mainely stitching

Wow … I won’t even be able to fit it all into a single post! You’ll have to wait till tomorrow to hear more about the kids’ and my explorations of St. Jan’s Kerk. We’ve started this week by learning more about what’s around us, and learning more about our city seemed the logical starting point. Here’s a little teaser, though, of our trip to the longest church building in the Netherlands:

And I must say thank you so much to everyone for the wonderful comments you’ve left! Rigby doesn’t really mind not having his own wading pool, Glenna, and no, I haven’t gotten in with the kids (yet). I’m not sure we’d all fit at once LOL! Thanks to the kind and generous people who’ve contacted me about The First Lady series – you guys are so great. And thank you to all the wonderful people who’ve been nominating me for awards … as I keep saying, I can’t pick just five or seven blogs to nominate in return. You all mean way too much to me!!

I also finished the stitching on Currants, Coxcomb, and Rose by The Goode Huswife. I’m really pleased with how it came out and I hope to assemble it into a wool-stuffed pincushion tomorrow. (No, Judy, it’s not my first pincushion, only the first I’ve stuffed from my new wool stash.)

And I wanted to exclaim with you over the incredible weather we’ve been having, but I’ll just let tonight’s snapshot do the talking for me:
 

And I cannot let this post go any further without wishing my ‘baby’ brother and his wife a very happy anniversary – ten years, and going strong! Happy anniversary, guys, and wishing you many more years filled with joy and love!!!

But the real news today simply must be this incredible package that arrived after dinner from Karen V. You may remember that I recently won her blog giveaway … well, Karen has just put me to shame when it comes to giveaways, and she’s spoiled me silly in the process!! Here’s the lovely package before I opened it (what self-restraint!).

And the charts that were included (the Goode Huswife chart is from a swap we’re doing).

Look at this pinkeep!!

And a closeup of the pouch!! Check out that hand embroidery! And that adorable bird!!

And the whole wonderful, amazing, me-to-a-T assortment of delictable goodies!!

Karen, I’m just so delighted with everything. You have my tastes down perfectly – I’d say you may even know me better than I know myself! Thank you, thank you!! (Modelling assistance provided by Arden’s Monkey.)

Although it’s rather anticlimactic after seeing Karen’s amazing gifts, I have done the drawing for The Trilogy giveaway this weekend, and Grenae won. Congratulations!! I’ll be sending you an email in a moment so you can supply me with your postal address. Thank you to everyone who left a comment.

And now I’m off to fondle my goodies.