Friday, June 14, 2013

Cute, Cuter, Cutest!

Hello, my stitching friends! Hope you are enjoying the month of June and the start of  summer. The past two weeks have proven to be busy ones around here with a whirlwind trip to Asheville, NC last weekend for a family wedding. Nine hours driving down on Friday and nine hours back on Sunday is not my idea of a fun time, but it was so nice to see relatives we hadn't seen in a while and catch up on all the family news. You know what the worst part of the trip was? I forgot to pack my stitching!! Can you believe it? I felt as if I were missing an arm or a leg or something. Just think of all those hours in the car that I could have spent stitching an ornament or two... I think I need to keep a small chart all kitted up and ready to go right in my suitcase to avoid any further "forgetful moments," don't you?


I do have a couple of cute finishes to share with you and then something even cuter that you might enjoy seeing later on in this post.

THE CUTE:  My sweet friend in England, June, celebrated a birthday this month (hmmm... I wonder how she got her name?!) and I wanted to send her a little remembrance When I saw this CCN design, "Rose Cottage," I knew it was the ideal thing to stitch for June who is an avid gardener. If you haven't visited her blog, please pay her a visit--her flowers are as beautiful as her stitching. I stitched this piece "over one" on 28 ct. white evenweave with a variety of overdyeds and DMC. I didn't have the suggested overdyed threads so I just went with something similar. As luck would have it, the colors I ended up choosing coordinated perfectly with the cute polka dot fabric that I backed the little pillow with! The saying on the little pillow, "Home is where your flowers grow" is perfectly fitting for June. I'm so pleased she liked my little gift...

Country Cottage Needleworks' "Rose Cottage"

THE CUTER:  My other finish is my Christmas ornament for May (yes, I'm behind again on my monthly ornament stitching, but will definitely catch up by the end of the month!). Most of you will recognize this LHN design as "Baked Goods." If you've been following my blog for a while now, you know that my other big passion, along with stitching and reading, is baking. I am the family baker for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and any other get-together. Now that my sons have grown and gone, I don't bake nearly as much as I did when they were home. I miss it so much, but I know I would double my weight if I kept on baking like I used to! Cookies were always my favorite thing to bake followed by muffins and breads. I only baked cakes for birthdays and pies were reserved for holidays or special occasions. But, it was a rare day that I sent my sons to school with anything other than homemade cookies in their lunch bags!

 "Baked Goods" by Little House Needleworks

This one was such fun to stitch! There was only one problem--it made me crave that chocolate cupcake in the lower right corner! Doesn't that look scrumptious with the chocolate sprinkles and cherry on top? I stitched this one on 35 ct. natural Northern cross linen--one of my favorite fabrics because white shows up so well on it. I did make a few color changes as I wanted the red to coordinate better with the shade of red in the cute gingerbread fabric that I backed it with. I kept the finish fairly simple due to this being quite a "busy" design and topped it with a white bow and a gingerbread girl charm which I glued on to a red button. What do you think?

"Baked Goods" finish

THE CUTEST:  Well, I have to admit to falling in love with something other than my cross stitch finishes lately. My husband and his co-workers were recently offered a behind-the-scenes tour of The Pittsburgh Zoo  and spouses were invited. I didn't know what to expect, but I never expected to get so up close and personal with the most adorable baby animals I've ever seen... Not only did I see these sweet young things, but I also got to feed a giraffe and I got kissed by a sea lion--yes, kissed!!! It was such fun and the weather couldn't have been more perfect. After our tour we were treated to dinner right there at the zoo (they have their own chef) and everything was delectable.

Are you ready for the tour? I'll start with the California Sea Lions... They are such joyful animals to watch as they jump and flip and splash their way through life! We each got a chance to be kissed by one if we wanted to. Of course I said, "Yes!!" 

 Such a sweet face on this Sea Lion

Isn't he comical with his hair spiked?

Show off!!

This little guy stole our hearts and was an animal most of us had never seen--or even heard of: the Red Panda. They resemble a cross between a raccoon, a cat, and a small bear. Red Pandas eat mostly bamboo and other leafy plants and are about the size of a house cat--too cute!

The Red Panda at the Pittsburgh Zoo

I got to feed this little guy some grapes! 

Next up, were the tallest land mammals on earth: the Masai Giraffes. Only one of them was brave enough to come to the gate, but I got to fee him carrots and even pet his face a bit. I never dreamed I would pet a giraffe!

How's the air up there, big guy?

OK--I'll admit this next animal does not exactly fall under the "cute" category, does she? But, the "baby" Black Rhino, who already weighs 600 pounds, was still so precious cuddling up to her huge 3,200 pound mother! There are only about 4,500 Black Rhinos remaining in the wild. 

Such huge beasts!


I could have fed her a banana, but declined! 
What would you have done?

On to something a lot prettier: the flamingos. We weren't able to get up close to them, but I couldn't resist photographing these delicate pink birds...

Love their reflections in the water

I've saved the two most adorable animals for last... Just look at this Amur Tiger Cub born in late March 2013! The zookeeper said he is the most valuable tiger in the United States right now--he was born to a pair of tigers borrowed from Russia and currently weighs about 25 pounds. We weren't able to touch him, but were within three feet of him.

Notice the protective gloves on the zookeeper.
Even at this young age, the tiger is very strong.

Just look at his beautiful little face!

My favorite baby animal of all was the most human-like: the Western Lowland Gorilla. This little one, born just seven weeks ago, was  incredible. He had to be removed from his mother, Moka, who developed a breast infection and wasn't able to nurse him. So, he is currently being raised by humans and seems to be thriving. He'll be reintegrated with his gorilla family after he begins eating solid foods.

OK--admit it! Didn't you all just say "Awww..."
when you glanced at his dear little face?

Mr. Tough Guy!

The keepers wear protective gloves and
masks to keep him safe from human disease.

All tuckered out--time for bed, little fellow...

Did you enjoy your visit to the zoo today? I was delighted with how close I was able to get to these beautiful animals--it was an experience I'll never forget...

The birthday that just keeps going and going... My last bit of stitching related news is to thank my sweet friend, Shirlee, for a belated birthday gift. My birthday was five months ago, but that doesn't matter--I'd love to see it keep going all year! Shirlee gifted me with this cute Bent Creek Zipper Kit called "Nativity Globe" that contained the chart, some lovely blue linen, and all of the threads and charms needed to finish it. This particular kit calls for stitching with pearl cotton which I've never used before so it will be fun to give it a try. Thank you so very much, dear Shirlee--your gift made me smile. And, hey, maybe I can just keep celebrating my 58th birthday forever!

 Belated birthday gift from Shirlee!

Well, that's about it for today... I have begun a couple of patriotic pieces which I hope to show you next time. Until then, happy stitching to each of you and thank you, as always, for your kind comments and emails--they always brighten my day. I want to wish a warm welcome to my new followers as well. I can't believe over 1100 of you find my little blog entertaining enough to follow. I so appreciate each of you!  It has been a wonderful experience "meeting" so many of you from all around the world--we are very lucky to share a common passion that draws us together like stitching does, aren't we? Bye for now...

91 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello Carol

This is my first visit to your lovely blog.
Your finishes are lovely and I think what you stitched for June is so sweet.
Gorgeous animal photos - my favourite is the red panda though the cute monkey is a close second.
I enjoyed looking at your beautiful stitching on your blog.
Happy weekend (:

Solstitches said...

Oh what a lovely post Carol. The animals are all so cute especially that dear little baby tiger.
Not sure I could fancy being kissed by a sea lion!
You made a gorgeous gift for June and I love your Baked Goods finish.
I love baking too but don't do much for the reasons you talked about. It's probably safer to stitch the cupcakes and cookies!

Hugs,
Margaret

Vickie said...

Very appropriate gift for June! ;)
What a wonderful zoo experience Carol! Sorry, I think the tiger is cutest. And yes, I would have fed that baby rhino.

Marilyn said...

I just love your blog and seeing all of your cute finishes.
Thanks for sharing the animal pic also.
Marilyn

cucki said...

Aww sweet photos of animals..my African babies are looking so sweetie :)
Very pretty finishes..I love them.l
Big hugs x

Mii Stitch said...

An other lovely post!!! Great finishes & cute pictures of all the animals. Looks like you really had a fabulous day out. Tiger cub is the best for me, I just love big cats! xx

priscilla said...

Love your finishes ( as always ) Carol ! Your stitching is always beautiful and makes me feel like a slacker :) LOL ! Great animal photos and what a fun time to get to see the animals up close ! Hope you have a great weekend !

María Dolores Jiménez Acevedo said...

Beautiful sews and beautiful animals. Bon wek end.

Robin in Virginia said...

Super post and a fabulous way to start the day, Carol! Thank you for sharing your trip to the zoo with us.

Enjoy your weekend!

Robin in Virginia

The Inspired Stitcher said...

What a wonderful experience to be so close to the babies like that. I don't know which one would be my favorite if I had to choose. So precious! Have a wonderful weekend!

Jodi S said...

Great post! Those animals are so adorable! Would have loved to be along but your pics are great! Also, lovely stitching and finishing!

CalamityJr said...

Gorgeous stitching and finishing, but I have to agree that the cutest are the animals. I'm not envious often, but how I wish I'd been part of that outing! Baby animals are precious, at any size, and to have been that close AND feed some of them - wow!

Belinda said...

Beautiful stitching Carol, since I am a fan of baking myself I do have a soft spot for your baked goods pillow. And yes, that cupcake looks good enough to eat.

The baby animals are just beautiful, I really enjoyed looking at the photos. I am a lover of gorillas so that would have to be my favourite. That baby gorilla is devine!! You were very lucky to see such beauty.

Lee Prairie Designs said...

Delightful post, Carol!!! Love all your wonderful stitching projects!!

So enjoyed viewing all the photo's, too!!!

Hugs, Carolyn

Melody said...

Hi Carol. It looks like you had a fun day at the zoo! How great that you got a behind the scenes tour! The animals are amazing. I think the flamingos are the prettiest.

Your stitching is lovely as always. Are you trying to do 1 Christmas ornament a month?

Vicky L said...

I am jealous you got a tour to see all those baby animals. They are so cute! I am glad you had a great time, the pictures are wonderful. Your stit3 finishes are beautiful!

Charlene ♥ NC said...

Beautiful finishes! Glad you had a nice visit south, though short and sweet. I think all babies are adorable! Hope you're enjoying your summer, too. Be well.

Rhona said...

What gorgeous stitching!
Love the animal pics....I'm a big fan of red pandas, so was glad to see a wonderful picture, aren't they adorable?!!

Dawn said...

Finishes are beautiful and sweet! I loved your pictures, what a wonderful visit you had!

Mavi. said...

Ohhh. Carol... que bordados tan bonitos, el que más me gusta el de los pasteles... apetece morder y saborear.
Que fotos más bonitas de la visita al zoológico, me ha gustado mucho el panda rojo es monísimo, no me han gustado los flamencos... me dan miedo... que gracioso el gorila, que feos los leones marinos... bueno ha sido una visita a traves de tus fotos.
Que buena debía estar la comida... me alegro por ti.
No olvides nunca algo de costura, eso es terrible... tanto tiempo sin hacer cruces...ohhhh...
Muchos besos.

Ohhh. Carol ... that such beautiful embroidery, the one I like the cakes ... fancy bite and savor.
That most beautiful pictures of the visit to the zoo, I liked the red panda is really cute, I liked the flamingos ... I'm afraid ... that's funny gorilla, that ugly sea lions ... good has been a visit through your photos.
That should be good food ... I'm happy for you.
Never forget sewing something, that's terrible ... so long without making crosses ... ohhhh ...
Many kisses.

Kay said...

I already spotted your sewing on June's blog recently, the colours are so pretty. I am the family baker too, my husband says that baking keeps me sane. I think a new chart is needed now to add to my stash!

butterfly said...

Oh I am in love too with those cute babies
love them all.

And love what you stitched for me so beautiful thank you my sweet friend.
Love the cookie one I must stitch this one sometime I really love it.

Love what Shirlee sent you she is so kind a real sweetie.
Big hugs.

Catherine said...

I always know I am in for a treat when I see a post from you! It's always fun seeing your finishes ~ just the right special touches! And those zoo babies ~ too much cuteness!!

Giovanna said...

Lovely finishes! And thanks for sharing the great animal pictures.

Melissa said...

The stitching are, of course, beautiful as always! The Rose Cottage is so sweet, and the Baked Goods is perfectly finished with the button.

Now onto the animals - such cute photos. I must say that sea lion had that twinkle in his eyes didn't he? I love the red panda though!

Enjoy your weekend, Carol!

Annette-California said...

I enjoyed my trip with you to the zoo:) How wonderful! Beautiful pillow you made for June and loved your "Baked Goods" ornament. Perfect fabric for the backing. Lovely gift from Shirlee. SO Happy Birthday to YOU:))) Yes of course you should celebrate all year!! love Annette

Gabriele said...

Lovely stitching again and thanks for the zoo-pics. I love them! I love the baby animals and I wish I can hold a baby tiger in my arms one day.
Have a wonderful weekend.

Julie said...

Perfect little gift for June, I admired you lovely ork when I read her blog yesterday.
The ornie is so cute, the little gingerbread lady looks so cute atop it.
The red panda gets my vote as the cutest, he's adorable. What a wonderful visit you had.
Hope you have a relaxed weekend coming up! Xxx

Linda said...

Oh Carol, your stitching and finishing is just stunning. You do such beautiful work. Love the new kit you got. Thanks for taking us to the zoo. Looks like you had a great time.

Linda

Annie said...

You have been busy! I can't believe you forgot your stitching on your trip. It's like your most important thing to pack!

Your newly stitched items are just adorable. I love those sweets too. Makes me think of the fabulous mint chocolate chip cupcake I had last weekend at Georgetown Cupcakes...to die for!

What a fun trip to the zoo and you got so many amazing pictures. Were the Sea Lion's whiskers scratchy? ;-)

Beth said...

Great post Carol - super group of animal pictures.

Penny said...

Your stitching as always - a treat! And that is a very fitting gift for June. It's not every day that you get the chance to be kissed by a Sea Lion. Definitely not an opportunity you could pass up. :)

Southpaw Stitcher said...

The Rose Cottage "over-one" piece is stunning, and I love Baked Goods as well. Great gift from Shirlee. All the animals are so adorable!

Margaret said...

I loved the visit to the zoo!!! Wow! Oh my gosh, the little baby gorilla -- so cute! What a fantastic trip! Love your finishes too! Beautiful work as always. You are amazing....

Tricia T said...

Beautiful stitching, Carol! I haven't been able to do much lately and I miss it! My favorite animal was the sweet baby tiger. That one definitely made me say "Aww!!" Have a wonderful day!

Tricia

Jennifer said...

My goodness, I could just die from the cuteness of those animals. I am a lunatic about baby animals (just as my husband who endures me yelling "BABY ______!!!!!!" whenever I spot one. (I am ridiculous)

I feel "naked" when i forget to take my stitching. Sometimes when we go to my ILs, I am compelled to take it even though I most likely won't stitch. I know that the one time I don't take it is when I'll really want to stitch. Hence, "stitching bag" is always on my packing list since I always have a few small things kitted up in there anyway.

valerie said...

What a great post! You are so lucky to have that chance to see all the baby zoo animals so close. My favorite is the red panda...so cute! And what a cute finish! I love baked goods...my thighs and hips can attest to that. lol And I love birthdays that keep on giving. :) Happy Fathers Day to your dear hubby! I hope you all have a great weekend!

Jackie's Stitches said...

That must have been a looooong drive without your stitching!

It looks like a fun zoo visit. I've never been to a behind the scenes tour at our zoo. They do allow the feeding of the giraffes (for a fee of course). It amazed me how long their tongues are!

As always, your stitching is beautiful!

Ellen said...

Wonderful photos of those baby animals, thank you for sharing! I don't think I want to be kissed by a sea lion ha ha!

Beautiful gift for June and I just love your Baked Goods! Looking at your finish made me want to stitch it immediately!

Hugs,

Mary said...

It's true penance Carol not to have our stitching on trips.

Your stitches this post are wonderful. The Baked Goods remind me of the Christmas treats made each year.
June received the perfect garden gift from you for her b'day.

Yes, those zoo babies are cute! Great pics of a fun time.

Have a happy weekend.
(((HUGS)))

marly said...

Thank you for posting those adorable creatures. So amazing when you see them in person isn't it?
You're right - the white shows up really well on that linen!

Pam in IL said...

I loved every single thing about this post!!! How fun to see the zoo like you did. Beautiful finishes too!

boysmum2 said...

your baked goods stitch is so cute, and as for those animals at the zoo, our red pandas always hide up trees, you are so lucky to have one that likes to see people.

Barb said...

What a delightful post Carol. Those baby animals stole my heart!! As usual, your finishing is absolutely wonderful!! I agree about baking. If I baked, we would literally waddle down the street!!

Lesleyanne said...

Your stitching and finishing is gorgeous as usual. Love them both. The baby zoo animals are too cute and how nice to be able to get up close and personal. Thank you for a lovely blog post.

Carole said...

Wonderful trip to the zoo....loved it! Your stitching and finishing are fantastic!

Christina said...

Ouch 9 hours in the car each way. Glad you had a lovely time.
Your finishes are great. I love to bake too and don't, as much for the exact same reason. Great pics of the zoo. Love the Red Panda, I want one. ;)

Pat said...

Lovely finishes. Thanks for the tour of the animals:0)

Mouse said...

well where to start ....gorgeous stitching and finishes :) just love that cake too ...lol may need to go and find a bun to go with my cuppa now ...
and awwwwwwwwwww to all the zoo photos .. I would have fed the rhino a banana .... and the wee tiger is adorable .... and nice belated gift to you too :) love mouse xxxxx

Andrea said...

Carol ... what a wonderful post. I stitched Rose Cottage years ago and would of never of thought then to stitch it over one. Yours is just so cute as a smaller design. Baked Goods is wonderful too. Love the photos of the zoo trip. The Red Panda is just soooo lovable.

Barbi said...

Amazing photos of all the babies! Your finishes are fantastic too. I love the baked goods, one of the charts in my stash that I haven't gotten around to doing yet. One day... lol

Девушка с пяльцами said...

Dear Carin, I greatly enjoyed your new post! Your finishes are gorgeous! And your stitched present for June is just beautiful! I liked the animal photos - my favourite is the red panda! I "saw" this animal once in Copenhagen zoo, but it was sleeping on a high tree, so really I could see only one ear! :-)))

Friendship Crossing said...

Hi Carol,
What wonderful stitchy pillows you made~ I adore them! How cute! (I love to bake as well and w/all boys, you know it's a must)! LOL
The zoo pics are just too adorable and how sweet that you were able to see them up close and personal!! :))
What fun you must have had!!

Take care,
Tanya

Anne said...

Such a pretty little gift you made for June with vibrant colours. I love that polka dotted fabric you have. I'm always in search of good polka dots!! Well done on your Baked Good finish. I have yet to finish mine! I like how you kept it simple and that fabric and button are tailor made for this design. Ooh, so sorry to hear you left your stitching behind! That must have been frustrating. Very cute animals you saw! Did you enjoy your Seal kiss?!!The red panda is my favourite! So adorable!! That's so sweet of Shirlee to send you a belated bday gift. Hugs!

Melanie said...

Forgot to pack your stitching?????
It's like you fell into a Bizarro World or something. I mean...WHAT? Heheheh.
Very cute little finishes!!! That is very nice linen indeed, on the baked goods one. It has the look of 'over one' on it, the detailing is so nice.
What an amazing zoo experience!! Red pandas are some of my favs. I'm soooo jealous you got to feed one. All of the animals are amazing though. (That gorilla!!!! I'm sad too though that they only get to touch him with latex gloves on. That can't be a very comforting touch to a baby, I would think?)

Kathy Ellen said...

This was a wonderful post, Carol! June must have been so pleased to receive your very special birthday pillow...so perfect for her. Love your beautiful "Baked Goods" pillow with that cute little gingerbread girl button finish.

What a wonderful trip to the zoo. your pictures are so much fun to see. Love that wonderful sea lion. I can't imagine being kissed by one though.

My favorite picture is of that adorable little Red Panda. he really does look like a little raccoon kitty, doesn't he. So sweet.

How lovely to receive such a special gift from Shirlee. That will be fun to stitch.

Blessings & Hugs!

Meari said...

Thanks for sharing your zoo visit! I loved seeing the animals. I didn't know there was such a thing as a red panda! I showed the BF and he said, "Oh yeah. I've seen them before. I watched animal planet." LOL... well la-te-da! ;-)

Congrats on your adorable finishes. Very nice, indeed.

Myra said...

Those zoo pics are just wonderful Carol. What an amazing experience to go behind the scenes like that. Your stitching is just gorgeous. I find it hard to imagine that you forgot to pack your stitching. LOL Your subconscious must have been telling you a break was in order. :o) Have a great week!

Elizabeth Ann said...

Almost missed your post! Planting the backyard.... I loved the little Rose Cottage!! Thanks for taking us along on your trip to the Zoo. Enjoy Father's Day and have a great week!

Jackie said...

Hi Carol,
Glad you had a wonderful time with your family on your Asheville weekend trip. I cannot believe you forgot your stitching. Oh my goodness, I would have had to find a Joann's or Hobby Lobby and grab something to stitch. LOL.
Very pretty pieces on Rose Cottage and Baked Goods and love both finishes as well.
The picture walk of the zoo animals are beautiful and I don't know if I have a favorite…they are all so beautiful in their own way.
Lovely gifty from Shirlee and I know that will be done in record time.
TFS and BTW, I made the key lime pie recipe. It is a keeper, so much so, I had a request from the homestead here to make a second pie:) LOL.
Jackie

Jackie said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Karoline said...

Cute finishes, congratulations

Your zoo photo's are lovely

Judy said...

Hi Carol Super post! Your stitching and finishing is as beautiful as always. What fun to go to the zoo. Each picture is perfectly adorable. I really like the red panda. I do not recall ever seeing one. Thanks for sharing.

Judy heartland stitcher

Kathy L. said...

Adorable animals. How lucky for you to get a behind the scenes.

Your stitching is lovely as usual.

Kathy

Kaisievic said...

Fantastic post, Carol, some beautiful stitching (I just love Baked Goods as I am the baker in my family, too). I, too am behind in my Christmas Ornament SAL stitching! Loved, loved, loved the zoo trip, although my favourite animal is the baby tiger. hugs, Kaye

Lillie said...

Thank you for such a wonderful tour of the zoo :D

Beautiful stitching and finishes as always.

Have a good week ahead!

Sally said...

Gorgeous finishes as always Carol.

Wonderful birthday gift from Shirlee.

I love the photos from your trip!

BARBARA said...

Carol,
Your beautiful work is always a treat to read about and the photos from the zoo trip were great! Have a lovely weekend....Barbara

Lois said...

Such a fun post Carol! What lovely stitched things and what great pictures from your trip to the zoo! What a wonderful opportunity to get so close to the animals!

BrendaS said...

Carol --Beautiful stitches and finishes! You always do such a wonderful job:)))

Thanks for the personal zoo tour. How fun to get a behind the scenes look at all the animals!

Poussy Stitches My Love said...

whouaaaa very beautiful pictures thank

passionfruitprincess said...

Carol,
Your finishes are lovely! The baked goods is in my list. I love LHN and CCN.
And the baby animals! How wonderful you got the chance to go see them. You took beautiful pictures!
Your Bent Creek kit is so pretty. I have a couple of their patterns to stitch.
Have a wonderful week!

Michelle said...

Oh Carol stunning pictures xx

Carin said...

Your finishing is beautiful !! Love that Bake goods !

Those pictures are so much fun to look at ... and that baby gorilla, so sweet.

Kay said...

Such beautiful finishes!! I loved the Baked Goods finish, I have this one, I have yet to stitch it though, turned out very beautiful! The pictures from the zoo are so sweet! Thanks for sharing!!

Bekca said...

Hi Carol, thank you for sharing such sweet pictures! It looks like you had a lovely day out at the zoo :)
Baked Goods is a darling finish, I love the backing fabric you've used. I'm exactly the same, if I baked all of the recipes I've gathered, I wouldn't fit into my jeans!
Happy stitching and best wishes to you.

Elia said...

Dear friend carol,
I enjoyed your tour of the zoo, I love animals and the photos are great!
congratulations on receiving much love from your friends,
and I love your last embroidery is just beautiful,
so beautiful, great for the kitchen or any place and think about a sweet moment... mmmhhhh

have a happy week
kisses from Spain

^^

Alissa said...

Beautiful finishes, Carol. I NEED to get that Baked Goods pattern in my stash ASAP! Those pictures from the zoo are adorable. I cannot believe you got the spikey hair photo. Hilarious! :)

Valma said...

Hoooo my, what a super chance you had
wonderful pictures of a wonderful time !
I had the chance to hold on a baby tiger, they are so heavy ! and their furs are not very soft but what a great moment I had. I could hear him purring and it was as if there were 10 cats =)
can you believe this ! me...so afraid of cats =)
I'll send you the picture =)
speaking about stitches... both pieces you made are very lovely
the Xmas ornament is so cute with its perfect button, very well done
I'm sure June loves her birthday gift, you chose the perfect design
overload of cuteness in this post =)
big big hugs
xxxx

Shirley said...

I have never seen or heard of a red panda either. How cute. Your finishes are beautiful as aways. Your sons were so lucky to have home baked goods every day although I bet at the time they wanted the rubbish their friend had!
all the best,
Shirley x

Fiona said...

Lots of lovely stitching and finishing. Thank you for the tour of the zoo. The babies are just adorable. My favourite baby animal is an elephant, I think they are just way too cute.

Scrap said...

I just lovely the gorilla !
very nice stitching and finish !

♥ Nia said...

What?? How could you forget your stitching? That's the 1st thing to pack :p

Ohhhhh! your works are beautiful but your new friends are definitely the cutest thing =) heheheh
the first pic of the seas lion... ohhh melts my heart =)
Looks like you had a wonderful time :D

msmartello said...

Love the animals! So sweet and yes I did say awww! for most of them actually. LOL! I adore Baked Goods and I think now that I saw yours I am going to have to get into my stash and stitch that one next. I have been really sidetracked and haven't been doing many. But I have been keeping up with my 1 ornament a month.

Maureen

MelissaD said...

Loved your post - one suggestion from someone who can't stand to be without her stitching - I have a small design that is my "car only" work and is always in the pocket on the back of the drivers seat - for emergencies!
I'm also an avid baker and yes, now that my kids are older I find I have to bake less or the waistline just keeps increasing. Of course it doesn't help that my husband expects homemade cookies to go with his morning coffee every day :)
Cute animal photos - we always loved the zoo but never were able to get up close - fun!

Unknown said...

enchanting.....I like very much
Pat

Jennifer M. said...

Nine hours in a car? That doesn't sound like a vacation to me. Four hours in a car is plenty for me. LOL But I'm glad you enjoyed the wedding and visiting with family.

Love your stitching finishes. They both came out perfect as always.

It looks like you had a great time at the zoo. Love the red panda. He looked so cute!

Annette said...

HOW CAN YOU EVER FORGOT TO PACK YOUR STITCHING..;.
Call the hospital... =))))
Glad you had such a great time..
will you know what you could have stitch in that 9 hours drive?????

What a beautifull piece you made for June.. wonderfull

Ow that baking piece is so cute!!
Will look so good in your tree
Noah always has homemade cookies in his lunch bag..
Make them evrey week..
I love cooking and baking also so much.
It is very very bery beautifull.
I really need to find a piece if that fabruc you always stitch.. love how the white pops out of it..
So beautifull

ow my what a cool change to get.. so great!!!
You must feel so lucky!!!
love all your pic's of the animals..
not like the sons I kissed agirl and I like it but kissed a sea-lion.. lol
No pic of the kiss?
really beautidull picture sof them all.
So great isn't it!!1

beautifull B-day gifts,...\
Enjoy it

Have a great week!!

Brigitte said...

So delightful to take this walk through the zoo with you. I particularly liked the picture of the sea lion with his spiked hair. Hilarious!
The stitched finishes are just wonderful. And seeing your finishes always inspires and motivates me to tackle my own pieces. I have a little stitching lying around for weeks now and it needs to be finished into a pillow because it's for a birthday in July. Maybe I'll finish it this weekend. Thanks for the inspiration.

Giovi's Creations said...

Cute finishes, Carol! I love the Xmas one!! Looks great and delicious! And what amazing visit... Red panda is really cute :) hugs, Giovi

Wanda said...

Oh Carol, what a great trip to the zoo! Your ornaments are gorgeous! I love it when a cross stitch picture evokes a 'story' like the baked goods did for you - makes them even more special. It must have felt strange not to have your stitching with you. I think we can all relate to that - it's not so much whether you get to work on anything or not, but knowing it is there! Take care, Wanda