Saturday, April 10, 2010

A Surprise, Blog Awards, Stitching Finishes and a New SAL

BIG SURPRISE

 Thursday afternoon at work (April 1st), a florist delivered an absolutely gorgeous bouquet to me.  The card says, "Happy Spring. Your Secret Pal."  It was printed by the florist, so no handwriting to analyze.  After asking all the prime suspects...DH, DS, co-workers, my staff, even my boss...I'm still at a loss as to who sent the flowers.  I'd sure love to thank them.

Take a look...
Aren't they spectacular?  You can't see the roses on the other side of the vase, but there are a bunch of them. 
SPRING FLOWERS OUTSIDE

I took these photos a few days ago, of a few of the flowers blooming in our backyard.  I'm so ready for warm weather every day and no more snow!


STITCHING UPDATES
LHN Fa-La-La Finished

Well, the stitching is finished at least.  I still need to put the ornament together.  I'm trying to decide what to use for the hanging cord.  The background fabric in the photo will be on the back of the ornament. 

LHN Pear Tree Finished

I started Pear Tree last weekend and just kept stitching on it until the next thing I knew, it was finished!  This was the first time I've put on more than just a couple beads...I asked for some beading tips from my ILCS friends.  
I still need to choose fabric for the back and get it finished into an ornament.  (It is not framed, the gold frame is just a picture frame I added in my photo editing software). 

I have not stitched on anything else, not even Everyone Needs Their Own Space, for a while now.  Horrors!  I am trying to decide which bunny design to use for the my April Bride's Tree SAL design.  I thnk I have it narrowed down to two choices...Bunnies Galore from Brittercup Designs or Funny Bunny from Calico Crossroads. 
A NEW SAL!
Yep, I've joined yet another SAL...SYHO (Stitch Your Heart Out).  Of course, I'm a couple months behind, since it started in February.  You can join anytime and you don't have to purchase kits, you can get just the charts.  They also have a Yahoo group (info on the SAL blog).
I decided on kits so I'm not chasing down assorted threads, etc.  Right now, I'm waiting for the first three kits to arrive (ordered from The Stitcher's Hideaway).  When I stumbled onto this site, I just couldn't resist joining in. 
The cool thing about this SAL is each month the design is from a different designer.  The designers are:

Glendon Place
CherryWood Design Studio
Blue Ribbon Designs
Designs By Lisa
Homespun Elegance
Rosewood Manor
Ink Circles
Country Garden Stitchery
monsterbubbles
Myrtle Grace Motifs
Trail Creek Farm
La-D-Da
You need to stitch all of the designs on the same count fabridc; the kits all come with 32 count linen (in various colors).  At the end, you will create a stitched Designer Encyclopedia from the designs.  How cool is that?  The designs are all 50 x 50, so quick stitches each month.
SCISSORS
ILCS members have been discussing their collections of scissors recently.  I decided to try to round up my various scissors and take a photo of the whole bunch together.  So, here it is:

The two-colored Little Gems in the bottom right came with the new Spring Fab Fob kit from Lizzie Kate (not stitched yet!).  My only good, expensive pair is my treasured Gingher cloisonné pair in the center (purchased with a coupon at JoAnn's a few years ago).  The others are inexpensive ones picked up here and there over the years.  I really had no idea I had so many scissors until I gathered them up to put them in this photo!
Here is my new frog scissor fob from My Big Toe Designs:  I just think he is so darn cute!

MYSTERY FLOWERS
I did finally find out where the beautiful flowers came from.  I work with a company located in Texas (they are the managing underwriter for our student health insurance program at the university where I work).  For the past several years, I've played some very ornery April Fool's jokes on the accountant there (he is the brother of the company president).  He tried to retaliate one year, but it backfired on him and he hasn't tried since.
 
This year, I sent him a cute April Fool's Day t-shirt.  On April 1, he sent me a couple photos his wife took that morning before he left for work (he wore the t-shirt to work that day).  Of course, he was one of the first people I 'accused' of sending the wonderful flowers.  He totally denied it, saying, 'I did not send you flowers.  I don't even send my wife flowers.'  It wasn't until the next day, that he e-mailed me, confessing they were from him.  Altho, he said he really did not 'send' them, since the his brother's secretary actually ordered them.  The stinker!
A couple days ago, the company president called to say something like 'he heard there had been some April Fool's pranks going on again.'  I told him I'd be sending a thank you card soon, warning his brother that now he's set the bar, and I'd be expecting an even more wonderful bouquet next year!  He admitted he was in on the prank as well, and said he'd been sitting there laughing when I was accusing his brother of sending the flowers.  But, what a wonderful 'prank' it was!  :)
SPRINGTIME MEANS...

Cleaning closets, switching fall/winter clothes for spring/summer. I started on this task when I got home from work yesterday.  Pretty much finished it up this morning.  It's always a nice surprise to see my clothes from the other seasons; kind of like seeing old friends after you haven't seen them in a while.
 
Now I have a pile of items to donate.  I always photograph them, write down a short description of each item, then pack them up to drop off at a ARC Thrift Store.  Each year, I burn a CD with the photos and keep it, along with the written description sheets with our tax records.
 
BLOG AWARDS

Some of my stitching/blogging friends were so kind recently; three of them awarded me the Beautiful Blogger Award!  Thank you so very much for thinking of me my dear Evalina, Mare, and Shelley! It is wonderfully motivating to know that others are reading and, I hope, enjoying my ramblings.

The rules of Beautiful Blogger Award are simple:
  • Accept the award  
  • Thank the person who gave you the award
  • Add a link to the person who gave you the award
  • Put the award on your blog
  • Write 10 things about yourself others might not know about you
  • Pass the award on to 10 others
TEN THINGS ABOUT MYSELF OTHERS MIGHT NOT KNOW  
  1. I lived in Guam in 1974-1975
  2. I used to fly airplanes (yes, I used to be a private pilot)
  3. I had 5th row seats for an Elvis Presley concert in Denver in 1969 (LOVE Elvis!)
  4. My favorite flowers are Peace roses
  5. In 8th grade, I won a typing award for 90 wpm with no errors on a manual typewriter
  6. One of my favorite movies is Independence Day
  7. I wear size 11 narrow shoes
  8. I used to work at a nuclear generating station
  9. I was first chair saxophone in band from middle school through high school
  10. I am strangely fascinated by Adam Lambert, of American Idol fame 
Try as I might, I totally fail at the last requirement, passing this award onto others.  I read and appreciate such a vast array of blogs, I simply can't narrow it down to 10.  Many of the blogs I would choose have received this award recently, and others I would not want to disappoint by having them think I overlooked them.  So, I've decided not to pass the award on.  If I could, I'd send the award to everyone whose blogs I read...you are ALL winners in my book!

One last thing for this VERY LONG post...

I'M A WINNER!!!


I recently posted about a giveaway Jennifer was hosting on her blog, Feathers in the Nest.  She was giving away this great Waxing Moon chart, complete with threads and fabric.  One of the best parts about this giveaway was the reason....her son, Brandon, was returning home from deployment safe and sound! 

And, guess who won?!  Little ole' ME!!!  I'm so surprised and excited; can't wait for it to arrive!  Many thanks for this great giveaway Jennifer.  If you haven't already, you should take time to check out her blog.  It's wonderful!

OK, I think that's it for now.  Whew!  Until next time...

Happy Stitching!!

Vicki in CO


19 comments:

Nancy M said...

Awesome flowers!!! It's nice you found out where they came from. As nice as surprises are, it really bugs me when I don't know who its from! Your 2 finishes are very nice. I feel like a novice at scissors, I only have 3 pair! LOL And I don't think the most expensive is one of the most expensive! Nice update!

Debbie Jo said...

Love the April Fool's story! You sure have been busy and your stitching is lovely. Congrats on the blog awards and the giveaway award. I love that chart!

Kay said...

Wow! What an update! Those flowers are beautiful! Lucky you! Love Fa La La by LHN. I love their designs and have stitched a few myself. The Pear Tree looks beautiful as well. Congrats on winning the chart from Waxing moon it looks like a nice little design to stitch up!

Unknown said...

The flowers are lovely and arranged so well.
Your stitching is beautiful!

Mzplcdokie said...

I loved reading your blog! And Wow on living in Guam all those years....but did you really leave in 1775 when you only got there in the 1900s....lol. I am amazed by all your scissors....I now have 3 very plain pair and only because mine seem to disappear for a while at a time (I think my dd uses them and doesn't put them back). Your April's Fools flower are lovely.

Charlene ♥ NC said...

That's some prank - a beautiful one! Great stitching and finishing ideas. Need to get in there and do that closet thing, but keep procrastinating. Anxious to see your Heart Out SAL. Congrats on your win - great chart. Enjoyed your update!

Debbie said...

beautiful flowers! A very well done April Fools....just wait till next year.
Your scissor collection is great.
Love your update and always enjoy ready your blog.

Deb said...

Great flowers! Glad you finally found out who they were from. That would have driven me nuts!! Your finishes are great! And love, love all your scissors. I think that you definitely need a frog!!!

Katrien said...

Great finishes. Beautiful flowers!

Mel said...

Love the flowers. Such a nice gesture.
Congrats on the award.
Fa-la-la looks great. I really should start mine. ;)

And the new SAL is very cool. Looking forward to your stitching in it.

Carolyn NC said...

Wow - those flowers are just gorgeous! And so glad you finally found out who they were from! Love the scissors and congrats on your win! Lovely finishes, too. :)

Anonymous said...

WOW!!! I love the flowers and lucky you on winning!!!

Lainey said...

Beautiful flowers! Glad you found out where they were from , that would have driven me nuts.
Lovely finishes and great scissor collection!

Tracey said...

What a beautiful bouquet!! And congrats on your win! Your finishes are lovely. :)

Meari said...

What a great "prank" on the flowers. They're beautiful.

Congrats on winning the giveaway :) and on your finishes.

Nice scissor collection.

Too funny about your winning a typing award in 8th grade... I won a typing award also in 8th grade and also for 90wpm... and on a manual typewriter!! I still have my award pin.

silentsgirl said...

What a great update. Beautiful stitching and gorgeous flowers; I'm glad you got to find out who the mystery benefactor was.

Anne Sans Tete said...

Vicki,

If you email me at Lisa.Marie.Nicholson@gmail.com, I can make & send you a frogging needle.

- Lisa

Pamela D. Atkinson said...

Hi Vicki! My name is Pamela and I am trying to get better at reading all the emails from bbinteractive group. I came across your post about your blogging under an email from my best friend maraline aka mzplcdokie@aol.com All I can say about your blog is WOW. I am going to try and join the SAL but funds are low right now as I just purchased a recliner for myself. It is actually going to be at my BF's apartment! He lives 2 doors down from me~~long story~~but if you are interested in hearing it~~give me a shout anytime. I hardly ever use my gmail account...email me at matt_matts_mum@yahoo.com anytime! I get up very early and go to bed very early! Thanks for sharing!! I will TRY to read some more of your blogging if I can ever just get caught up. Do we ever get caught up? or is that just the insane FUN about this whole thing? Endless cycles seem to be my calling in life! LOL hugs, pamela, 'the Queen of UFO's'

Rene la Frog said...

Love all the flower pics!

I've got the LHN ornies to do too...only finished the snowman so far.