Map progress and more (photo heavy)

I am pleased to say that the only thing left to add to the map is the personalization and them to get it matted and on it's way to my daughter in love. Better late than never is all I can say. I am glad to be on the downward slope with this large project. I had to change up a few things to suit what she wanted and I am not a designer but I did the best I could and she approved so it's a go. Yes! So I last posted this is where I was. Restitching the coast and state of Alaska so it would be in approximately the correct geographical spot though not completely accurate (the state is much larger and farther up but I was out of fabric) The shadows you see are the pattern lying underneath. Sorry about that.

As I looked at it I realized I had skipped this part for some reason so had to go back and add the critters in the Gulf of Mexico in there. The crabs just crack me up. 

 There is it all finished except for their names at the top. It is done in DMC on 36 ct fabric over 2 threads. It took a half a yard of fabric to stitch it eh way she wanted it to be. Sigh.

This shows some of the detail of the items I had to design for my sweet daughter in love. I could not find anything that would work in all of the books and the magazines so I just winged it. I did find some small animals that would work in Alaska for a moose and a caribou. I didn't have room to add more since there will be some hearts there to represent where they met. This week I will start the personalization. I know what it is going to say and the alphabet and colors are all picked out but I just wanted a break for this weekend. So I picked up some me stitching and got Rose Quaker out. This is something I have wanted to stitch for quite a while but put off till the map was done. I decided to pull it back out this weekend and add a few stitches. 

 I am stitching this on Lakeside Linens Strawflower 40ct with an NPI silk conversion from Attic Needlework in Phoenix, Arizona. I just love it. Makes me happy just to pick it up and add a stitch or two.
I don't know if I ever showed you the few little things I did get stitched as gifts in between times. This is a set of smalls I stitched for my best friend who lives on the East Coast who has a huge bread bowl that she changes out with smalls for the seasons. The top left is Lizzie Kate Hippity Hoppity, the others are all Shepherd's Bush Joy to Ewe, Friends, and Fall Ewe All. They were a fun stitch and I was happy to be finally contribute to her smalls.

 Then another friend who had moved away from here had a birthday and this was a tiny sampler I stitched and got off in the mail to her- late as usual. It was from Kelmscott design that came as a kit. My friend has stitched several samplers and thought she would like this little thing. It was a fun stitch as well. Finishing is not my forte' so don't look too close. The pillows above I sent to a finisher to be done.

Well that is all I have for now. I will hopefully have an update from the Rose Quaker later this week and will post one last picture of the Map when it is matted before I mail it off to be framed by her grandfather.
We have continued to have computer issues that have kept me from updating but I am hoping they are all resolved and I can get back to posting more often. I hope you all have some stitchy time in your day.
Marjo