PS Exchange and updates

The exchange I made for Brigitte has arrived, and to be honest, I am quite satisfied, especially after reading all the nice comments on her blog LOL. I stitched a part of Book #136 Spring Has Come, and I finished it as a hanging pillow. Some weeks ago I found the perfect backing fabric, and without further bragging, here it is, in a combined picture (which I took from the YLPS-blog, I forgot to take a picture before sending):

Time to show my progress on some other things I am busy working on. Most evenings of last week I have been stitching on my ChatelaineMystery XI, except for last night, when I was involved in the Friday SAT, with HOHRH. Here they are.

Another finish I want to show is Midnight Stitching - Iced Tea. I stitched it as a gift for a dear friend in Brasil, but it never arrived.... I hesitated to show it here, but maybe one of you recognize it and can tell me where it is LOL
Look at the funny detail, the flip-flops the snowman brings to sunny Brasil!

Marriage retreat ;) and stashshopping

Yesterday my DH and I came back from our yearly marriage retreat, so to say ;) From the year we met each other and fell in love until now, we declare ourselves a couple of days a year to be childless. Two or three days just for us, doing things together, such as take a walk in an unknown little town, taking some time in a welness swimmingpool, going out for dinner together. Falling in love again and notice we still can do things together in perfect harmony, even after 19 years of marriage.

We went to Schlangen, a quiet nice little place at Teutoburgerwald, Germany. To our surprise it has been snowing for the last couple of days, and on the second day, when we came home from a cosy restaurant, it started snowing again. In normal life I hate snow, just because I have to go to work by bike, and the thougth of what might happen if I fell scares me. But now, walking with DH, in no hurry, I loved it!

View from the room of our appartment.

There's a great breakfast service at the appartment,

traditionally my coffee comes with a kiss ;)

After swimming my 1000 meters I can enjoy the much warmer

and bubbling water of the relax pool.

Afterwards we are sightseeing Detmold, a sweet little place.

Of course I took some time to stitch,

in the meanwhile DH enjoyed his beer and newspapers.

The next day, after breakfast, we went to Paderborn, were, from a former visit, I knew a stitchshop. I spent almost an hour there and ended up buying a nice chart of UB Design, Spaziergang durch unser Dorf. I think I can use some of it in my Family Neighbourhood.

In the afternoon we were back home, were we found out both children and the house were fine, as we expected them to be. Those children are like mum and dad, getting along without any fight!

Today I went to Zwolle, where the greatest needleworkshow of our country was held. I didn't buy that much, some buttons, some threads from Dinky Dyes, together with the chart of The Cat's Whiskers, Blessed with Happiness.

I also purchased a chart of Stickideeen von der Wiehenburg, Quaker Sampler I. I think this one is great doing next autumn or winter. Maybe even next summer LOL

Being tired and knowing my son is having his 17th birthday tomorrow, so I have to be in good shape to do some happy dances with him, I left in time and was home in the afternoon.

A quilt and nice weather

First of all I want to answer Brigitte's question about the conversion of HOHRR. It is converted into GAST, WDW and Crescent Colours and I think it will turn out great (in a year or so....)
Second I have to show something. It is so beautiful, that I will post several pictures. Last monday I was at work, talking on the phone with DD, who was ill at home. DD told me: mum, there's this big package waiting for you! From America! I wondered what I'd ordered, but couldn't come up with something that big. All I ordered were some charts and floss, no need to send in a box. So after work I rushed home, and there it was, the biggest box I ever received by mail! Marne sent it to me. My heart was fluttering in my chest, because I know Marne makes beautiful quilts. Did she make one for me? And yes, in it was the most lovely quilt I've ever seen, and it was mine! No talking anymore, here are the pictures. The last picture includes the goodies Marne sent me, a cute red bag, a little yellow purse, a notepad (comes of use always) ,cute blue little buttons and a nice piece of fabric. She really spoilt me!

This sunday we had lovely weather, sunny and fresh. Now and then a chilly wind was blowing, so we took a ride through our province, Groningen. I love those small villages, windmills, and farms in the distance. Remember I am working on MM&IRR, my neighborhood, placing a small village on top of it? You may know them, a small village, surrounded by meadows, cows grazing and larks in the air on a summer day. Only some houses, a church and maybe a bakery or grocer's shop. Well, that's the top of my RR. And here it is for real, called Leens, a small village near the town I live.

I know there are some readers of my blog, who love seeing pictures of my country. So, for them, here are some more. They are all pictures of the northern part of Groningen, driving from Groningen (city) to the most northern part, Lauwersoog. From this point the boat departs to Schiermonnikoog, one of our beautiful islands.

Progress on Call of the Raven

Some time ago I promised to show the next progress on 'Call of the Raven' , this time the frontside, as we're used to show. Well, here it is, as usual I stitched about a thousand crossstitches this month. Sometimes some more, but never less than a thousand.

I also started the Houses of Hawk Run Hollow, as I told you yesterday. It's a special conversion, and I am so curious about the results, that I couldn't wait starting. It's not much, but I managed to do something more than the cadre of the first house.