Some Days are just Perfect

Yesterday we were on our way home from the U.S. and were driving North on the I-5 through Washington.  My son was riding in the "Ride to Conquer Cancer" from Vancouver to Seattle and had left Vancouver in the morning along with 4,000-5,000 other riders.  We knew the halfway mark was in Mt Vernon but had no idea where they would be setting up there.  We decided to drive into this smallish town and see what we could find. We'd never been there before so had no idea where we were going.  It was around 3:30 pm and after about 15 minutes we saw a bunch of cyclists coming around a corner, so figured we'd found the right spot.  We parked our car and headed over to the street they were all arriving on.  About 5 cyclists passed us and then I saw my son.  I couldn't believe our luck....If we'd arrived a minute later we would have missed him and would probably have never found him in the crowds.

We walked over a couple of blocks to where the half-way finish line was and got to talk to him and meet some of the riders from his team.  Unfortunately it had rained and it was cold...but he'd made it. 

I see from his facebook entry that today he made it to the finish line in Seattle (250 km).  This is his 3rd year of participating and I'm so proud of him.

After leaving him, we headed back on the highway towards home and stopped in Bellingham at the Olive Garden for dinner.  It's one of our favorite places to eat.

We crossed the border and were home by around 8pm.  With my 3 newly framed pictures in hand and seeing my wonderful son and having a wonderful dinner, it was a perfect day.

I'm here...just been absent for a LONNNNNGGGGG time

Wow, so much has happened since I last blogged...I really must do this more often.

Since my last post over 2 years ago, I finished stitching Sylph, also stitched another HAED design called "Sugar Plum Fairy" and one other called "QS Gwenevere".

A few weeks ago DH and I went to Salt Lake City in Utah for a Monavie convention. On the way there, we passed through Ogden, Utah. This is where Rensel Studios are. Jill Rensel is a framer extrordinaire who specializes in framing needlework pieces and hand painting the mats. I'd contacted her before and made arrangements to bring my pieces in to her. We would be gone to the convention after and also spent some time in southern Utah enjoying the sun and the beauty of Zion national park. On the way back, we stopped in Ogden again and picked up my finished pieces. OMG !!!!! We were blown away by the magic that Jill did on my pieces. We will definitely go back there when I have more pieces to frame. She is a delight to work with and well worth the trip.

Sugar Plum Fairy, original artwork by Myrea Pettit

This is Gwenevere, original artwork by Linda Ravenscroft

This is Sylph, original artwork by Brigid Ashwood

I am currently stitching several Heaven and Earth designs. I'm still working on "Sunrise" by Rachel Anderson. Although I haven't stitched on her for quite awhile, she is definitely still on my list of ones to complete. I'm also working on a Nene Thomas piece called "Deidre" and also a Michele Lee Phelan one called "Draconis Lepus Leo" and here's my progress on them all.

With Sunrise, I actually restarted her. I wasn't happy with the fabric and the stitch count and I have decided that instead of cross stitching, I am tenting now ... it goes soooo much faster and you can actually get some finished...LOL

She is on 28 count Lugana and I'm stitching her with 2 threads over 1

This is Draconis Lepus Leo, original artwork by Michele Lee Phelan, charted by Heaven and Earth Designs.  I am tent stitching this one with two threads over one.

This is Deidre, original artwork by Nene Thomas, charted by Heaven and Earth Designs.  She is being stitched on 28 count, tent stitch, 2 threads over 1....I'm loving how she is turning out.