7th Blogiversary Winner, Stitching, Stash and PhotoHunt

Lots to cover in this post, so let's get to it!

First of all the announcement you've all been waiting for... who won my blogiversary draw?  First I went to the trusty website : random.org and asked it to give me a number!

The winner is comment #55 and that one belongs to :

Congratulations Lindsay!  I was very happy when I saw the winner was Lindsay I've known her online for probably about 10 years now since when I started coming online to look for cross stitch and stitching communities.  We first met on the Teresa Wentzler Bulletin Board.  I think I have a good idea of what sort of thing to stitch up for Lindsay!

This week, the stash I ordered at the end of August finally showed up!  Yes, I bought STASH!  Something I don't do very often these days.  It was a wonderful envelope full of threads, fabric, and a few other odds and ends.

I bought these supplies with two particular projects in mind!  Both I've been wanting to start for some time now.

Yes, I was very bad, I even started one of these two projects : Enchantment of Winter by Terrance Nolan of Dimples Designs.  It will be a fantastic purple and gold Imperial Russian Egg with St. Basil's Cathedral depicted in the center... the Cathedral will be over one (on 32ct eek!).   I've even had quite a bit of frogging to do because I assumed there was a 2 stitch overlap between the chart pages, and you know what... there isn't.  So I fixed it... then I stitched one stitch over three... I fixed it again... then I stitched a row of 17 stitches instead of 16 and I fixed it again!  That's when I gave up and went to bed!

Just because I've started a new project, which isn't very like me since I'm usually a one project gal doesn't mean I've forgotten my other WIPs.  Art Deco Spirits got quite a bit of my attention this weekend, unfortunately I'm still working white on white so all of my progress isn't so obvious.  I'll be glad to get all that white out of the way.

Since I had worked on two WIPs this weekend, my third was feeling a little lonely and I pulled out my over one BAP, The Accolade and gave it a few hours attention.

Now for this week's PhotoHunt the theme is : School

I took this picture while on a field trip to Gatineau Park in the fall of 2008.  I just love this shot of the school bus in one of its mirrors!

Now time for an update on how my Breast Cancer Research fundraising efforts are going.  I've passed the half way mark and I've currently managed to raise $570.00 out of my goal of $1000.  There are only 13 days until the Run For the Cure 5K!  So if you're planning on making an online donation please do so soon by clicking HERE to my personal fundraising page.  I've been running a couple of times a week to work on increasing my speed as I've been challenged to do the 5K in 25 minutes!

Happy Blogiversary BBSW!!!

Today is my 7th Blogiversary!  If I could I would have cake and share it with all of you, I love cake!  Doesn't everyone love cake?  A nice big piece of vanilla for me please!

Its hard to believe that it all started on this day back in 2003, inspired by one of my favourite designers, Jennifer Aikman-Smith who started a blog I decided to follow suit.  Here I am 7 years and over 1,400 posts later!  Over the years I've shared with you my stitching, shown you how I see this world through my camera's lens, gone through a breast cancer scare, lost 60lbs with you (now have another blog for weight loss), and gotten my 3rd degree Black Belt in Taekwon-Do.  I'm sure there are numerous other events that I've not mentioned that you've gone through with me on this blog.  I have met some absolutely amazing people and made some friends that I will have for life.

What does the future hold for this blog and its author?  Who knows, the sky is the limit!  I'll continue to share my passion for needle and thread with you, show you my world and adventures through my camera lens, and whatever else catches my fancy!

Like past years I'm holding a blogiversary draw.  Now I will warn you I am a HUGE procrastinator.  I actually still haven't mailed last year's gift yet and I'm starting to feel VERY guilty about that.  I keep meaning to throw a few more odds ands ends together to go with it... then I get busy, make excuses, etc.  So if last year's winner is reading this I hang my head in shame but I will get it to you!  What is this year's gift?  I don't know yet, something hopefully to suit the winner.  It will be stitched.

So to enter, just leave a comment.  Yup, that's it, that's all!  No rules, no having to be a follower, no hoop jumping, and you don't have to cut down tall trees wear high heels, suspenders and a bra.  I'll make the draw a week from today, Saturday September 18th.

This post also compliments this week's PhotoHunt theme beautifully its : anniversary.  I know why this theme was chosen for today, because it is a very significant anniversary in modern history. However, I don't have any pictures that suit a memorial for this day.  So I'm putting a different, lighter twist on anniversary.

Flowers : a girl always likes to get beautiful flowers from her man on their anniversary.  I was hoping to find a photo of my friend Rebbecca and her hubby, it is their wedding anniversary today but I guess I've never gotten one of the two of them together.