Belated Birthday Post

My DH has finally transferred everything, including my pics, to the new computer tower, given me a lesson on how to transfer pics from the digicam memory card to it (correct slot now found!) and I'm rocking and rolling again. Yay! So where do I start?

DH and I went to my DSis's on the Sunday 6th - DH went home in the evening but I stayed until the evening on Tuesday 8th, my birthday, when DH came over to take me home again. It was a good break and DSis took us out and I was very good when it came to helping her spend her money. LOL She bought a new fridge/freezer, a TV for her bedroom, a set of bedding, a vase and other household odds and ends. My tiny haul included some hair scrunchies, stickers and some make-up applicators (these are for cardmaking, as they're very good for chalking with!) - DH sighed with relief when he heard that's all I bought. ;0) I'm not very familiar with the roads around my home town any more (many changes since I left when I married) and my DSis openly admits that she can't navigate her way out of a paper bag......... so we went the scenic route a couple of times, which added to the fun. :0)

I had some lovely cards and gifts for my birthday and I thought I'd share a few pics. Here are the lovely cards I received from Sally and my PenPal Maggie:

A seriously cute bunny. Thanks again Sally. :0)

I also received this stunning handmade card, along with some lovely Polstitches threads, from Helen:

I hope my pic shows the glossy look of the mount and the sparkle of the metallic threads that are in the stitching. As I love all things to do with Ancient Egypt this is so me! Thanks again Helen, my friend, I love my card and gift. :0) In anyone needs to know: the figurine is Isis/Hathor.

Next up is a pic of the lovely card and gifts I received from my friend Alex:

The centrepiece of the card is made up of pieces of handmade paper made to look like patchwork with the addition of rub-on "stitches". There are also added brads and motifs - I love it and it makes me think of Alex's stitched patches. The fabric is Polstitches Stormy Skies, the Caron Wildflowers thread is Morning Mist and those black threads are different thicknesses of Mulberry Silk, ideal for blackwork. I also received some DD silks from DH (lush!), the DVD The Other Boleyn Girl from DS and my DSis gave me a gorgeous bracelet watch (the bracelet part is made up of Picture Stone) and a gorgeous handpainted Memory Box - that will be going on my downstairs altar and I shall probably keep my crystals and precious keepsakes inside.

Since getting home I've been "breaking in" my new specs. Not pleasant initially: for two days I could actually feel every single one of my eye muscles, as they ached badly, and I felt quite queasy, especially as the prisms ensure that flat surfaces do not look anything like flat but look to have a downward slope away from me. No stitching got done during those few days. :0(

Glad to say I seem to have adjusted to them now - although the downward slope sensation will not go away - and have been making up for lost time since. I can see my stitching and watch TV once more. Yay! The Monthly Challenge piece is now finished and, now I know what to do with the pic transfers, a pic will be winging it's way to Karen shortly. I also hope to be having a HD by the end of the week too: I've made Cleo my focus piece since Sunday and it's paid off well. :0)

DH and I were out and about quite a bit this last weekend, shopping and visiting a garden centre where we managed to get another pot for the other fuschia plant Dad gave us, and we got some jobs done in the garden. We also celebrated our Wedding Anniversary on Monday - that's 24 years together. As I said to DH: do you know, you can commit murder and get less time than that and you're let out even sooner for good behaviour. I thought I heard him mutter something along the lines of if only he'd realised that much sooner but I must be mistaken. LMAO. Guess I'd better make a start on a 25th Anniversary piece for next year........ I had initially fancied doing a red piece but that's more apt for a Ruby anniversary, so I'm now thinking of stitching the Elizabeth's Designs piece "Love Grows Here". Better extract my digit - initially I got the maths wrong and thought there were two more years to go, so hadn't factored this in to my stitching plans! Doh!

If I can find the wedding pic I know was on the old computer, but can't currently find on here, I shall post a pic another time......... and thoroughly depress myself on how young we both looked back then and how slim I was. ;0)

Well I guess that's enough for now, especially as I've just spotted the time - I really should have been in bed around two hours ago, at least!

Many thanks for visiting and especially for having the patience to read that little lot....... I so hope you made a coffee and put your feet up first! :0)