Sunday, October 17, 2010

Beyond the Speed of Light

Time's still flying! The week and weekend has been a blur and I sit here typing trying to remember what I've even done. Let's see if my pictures remind me...

Ah ok...I'm starting to remember.

Mid-week, I received a package in the mail from Hazel. As luck would have it, I won her giveaway on my birthday! Talk about a wonderful surprise!
In the package, there were three English chocolate bars and a pretty wrapped bundle of three crocheted washclothes and a yummy smelling bar of soap. I can't wait to use them! Since I'm been running around like a chicken with her head cut off, I had to wait until Saturday to take a decent daylight photo. Do you know how hard it was to NOT eat one of those candy bars before then?! Oh so torturous! But I was good and I think I will be treating myself to the Crunchie tonight. Thank you so much Hazel! I love the washclothes, soap and treats.

Perhaps you can tell by the photo above that the giveaway items are sitting in a basket. There have been a lot of people moving out of my building. I have no idea why...it's a wonderful place to live. When people move out, they place things on the free table...sometimes, it's the free foyer depending on the amount of junk...er, I mean, stuff they leave behind. Late one evening, I came in and saw baskets stacked and saw this.
It was at the very bottom of the basket pile and I think I gasped. Longaberger? No...can't be. On the free table?!
Yep! Longaberger! I about ran up to my unit before someone came back changing their minds! It needs a little detailing but is in superb condition. I can envision a lot of seasonal pillows and ornies displayed in it, can't you?! I had better get my butt in gear and stitching some Spring/Easter, Halloween/Fall and Christmas/Winter. Um, I think this might be a multi-year project.

On Saturday, I missed out on going to the annual Pumpkin Festival. Woke up too late and if you leave after 8am, it's not worth sitting in traffic to get there as it's a one lane highway to get to the festival. So I found the pumpkin spirit and rang the day in with homemade pumpkin bread! Mmmm....I love pumpkin anything!
I only have about two slices left as I handed slices out to anyone I came across. As much as I love baking, it's dangerous for me to leave the treats in the house for long. Next thing I know, my pants don't fit! So a couple of slices for me and the rest is for sharing.

Claire and Andre also had their birthday on Saturday and I stopped by to drop off their presents. Amongst them was this.
Andre's Birth Sampler...one year later. Whew! At least it was done. I had a love/hate relationship with Newton and couldn't bear to even work on it so I had to come up with a fast substitute. Lizzie*Kate's Bless the Baby fit the bill. Of course, I sent it to Jill Rensel so she could fancy it up a little with her tremendous artistic ability and both Claire and I were very happy. Andre's 1...he was most happiest playing with the crumpled up wrapping paper! After the gift opening, we met up with Ann Marie for a lovely dinner at Wayfare Tavern. It involved interesting people watching, a couple of yummy chicken dishes (fried chicken was stellar) and breakfast for dinner as well as scrumptious carrot cake that made me feel like I finally had birthday cake worth writing about. It was a nice night out. Thanks AM!

Throughout the week, whatever minutes I had for stitching, I devoted to the Traveling Stitcher SAL with CarolR. I didn't want her to think I was a slacker! My progress has been slow though. But I've got my pink house, a fence, flower, tree and little stitcher girl done.
I'm going to work on the grass some tonight while watching the Giants beat (hope!) the Phillies.

This may be my last post for a bit. I am tying up loose ends before my trip to the Big Apple! I don't think I will have very much time to stitch seeing as I will be playing the part of tourist and I want to see everything! When I return, so do my parents and my housesitting duties finally come to an end but there will be some work involved getting them back up to speed and settled. I'll miss reading blogs, blogging and connecting with everyone but I'll try to catch up fast!

Hope you all enjoyed the weekend!

Until next time...

34 comments:

Missy Ann said...

Great prize! And that basket, you're right it is just too perfect to display smalls. Lucky girl.

Love the baby's piece - Jill always makes our work look it's best.

Jackie's Stitches said...

Enjoy your trip!

I can't believe such a gorgeous basket was on the free table. I like that it's nice and big but not very deep. Really cute!

Anonymous said...

WOW!!! a free longaberger!!! You hit PAY DIRT with that one!!! Go you!
and one question....I see you're going out of town. do you want me to wait to mail your pumpkin from my giveaway? or will you have someone get your mail? Just didn't want it to sit around and someone decide they wanted to peak in it and decide you didn't need it, LOL!!! Just let me know if you get this before you leave......thanks!
robin

Lisa said...

The give away looks yummy! And what a great find of the basket. I can see you displaying a lot of beautiful handmade items in it! Once again your framed (by Jill) project looks beautiful! Enjoy playing tourist in NY - I look forward to hearing about your experience there!
Take care.

Blu said...

Score on grabbing that basket!

And I can't believe that you waited to eat the candy! I'd have simply eaten them and bought replacements for the photo (and eaten those after the last click!)

Have a great trip!

Theresa said...

Nice basket!!!!!! It will be perfect for your stitches~~~

Have a nice trip at the Big Apple!!!

carol fun said...

Oh that basket would look great with stitching it in. I will definetely keeping my eyes peeled for of like that. I love your SAL- that house is adorable! Happy stitching -

Melissa said...

Wow, congratulations on scoring that basket! What a prize! Now the pressure is on to fill it with stitched goodies! ;-) No pressure!

Have a wonderful trip to the Big Apple!

mbroider said...

Oh, love the basket!! Yes, it is time for those ornies to come out:)

And come back soon Val. You will be missed...

Sylvia said...

Lucky you!! What a great find on the basket. It always amazes me what people will throw out. Have a wonderful time in the Big Apple. What a great time of the year to go.

Natasha said...

what a score on the basket. Awesome :) I did not know you were going to the Big Apple. How wonderful. I hope you have a terrific timemaybe when you get back and settled in we can get to gether just to catch up

Take Care and have a great Vay Cay

Lainey said...

Lovely give-away goodies Val and what that basket is a wonderful find.
The baby piece is darling and very pretty wip.
Have a great trip!

Lois said...

Enjoy the chocolate! I have to admit that those three I could eat every day! What a find wih the basket! Cute baby piece and a lovely WIP. Enjoy your trip.

Hazel said...

Glad you like everything and hope you are enjoying the chocolate! x

Margaret said...

Nice prize you won! Love the baby present -- glad you all had a nice night out too! And that basket! For free! Wow!

Have a great trip! I was hoping to meet up with you while you are out here, but we're in the midst of various family emergencies going on so I have no free time. :( Such a bummer. I know you'll have fun though!

Carol said...

Your found basket is a beauty, Valerie--my mom just passed on a Longaberger to me, but it is no where near as pretty as your find!
Have you found any other goodies on the free table?

Love your stitch-a-long with Carol R.--it is so cute. And what a nice gift from Hazel--yum...English chocolates!

Hope your trip to NY is fun and relaxing :) We'll miss you!

Katrina said...

What a lucky find!!!! I love Longaberger baskets, they last forever. And did you know you can send them in for repairs. I've had to do that once.

Love all the stitching pictures, cute birth sampler.

Have a fun, fun trip!!!!

Vonna Pfeiffer said...

Yowza...a Longaberger basket on the free table, I would of made a mess on the carpet! :)
It's the perfect shape and size for smalls!

Laura said...

A free Longaberger--score! Have you seen all the awesome liners they have for those? Have a great time in NYC.

Julie said...

Congrats on your win from Hazel

A lovely basket, looking forward to seeing it full of stitched smalls

Anonymous said...

Wow, how fabulous to find a free Longaberger basket - I'm pea-green with envy over here ;) Can't wait to see what you come up with to fill it :)

Have a great trip to NYC!

Deb said...

What a great prize. I don't know how you held out from eating that chocolate. And wonderful score on the basket!

Enjoy your trip to the Big Apple. I'm going there next month and I don't get a lick of stitching done - I'm too much the tourist too and you could stay up all day and night for a week and still not see all the wonderful things there! Hope you have a great time.

Natalia said...

A Longaberger basket for free???!!! How can you be so lucky?? :-) Yeah, you are going to have to stitch and stitch so you can fill it. Have a wonderful trip !

barbara said...

SCORE on the awesome free basket! :D :D :D

Melanie said...

What?!?!?!?!??!?! Someone left THAT basket? ARE THEY CRAZY?????

Pumpkin said...

WOW! I can't believe you snagged one of those baskets for free! Good for you :o)

The birth sampler you stitched up is lovely.

Great WIP! Can't wait to see more :o)

Meari said...

Wow, awesome basket! Lucky you. Nice prize win, too. Your stitching looks great.

COUSON said...

Hello from Nice a sunny country!!What a nice & sympathic blog.Love.Couson

Carol R said...

Great post Valerie! I'm sure by now you know that the British chocolate bars are delicious especially the Crunchie and the Flake! Love your Longaberger basket - what a lucky find.

Your TS is looking good. Mine is coming along slowly - too many distractions like the beach and the pool at the moment. I must take a picture for my blog though as we are about level. I do have some grass and one word in but not the top border like you.

Carol R said...

Almost forgot - have a great trip to NY!

Sally said...

Lovely prize and what a fantastic basket! I would have grabbed it too!

Lovely sampler for the baby and your Traveling Stitcher is looking good:)

Dani - tkdchick said...

OMG 3 of my favouritest chocolate bars. My Dad used to bring a case of Flakes back from the UK when I was a kid!

Siobhán said...

WOW!!! I would have grabbed the basket and ran like heck, too! LOL You should go on Ebay to see what it's worth, just for fun. A basket from 1989 would catch a nice price, I'd think. Love your stitchy WIPs! The baby sampler looks great--I'm sure they'll love it.

Have a great trip to the Big Apple!

Berit said...

OMG how I want a nice Longaberger--what a find! :D