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

Almost A Week…

….since I last posted….some stitching has taken place, but not a lot I hasten to add. I have finished a small birthday gift which of course I cannot reveal until after the day and also made a start on a little birth sampler for my friend, who has asked me to stitch it for her sister who has a little girl due in November, it is all ready apart from the name and date information which I will stitch once she has been born.

I have worked some more on Princess Parade…

with the progress I am making, I’m hopeful it will be ready for Martha’s birthday late November.

Becky has let me know that the piece I stitched for her for the Seasonal Exchange blog has arrived…

Bent Creek “Autumn House”

28c Brittney Mushroom – DMC, GAST & WDW threads

Finished as a hanging ornament with an acorn button!

I have a busy week ahead, my first assignment is due to be submitted by the end of the week, I have prepared my first drafts, my Mum has kindly said she will take little Miss Martha one day for me so I can get a solid 4 hours on the re-write and bibliography…thank goodness, I feel less stressed now I know that I have that extra time childfree.

I have a new gentleman in my life, we have been “seeing” each other a while but I wanted to keep it quiet until I knew it was going to be a “real” thing….and yes it is :0)! The kids love him and he loves the kids too, which is very important…and now to make you jealous he is 7 years younger than me…so yes a toyboy…lol…life certainly does begin at 40!

X-Factor, takeaway and a bottle with my man this evening…what more does a girl need!

Enjoy your weekend….

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

Just A Quickie

To show you an exchange piece which I sent to Bernadette for the Fall Pyn Keepe Exchange over at the HOE blog…

Waxing Moon freebie “Autumn Blackbird”

28c Brittney “Olive” with DMC threads

Finished as a pinkeep

Also a picture of my TSG “Just Married” SAL progress from last Wednesday…just a couple more evenings on this should complete it.

A BIG thank you for all your comments on my previous post…I would really miss blogging and sharing my stitching and ramblings with you all!

I have cut all my exchange stitching out and will just be stitching for myself for the time being…just one exchange piece to complete in the next few days.

My University Induction Day last Saturday was great, I met lots of great people, my tutor and most of my tutor group and a few of us (in real student style) went to the pub afterwards! My first tutorial is next Tuesday evening followed by a day school on 22nd October with a field trip to the Art Gallery!

You still have time to enter my 40th Birthday giveaway here

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

This, That and the Other!!

Lots to show this post…firstly Lynn has received the exchange piece I sent to here for the Lizzie*Kate round on the Hooked on Exchanging blog…

Lizzie*Kate – Winter Crazy “Brrrr”

28c blue checked evenweave with charted DMC threads

Finished as a beaded edged hanging ornament

It was TSG SAL last night over at NCH…I managed quite a bit of stitching on it…I love the colours on this piece so subdued..

I found my new project and quite easily…it is in the new edition of GOSM, it’s the mystery sampler by Marie Suarez, it’s in 6 parts…I ordered the Valdani threads as required and I am going to attempt to stitch on 40 count for my first time ever…wish me luck!

We had a fun time yesterday at the park…a local church runs free holiday fun days in and around York…it included bouncy castles, games, crafts and face painting…

We received a date for Isaac’s little man’s operation today…3 weeks from today….he initially complained but once he found I could stay at the hospital he was quite happy…

Nasty rain here today so an indoors DVD and play day…hope you have fun whatever you!

Hugs & Stitches

Quick Stash Share

Again that mojo has gone hiding…I think I need to find a project that really makes my mouth water to kick it back in…so a search on the ‘net will commence after this short blog post.

Isaac and I had a nice day together yesterday, we went to the cinema to see Cars 2, being honest I wasn’t particularly looking forward to the film, but I hold my hands up…I was wrong, it was fantastic…very funny and the CGI and animation which is used leaves me in awe! We had a lovely Burger King lunch and then went school uniform shopping….so you can imagine how much lighter my purse was after this jaunt.

On the way back home we stopped in York centre and I went to the Viking Loom and Duttons for Buttons and picked up these lovelies..

Some lovely backing fabrics and ribbons for exchange pieces I have just completed the stitching on…some sweet Christmas tree beads and other beads for making some pins and some cute scissors, you can’t really see in the picture but they are duck egg blue with white polka dots on the….they also had them in pistachio green and pale pink….now you can imagine my dilemma at which pair to choose…lol!

I mailed off my Stitched With Love Exchange…the theme is “Summer Holiday”, it’s my first exchange in this group and I really enjoyed putting it together…

It is extremely hot and humid here today…just as I HATE it…I find this kind of weather leaves me drained and listless…hence only the bare minimum has been achieved…the kids seem less energetic too!

Right enough waffling…time to do some retail therapy to tempt that mojo back to me…have a great day!

Hugs & Stitches

It’s Back (with a vengeance)!

My stitching mojo that is….I was getting worried it had gone….never to be seen again!! I have completed 2 smalls for exchanges in the past week (I can’t share as yet), I have also done some work on my TSG SAL peice..

and my Lizzie*Kate peice….

Laura has received my Summer Exchange piece I sent to her for the Seasonal Exchange blog…

Danybrod Freebie “Printemps” changed to Summer

28c miscellaneous cream linen – DMCs own choice

Finished as a pinkeep with a ruched ribbon border

The weather has been beautiful today, so we spent the day in the garden, grass cutting and tidying this morning when it was cooler and then the children played in the paddling pool this afternoon whilst I sat and relaxed with a book….

Thanks for visiting my blog today

Hugs & Stitches

Snowman in June!!

Anne has messaged me to let me know that she has received the snowman ornament I made for her for the Perpetual Christmas Ornie Exchange on the HOE blog.

Plum Pudding Freebie “Fa-La-La”

28c hand-dyed Evenweave – DMC stitcher’s choice

Finished with a snowball (pompom) trim and jingle bells!!

I think he is a sweetie…

Busy with a couple of new projects here…SB Sophie’s Roses is all ready kitted to start, my new TSG piece is kitted to start tonight for the SAL over at NCH & I have started a ring pillow for a friend who is getting married in August, it’s white stitched on white with white beads, so thank goodness for the daylight lamp…

The other news I have here is that I have enrolled on a degree course with the Open University to hopefully start 1st October, it is a BA Honours in Humanities (Classical Studies), it will take me approximately 4-5 years, so from then my stitching time will be limited…once I have finished the degree and hoping I get the grade I need, I hope to then study for a PGCE (Post Graduate Certificate in Education) so I can become a teacher of Classics.

All exciting stuff eh!!

Will be back with a couple of piccies of some small finishes which I need to make up soon!

Hugs & Stitches

Sunday Show & Tell (photo heavy)

Wow it seems an age since I last posted to my blog, but with the half-term holidays, blogger playing up and general life I just haven’t got around to it…. I have managed some stitching though….I did finish this on Friday evening…

The Sampler Girl “Sense & Sensibility” Sampler

28c Jubilee tea-dyed by myself using the charted DMC threads

Started 25th March 2011 – Completed 3rd June 2011

For the TSG SAL at Needlecraft Haven (NCH)

My wooden cigar style boxes arrived from Craft Depot on Thursday..so yesterday (as childfree) I spent a good few hours making my first stitcher’s box, with my BBD design I finished a few weeks ago.

I used cream pearlised cording and a pretty floral fabric I had in my stash…I am really pleased how this has turned out.

    Marie has posted to the HOE blog that she has received my Prairie Schooler Season’s exchange piece which I sent to her…Edgar organised this exchange (thanks Edgar it was a fun one), our partner decided on which season they wished to receive…Marie chose Summer

Prairie Schooler “Summer” design – GOSM February 2008

28c Brittney “Olive” using the charted DMC threads

Finished as a pillow with a ruche ribbon trim

Last Sunday was reveal day for the monthly challenge over at NCH (shows how far I am behind!!)..I decided to stitch this in the blue & white colourway…finishing it as a lavender filled lace trimmed pillow for my Gran for her birthday this week.

Barb sent me a wonderful RAK a few weeks ago and then last week she also sent me the SB “Sophie’s Roses” chart she had just stitched and finished with…so I wanted to stitch a thank you for her…when I saw this little freebie chart (I have searched the net to find it but unfortunately cannot find the link) I just knew it was “Barb” as she adores sheep…I made it into a scissor/floss keep..

  

Elizabeth’s Designs Freebie “ Full Moon”

28c Beige evenweave using DMC threads of my choice

Well no more pictures…thank goodness you cry! Another childfree day today (until 4pm), so I intend to “break eggs with big stitcks”, some ironing to do, presents to wrap, grass to cut front and back, a couple of new starts to kit up….a new piece for the TSG SAL on Wednesday, I think I may do a few smaller designs to make into bedpost hanging pillows…I also am going to make a start on Sophie’s Roses, but just need to do a thread conversion on that…I also have made a start on scarf # 4 so I fit knitting in here and there….if I don’t have enough to do…!

Well waffling anymore will not get those eggs broken…have a great Sunday and enjoy it whatever you do!

Hugs & Stitches

Birthday Boy & Reveals…

Today is little man’s 7th birthday and what an excited little chap he was this morning…here are a few piccies of his present opening..

He has asked to have tea at McDonalds this evening…I have baked him a double choc cake…which I just need to ice and decorate a bit later.

I have 2 reveals I can now share…firstly my PIF to Lisa

The Sampler Girl Freebie “April Showers"

Stitched on 28c Country French Linen “Cashmere” using my choice of DMC threads

Finished as a ribbon trimmed pillow

My second reveal was my piece to Alison for the Seasonal Exchange blog Spring Round (I have used Alison’s picture as it has come out better than mine)

Caroline Hofstede freebie “Carrot Patch”

Stitched on 28c Jobelan “Moss Green” with DMC threads as charted

Finished as a hanging ornament

Thanks for reading and visiting my blog and all the wonderful comments I have received on my recent posts…I truly love to read them and greatly appreciate the time you take.

Hugs & Stitches