window!!

Friday night results

Sunday night stitching

Stellar Jay up north...my photo

not my photo

Such pretty little birds aren't they?!

Knotgarden received a bit of love last night.  

LHN's February is nearly complete.  Funny how February is nearly over.  I need to plan a wee bit better for those monthly designs.  

I filled in the heart with red.  It isn't supposed to be stitched but it looked odd without the red heart!

Until later, take care everyone and have a wonderful week!!

Anne

Snow in February

Big, fluffy white flakes are swirling down from the sky.  Not a usual occurrence for the Lower Mainland at this time of year. Perfect for snuggling in a blanket, watching Downton and stitching....except for the fact that I should be starting my report cards!! There's always next weekend to do them.

I had the desire to do a few posts this week however I have been busy with work and helping my little brother who is here for six weeks doing a plumbing apprenticeship.  The math they have him do is crazy hard! Thankfully, the school provided a tutor for free and he is less panicked! Me too since I was about to try to learn crazy plumbing math in a day!

I wish I could show some of the stitching finishes I have done but I have to wait until the recipients receive them first.  I'm made some progress on all my projects.  Oh, and I received my yarn order from Loveknitting!!  The service was so fast! I got it within 2 weeks of ordering.  Lately I've been having a hard time with some of the cross stitching companies.  I've placed orders back in January and have yet to hear back from 1 and the other finally sent a chart.  Loveknitting is in Great Britain so how it can get here faster than the States, I have no idea! 

Wonderful, cheery colours that I can't hardly wait to start working with.  I need to get some counters for the first chain but Caitlin suggested I could use paper clips, which is an awesome idea.  Thanks Caitlin for the tip!! She's been making beautiful progress on her granny stripe blanket. 

Stitching updates.  I've actually made a lot of progress during IHSW but I'll show the progress tomorrow.  

Knotgarden: filled in green.

LHN's February: stitched hearts.

 
JCS: added more beige to the peacock.  He is frustrating me to no end.  I have to keep frogging his silly body over and over.  I think it's the chart.  The symbol is a tiny dot and even though I scanned it, reprinted it and have been shading in what I've stitched, I seem to be having problems with seeing the dots!! I haven't been wanting to work on it lately.  I may skip the peacock and start another motif.

Magic Garden Friday night SAL with Maggee:  stitched the bug, and started the glove. I so enjoy stitching this design.  Each little motif, creature is a pleasure to stitch!! I don't want it to end!!

Okay, fast blogging now.  I need to get ready for our blini breakfast after church.  Lent is starting in two weeks so we always have blini before Cheesefare week.  

Someone asked me for a photo of the pretty wagon cart I use for my monthly display.  Sorry I can't remember who! I have a terrible memory!

Beautiful wagon wheel cart

March display

Random photos:

Beautiful linens I bought from 123stitch from dear Mouse.  Thank you so much Mouse!! I will be using them for all sorts of projects!

Snowdrops:

Hubby being funny:

 He's feeling better.  The inflammation is going done! WHOOOOOHOOOO!!! But predinsone is crazy.  Let's just leave it at that!

Titus on my granny blanket:

 A murder of crows:

And I'm done!!
 
Thank you all for your lovely comments! I finally responded to all of them and visited some blogs.   I'll be back tomorrow with IHSW progress pics!!

Hugs 

Anne

Playing with Red

It's a rainy day out today although there was a sprinkle of snow last night.  Having a bit of rain is good for the flowers and it means it has warmed up a bit! I hope it continues to get warmer. Last night, I had a finishing frenzy and finished three pillows! Two are Christmas pillows and the other a BBD design. It all started with me reorganizing my sewing box and finding my fabrics.  I noticed I had a lot of great red fabrics, so I began to play.  It took me over 4 hours to complete but I am happy with the results.  

First up is Jingle Jingle, by Plum Street Samplers.  I won the chart from Pat, the Southpaw Stitcher last year and finally got it completed.  The jingle bells took an age to attach. Not sure why it takes me so long as I'm sure there's an easier way than the way I did it!

Stitched on fabric that came in kit with GAST threads

I used some cute striped ribbon that my dear friend used to wrap up some Christmas gifts she sent to me.  I think it works perfectly with the bells.  I used the pretty red with with star fabric on the right for the back.  It'll be a great door hanger for Christmas!

Next, I finally put together LHN's Baked Goods.  It has been over a year since I stitched it.  About time it was finished.  Unfortunately, when turning out the pillow and using a dull pencil end to poke out the corners, one of the corners actually poked out! So I used some ribbon and buttons to cover the hole...sigh.

Stitched on 40 ct. Creme Brulee with GAST and DMC

This will be a sweet ornament for our tree!

Continuing with my red obsession, I pulled out the "Bluebird" turned into a Redbird by BBD I stitched awhile back.  Originally, I bought a box to put it on, forgot about that plan and sewed on a black ribbon. I didn't like the black ribbon so I ripped it out last night.  I'm liking this finish much better than what I had.

Stitched on 32 ct. Platinum with CC's Cupid finished with little buttons from Mouse

I finished a little RAK for someone too on Friday night but can't show it yet.  I like the design so much I might just stitch one for myself too...hehee!!

Wonderful red finishes aren't they?! Funny how none of them are Valentine themed when it's Valentine's this Friday!! 

....wonder if my hubby will get me anything....hmm.

Friday night SAL with Maggee I spent frogging, yet again.  I was gabbing away to my hubby plus watching Treme when I started stitching Magic Garden's little bird with two threads instead of one thread.  I felt the stitches becoming harder to do and I couldn't figure out why until I was about halfway done! Out it came and there went an hour wasted.  So I stitched the bird and the little snail. I'll forgive the bird since he's so cute!

No other progress to report.  My granny afghan is getting larger but I think showing it will be boring.  I'll wait until it gets significantly larger and more interesting!

Hubby news.  He's on prednisone which is helping the inflammation although giving him a terrible tummy ache.  We are hoping this will help get rid of the pain for good.  We both want to say good bye to the pain for good!  Speaking of tummy aches, I ate some eggs this morning and spent the better part of the day feeling like I was punched in the stomach.  Too bad I'm allergic to eggs...I love them so much!

We took a walk last week by the river in an industrial area and found some interesting things along the river bank. Then I took another walk on Saturday and kicked myself for not bringing my camera since my cell phone is horrible for zooming in.  The heron was by the river and looking beautiful in the sunlight.  I got some grainy photos that aren't worth sharing.  But I got a few great shots of the ice blocks in the river that appeared to be moving backwards! It was very trippy to watch the river flowing backwards...strange I tell you!

1930's warehouse

old rope on a tree

Heart!!

Old Cola can my hubby found and was SOOO excited about!

That's all for now. 

Thank you all for taking the time to visit and comment.  I appreciate all the support and encouragement from you all!!

Hugs

Anne...and snoring Titus