Easter Treasure Hunt Blog Hop

Jo of Serendipitous Stitching organizes various cross stitch events and challenges in blog land.

At this time of year Jo organizes the Easter Treasure Hunt blog hop.

According to it the participants have to show something they stitched for Easter or Spring.

Then you will see a big beautiful letter. This letter when added to the rest that you will find in the other blogs that are taking part in the blog hop form a mystery phrase that you will have to find and write at Jo's blog in the comment section. Do not reveal the mystery phrase to my blog, only to Jo's comment section.

You will see my letter at the end of this blog post.

First you will see all the cross stitched things that I made this Easter.

I don't usually stitch Easter things or eggs but this year I started early due to an exchange in Kaye's of Kitten Stitching blog and therefore I stitched some for me too.

Here they are.

First the Easter rabbit I stitched for the exchange.The pattern is a freebie from Snowflower Diaries blog.I finished it in felt as a frame.

I also stitched my partner a card. Pattern found on pinterest.

Then I stitched two eggs for me. I found the patterns in my collection of patterns of Cross Stitcher magazine.

 After stitching them I mounted them on felt as ornaments and added a felt butterfly and a wooden flower.

 And as I liked the eggs I made some more. These are smaller and I found them on pinterest as Hama beads patterns. I was thinking of making them as ornaments too like the previous ones but I ended up to frame them as one picture at an IKEA frame.

This Easter  I also stitched this Easter lamb from La Comtesse & Le Point de Croix.

I gave this to a friend as a gift for her contribution as costume designer in a theatrical play.

 For a person who does not stitch at Easter that was quite a lot!
So here is my contribution to the blog hop, my letter is.....
                                       

(Photo of Seraphina Alphabet Letter H Cross stitch kit found here)

Isn't this a lovely letter to stitch?

Now that you have seen mine go to the next blog.

                                                   It is Tiffstitches a blog.

Go visit all blogs to find the mystery phrase and put it as a comment in Jo's blog. Don't forget to leave comments in the blogs you visit. All stitchers deserve your appreciation comments.Good luck with all your blog hop and stitching!

Have a great Easter!

March the month of the flowers

March this year was one of the saddest months I have ever experienced.

It is not only the remembrance of my dad who passed away 19 years ago and I still miss him so much.

It was also that we had in the family more doctors' appointments and tests to do.

And there were also some more sad things which I am unable to mention in public right now but I will share in due time when things clear up.They were events that proved to me that there is so much hatred in this world, so many mean people around us unfortunately.

So in order not to make this blog post morbid I will focus on the beauty around me as I try to catch it and feel it through my senses and my camera lens every day.

March is the month of flowers for me.The month started with a walk at the park and as the sun was shining and the trees were blooming I felt so relaxed.

 While walking around the park I spotted little red and white bracelets hanging from the trees. They were probably made by volunteers for people to take and wear as the custom is here for March.

So I took one too and wore it all month along with the one I made for myself. I made a similar one for a colleague at school.

The LOVE one is the one I got from the tree.The butterfly one is the one I made and the next photo is the one I got from a colleague.

That day at the seafront the horizon wasn't very clear but still the athletes were training and made such a difference.

As winter this year was exceptionally bad all of my plants were frozen to death! So I cleaned the balcony, threw away all old plants and pots and rearranged things. I also planted a few new plants to add colour and freshness to the balcony.

 So every day I go out to the balcony and look at my plants.

 I talk to my little gnome gardener.

 I take lots of close ups.

 I even use my macro lens to reveal details. Doesn't this look like velvet?

 My pansies planted inside an old pot that had broken have grown a lot.Now the gnome gardener is sitting under them in the shade.

 Look at all this colour and detail. Pity these flowers don't last long.

 But I love looking at them from inside my bedroom.

 And  I love using them as prompts to take more beautiful photos. Doesn't this Maria Kanteraki doll look great with my flowers?

 And this beautifully smelling carnation looks so great with my daddy's photo.19 years in the end of March since he died and I miss him all the time more and more.He loved flowers.He planted them everywhere.He wanted a house with a garden and since he couldn't have it, he opted with a flat with a balcony and filled it with plants in pots.I didn't get his green fingers or my mum's and definitely not his talent in pastry making.He made amazing cakes, his strawberry birthday cake was my all time favourite. He made delicious baklava.I never managed to make it myself but still I am the confectioner's daughter!

In March we spent a weekend of performance at the town of Kastoria with the Teacher's association Drama Club.You can read all about it here in this blogpost.

 March is the month of the National Holiday on the 25th.I put the flag out.

And we ate the traditional cod nuggets made by my mum with the family.

 We walked the seafront more.

 We also had one more performance for the Social Clinic. Unfortunately not many people came.

In March I only had time to attend one theatrical performance. It was "Skinothysies" by the group ProvaTaMesanyhta where my friend Christina takes part. The performance was excellent. I especially loved the talented Giota (the girl in black).She is an amazing actress. My friend Christina made the lovely costumes. 

 I wanted to congratulate her for her whole effort as she is so talented and stitched this little sheep for her. The pattern is free from La Comtesse & le point de croix.

 With school we spent a day at the park and it was such a bright day.

And of course I spent some time at Koumpi Coffee and crafts cafe making lavender sachets for Syzoe with the guidance of Anna of In My Closet.

 These are the ones I made and gave to the charity.

March at school. Our talented Art teacher made these lovely Kyra Sarakosti dolls for every class.

You can read about the custom of Kyra Sarakosti (Mrs Lent) here.

She also made lovely decorations for Spring but I unfortunately didn't take photos of them all.

We celebrated the 25th of March at school too. Some children were dressed up in traditional costumes.

Barca in March was as always very very sweet.

She seemed to enjoy the sun so much.She missed it too as much as we did.

In March I read

and loved all books.They were bought from Merimna bazaar last year.

In March I stitched lots of Easter eggs.These two I found as a pattern in an old Cross stitcher magazine. They were for cards but I adapted them into ornaments.

 I also stitched this for an exchange organised by dear Kaye of Kitten Stitching. I don't know if this has been received yet. I found the pattern for free at Snowflower Diaries blog. I adapted it into a framed ornament.

 I also stitched an Easter card from pinterest.

 Here are a couple of photos of the sheep.

 I also stitched more eggs. This pattern is from a Hama beads pattern which I adapted into cross stitch.

In March the mail brought a card from beautiful Skiathos island and two cross stitch magazines from the Netherlands from my dear friend Frieda.

Also I received a gift for Barca from the talented Katerina of beh1nd. Barca really loved it.

I also received another gift, this lovely frame in which I put my wedding photo with the men of my heart!

I didn't attend my ceramics course in March due to other responsibilities and chores. But I went one day and brought back home some more of my things that were ready.One more dish, a set of coaster and some little items that I will use in future.

In March I bought Daphne's Diary again.

In March I gave away these chairs I had collected from the curb to people who will make something beautiful from them! I am eager to see what they will make. I am in  a decluttering mode.

 This was my desktop during the month. Geninne always catches the spirit of the season!

 I hope you had a great March and that you are enjoying Spring as much as we do here!