Winter Sunshine & Blogaversary!!

No sunshine in the sky this past week….only darkness and clouds, but I thought these would brighten my kitchen…

and these also…my dishcloth supply was dwindling so I have been using up my oddments of cotton yarn to crochet some dishcloths…

This beauty was my gift from Viv for the Facebook Open University Craft Club Christmas Exchange…oh I can tell you the smell from it is amazing…oranges and cranberries…..delish!!..

We’ve had a busy week of nativities, carol concerts, Mass, dance shows & parties etc  we’ve been out and about most evenings….yes in this awful rain too….grrr, no crafting…..AND no studying…I need to catch up this childfree weekend so I can enjoy my weeks study break which the OU kindly bestow upon us….!

Finally…..it’s my 5 year blogaversary on Christmas Eve…..I really can’t believe I have been blogging that long…..as a thank you to my regular readers and commenters I will be having a small giveaway…..there is no need to enter I know my regulars and will make a drawing on Christmas Eve….I won’t mail until early January until the Royal Mail has had time to clear the backlog of Christmas post!!

Right folks onwards for a spot of lunch and an afternoon of Lysistrata (5th Century BCE Greek Comedy Play)….Stay warm and dry….

Hugs & Stitches

Strawberry Delight!!

A wonderful package arrived this morning from Lei, we took part in a private exchange and here is what she stitched for me…isn’t it absolutely beautiful, the pictures don’t do it justice, it is stitched and finished so perfectly…Thank you so much Lei :0)

I’ve been busy doing some UFO stitching…I’m trying to finish a few small UFO’s before starting anything new….let’s see if I manage it or get tempted by a new start!

A little more kitchen progress…my dad came and cut the counter and moved the cooker,  ready to make way for the breakfast bar…which is the next job….it’s looking good though…oh and put the bunting up

Now that the table is in the kitchen….finally after over 2 years of being packed away and relegated to a dusty corner in my bedroom….my much loved stitching cabinet has been unearthed and my baskets have been refilled with stitched treasures…..I am so happy that I can admire all the wonderful stitching that I have received from my stitching and blogging friends (there are still many more which are going to be displayed in my bedroom once that has been renovated)…

That’s all todays news…I have jumped onto the 50 Shades of Grey bandwagon so will be spending the evening with a book later…I want to read what all the hype is about!

I decided to add a bit of brightness to my blog the pale pink was getting me down….from one extreme to the other…lol

Happy Weekend

Don’t Faint…..Back Again and a Giveaway!

I know two posts in two days….scary eh…lol!

Mouse has let me know that my piece has arrived at the mouse house and Mouse’s piece to me arrived this morning also…this is what Mouse stitched for me, it’s a Lizzie*Kate design, stitched in GAST and Anchor threads, isn’t it pretty, it brightened up my day!

and here is what I stitched for Mouse..

Bent Creek – Spring House

Fabric: 28c misc. natural evenweave

Threads: WDW & DMC as charted

Michelle and I made a start on our BBD SAL yesterday evening…I still had a headache so didn’t stitch too much, but wanted to get the first few stitches in it…here’s my progress..

My parents have very kindly taken the children for the afternoon so I can get a bit of rest….yes I could make the most of the childfree time and do some studying, but I have decided to put my feet up in front of the TV instead and do some knitting!

I noticed that this is my 400th blog post so as a celebration I will have a little mystery giveaway….I haven’t decided what the prize will be yet…hence the mystery!

The giveaway is open to all my followers and regular commenters (UK & Overseas), if you would like to be entered please leave a comment on this post only with your email address too, I will make the drawing on 17th March 2012 at 7pm GMT.

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS NOW CLOSED

Well I better go and get them there feet up and the needles clacking!

Enjoy your weekend whatever you do!

Hugs & Stitches

Midweek Progress

Just a quick midweek progress post….I have managed to stitch a little more on Princess Parade, it’s looking hopeful for Martha’s birthday now…rather than Christmas!

I spent last night stitching part 7 of Carol’s iStitch mystery SAL whilst watching The Other Boleyn Girl, only one more part left now of this….I have loved stitching it.

I received my final exchange from the Lizzie*Kate Exchange blog also this week as I have now left the blog…it’s from Amy, isn’t it fun!

I managed to complete and submit my first assignment yesterday…so I just have a tense wait until I receive it back. I have a tutorial next week which I am looking forward to.

The children are with their Dad this weekend, so Wes and I will have some couple time which will be great, not quite decided what we are going to to as yet….but I’m sure we will have fun!

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

Hugs & Stitches

A Sunday Catch Up…

As promised here is a catch up on what I have been up to the past few weeks…mainly lots of studying and I have to say I am LOVING it! I think it is totally different to when you are at school and “have” to learn, to now at 40 “wanting” to learn. I spent last Saturday afternoon at the theatre watching a production of Doctor Faustus, which I so enjoyed, I then spent all of last week studying the play, listening to an audio of the play and learning about how to read a Renaissance play and also about Christopher Marlowe who wrote it! The previous week was all about Cleopatra and how she has been portrayed throughout history, by historians, Hollywood etc, part of my first assignment is about this. This coming week is Art focused mainly on Paul Cézanne, I have looked at a few Cézanne paintings, they are not to everyone’s taste but I do like his style of painting, so am looking forward to it.

I spent yesterday at Leeds Metropolitan University at a Day School and attended lectures on Cleopatra, Poetry and Assignment Study Skills, followed by a field trip to the Leeds’ City Art Gallery to “Look” at paintings…a very long, tiring but wonderful day spent with some fabulous people!

Now stitching news….firstly I received this divine flatfold from Angela for the Autumn Seasonal Exchange…I LOVE it so much!

Secondly …here is the piece I sent to Amy for the Lizzie*Kate Exchange (not a very good picture)

Lizzie Kate “Halloween”

Stitched on 32c Murano “Vanilla” – DMC’s as charted

Finished as an ornament

Thirdly…Catherine has messaged me to say she has received my Birthday giveaway package…which arrived quite swiftly to my surprise

Ria Lanser freebie “ABC”

Stitched on 28c Miscellanious evenweave – DMCs own choice

Finished as a pin pillow

Finally….I haven’t managed a lot of stitching, all my WIP’s have been popped away for a holiday whilst I concentrate on some gift stitching for Birthdays and Christmas…so I can’t show you too much, but I have made quite a bit of progress on the piece for Martha…this is so pretty and girly, I am loving stitching it so much.

Well it is Sunday so it’s Downton Abbey day, looking forward to that this evening after the X Factor results show, I am not sure if I am enjoying it as much as previous years, but I will persevere a little longer, It’s also the final Spooks this evening, I will record that and watch it after Downton…

I hope you all have a fantastic Sunday whatever you do..

Thanks for visiting my blog today, your comments are visits are much appreciated.

Hugs & Stitches

Thank You

I wanted to say a big thank you to you all for all your comments and emails of support over the past week, I was so touched by them and from all the long term followers who commented for the first time about how my blog has inspired and enabled them. I really had no idea how many of you my blog had reached out to. Because of this I am going to keep my blog public, but will be taking a short break and maybe just post once a month or so until I get into an established routine with my studies. I officially became a student yesterday and attended an induction day at Leeds Metropolitan University, it was so surreal to sit in a lecture theatre with about 300 fellow students from the Yorkshire Region. I also then met my tutor and my tutorial group (17 of us in total) we will all be working closely together over the next 9 months.

I received a lovely exchange piece from Marjorie for the Rotating Design Exchange (The Prairie Schooler), isn’t it lovely.

Teresa also received my piece to her for the same exchange…

The Prairie Schooler – Pins & Needles “Tomato Pin Keep”

28c Brittney “Olive” – DMC threads

Finished as a pinkeep.

I am busy working on gifts for family and friends at Christmas…

Hugs & Stitches

Fall Pyn Keepe Arrived

from Lucy for the Fall Pyn Keepe exchange over at the HOE blog. Isn't it cute…it’s from Heart in Hand “Seasonal Birds” using WDW & GAST threads.

Thanks so much Lucy….I love it!

Hugs & Stitches

Let It Snow & 3 Fat Birds & A Squirrel

I received this cutie ornament from Janet B in the mail this morning…for the Lizzie*Kate Exchange on the Hooked on Exchanging Blog…isn’t he just perfect, I love him thank you so much Janet!

I saw this little freebie on Tanya’s blog and just had to stitch it straight away…such a little cutie design, I stitched it whilst watching 3 hours of Wuthering Heights on TV last night…pure bliss!

The Sampler Girl “3 Birds & A Fat Squirrel” can be found here

Stitched on 28c Jayne’s Attic hand-dyed “Jonquil”

Crescent Colour threads

I’m going to make this into a little hanging ornament for my bedpost!

I had a childfree weekend so got lots done, household chores and I sorted a lot of stitching stash, I have bought a load of GAST & WDW threads from Michelle, so I catalogued them all and organised them all in little drawer organisers.

I also updated my stitching journal and decided on my next TSG design for the SAL over at Needlecraft Haven…I have chosen “A Little Bird’s Tea”, I’m  stitching it on hand-dyed linen I found in my stash unit and the recommended GAST & DMC threads.

Spending the next few days getting organised before Isaac goes into hospital on Wednesday, washing, ironing, housework, school uniform alterations etc…Going to also kit up a little project to take in with me as I feel the evenings will be long and very boring on the ward.

Hugs & Stitches

Summer Iris from Gracie

Wow what a lovely package dropped through my letterbox today, this beautiful pin pillow from Gracie…for the Summer Exchange on the Seasonal Exchange blog…isn’t it wonderful I just love it….thank you so much Gracie!!

Not a lot happening here really, I have stitched up an exchange piece but cannot reveal that…my set books and DVD for my first course arrived from Amazon and I went into town to buy some notebooks, pens, hi-lighters etc for my note taking and some goodies for an exchange package…but apart from that a quiet week.

The kids are at their grandparents today so I am going to catch up with the ironing this morning and then sit and stitch this afternoon…which is something I don’t often get chance to do.

Hope you all have a relaxing weekend!

Hugs & Stitches

My Pins & Needle In Hand!

Yes I am back….my stitching mojo did a little hiding trick on me whilst I was feeling under the weather, but I’m now fighting fit and back with a needle in hand!

I wanted a small finish to get me back into the stitching groove…so I chose this little beauty…

Shepherd’s Bush “My Pins”

28c Jayne’s Attic Hand-dyed fabric “Rose” – DMC threads

Finished as a pin pillow with ruched ribbon edging

I received this cute pillow from Ruth today for the third round of the Lizzie*Kate Exchange…isn’t it just great…I love the saying and it’s pink so it’s perfect for me!!

I have a couple of new starts…firstly for the weekly L*K stitching night being held at the L*K Lovers blog…I have chosen “Housework” because the saying is so fun…especially for a cleaning obsessive like me!!

Secondly is the weekly TSG SAL over at NCH, I have chosen a non Miss Austen piece this time…it’s called “Pleasant Hill”, I didn’t get too much stitched but at least made a start!

Finally no Elisa posting would be complete without a touch of Ms Kidston….I needed to cheer myself up after my ill fortnight…so with a sale taking place at my favourite store…I just couldn’t resist….

A quiet weekend planned…with some stitching to take place. I hope you all enjoy yours no matter what you do!

Hugs & Stitches

Two Lovely Exchanges

I took part in 2 recent exchanges on the HOE blog and this morning I received this gorgeously cute snowman ornament from Carol …isn’t he sweet…thank you so much Carol I adore him…

and from Becky this lovely lavender filled pillow for the Prairie Schooler Season’s Exchange…I love it and it smells divine too..thank you Becky…

 

Nothing else to show I am afraid

Hugs & Stitches

S is for Spring!

Here is the lovely pillow I received from Lisa S this morning for the Spring Round on the Seasonal Exchange blog…It’s a Prairie Schooler design…finished with a beautiful beaded edging…thank you Lisa it’s PERFECT!!

I had a childfree weekend just gone and therefore managed to catch up on chores and had the time to frame this piece for my bathroom..I had framed it earlier but the frame decided to fall apart…lol…so hence a new one, I wouldn’t usually choose chrome but all my bathroom accessories are chrome so it matches…as the design was more square than rectangle I added some ric-rac top and bottom..its a bit like waves :0)

I also managed to make up my 2 exchange pieces and my monthly challenge piece for the NCH board. They will be revealed at a later date. I worked a bit on my BBD Prairie House and started one of the teacher gifts for the end of the term. I also completed the knitting on 2 of the 4 scarves…just need to make and attach the tassels and then I will take a few piccies for you to see.

I was organised yesterday and put all my speciality threads into floss bags and I catalogued them along with my charts so that I know what colours I have when kitting up a project. I have them all arranged in order in one of those small plastic drawer units…much easier to find now!

Hugs & Stitches

Quaker Biscornu

I received this beautiful biscornu ornament from Roberta in the mail today for the Quaker Christmas exchange on the HOE blog.

isn’t it pretty…I love the colours and design and the pretty personalisation.Thank you Roberta I will treasure it.

Hugs & Stitches

Elisa x

L*K Exchanges & A Little Progress

I received this gorgeous pinkeep this morning from Nan for the second round on the Lizzie*Kate exchange…it’s “Time to Sow” it’s in opalescent fabric with the prettiest daisy trim and cutest butterfly button…thank you Nan I love it!

This is what I sent to Nan…

Lizzie Kate “Spring Boxer”

32c Murano Ivory with DMC threads as charted

Finished as a pinkeep

I had a new start on Sunday…the next piece from “The Stitcher’s Journey” book…couldn’t resist!

Hopefully I will have more exchange pieces to show you soon…as they arrive to their new owners!

Hugs & Stitches