Friday, January 27, 2017

2017 Smalls SAL and Much to Share




Happy Friday everyone!

Today is the day to post for the 2017 Smalls Sal. The Sal is organised by Heather aka Stitching Lotus. You can find her blog and the SAL here!  Feel free to join in!

The first finish is 'Happy Croakmass' which you can find free under my free charts.  I know you've seen it already so I think I'm going to have to work a little harder at sorting out my scheduling; sorry!

The second finish is for a certain little grandchild.  I just need to get it framed and then it will be part of her birthday present. In April she will be two! Where does the time go?


It is a Tatty Ted design which I stitched from a chart which was gifted to me...hmmmm wonder if I can use this for the Gifted Gorgeous SAL as well?

I changed some colours, ignored some French knots and stitched it on 28 count Laguna.  I have no idea how anyone could stitch this design on aida, with all the fractional backstitches!  Kudos to those of you who managed it!

So what else has been happening?

Well, my second book is officially released now and I bought one of the illustrations from Paula (of 'Bear Tails Illustration' fame).  Paula gave me the title illustration, with Holmsey, after the first book did so well. I was determined to pay for this one: she's worked hard on the illustrations which are amazingly beautiful.  I chose the cover picture again which features Fergus, so I have a pigeon pair now!





Fergus is away getting framed at the moment. I can't wait to get him home!

Now, most of you know by now that I have metastatic cancer.  I've had such a wonderful life: I've achieved everything I set out to and that is a blessing.  A life well lived. So well lived, in fact, that I only had one thing on my bucket list! I wanted to get arrested!

Hmmmm...can you see where this may be going?

Well, last week, I received a knock on the door.  There stood two extremely tall Gardaí (Irish Police).

"Are you Mrs. G. French?" They asked.

"I am" I replied, wondering what my kids have got up to..they are good kids and I knew where they were so I knew they were safe, so that only left a few other options! :-)

The Gardaí continued
"We have received a call from Grimsby Police and UK HM Customs and Excise regarding the illegal importation of wool!"

Well, I knew then I'd been set up.  My lovely husband had been meeting and plotting and planning with the local Garda Station and had arranged it so I could get arrested! 




  

It seems my poor husband was so concerned that I might do something to really, really get arrested that he thought he had better step in.

I got to play with blue lights and pressed the nee-naw button!  It was soooo cool!

Wonderful. Thank you so much Castlerea Gardaí for being such good sports.  It is something I will treasure and it brought smiles to the faces of my family.  We never turn down an excuse to smile!

Well, I will leave it there. Thank you for visiting. Have a wonderful weekend and I'll be back soon!

20 comments:

  1. Happy croakmass is fun!
    Congrats on finishing the tatty teddy for your granddaughter, it looks really cute!
    Your hubby is so cheeky!!! Leading the police officers astray so they could arrest you ;) So kind of everyone to have played the game.... now I think I heard about serious things going on with wool import to Ireland ;)

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    1. Thank you lol. It's a good job then didn't check my craft drawers rofl, there's half a dozen sheep in there!

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  2. Never thought I would get the chance to congratulate someone on getting arrested!!

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    1. Thank you for your comment. Getting arrested is actually quite good fun!

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  3. Oh Gaynor! Something is seriously wrong with me. I cried when I read and then saw you got your wish to be arrested. Congratulations! I think? ♥

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    1. Thank you for your comment. Getting arrested is actually quite good fun..so congratulations are fine xx

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  4. well done on getting arrested finally ... what a fabulous experience and so pleased you managed it ..lol ... love the wee letter for your GD and what 2 nearly already !!!! .. love the new picture too :) love mouse xxxxx

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  5. Lovely stitching. I think it's fantastic that your family conspired to help you finish your bucket list! Well done!

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    1. It was really thoughtful of them to arrange my arrest, especially for the crime they used!

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  6. Still love those frogs, as long as that's where they stay! Ted is sweet, he looks very hugable.
    Fergus is so adorable and all the flowers around him are so beautiful.
    I bet most people wouldn't be as happy are you were getting arrested, so glad you had a good experience!

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    1. It was wonderful ....I had so much fun and my husband was so great for doing it for me.

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  7. Oh, your post made me smile, Gaynor!! What a fun time "getting arrested" was for you--you may be the only person in the world to be able to say that :)

    How lovely that your got the Fergus painting and now have a pair. And your sweet teddy is a perfect gift for your little granddaughter. How blessed you have been, indeed--I can imagine no greater blessing than being a grandmother :)

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  8. I guess not everyone knows how crazy you are! That was so perfect of hubby! Love that he is attentive to your every need and whim! I cannot believe your granddaughter is going to be two already! Wow! And congrats on the Fergus piece...The two will look wonderful together! Big Hugs!

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  9. Your tatty teddy is adorable, I hated stitching him when I did it for a friend, way too many fiddly stitches and vowed never again. Can't believe your little princess is going to be 2.
    Blue lights, handcuffs.... what fun it looked to be.

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  10. thank you for sharing your Smalls this month. Thank you for sharing your Arrest too. I cried

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  11. Sweet finishes Gaynor. I can't believe your granddaughter is 2.

    Reading about you getting arrested made me smile again. I don't think I've ever seen anyone so happy when the long arm of the law catches up with them lol!

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  12. What an excellent thing your husband did - you had me worried for a brief second! Lovely smalls

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  13. That does look like fun! Thank you for the froggy Christmas stitch and your granddaughter's initial is beautiful.

    I have both your books and think the illustrations in the second one are even more lovely. There's a gorgeous picture of Fergus surrounded by flowers which is stunning.

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  14. That's such a funny story! I'm sure they've never had such a cheerful prisoner either.
    Love the Croakmas Tree and the gorgeous picture of Fergus.

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