Tuesday, July 10, 2018

A pair of elves, an old red truck, and a surprise destination!

I'm getting better! It's been less than two weeks since my last blog post--can you believe it? Since then I've  lived through that horrid heat wave that hit much of the U.S. and then experienced a string of almost perfect 75° days with low humidity. I think they were our reward for putting up with all of that heat wave nonsense! But, the good thing about a heat wave is that you can't be outside very long which left plenty of time for sitting and stitching in air conditioned comfort. I only have two finishes to share with you today, but two more projects are "almost done."

Oh, it was so hard to part with this little cutie... I stitched this sweet pair of elves  (on a 32 ct. mystery linen from Lizzie Kate's "Tiny Tidings XXII") for a gift for a former co-worker who just moved into her first home. She is a baker and she loves little creatures like gnomes and such, so I thought this cute elf couple sharing a giant chocolate chip cookie would be perfect for a Christmas ornament. If any of you have stitched this, you'll notice I made a few changes... In addition to a few color changes (the main being the face and cheeks where I used DMC 950 and 758), I didn't care for the row of flowers that was charted under the elves. So, I simple stitched "Merry Christmas" and added two small hearts. I also added some "steam" rising from the mug and changed the hair color to resemble that of the recipients. What do you think?

Lizzie Kate's elf couple from "Tiny Tidings XXII"

I thought a wooly flannel in green would be the perfect accent fabric along with a cheery red print and a bit of white ric rak peeking out. The cording is made from the same shade of green as in the elf boy's shirt.  This one just may have to be stitched again for my own tree!

The baking elves finish--so adorable!

My second piece was finished just in time for the 4th of July and is from our friend Nurdan who used to blog, but now has an online Etsy shop under the name Twin Peak Primitives. When I posted this on Instagram last week, I had so many people requesting information on where to buy the chart. Well, all you have to do is go to the Twin Peak Primitives Etsy shop, right here... there are so many cute designs to choose from!  This design is called "Patriotic Olde Truck" and it is stitched "over one" on 28 ct. black Monaco.  I did change a couple of the colors--used GAST Mulberry for the rusty red color and GAST Freedom for the blue. I also changed the tire colors to DMC 844 because, well, DMC black would never show up on the black Monaco, would it? I also changed the font of the words and stitched them in white so they would really pop against the dark background.

Twin Peak Primitives: "Patriotic Olde Truck"

And here is my finish--simple and patriotic using fabric from a checked towel that I purchased at a local store along with ecru colored ric rac and a rusty star that I glued into place. I love it!

A star-spangled finish!

Giveaway winner... I had eight entries for the little Uncle Sam Flatbed chart so I simply drew a name out of a hat (well, really a bowl!) and up came the winner....


Meari, congratulations...  please send me your mailing address and I will get this out to you as soon as possible.

Meari--you are the winner!

If you didn't win, keep an eye on this space. More charts will be given away soon... In fact, why not now? Would anyone like to give this pretty chart a new home?

♥♥♥ NEW GIVEAWAY for July... I was recently given this charming Butternut Road chart called "Children's Garden" from a very generous reader (who wishes to remain anonymous). It is a fairly large chart at 199 stitches X 133 stitches, but it calls for only DMC floss. I think this perfectly captures the innocence of childhood from a bygone era... Since I already own a copy of this chart, my friend wanted me to simply pass it on to someone who might want to stitch it. So, how about you? If you are a follower and would like a chance to win, please let me know in your comments. As always, please include your email address if I don't already have it... Best of luck to all who enter and I will reveal the winner's name the next time I post.

I'm giving away this "Children's Garden" chart

"Oh, the Places You'll Go: Part II"   Do you remember when I teased you with the "Day 3" happenings in my previous post? I asked where you all thought we went during our third day in southern California? There were some great answers: Balboa Park, the beach, the San Diego Zoo, and even Phoenix. Nope... We walked into Mexico! Yes, that's right: walked...into...Mexico! Who knew that you could simply park your car on the U.S. side of the border, 20 miles south of San Diego, and casually walk over into the city of Tijuana  after presenting your passport and signing one quick form!?


Now I can just hear you whispering... "but, was it safe?" I was nervous--I have to admit; but having my wonderful daughter-in-law, (who is of Mexican-American heritage), with us, gave me extra courage. She helped us navigate the city on foot and via taxi and Uber rides very easily. Things have improved, in terms of safety, since the major drug cartel era of the 1990s and early 2000s--and as long as you stay within the heavily traveled tourist areas, it is supposed to be pretty safe. We had no problems whatsoever on the day we spent in Tijuana.  At the same time, I felt like I needed to be quite vigilant and aware of my surroundings. The city has come a long way from the drug wars that engulfed it a while back--but it has a long way to go. There is a lot of poverty and street crime (and much worse) outside of the well-traveled tourist spots.

So, would you like a little tour of Tijuana? First of all, I learned that I've been mispronouncing Tijuana my entire life--I had been putting an extra "a" in there (Ti-a-jua-na) and that is not correct. It is simply Ti-jua-na.  From the time we stepped onto Mexican soil, it was just a short walk to the main touristy area:  Avenida Revolución. Restaurants and souvenir shops abound and the strangest thing for me was how the owners of these establishments would stand outside their shops and call for you to come in and shop or dine. 

This huge arch was the first thing we spotted as we began our walk down Avenida Revolución.


It was a rare cloudy, cool day in Tijuana, but these vibrant banners helped brighten the visit.

My husband and I pose behind the colorful Tijuana sign. It was very chilly--so glad I wore a jacket and long pants!

A zonkey?? Some of the most interesting sights were all of the "zonkeys" that were waiting on many of the street corners. What is a zonkey? Well, from a distance--they truly do look like zebras, but they are really just donkeys painted to look like zebras. This is a long-standing Tijuana tradition (going back over 100 years) in which serape-draped donkeys carrying sombrero-wearing tourists are photographed for a fee. Years ago, with only black and white photography,  the donkeys would simply fade into the background and the customers were disappointed with their pictures. So someone came up with the idea of painting the donkeys with black paint, hair dye, etc. to resemble zebras. It worked! The newly created "zonkeys" were a hit and many a Tijuanan has made money photographing his favorite animal and a willing tourist. Of course, there are arguments about whether or not this is hurting the donkeys, but the "zonkeys" have become an important part of Tijuanan culture--there is even a basketball team named the Tijuana Zonkeys.

Barbi the Zonkey chomps on corn as she waits for her next customer!

Colorful street art and Mexican flags lined Avenida Revolución

My son suggested taking a taxi ride over to the Pacific Ocean and it was quite an unforgettable experience. At this spot, is the westernmost point of the 1954-mile border between the United States and Mexico. As you can see, there is a rusty 15-foot high fence that separates the two countries and juts out into the Pacific Ocean for several dozen yards.

On the left: Tijuana, Mexio  ~  On the right, California, U.S.A.


The Mexican side of the fence has been painted with different sentiments and names and photos of various Mexican deportees

In this photo, a Mexican woman visited through the fence with her family or friends who were on the U.S. side.

There are many large decorative fiberglass hearts on display. This one overlooks the Pacific Ocean and says "El amor es una verdad,  la unica verdad" which translates to:  "Love is a truth, the only truth."


So, would I go to Tijuana a second time? Probably not... although I'm glad I went once. I've heard that people are braver when they are on vacation--that they step out of their comfort zone and try new things. This was definitely the case for me! Have you ever tried anything out of your comfort zone while on vacation?  It was an eye opening experience that I will never forget and it certainly made me appreciate how very blessed I am to live in the United States of America.

All creatures great and small... Returning to my little corner of the world after being away from home always makes me smile. I am a true homebody, that's for sure. Lately, all sorts of critters have been visiting our yard...

One of the two darling fawns recently born (who promptly bent down and ate my lavender plants as soon as I took this photo!)

This crazy groundhog has made himself right at home. I caught him gnawing on the fibers of our front doormat last week. After he'd had his fill, he just plopped himself right down on our front porch and watched the world go by!

A handsome male Black Swallowtail loves the dianthus plant that my middle son and a friend brought me on the 4th of July!

This fuzzy buzzing bee enjoyed the salvia plant, but was so hard to photograph. Can you spot him in the lower left?

So, what does the rest of July hold? Well, I'll be heading up to New York State to attend my 45th high school reunion! What??? How can I be that old? Several of my best friends from way back then are going to be there also and I haven't seen most of them since I was 18 years old. Will we recognize each other? I have to admit, I'm a bit nervous... I've only been to one of my reunions and that was the 20th--25 years ago.  How do you feel about reunions? Wish me luck! 

Thank you all for stopping by today; whether just to see my stitching photos or to read about my travels--or both, I so appreciate you taking the time you take to say "hello!" I hope to be back in a couple of weeks with the winner of my giveaway and a new finish or two.  Until then, bye for now...

67 comments:

Mary @ Neat and Tidy said...

Thank you for continuing to blog when so many have left the blogging world. I love seeing what you are up to! I appreciate the link to the etsy shop; it's always fun to see a good shop. Enjoy your reunion; I'll bet you'll have a lot of laughs.

LaNelle said...

Hi Carol, always love reading your blog! Stitching is fantastic but the patriotic design was my favorite just adorable!! Looks like your trip was fun & interesting.....and your landscape is beautiful great nature photos...Blessings

Mary said...

Carol, nice surprise to see you back so soon! Baking elves is precious and I love your changes to it. Such a thoughtful gift to the new homeowners. I will check out the link to the etsy shop, the Olde Truck is adorable!! I"m in no rush to stitch another truck on black though!:)

Oh, those poor donkeys!! I initially thought you were talking about faux donkeys. Painting faux animals is a thing these days. Catskill, NY has all sorts of painted cats and Goshen NY has painted horses, etc....


That is one ugly wall on the beach!! Never been to Mexico but like you, it would be out of my comfort zone to go but I'm a braver soul on vacation, not wanting to miss out on an experience.


Have fun at your reunion!! I don't think anyone will have a problem recognizing you! No desire to go to my HS reunion as it was such a huge school but I went through 8 years of grammar school and recall most of those classmates names compared to high school and would love to connect with them again
.

Arlene G said...

Well Miss Enabler I am heading to that Etsy shop as soon as I type this comment.lol Thanks for sharing. I also love the Lizzie Kate elves and how you put Merry Christmas instead of the flowers. Those zonkeys are something else aren't they? I have my 45th high school reunion on August 25th. It is hard to believe it has been that long. My husband's 50th is next summer in Savannah, GA. They are doing it up big. My reunion is just a simple dinner at a local venue. I hope you have fun catching up with old friends.

Sandy said...

Such cuteness. You are the queen of one over one. I can not make it neat yet. I keep practicing...maybe one day.

I went to Tijuana way way back in the late 1960's. I have a picture of my mom, and two of my cousins sitting in a wagon with one of my cousins on the donkey. I am going to have to check my picture to see if it was a zonkey. We had relatives that lived in Santa Barbara, so we visited every few years and traveled all over out there. Such a beautiful state, but like you I am a home body. No place like home for me.

I love all of your little critters. Think they would be fun to look out for each day.

My 40th reunion is coming up in September. I graduated in '78, but we do ours in the fall coinciding with homecoming (football in the south). I don't think I will go. I would have to send my address. I don't think I would recognize anyone or them me. I haven't been the best at keeping up with everyone. Look forward to hearing about it.

Vickie said...

Good Morning Carol! What a great way to start my morning, with YOUR post.❤️ I love that elf couple. Great work on that ornament Carol. The Patriotic Olde Truck is wonderful. Guess what my friend? Brian and I also walked across the border to Tijuana. We went back in the 90's though. I must say I did NOT enjoy myself. We went with another couple and we did not feel safe at all. I would NOT do it again, but like you, it has made me feel VERY appreciative of the United States of America the rest of my life since. Your backyard visitors make me smile.😁

Erin said...

Good morning, Carol!
Lovely stitching, and I'm rather envious of your adventures! :)
When you say you are coming to NYS for your reunion...would that be our shared hometown? If so, I'm actually going to visit my parents this weekend, and I'll be in town.

Erin

Barb said...

Hi Carol - oh how I love reading your blog! You always share such fun and interesting adventures and, of course, absolutely beautiful stitching projects. I always want to stitch everything I see on your site!!!

Barb R.

Stasi said...

Carol, another enjoyable blog post...I love both your finishes..you really have a knack!!! I had never heard of Twin Peaks, so hopped over for a quick visit..cute stuff! I think I found an idea for a stitching challenge I'm involved in, so thanks for the lead.
I visited Tijuana in the mid 80's ....no need to go back....I think we bought our girls each a serape style poncho as a souvenir.
I miss all the critters we used to have in our backyard in WV, but don't miss the deer eating all our plants!
Wish this beautiful weather would continue, but alas, I think it's coming to a screeching halt..at least for us. Thanks for another great post!

marly said...

Not only am I a homebody, I am a chicken! And the older I get the more I cluck.

I love those stitched pieces. The elves would be perfect for my baking cousin and husband. Your change to the season greeting is much nicer, love the lettering style. And that truck! Couldn't be cuter. Over one on black? CLUCK!!!

I need to investigate Instagram and see if it can be viewed online for the phoneless.

Enjoy this weather! Please don't include me in your giveaway.

Robin in Virginia said...

Always fun to read your latest over a cup of coffee! Both of your ornaments are lovely. Thank you for the link to the Etsy shop and for the enabling. It sounded like you had a good time at your mystery place on vacation. I hope you have a safe trip to NY and a good time at your reunion.

Rhona said...

Such adorable finishes! Love the fabric choices you made...so sweet!
Love the pictures of your visit to Tijuana - and yes, I've been saying it wrong too :)

Carm said...

Love your finishes!! The Children's Garden is one I have been watching another stitcher work on. Love it. May I please be entered in the giveaway

Carm said...

I forgot to leave my email haircarm@live.com

Tricia B said...

Carol, Your stitching and finishing are gorgeous as ever. Love the elves! I stitched them recently as a gift for my college roommate for this Christmas. She and her husband are big foodies. Your customization is fantastic! I love your Mexico photos! In college I had an internship one summer on South Padre Island and we regularly went to Matamoros, Mexico, a border city less famous, but similar in some ways to Tijuana. I’m so glad you had a good visit! I especially love the beach wall photos. I have never seen that before. And the animals in your yard are wonderful! Great photos! I hope you enjoy your 45th renunion! I havent been to a high school reunion since my 20th, which was 16 years ago. I cant wait to hear about it! Thanks for sharing! xo, Tricia

Katie said...

Another lovely post. Let's see...I just love your Merry Christmas finish. Love the changes with the words added. Perfect. The Patriotic truck is too cool. What a beautiful finish it made too. Congrats to Meari on her win! I enjoyed hearing about your travels. You are more brave then me. We've been to some areas that are scary but nothing like what you have seen. The woman visiting through the fence is so sad. Thanks for sharing your beautiful photos. Love the fawn and the ground hog hanging out. Too cute! Have a wonderful rest of your July.

Paula said...

I am new to your blog. I would love a chance to win the cross stitch. holloway000@yahoo.com or the google one this comes from. I am spending my morning reading your old posts. Thank you for sharing your life.

Meari said...

Thanks for sharing an armchair tour to Tijuana. I've never been there so it was nice to see what it's like. Loved your photos of the critters at your home. "No place like home" :)

Your finishes are so adorable. Those elves are the cutest!!

Thank you for the giveaway. It's made my day!

Claire said...

Hi Carol. So fun to read about your adventures! Your latest stitchy finishes are wonderful. Love the changes you made on your elves! I enjoy your pictures so much. We have deer here that are eating everything but not lavender or herbs. I have heard that the fawns will try anything once though. Have fun at your reunion and safe travels.

Vicki said...

The photo of the butterfly belongs in a magazine! (oh wait, do they still even make magazines?! hahaha) Both of your finishes were so cute. I particularly like the stars and stripes. The additions to the elves are just perfect.
I enjoyed the tour of Tijuana. We live in Phoenix and I've often thought of going down to the border and walking into Nogales, but we've never done it. The photo of the wall jutting into the Pacific was, well, I'm not sure what emotion to ascribe to it, but it tells a story. As does the photo of the lady chatting with friends on the US side through the wall.

butterfly said...

Another lovely post .
Love the two ornaments really different .
Love the way you finish them .
I have a pile to finish , but we are still having a heat wave , so I can't move ha , the only way to stay cool is sit and stitch or do nothing .

Love you photos , and your butterfly is so beautiful, and the fawn how cute.

I already have this chart in one of my boxes I must stitch it one day .

It's a lovely giveaway . Have a fun week Carol .

tll6601 said...

I happily follow your blog & would love to win the Children's Dreams cross stitch pattern. My email address is as follows: tll6601@gmail.com
Thank you!
Teresa

Linda said...

Congrats on the adorable finishes Carol. I love the little red truck. Also loved your critter pics. Your adventures into Mexico looked like fun.

Linda

Kate said...

I thoroughly enjoyed your fabulous post, Carol!

Manuela said...

Hello Carol,
two wonderful and lovely little ornaments. I love them.
Thanks for sharing your nice holiday memories.
Enjoy your 45. High School Reunion.
Hugs, Manuela

Alhana said...

Hello Carol!

I'm ashamed to confess I just noticed you had a blog. Oh, if I had known it before! I missed so many wonderful posts and stitching pieces. But now I'm here for good and I hope you keep on posting, because nothing beats reading the words of the creator behind a nice picture explaining her work. :-)

That said, I loved your last piece very much. Your co-worker will be delighted to hang this cutie on her tree next Christmas. Your 4th of July piece also caught my eye, so different from usual patriotic charts yet so pretty.

I'm glad you had a fantastic time in Tijuana, didn't know the meaning of their 'zonkey' tradition. Enjoy the rest of your summer working in AC comfort! And thank you so much for let your readers enter this awesome giveaway.

Warm regards from Spain.

Justine said...

What an interesting adventure! We are so lucky to be able to travel where we like. That wall is just heartbreaking.
Your little elves are so sweet! I wasn't too keen on that particular Tiny Tidings chart set but now I've seen your finish I have changed my mind. It's adorable and perfectly finished too. I'm sure the new homeowners will love it.

Sandra said...

Oh I do love those little baking elves!
How sad to see that wall and fence which separates family and friends between Mexico and the U.S.

Shelly said...

Hi Carol. Always nice to see a post from you. Your finishes are so cute..saw them on Instagram this morning. Can't beat stitching colorful designs on black! Enjoyed the pics of Tjuana. I would feel ok in the border towns with tourists but any deeper in Mexico...nope. I'm not brave at all! That's quite the variety of critters you have visiting you. The groundhog is pretty funny looking. Have a safe trip to your reunion! I never went to any of mine. My high school years were full of angst and I just couldn't see going back into the past. Have fun at yours though!

Susan Lankford said...

Beautiful finishes, Carol.
And you certainly do a lot of traveling (good for you!) even tho you are a homebody!

Susan

The Crafting Tortuga said...

Hi Carol, what beautiful FFO's you make! Please enter me in the giveaway. turtlecreek66@yahoo.com

Mini said...

The two finishes are very cute . I'm glad the heat wave has subdued.

Thank you for sharing your Mexico trip with us. You are lucky that it is so easy to cross borders and you had a family member to take you around in new land.My husband gets very excited if we sees borders with just a wall dividing them.
It is very common in India for shop keepers or stall keepers to call out for customers.

I would love to travel to one of the so called unsafe places with proper arrangements.

MartinaM said...

Hi Carol,
The two little elves are really cute, and a perfect finish, red and green are great. I also know the motifs of Nurdan, I would like to embroider the beautiful house series. The truck looks great, and the color changes fit well.
You have my respect, I do not know if I went to Mexico, I would certainly lack the courage.
It's certainly interesting to meet all the people you went to school with, how have they changed, what are they doing today, I'm curious how many you can recognize. In any case, I wish you a nice meeting.
Hugs Martina

Preeti said...

Lovely finishes, Carol!:) Do you make your own cords for the ornaments?
Nice to know that you stepped out of comfort zone to see a different world. We usually stay in safe places/area, where even walking is safe, no matter whether we are travelling to a developed or a developing country. But I love my home at the end of the day:) The reason for me to travel to mexico would only be that I will have something like Indian food to eat. But so far it is not in my list of places to visit

Meg said...

Hi, Carol!

What sweet finishes! I love your color changes in the elf couple. I have not seen the original pattern, or if I did, I did not give it a second look. How did I miss that cutie? I love the antique-looking photo frame around the elves, too. When my mom was a young woman in the 1960s, she took a European tour. Her photos from the trip all have that gorgeous deckled edge. So pretty. I also love the way you finished it. You have such a flair for choosing fabrics and ribbons. Tell me - do you have a big fabric stash, or do you purchase fabric just for a particular finish?

That Stars & Stripes truck is pretty swell. I will have to check out that Etsy shop. Again, love your finish, too. Great idea using the fabric from a checked towel for the finish. I found some rustic stars like that on Etsy, and my plan for them is to glue three of them to the top edge of an old frame, then antique-finish the whole thing. I have a patriotic stitch I need to frame (a bit late this year!) and I have the stars earmarked for that.

Tijuana! Wow! I honestly don't think I would be that brave. I have seen photos of the western-most part of the border in the news lately. If memory serves me right, there were hundreds of people gathered there seeking refuge not long ago. Such a sad circumstance. I love the graffiti and the heart sculptures - "love is a truth, the only truth." Exactly. It floors me when people cannot empathize.

Wonderful wildlife! I love that groundhog!! What a fella.

Have a wonderful time at your reunion. The only one I attended was a 15th. I didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped. Everyone was friendly and mature at the beginning of the reunion, but by the end of the weekend, people were forming the old cliques they did in high school and behaving pretty much like they did in high school, too. I think time is a good thing... I'm looking forward to my 30th... haha! Kids, wrinkles and time do wonders for personal growth.

Maggie said...

Beautiful stitching and finishing as always :-) I love that little red truck!
How bazaar is that barrier on the beach! I wonder how many have swum around it?
Have fun on your next trip and your school reunion, I was invited to one many years ago but declined, they are not really something that we usually do in the UK.

maxi said...

Hey Carol,
thank you for the fotos! Your elves ornament is so cute, i like them!
Happy stitiching
maxi

Marilyn said...

The ornament is too cute, as is the Red Truck.
Thanks for the link on her Etsy shop!
Thanks for sharing the colorful pic of your trip, the Zonkey is too cute!
What beautiful creatures you have had visiting your yard, the Butterfly is gorgeous!
Marilyn

Cindy said...

Cute finishes as always! I need to make that red truck as my husband has a thing for antique trucks. I think you were very brave for going to Tijuana! My husband, who lived in San Diego for awhile, told me I wouldn't like it. So we didn't go when we were out there. Have fun at your reunion! I went to my 10th and it was fun, but the 20th was not so great and I haven't been back. hope yours is a good one!

Pat said...

I look forward to reading your blog when I get the notification in my e-mail. As usual, your stitching is wonderful. It sounds like your little side trip into Mexico went well and you enjoyed it. Have fun at your reunion and meeting up with old acquaintances. Looking forward to hearing about it in your next blog report.

Annie said...

Those are two of the cutest finishes ever. You always have such a good eye for coordinating fabric and trims. Love the rusty star!

So quite an adventure in Mexico. Painting animals is very weird to me! Nice to have your DIL to help navigate. Glad the US let you back in and kept your family intact! I was in Mexico City some years ago. It was a business trip and they just warned me to only take taxis that the hotel got for me. The threat of kidnapping was a big issue. I made it out safely and enjoyed the trip.

Have fun at your re-union. Bet you'll look like the youngest one there!

Barb said...

So many delightful things on this blog post. I love seeing your mini-visit to Mexico. I think you were quite brave. When we visited Tuscon, we stayed in the good old US even though at one point we could see Mexico. I love the stitching and finishing as usual. That little truck might just have to get into my to do pile, it is so cute!My DH and I are both real homebodies!! And the older we get the more we are that way. I think we are the only people that go only to Alabama on vacation. It's just to see those children and our son and DIL. That sort of takes up most of our travel plans.

Cindy's Stitching said...

The elves are so cute and I think they are perfect for your friend. The star spangled truck is really pretty. The zonkeys made me laugh, I had no idea. Glad you step out of your comfort zone. The ground hog looks a little to Comfy. Enjoy the rest of July Carol.🌻

RJ said...

Carol your baking elves are adorable and will make a wonderful and special gift for a baker. But, my heart is with the patriotic truck. I'm off to look at the shop and I know I want that one.
I'm glad your walk across the border went well. I have not been in Mexico in about 40 years. Glad yours was a good experience.
Have a lot of fun at your reunion. I think it will be a positive experience. People change so much over the years and it will be great to see them all again. RJ@stitchingfriendsforever

Irene said...

come sempre i tuoi ricami sono meravigliosi! E hai un cerbiatto e una marmotta nel giardino, fantastico! Sono anni che non faccio più riunioni scolastiche, ma confesso che mi piacerebbe molto, gli amici d'infanzia sono sempre i più cari.

Jutta said...

Dear Carol,
my favorites are
- the pretty elves, soooooo sweet
- and the fence in the sea of Tijuana, incredible.
Thank you for your great posting,
Jutta

Cathy H. said...

Wow, Carol! I admire you so much for going out of your comfort zone and visiting Mexico. I would never be that brave! Sounds like you've been stitching away during the heat! I love the little patriotic truck! Our heat wave won't end until probably early September! Every day the heat index is in the triple digits! I'm trying to be content and not complain! Have a great day!

Lili said...

Lovely ornaments! The elf couple is my favourite, love that pretty border!

Daniela Bencúrová said...

Dear Carol, your sewing is fantastic!
Thank you for sharing the photo from the trip to Mexico!
Hugs!

Jackie's Stitches said...

Such cute finishes! I've been meaning to ask you - how do you attached your hanger? I also cannot see in the photo where you joined your cording. I'd love to know more!

What have I done outside of my comfort zone while on vacation? Probably white water rafting. So NOT my thing at all! It was down the same river Deliverance was filmed at and I'm quite proud to say I didn't fall out of the raft!

Anonymous said...

Hello Carol!
I would love to stitch the Children’s Garden chart. Your finishes are so pretty and I always feel inspired by your lovely cross stitch. Thank you for continually posting on your blog. Happy stitching! Barbara in Florida

The Knitting Cross Stitcher said...

I enjoyed the lovely photos in your blog Carol and reading about the story behind them.It is lovely that our worlds open up even more when our grown up children settle with someone from a different country and culture.
Your stitching as always is a delight.

rosey175 said...

Well, that's definitely not a stitchy shop! How nice to walk to another country. No walls getting in the way (at least on one side). And surprise, the people are... people! The painted donkeys are another story though LOL.

Your little finishes are super cute. I love the firework truck on black! It's so fitting that the fireworks are at night.

Lillie said...

Dear Carol, what a coincidence talking about Mexico! I have never been to Mexico, only knew about how closed it's boarder with US via movies! haha. So thank you for sharing your trip, I think there's some similarity of sorts with boarder towns. Zonkeys is too cute. In Thailand it's life size adult elephants. I must one day check out our beach by the boarder to see if there are any similar fencing, have never thought about it.

Both finishes look fantastic, love the black fabric on the Patriotic Olde Truck.

Thank you for sharing your summer visitors, always enjoyed their photos.

Leonore Winterer said...

Oh, great finishes! The elves are very cute and I love what you did with the truck, it looks very different from the original chart!
I'm glad to hear you had a great time in Tijuana - what an adventure! Walking across a border - even without a passport - doesn't sound like such a strange thing here in Europe, but you surely don't encounter borders a lot in a country as vast as the US. I hope to visit Mexico some day and love that Zonkey tradition, but also all the little critters you caught on camera.

Andrea said...

Beautiful stitching and finishing. Love the elves they look very cheeky!
Wonderful wildlife photos too.
Don't think I would of liked the idea of going to Mexico. I know they say you should try everything once, but ………… :/

Have a good week.

Pam in IL said...

Lovely stitched pieces and you always finish them in such cute ways! Thanks for the tour of Tijuana. I've never been to Mexico or southern California. Cute critters. I love how the groundhog is on your porch like it's the family pet, lol. Enjoy your class reunion. High school was not a good time for me, so I have not gone to any reunions.

Beth said...

Glad you stepped out of your comfort zone - that is the kind of travel that shows you the 'real' world and how much of the rest of the world lives. I visited Prague in 1976 as a teenager when it was under communist rule. Very scary but I also learned so much and it has stayed with me all these many years.

diamondc said...

Hi Carol: I love your finish's, they are perfect, thank-you for the link to her etsy shop.
We have been going to Mexico since 1997 two or three times a year, maybe once this year due to my Father in laws illness.
Love your outdoor photos.
I have never been to a class reunion, never wanted to go to one, but hey that's just me.
I hope you have loads of fun.
Please do not include me in your giveaway, I have loads of patterns.

Catherine

Catherine

Jennifer said...

Great stitching as always - that little red truck is too cute! Neat pictures from Tijuana - looks like a good place to visit just to open your horizons a bit. Glad you had a good tour guide! Hope you have fun at your reunion! I haven’t been back for one yet. My class had #20 but most of my closer friends weren’t going so I decided not to make the trip, maybe I will in another 20 years! We’ve enjoyed nice dry weather here again this week but are glad for some rain this weekend to perk everything. Hope the critters don’t destroy too much!

Robin said...

Love your two finishes. The elf ornament and the stars and stripes pillow are each so precious. Great catch-up post. Thanks for sharing your trip to Mexico.

Mii Stitch said...

Oh I am so glad to read your blog again! As always, you have come up with a beautiful elves finish :) Simply perfect and I am sure the recipients will love it. Great trip too. The fence is probably a sore subject for both countries but it has truly no place in this world. Heart breaking to see the woman speaking to her love ones through it...

kcenya1950 said...

I, too have not been to a reunion in 25 years and my 50th is this fall. Considered attending but decided that a cross country trip is not in the cards this year as there has and continues to be much other travel. In reality I don't remember many classmates as I attended multiple high schools. My dad was in the Navy so there were many moves and many schools. I think the record was three in one grade! Thanks for the info on the little truck it is adorable. Pam

Brigitte said...

These are two lovely little finishes that you stitched. The two little elves are so darling and I can see why you will have to stitch this beautiful design a second time for yourself :) Thanks for the link to Nurdan's etsy shop, somehow I missed that she has opened one. I'll have to check it out soon.

Great pictures of your visit in Tijuana and the surroundings. It certainly was a special experience.

And great pictures of the creatures visiting your garden. Our garden is only visited by other people's dogs which find that we have the perfect place for leaving their ... (hmmm, I don't kn ow the English word for it) Not exactly what we are fond of.

I'm very curious to read about your experiences at the high school reunion.

Esmeralda Andrés Enriquez said...

Que lindo! felicidades!

Margaret said...

A deer with two babies crossed the road in front of me when I was driving home from the groceries the other day! So cute! Tiajuana! We actually crossed over for a day visit once when I was young (like in junior high I think). Can't remember much, but I think we crossed in our car. Love your finishes. The two elves remind me of the elves in that old Rudolf TV show. :D

Lolly said...

Beautiful Christmas ornament

Lolly