Soggy…Soggy…Soggy!

That is what this past week has been about…soggy feet, soggy grass, wet clothes…..the rain just hasn’t subsided…..until today…it is sunny so far today, so the washing is on the line…not blowing as it is still and humid but at least it’s not hung around the house in the vain hope it will dry!

I have a little finish to show you…I am trying to complete all my little UFO’s, before I start anything else…

Shepherd’s Bush – Be Happy

Fabric: 28c Jayne’s Attic Hand dyed linen – Aster

Threads: DMC

Started: 27-2-12 – Completed: 24-6-12

I’ve also managed a little progress on my other Shepherd's Bush UFO ‘Sophie’s Roses’, I’m using my own choice of threads on this, Carries Creations!

I’ve made a start on my July Christmas Ornament too…and my Private Exchange piece for Jo…I’ve also done a little of my crochet throw…it’s growing slowly!!

I spent an enjoyable day in school last Saturday, handling real artefacts which had been loaned to us by York Archaeological Trust, real Roman concrete and Viking spindle whurls and flint arrowheads…fantastic! We had enjoyable lectures on Baptismal fonts throughout history too!

A quiet weekend here, the kiddiewinks are spending the day at Grandma’s and Grandpa’s today and then it’s school mass tomorrow and then home for a relaxing Sunday afternoon.

Have a great weekend whatever your plans and whatever the weather!

Hugs & Stitches

Making Up & Short Stories

I spent a little time at the start of the week, making up my two recent small stitching finishes, I finished them both as little pillows…

I added a little red rose button, strawberry backing fabric, red cording and a red bow to the Strawberries and Bunny finish..

The Shepherd's Bush “Be True”, I added 3 teeny tiny heart buttons, pink trim and used some pretty rose fabric to finish as a long pillow…

I have started putting together my 400 post mystery giveaway package……………..which is fun in itself!

No other stitching has been achieved this week, I had a tutorial Tuesday evening and I spent last night studying too…we are studying Cultural Encounters and Exemptions, the set book for this section is this…

………it is a wonderful book, full of brilliantly written short stories, I would recommend it to anyone.

I hope to put a few stitches into my March Christmas Ornament this evening and tomorrow night is my BBD SAL with Michelle :0)

Back soon with some progress pictures for you!

Hugs & Stitches

The End of A Long & Busy Week…

Wow it’s been one of those stinkers of a week, I have been feeling dreadful, with the most awful headaches, backache and generally feeling rotten, I finally managed to get an appointment with the GP yesterday…getting an appointment at my surgery is nigh on impossible, anyway I had the full check over, prodded, poked, everything tested and looked at….anyway I have a viral infection….which in layman’s terms I took to mean “we have obviously no idea what is wrong with you!”, they prescribed rest…yeah right, being on my own with a 7 and 3 year old….as if that is going to happen!

Anyway, the backache has slightly decreased today, I still have a headache…I had my eyes tested just before Christmas so I know that isn’t the problem, so I will just have to “sit it out” and see what happens.

I managed to submit my next assignment on Wednesday, 1500 words split into two assignments one about a Benin bronze artefact and and the other on museum displays…mmmm exciting eh!

Well…..onto nicer stitchy and knitty stuff, the kids were at their Dad’s last weekend so once I had done my daily 4 hours of study I managed some knitting and stitching, firstly 3 washcloths…3 different patterns, a garter striped one, a stocking and garter stitch square and a box waffle type one, all knitted in Lily Sugar & Cream.

I have been mainly working on larger projects and I was getting the finish itch, so I kitted up a few smalls, that I could finish quickly to satisfy my craving for a finish or two..

Shepherd's Bush – Be True

Fabric: 28c Belfast Linen – Antique Ivory

Threads: Six Strand Sweet – Huckleberry Cobbler, Mojitos, Gooseberry Compote, White Peach, Very Berry, Mulberry Wine & Oatmeal Cookies

Started 26.2.12 – Finished 27.2.12

I haven’t decided on how to finish it yet….

Primitive Betty’s – Strawberries & Bunny free design

Fabric: 32c evenweave – Light Mocha

Threads: DMC

Started 25.2.12 – Finished 26.2.12

I managed a little progress on my UFO..

I also kitted up my March Christmas Ornament for the monthly SAL too

Talking of SAL’s. Michelle and I start our new one this evening, we will stitch every Friday on it, we are stitching BBD Ann’s Sewing Tray, from the Schoolgirls Work book.

I also sent out the first of my private exchanges for the year to Mouse, I will reveal it when it arrives safely to Mousehouse :0)

Finally….(thank goodness I hear you say!), it was World Book Day yesterday and Martha had to dress up for nursery as a storybook character…she decided she would be Snow White for the day…

….also Isaac was delighted this week as he received a reply to a letter he sent to Julia Donaldson (author of The Gruffalo), it was handwritten by her and she answered all the questions…how fantastic eh!

Well thanks for reading and if you have got this far…you are certainly doing well!

Have a great weekend whatever you do!

Hugs & Stitches

Packed Post

Lots of things to show you…so I will keep the wording on the light side….firstly I can reveal my exchange received and sent for the Summer Holiday Exchange on the “Stitched With Love Exchange” blog…this is what I received from April…

and this is what I sent to Shannon…

I stitched Tanya’s freebie “To The Beach” using hand-dyed linen and Crescent Colour threads and edged it in ruched ribbon.

I finally got around to making up some pillows today..

I did have a little spurge at my favourite shop yesterday….a mug in a tin, sewing scissors in a case, vintage buttons (used on the pillows), a fat quarter bundle and some green/rosebud fabric (used for the garden pillow)

No more writing…it’s getting late…have a good Monday

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

Silly Me…

I received some stash yesterday and forgot to share it with you…Su was selling some Shepherd’s Bush charts and at least 2 of them were on my wish list so when she said they were still available I was a very happy bunny..

The charts were Bramble Hearth, Spring Folio, Spring & English Garden, the big decision is which one to do first…lol

I also ordered some charts from Carol at iStitch charts…she does some lovely designs…if you haven’t seen them..please go and check them out.

My knee is slightly less stiff and swollen today..so I may do a bit of pottering around.

Hugs & Stitches

TGIS….

Wow what a long week it seems to have been here…a sad week too, one of my friends sadly lost her fight against ovarian cancer on Wednesday, she was a truly wonderful and kind girl who touched everyone's lives. She leaves behind her husband and 2 boys aged 6 and 3, at 34 she was so young to lose her fight, with so many cruel and evil people in the world it just seems so unfair that a kind and loving young lady is taken so soon. The tributes on the dedicated Facebook page which her husband has set up is such a joy to read, she touched so many people’s lives in a positive way. What a great way to be remembered :) God Bless you Pip xx

Right onto happier notes…I did receive some stash this week…”again!” I hear you say…lol well not all the stash I wanted as unfortunately 3 of the charts I wanted are out of print/discontinued (so I will be putting them on my wishlist in the hope someone may have a copy lurking in their chart stash)

Here is the parcel which arrived from Thread Bear…all tied up in tissue with a red ribbon…(that has been added to my trimmings box for future use)..

             …and here is what was inside the package…

BBD “Summer Iris”, SB “Devon Hedge”, “Herb Garden” & “Juniper”, also some lovely fabric with berries on…I saw it and loved it immediately and 3 pinwheels for those essential finishes :~).

Now that is it for stash purchases for a good while…(well maybe!!)

I have almost finished by secret stitching piece and am half way through my new start….I have 3 exchange pieces to start on to, 2 of them for my favourite season…Autumn :~) I think that is because I am an autumn baby, born in October, I love the colours, the reds, rusts, oranges and browns…beautiful.

I expect a quiet weekend, just the usual washing, ironing etc and hopefully some stitching….BUT the most exciting part of the weekend is……………………..X-FACTOR IS BACK!! HURRAH!!

Have fun and happy stitching

Hugs & Stitches

Elisa x