Saturday 7 March 2009

Hello - it's me

Hi everyone. I am back from my grand adventures.
I will share my stitching updates with you and then if you wish you can have a little peak at our trip.

Here are the beautiful Winter Fair Squares I received from Gillie (no blog).


My Make a Wish also came in the mail recently. Chris made me this beautiful Altoid tin.


The design is from Victoria Sampler and from the Christmas Poinsettia leaflet. The photo does not do it justice. It is so dainty and I love the hardanger. I so admire hardanger but am afraid to try it.

Here is my addition to Annette's RR. I chose "Winter Cottage" from Maryse's House. I really enjoyed this stitch. Annette is doing individual squares - not sure what she has in mind at the end.

I have a couple of secret stitches finished but cannot show them yet. And today, I picked up Noddy and put a few stitches in that. I will post a photo of that next time.

Our next stop after Las Vegas was the Grand Canyon.
The Grand Canyon was as breathtaking and awe inspiring as ever.

We have been there several times and it still takes our breath away.

And look what we found while we were there - SNOW!!!


This handsome fella welcomed us at a local trading post during our drive from the Canyon to Flagstaff. I think he has been too long in the Arizona sun.

At breakfast in Flagstaff, most of the guests were in ski clothes. We knew then it was time to head back to southern Arizona and warm weather LOL.
We travelled through the beautiful red rocks of Sedona and then up the narrow mountain roads to the city of Jerome then returning tired but happy home later that evening.

Our guests left on Thursday at 11 a.m. and our next guests arrived at 2 p.m. the same day. My DH Leo will be 60 on Monday and his sister and her husband have come from Florida to celebrate the day with him. I am in the party planning mode now!!!

Until next time, may all your stitches cross where they should LOL.

21 comments:

Ranae said...

What nice things you have received.
I like the winter cottage.
Your trip reminds me of when we went to Arizona when the kids were around 10ish and kellie was not even here. We stopped at Slide Rock State park, I think it is between Flagstaff and beautiful Sedona. The kids had a blast sliding down the river, the rock cover with moss, so it makes it slippery and ouchy,lol. We had no idea when we went in, what we would find. And the stars are so magnificent, we couldn't stop looking at the night sky.
Better go! lol

Crazee4books said...

Hi Kathy,

Welcome home. Well, back to home
base in Arizona anyways. Sunny and
warm and definitely not southern
Ontario weather.

Speaking of which, the F word is
in the forecast for various times
in the next week. I refer of
course to the ever dreaded Freezing
Rain!! Ugh!! Hopefully we're too
close to Toronto to experience the
full effects of that weather system
but then again...

It would be very cool to have the
opportunity to see the Grand
Canyon in person. Though I'm not
terribly fond of heights I think
I'd be willing to make an effort
to visit and explore this place.
But snow in the Grand Canyon???
That is just sooo wrong!!

You certainly are busy with your
guests right now. But then again
a birthday cannot be celebrated
without special guests now can
it??? Hope your DH has a wonder-
ful birthday with lots of cake
and lots of laughter and good
memories.

The square that you stitched for
Annette's RR is very sweet. It's
the only place that I'm willing
to accept snow these days...on a
cross stitch project. Love the
colour of the house and that
bright red door.

Talked to my Mom tonight and she
survived her visit here quite
well. Tired but delighted to
have been out and to have seen
the cats.

So when do you head home to
Ontario???

Cheers!

Kim B said...

Oh how I love the Grand Canyon! What a sight! And Jerome is such a neat little old mining town! It's by far the steepest town I've ever seen!

I love those squares! And that tin is so beautiful!

Beatrice said...

Tell Leo happy birthday for Me with a BIG HUG!!!

Looks like you are having a great winter traveling this year!

Wish you had of been here on the weekend we missed you and spoke of your group hug!!
Consider yourself hugged.

Judy S. said...

Hmm...one of my choir friends was just hiking in the Grand Canyon; I wonder if she had snow like here at home? I always enjoy looking at your stitching projects, Kathy. A talented stitcher like yourself probably would pick up hardanger without much difficulty. I took a class once; it's fun.

Carolyn NC said...

Sounds like you've been having tons of fun! Pics are great. Love your stitching and the exchanges.

Brigitte said...

Ha, your husband and I are so very close in birthdays, and born the same year. Happy Birthday to him!
You seem to have had a wonderful trip. I love the Grand Canyon and the best thing I have ever experienced there was a wonderful sunset. It was breathtaking.
You have received a very nice Altoid tin. And the squares are also very beautiful. Enjoy!

Annette said...

Welcome home! Your trip sounds wonderful! We took the family on the Grand Canyon Railway last spring (it was our first trip to the Canyon) and spotted a bit of snow then, too.

I love my square! I'm stitching the same house on Shannon's RR right now... LOL

Jenny said...

Love the altoid tin and your RR contribution. Sure sounds like you've been busy. :)

Cindy F. said...

Happy Birthday Kathy's Husband!!

Great exchange and MAW!! and your RR piece is beautiful!

Great pics of your vacation! You're like me,,,you prefer the warm weather:) Love the cowboy!

Wendy said...

Wow ! You got a great exchange!
Seems you had a wonderful trip, love the pictures, especially the one with the cowboy!

Sonda said...

Lovely exchanges!!! What a wonderful trip you had! I so want to go to the Grand Canyon!

Anonymous said...

Great exchanges and great trip!
Happy birthday to hubby!

Anonymous said...

What pretty gifts. How very clever, what people can do with those altoid tins!

I also love the look of Hardanger but haven't yet worked up the nerve to try it. I'm sure it's one of those things that once you get the hang of it, you can't believe you were so scared to start, but for the moment...

LOL, I love the skeletal cowboy. My sister has a thing about getting her picture taken with weird things. Maybe on our move to Kansas, we'll plot a course through there so she can get one of herself standing next to that. lol

stitcherw said...

What lovely gifties you received, and your winter cottage looks great. Happy belated birthday to your DH, hope the party and all the planning went smoothly.
Sue

Wanda said...

What nice gifts and such a great trip! I took a course once in Hardanger but I'm still scared! Maybe we should just...do it! I've been lots of places in the world but never seen the Grand Canyon. What a shame. Someday I hope to see my own country. I'm not really sure I get the sisterhood thing...where can I read more about that? How does the scars from Hunter's mishaps look? I hope not too bad. Often they fade away when one is so young.

Wendy said...

Hi Kathy,

I love reading your blog so much that I got another award for you.
Take a look at my blog please.

Take care,
Wendy

Wendy said...

Great things you received in the mail! Happy Birthday to your hubby!!

Beatrice said...

I had a look at the Bunnies for Missy Ann. Cute!!!!

Carolien said...

Hi Kathy,

Welcome home again!
Your cottage house is adorable and my, that guy certainly had too much sunshine. That sun is killing! :)

Happy stitching & hugs, Carolien

Karin said...

Sounds like you had a great time on your trip! I love the little hardanger case - what a great gift.