Gifts and Stash!

Guess what.. our parcel finally arrived after being stuck with the Bangalore customs for more than 2 months!! We had almost given hope that it would arrive

So, let me show you allllll the goodies that came in the parcel

Look what all my dear friend Meari sent

Crafty pens, Nail art, eye shimmer, stickers, cross stitch kit, aida fabric, variegated threads and ribbons!! It's really amazing how we connect with people we have never met. There are a few people who I know through the blogging world, still feel some connect. And only here I have seen so much love, where we give without any expectations

And look what all I ordered

Some stash from 123stitch - fabric and threads required for my next big project, 2 kits selected by V. The needlepoint book is something that I had been eyeing for very long and finally ordered on amazon

Salt water Taffies!! Do you remember the episode in friends where Ross devours these. Never knew these are so yummy. There's something very different in these from other candies

 So, dear friends, that's the update from me today. Stay indoors, stay safe!! Till next time.. take care.. be happy.. keep stitching.. Au Revoir

Gifts and Stash

Thanks to our blogging world, I have made a few good friends. Meari is one such very good friend and a very kind hearted soul!! Once I had mentioned in one of my posts about V's interests in collecting stickers and that's how our association really started. Every once in a while, she sends stickers and other gifts for us. Just check out the lovely gifts that she sent for us when someone came to India about 2 months ago

The lovely packaging itself stole our hearts away.. we just did not have the heart to open it

2 separate packages - one for me and one for V with lovely hand-written notes 

3D stickers and some eye makeup for V - she just squealed with delight when she saw these

Threads in beautiful shades; there's even a pack of metallic thread!!

There's also some fabric. Totally love the patterned fabric

V and I were so overwhelmed with her kindness that we were in tears!! Never have we seen such kindness. V says 'Amma I want to meet aunty Meari once for sure'. Now I will definitely put all these to good use

 Stash:

I know I had told myself that this will be a year of no buying more stash and that I should only use what's in my stash currently. But who can resist the temptation of ordering some patterns when somebody is flying back from the US!!

Seasons patterns by Lizzie Kate. I have been wanting to do a 4 seasons pattern for a very long time now. Found these very cute patterns on 123stitch and ordered these

Of late, I saw this being stitched up by many people and totally fell in love with the pattern. I had this also in my bucket list and took this opportunity to order 

Another Lizzie Kate. For a very long time, I have been wanting a snowman pattern. When news of Lizzie Kate retiring came out, I checked out all her patterns and found this as well

Now that I have ordered patterns, I do need threads to stitch them up right.. so here goes some threads as well

So, dear friends now that I have quite a haul, I better pull up my act and get stitching!! That brings us to the end of this stashy post. Till next time.. Take care.. Be happy.. Keep stitching.. Au Revoir

Gifts

One thing that has amazed me in our crafty world is how selfless we become.. we share and give so much love without ever expecting anything in return

One such person who has always inspired, motivated and encouraged me from the day I started blogging is the multi-talented Meari. She is excellent in anything she does.. be it painting, carpentry, any DIY and of course cross stitch!! You can see all her works here in her blog

My brother had come from US for a short vacation and look what she sent for V and me through my brother

Three lovely sticker books and a cross stitch kit for V. Looks like I missed to take a picture of the kit

And a whole lot of goodies for me!!

I have been wanting to buy a Lizzie Kate for a long time and Meari just sent me one. Thanks a ton Meari for all these goodies..

There's a lot happening at my end here.. but that's it for today's post.. more next time. Till then.. Be Happy.. Keep Stitching.. Au Revoir

TUSAL and festival

Am reeaaaally late in posting the October Tusal.

Though I had forgotten earlier, I got caught up in the festive season here in Chennai. Have not been able to go on the net for about a week now.

The festival of Navrathri, which means 9 nights, just finished. The festival is basically to drive away all evils and bring in wealth and prosperity. The 9 days/nights are split into 3 - first 3 days symbolize goddess Durga (Shakti), next 3 days goddess Lakshmi (welath) and the last 3 days goddess Saraswathi (wisdom). Many homes are decorated with a golu (display of gods/goddesses in the form of dolls) and women and girls are invited and honored.

 This was our golu this year. We did not have a golu the last 3 years due to various reasons. We invited and also visited many of our relatives to see their golus

We just had 3 steps, some people have upto 11!!! Can you imagine the number of dolls they'd have collected over the years. And imagine putting them all back, gosh

 This was a new addition to our doll set this year - the Tirupathi set with a few devotees

  

 and a view of V's little park and farm with a little pond. Check out the rickshaw and the bi-cycle!! We bought these at a crafts fair recently. They are such cuties

 

 And there definitely has to be a picture of V showing off her golu :)

 This is V doing the honors to her best friend and her mom. 

 Look at all the lovely goodies I received from US

2 bottles of lotions from bath&body works, a sewing machine for V, dark chocolate mints from Trader Joe's (thank you Edgar, they are absolutely yummy) and a few strands of beads

 I have not been able to spend any time on stitching the last week. So, no stitchy update today. I did bake some cookies to give people during the festival.

These are almond-coconut cookies. The recipe is from here. The only change I made was to add a bit of cardamom powder and that really added to the flavor. They turned out absolutely yummy

With that I take leave today. Till next time.. Take care.. Be happy.. Keep stitching.. Au Revoir

Quick update

The weekend I should say just whizzed by and here we are, Tuesday already gone!! V and I went shopping for her birthday last Saturday. M fell sick, so it was basically a girl's day out. We had a great time picking out clothes for her.
As it had been more than a month since we had pizza last, we decided to order pizza for dinner. Yummy stuffed garlic bread and peppy paneer. And to finish it properly, goooeeey choco lava cake.

My dear bro sent some goodies from US through a friend. Sunday we went to pick those up. He sent  these pretty little magnets that he bought at Niagara and a t-shirt for V.

The teddy on the right can wiggle his arms and legs. He's sooo cute!! He also got me this great magnetic nail polish that is the latest in US. It's a set of 4 pretty colors. Will post pictures when I apply them.

As I said I have been working on sea shells the last 2 weeks. Here's where it is currently

It does not look like much, but I got quite a bit of filling up done. Now, am going to keep this back in and take up June cottage.

That's about it from me today friends. Till next time.. Take care.. Be happy.. Keep stitching.. Au Revoir