Holiday stitching affairs

It's too early to rise, but I awoke and it seems I don't fall asleep again, at least not in a moment. So what is a better time to update my blog?

First of all, I was sooooo happy to read Carol received my gifts. I was her partner in a Birthday Exchange, and I received a Crazy Exchange from her a few weeks ago, so I stitched something in return.All I can show at the moment is the CE, since her birthday is about a few weeks. I sent it off early, because I didn't want to take the risk she wouldn't receive it in time.

This is what I stitched for her:

I forgot to take a picture of the goodies I sent, but luckily, Carol did, so I think it's okay with her I use hers.Last two weeks in Czech Republic I had plenty of time to stitch. I finished a CE that I can't show of course until the receiver has got it. Besides that I stitched a biscornu, only have to finish it, because I didn't have fabric for the back side.

I also finished a little design of Lizzie Kate, Snippet #78 Hop Squared. Luckily I could buy a piece of fabric it was originally designed on, and I have plenty of the fabric left,so maybe I will stitch it again, to give away. Of course I have to do the finishing, I think I will turn it into a pinkeep.

I made a start with Periwinkle Design, I Love Letters Needlebook.

And I made good progress on my WIP, a design of Heaven and Earth Designs, Celtic Butterfly. I think I can finish it this summer, before duty calls again ;)

As always I took too much with me, but you never now what you are willing to do, isn't it? So the things I brought but didn't start or finish are now future plans, waiting for their turn to become WIPS ;)

Back home

Back down to earth after two weeks holidays in Czech Republic, Trebnuska, a small village about 60 kilometers from Prague. Two weeks of no television, no telephone, no computer, no papers (we don't read Czech language). Only me, my family and my stitching works :)

And books of course, most of our luggage is the pile of books ;) We all love reading, not strange in a family of librarians (my DH is librarian too, although he is without job at the moment).

Our holiday was great, sun, rainy, cold and heat, we got it all, sometimes on the same time ;) I've got some beautiful rainbows to show to you.

Besides reading and stitching we did some other things of course. Just to give you all an impression of a beautiful country, I'll show some pictures of its nature.

And of course we visited Prague, a beautiful city, but more tourists than we like, but who are we to complain, being tourists ourselves?

More pictures? Look at :

http://picasaweb.google.no/jokegaoxing/CzechRepublic?authkey=EdWrV8A4m9w

Exchanges sent

Just went to the postoffice to return soaked wet. It was quite warm and humid all day, and all of a sudden it rained cats and dogs. I went home by bike, my shoes in my bag, for I feared they would be totally spoilt when I was going to wear them in that shower. You know, I love shoes, and of course, shoes are ment to protect you from cold and rain, but I also like to protect my shoes ;)

At the postoffice I sent my first packages ever abroad. Imagine, 51 years old, and never sent a package abroad, another new experience in the world of crossstitch I am living in. It is quite exciting, and I know my finishing skills are not too good, but I had fun stithing them and I hope the one who gets it can feel all the kindness I put in those little gifts.

In about two days me and my family are going on holidays to Czech Republic. We are looking forward to it, and I hope we can enjoy Czech nature. Of course we will visit Prague, it must be a wonderful city, which a rich culture. Of course I will share pictures when we return, maybe I can show a lot of finished stitchings too.

I am taking with me in my stitching bag:

A biscornu pattern from Sablaise (freebie)

Something for an Autumn exchange (can't show)

Something for a Crazy exchange (can't show either)

My WIP Celtic Butterfly

Lizzie Kate - Hop Squared

Periwinkle Promises - I Love Letters Needle Book

Marnic designs - Mother's Day (Garden Gate Series)

I wonder when (and if) I'm going to stitch all that, but I rather take too much than too less with me , in case there might be no chance to visit a needlework shop!

Weekends are always too short, but, lucky me, it's summer holiday, so plenty of time to do nothing. I spent the weekend shopping (at my LNS), always a pleasure to snoop around. I just love the atmosphere in this shop, there's always time for a chat and there is so much to see. I can't stop myself from dreaming of all the beautiful stuff Iam going to stitch. And I want to start them all tomorrow, so I always buy more than planned. Besides that, it was my wedding anniversary (18 years!) and I have a wonderful, but absolutely non-romantic husband, so I thought it was allright if I bought my own wedding present. That way I don't have to feel quilty LOL

Sunday morning I started with my sunday-morning-activity, swimming. It isn't great fun, just swimming for an hour or so, no rest, no sunbathing, just swimming. But I keep telling myself I stay healthy doing that, and every time I let myself into the water, a sigh of well-being escapes my lungs. And after finishing my rounds I am perfectly relaxed and so proud of me!!

The rest of the day I spent stitching and surfing on the internet, that is, reading blogs from other stitchers, great fun! I am busy stitching on a return-exchange. I like stitching on it, and it turns out just the way I want it. I hope I get it done on time, because in a week we leave on holiday to Czech Republic, and I want to post it before we leave. Yet I don't want to finish it in a rush, so I do take my time to work tidy and concentrated. That is how I am, tidy and a bit of a perfectionist.

The weather is lovely today, so I decided it was time to weed all the green between the tiles in our garden. Lucky me I have a very lovely son, who had offered to help and so it turned out to be a sociabel job, quickly done in perfect harmony, just the way I like life.

Also I could fill two enveloppes with gifts, a birthday-exchange (pictures will follow after the receiver got it) and a FQ-swap. It is great fun, and I hope the one who gets it will enjoy my package.

Last month I have been able to make some progress on my super WIP, it is a design of Heaven and Earth, started when I was deeply depressed and needed colors, a lot of sparkling colors in my life. I still like working at it, although I get more and more fun doing smaller ones. It is stitched one over one on 25 ct.

Exchange gift received

Today I received a gift from Carol , USA. She made me a wonderful scissorfob, and in her package added the scissors too! They combine perfectly, and I am very happy with it. She addes some teabags, French Vanilla, as you can see on the picture. I didn't know yet it was that great fun to be involved in an exchange.

Last week I finished something for a birthday exchange, of which I can't show pictures yet, of course. I have to wait untill the package has been received by the lucky one. I also finished the autumn biscornu. It turned out to be lovely!

And (of course) I made some progress on Celtic Butterfly, as you can see ;)

Summer holiday

Today my summer holiday started. Officially it started last monday, but since I had to finish some things at work, I decided to do that in my spare time. My summer holiday lasts nine weeks, so I have eight weeks left. My plans? Too much to realize I think. In two weeks me and my family leave for two weeks holiday at the Czech Republic. Of course we will visit Prague, I look forward to it, it seems to be a beautiful city.


After coming home I want to visit some expositions of Chinese art, some of them at the other side of the country, I want to go visit some needle shops, also at the other side of the country and I plan to do a lot of stitching projects!

A lovely sunday

Today it was a lovely day, the sun was shining bright and I took the opportunity to spend my day outside. Part of such a day is doing some laudry, but who cares when the weather is fine?

This morning I have been working at a lovely little biscornu, a design of Barbara Ana, called Autumn Biscornu. I stitched it already in our previous holiday, in may, but the result wasn't what I expected. So I decided to stitch it again, this time on a fine lightyellow piece of fabric. I love the result much more!

The afternoon I stitched on a beautful design of Martina Weber, called Celtic Mystery XI. I get a piece of the design each month, and the final results are unknown. A mystery, indeed. Today I received part six, but I am a little behind. That means, I didn't finish part 4 yet, not to speak of part 5!

But in two weeks my long, long summer holidays start, so I expect to be up to date at the end of june. The result untill now:


A well spend day, so to say, and the evening is yet about to begin. As usual I will be stitching on Celtic Butterfly., but I will show you the results of that some other time :)