Exchanges and gifts

I have received notice that my two exchanges for July have been received. I can now share them with you.

The first exchange went to Michele. I stitched the scissor protector and needlebook from The Gift of Stitching 2008 on 32 count Ivory Lugana with the recommended GAST Threads. I loved the colors in this and it went together beautifully after having some help understanding the instructions from Beatrice.

Here are the other goodies I included in her package.

The second exchange went to Nic in the U.K. Nic is new to me and she has Linden Bee Designs. Now, doesn't that make one nervous about stitching when you are stitching for a designer.

For her I stitched For My Friend Scissor Pocket from Cat Whiskers Studio, Limited Edition 2009 on 32 count Cookie Dough using Dinky Dyes - Kalamunda. Again, a challenge to put together but well worth it in the end.

Here are the little extras I included in her exchange.

From my sweet friend Helen - a gift - Blackstone Fantasy Garden. Helen has stitched it and then passed on the pattern. I love this one and it was on my to do list. Thank you so very much my friend.

I also won a giveaway and look at the cool gift I won.

I will be taking it to Thursday stitching where we shall all try it out. Thank you so much Joanne.

I'm sure like many others of you, it has been so stinking hot! The humidity has been brutal! and let me tell you I get very cranky. I just don't handle it well.  It did break for a day but today we are back in the high temps again.

I will be leaving Friday to go on vacation for a little over two weeks. We have a cottage in Northern Ontario - no phone, no internet! I am looking forward to some quiet time and some serious stitching. And I hope to do some fishing - I am a closet fisherperson. I love fishing for bass. That is the only time of the year I take to do that but I love every minute of it. I will bait my own line and I take the fish off with a rubber kitchen glove - hey - whatever works - right! Cleaning the fish is up to DH.

My blogging and reading will be sparse as I have to drive 15 miles into town to get internet but I will catch up where I can. Until then, keep those needles singin'

Lighthouses and school children

I am so very excited. In 2007 I started a lighthouse RR. Well, this RR has had it's issues. The designs are from Stoney Creek. Each lighthouse took a huge number of threads and a very large amount of time. Each person who stitched on it grumbled and complained their way through their block. When my local stitchers had done their contribution, some away stitchers volunteered their services. So after 3 1/2 years, it is home. I still need to stitch the last block and do the border. I am going to add the name of each lighthouse under each block and then add the names of the stitchers at the bottom. It is not done but it is home in my hands and that is where it will stay.
The last stitcher was Jenn from Sweetpea Stitches and she included photos of the lighthouse she stitched. Her husband also stitches and he did all the back stitching on her piece. She and her DH do lighthouse tours and had actually been to the Selkirk lighthouse that she stitched. I am planning to frame the photos and hang them near this RR when it is done. She also included some lovely little angel pins that she made and a lighthouse design that her DH had stitched.

My stitching has been for 2 exchanges that went out in the mail last week. I did work on a RR for a local stitcher. Barb (no blog) is a retired teacher and find this cute design in an old pamphlet. My Thursday stitching group are working on this for her. I did the two little guys to the right - one dipping the girl's hair in the inkwell and the second under the desk. Kinda reminds me of my boys when they were young. LOL.

I  received this package in the mail yesterday. In my recent exchange with Clare, there was a set of thread keepers from Rosewood Manor. Unfortunately, a couple got broken in transit. When I contacted Karen at Rosewood Manor about replacement cost, she generously sent me a replacement package at no charge and included a free pattern. So a BIG Thank You and a worthy mention goes to Karen Kluba at Rosewood Manor designs!!!

I stitched the April block on my SanMan Snowman. Love these little pieces.

I really need to take some time and get back to my BAP's but it is too hot to pick up a large piece of fabric. With the Humidex, it was over 100 degrees here yesterday. It was not quite that hot but close Monday and today is supposed to be even hotter then yesterday. I plan to spend my day on my swing outside, stitching and enjoying the breeze from the water.  I hope all of you who are experiencing this heat wave survive well.

Till next time, keep those stitches crossed.

HAPPY CANADA DAY FROM THE PFEIFFERS AND I

Happy Canada Day one and All.

Last year at this time, Vonna made a comment on my blog that she thought she would like to celebrate Canada Day too. Well, of course, that set the wheels turning.She had forgotten all about that comment but I hadn't.  A package went off in the mail a few weeks ago. Today you can see the results.

My adopted family for this year's Canada Day - the Pfeiffer clan. You should read the post on Vonna's blog. It is wonderful.

Mirabilia Framed and All About the Family

Here is my framed Mirabilia.

It will hang proudly in my new home. Until then, it is carefully under wraps.

Two weeks ago we celebrated my dad's 80th birthday. He is in remarkable health and it was fun to have a family get together. My sister and her family were home from Texas so we were all together for the first time in many years. We had a wonderful photographer who made some memories.

My father and mother

My parents and my sisters and I

The entire family

Leo and I with our children and grandchildren

Our sweet granddaughter Drew had her Grade 8 graduation on Friday.
Here she is looking very grown up.

And she received the Reading Award.

Leo gives her $10 an "A" and this year he was happy to give her $100 - way to go girl!!!

Have some stitchy stuff to post but will save it till the next time. Enjoy your visit with my family.

It has been 12 days

 since my last confession -  OOPS - I mean post and have I been busy!!!

We bought a house! These were our requirements - no lawn, no stairs, small, not too many rooms, garage not necessary and a townhouse/condo.
Here's what we bought.

Lots of lawn, 4 level side split - 1700 sq feet, 4 small flights of stairs, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, living room, dining room, kitchen, family room, garage, deck, shed and single car garage. And we love it!

When we have not been running around doing paperwork and getting things sorted out for both the sale of our current home and the purchase of our new home I have done some stitching and sewing.

I  received my personal exchange from Clare.

She made me a lovely needlebook and included lots of wonderful goodies.

She added our initials inside the book and some packs of John James needles. I have never used them so will enjoy trying that.

Here is a photo of the package I sent her.

Her needlebook and scissor fob is from GOS magazine on 32 count lugana stitched with Vikki Clayton's Purpilicious silk.


I stitched on Flowers in the Garden and made some good progress. I am glad to see the end of that writing with #8 braid.
Before:

After:

I picked up Chatelaine's Desert Mandala and worked away until I had completed Part 1 except for the beading. This piece is such a pleasure to work on. I have a hard time putting it down at the end of it's rotation.
Before:

After:

I found these little snowmen on Rachel's blog and just had to stitch them.

They are from SanMan. Aren't they cute? You can go to their website and find the patterns from there.  This is 3 in a set of 12.

I found this precut apron pattern at Joann's before I left Arizona. It should have taken me a couple of hours. Well, I decided to make it reversible. And that's me - make it way more complicated than it needs to be. This simple little apron took me 3 1/2 weeks to sew together!

My BFF Beatrice was away in Boston for several days and bought me a few little gifts.

Can you tell I like lighthouses? Isn't she the best! Love ya girl!

There are over 275 posts in my Google Reader right now. I have been checking out my emails and not much else while all this house stuff has been happening. There has been so much paperwork and phone time required that it has been mind boggling.
I will do my best to get through all your news now that things are calmer. I will comment where I can. Please know I am reading them all and admiring your wonderful work!

And tomorrow, I am picking up my framed Mirabilia Round Robin! I can hardly wait to see it.

Until next time, keep those stitches crossing!

Someone stop the Ferris Wheel - I want to get off

Well, hello one and all. Life is just insanely busy around here. I am no longer sure which end is up. And to top it all off- we sold our house on Thursday. Was it for sale  - no. Were we talking about selling and moving - no. Was it in our plans at the moment - no. And yet we sold. The real estate market for cottages is hot here right now and we got a good price for it. And so, we are now homeless. I guess I better get out there Monday and find us a new place to live.

I do have some stitching news to share - warning photo intensive!!!
One week ago myself and my stitching friends were invited to a friend's cottage for the weekend to stitch. We were 14 in all. What a slice of heaven on Georgian Bay. Look at this house.

And this is the cottage!

The view was spectacular. Our host and hostess were just so wonderful. They treated us like queens.

And the frogs - they were in the pond and in the garden and mostly stayed there - thank goodness.

In the midst of all this we decided we needed a name since we have learned that we will drop everything and travel at the drop of a hat when someone says "Road Trip" and the word "stitch" in the same paragraph.

 and so - here we are "The Travelling Stitcherhood". Our motto is "Stitch, Eat, Sleep". I won't bore you with photos of us at the restaurant and the table laden with food!

      Back row - Trista, Bonnie, Christin, Angie and Rebecca
      Middle Row - Barb, Ann, Sylvia, Judie and Clare
      Front Row - Dani, Kathy, Beatrice and Sheila.

Don't you just love it!

Here are some photos of my wonderful stitching sisters.

Ann and Sylvia diligently working away.

Judie, Beatrice, Bonnie and Christin making those needles smoke.

Dani with her Wedding Sampler and Rebecca with her Ink Circles "Kaleidoscope"

Trista working on one of her 7 HAED's!!! and she is doing a Chatelaine!

Sheila and Clare discussing how to finish Sheila's snowman!

The sun room where we stitched when the weather did not cooperate.

My stitching friends gave me back my Friendship Sampler stitched and ready for finishing. Now to find just the right fabric.

I gave Royal Holiday some serious work and got a large chunk of her dress done. I hope to see the end of that dress someday soon.

My sister is here visiting from Texas for 10 days. She came with two children and her new Yorkshire puppy.
I love that girl but she is a bit of a whirlwind! We are having a surprise 80th birthday party for my father later today. We will all be home for the first time in 10 years and the family has increased considerably. We were six and now we are 18. We are going to take lots of pictures.

If things are quiet on this front for a bit, you will know I am out looking for a new home or sitting on the couch vegging from pure exhaustion.

Wish me luck!