Alive & Kickin'

Well hello all...I am still here after a very busy month, with a birthday, baptism and house move it has been hectic and crazy...even for a very organised me!! The above and below pictures are at Martha's Baptism...she was slightly grumpy after the water situation...lol...and then you catch me having a crafty glass of vino!! It was a special day with very close family and my friends who are Martha's Godmother's...all 4 of them...."Martha and the Vandelas" as they have been nicknamed!!

Here is a picture of my big boy who was 5 at the end of April and he celebrated with 2 of his schoolpals, who have their birthdays in the same week, it was a busy old day but they all had fun...here he is a Sportacus helping Boxo the Clown!! I needed a HUGE glass of wine that evening!!

I have managed to do some stitching during the packing and house move, the main finish was my LHN Traveling Stitcher, I used the recommended Crescent Colour threads, but with an alternative fabric, I have not started to make it up into a stitchers wallet and needlebook as yet, but will get around to that eventually. I have also just completed my alphabet themed piece for the Exchange Heaven monthly exchange, it just needs to be finished now, a job for the weekend. I have been plodding away at my BP sampler but stitching over 1 is a tough old slog, but i am keeping going.

Now onto life stuff, the new house is great, a few little niggles to iron out and a serious clean and decorate required, but it is very homely and comfy and it just feels "right"! Shaun is moving up here next weekend and starts his new job on 1st June, driving one of the open top tour buses in the city, it is a seasonal job until October, but hopefully something else will come up in the meantime more permanent at one of the main bus companies. Shaun and my Dad have spent the afternoon putting up blackout blinds in the kid's rooms as there was no curtains and I have been woken up at 5am every morning for the past 2 weeks...so fingers crossed a sleep in until at least 6.30am tomorrow!

I hope to find my camera this weekend and take some pictures of some exchanges I have received....so watch this space...

Hugs & Stitches

Still Around

I thought I would just pop on and let you know I am still around....my pc became poorly last week and it seems as though it is going to be an expensive job, which is just not a priority at the moment to pay out. I am currently using Shaun's laptop which he has very kindly loaned me to check my mail etc, I do all my life online so it is a nightmare when the pc decides not to play ball.

We decided to put in for the house and went for another look last week....all the paperwork and checks are currently being done, so we are just waiting to hear then it's all systems go!!

I have been busy stitching my LHN Traveling Stitcher, I have completed the "Needles" design and am just over half way through the main design, I have also done a bit of work on BP Sampler, a bit more needs to be done though. I am so enjoying stitching the Traveling Stitcher I am finding it hard to put down!!

Three busy weekends coming up....this weekend is Isaac's 5th Birthday party and the following weekend is Martha's Baptism, then all being well the third one is the big move.

I am not taking part in any exchanges and challenges this next few months as I will have so much to do!!

Hugs & Stitches

Christmas at Easter

Well I know it is Easter weekend but here is my April Christmas Ornament for the S&S Monthly SAL, it is a freebie design called “Jingle Sparkle Joy”from the Midsummer Nights Blog which I have stitched on 32c Belfast Linen in Antique Ivory with DMC threads, it is backed with the fabric in the picture and finished with 4 gold beads and red ribbon.

I have stitched a bit more of my BP SAL today and also started my LHN “Traveling Stitcher”, I have almost completed the needles small design, so my needles have been smokin’ today.

Update on the house front, it was great so I secured it there and then, with a view to moving in 9th May, I am now dreading the thought of packing, but a good opportunity to have a clear out…brace yourself bin men and charity shops…lol!!

Hope you all have a peaceful Easter Sunday…

Hugs & Stitches

Elisa x

Amitie Odds & Ends Tray

Janice has let me know that she has received my exchange to her for the Exchange Heaven blog monthly swap, it was a colour exchange and she chose the colour blue, I decided on this freebie design from Windy Willows and stitched it on 32c white Murano fabric using Six Strand Sweet Threads Blue Curacao, Plum Parfait, Blueberry Pie and Buttered Popcorn, it is primarily blue with a hint of green and lemon, the fabric shown is the fabric I used to back the tray….this is my first odds and ends tray finish and I am happy with the result, I am so glad Janice is too :0)

Had a stitchy day today have managed to do some work on my BP sampler and stitch my April Christmas Ornament, I will finish it up tomorrow and take some pictures.

Have a good Saturday

Hugs & Stitches

Elisa x

Lovely Weekend Away & Updates on Stitching & Life!

We (Shaun, Molly, Isaac, Martha & me)had a lovely weekend away in Northumberland last weekend, the weather was glorious the whole time, a bit windy by the coast, but to be expected. We stayed in a caravan (well actually it was one of the new top notch static homes, complete with bath, shower and walk in wardrobe…lol) at Newbiggin-on-Sea. The holiday was full from day one with a visit to the Metro Centre on the way there..mainly to have lunch and purchase some swimming shorts for Isaac as I had obviously got rid of his at the end of last summer.

 

Here is the lovely view of the bay from the park where we stayed, it was right on the beach.

Saturday was a trip to Alnwick Castle (Hogwarts) and oh wow what a fantastic place, after a tour of the family rooms, (which we could not photograph) we enjoyed a lovely lunch in the Sanctuary Restaurant, we then headed to the “Knight’s Quest” where the kids had a fantastic time dressing up as Knights and Maidens and having fun playing games…..

 

Here is my brave little knight, he even got a lovely steed to ride too!!                     

and here is my little Princess….she enjoyed watching what was going on.                     

Here is a scenic view of the castle and me in the stocks!!

In the evening we went to the on site club for a couple of drinks and the kids joined in some of the games…I managed 3 halves of cider and was…well rather tiddly…lol!!         

 

Sunday morning Shaun took Molly & Isaac swimming whilst I had a few quiet hours stitching at the caravan whilst Martha slept. Then we headed off to Ulgham to the Animal Rescue Sanctuary, where we all had great fun meeting, feeding and stroking the animals, Isaac enjoyed a pony ride and I spent a good 15 minutes with the donkeys. I adore donkeys they are my favourite animal. We also saw foxes, badgers, owls, goats, rabbits, guinea pigs, pigs, horses, ponies, hedgehogs and loads more. The Sanctuary is a charity and survives on donations and the admission monies, so we felt like we had helped a few animals just a bit by visiting….the kids really enjoyed it and I have to admit so did I. 

Monday was coming home day, we wanted the kids to go on the beach, so we took the coastal route home and drove through Whitley Bay, Newcastle, Gateshead then along to Sunderland right the way down to Whitby, where we enjoyed a fish and chip lunch and the kids got a play on the beach before the tide came in. The drive back over the moors was gorgeous…that is definitely a trip for the summer.

So all in all a fabulous weekend was had by us all….

Stitching updates…I have completed 2 small projects which I cannot reveal as yet, but will do at the end of the month. I have decided on my April Christmas Ornament for the S&S SAL and have kitted that up ready. My BP Sampler I have re-started which new colours and stitching over one, I have done the first motif to night and am much more comfortable with it…so fingers crossed. I never managed to start the Traveling Stitcher to join in the SAL but hope to make a start on it later this month, my main task this month is to make some headway on my BP and “catch up”.

Life Update….I am going to view a house on Saturday a bigger place as the one I live in now is only 2 bedroom, Martha is in with me at the moment but will eventually need her own room, plus with Shaun also moving here we wanted a “new start” house…this house has a lot of memories for me, both good and bad and I think a new house may be the best move for us all.

Well I hope you have not fallen asleep…..

Happy Easter to you all and don’t eat too many eggs!

Hugs & Stitches

Elisa x

Mothering Sunday

Well I was spoilt today by my two gorgeous monkey’s, I was woken at 6.15am by a little chap running into my bedroom and shouting “Happy Mother’s Day” and flinging a bag of goodies at me, inside this bag were the goodies you see below  a lovely china mug which says I Love Mum, a bottle of my favourite Strawberry shower cream and also a matching Strawberry shaped sponge, all chosen by my little man (with Grandma to chaperone!!).

I also received 2 beautiful cards as you can see & a lovely bunch of daffodils, spring is finally here! 

 

 

Little lady has a bad cold so I didn’t go to church as I felt she was better all warm and snuggled up today. Little man went to church with Grandma & Grandpa and then to the seaside, I said he would have much more fun than being stuck in the house with us….and he certainly did!!

I managed to make the invitations for little one’s Baptism and complete my piece for the Monthly Challenge on the Stitch & Stash board, my goodness was I pleased to finish that, I thought it would never end!! I now want to spend the week on my Beatrix Potter SAL and the LHN Traveling Stitcher.

Well time for sleep now…I hope all the mums had a wonderful day!!

Hugs & Stitches

Elisa x

A Small Finish

I have managed a small finish so far this month, it is a small scissor pocket which I have completed for the Challenge Blog, it is a design by Casa Mia stitched on 28c Jobelan in Moss, threads used are Ozark Tide Pool, Crescent Colours  Fennel & WDW Seaweed. The fabric shown in the picture is the one I have used in the making up of the pocket, I also trimmed it with a fine green cord.I have been stitching on my Stitch & Stash Monthly Challenge, this month is a Workbasket freebie, I think I must have chosen the biggest design as it is taking forever…lol…I should have finished it by the weekend though, finger’s crossed!! I then intend to work on my Beatrix Potter SAL & make a good start on the new LHN SAL. I still have not started the Huswif, but I am not going to panic myself about this, I can start this later once I have completed some of my UFOs, which seem to be piling up!

Anyhow I hope to have an update soon, things are non stop here at the moment, I am behind with my blog reading and hope to have a catch up over the weekend…

Hugs & Stitches

Elisa x

A Small Finish & Even Smaller Progress

Here is my Beatrix Potter Quaker Sampler progress for February…not a lot I am afraid to say, I have had a busy month with a lot of smalls to stitch, I do Not have that to do in March so I hope to make some headway. Im really must get myself into some sort of rota, but with baby etc it is a bit tricky as some days I can stitch loads if she is having a sleep day and if she isn’t I get not a sausage stitched!!

Here is my Monthly Christmas Ornament for the Stitch & Stash SAL, it is Lizzie*Kate’s Noel freebie stitched on 28c ivory jobelan with DMC threads, it is backed in the fabric shown in the picture.

Well I have a busy day today, I am working at the NCT Nearly new Sale, little chap is with Daddy and little lady is going on her first NCT public outing….lol.

Shaun is over tonight til Monday and is coming her for a few weeks in March as he has 3 weeks holiday…that is a test to see how we get along in a long period of time….lol

It is not a fantastic picture a bit blurry his daughter took it, but here is a picture of us together…

Well have a good weekend all, I promised to take some kiddie piccies to show you…

Hugs & Stitches

Elisa x

Friendship Exchange Received

This is the delightful ornament I received yesterday from Jane for the friendship exchange on the Exchange Heaven blog, isn't it lovely and the words are lovely too...thank you so much Jane I love it!!

I managed to stitch half a motif on my BP sampler last night, it was tough going as it is white on ivory, I think I will be doing the majority in the mauve's with an odd white one here and there. I hope to complete the other half this afternoon....dependant on my daughter who is currently screamimg the place down!!

Have a good weekend

Hugs & Stitches

Finishes, Children & Snow

Well with the snow there was no school on Monday & Tuesday so I had lots of time at home without having to break off for school runs, therefore out came the sewing machine and I finally finished off the wallhangings for Martha and the sheep one for me...I am really pleased how they have turned out, I am going to have to glue a length of doweling to the back of the top of both so the don't bend when they hang. But all in all I am pleased with these as they are my first big wall hangings.

Here are the monkey's in pyjamas....like butter wouldn't melt...lol

And here is the outside on Monday, we had beautiful blue skies and sunshine in the afternoon....lovely!!

I have finished my S&S Monthly Challenge piece and a Food & Drink Exchange piece which I cannot reveal yet, I hope to make some progress on my Beatrix Potter this weekend, but the plan is to sort and organise the little man's bedroom, I have ordered some stack boxes from Argos so we are going to label them with names and pictures so that Isaac can tidy up better and put things in the correct boxes. I have got the Spring organisation bug....:0)

Hugs & Stitches

Progress, Finishes & More....

Well firstly here is my progress on the Beatrix Potter Quaker Sampler SAL, there are now 100 of us stitching along with this, I am really enjoying this design, I am stitching it on 32c Belfst Linen in Antique Ivory with DMC threads 3041, 3042 & 3865. I had hoped to get a little more of this done but I have ended up as usual signing up to too much lol!!

Here is the Christmas Ornament I have completed for January as part of the SAL on the S&S board, it is a design by Elizabeth C. Gorski of Primrose Needleworks, which featured in the GOSM December 2008. I have stitched it on 32 White Jobelan with Vikki Clayton Silk in Turkey Red, I finished it as a hanging pillow...1 down 11 more to go!!

A little late is my finish for the Monthly Challenege on the S&S board, this month we could chose a freebie design from Papillion, I decided on this design called Comedy & Tragedy, which I stitched on 28c Qukaer Cloth in Mocha, in WDW and DMC. It is finished as a needleroll/cushion as silly me didn't leave enough fabbie for the needleroll finish so I stitched fabbie at top and bottom then stitched together, it still looks good!!

Here is a picture of myself and the monkey's on a day out to Harrogate & Knaresborough, Shaun came over for a couple of days so we decided to have a day out yesterday. We lunched at Pizza Hut...yummy and walked around the town and the castle ruins. It was a cold day though, so definitely a return visit required once the weather is warmer.

and here is another one of the little miss, 10 weeks old tomorrow, I think she is already teething as she is constantly chewing her hand, thank goodness for Dentinox Teething gel, the only one you can use from birth!!

I am going to try and make a start on my OWS Huswif this weekend as the little man is with Daddy this weekend, so I should get some done when the babe is sleeping!!

Hugs & Stitches

Making Up Saturday

Bet you wonder what do I mean...lol, well I mean I have lots of things to make up this weekend...

I have Martha's sampler to make into a wallhanging, M'Lady's Strawberries to make into a cushion, the Sheep sampler to make into a wall hanging, 3 PIF's to make up, 1 Monthly Challenge peice, 1 exchange peice and a baby wall hanging to make up....think the sewing machine will get an airing today...lol!

I have lots of finishes but mainly it is secret stitching so no can do on the reveal front, apart from the baby wall hanging which I will reveal once made up and finished.

I have been working on my Beatrix Potter Quaker Sampler too and once it it pressed I will take some piccies and let you see. I hope to start my Huswif this coming week to as well as stitch a peice for my new challenge blog and my Christmas Ornie SAL (I have chosen the design, so it is just to kit up and stitch).

The kiddies are well, little lady of the house has been sleeping through the night for just over a week now, from 11pm til about 6am...how about that for wonderful, I am enjoying the sleep whilst it lasts!! She is awake all day though so I find it hard to get much done around the house, but hey ho...who cares if my house is a mess!!

Shaun (my boyfriend) came for the weekend last weekend, well a very long weekend, we had a great time and he treated me all weekend to lunches, dinners, these gorgeous lillies (picture above), they smell divine too and also a gorgeous journal from WHSmith's I have had my eye on it for months but at £12 I could not bring myself to get it, but bless him, he treated me to it, I have it on my bookcase and I just look at it, I must take a photo of it to share with you. I dare not write in it incase I make a mistake...lol!! Maybe I will use it as a stitching journal!!

I recently had my post-natal check and all was well, the diabetes I had during pregnancy has cleared up, which is fantastic news, I still have to be tested annually as I am at a high risk of developing it when I get older. I had to go for a mammogram and scan last Monday, as I discovered a lump in my right breast whilst pregnant, my consultant said at the time it could be pregnancy related so to check at my post-natal check. Well it was still there so I was prompty sent for tests, well being honest they are not quite sure it is, they thankfully do not think it is cancer, there is no shadowing etc, they have ruled out a cyst, basically they are baffled, I have to go back in 8 weeks for another scan so see if anything has changed, they will then decide what the next option is. I am not unduly worried now they have said they don't think it is cancer, but I would like to know what exactly it is, it is not causing me any pain or discomfort though so I should be grateful. I will keep you posted!!

Well time for breakfast now and Martha is stirring so will require a bottle very soon, hope you all have a great weekend, whatever you do.

Hugs & Stitches

Blogoversary Giveaway

I received an email from Nina today to let me know that she has received the package from my blogoversary draw. I included my first finish from 2008, which was the "Tea with Jane" design from Tanya at the Sampler Girl, which I completed on 1st January 2008. I also included a few other goodies which I hope Nina likes.


This week has been a busy one as I have been back and forth to the doctors and hospital. Martha had her 6 week check on Monday and all is well, the doctor says she is very alert and forward...to which I replied "of course she is, she is my daughter"...lol.


I also had my follow up diabetes test and postnatal check, my diabetes test came back clear which I was delighted about, I still am at risk of developing it again later in life so I have to have an annual test to check. My postnatal was fine too, I am all back to normal now...well as normal as can be!!


Martha has had a bad cold and cough this week and has gone off her milk the past couple of days, so it has been little and often feeding so I haven't had time for alot of other things, I have managed to keep up with the washing and do some ironing (my least favourite job) and I managed a quick dust and hoover today so the place looks half decent for any visitors. The upstairs in a tip but never mind no-one sees that...lol!


The other news on the life from is that I have a new man in my life (yes I have kept it quiet for a while), we have been seeing each other for 3 weeks today in fact, he lives a distance away 86 miles in fact so I suppose we are classed as having a long distance relationship. We did manage to spend quite alot of time together over the holiday period, but now normal life has begun again, it will be a bit more tricky. So I am hoping that 2009 will be a good year for us, it has had a damn good start so far!!


On the stitching front, I am half way through my Monthly Challenge peice for the S&S board, which was a Papillion freebie design, I have also finally started my Beatrix Potter Sampler for the SAL, I managed to get half of the centre motif stitched tonight, I would have probably completed it, but the dreaded frogs came to visit twice, I miscounted twice....too busy watching Trial & Retribution!! I have decided on my first 3 PIF peices and hope to make a start on those sometime this month too & also the design for the Friendship Ornament for the Exchange Heaven blog. I am not going to over commit this year, due to lack of time and a determination to complete my UFO's from 2008 and keep up with my 2009 SAL's.


I intend to spend some time on BP tomorrow too as I have a son free day, so if Martha is a good girl my needles should be smoking!!


Hope everyone else has a great weekend...whatever you do!!
Hugs & Happy Stitching

Final Finish & A New Start....

As promised, here is the completed "M'Lady's Strawberries" by LHN, it is stitched on Mocha Quaker Cloth in the recommended Crescent Colours & DMC threads. This is my final finish for 2008 and I completed it about 4pm on New Years Eve.

I think I may finish this into a cushion, I need to hunt out some strawberry fabric first though!

The 1st January was the start date of the Beatrix Potter Quaker Sampler SAL, here is my fabric and floss toss for the project. I spent a bit of time this afternoon, sticking together the 6 sheets of pattern and pressing and hemming the fabric, ready to start stitching.

I heard from Robin at OWS to say that she has mailed out my Huswif kit today, so fingers crossed that should arrive in the next week or so. I am excitied about this project, it will be a challenge with lots of new stitches and techniques to learn and try.

I started a little stitching project this evening which should be completed tomorrow, it is for the Stitch & Stash Monthly Challenge, it is a bit of a different design for me, but I like it and I know how I intend to finish this one too.

I have decided to work on larger WIP's this year, rather than lots of little things. I will do the Monthly Challenge, a few exchanges, PIF's & the Monthly Christmas Ornament SAL, I don't want to over commit myself for the first 6 months of the year.

Have a good weekend all and Happy Stitching
Hugs