Summer Squares to Renee

I see that Renee has received her squares for the F&S - Summer round and I am so relieved! Hers was the very last name with no - received - next to it. I always feel a little anxious till an exchange arrives because you can never be 100% sure if it will make it. Things, unfortunately, seem to disappear into the postal black hole from time to time so until my partner has their exchange in their hands I worry - just a teensy bit. What's even better and possibly more important(?) than an exchange arriving is knowing whether or not they like it and I think that's part of the worry, I thought it would get easier as I did more exchanges but I find it just as difficult to choose something I think my partner will like as I did for my first exchange. The good news is that she does like it, so thank you for your patience if you've read my ramblings to finally reach this point, which took way too long to make - sorry ;)

Summer Sparrow
Waxing Moon freebie
32# Lambswool linen with recommended GAST

I couldn't find a picture of this design finished anywhere so I didn't really know what it would look like till I had most of it stitched, luckily I liked what I saw or I would have been in a pickle!

Unfortunately it's no more exchanges for me - for a little while - as we're going to Europe for a few weeks - which is very exciting as I've never been overseas before - but at the same time a little bit sad as my most favourite-ist exchanges will be happening, the Halloween ones - wahhhh. Oh well, I can't have my cake an eat it too - unfortunately for my figure this is only figurative and not literal - Halloween will be here next year and I don't think we'll being taking another trip like this for a looooong time, so I guess I'll just have to make the sacrifice... and go on this trip... LOL

Our main reason for going overseas is for a family wedding in Italy and what do you give the couple who has everything already, why a marriage sampler of course! We don't know their tastes or decor - they live in the UK - but we're winging it and crossing our fingers that it works out alright. My DH helped choose the design - "Wedding Spots" by The Trilogy - as it's reasonably modern, fairly small, neutral colours and we both liked it ourselves, so hopefully a good choice. I don't tend to give cross stitched gifts to people unless I'm pretty sure they'll like it, after all it's not everyone's cup of tea, but we've never been to a wedding without some sort of gift and it would be just too strange, so this is what we've come up with.

It's nearly finished and I'm just wondering if we should stick with a similar frame to the model's or a matt silver for a more modern look - any advice very welcome.

We'll I'd better go and actually finish this sampler so it can be framed before we go.

Hope you all have some stitching time today :)
Karrie