A Long Time

It's been too long since I've updated my blog and come by and said hello to you all.  Life has been so busy as of late and it will only get busier.  So I have to pause this morning and write an update on me, stitching and a wee little giveaway I want to throw at the end of this post.  

Work hasn't wound down.  School life never does and with all my meetings morning, noon and afternoons, it feels like my life force is being sucked dry.  The kids are great of course, even though I'm training them on how to walk down the hall to the learning assistance center ready to learn, and not all kooky and hyped up.  So these past few weeks it's been about training, self-regulation...getting ready to learn is my mantra! Report card writing will be needing to happen soon and all of us teachers are counting down till Christmas break.

Stitching has taken a bit of a back seat as of late because of school but I have done some stitching.  I finished a sweet little design that I need to put together for a friend and mail off. Can't show it yet though till she gets it.  I'm already thinking of stitching Christmas gifts, like all of us are, and am woefully behind!  The other day, dear Annette sent me the sweetest little package.  She knew I didn't have the JCS magazine yet, although I do now, and sent me the linen, threads and some fabric for that adorable LHN ornament.  Thank you my dear! It really made my day!

You have to see her adorable finish.  I want to finish mine like that and she even gave me some of the fabric she used! I finished mine but on 40 ct linen.  I'm going to stitch it again on the linen she gave to me and then give one of them away.  I did use a different red though.  Nina's Chilli Pepper because I just wanted to use a Nina thread.  The other one will use Annette's red.  This design just makes me smile.

I made some progress on my samplers and believe it or not, Tea Bath Fairy.  Didn't take a photo of TBF though since it doesn't look like much has changed. Just filling in with that pesky kreinik.

Wow that photo is bleak.  Anyways, just filling in the border.  Thinking about taking a break from that border and stitching the massive vase that's above the bird's head. But then again, I might have to take a break from sampler stitching and get going on Christmas stuff. 

I did buy some charts with my JCS magazine but why, I don't know.  I'll never have the time to stitch all the things I want to stitch...but the charts just begged to be bought!

More BBD charts.  I love BBD and their Beatles series are amazing.  I adore strawberry fields forever and I can see that Blackbird would be a great RAK gift to someone in the future.  

Next up is my progress on the Bitterest Flower.

I can foresee this moving along a lot faster once I get going on this.  Titus seems to enjoy this design a lot.

He really likes to embed his fluff into everything I own.  The other day while I was in the principal's office, no I wasn't in trouble, I was talking and moving my hands around, as I do, and I saw fluff flying everywhere! I felt so bad adding Titus fluff into his office since he has allergies.  

As for my Sheep Sal with Sarah, Lija and Kaye, I made minimal progress on Kindness. The border is taking a really long time stitching up. 

Giveaway Details!!

If you've made it this far, congrats!! I really want to give back to my friends and would like to giveaway a $25 gift certificate from 123stitch.

All I ask is you enter your name stating you are interested and I will do the draw at the end of this month on November 30th.  I would have stitched something but I really lack the time and oomph to get it together to do that this year.  I will also be announcing some fabulous news in the next little while so please stay tuned!!!

I'll leave you with some photos we took on a rare sunny day. 

Hugs to you all....I'm sorry for not commenting, I will try but I'm off to the island this weekend and the next few are report card time.  Maybe that will be a good time to procrastinate and do some blog hopping...ehhehehee.

Ciao!

Giveaway Winners!!!

On a bright, sunny Sunday morning, I had my trusty furry helper, Titus, draw the winners for my 3rd year blogoversary.  He enjoyed the 5 treats it took to draw three names!!

Congratulations to Pat from The Southpaw Stitcher for nearly being eaten by Titus, and becoming the 1st prize winner!! I will start stitching your Crow on Pumpkin tonight!!

Congrats to Noni and Cucki for being my second and third winners!!!

I will be emailing you all shortly to congratulate you and ask a few questions.

Thank you to all of you for participating and reading my blog.  It means a lot to me to have so many wonderful friends in the world.  Big hugs to you all!!


Anne

3 Years of Blogging Giveaway!!!!

Finally my friends, it is here!!

Yay!!

Okay, so I have decided on the designs I want to stitch for my giveaway, but you get to decide which one you want! Sound good?

Here are the choices:

A) One of the PS creatures below: owls, squirrels, crow on pumpkin with fall, crows, crow on red pumpkin, or leaves and acorns

B) BBD's "You pick your colour bird"! Tell me what colour combo you want and I stitch it for you!!

C) Blue Ribbon Design's Redbird's Rejoice 

For each design, I will include a few little things that go with the design.  My big fluffy Titus will pick the winner.

Details/Rules:

1. Be a follower (you can advertise if you like)
2. Leave a comment telling me which package you would prefer on this post


That's it! I like simple giveaways...helps me sort things out in my head!!

Enter by November 1st at midnight.  Draw will be November 2nd.  I will also draw two more names for complimentary prizes since it's my third year in blogging and I love the number 3!!

I'll be back hopefully later on today.  I have a number of smalls I want to finish up and beautify today.  Wish me luck that I sew straight and get it done!!

Hugs

Anne and Titus

300 Follower Giveaway Winner!!!!

Good morning!

What a bright and lovely day it is, perfect to announce my 300 follower giveaway winner.  My Quality Control Agent (Aurelia's nickname) and Giveaway eater, oops, picker, Titus chose a name out of the bowl.  I threw some treats in there and even while I am typing this, he's still looking for more treats in the bowl!!

Treats thrown in the bowl...papers almost eaten!

I quickly had to grab out this bit of paper before Titus ate it up! I was laughing so hard I forgot to take a photo of him trying to spit it out!!

Hmmm...why isn't this a treat...where did it go??

There's the winner!!!

EVALINA MARIA from This and That!

Congratulations Evalina! I will email you shortly for your address so I can send your box to you.  

Thank you all for entering.  I'm going to keep all those little snippets of papers in case I do another giveaway in the near future.  I was really blown away by all the entries! 

Poor Titus, still looking for more treats!

Take care and happy stitching!!!

Anne and Titus 

300 Follower Giveaway!!!!!

It's here!

The 300 follower giveaway!

Finally I completed the little box I have been planning for this giveaway.  I will include a couple of other little goodies to add to the giveaway.  I had thought about doing something very unique for the giveaway but there has been an awful lot of stress going on in my life right now so I have to keep it simple.  So I'll let Titus introduce the box and I'll explain the rest.

First sniff

Second sniff

Third sniff

Approval!

I stitched this little box using DMC and VMT's and trimmed it with some gold brocade, left over from my Ukrainian dancing days, so it's very special brocade!!

Rules:

1. Be a follower

2. Leave a comment on this post only

That's it.  If you want to, you may advertise the giveaway on your blog, however, I'm not making it a rule.  I really love this little box and hope that it will find a home where it will be equally loved! Thank you all for joining my humble blog!

Enter by Sunday, June 2nd and the draw will be Monday June 3rd!

Edited...forgot to put a date on it!

(I will do a separate post regarding other things in my life)

Hannah and Pattern Winner!

Hello everyone!

It has been a wonderful Spring Break for me, however, it is at an end.  We had splendid weather which hasn't allowed me to spend much time indoors.  I really need Vitamin D!! Last week my little brother came down to visit and so we took him to the beach and did a lot of walking around enjoying the sunshine. 

The magnolia trees have begun to bloom.  I think they are my favourite spring tree right next to the cherry blossoms.  My Nana has two gorgeous magnolia trees in her front yard: one a star magnolia the other a saucer magnolia.  The saucer magnolia is a massive tree on which over 3 generations of kids have climbed, including myself.  I used to spend time on that tree reading William Wordsworth and Keats.  I didn't get the best photo of that tree but I will once it's in full bloom! The deep pink magnolia is one I saw on her block.  So pretty! I love the yellow forsythia bush that we get here too!

As for stitching, not so much progress as I would've liked.  I picked up Hannah again and realized how much I missed stitching her.  I mean to focus on her for the next little while.  She's always brings me pleasure when I stitch her.  The colours, the motifs, the blooms, the silks, the list goes on.

Kindness.  So much kindness in the blogging community.  All of you are so wonderful it makes so happy and blessed.  I received a lovely little LHN chart from Elena, of BusyHandsCraft.  She has the most wonderful blog and makes beautiful things.  Thank you again Elena for thinking of me!

 
I had to start it right away!

And now for the winner of the Quaker Biscornu pattern..........................................

KATHY ELLEN!!!

From A Stitcher's Heirlooms!

My hubby drew your name from my little hand crafted bowl.  I will email you shortly for your details.

Thank you all for entering and commenting on my biscornu. I think I may just have to start another biscornu in the future as it was a lot of fun to make and really not too hard to whip up together.

Well, I hope all of you had a lovely Easter.  Our Pascha isn't until the beginning of May so I'm still fasting.  It hasn't been too bad and in fact I lost a few pounds and feel lighter.  Tonight I will be making a potato leek soup in preparation for my work week, which will be hectic!!

Hugs to you all and happy stitching!

Feeling Blessed and Grateful

Hello everyone!

I have been one lucky gal as of late.  Last week I won not one, but three giveaways!! I couldn't believe it!! I feel very grateful and blessed to have been bestowed such lovely gifts.  The first giveaway I won is from Pat, the Southpaw Stitcher.  Her darling black lab Molly, sniffed my name out of the bowl!! So thank you Pat and Molly for picking me.  She is sending me the Plum Street Samplers' Hares' Christmas chart complete with linen and threads! So generous of her.

 Then, a couple days later, I received emails from Lynn of Kearnel's Korner, and Angela of Hooked on Stitches, telling me that I won their Grow a Blog Party giveaway! Okay.  By this point I was really blown away!!  Angela made one of her famous boxes for the giveaway and Lynn stitched the prettiest little design with flowers and birds to make into a pin pillow! It's always so nice to receive stitching from others.  I will cherish each piece.  So thank you again ladies!! Big Hugs!! 

I was RAK'd a lovely chart with threads from Carolyn, Taking One Stitch At A Time.  Also a sweetie! Big thank you to Carolyn too for making my week!!

Here's the chart and floss.  I want to start stitching the pattern but can't decide on the fabric.  I think I'm leaning more towards the vintage light exemplar (the peachy coloured linen).  

Hmm.  I really like the lambswool linen too.  I suppose I could start stitch a bit on both and see which one I like best. 

Since it's the month of love, I thought I would share with you some of the many musicians I have been obsessed with/infatuated/drooled over when I was a teen and young adult. I may reveal a few of the others later on...hehe.  

I did manage to stitch a bit over the weekend, until I got REALLY distracted by traveling down nostalgia lane listening to one of my favourite bands, Suede.  It's funny how I almost forgot about them! All my CD's are buried in a box in our storage locker and it's a pain to get into it.  I used to be quite infatuated with the lead singer, Brett Anderson.  It was fun looking at old photos of him and seeing him now. He's actually aged quite nicely.  Still a handsome man to me!!

Back in the 90's

Twenty years later

I really adored Suede's music and am excited they are reuniting and will be releasing a new album in March.  They were the original trailblazers of Brit Pop music in the 90's although other bands, such as Blur and Oasis, received more recognition than Suede.  They were very talented and I really enjoyed listening to their music again.  

Oh right, stitching.... I stitched a wee bit on a few things, so instead of posting individual photos, I played around with Picasa's collage button and came up with one photo.  Picasa has so many great features to play with your photos!

 No Titus for now.  He's resting with the hubby since he's so hard at work laying around all day!!

Hugs to you all!

The Winner of My 2 Year Blogoversary

Is..........................................

Melissa from St. John's Stitcher!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats Melissa! I will email you shortly with all your information so I can get you that 123stitch Gift Card!! Whoohoo!!!!

I also drew, well Titus did, two more names for a complimentary prize and the people whose name he almost ate/chewed are................................

Carol from Stitching Dreams!!!!

and 

Nancy from A Lil Bit of Stitching!!!!

Before I post the drawing photos, I almost waited until night time to draw because my hubby is asleep (he's working graveyards) and Titus was being a little traitor and sleeping with him in our bed.  My hubby's schedule is perfect for a cat...sleep all day, stay up all night.  So I thought, fat chance Titus will come out and help me with my draw.  Then I thought...hmm...maybe if I shake his treats he'll come out?! So I did and out he came!! I put a couple of his treats in the bowl and he drew the names.  Actually he almost ate them trying to dig them out!

It would've been easier to do the random generator...ah well

 

Thank you to all who have entered!! I truly wish I could send everyone a little something....

So here are some hugs.........in Joyce style :D

XoAnne