RAK from Daffycat....

Ohhh...it's great to be ME!!!!!

Sharon sent me this wonderful RAK! Why was I so lucky???? No...it wasn't my charming personality or superior stitching skills. She is just looking for people to RAK (how sweet is that!) and I was quick to sign up. I just love this design and can't wait to add to my Americana collection. Unfortunately, you can't smell it but it smells as good as it looks! It's not too late for you to add your name and maybe you will be a lucky one too. I just love this idea and hope to pay it forward with a RAK of my own soon!

Thanks....
to all of you for the wonderful birthday wishes! I think my hubby is a keeper too...at least until next year's birthday. ;) I got a wonderful surprise from Amy for my birthday too! She made a donation to the Make-A-Wish foundation on my behalf...how cool is that. A friend's daughter was the recipient of her "wish" a few years ago and it is amazing what they do for these kids so I was happy she thought of me in that way. Thanks Amy!!!!

Oh well...it's dinner time. Happy stitches....

World's best hubby....

My prized new goodies from CHS and Goode Huswife!

Today is my birthday and I just had to share what hubby gave me. Ever since CHS announced her retirement and Goode Huswife is selling her OOP designs too, I made a substantial list for him to choose from. He got them all! I am so excited.....I definitely am set for something to stitch for the next couple of years. Now....just need to stock on some fabric.

He also treated me to dinner at Ruth Chris and the dessert was to die for. Oh well...off to stitch! Happy stitches....

Seasonal Exchange from Michelle....

LK "Spring"

My Monday was certainly brightened this evening when I got this goodie in the mail from Michelle in the Spring Seasonal Exchange. I love LK designs and I don't have this one so it is perfect. Michelle used hand-dyed "Dragon Floss" threads and they are so bright and pretty! I love the bright yellow the best....it just pops on the white! This was our first exchange with this new group and Michelle did a great job for me!

I had a great weekend with my mom and let's just say we definitely helped the economy of S.C. this weekend! The weather here was perfect and it was great spending time with her and my family. Oh well....off to stitch! Guess I need to get in gear with my exchange piece! Happy stitches.....

My progress on Frederika....

CHS "Frederika" on 40ct Pearled Barley w/ recommended DMC

I decided I wanted to track my progress on Frederika since it seems to be taking me forever to stitch this one! Now that most of the border is completed, I just love the color selection in this one. I still have to fill in the border but think the interior will go a little quicker. At least I have a little piece of the bird!

My mom is coming to visit this weekend and this will be her first trip since we moved! I can't wait to spend the day shopping and laughing with her. Hope you have a great weekend too and thanks for visiting. Happy stitches.....

F&S Easter squares for Nadia...

Trilogy "Happy Bunny Bunny Day"

Nadia let me know she finally received my squares for the Fair & Square Easter exchange! Look familiar??? After mailing my squares on Feb. 19th, I began to worry a week ago they would not arrive and started stitching them again. As luck would have it, my original package was returned to me due to insufficient address....dummy me left the street address off! So I repackaged them and sent back on their merry way to Holland. On the bright side, I did finally get this design stitched for myself!

I also had this finish last night.....

Threadwork Primitives "Schoolgirl Blossoms"
28 ct raw linen w/overdyed threads

I saw this design on Threadwork Primitives and couldn't resist ordering it. I just love the finish and hope to finish it into a pinkeep. I did the change the colors for "pinker" hue and see myself stitching it again maybe in a monochrome.

Thanks for visiting....happy stitches!

Fun, productive weekend.....

Amy hosted a stitch-in this weekend and had about 20 ladies from NC, SC and GA. It was great with some good food, conversation, stitching and laughing...of course! She has several great pics on her blog so check it out!

One of the highlights of of the day was picking up the tote bag Amy made for me! I was so excited to get it and just love it. She had some totes for sale (if any are left!) so visit her blog.

I did actually stitch and even had a finish...

Trilogy "Happy Bunny Bunny Day"
Stitched on 32 ct. linen

Isn't he a cutie??? Too cute to sit around so I decided to go ahead and finish him into this cute little pillow.

I also had a couple of finishes at the end of the week so I finished them too.

BBD "Bluebird"
Stitched on 32 ct. linen coffee dyed with ST Midnight

Chris stitched this Saturday on Weeks Straw fabric with the recommended GA Uniform Blue. It was to die for so I will definitely stitch this one again copying hers color palette.

And last but not least.....

Lizzie Kate "Spring Fab Fob" kit
Stitched with both DMC and dyed threads

I didn't realize there was a misprint on the chart until after I was finished but don't mind the orange butterfly (compared to the white butterfly on the pic)! The finished design was a little large for a fob, in my humble opinion, so I made it into a little pillow.

Well...that's enough for now. Thanks so much for visiting and all of your wonderful comments. Wishing you many happy stitches .....

Me, Myself & I Ornament exchange...

BBD "Christmas Ornament"-2004 JCS Ornament issue
PS "Two by Two:Deer"-1998 JCS Ornament issue
SB "Shepherds Watched"-2002 JCS Ornament issue

Yes....it's that time again! Here are this month's exchanged ornaments and I think these are my favorite so far! I just love the BBD ornament!

Here are all of the ornaments "exchanged" so far this year. I only stitched 9 ornaments total for 2009 so I am doing the big happy dance...my Christmas tree is going to look awesome if I say so myself.

LK "By Golly Be Jolly-Santa 2000"
stitched on 18 ct. aida w/ DMC

I just love these LK santas and stitched another a few weeks ago. I plan to make it into a cube too so I can display at work. I love these designs because they are so easy to stitch...can't wait to start the next one!

As always....thanks for visiting! Happy stitching....

Exchange for Michele......

Homespun Elegance "Summer Blossoms"

from Welcomes 'A Plenty V

28 ct. coffee-dyed evenweave w/recommended fibers

Michele let me know she received her Friends Stitching Through the Seasons spring exchange. This was my first attempt at a pinkeep and I am relatively happy with the finishing. (Really love the fact it didn't require a sewing machine!) I love these "welcome" designs from Homespun Elegance and hope that Michele likes it too!

Thank you for all your comments on my niece's birthday celebration and the cake! Maybe one day I will get around to reading the "Twilight" books so I can understand this craze too!

Happy stitches.....

Happy Birthday Brittany...

Happy Birthday Sweetie!!!!

We're celebrating my niece's 14th birthday today and just had to share a pic of the cake. She is a huge "Twilight" fan and I still don't get the whole "Team Jacob" and "Team Edward" concept, but for those of you who do....

Yes...we all had black teeth after eating this one, but it was good!

A nice award from some sweet stitchers.....

Thanks for Faye, Susan, Michelle and Theresa for making me feel special...( *giggle* My brothers always called me Special K growing up! *giggle*).

Enough of that. The rules go like this:
1. Thank the person who nominated you.
2. Paste the award to your blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated you.
4. Tell 7 unique things about yourself.
5. Nominate 7 blogs and post links.
6. Leave a comment on your nominated blogs to let them know.

7 unique things about myself...well I don't have anything unique but here is a little more about me:

1. I was the middle girl between two boys so I really wasn't a girlie girl growing up. We didn't have children in our neighborhood so I had to play trucks, war and sports if I wanted to play. My mom bought me 4 little xs kits for a quarter each when I was 13 and the rest was history.


2. I love great beer. Like fine wines, micro brews have been on the rise and more readily available in the last few years. We love trying new beers and enjoying our favorites. I drank 200 hundred different beers (not at once!) to get a plastic plate on the wall of a local establishment. (You don't want to know how much stash I could've bought with this money!)


3. I am a reality show junkie...I watch pretty much all of them! Not sure why...I guess watching them make me feel "normal"! My favorite.....is Hoarders.


4. I love college football! I am in heaven each fall and will watch pretty much any game. Find this is great cross-stitching t.v. since you don't have to pay close attention to follow along and, if you miss something exciting, they replay it!


5. I drew the best image of Jesus in Sunday School when I was young and received a plastic trophy, which I still have proudly displayed today!


6. I loved spending a week each summer with my maternal grandparents in the "country" and remember it so vividly to this day. My grandmother would let me play dress up with her clothes, they gave me overgrown squash from the garden so I could "cook". She loved to sing hymns and would record me singing....too funny! They didn't have A/C so we slept with the windows open at night and I can still here the crickets. And when it rained, there was nothing so soothing as the sound on the tin roof. These memories aren't unique but I do cherish them.


7. I was lucky enough to marry my "best friend" and have the best hubby in the world (which makes him unique since there is only one!)

I have to admit...that was pretty fun trying to think of 7 things. Now I am supposed to pick 7 blogs to pass this on to, but this would be impossible since I love all of the 200+ blogs I like to visit! So...here it is for all who have made it through this dribble! I would love to read more about you too.

Well enough of that......wishing you many happy stitches.......