March Finishes

Thank you all for your kind remarks about our Hawaiian cruise pictures as well as your good wishes when DH & I came down with the flu upon return. We are both fine again and enjoying the wonderful spring weather.

Hopefully everyone has been enjoying their spring stitching as much as I have. For me March has been such a fun stitching month with two gifts completed.

The first finish is needle-book stitched for my dear friend Brenda. It was so nice to be able to give it to her in person and see her reaction. At the top it says "Forget Me Not" (very appropriate since DH & I hope to move and I certainly want B to remember me and our good times together). The bottom says: "Heart and Hand Will Never Part 'Heart' to my Friend".

The pattern is a free design from Hands to Work which I fell in love with the moment I spotted it at http://www.daisystitches.com/ On the back cover I stitched a freebie pattern by Meridel Abrams.

The needlebook is stitched 1 over 1 on 25 ct white Lugana with Morning Glory Sampler Threads from The Gentle Art. This is my first time stitching with their floss and I love its subtle variegations as well as the fact that they don't seem to tangle as easily as DMC & Anchor.

The second gift is 'The Tea House' which I will be sending to my nephew's wife. She has many creative hobbies including cross-stitching, weaving and cardmaking and is always making things for others. I remember a number of years ago she was making cards using folded teabags so I think she will enjoy this.

This coming week I hope to try out my newly acquired mounting & framing techniques on this piece. Thankfully I'll be able to get advice from the woman who taught us as I'm still a bit hesitant about my ability to get it right.

For the 'Tea Room' fans out there - have you seen the newest CCN pattern 'La Boutique' http://www.countrycottageneedleworks.com/new.html? Love it!!!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend. I'll be back next week with some more updates including the most adorable 'Easter Parade'.

April 2 - PS: Rachel just let me know that the 'Hands to Work' freebie is no longer available on the Daisy Stitches site.

The Tea Room

The weeks have flown by since our cruise and I think DH & I are just about ready for another one. After all the post-cruise activities had been taken care of we both came down with the flu which we seem to have finally put behind us in the last two days.

Before we left I mentioned that I was taking 'The Tea Room' along to stitch. After some stitching on board and further stitching these past two weeks here is what it looks like at the moment. Wouldn't you love to drop by?I can hear you thinking "I thought she said she'd finished the border before the cruise." Oh you are so right! Last week I discovered the left side was short one stitch so I had to frog the side and bottom which somehow or other had fit in with the right side (if you make enough mistakes perhaps they even one another out – is that like two negatives make a positive?). Last night I re-stitched the left border & think it's OK now.

Although no back-stitching is required I found the tablecloth needed it as it didn’t show up on the ecru fabric otherwise. I am also considering backstitching the tops of the lamps in a pale golden yellow. When I look at this I can’t figure out what the method in my stitching madness is this time – doesn’t it look strange with work done here there and everywhere - not like me at all. Is it spring fever?

Tuesday was SAL-day and I stitched away on Frederick but there is no point in a picture as most of the stitching was black on black. PLEASE STOP ME FROM EVER STITCHING ON BLACK AGAIN!!! Maybe I'm over-reacting but this fabric is really getting to me. However, I will not be defeated and will keep plugging away until he's finished.

If either Gail (MS Stitch) or Renee (Bible and Broderie) reads this - your blog link no longer leads to your blog. I miss you and your blogs. Hope all is well and look forward to being able to visit you again soon.

Have a great weekend friends!!!

PS: Thank you Isabelle for your quick response. Thanks to you I can reach Renee again.

Hawaiian Cruise

Aloha friends,

Tomorrow it will be a week ago since we returned home from our cruise. We had a wonderful time - great company, marvelous sites, fabulous food ..........

As promised, here are a few pictures of our trip. Since I have no idea how many pictures blogger will allow me to upload I've limited myself to fifteen.

MS Zaandam

Hawaii

Akaka Falls

Small waterfall with bamboo

Nani Mau Botanical Gardens

Bay where Capitan Cook first landed

Volcanos National Park

Turtles laying eggs on black lava beach

Maui

View from shipAmazing whales
Oahu

Drive along gorgeous coastlineSharp lava rocks Statue King Kamehameha the Great, Honolulu
Kauai

Nawiliwili Beach

Goodbye Kauai