Birthday cards and gifts, Exchange and IHSW

My birthday was this past Saturday and I turned 42 years old. I didn't do anything special with my family. No one had any money but I am fine with that. My aunt is taking me to see The Music Man being  played next Sunday at the Thomasaton Opera House.  I worked there for a couple weeks a few years ago, and it is a beautiful historical building.  I am looking forward to seeing the musical.  It is one of my favorites.

I am in a few birthday clubs in my groups. I didn't count the cards but I did get several cards and skeins of beautiful color threads.

From my Stitching Sisters group

from my ILCSing yahoo group

 The next three pictures are from ILCS yahoo group, ( a different group from above).  Some of the cards got into the pictures twice but I only got 2 same cards but from two different groups.

In my Stitcherhood group I got these lovely gifts:

From Chele LHN Coffee Menu with Crescent Colors Joshua Tree, Little Brown House,and Toasted Marshmallow and Piecemakers  Needles 26. The threads go with the pattern.

From Janet Hinzeit  Chocolate with charms-adorable!

From Tonya Country Cottage  Designs Ice Cream Sundae and Pie Menu

From  Georgena Sue Hillis Happy Stitching and  Piecemakers needles

From Ethel Brittercup Designs Haunt the Night Away and Britty Kitties IV Dmc 809, 823 and Carrie's Threads Black Cherry

???? Mirabilia Midsummer Eve's Fairy I have no idea who the gifter is but whoever you are, thank you!

From Mary Nora Corbett Lady Slipper Garden Pixie with the beads, Kreinik thread and material that goes with the pattern and LHN 2012 Quaker Birds ornament pattern.

 I also received $35 gift certificates from Carrie, Cindy and Sierra.  I will be getting some material and 11x11 q-snaps with the gcs.  Thank you so much everyone for the gifts, cards and birthday wishes.

Mixed  with the packages was my gift from the Valentine competition I won last month.  I didn't want to open any packages early and didn't know the moderator was going to send the prize from 123Stitch.  I was surprised when I read the invoice because I forgot about it. Thank you Shelley for organizing and sending me the prize and everyone who voted for me!

Lizzie Kate Think Spring, John James needles and 28 count Moss Green Lugana

Mary Louise send me a lovely card and Lizzie Kate Summer Sampler.  We have been chatting 2 or 3 times a week due to both of us on Weight Watchers.  We have been encouraging each other and chatting of our stitching. I have been enjoying our chats.

The picture above are the cards and floss I received on Monday (today).  My celebrations just continues, lol.

 I joined the Spring into Easter exchange with the Stitching with Love Exchange blog.  I sent the above to Expel of Hungary.  I stitched Lizzie Kate Spring Sampler and finished into a mini pillow. I included a Shephard's Bush Pattern, needleminder, 40 count linen, needles, threads, and fabric. I haven't heard from her yet but I do know she received it. I hope she likes everything.

Fiona send me a Easter package.  She send some beautiful ribbons, a Glendon Place free chart, the recent Cross Stitcher issue, a piece of green evenweave, Valadini threads, and a pair of green with white polka dot scissors.  Thank you Fiona!

Now on to the International Hermit and  Stitch Weekend.  It fell on my birthday weekend and I did so some stitching and here is my progress:

 I finished part  3 of Lavender Blue.  I need to finish part 4 before I get the other two parts.

 Saturday night I stitched some more on Born Shopper.  I decided to add blending filiament to the white when I get to it.  It may take a little longer but will be worth it.

I stitched a little on my Halloween House like I wanted to do before the week was up.  The picture is not great because it was a cloudy day. I am glad I stitched on this piece.   I took out my Mirabilia Enchanted Mermaid on Sunday night.  I was hoping to make progress on the face.  Well, I missed a row at the top of the face and didn't noticed it until I was at her lips area.  So I had to rip all the stitches I made on her which means no picture on her progress.  I will see if I get back to her this coming weekend, how well I do my stitching exchanges this week.

Thank you for lasting this long and reaching the end of the post.  I hoped you enjoyed reading it.  I will be posting a giveaway in a week or two.  I am still getting it together. 

Many hugs,
Vicky

Two New Starts with update

I started a new project and it is going be a big one! It is Time to Go by Witch Stitches "n Bits from  the UK.  It is a SAL I am doing  with Julie and Yes Dear. She is stitching it on Tuesdays but I am doing a 10 hour rotatio.  It is 56 pages but it is safe to say I had stitched more than Julie, lol.  She only did the first block, which is solid black.  I am almost done with the black on page 1.  The gridding helps so much and I am so glad I am doing that, but I only had gridded half of the material. I did put in 10 hours on her so I am afraid she goes back into the rotation pile. Next will be Lavender Blue.

When I woke up last Saturday, I just had the urge to start something new from the patterns I wanted to stitch this year.  So I went to my bag and peeked inside and chose this pattern:

 The picture above is the progress.  (Blogger is being mean today).  I only did a couple hours.  I had gotten up early that day and around 8 I decided it was time to get ready for the day.  I had went to Michaels to get some skeins and to the mall in the afternoon.  I wrapped up my new floss on bobbins while seating in the mall.  I know a bit weird but at least it got done,lol.

 I had signed up for the bookmark exchange from the i-love-cross-stitch Yahoo group.  I stitched Live, Love, Laugh and used a white felt for the backing.  I  loved how it came out and wishing I could keep it.  My partner must have read my  mind.

Elena send me the same stitched bookmark!  I cracked up when I saw it, knowing she will  be getting the same bookmark in a few days.  It rarely happens this way!  Elena included some teas and 2 Weeks Dyes Works threads, Morning Sky and Peoria Purple. Thank you Elena!

I won bingo, too, in the same group.  Pam send me this cute card kit and 2 floss for the gift.  It is adorable!  Thank you Pam.

I had mention I joined Weight Watchers  a couple weeks ago.  I thought I was doing good, eating more veggies and drinking water, but at my  first weight in I gained 5 pounds.  I was not adding my healthy oils or taking a multi vitamin.  It was the end of the month so buying the proper foods was tight.  The food scale I had was going bonkers, so I wasn't getting the proper reading.  The second week, I measure a bit more, added the  oil and pill, and hoped for the best.  I gained two more pounds. I was like "ARG!!" and pulling at my hair.   After the meeting, I brought a new food scale which has become my  new friend,lol.  I am constantly using it the past week.   Yesterday at my third weight in, I lost 7.2 pounds.  It made my day!  Now I am back where I started, but I now know what I need to do that works for me and I will continue doing that.

Many hugs,
Vicky