Followers

Sunday, March 25, 2012

March Update: Home from Florida!!

Greetings, my faithful readers!  And a very big and humble "Thank You" to you all, as I have just reached 200 followers!  That just amazes me, that anyone would want to follow and read what I have to say, all my ramblings and goofy pictures.  I may not post as much as some, but it sure is nice to know that some are reading.  So again, thank you very much!!

On to the update!  My family and I went on vacation to Florida for some rest and relaxation!  We drove down thru NewYork, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina, and finally Florida.  We rented a lovely house, with four bedrooms and screened in pool!  With a jacuzzi!! It was marvelous!  We had the most relaxing time! 
Our Florida home!
It had everything and more that our own house had!  It even had a garbage disposal!  That was so much fun to play with!!  LOL!  We played in the pool a lot, and I LOVED the jacuzzi!  It was my favourite place of all!  I even stitched by the pool one afternoon!  Bliss!!

We spent the Sunday before we drove home at Universal Orlando, at their Islands of Adventure theme park! We had a whole lotta fun!
 DD and I were really excited about The Wizarding World of Harry Potter attraction!  We toured Hogsmeade and Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, rode dragons and hippogriffs, and even rode brooms with Harry, Ron and Hermoine!  We ate at The Three Broomsticks and sampled Butterbeer!!  Mmmmm.
 Rooftops of Hogsmeade.
 Hogwarts School.
It was really impressive!  We felt like we were actually there!  Everything looked just like the movies!  Hubby didn't know much about Harry Potter, but he was a really great sport about the whole thing.  And he LOVED Butterbeer, which surprised him!

On to the stitching!!
Here is my Mirabilia's Cinderella before we left.  I put her away while I was gone, and haven't picked her up yet!
 I decided to take only small projects down to Florida with me to work on, and am ashamed to say this was all I accomplished.
 It's a freebie biscornu from Faby Reilly.  I changed the colours to pinks instead of purples.  It's for DD as she  informed me that she is the only one who doesn't have a biscornu.

I finally managed to make it to a JoAnn's!  I bought a couple Cricut cartridges that I have been wanting, and they were on sale!!
 I also picked up some more perle cotton and DMC Memory floss to play with there as well.  The Crescent colors and GAST and silk ribbon were from a LNS that I went to, which I will tell you more about below! 
 I also picked up some beads to make some scissor fobs for DD and I!  I wanted to find some frog beads, but they didn't have any.  The Halloween beads were so cute, though, it will be fun to make these up!
 Hubby promised me that we could go to a needlework shop, and I found one fairly close to where we were staying!  Yay!  It's called Needle Craft World !  And the owner Cathy is so wonderful!!  Chatting with her I discovered that we are both members of the Victoria Sampler Yahoo group!  What a small world!  I went there on Friday, and then again on Saturday!  It was small, but she had it packed with the most fun stuff!  I had a ball there!
 I found the second Janice Love book, and it found its way back to Canada with me!  I can't wait to delve into the stitches!!

Remember me telling you in my last post that I would buy Mirabilia's new chart, Silver Moon Tea?!  Well, it too found it's way home to Canada, almost completely kitted up!  Just need a couple of Mill Bead packs!!  Cathy spent time with me choosing fabric.  We choose a lovely soft purple in the dreaded 32 count linen!!  I have started it, but won't post just yet, I only have a very few stitches done!
 Mirabilia'sSilver Moon Tea and 32 ct linen.

And also while at the store I saw this chart!  I have never seen this one!  Thea has been talking about her farm series on the Yahoo group, and I fell in love at first sight! I completely kitted this one up as well!  Fabric and specialty floss!
 Ravenhill Herb Farm by The Victoria Sampler

While I was away, I got an email from Val B. from the Friendly Stitchers Yahoo group, asking if I had received a visit from the postie.  I responded that I might well have, but couldn't check as I was away.  Low and behold in my mail when I got back was a lovely envelope with this gorgeous biscornu from Val B., with a note thanking me, saying it was stitched with Caron Waterlillies and Needlepoint silks!!  I had sent her a Told in the Garden Baby Sampler chart that I had, but would probably not stitch again.  I just wanted to help a fellow stitcher out, and  never expected that I would get something in return.  Thank you so much, my friend!  It is beautiful!  It has a place of honor with all my other biscornus near my stitching nest so I can glance at it often and think of you!
 Front
 Back

Also in my mail, was this chart that I won in blog giveaway!  It's from Riona's blog .  Not sure when I'll get to it, but rest assured I will!  I should go away more often if this is what comes in the mail!  lol
TW's Tracery Dragons

I don't have any bird pictures to share this time, and didn't really see any in Florida to take pics of!  I have seen a robin since we've been home, so will try to snag a photo of one soon!  Now that I have the laundry all caught up, I should get to some housework, but I think I'll stitch instead!  Housework will be there tomorrow!
Shhh, don't tell!  Chat soon!

18 comments:

Mouse said...

ooooo onto second cuppa now ...lol .. sounds like you had a fab holiday ... loved the goodies you got and how nice she is in the sampler group the LNS owner :)
and gorgeous biscornu from Val :)
and well done on the win too :)
love mouse xxxxx

Denise SA said...

Glad you all enjoyed your vacation. Love all your stash. I have just had my farm framed I actually stitched it some time ago and it was great fun. Sliver Moon tea is on my wish list but I will try to finish a few things before I order it.

Stitching in the country said...

Glad you enjoyed your holiday Melissa. Harry Potter World opens here in the UK next week.My son in law has been working on it so he, my daughter and grandson were invited to a pre opening tour yesterday which I hear was fabulous. Love the TW chart. I didn't realise that she had released it. Must put it on my list. Off now to update my blog.
Hugs Kay

Meari said...

Sounds like you had a wonderful vacation. And what great stashing you did!! Lovely biscornu you received as a thank you.

Tricia T said...

Your vacation sounds lovely and your stash shopping looks so fun! I need to find that Victoria Sampler piece to look at up close. It looks beautiful!

Deb said...

Hogwarts looked wonderful! Glad you had a nice holiday. Long trip through New York. Happy you picked up the Silver moon tea. She is pretty!
Deb

Mel said...

What a great holiday! Sounds perfect - including being too busy and too relaxed to stitch :)

Great stashing! I too am lusting over Silver Moon Tea so I will be watching your progress on this one :) I didn't know about Thea's farm series so thanks for this!

Isn't is fab when you find a new LNS and it turns out you already have something in common, it's almost like you are already family :) Or at least ou feel more comfortable in the shop :)

Glad you had such a great time away! And such great presents when you came home! You deserve them all!

Vicky L said...

Glad you had a wonderful time in Florida! I want to see Harry Potter World badly and try the butter beer.
Great stashing at the LNS! I love the Mirabilia pattern you picked up. I can't wait to see the progress.

Val said...

Loved reading about your holiday - seems you had a wonderfull time ... ohhh ! nice stash shopping .... pleased you liked the biscorno :)

Val B

Joyce Clark Frank said...

What a fun vacation. Sounds like you had a great time visiting and shopping at stitcher shops.
great stitching, too

Barbara Gordon said...

I loved looking at all your things. I also have that book on Hardanger and it's a good one. When I get down to Florida, I don't get to much done either. Enjoy looking at all your work and will definitely come back again to look at how you have progressed with you angle picture...love it!

Pam in IL said...

Sounds like you had a great vacation! I always take so many projects with me -- with intentions of stitching them all, but then I put family time first and, well, the projects will still be waiting for me after vacationing. Your house in Florida looks like it was really nice.

mdgtjulie said...

Lovely things in this post, Melissa. I love your biscornu. And grats on the win. Glad you enjoyed Florida (and if you didn't stitch much, who could blame you). Sounds like a wonderful vacation.

Veronica said...

Sounds like you had a fabulous time in Florida. I'd love to visit Harry Potter's world too. That's some droolworthy stash you got there.

Hugs,
Veronica.

Deb said...

Hi Melissa, me again!
Have passed on the Liebster Award to you. You are right at the 200 mark. If you would like to accept the award you can veiw the requirements on my blog
http://debthehappystitcher.blogspot.com/
Have fun! Deb

dulcinella said...

wow, you really had a very good time! not only wonderful visits,but also new stash! your mirabilia stiching is so beautiful! seeing all your new charts, I think you'll be a lot stitching in days and weeks to come!

Jo said...

glad you had a great time. You certainly got some wonderful stash, look forward to seeing what you do with them.

Dani - tkdchick said...

Looks like you had a fantastic trip to Florida and got lots of goodies to boot!