Dishcloths, Teacups and Churches!

I have been busy knitting up some dishcloths this past week, these ones are knitted with some Debbie Bliss cotton I had in my yarn box…

I treated myself to these this week…..scrummy colours almost good enough to eat :0)!

and also this….but it is not for drinking my tea out of, I am going to make a teacup pincushion, I have found the rose design, so I will kit that up later today…

A new stitchy start was made this week…CCN “Sheep in the Meadow”

I spent Thursday sitting in a coffee shop reading my study text books and visiting a medieval church…the church The Holy Trinity, has been on the site since the 11th Century, but the building you see dates from 15th Century, it’s so beautiful and quiet inside…if you want to find out more read here or the Churches Conservation Trust has information too.

Not much more to show, I have some studying on Dmitri Shostakovich the Russian Composer to do this afternoon, an afternoon spent listening to music….I am working on my next assignment which is a big one so I may not be around for a few weeks. I received my score for my last assignment and got 21 marks above the pass mark, so it’s going in the right direction…up…up…up!

I hope to have time to do some stitching later too…enjoy your weekend and thanks to all my readers, commenters and followers!

Hugs & Stitches

Life Begins!

at 40 so they say…..it was my 40th birthday yesterday and I had a nice day spent with friends and family….here are pictures of the gifts I received.

A framed photo and notebook from Martha, some passion fruit shower gel and body spray and a trinket tray with roses on the bottom from Isaac…he chose it himself after smelling every one in Boots…lol and a Dove gift set from my friend Gail.

Lovely gifts from my friends…the choccie and wine didn't last very long!

Mum and Dad gave me money to take to the stitching show at Harrogate but wanted me to have something to open….a lovely rosebud mug and coaster and tin (perfect for a packet of digestive biscuits), also some fairy lights to wrap around my bedstead…

From Michelle I received this lovely pinkeep (gorgeous isn't it), a Miss Mary Mac needle case chart and some hand dyed linen…thank you Michelle 

From Sally this dainty pillow with my year of birth on it….just perfect..thank you Sally.

I also received money from my grandparents for the Harrogate fund and lots of lovely cards and messages too.

Stitching….I have finished and made up my giveaway piece…it closes tomorrow so if you haven't entered yet…you can here. I have also started a new piece which is for Martha’s birthday (or Christmas if it isn't done my mid November), it’s Princess Parade by CCN…such girly colours.

I have been to my first tutorial this evening, it was great to spend time discussing subjects in depth…I am so going to enjoy this module.

Time to head to the land of nod now….night night!

Hugs & Stitches

Back and Forth…

That’s what I will be doing to school the next few days, little soldier has gone back this morning, just for half days…my the time I’ve got to school and back it’s time to turn around and go and collect him…lol…it’s even slower as little miss is walking dawdling….so it takes twice as long! But he was happy to be back today…and so was I, his teacher is sending the afternoon work home with him so he can do that later with me…last thing I want is him falling behind with his schoolwork. I have managed to do the polishing, vacuuming & mopping downstairs, make the beds and the washing…in the past 90 minutes…so good going I think!

On to stitching…..firstly my iStitch mystery SAL piece, which I re-started as the 40c linen I was using didn’t have an “even weave” so it looked distorted…very tall and narrow….not square as it should do. I am now using 32c Murano Vanilla, with GAST “Rhubarb” and stitching 1 over 1, it’s tiny but I love it….

I have tried in vain to upload the special unclickable picture which Carol sent to me…but with no success…but you can see all the SAL pieces over at Carol’s blog…here

I finished my next TSG SAL piece, it was a really quick stitch and only took 3 evenings…

The Sampler Girl “A Little Bird’s Tea”

Sugar Maple Hand dyed linen (unsure of the count)

GAST & DMC threads

I am finishing this as a bedpost hanging pillow, I post a picture once completed….talking of completing…I have about 10 finished pieces to frame, make up into cushions, hangings etc., so hopefully I will be able to have a making up day very soon.

My next SAL peice for the TSG SAL is…

I will make a start on Wednesday evening…so will be able to post progress soon….

I have completed an exchange piece too, but cannot share this with you…tonight is Lizzie*Kate SAL night so some more work on 12 Blessings will be done.

A wonderful spell is floating in from the kitchen of a roasting chicken crown with a garlic and rosemary marinade…mmmm will be having that for dinner this evening with all the trimmings, roasties, veggies, gravy and Yorkshire Puddings of course!

I made a good start on some studies over the weekend, the module doesn’t officially start until 1st October, but I’m trying to get ahead with some reading, I read the chapter on Cleopatra which is part of my first assignment, made some notes and watched the DVD material too, along with the 1963 Elizabeth Taylor epic! I try to do at least 30 minutes to and hour of reading each evening…

Have a great week!

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

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

Sunday, Sunshine & Stitching!

Wow what fantastic few days we have had “up north” the weather has been glorious….warm sunny days with a gentle breeze making it so comfortable to enjoy it.

I have had a child free weekend so have spent most of it “spring cleaning” sorting out clothes, wardrobes, cupboard etc…bagging all the old clothes for the charity shops and generally having a great sort out….it feels good to have a de-clutter!

My bathroom is almost finished, I put the new shower curtain and pictures up yesterday, my Dad is coming later today armed with electric drill etc to put up my new bathroom cabinet and shelf unit…( I would have usually done it myself, but my drill has disappeared and also the cabinet is going on a wall with tiles on) then all my lovely new seaside trinkets (lighthouse, driftwood yacht, beach hut, shells etc) can take pride of place…also I hope to have this finished and framed by next weekend to hang in there too…

As soon as I saw this piece in BBD A Stitcher’s Journey, I knew I had to stitch it for my new bathroom…I have chosen a greeny/blue hand-dyed fabric and Crescent Colours floss “Caribbean Waters”…the bright sunlight doesn’t really give the true colours…it is stitching up so quickly…only 2 evenings I have spent on this and I am over half way though it…so finger’s crossed a few more evenings it should be ready to frame!

Wednesday night was TSG SAL night at Needlecraft Haven, so I managed to made a little progress on my Sense & Sensibility sampler…not as much as I would have hoped due to a nasty headache…but I did manage to complete the green border ready to build the house inside it!

 

School Easter break starts tomorrow, so lots of activities need to be found for the little monsters cherubs…hope you all have a fantastic rest of Sunday.

Hugs & Stitches

123 Go!!…Maybe Not!!

It’s not been a fun few days here, Martha has been quite poorly, she started with an upset tummy on Saturday but was perky in herself, but by late Sunday evening she started vomiting which continued half hourly throughout the night and half way through Monday..I had to wash 4 sets of bedding and clothes etc in a no sleep state…lol. She still was bringing water back yesterday evening so I made a call to the out of doors doctors, they asked us to take her to the hospital immediately as she was at risk of dehydration. This was about 8.30pm, so we had to wake up Isaac and take him to my parents to sleep the night there and then head over to the hospital, they saw her straight away, gave her a full check over and asked that we try to get as much fluid into her as we could…difficult with a 2 year old who just doesn’t want to. Anyhow she is a bit perkier today and has drunk over a cup of juice and water, she’s still not eaten and is very sleepy and crying a lot more than the past few days, which I feel is a good sign. Let’s hope she has another good nights sleep and is brighter tomorrow.

Now onto something better…

I have a second finish of the year (the first cannot be revealed yet!)

It’s “Blueberry Tea” from the Shepherd’s Bush “Bramble Hearth” chart leaflet which I bought from Su’s stash sale! I loved stitching this and can’t wait to stitch the rest of them too!

Shepherd’s Bush “Blueberry Tea”

28c Jobelan Jayne’s Attic hand-dyed “Lily of the Valley”

DMC threads as charted

Started 14th January 2011

Finished 24th January 2011

I have done a bit of work on 2 of my WIP’s

Needlecraft Haven forum are currently running a SAL for The Sampler Girl designs, I have oodles of them to stitch, so I decided to join in…I will be starting “In the Garden with Jane Austen”…I am stitching it on 28c Jobelan Jayne’s Attic hand-dyed “Dick Whittington Streets of Gold” using my own choice of Dragon Floss and DMC threads…

  I will be back later in the week….with more updates I hope..

Hugs & Stitches

Two Exchanges for Lisa

I received Lisa as my partner for 2 exchanges this month, so I stitched them both and sent them as one package to Australia.

The first piece is for the Seasonal Exchange

SanMan Original’s May Newsletter Freebie

28c Jobelan evenweave

DMC Threads

Finished as a beaded edged pillow

The second piece is for the Lizzie *Kate Exchange

Lizzie*Kate “Liberty” Design Booklet

28c pastel blue Jobelan evenweave

DMC Threads

Finished as a pinkeep

I have been busy around the house and garden again the past weekend. Mark and I put venetian blinds up in the lounge and kitchen, there are 2 windows in each room, so that took some time as I had to trim them all too.

I also planted up a large pot to put by the front door, unfortunately the past tenants had grafitti’d the brickwork at one side of the front door, cleaning has not brought it off, so I have put up willow trellis and planted a climbing variegated ivy in the pot and started the climber up it, along with some lavender and violas, so within a few months the “artwork” should be covered by lovely foliage.

I have never really been into gardening before but the planting bug has hit me…I suppose it’s different when the garden is your own!!

I have used some of my PayPal funds from my recent chart sale to purchase a pretty design and threads for stitching for Martha’s birthday..I am using a piece of hand-dyed fabric, DMC and Crescent Colour threads. I may have to pop a few stitches in it this evening…!!

It’s Isaac's sports day tomorrow, let’s hope the rain stays away and the sun shines for them…I promise to take some pictures!

Have fun in the sunshine

Hugs & Stitches

Elisa x