Friday, July 28, 2006

Facelift

My turn - today my blog got a facelift. I had downloaded several blog templates a few months ago, but never seemed to find the time to then select one and update my blog. I didn't want to give up any stitching time in order to do it. But, today I did find time since I had the day off from work and it was too hot and muggy to work in the garden anyhow. I know the image on my blog does not match my garden/stitching title... but there are so few nice garden themed templates available. The one I do like is being used by a friend, so I chose this one instead... after all, I do my final postings at night anyhow... the picture suits that....
Uh-oh.... if I go by how long it took for me to stitch the black to fill in the roof around the birds, I am guessing it will take me months to fill in all the black in almost the entire block on House6 - LOL! Seriously, that seemed to take forever! This is the second time I have used my scanner since my desktop had to be reworked post hard drive death last week... and it is again a very light scan... will have to ask Mike to take a look at that and see what is up with it...
Since today is the official start of my birthday weekend, I decided to open up a pile of birthday parcels that arrived during the week from some of my stitching blogger pals.... This first one is from Becky - she amazes me. She sent me another of her stunning finishes - a super pretty friendship piece, and she altered it to add a bee charm and a gardening charm in place of whatever Betsy Foster had originally charted near our names. Isn't Becky sweet? That beauty is in my curio cabinet and on proud display! Then she also sent me a cute Mary Engelbreit gardening theme notepad for my fridge door and a fun book on birthday quotes! Thank you Becky! (Blogger got cranky, that pic had to go up via Photobucket!)
I also received a lovely parcel from Katrina - she stitched me this very sweet pillow that is proudly displayed at this very moment in my glass curio in the dining area of kitchen (I love it!!).... and she sent me the neatest gardening magazine from New Zealand, and scrummy lavender Gardener's Hand Cream from NZ too! How sweet! And, I am having great fun reading the magazine. It amazes me how the plants are so similar to ours, despite our dramatically different climates. The one difference, though, is that some of the plants that are perennials in NZ are grown only as annuals here. They just wouldn't survive our winters.
Last but not least, some pretty gifties from Karen too :-) She sent me this really pretty pewter Noah's Ark brooch that does not need to be worn - it came mounted on a pretty black velvet background in a beautiful frame! It is now proudly displayed in my curio too! She also sent me a lovely 35 ct Kiwi Antiques linen by Country Stitch in the color Brandy - oh, this is just screaming to be used for a pretty sampler and I already have tons of ideas! Plus, what a cute cat scissor fob - thank you Karen! (Karen had also sent me Bliss as an early birthday gift months ago - she just knew I would buy it for myself if she did not send it early! She was right - I already have it kitted up with Vikki Clayton's conversion and I am good to go as soon as I find room for it in my rotation!).
Today's daylily choice is Cameroons. I put this one up primarily for my own pleasure. I am quite fond of the colors in this one, yet this plant yields very few blooms for me each summer... so I am posting this one for all posterity.
Mike really likes this photo, and he asked me to share it... it is of some blooms on one of our hosta plants :-)

****News about the Kreinik for Just Nan's Mermaid Heart - the 043 blending filament has just been discontinued by Kreinik! I emailed Just Nan, and John wrote back, "Here is the substitute: Accentuate MMA287 from Access Commodities." I do have a full spool of the 043 that I was lucky enough to get from another shop... if you need some, maybe I can pull off enough for you....

Stitched on today: Houses of Hawk Run Hollow

29 comments:

Juanita said...

Happy Birthday!! I hope you enjoy your weekend. Looks like it's off to a great start.

BeckySC said...

So glad you like it, Carol :) I thought it was a special design :)

Wonderful goodies from KAren and Katrina as well :) Enjoy them my friend!

Have a GREAT time tomorrow with Barbara and Patti :)

hugs :)

Sharon said...

Happy Birthday Carol! Have a wonderful weekend. Lovely gifts!

Susimac said...

Lovely gifts Carol, have a lovely birthday weekend.
Hugs Su

Leslie aka zoeandcooper said...

Congrats on your progress on WOTM. It is such a pretty sampler. Hope you enjoy all those lovely presents as well.

Great change in the template. Such a cool and relaxing color.

Karen's Blog said...

I am so glad you like your present. Bren made the scissor fob:) You got some lovely presents arol. I hope you have a lovely day.

BTW, I love your new Blog theme!!!

Dianne said...

Have a great birthday!
You have some wonderful gifts-so impressed by everyone's sends. My gift to you will be the NRR square.
I like your new blog layout-looks like a header I would have picked out for myself!

Dianne said...

Yes...have a great time with Barbara and Patti-look forward to seeing a photo of the 3 of you.

Unknown said...

Happy birthday Carol, you got some lovely goodies there.

Anonymous said...

What wonderful gifts. Have a great birthday weekend.

Sasha Farina said...

love your new look... its calming! Happy Birthday Carol!

Kitty Couture said...

Wow Carol, Becky did an amazing job on that pinkeep! It is so special. Katrina's pillow is gorgeous as well, and Karen's gifts are great too. It's so nice to see you spoiled good :)

Kitty Couture said...

Forgot to add! Those flower pictures are awesome! Mike is a very talented photographer. I hope you have some of those beauties printed out and framed!

Tracy said...

Your new blog looks great !I love the gardening pics,hope your enjoying your birthday week.

Christine said...

So Happy Birthday to you (Bon Anniversaire) ! With a little delay...I wish you to continue stitchting such beautiful things as you did.
I like very much your blog's new lifting.

catandturtle said...

HOHRH looks awesome. The birthday gifts are wonderful too. They all did such a nice job. I hope you have a great birthday weekend! Ann.

Anonymous said...

Love the new blog. How refreshing. Houses is looking good as usual.

Schokti said...

I love the new design, Carol! Fitting timing - a fresh look for a fresh year. Happy birthday!

Cathy B said...

Happy Birthday Carol - many lovely gifts from your stitching friends!

I like the new look of your blog- looks great!

Jenn L in Chicago said...

so THOSE are Hostas!!! We had those in the backyard when i was a kid, we used to call them poppers because when the flowers were still closed and puffy, we could squeeze them and they'd make a popping noise. Never damaged the blooms that we could tell. And Mom didn't know what they were called, they were already in place when they bought the house.

and Happy Happy Birthday!!

Kitty Couture said...

How dumd of me - I forgot to tell you I really liked your blog revamp! Great job :) I hope you'll have/are having just the best time with Barbara and Patti :)

My Life In Stitches said...

Love the new look of your blog. I think HOHRH is looking great.
Hope you have a wonderful birthday.

lena-lou said...

I love your blogs new look and think it is perfect for you. More beautiful birthday gifts as well...they are so nice, have a great weekend!

Glenna said...

Happy birthday weekend! I like your new template. Not only does it suit the fact that you post at night, but you have a feeling that behind every hill is a new project waiting to be discovered.

Bine said...

Hi Carol,
I love your blogs new look. :-) Can you give me a tip where to get blog templates? Mine looks so boring.... You finished so many wonderful pieces during the last weeks!!!! I really can't say wich one's my favorite. And you started some lovely new pieces!

Unknown said...

WOW you are a lucky lady. I love the noah's ark brooch.
You'll need to take a photo of everything in your curio cabinet for us all to see :)

Anonymous said...

I like your blog redesign, Carol! It looks wonderful. And what delightful birthday gifts you have received! :D

Von said...

What a wonderful start to a terrific birthday weekend! Enjoy each and every gift and all the love and joy that was sent with them.

Happy Birthday!

Anne S said...

All your birthday gifts have been wonderful - and you deserve every single one of them ... I especially love the Noahs Ark brooch from Karen - just awesome! :D I've been loving your flower photos too ... I have blue thumbs myself, so it's nice to see your gardening achievements instead :P