Oh, the wonders I've seen!

I'm back!! I sure missed all of you and your stitching and stories. I'm so happy to be home and promise to get caught up on all of your blogs very soon... So where have I been? Well, my husband and I took our three sons to Europe to celebrate the fact that they are all now college graduates, the thrill of having no more tuition payments, and our pride in their accomplishments. This was my first-ever trip abroad and oh, the places we visited and the sites we've seen. We visited Munich, Bavaria, Salzburg, Barcelona, Granada (ooh--that Alhambra!!), Ronda (Spain), and ended our trip in Seville. I can't tell you how many times my mouth just gaped open with awe or the word "Wow!" was whispered by one of us. I'll fill you in on some of my trip after my stitching update.


I finally caught up on my "ornament a month" quest with these two finishes. April's ornament is from Prairie Schooler's Holiday Homestead chart. I stitched it "over one" on 28 ct. black Monaco. I just love doing "over one" stitching on Monaco cloth--it looks so even and the thread rarely slips behind the fabric's threads like it often will using other fabrics. If you've been frustrated by "over one" stitching before--give Monaco evenweave a try. As you can see I finished it into a hanging pillow with a red flannel fabric, black ric-rac and red buttons. I think it's quite a cheery little finish with that tiny chickadee!

My May ornament finish is "Chalet" which is just a portion of the "Walking in a Winter Snapperland" series by Bent Creek. I am so glad I stitched this after seeing similar little houses on our trip through Bavaria. The buttons I used are a bit large, but I couldn't find any tinier buttons so I just went ahead with these. The fabric backing is the same blue plaid that I've tied around the wire hanger (just a spring that I stretched out). The blue tie reminds me of the scarf wrapped around the tiny snowman. I used 32 ct. Dirty Belfast linen and a combination of DMC, WDW, and Sampler Threads...

It's June, the month that my blogging friend Nancy at Lovely in Chocolate (that has to be my very favorite blog name!) are starting our long-distance stitch-along. In honor of summer and all it's bounty, we're stitching "Watermelon Garden" by Ewe & Eye & Friends. We've already noticed some discrepancies between the chart and the photo so we'll see how each one ends up. I've chosen 40ct. Vintage Light Examplar by Lakeside Linens--my first time stitching on 40ct. I figure if I can stitch over one on 28, I can handle 40 ct., right? So far I have only stitched some of the border, but I'm loving stitching this with you, Nancy. Just wish we were sitting together and chatting away while we stitched rather than separated by the miles between Pennsylvania and South Carolina!

So, back to our trip! Our first stop was Munich and the Bavarian countryside. Why did we choose this part of Germany? Because the guys wanted to visit castles and did we ever see some beauties. All pictures can be enlarged by clicking on them and I've included links for more information on many of them, too, with some wonderful interior photos. So, sit back and enjoy:

Disney World? No, this is the castle on which Disney modeled
his famous castle: Neuschwanstein Castle

The fairy tale view from inside Neuschwanstein Castle.

The stunning Linderhof Palace. What a breathtaking setting!

Nymphenburg Palace : The birthplace of Mad King Ludwig
who owned both Neuschwanstein and Linderhof.

We also enjoyed some of Munich's most famous buildings during a bus tour of Munich (well, that is in between nodding off due to the extreme jet leg we were all feeling on the first day!):

Theatinerkirche built from 1663 to 1690.

Bayerische Staatsoper (Bavarian State Opera) built in 1811

The Siegestor (Victory Gate).
The inscription "Dem Bayerischen Heere” means "For the Bavarian Army."

New Town Hall in Marienplatz ~ built between 1867 and 1908
and home of the famous Rathaus-Glockenspiel.
The Rathaus-Glockenspiel which has 32 life-size
figures which re-enact stories from the 16th century.

The raucous Hofbrauhaus founded in 1589.

The interior of Hofbrauhaus. What an amazing ceiling.
If those walls could talk, I'm sure there would be some wild stories!

Yep ~ those are my four guys (on the right) taking in the
sights of Munich. (Not sure who the two ladies are,
but I sure hope they don't mind appearing on my blog!)

Every street was lined with lovely sidewalk cafes and tons of bikes.
Munich has a wonderful biking community.

And here's the famous Michael Jackson memorial.
What??? Yep, rabid MJ fans have taken over the statue of
the poor Orlando di Lasso (aka Roland Delattre) in a park
across the street from a hotel in which Michael once stayed.
What a bizarre sight!

Well, I think that's enough of my trip photos for today... Next time, I'll treat you to my Salzburg pictures. It was definitely one of my favorite stops on our European adventure!

Now back to stitching-related news. I was so excited to find three wonderful gifts waiting for me when I returned from Europe. First up, is this darling rabbit sachet stitched with love by sweet Nia and sent all the way from Portugal. Notice how she created him in my favorite color: blue? She also included a cute bunny card and a lovely Portugal themed postcard. Hmmm...I think she's trying to tempt me to put Portugal on my next vacation stop! It just might happen now that I've been bitten by the travel bug. Thank you so very much, Nia--I'm keeping him right next to my bed so I can drift off to sleep smelling his lovely lavender scent.

And from one of my very first blogging friends, Cindy, I received this luscious array of fabrics and a cute fairy Prairie Schooler chart. Cindy, you certainly spoiled me with these--I love each and every one and you can count on seeing them in some future projects. Thank you for your very special gift and for being such a wonderful blogging friend!

A while back, Barbara of Mainely Stitching fame, asked me if I would participate in her daughter, Rowen's, Flat Stanley (or in this case "Flat Rowen") project. Little Rowen sent me her flat creation and I took it around the city of Pittsburgh (and all the way to Florida!) and photographed it with all the sights. After I was done, I made a little book of Flat Rowen's adventures, popped in some souvenirs of her visit, and shipped her back to Rowen for her school's fair. As a thank you, the generous Barbara sent me this dear pin pillow filled with dried Maine wildflowers. And little Rowen included the cutest thank you note. Don't you love them? I was honored that you asked me to participate in Rowen's project, Barbara, and I'm so glad Rowen enjoyed her book and box of souvenirs!


I also want to share with you this lovely bird plate which arrived from my special friend, Mary at Sweet Sentiments and Stitches before we left for Europe. I had lent her an out-of-print Prairie Schooler chart and she wanted to thank me with this gift. I wish you could see it in person because it is just so pretty. Mary, you know me well--birds and blue, two of my favorite things. Thank you so very much--it has a place of honor in my family room.


Finally, the winner of my drawing for Drawn Thread's Sunflower Bellpull chart is Kathy Ellen at A Stitcher's Heirlooms. Congratulations Kathy Ellen! Please send me your mailing address and I'll get the chart right off to you. Kathy Ellen has promised to pass it along to another stitcher when she has stitched it, so keep an eye on her blog :)

OK, if anyone out there is still with me at the end of this monstrously long post, I so appreciate it! With our trip and me being sick since my return on Sunday (I had a cold and the flights home really did a number on my ears--ugh!), I am way behind on my gardening, so I think that is going to occupy much of my weekend. How about you? Any special plans? I hope you know how much I value your friendship, comments, and inspiration--you sure are a special group. Bye for now...