How could I forget...

For the first time in a quarter of a century I forgot to buy myself a gift... I can't believe it! You see I have a little tradition going - since me and my ex split up I'm buying myself a gift on his birthday. It really cheers me up and reminds me of  an excellent decision I have once made (I'm the one who said 'good bye Charlie'). I was celebrating that faithfully for twenty four years and yesterday somehow I missed it.

So long my friends,
Evalina

Happy Birthday to Me!

Let's start celebrations with my all time favorite - Freddie Mercury

So long my friends,
Evalina

12 days of my birthday - wrap up

To wrap up my birthday (it lasted longer than I thought!) - I received more gifts:

• An awesome package from Vanessa. She sent me a gorgeous pair of owl scissors along with a chart to stitch an owl scissor case. She did not stop there, she also included a lovely chart by Diane Graebner Spring Has Sprung. Here they are:

 

• Lovely hearts (all kitted up) from Georgena

• Tons of goodies from Marjorie

Thank you so much ladies! I love all the gifts!!!

To finish my birthday with a bang  I went to Toronto. It was hot, hot, hot and I loved it! It was 2 in the morning and after stepping outside I thought I stepped in straight into sauna. It has been a long while since I left Ontario, about 11-12 years... 

While there I attended a 4 day Mary Kay Seminar - the biggest event of the year. I'm using MK skin care products for as long as I'm in Canada (before that I was a Christian Dior girl) and I absolutely love it. I even became a MK beauty consultant but (shame on me, shh...) I am my own best customer.  Seminar was fantastic, I've met hundreds (there was about three thousand of us or more) of beautiful women who actually make good money in MK!!!

Now, that's something I can't forgive myself - I did not take even one picture! For some reason I left my beautiful, new camera at home (I guess I was scared of loosing it, silly me) and for no particular reason I refused to use my little point and shoot baby. Stupid, stupid, stupid! Now the only memories I have are in my heart... I'm going there back next year and next year I will have not one, but two cameras!

I've also met one of my swap-bot buddies! It was awesome! We met on line and in person!

On the way back Air Canada was late and I missed my connecting flight to Yukon. I had to spent the night in Calgary... It was OK, Air Canada paid for the hotel and meals... I could call our lovely Mel from epic stitching and meet her but didn't have my laptop with me or her phone number... Sorry Mel, maybe some other time.

In about a month I'm going to cross stitching retreat on Quadra Island to meet other stitchers from our yahoo groups. I am so excited, can hardly wait!!! And for sure I'm taking my camera!

On the stitchy note... well not much, finally I finished mail art for my stitching buddy (no pictures though until she receives it). I feel a little like a shmack, she finished hers three weeks ago and I should have it any day - I will send mine this Monday... and all because of my stupid thumb. It is still sore but I'm not wearing that brace any more. And to make things even more fun I've got something called "frozen shoulder". So it is my right hand and left shoulder - I'm really falling apart...

So long friends,

12 days of my birthday - Day 4

It was a long day at work... but I had a nice surprise on a way home! I left an office about 8 PM, there was a little rain and a little sunshine (we still have long days, sunset is about 11:30 PM) and I started driving home. After driving half way I noticed a beautiful rainbow and I was following that rainbow for the rest of the way. Eventually I pulled over and took a picture - I was waiting a little too long, but you can still see some of it.

Another surprise was waiting for me in the mailbox - I received a lovely card from Vanessa

and a package from Val (Mystical Wizard from The Gold Collection with a card)

Thank you so much ladies, you've made my day very special!

So long friends,

12 days of my birthday - Day 3

Another lovely day! I went with Freddy to Emerald Lake for a short hike. Name of the lake says it all, the water is really emerald!!!

The mail brought to me another birthday present! Debbie Jo sent me Winter Wind from The Prairie Schooler (a match to my Summer Breeze)  along with a needle palette and a bunch of needles. Thank you so much Debbie Jo!

I hope my thumb heals quickly! I have so much stitching to do!

12 days of my birthday - Day 1 & 2

It's that time of the year again - another birthday! I stop counting them a long time ago and seems like every year I'm celebrating it longer and longer...

I started the first day of my birthday (Saturday, July 16) with a glass of Mimosa (champagne with passion fruit liquor). Freddy made a lovely breakfast (and  lunch and supper - it was awesome). This year I decided not to have a birthday party but instead have a "date" all day long. Later I opened a package that was brought to me by Royal Mail from our lovely Graceann. In the package I found a lovely card with kitty on the front who looks just like ZoomZoom!!!

and a gorgeous chart from Passione Ricamo:

Thank you so much Graceann!!!

On the second day of my birthday I was playing with my new camera - I fell in love with it instantly! Here is a few pics from around our cabin, click on it for a better view:

 

fireweed - flowers of Yukon

 

my favorite grass

black spruce with cones

It was a very sad day in our neighbourhood - one of the dogs was run over by a truck. It was a nice dog but had a very bad habit of chasing cars and trucks. I knew that one day accident like this will happen - and the only person to blame for it is the owner...

Topaz never played with Fila, they never were "friends" but she saw the accident and was devastated - even didn't want to pose for my pictures...

Not much happen in my stitching world... I was stitching a little on the art mail for my stitching buddy, I'm done with all the motifs but still have to stitch the lettering. I also stitch a little on the Computer Catastrophes and, guess what? My hand had to go back to the brace! I am so disappointed! I didn't stitch at all last week, this week I will try just 15 minutes at the most and I'll see what happens.

So long friends!

It is summer in the Yukon!

And it feels so good! It is sunny almost 24 hours a day, is green everywhere and wild roses are in a full bloom. I love going for walks, every breath I take is filled with the smell of roses.

 That's near my cabin (yes, I leave in the cabin). All ditches are full of roses...

and all the way along my gravel road (that's the road that takes me from my cabin to Alaska Highway). Drive it at least twice a day (to and from work). It's very dusty in the summer and lovely white in the winter. Our summers are very short so for most of the year (from October to May) I'm driving on the white road...

SCHOOL

Yep I'm back to school! I took almost a year off, my mind was wondering what to do next... and I decided to continue with courses towards my accounting designation.  It is an awful long and bumpy road to CGA. Now, when I'm thinking about my university years, they seem like a kindergarten... Mind you, I was much younger then I didn't have to work. Now is working full time plus studying with a very little time for stitching...

STITCHING

Yesterday was my first day without the brace (torture chamber as one of my readers called it) and it was good. I even stitch for half an hour! Next time I will have an update picture! I'm still working on Computer Catastrophes and I'm sure I will work on it for a very long time! During our long weekend I will finish mail art I'm doing for my stitching buddy but the picture you will see after I know she received it. You know, she reads my blog and I do not want to spoil the surprise!

FROM ME TO ME ON MY BIRTHDAY

I know it sounds silly, but I love to celebrate everything and my birthday specially! I do it for 12 days starting July 16. For some reason I couldn't wait and I have to buy myself a gift. Maybe because I couldn't stitch, maybe because I was feeling so much pity for myself or maybe because I made a decision about going back to school, I do not know. But I know I love photography and I know I wanted a good camera for a long time. I have a nice Sony, kind "point and shoot", taking nice pictures... but I wanted something better than that. So yesterday I splurge for another Sony but this time it is (my first ever) digital SLR (single-lens reflex)!

The battery is charging and I can't wait to put it to use! Stay tuned for more pictures and a ♥GIVEAWAY♥.  Yep, you are reading right! For my birthday I will hold a giveaway and it will be a very special one. More about it in the next post.

So long my friends,

Happy Day!

Rest of my birthday presents arrived safely! Heidi, Kathy, Nancy and Melinda surprised me with gift certificates (thank you so much ladies!!!) to my favorite on line store so I went shopping!!! This is what I bought:

bunch of ornament kits

kitties

all supplies for the Egyptian Sampler. I received this leaflet from Carolyn last year, I had some floss and fabric  but needed so much more. Finally I was able to complete the kit up portion!

and hens friends. I've got so excited (and my computer was acting very weird) so I started new project...

Tomatoes update

Poor green tomatoes are getting some colour! I do not have any hopes though for them to turn red on vine. It's cold and rains last couple days. But, you never know, sometimes miracles can happen!!!

So long friends!

Evalina

pictures from Yukon wilderness

The hiking trip was awesome! On the very beginning Freddy spotted couple grouse on the tree:

Our first rest:

and a nice view:

and as we climbed higher the view was nicer and nicer...

the final rest and shortly after we were on a our way home. White Mountain is famous for sheep viewing. Unfortunately we didn't see any, the only white thing on the mountain was our sheep dog (Topaz is a Hungarian Kuvasz).

Birthday isn't over yet!

Would you like to see me opening my presents? Well, you know what to do...

It's my birthday!

Somehow I survived my birthday eve and today is a whole new day! It's early morning, the sky is blue, I'm having my favorite Spanish coffee (with brandy), I'm happy and ready to face the fact that I'm a year older. Let's see how this beautiful day will unfold.

a day before my birthday...

It is an early morning of my birthday eve. The weather is crappy and I feel crappy... hopefully both of them will change soon (the weather and my feelings). Today I'm in a very meditative state, no energy just million of memories  (good and not so good) and flashbacks that go through my head...

Yesterday I treat myself with a new pair of hiking boots and this Saturday (or Sunday) I am going to the White Mountain, stay tuned for more updates!

birthday countdown

2 days left to my birthday!

A long time ago I fell in love with African Women by Lanarte. It was quite expensive piece so I put it on my "wish list" hoping that some day I will buy it. Well, yesterday I checked and with a heart ache I found that African Woman is discontinued and no longer available! I was so, so disappointed... but I didn't give up, like a hunter chasing his prey I started hunt all over internet hoping that somehow, somewhere I can find her. After all the price didn't matter at all, I just wanted my African Woman. Didn't take me long, I found her at gittas.com, a lovely store in Mississauga, Ontario (I hope that some day I will shop there in person). And here she is, my trophy, the African Woman:

birthday countdown

Only 3 more days! I love to celebrate and a birthday is an excellent time to do it. This year I treat myself with Kobo, an ebook reader. I wasn't sure how I will like it but , to my biggest surprise, I not just like it... I LOVE IT!

Last year I received many beautiful gifts from my stitching friends. Through out the year I looked at them very often but for some reason I stitched only 1 little projects... I decided to fix that and after stitching for a little while my Lighthouse Island (not much really and not enough to take a picture) I decided to go ahead and start The Provence. I have no idea what Provence is (can someone enlighten me???) but I love the chart. It is design by one of my favorite designers, Sandy Orton.

 

This piece was on my wish list for a long time, it came to me a year ago and finally went on frames. I screw up badly my stitches...

had to frog them out. I stitched it again and now it looks much better.

Is your birthday in July? Let's celebrate it together!

My birthday is in July and I would love to celebrate it with other people from around the world that are born in July also. Let's make this month a very special one and send a gift to each other.

Here are the rules:

1. You must be born in July
2. You must be a swap-bot member
3. You will send a birthday card and the gift according to your partner's profile. If your partner has a Wish List, send something from that list. It can be homemade or store bought but it has to be something that you would like to receive. Contact your partner if you are not sure
4. The sign-up for this swap will end May 31, and packages must be sent by mid-June (so we can receive them on or before our birthdays)
5. Please make sure that your profile is fill out nicely with all your likes and dislikes. Make sure to let us know of any allergies you may have
6. All participants are welcome, regardless of ratings. After all it is our birthday and if we need a "second chance", this is the month to have it. I will check all profiles and if I see something "nasty" you will have to explain
7. I hope I will not have to, but I will angel if necessary. We do not want sad birthdays.

Happy swapping!

Guess what?

Yep, my birthday feast continues and gifts are keep coming! This one is from Cynthia, a chart with beautiful floss. Thank you my friend!

The birthday celebration goes on

Look what I found in my mailbox today! It came all the way from Finland! Thank you so much Wilma. You have brighten my day. This kit was on my wish list for a while, now I can't wait to start stitching it. It is full of roosters and sunflowers and is design by my favorite designer, Sandy Orton.

And I could not believe my eyes, all the floss is already sorted!

Looks like my birthday isn't over yet!

Yesterday has brought another surprise! Look what I got as a courtesy of Deborah and Everything Cross Stitch: my favorite Pope, John Paul II. Do you know that he was Polish and he was the first non-Italian Pope since 1520? He has a very special place in my heart.

Thank you so much Deborah!

On the last day of my birthday...

Today is the 12th day of my birthday. I was kind of sad because the celebration is coming to the end and another birthday is a whole year away... And my mailbox was almost empty in the last few days... but not today! Today I received a gift from Danni. What a perfect timing! Look what she sent to me:


I was wanting to try those forms for some time and now I have them! And a beautiful snowflake frame and a gorgeous piece of Lugana fabric. I guess it is time to start thinking about Christmas ornaments. Thank you Danni so much, you have made the last day of my birthday very special.

On the eight and ninth day of my birthday

Rene is the biggest enabler I know of! Look what she "made" me to buy!

And she is getting a special enabling price from me!

My stitching time is getting cut short... my boss asked me if I could work a little extra hours. I'm already working 40 hrs week plus 10 hr commuting, but the money are so needed (to buy more stash of course!)