A Giveaway, Retreat Invite and updates....

Hey Everyone! Sorry to be away for so long, getting a child ready to go off to college is very time consuming. The other 2 stayed here at home so there wasn't much to get ready but Amy's want and need list was a mile and half long! I think we have most of it taken care of now, she still wants a butterfly chair and clothes and she has refused so far to even think about school supplies but I'm going to let her handle those things.

Abby abcessed her tonsils again and is having them removed a week from today. Why is it everyone and their brother feels the need to tell her their tonsil horror story? My scabs broke open and blood gushed out of my mouth, my scabs broke open and I filled a bucket with blood in the ambulance, my scabs broke open and I had to have a blood transfusion.....you get the picture. The girl is scared shitless. Please say a little prayer for her if you do that sort of thing. I'd appreciate it.

Dan had a biopsy done on a spot on his chest and the results came back yesterday. He does have skin cancer and they will be removing a football shaped piece of his chest in a couple of weeks. Nothing to get upset over. I'm hoping they have to shave his entire chest to do the procedure and he'll like it so much that he'll continue to shave his chest. That man is a woolly bear!

Dan and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary on Aug. 2nd. I had mentioned in an earlier post that he bought my anniversary gift and I had hinted at it being blue and sparkly but I couldn't show it to you until now as he took it away from me until our anniversary. I can show it off now.
Isn't it beautiful? Don't ask me what stone it is. I don't know. I do know it is lab created and it changes colors and I love love love it!! BUT, the man did not stop there. I came downstairs Monday morning the 2nd and found a ott light magnifier attached to my ott light. I tried to get him to take it back but he wouldn't do it. Guess that's one of the many reasons I still love the guy 30 years later. He's a keeper, furry chest and all!

I've been stitching but haven't stopped to take any pictures of it. Instead I would like to announce 2 things.

The first is to invite everyone to our stitching retreat "A Stitcher's Recipe for Friendship" next April. We're announcing it early to give everyone enough time to make plans to attend. Paulette Stewart of Plum Street Samplers is designing a special chart for the retreat and will be making an appearance for some or all of the retreat. Our previous retreats have gone over so well and more people have expressed a desire to attend than our previous location would permit so we have found a retreat center about 25 miles from Omaha that will hold more stitchers. Our goal is 40 but it can hold 60 if we needed to. I don't anticipate that but it's nice to know it's available. If you would like further information please go to our website at : www.reflectionsframing.com Click the newsletter tab on the left and all the information plus registration forms can be found in the July newsletter. I hope some of you will attend. It would be awesome to meet you in person and we are looking forward to making a bunch of new stitching friends! If you have any questions not answered by the newsletter, you can contact either MaryAnn or myself at: maryann@reflectionsframing.com Hope to hear from you soon!

The other announcement I have is my long awaited giveaway to celebrate 100 followers. Now if I could only get more than 6 of you to comment I'd really be doing good! Here's the details. Post on this thread only! If you are already a follower just post saying you want to be entered in the giveaway. If you are not a follower, please become one and post that you are now a follower and would like to be entered in the giveaway. You can earn a second chance of winning the giveaway if you mention it on your blog and a third chance can be earned if you mention the retreat on your blog. The giveaway is open to all, both in the states and over seas. Make sure you leave me contact information if you don't have a blog! The winner will be announced on Aug. the 25th 2010. And now I bet you would like to know what the giveaway consists of. Here ya go:

It's kind of a seasonal giveaway. To represent spring I have included an older Just Nan chart with charms called Tall Flowers.
Summer is represented by Jeanette Douglas' Summer Stackers.

Fall is represented by Hob Nobb designs Happy Fall Ya'll and 4 of Carrie's silks in fall colors.

Winter will be represented by The Prairie Schooler's 2010 Santa:

Then just because I can, I am including one of my scissor frogs and vessels that I shared with you a while back.
Of course a person needs to have scissors for their scissor frog so I'm including a pair of those also. Not the ones I wanted to include but they got back ordered so you'll have to settle for this pair.

Finally, some Piecemaker needles and a needle minder will be included.

I want to thank each and every one of my followers for all of their support and kinds words. It's truly been a delight getting to know some of you. I hope you like the items included in the giveaway. I've had fun choosing them.

It is well past supper time and my tummy is growling. I hope I covered all the bases where the giveaway and retreat are concerned but if you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

Take care!

Julie