Happy Summer! every one .... that's if it is still around brrrr ....lol 

I am the next person to receive a postcard in the Summer Postcard Blog Hop. that was thought up by the brilliant and witty Jo from Serendipitous stitiching where we get sent a wonderful stitched "postcard" from any where in the world and with a small wee note from them too :)

My "post card" comes from Maggee of Stitching Devotee -

http://stitchingdevotee.blogspot.co.uk/

Her message is: 

“This is one of my favorite pieces, Joyful Summer, by Country Cottage Needleworks. I did not follow the colors exactly, and I added beads instead of French knots. The FRAME is what makes it pop! When I chose it, my LNS owner agreed that it would make the piece pop! But my FRAMER actually refused it at first—she thought it was ugly! Of course, she acquiesced, and found out otherwise! I display this every Summer.

Summertime is the time of year that we really concentrate on our backyard Garden. With very limited room, due to trees shading our yard, we have learned to plant only what we like. This year my husband is more involved (he needed another hobby!) and has actually taken charge! He is so delighted and ‘Joyful’ to be growing foods he likes. He goes out most every day now, and comes back with a handful of veggies! Another ‘Joy’ of Summer is that it is when we see lots of birds! We have seen a nest built by the House Finches, only to be uprooted by Mourning Doves!  Then we saw our White-Headed Robin again—this is the 3^rd year, because it couldn’t be inherited, could it? And just this week I saw 4 Flickers!! It is a very beautiful time of the year. ”

the Summer Postcard Blog Hop has been to a few places already so here is the latest list: so please go and say hello to these and grab a cuppa on your way :)

First postcard from Marcy goes to Gracie at Needles, Pins and Dragonflies

Second postcard from Krista goes to Jocondine at Jocondine

Third postcard from Michelle goes to Sharon at Shebafudge

Fourth postcard from Mouse goes to Vickie at A Stitcher's Story

Fifth postcard from Christine goes to Marcy at Stitching Plus

Sixth postcard from Astrid goes to Krista at Just Stitching Along

Seventh postcard from Vickie goes to Michelle at Michelle's StitchCraft Place

Eighth postcard from Jocondine goes to Deborah at A Patchwork of Crafts

Ninth postcard from Gracie goes to Maggee at Stitching Devotee

Off to go and put the kettle on again ... hopefully back soon with some stitching and other news too :) take care one and all :) love mouse xxxxxx

A tale of two bloggers meeting :)

Hi every one :) what a fab weekend this has been too .... (kettle is on btw help yourselves ... my wee paws are a bit ouchie ...lol) 
As you can see this is mostly a tale about two bloggers meeting but do not fear there is some stitching and of course back by popular demand .....Master Bentley ....lol
As some of you may know Beth  has come over from across the pond with her mum and has been touring ... First France then London and yesterday she came to York .... well what was a mouse to do except clear her diary and pootle over in the mousemobile to meet up with Beth and show her and her mum around the beautiful city of York :)
I set off really early to get a parking space and managed it with no problems at all ... which makes a real change on a Saturday morning .... may be they knew I just had to have a space heheheh .... I managed to get some chores done and out of the way and had time to nip into The Craft Box and also The Viking Loom which hasn't much stitchy stuff in it that I do these days but did have some threadwoxs threads in and some lovely fabric that I just had to have ;) but don't know what for yet ...lol 
We had arranged to meet outside the York Minster and had sent each other photos of what we looked like and it worked ... we found each other really easily .... and first things first we went for some" Pub grub" where Beth had her first taste of Yorkshire Pudding .... after we had eaten I took Beth and her mum on a whistle stop tour of all the best places in town ... We went to the Shambles, the river, Cliffords Tower and saw some WOLS that were on show in a Church between the shops .... and finally back to the Minster were we had enough time to wander round most of it , where we were treated to the wonderful sound of the Minsters organ and Choir getting ready for the service ....I think the best bit in there was the Chapter house which is built with no central support ,the roof was fabulous and the stained glass windows were gorgeous ... we stopped in there for a wee while taking it all in and sitting where the bishops etc sit when they have their meetings ........ They are currently re doing parts of the minster and we saw the stone masons work shop and all the stones had different signatures on, so that they will know in future years when they have to do it all again who did which bit .....  we even went below the church and saw the foundations and the restorative work that they are having to do to it .... We didn't go on the tower tour though ..... Beth was taking photos left right and center too and you can see hers on her blog as she has updated before me ...lol  
if you are good you may spot me in not one but two photos ;)
We had a wonderful day , and the weather was kind to us in fact I came home with a pink nose and cheeks ... freckles will follow later ...lol I hope we can meet again as we got on so well .... in fact Beth's mum commented I spoke the same as I wrote heheheheh ... 
I have managed to finish the RR section that I picked to do on DJ's RR after the Toad visited on Wednesday night .. had to reverse stitch the top of the porch and it was a toad as I took a photos .... see below ..lol ..... so that is ready to be sent on to its next stitcher and I also did some work on the Sal with Sally and Lainy   and on the Needleworker too ....ok doke I had better show you some photos .... and yes there will be one of Master Bentley.....

the minster peeking at top the houses

the front of the minster

just look at that detail

the minsters garden 

two week old owl :)

the Minster rose 

toad that visited the mouse house !!!!

found this funny ....

owls that were on show in the wee church 

he looks fed up ..lol

gorgeous expression on the wee barn owl

Famous rose window of the Minster 

The fabulous ceiling of the chapter house 

The Minsters organ 

just loved how the sun was shining through these 

Beth to the left and mouse to the right 

BOOOO .... 

DJ's robin so far

this is the bit I did

so far on the Curly Q sal :)

soooo there you go ... ohhh you want to see the wee stash enhancement too ???
oh go on then ... you had better get your magnifiers out for this one though hahahahahaah

just a small stash enhancement 

Progress on the Needleworker by LHN

giftie from Beth :)

Goodies won from Chiara 

RAK from Melanie 

Stuffing tool made my Melanies DH :)

 I had a wonderful postie week as well ... first of all I won a wee giveway prize from Chiara  for guessing what a chart was she was stitching ... and it is full of lovely goodies ... from organic tea to sweeties as well as  lovely fabric and charts and silk .... not to mention the needles I found after looking at a little chart which hides the needles , and the wee buttons are fab and I have the perfect chart for the strawberry one ... Strawberry house by LHN which just so happens to be kitted up ready to be stitched on :)
and on top of all those goodies from Chiara , Melanie RAKed me with a beautiful machine stitched needle book and the lace bit inside was done on machine by her too ... and look at that bit of bling ...lol ... she also included a stuffing tool made by her DH ... that is going to be very useful ;) and all because I inspired her to go to the White Peak embroidery shop ... I said if that  was what I got for that where else could I inspire her to go hehehehe .....
and on that cheery note I had better say good night and hope you all have a wondeful stitchy week and squeak to you all later .... thanks for popping by :) love mouse xxxxxxx