Because I'm Happy.....

clap along if you feel....

http://24hoursofhappy.com/

Thanks Samm!

Canada Day Post Card Exchange

Photo courtesy of Brandy Lynn Designs

Monika Kinner-Whalen  of My Sweet Prairie is teaming up with Brandy Lynn of Brandy Lynn Designs (and Canadian Quilt Talk Radio) for a big Post Card Swap.

Sign ups are open May 20 - June 5 here, and more info including a tutorial from Monika's blog and link to her Etsy shop to purchase supplies (not obligatory).

Theme: Maple Leaf

**Simply sign up to join in on the fun. Make your postcard by JUNE 13th and send Brandy a photo. Then she'll give you a partner to exchange with and then you drop the postcard in the mail on or before JUNE 20th with plenty of time to arrive before Canada Day! It's so much fun and the worst that can happen is you'll make a new friend! We couldn't think of a better way to celebrate Canada Day AND the 1 year Anniversary of Canadian Quilt Talk.**

Sign up as many times as the number of postcards you wish to make and send, and you will receive the same number back.

This will be my first postcard to make myself, but I have been reading a lot about them on the internet, and I've seen some really beautiful creations!

Flowers and FNSI Results

 Here is a section of my as yet unweeded, unraked flower garden. I am in process of removing the forsythia bush...mainly because it does too well in this spot and overshadows everything else lol. It has beastly deep roots.

This was originally a vegetable garden but when I changed places of work, I no longer had time or energy to consistently devote to tending my gardens, so I removed all the raised beds and bought perennial bulbs and plants at discount prices. In here I have muscari, various types of lilies, daffodils (various types), tulips, astilbe, several types of hostas, and other plants I can't remember off the top of my head.  My ultimate goal was to create a perennial garden that blooms all summer long. Over time most of these perennials will  spread on their own, but they take some time to do so. So for the times the garden appears sparse, I add annual flowers like petunias or marigolds. I love these flowers because they are extremely hardy and so much less susceptible to frost which we can get right into June and again in September. The growing season here is so short, but I do love gardening.

I also love day lilies and have many throughout my yard. To demonstrate how hardy, and virtually indestructible they are, here are some that are in my son's old kiddy pool awaiting transplanting. They have been waiting about three years now, and yes, they do bloom here as well. Hoping I will get around to replanting them this year when we finish putting up the sections of fence along the road way. My forsythia bush will also be moved to there as well.

Okay, finally, let's get down to my FNSI...although I am showing only a small portion, I did get quite a lot of work done...

This is actually the reverse of my project, and it is easy to see why this has been dubbed "chicken scratch" embroidery. I had been doing some cross stitch prior to this project, and I found it difficult to get back to the imperfection of chicken scratch...I mean in cross stitch using aida cloth, each stitch is pretty much identical to its neighbours, in chicken scratch there is so much more room for variation in each stitch, but it really is quite lovely when done...not so the reverse of the work, but that too is acceptable =)

Hope you all had a lovely weekend. I worked this weekend, but also managed to finish opening the pool. The filtration system is set up, finally found the vacuum head attachment, the filter basket, etc. Tomorrow, if the nice weather continues, I will vacuum the pool, and I picked up gas for the lawn mower and, God willing, that will get done tomorrow as well. I also picked up some marigolds and cascading petunias for my hanging baskets and window boxes, as well as the earth I will need. Maybe I'll even have time to get to that tomorrow as well. Then I can take more photos....yay!

FNSI Sneaky Peaky...

Whoops...forgot to upload pics today, have some pretty flowers to show as well. Will do pics tomorrow as I'm just on my way to bed to catch a few zzzzzzz's before work later =)  sorry for the delay.

Just so your visit here was not a wasted trip, follow this link to enjoy some free solo piano music

http://www.solopianoradio.com/player.htm

Phew, I was

getting nervous! The picnic hop is fast approaching with me precariously close to running out of my precious DMC thread, and my delivery not yet arrived....well, phew! I was perilously close to the "depths of despair" (Anne of Green Gables quip) but, I can rest easier now, it is here. Okay, it only took a week, but it felt like at least two weeks =)

So I am continuing my work on my picnic hop project, I will include another sneaky peaky photo later for FNSI, which is today if you happen to be in Australia, and I just love to pretend, twice a month, that I am from down under...

Break time is up. Taking my last sip of coffee now, and back to the kitchen, where I have been working on making homemade ginger soda (my base will be ready just after the weekend), and next I plan to make some yummy zuchini bread. Then I really must get outside and set up the pump for the pool. It is very humid today...not that I am complaining, my daffodils are coming up, and I even have the first tulip out today as well. Yay!

Hope you are having an awesome day!

Remember this?

No, not him...rather the following video =)

Loved watching this show...such fun! Ever have a childhood show whose tune comes back to you as easily as a Christmas carol? This would be mine LOL  Thanks for the reminder Vickie M.

Friday Night With Friends

Well, tomorrow is the first Friday of the month...unless you happen to be in Australia like Cheryl, at Gone Stitchin' (click on the image above), in which case it is already Friday, and they are busy sewing =)

Since I often work Friday night, sewing is out of the question for me and so I will usually join in tonight...which I am, and I will give you only a sneaky peak of my work...big blog hop coming up you know...A Perfect Picnic...so, this is a bit hush hush for now

I love doing chicken scratch on gingham so...that is what I am doing.

Also working on another Easter cross-stitch pattern, this one for myself. It will eventually say "Jesus is Risen"

And for enjoyment, I am listening to David Nevue...

His albums are also available on iTunes! Sorry about the YouTube ads!