The kindness of strangers and more.

I was going to continue with my mail post today but I decided to change the subject.
The title in today's blogpost is borrowed from the same title in Star of the East blog.
It is about the story of  Sandra in Azulado and how we can all help her overcome the problems coming of her recent loss of her husband.
You can read her story here and help by taking part in the raffle, donating or buying from her own shop.
I love her decorative pottery.

(I borrowed her photo from her etsy shop as this is my favourite item!)

Something else I would like to tell you today.
McKenna is having a giveaway on her blog ChicCrafting and maybe you would like to take part. You can find it here and on my side bar.I am also taking part in an exchange of a Valentine's cross stitch card with McKenna, hoping to be motivated to start cross stitching again!(I have started it McKenna!)

Finally I would like to show you the beautiful mobile that was in Anastasia's of Made-by-Kokorote parcel that I won in her giveaway. I put it between my Geninne Zlatkis' bird prints and my Jill Wignall Crafting for Courage (for the tsunami disaster) watercolour painting. I think that's the best place to put it!What do you think Anastasia?

Some cross stitch finishes and framing.

This year I have been very active cross stitch wise even in summer. I even managed to frame some pieces.
Washing pieces....The Greek island in front.

 Trying to untangle a bundle of lovely DMC threads given to me by my mum's friend. She also gave me some pieces of linen. She cannot stitch anymore.

 This one did not wash well. Some green colour has come off. I washed it again but it does not come off. Should I coffee or tea stain it?

 This is a printed aida piece of Nikos Xilouris. It was given to me by my mum's friend too. I am not sure that I will stitch it though but this is really vintage.

 The Greek island framed. Funny I had the right frame for it but it was housing a little clay bird from Australia which broke so here it now houses this adorable design.
I found it in Cross stitcher Issue 224 and the design is by Michael Powell.
The painting underneath is something I bought from Jill Wignall of Today I saw to help the Japan
Tsunami victims.
I couldn't leave at the beach house although it is sea themed and so summery so have it in my bedroom wall instead.

 This was a little kit sent to me when my son was  a baby. I stitched it and had it framed in the kit plastic oval frame. I never liked it that way so I changed the frame to an Ikea one.

Post and postage

I love letter writing, pen pals, letters and parcels, sending and receiving. I used to have 100 pen pals as a teenager and I still have some of them who can still stand my delays in answering. The last couple of years I have lots of new type pen pals, people I exchange e-mails with, or counteract on facebook (not that often), or the sea glass sites or on blogs. And with these people we have started exchanging parcels with sea glass and small gifts and things have evolved from there in great beautiful friendships.
I decided this year to send fewer parcels for Christmas and try to save on postage as postage has gone high again and the whole financial situation is troubling me.
Still I managed to post in December 16 parcels and 17 letters/cards!!!!!!!Some of them were already received and aknowledged and I am happy about that. Unfortunately I still have a dozen more to write and send!!!!!!And I don't think I will manage that before Christmas so maybe I will have to do it at my relaxing time during the holidays.
I am glad I have started receiving my Christmas mail too, yesterday for example I received 6 Christmas cards together, and today four parcels, wow!
I am sorry some people will not receive this year anything from me, or they will receive something very little. I had to cut down on my list!
Here are some photos of outgoing mail.

 And here are a couple of photos of etsy purchases which will be gifts.
I found this etsy shop Lila Ruby King by chance when reading Star of the East blog and realised it is someone in Greece. I love her art and here is what I got. A card made from little pieces of fabric. I gave that for framing.I also bought a pdf file from her with beautiful patterns that I am going to use at school!
I loved her map inside envelope and the extra cards she sent me too.

 This is a pencil case by Jill Wignall of Today I saw. It is handprinted and sewn. And comes in a lovely handmade envelope,too.

The inside fabric of the pencil case is lovely too.

Frames,frames and more frames....

I had given some things to my framer's to be framed some time ago.
Here they are.
I also bought a couple of cheap but well made frames half price from a shop that is closing in the neighbourhood.They are excellent for my sea themed wall for the summer house but for other pictures too.
Jill Wignall's Four Seasons from her collaboration with bookhou.

 Nikki McClure's print of her cut-out A new Materialism bought from Loja de Estar.

 Jill Wignall's original watercolour bought for the tsunami victims of Japan from Crafting for Courage.

 Ready made frames.

 My friend Brigitte's wrapping paper!

 Feather's photo of sea anemone and baby starfish.

 Three cards from Geninne Zlatkis.

 On my son's bedroom wall.

 My new bedroom look.Jill's Four Seasons and Ida's crocheted heart garland she sent me as a gift when I purchased her lamp shade.

 Opposite my bed the collection of frames is getting bigger and bigger.

 Jill's watercolour in the living room.

 A happy colourful tray.....

 and a chest of drawers with colourful baskets I bought half price from the same shop where I bought the frames.

What the mail brought during the holidays!-1

A parcel from Brazil from my dear friend Gilson.

 Those stamps are fantastic!
Gilson sent me some shells from his beach!Unfortunately there is no sea glass there but he included some sand too!

 Also a great fridge magnet in the shape of a flip flop.

 Some cards and bookmarks.

 I placed the flip flop and the shells on a card of a fantastic Brazilian view.

 Gilson included a great package of lovely cards with views from Ceara,his province.

 And some stamps.

I also received  Jill's Today I saw card! I am so lucky to be her recipient.

Crafting for Courage (2 and 3)

Last week I also received the other two things I had purchased to support the Japanese people from Crafting for Courage and the artists who collaborated there.
First it was a watercolour painting by Jill Wignall of Today I Saw blog.
The watercolour is very beautiful in its detail.It shows a Japanese woman in her traditional kimono hanging lanterns on a blossoming cherry tree.

Then a heavy parcel arrived. It was the missing parts stone that Margie from Resurrection Fern made.
The stone is amazing!It is huge and heavy and so beautiful!

Margie is so sweet and generous,she added some more handmade things in it.A blue and white rose made of cloth and a deer pendant.She wrote her wishes on one of Geninne's cards.

 And put the stone in a felt pouch.

 Her new card made by Arounna is lovely!

 The stone has crocheted pieces,

 crocheted red flowers(these had attracted me in the first place),

 and pieces of vintage linen in between,

 all bound in tiny crochet stitches.

I couldn't believe how heavy it was and all the love Margie put in working on it.I really loved everything!Thank you Margie!
This will be my last blogpost till Monday as I am leaving tomorrow with my family and my school for Istanbul,Turkey.We will be back on Sunday.
I am sure I will take lots and lots of photos to show you!Wish us a good trip!I hope the weather is good as we have a bad weather forecast.