Gifted Gorgeousness April 2018

Jo of Serendipitous Stitching organizes a link-up party where we show stitch gifts we made to give or items that were gifted to us and are related to stitching and sewing.So on the 15th of each month we can link up to her blog. This is my first year taking part in this. Thanks Jo for the chance and the inspiration.

I didn't manage much this month unfortunately. First I finished my monthly flower bookmark by Bucilla which is a kit gifted to me by my friend Marabeth.

 Then I made one more sea glass felted stone to gift to my friend Ruth from Israel who came on a visit in my city. Ruth and I have been penfriends since High School and that was our first meeting.

 I think this one was one of my most favourite stones. Also the wool that I used was from a secret crafter exchange. The buttons and the charms were also gifts from friends.

 Here's Ruth and me in front of the White Tower.You can read her report about her holidays in my city in her blog Reality and Fiction.

 I stitched a bit on my Halloween Happiness. I had won the pattern from Jo's giveaway.Also the fabric was a giveaway win from Brigitte's blog called At Brigitte's Place. The photo does not do justice to the colours as I used flash.In reality it looks much better.

Also I would like to show something else here.This was a handmade gift I purchased from my friend Evangelia of Happy Deck and gifted to my Godson for Easter. A music mobilo as he loves music and he is an excellent pianist.

 And an Easter candle.

A gift to myself was the new issue of craftpod this month again but I haven't started it yet.It has lovely colours and I have an idea what to do.

That's a gift I sent to a lady in Australia. I had put up at Adopt a WIP on facebook another kit to RAK which never reached her so now I am sending her these ones.

Finally the winner of my previous Gifted Gorgeousness Giveaway was Linda from California of 
Stitching with my furbabies and she will receive her pattern soon.

If you want to see more of the blogs that participate in the Gifted Gorgeousness have a look at this link here.Looking forward to seeing what I will manage to stitch, make and gift next month!

Compassion

This week's prompt in Our Beautiful World  was chosen by me and is the word
                                                            compassion
and that's a really tough word in today's world.

(painting at the Mosaics exhibition I visited and talked about in this blogpost)

And that's because no matter what is happening in our world today some people find it so dfficult to show
                                                            compassion 
to other people.

(Nickos Vavatsis Ro Art Gallery)
 I just want to remind them that what is happening to our neighbour today might happen to us tomorrow.
What is happening to another country today might happen to our country tomorrow.

(Demetra Xenaki- Deisis, Myro Gallery)

Health problems,poverty, financial problems, violence, criminality, terrorism, war happen all around us.

(Ro Art Gallery)
If we are not victims of these situations today we don't know if we will be victims tomorrow. And that's how life is. It cannot be good for ever.

(Christiana Iliopoulou Hopirtean Myro Gallery)
Remember that when you suffer you need help and you look around you for that help.

(Ciprian Hopirtean Myro Gallery)
It cannot always come from a friend or relative. One day a total stranger might help you.
And that's why we should all show
                                                           compassion 
not only to our relatives and friends but to people we don't even know either. Because life is a cycle and you are sometimes going up and sometimes going down.

(Christina Boukour Myro Gallery)
Here I would like to thank my friends and my colleagues at school who once again supported our decision to help the Syrian family by bringing blankets, clothes and other things to cover their needs.

(Hari Mitroushi, Ro Art Gallery)
This blogpost is filled with photos I took from various Art Gallery visits recently.

The photos except the first are from exhibitions I recently went to at Ro Art Gallery and
Myro Gallery.

(Christina Boukour Myro Gallery)

The art exhbition at Ro Art Gallery is by various artists based on the book "Because of the crisis I give you my child" by Aigli Brouskou.

(Ro Art Gallery)
You could read a very interesting article on Refugees and compassion on Reality and Fiction blog by my friend Ruth Ludlam who explains it so well and I thank her for that.
You can join us in Our Beautiful World blog and link your own blogpost with this theme.

What the mail brought...

...in December!
Of course December mail was Christmas mail and maybe it is too late to show it but I want all my friends to know that I really appreciated all the things I received, wishes, letters, Christmas cards and presents. I have answered by e-mail to say that I received the parcels but I still owe letters, I know!And there are some people I never sent a Christmas card even but this year I really tried to send as less as possible as postage has gone so high that at times it isn't affordable.
So here are...

Gaby's card and gift from Scotland.Doesn't the Scottish flag look like the Greek one?My school keys are on this now.

 Johanna's Christmas card from Finland,

 Juliana's parcel from Scotland(I have worn this scarf so much this winter J&J)

And there are some great but very difficult patterns in this!

 J&J you sent so much thank you!

  I loved those dishes that you can see in the dark under UV light and filled with beach finds from Kos island.

 Juliana's Xmas card.

Juliana made lovely sea glass ornaments and I use this keyring for my home keys every day.

 Tua's card and driftwood reindeer from Finland,

 Christine's card from France,

 Ruth's card and vintage cross stitch book from Israel. (the book has lovely simple designs. I will use some when I start stitching again when Barca allows it!)

and a parcel from dear Marabeth.

which included this amazing vintage thrift store find. A cross stitch piece that shows the landmark of my city the White Tower and the Greek and American flag. This was probably stitched as a commemorative piece from a Greek lady and given as a gift or kept till not wanted any more. I am so glad Marabeth has an eye for great cross stitch pieces and she got me this!Thanks Marabeth!

 And this lovely cross stitched bag for my sea glass walks.

 Also another find of Marabeth's, a crochet bell for my tree. This year my tree was all cross stitch and crochet ornaments.

 And this lovely heart brooch.

 Cathy's card and letter.

 I loved those stamps.

 Kim's card and calendar.

 Andria's card, calendar and sea glass ornament.You can find similar ornaments and lovely jewelry at Andriasserendipity etsy shop.

 Brigitte's gifts and card. Go to objectifseychelles  if you want to organise yout holidays to the beautiful Seychelles.

 Again thank you all for thinking so warmly of me!