Feeling the Love

Thank you all for your kind thoughts and well wishes!! We are truly thankful and feel the love from all of you!!

I'm sitting here writing as Titus is doing a serious loud cleaning beside me.  Sometimes it drives me nuts and now I'm distracted by all the licking....the fluff flying around in the air is attaching itself to everything, including me!

Ignoring Titus and onto some stitchy news, I had a very busy weekend with a minute amount of stitching done.  Friday night was supposed to be spent on Magic Garden but I was out with a few girlfriends gabbing away.  I did stitch a purple thing in the bottom right corner.  I wanted Maggee to catch up a bit anyways.

Saturday was spent attending a baptism, filling myself with amazing Russian and Italian food...quite the combo, then had a long vesper service (night service before Sunday liturgy).  Sunday was church, more eating of leftovers from the baptism, including a cake that was soaked in all sorts of alcohol, piroshki which is a sweet dough with a meat filling - my favourite dish in the world, and all sorts of other delicious dishes.  I didn't get a picture of the piroshki since I was too busy enjoying eating it to think of pictures. 

I managed to stitch a bit last night on Knotgarden and that's it.  I have two other little gifts I'm working on but those can't be revealed yet!!

Close up of Algerian eyelets.

The granny afghan is growing.  It covers my legs while I crochet so I think I'm about 3/4's of the way finished.

I added Titus onto the blanket to give you an idea of how large it is

The other day, I received a wonderful surprise from Cindy.  I had won her giveaway awhile back and forgot! So it was a lovely surprise to receive a package in the mail.  She sent me some adorable charts, a nice piece of fabric and little Christmas lights for finishing.  Thank you so much Cindy!! The LHN charts have the threads to stitch it with.  So lovely of her to add that in!!

Signing off with a photo of my blooming hyacinth.  I can't wait for spring and the flowers to bloom.  I have spotted a few snowdrops peeking out but no crocuses yet.  Hopefully in the next 2 weeks we will see an explosion of colour.

Hugs to you all! I know I have been very behind on my blog reading/commenting since being back to school.  I will have more time next weekend to visit all of you!!

Anne

2 More Days and IHSW

That's right!!

2 more days and I'm done with school! Thank goodness because the last few weeks have been exhausting.  So glad that my reports came back with no errors and my principal said he enjoyed reading them! Yahoooooo!!! I always worry that I say the right thing about a child. Hopefully the parents and their child will appreciate them too.  I'm pretty happy to be coming back the next year and already have loads of ideas and improvements.  But what I'm really looking forward to is the time to cycle, read, stitch, catch up on blogs, and all that summer brings. 

Lots of things to share with you today.  I have been overly blessed as of late and have been chosen by hubbies, pets and fate to be the winner of a number of giveaways.  First, I was chosen to be the next recipient of the traveling sisterhood's "Life's a Stitch" chart from the sweet Valma! I've followed this chart for awhile.  So glad to be given the chance to stitch it.  I will be literally traveling while stitching.  I'm off to a family reunion this Saturday and will be visiting the family for a couple of days, then back to the mainland the following weekend.  Can't wait! Here's the fabric and floss toss.

Not sure if I will make it into a box or finish it as a pillow.  I'll decide when I'm done.  When I get back from my trip, I will do a post to pass it on to the next person.

Then, I was very lucky to receive one of Lee's exquisite beetles.  I just fell in love with the enchanting creatures when I saw them on her blog.  She is so very talented with embroidery and stump work. The beetle may end up on a magnet or I may make it into a brooch.  Thank you so much Lee!!

Last, but definitely not least, my name was drawn to win Jeanne's, from Willow Tree Stitcher, massive giveaway! I've followed her blog for awhile now admiring her stitching and sewing, which are both impeccable. To say I was overwhelmed is an understatement.  She made me one of her lovely project bags and I've been looking at her sewing skills...wow! My hubby is impressed with her ability to sew straight, unlike me O.O  She sent me loads of charts, some linen, Vikki Clayton silks!, and a couple of kits all ready to go.  I will be tackling a couple of these charts this summer for sure! Thank you again Jeanne!! 

Wow right?!

Now for a pic of my IHSW stitching.  I completed the border and it sort of matched.  I had to fudge it a bit but I don't think anyone will notice at all.  Put in some more blooms and filled in grass.  So nothing terribly exciting. I'll apologize ahead for the wrinkles.

That's all the stitching I have done. Those flowers take me over an hour to do for some reason.  Jane's flowers took my 40.  Hmm.  Maybe I've slowed down a bit.

Onto other news, my hubby and I finally had a day off together with some sunshine, so we booked it over to Stanley Park and enjoyed ourselves smelling roses, eating salmon berries, hiking, talking, just enjoying ourselves.  Enjoy the photos.

I love crows and can't resist a good photo opportunity with the black birds of the sky.

 

That's all until I get back from the Doll family reunion.  

Thank you so much for commenting on my last post. I didn't have time to respond to all of your lovely comments but I appreciated all of them so much.  Bless you all and happy stitching!!!

Anne

Blackbirds and Lizard Eyes

Well hello everyone,

It has been quite some time since I have last updated my blog.  Work has been very hectic and looks like it won't slow down until school is finished.  The days go by so quickly in schools.  It's as though you blink your lizard eyes (read the end of post and you will understand this) and April's gone!  The weather had been so beautiful this week that I was hoping for some sunshine today, but no....we get rain.  The rain really dampened (literally) my plans to go pick up my Jane Philpott from the framer's!!! I really want to pick her up but I won't chance it for fear of getting her wet.  This is the sort of time when I really wish I had a car...and could drive.

I was hoping to get some more spring finishes make for my little smalls basket, but alas, that has not been the case.  I did manage to finish my little LHN blackbird last night.  I think it's such a sweet little design.  I changed two of the colours.  One of the darker blues I used Victorian Motto shoppe's floss, which is divine, and for the blackbird I used WDW's Molasses to add a bit of depth and variation.

I have the perfect finish in mind for it too.  Inspired by Angela and Terri with their amazing box finishes, I will be making this into a box finish and offering it as part of my 300 follower giveaway.  I'm hoping to have it done in the next few weeks since our Pascha is next weekend and I will be busy, yet again, with family and church.  

Here's an update on Hannah.  As promised (to myself), I've stitched mainly on her and am about halfway done now.  I have thought about putting my other BAP's into a rotation schedule, but I need more than one day for that!! I will be filling in the leopard next and finishing off the grass.  I can hardly wait to see his spots!! I'm totally in love with this sampler!

Well, I have been one lucky, and blessed girl this year.  My name was chosen to be the winner of Terri's Birthday giveaway from Dixie Sampler AND a 2nd place winner from the Scarlet Letter blog.  I must have one lucky name!! I can't tell you how blown away I was when I received Terri's package.  The little box she made for me is so gorgeous and personalized too with my initials! To top it off, she sent me some beautiful charts, linen, fabric, ric rac, petite needles (yay!!), an adorable little purple flower needle minder, some charms and scissors.  Thank you so much Terri for your gift! 

Titus inspecting the beautiful box.

Isn't this design so adorable? Love the bunny and squirrel!

Did I mention the dark chocolates? Oh right...ate them all!!!

Speechless....................

The very following day, I received the Scarlet Letter kit JCS 1707 from Melody, who kindly donated the kit as a prize.  Thank you so much Melody and Nicola!!  This sampler is really special and I can't wait to start it!!

I really love the Adam and Eve in this sampler. Every section is stunning to look at! The more I look at this sampler the more I love all the details. 

Well, I hope to catch up on reading all your posts.  I have been so remiss with responding to emails, so I hope to get to those today.  C'est La Vie! Right?! I do my best to keep up but when work gets so busy, I need to concentrate on that first.  The kids need me just as I need them.  Precious muffins all of them!! 

Oh, just to share with you one last thought.  The other day, one of my kids said to me, "Mrs. Doll, you have eyes like a lizard."  To which I replied, "Is that a compliment ___?" He very seriously said "Yes, because lizard's eyes are cool and green like yours!"  If you knew the boy, you would understand that in his mind, this WAS a compliment!! So cute...so I guess I have Lizard's Eyes!!!

Take care and happy stitching!!

Hugs from me and Titus...