I have been RAK'd and I have won..

This has been a fantastic last couple of weeks for me.  Besides the major HD, I have been acquiring much in  the form of new stash from a number of different places!

I was so excited to be RAK'd by my good friend Michele from Just Another Stitching Blog.  I met Michele my first time to go to the PALS retreat in Myrtle Beach in October.  She has possibly the kindest heart I have ever known.  Anyway, she sent me a chart from I Stitch which is so neat.  I love the chart, and I had no idea you could do this - leave it to Michele to find a way.  Isn't this the cutest little chart?  I am going to try to stitch it up next week as I need to finish the small I am working on this week plus some UFO stitching time!

And then, wonder of wonders, I won not one but two giveaways from Nancy at Victorian Motto Samplers!   I have loved Nancy's floss since I got my first skein at a PALS retreat.  They have such rich color and they stitch beautifully and her skeins are HUGE!  You get so much in each hank.  I have also used her trims which I got at another PALS retreat. (Do you see a theme here)  The trim is beautiful, and makes some really fun finishing.  But, I had not stitched any of her charts - until now!  I won first the Merry Christmas Sampler and then I won the Easter Collection.  I am thinking that I am going to stitch the first one of the Easter Ornaments on the Perf paper just to see how I like it.  I will let you know what I think.

Lastly, I did some stash shopping - surprising right?  LOL  I am going to be in MB next month with a group of PALS, and we are all going to stitch on two different projects.  I am sorry about the lousy, blurry picture for this first chart, but it is a Cricket Collection Beachy- mood.  It is really a cute chart, and a great rememberance of a good time.  This other project is cute to, but what I really love is the fabric that Amy found to stitch it on.  I don't know if you can see it or not, but the fabric is dyed in a beachscape.  How cool is that?  I haven't decided what colors I am going to use on the tree, but I know I am not going to use the ones in the model.
 

Well, the dryer is bussing and I have a ton of stuff to get done today before I head back up to Louisville tomorrow.  As a side note, please hope that we all here in Kentucky survive the next week culminating in Saturday evening's Final Four basketball game pitting the Univ of Louisville (KY) against the Univ of Kentucky.  For those nonbasketball fans (but if you live in KY that is impossible) this is a MAJOR rivalry.  The big Louisville newspaper's headlines was CIVIL WAR!!  That might indicate the "inportance" of this game.  In the interest of honesty, I have to clain Univ of Kentucky as my team.  Both my DH and my DS, Matt graduated from there.  I went there after high school and met my DH there.  But, I also have taken classes at Uof L so when they are not playing UK, I cheer for them.

Thank you so much for visiting my blog and for your kind comments.  They really mean a lot to me.  Until next time, have a happy, healthy stitchy time!