Bloggaversary gift received

Pam has informed me that she received her bloggaversary gift so I can now post a picture of it here. It's by Lizzie Kate and is called Friendship Begins. I wanted something special to show my appreciation for all the new blogging friends I've made and this pattern seemed to fit the bill.

It really was a fun stitch. I was trying to decide how to personalize it and Dani was here that day for a SAL. She took a look at it and suggested that I put our initals on the teacups. Brilliant.. why couldn't I think of that! I took her suggestion and was pleased with how it turned out. I've got some more pictures here to show the ititials, side view and the fabric I used for the back. I was so encouraged by the results (Thanks Vonna for the tutorial!) that I tried another one this week with my Butterflies.

I used the time I had off on Monday and Tuesday to finish not only my Butterflies but Weather Wise as well. My aim was to get both of these finished before I head off on holidays. I really didn't want to pick up WW. I just wasn't in the mood. I only had the grass, walkway and border to finish but it was sooo boring and I just wasn't looking forward to it. However I persevered and here are the results. This one is going to be framed at a later date (when I have the money!) and will go on the wall either in my guest bedroom or my new craft room.

Being encouraged by the results on my first pinkeep I decided to give it another go with Butterflies. I'm learning as I go along. This time I used a little too much glue when applying my quilt batting to the matboard and then didn't wait long enough for it to dry before I started centering my stitching. Consequently I ended up with small depressions in the corners where my stitching stuck to the glue underneath. I used a hair dryer after to try and lift it but wasn't entirely successful. However I can live with it ( perfectionist... I can't believe that's me saying that!) and when it's sitting on the easel it's really not that noticeable. I've proudly sat it on my coffee table in the living room and can't believe that I actually completed it

Next I'm going to try an ornament finished as a pillow but it won't be anytime soon since we're heading off next week on vacation!! I'm officially finished work now until Aug. 5th!

Before we actually leave for the cottage in Muskoka we'll be having some more fun because my granddaughters are arriving here tomorrow evening. Where my son works in Quebec, all the plants shut down for the last two weeks of July for vacation. Originally he was going to drive up here but his partner still has to work for another week and she needs the car so we have to go to Drummondville and bring them here. I mentioned my plans to my ex-husband and asked if he wanted to share the driving and then we could each have a few days with the girls. He thought it was a great idea so he is picking them up this morning and bringing them to his place. Then he will drop them off at my place on Sunday evening and I will keep them here until Wednesday afternoon after which I will do the return trip to Quebec. It benefits both of us, saves us some gas money and we both get time spent with our grandchildren. I'm so lucky that our divorce was amicable and we can continue to stay on good terms and work things out in instances like this. It's better for our children as well.

I've made a start on another of Tante Zolder's patterns this week. I'm not sure what I'll nickname this one. I enjoyed working on Butterflies so much that I printed out another of her freebies and got started. I'm using another Dinky Dyes floss which is an overdye called Pacific Sunshine. The colours are just so restful and perfect stitching for the cottage.

I'm also in the process of doing a floss toss with different fabrics so that I can start my Christmas gift for my youngest sister. You will recall I finished the USA tree for my other sister. I think I'm going to do M Designs Peace tree for her finished as a flatfold rather than an ornament. I'm saving the ornaments to give as gifts next year. I had Mary at M Designs do up some personlized trees for me to stitch some ornaments as gifts.

Now I'm off to decide what I can come up with for supper tonight. My DH does most of the cooking around here lately and I've rather grown used to it. He's working a little later tonight so it's my turn and I haven't got a clue what to do. Any suggestions?!!