I am grateful for the beauty around me.

Ever since I was given my camera a year ago by hubbie I take pictures every day trying to photograph the small beautiful moments in my life for which I am grateful.

Here are a couple of photos of beauty I have seen around me this week.

First a passionflower my brother gave me in a pot that has been blooming one flower almost every day.I love spotting a new flower every day.

I see my son's beautiful eyes every day!I love his clear almost innocent look!

 I enjoyed the beauty of this book. Imaret by John Kalpouzos. A lovely book hubbie was given as a gift by our friend Gia and I enjoyed reading it only in a couple of weeks. A great book about the town of Arta during and after the Turkish invasion.Refugees are victims no matter which nation they belong to. A book Greeks and Turks should both read.

 I spotted a dove that came to my balcony for a while to admire my son's blooming petunias,a Mother's Day gift.

 I enjoyed the beauty in one more issue of Marie Claire Idees with lovely crafts.

I was so beautifully surprised by an expected parcel but with unexpected contents. I had asked a sea glass friend Karen D to collect some sea glass for me from Glass Beach,Fort Bragg,California when she was visiting there.

Karen sent me a big parcel containing lots of lovely gifts,the type I really love!Sea glass from Glass Beach,a cross stitched piece of sea birds stitched by herself, a cross stitch booklet with the theme of shells(guess what I will be stitching this summer!),sea themed stamps,a summery card and great sea glass from the.....Marshall Islands where she had lived!I know you will ask me where the Marshall Islands are!Well I too had to look them up!Thank you dear Karen.



Easter weekend-2 I admired the sea.

During the Easter weekend I admired the sea.
I loved the peaceful sea views by day and by sunset,from home and at the beach.I did some cross stitch and watched the sea from my bedroom. I read my book and looked at the sea. I drank my coffee and looked at the sea. I had my breakfast and saw the sea.
A peaceful view through the grass and flowers.

 Drinking my coffee while sea glassing.The bag is a gift from my friend Cathy a long time ago.It is so suitable for my sea glassing adventures.

 Someone declared their love!Isn't it sweet?

 The sunset.

 Enjoying myself.

 Views of the sea from a boat waiting for her fisherman on the sand.

 Views of the sea from a log.

 Ooops,that pinecone fell there.

 Umbrellas for the tourists.

I of course collected lots of sea glass.And along came hubbie and my brother and his wife to collect with me.

 Some sea glass.

 I even found some blue pieces.

 Finders keepers! I couldn't believe my eyes!I was so fortunate!My eyes were blurred and unbelievably so the camera as well.

Here I would like to add that my entry of an Easter egg contest at Spoonful went very well.

Although I did not win my eggs were really liked.I had made these eggs years ago when my son was six years old and we still keep them and like them very much.You can see more of my collection of eggs here.

And here's a video of my sea this weekend. Enjoy the sound of the wave.

Our finds.

My first find was blue so I was very optimistic!

Let's take a boat and sail away!

 Let's lie on the sand like a branch!

 Someone came with a truck!

 My foot.Your foot.

 I am tired, he said.

 I am tired,too,I said.Let me sit down for a while.

 I am tied up with this beach.

 A goodbye kiss!

The blue of our flag,our sea,our skies....

Friday the 25th was Independence Day.
We put our flag on its pole and left our rubbish filled neighbourhood for our summer house.
The weather was wonderful.
The sea was fantastic although we did not dare to swim and the sky was so blue,it was breathtaking.
More blogposts will follow of our 24 hours at our summer house.

Something framed,something painted,someone chosen.

Isn't there a time when you don't really know what to choose to say in a blog?
I have blog friends who write about their painting,others who write about their cross stitch,others who write about their sea glass,others who write about their sewing,others who write about their letter writing,others who write about books they have read or films they have watched,others who recount their meetings with nature.
Well I write about everything!How can that be?What type of blogger am I? Well that's just me. I get bored to do the same thing all the time. Therefore I have lots of interests and hobbies. I do a little of this and a little of that.So you will bear with me I guess,if you are still reading me.
So today you will see two framed cross stitch pieces. One is a very old stamped piece of a black and white DMC design of a swan in a pond with grass. I had stitched this when I was in primary school. I never liked it.Because it had no colours. And it was only half cross stitch. Well after 35 years I decided I want it framed and on my wall!What kind of a decision is that?When I saw it framed I loved it!Unbelievable!

 The other piece was a SAL (=Stitch Along) named My little Heart which was designed by Sylvia in Germany whose blog I follow.I liked her beautiful colours. Lots of followers stitched together the same design.Each added their own little thing or simply made exactly what Sylvia showed. I added the beads.I can't say that 2010 was a remarkable year to remember as lots of bad things happened but still I liked the design and chose a simple offwhite wide frame to frame it in.You can see some close ups of the design also.

 This is January,I made the snowflakes with beads.

 This is February,the beads were little flowers.

 I will show you the rest of the months each in every month.This was supposed to finish by the end of 2010 but it took me a while longer and delayed at the framer's.
This week I am doing my second lesson with Alisa Burke. I am trying to follow a little part of the lesson every day so today I painted in water colour a simple picture of shapes. I chose a handful of the beautiful multis my dear sea glass friend Joanne  had sent me. I really enjoyed painting them!

 Now the giveaway.No I didn't forget about it.
I had only 5 comments(bhermitte,Francoise ,Devonseaglass, Dream on the wave and one comment on facebook from Lisa Williams).Marabeth of course was kind to offer these and she didn't take part in the drawing.
 I asked my son to choose the three pieces and so here are the three names chosen.

 First Ian from Devon,I am sure your wife will appreciate this more than you!

 Then another fellow stitcher Francoise from France who also has a lovely blog and we met through a pin pillow exchange.

 And finally Brigitte from France,my long time pen friend.

 This is what each of you will receive. Please confirm your address on my private e-mail,thank you.

I am sorry the other two readers weren't lucky.Maybe next time.Thank you all for taking part.