Monday, May 30, 2011

A milestone!

I've reach a milestone! This is my 200 post - and it is time for a giveaway! The giveaway is a thank you for reading my ramblings and leaving me comments full of encouragement, advice and smiles. Please make sure that I have a way of contacting you if you are the winner! The winner will be announced on Sunday, June 12th. There is no rules for this giveaway, you do not have to be a follower (if you are thank you so much!), you do not have to mention about this giveaway on your blog (if you do I really appreciate it) but you should leave here a comment or two.

This is what you'll get:


Mary Kay mini body lotion set


a chart "Schoolgirl Lessons" from Little House Needleworks,
a piece of fabric and silk floss (Cranberry from Gloriana)
If it happens that the winner is not a stitcher I will stitch it for you!

package of rose-hip tea (grown and made in the Yukon).
Did you know that we have tons of wild roses here?

Stitchy update

Last week I was stitching my Guardian Angel. It was so nice to get back to my little stitches.


8,800 stitches of 112,000. I still have a very long way to go...

And the Royal Wedding goes to...


Remember my Round Robin (kind of)? Well, Patty was the winner and she is the host of that RR. Visit her blog if you would like to play.

Have a great week everyone!

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

After a long weekend...

but really, my log weekend isn't over yet! Today I decided to take an extra day off to sort out zillion of thoughts that are bothering my mind lately... To my sadness I discovered that accounting is the most boring profession out there. There is no imagination, no magic, no fun - just debits and credits and balancing accounts and risk assessments and some ratios and taxes... BORING!!! And what should I do? I'm half way to my designation as a professional accountant. For now to keep my sanity I think I will pay more attention to my Mary Kay business. I use their cosmetics for  over 17 years and love it and because I'm cheap I like to keep windows of opportunity open I'm also Mary Kay consultant for same 17 years (and as a consultant I can buy product at 50% discount).  Because of that generous discount I've tried every single product they have and absolutely loved it. Even Freddy is using their stuff (just man's line - he does not wear lipsticks or mascaras!)

So, as you see, I have a big nut to chew on it. On the bright site - I just bought a new pair of shoes!


a pair of new shoes always makes me feel better!!!

And I finished the Cattitude! I stitched it on 28 ct lugana (something with sunshine in the colour name) and the Gentle Art threads. There is a small mistake but I decided not to frogg it, it's hardly noticeble.


My latest Cross Stitch Collection magazine came with a giant Royal Wedding chart. 


I know I will not stitch it ever. If you would like to have it - it could be yours. Just leave a comment under this message and make sure I have your email address. If there will be more than one person wanting this chart I will make a draw on Sunday, May 29th.

So long friends,
Evalina


Monday, May 16, 2011

Round robins, weather and more!

We have spring in the Yukon!!! Temperatures are still low, lakes are still frozen but the sky is blue and days are very long. At 10 PM sun is still shining! Look what I found while walking yesterday:



Definitely spring is here!!!

Last week I've done quite some stitching! I finished second square for Carolyn's RR Alphabet Zoo. It was such a pleasure to work on it.


And I'm done with kind of Round Robin. I stitched a pincushion with a lovely floss from Rita (Wild Fire from Carrie's Creations. While stitching it I decided to stitch another one with beads and silk floss. I had some Madeira silk to try and it was a perfect pattern to do it. I made from it a little purse:

that's the front


and the back

and here are all my creations from this chart:


Now the chart with a skein of floss goes to my winner Patty. Check her blog for updates and make sure to leave her a comment if you like to participate!
While on the subject of purses, I received the loveliest coin purse from Peru. Yep! All the way from Peru! Thank you so much Jane, I love it! The leather feels so soft.


I also was stitching Cattitude. Here is the progress:


So long friends,

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Round Robin winner!

A while ago I've posted abut a different kind of Round Robin and guess what did I find in my mailbox yesterday? A chart from Rita with a lovely floss - Wildfire from Carrie's Creation. Now it is my turn to do the draw...
and the lucky winner is ...


CRAFTY PATTY!!!

Congratulations Patty!!! I will send the chart with the floss to you as soon as I'm done stitching it.  Please email to me your mailing address.

And, just as a reminder, here are the rules:
  1. You must have a blog
  2. You must drop whatever you are stitching at the moment in order to stitch this design in a timely manner.
  3. You will put an offer on your blog for someone to accept the pattern and a skein of floss.

So long friends,

Monday, May 9, 2011

I love Mondays!!!

This morning first email was from Michele of Heaven and Earth Designs with replacement of all my missing charts! I was so happy that immediately I logged in to HAED site and bought two more:

Computer problems

and Woodland Spirit


Aren't they awesome?

Two hours later they announced an extra 25% discount, but it didn't matter, Michele didn't charge me for replacing charts - that was so generous of her. If you looking for some of their designs at a great price, remember they are 50% off regular price and the sale ends tomorrow! Here is the link.

So long friends,

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Stitchy and not so stitchy update

After fighting that strep throat another disaster struck me - my laptop died! And all the files with it. I've lost all my assignments and some of my precious HAED charts (six of them!). Once again I didn't follow the number one rule, I didn't do backups frequently. My last one was in February... I've lost over 2 months worth of data!

Well, last Thursday I bought a new one - this time I decided to go with a desktop and a 24" monitor. Gosh! It is so much work to set up everything again! First I had to upgrade my windows (PC came with Windows 7 home edition but I need the professional one) and download zillion updates, after that was McAfee and Microsoft Office. It was way past midnight when I decided to quit. Friday - I came home after work and same thing - reinstalling more software... I'm almost done...  I hope I can replace my lost HAED charts - I sent email to Michelle, will see what my options are.

Now the stitchy part!

With all the things going on I didn't stitch much... I was able to do a bookmark:


and I've started on the Cattitude:

Today I'm back to my assignments, finals are coming again... I decided to take Mondays off from work and work longer hours Tuesday to Friday. That way I'm saving a couple of hours by eliminating driving to work and I'm having an extra day to do my study and some stitching of course! I feel like is time to pay a little attention to my Guardian Angel - he was little neglected in April...

So long my friends,

Happy Mother's Day!

Mother's Blessing
God bless my mother and all mothers around the world.
We are all born out of the energy of Divine Love. Like a million tiny seeds blown across the earth, each of us takes root to grow into a unique expression of the one Love that created us.
Whether the seed of my being landed on a soft fertile place or a rocky path, I was created out of Love and I am an expression of Love. I give thanks for the womb that gave me life and the love that supported my growth. My eyes are opened to see anew all the love I have received. Strong and gentle, liberating and supportive, love has nurtured my growth. Whether the mother who gave me these gifts of love is with me now or not, I send a blessing of loving gratitude to her today.

So long my friends,

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

We did it!

Last night the history was made and I was a part of it. I am so very proud of the Canadian people, we have a majority conservative government. Even Yukoners vote conservative!  (The hard working, honest kid has won!) I can't wipe off smile of my face.


So long my friends,
Evalina

Monday, May 2, 2011

Election!

Well it is election day in Canada. We have three guys (four on the picture but the first to the right (Gilles Duceppe) knows that he doesn't have a chance) that want to be a Prime Minister of Canada.


A few more hours and the mystery will be solved... I voted for Stephen Harper and I hope that we have a majority conservative government.

Just by looking on these three when they were younger


Stephen, Jack and Michael... I can tell that Stephen from the young age was a hard working, honest kid. The other two didn't change much either... Jack - born politician (when I look in his eyes I can tell he will promise everything and deliver nothing) and Micheal - a space cadet living in a La La land.