Saturday 6 March 2010

Mexico was fun!!!!

What a busy few days it has been.
We had 8 wonderful days cruising the Mexican Riviera. We stopped in Acapulco, Ixtapa and Manzanillo. The weather was great and we had such fun. We were about 20 couples. There was never a shortage of things to do. My favorite part - having my bed made, having my meals cooked and served with style, having my dishes done for me and having my bed turned down at night and chocolates on the pillow. Who can resist such a vacation!!!! The young man who took care of our room made us a little animal from the towels - each night a different one. This one was my favorite!!


We saw the cliff divers in Acapulco and they were amazing! I have a great video but it is sideways and I can't figure how to flip it to show it to you. This shot is of the cliffs that the divers jump from. There is a shrine to Our Lady of Guadeloupe up the cliff. You can see the houses hanging off the hillside behind. If you make the photo larger you will see a sign top right that says Miramar. That is a hotel. How would you like to have one of those hotel rooms!!!! For me - NO WAY!!!


The city of Acapulco - much as any other large city - I can do without it . Here are a couple of shots of the Bay and the view of New Acapulco which is over the mountains from the city itself.


Ixtapa - we had been there before and so we stayed on board ship and had some fun times.

Manzanillo - very interesting commercial seaport. We walked the town and browsed the shops. It was Sunday afternoon and the stores were crowded with the local people. This gorgeous statue is in the market square. It looks like a marlin to me.

My stitching while I was gone - a sad amount of progress on Desert Mandala. There were just too many other things to do.
I stitched the section left bottom.
When I came home, this RR was in my mailbox. I stitched my part and it is ready for mailing Monday. Only 2 more to go and this RR will wrap up.


I received a note from Sandra that she received the first of my personal exchanges. Sandra is a beautiful quilter and crafter.I met her doing a Fair and Square exchange and we have stayed in touch. I decided to do something a little different for her. I made her 4 placemats using huck towelling and swedish weaving. I included some fabric, thread and patterns for her to try it for herself. I also added one of my homemade ort boxes, a handmade goodie bag, some pretty scissors, a fob that I made, and a pretty glass necklace. I only have a photo of part of the exchange but you get the idea. It is such fun putting together each exchange and trying to make it special for each person.


And my mystery quilt - here are all the strips sewn together.I have worked on it steady for the past two days.  This quilt has been a huge challenge and I am happy that I was able to complete it. It is certainly not perfect but it turned out ok. I will add three accent borders and it will be in our quilt show next weekend. The colors are very washed out in the photo. They are actually very vibrant.


I have over 370 posts in my google reader to catch up on. I will do my best to get through them and comment where I can.

We fly home on the 11th. I may not post before that but I will try and put a brief note after my son's surgery on the 16th if all goes well.

Till then, I hope your stitching makes you smile.

27 comments:

Judy S. said...

Welcome back, Kathy. Sounds like you had a fun and relaxing get away. Best wishes for your son's surgery; I'll be thinking of him and the rest of your family. Take care.

Kim B said...

What a trip! That sounds divine! I absolutely must take a cruise some day. And I think your quilt is really something Kathy! I hope someday to churn out beauties like that myself. That is a very involved top!

Ranae said...

I am glad you had a nice criuse, Queen kathy!
The quit is gorgeous and love that swedish weaving.
Will be thinking of your family
(((hugs)))

Stitcher said...

Welcome back, it only seems like yesterday that you went. Glad you had a great time.

Chris.x

Myra said...

Sounds like you had a great time - I enjoyed the pictures. Your exchange looks fabulous. You have been busy!

Anonymous said...

Loved your pictures. Sounds like a lovely trip. As usual, your works is beautiful. The quilt is stunning. Will be thinking of you on the 16th.
Judie

Terri said...

Great stitching and glad you had a great time :)

Carolien said...

Dear Kathy,

Thanks for sharing all those lovely experiences (that towel animal is so cute!) of your cruise, very special! I wouldn't mind being in that 'cliff hotel', anything better than our freezing temperatures (again) ;)
Your exchange is so charming!!! And your quilt is FAB.

Have a good time and fly home safely. Big hug, Carolien

Pam @ Heart2Heart said...

Hi Kathy, thank you for visting my blog! Your trip sounds fabulous and warm! Enjoyed your projects and they look great. Hoping all goes well with your son. Nice to 'meet' you! :D

Carolyn NC said...

What fun, what fun! Glad you had such a good time! I love your mystery quilt - it looks great! Keep us posted on your DS. Will be praying for him. :)

sandra said...

I'm glad your back! What a fun cruise you had! You make us want to try it!
As I told you on the mail, I loved every item I received! Thanks again! I'm just a little worried if what I send you doesn't arrive before you travel home... Lets keep the fingers crossed...
Love your quilt!

Missy Ann said...

Love it all! The quilt turned out great. As always covet the huck weaving.

And that monkey scares me, if I walked into the room and saw that hanging there I'd probably screech. lol

Annemarie said...

Oooooooh, Fun in Acapulco (you see, I haven't forgotten about that Elvis X-mas ornie you have!). It looks like you had a magnificent time and I couldn't be happier for you.
I'm amazed you got *any* stitching done on your trip, let alone a Chatelaine design!
Love the Swedish weaving on the placemats!

Wanda said...

Oh Kathy! Such excitement and wonder going on in your life! I'm so happy for you! I can just imagine how nice it was to be completely pampered...little towel animals included! And you are most certainly allowed to do other things than stitch while on such a grand excursion! Your progress on Desert Mandala is nice though. And the huck placemats? Such a great idea! I don't need any more towels but love the quick finish of huck embroidery! Your mystery quilt is wonderful! I'm so happy for you on the finish! You can be proud. Praying for you and your family ... Wanda

Maureen said...

okay - you are making me very green with envy talking about your cruise - it sounds fabs, oh to have some warmth and be taken care of for a week, bliss!

Bonnie Brown said...

sounds like you had a great trip!
Love the work on your mandala... can't wait to see the progress in person!
Will be thinking about you on the 16th!

Crazee4books said...

Hi Kathy,

Your cruise sounds like it was a
lot of fun, and very relaxing for
you in particular with no house
work or cooking to be done. Your
pictures are lovely and have me
yearning for sunshine and heat.

Phil and I went on the Alaska
cruise over 17 years ago and it
was fabulous!! Traveling by
ship is a wonderful way to tour
around and you get really
pampered by the staff. I'd love
to do the Alaska cruise again
because the scenery is so
beautiful. If I had money to
burn I'd want to do a European
cruise or do the one that
travels the fjords of Norway
etc.

Those place mats that you made
for Sandra are gorgeous!! Love
the colors, love the patterns
made by the woven threads. You
really spoiled her with all the
wonderful things that you sent
her. I'm still using my ort box
that you taught us how to make
in September.

Oh my but your mystery quilt is
beautiful. I'll bet it looks
even more striking in person.
Love the fabrics that you chose
for this project and how well
they work together.

The weather has been gorgeous
here for the past five days,
with temperatures above 9 Celsius
and lots of bright sunshine and
blue skies. Rain for the end of
the week, and for the weekend but
still warm. Dare we hope that
Winter is done???

Will keep you and your son in my
thoughts on the 16th.

Hugs!! Judy

Nicola said...

Glad you had a great cruise. Lovely photos, and no, I wouldn't fancy staying at the Miramar Hotel either! Great stitching on the Mandala and RR, the placemats and mystery quilt are beautiful.

Carol said...

Looks like you had a fantastic time--so nice that you had so many friends on the trip to see the sights with! I love the towel animal--would you believe we have an entire book at my library on how to make towel animals!

Michelle said...

Looks like a gorgeous trip! And your Desert Mandala is looking gorgeous. You really whipped out your part on the RR didn't you??? Love love love the quilt - gorgeous colors.

Chris said...

How wonderful to have a holiday when winter is home!! Love the colours of the quilt, it has given me the push to get quilting again!
Hugs
Chris x

Aussie Stitcher said...

Your holiday pictures are gorgeous. I will be thinking of you and your family on the 16th.

Lynn said...

Looks like it was a wonderful cruise Kathy! I enjoyed seeing the pictures.
I also enjoyed seeing that mystery quilt. I'm really drawn to the colours.
By now you must be home. I hope all goes well with your son. I'll keep all of you in my prayers.

Carolien said...

Dear Kathy,

How sweet of you to tell me about your possible contribution to Sofia's RR! Very, very sweet, but not necessary: after her fabric parts (6 little blocks) got lost I sent new fabric to the remaining ladies and they made their Margaret Sherry's on these new ones. And since the ones Sofia and I made are back home now she will have her complete RR at the end of the month!
Sofia was very touched by your offer and thanks you as well.
You are all so sweet!!! Thank you very, very much.

Big Dutch hugs from Sofia and me & have a nice weekend,
Carolien

P.S. Sorry I am late in answering, I had to study a lot for the 'nanny academy', aarrggh!

Dani - tkdchick said...

Wow you had a great trip! You've certainly been racking up the milage lately!

The quilt and exchange are fantastic!

Meari said...

That is a beautiful quilt. And what fun you had on your vacation -- weather looks great!

Gayle said...

The pictures are beautiful. I so love the view of the beach and coast line. I looks like you had a wonderful time. I hope all will be well with your son's surgery. I will keep him in my prayers. :)