Frosty Friday!

Its cold and frosty here this morning, but lovely and sunny and bright….I have the time to update my blog this morning as my kitchen is currently out of bounds due to the decorator being in there…wallpapering as I type!

I have managed some progress on two of my WIPs and my current UFO, plus I have knitted up another dishcloth.

Firstly my progress on my Witch School Sampler, which I am stitching as my SAL piece for the Sampler Girl SAL over at Needlecraft Haven, I have had quite a slow start on this one….but completed most of the dress on Wednesday evening so I am finally off and running!

Secondly Milady’s Needle “A Gift From A Friend” this chart was gifted to me at Christmas by my wonderful friend Michelle, I stitched this Sunday evening whilst enjoying Call the Midwife and Birdsong.

Tuesday Evening is my UFO stitching evening, I re-started LHN Prairie Moon Sampler, I had forgotten what a lovely stitch it is, I have swapped some of the thread colours around slightly…

I knitted up another dishcloth, I used Lily’s Sugar & Cream cotton yarn…the colours are divine….I will have lots of lovely new dishcloths for my lovely new kitchen :0)

I spend some time researching for my next Uni assignment, it’s a bigger essay this time on one particular subject, something to get my teeth stuck into…as they say. I am struggling where to start on it to be honest but this evening I think I will just start writing and see how I get on, often that’s my trouble it’s just the getting started, once I’m off then it does flow…finger’s crossed anyhow!

I hope to be back sometime early next week, if I don;t get lost under all my notes…lol

Have a great weekend!

Hugs & Stitches

Stitching Progress, Essay Marks, A Gift & Exchanges!

I managed a load of stitching over the weekend on "`Tis the Gift”, I have really enjoyed stitching this piece so far, not sure I will get much more done this week on it though as it’s a busy one, but more of that later on…

Today is Sally’s birthday and I wanted to stitch her a little gift…

Bent Creek “Red Winged Blackbird”

28c Jobelan “Olive” – DMC threads own choice

Sally has emailed me to say she loves it, I am so pleased, hope you have a wonderful day Sally, you deserve it!

I received my mark back for my second assignment and it was a re-write of one part of my first essay plus a reflective commentary, I received a total mark for my first assignment of 60 out of 100 (28 of those for the essay I had to re-write) I was pleased with this score as it was more first academic written piece for 22 years…but I have to say I am cock-a-hoop at my second assignment score of 82! so all the work and hours I am putting in are paying off. It’s poetry week this week, I have a tutorial tomorrow evening followed by Christmas drinkies with my fellow students…so looking forward to that!

You can see why my week is busy, studying this evening, Martha’s trial morning at nursery school & tutorial tomorrow evening, baking Wednesday for Isaac’s Christmas party on Thursday and the school Christmas Nativity performance in the evening, Isaac is a villager and has a speaking part too…Friday is the last day of school until January 4th so I want to get all the wrapping done so that little eyes cannot peek!

Finally exchanges….I have stopped all the big exchange groups now, but I do miss exchanging with fellow stitchers, so in 2012 I would like to do some private exchanges with stitching friends old and new. I would like to do 4 of these throughout the year (March, June, September & December)…this would be just a stitched piece exchange not lots of extras as I am aware of the postal costs rising up and up. If you would be interested in exchanging with me in private please leave a comment on this post stating which month would interest you and also leave your email address so I can contact you. I will do a draw if I have a number of exchangers for one particular month, I may even exchange with 2 people each round. I will do the draw  in a weeks time on 19th December.

I do hope that you would like to join me on this…

Oh and just one more picture of little Miss Poser…

Thanks for visiting today…

Hugs & Stitches

Just A Little…

stitching progress this week, to be honest I’m not sure where the week has gone…I managed a couple of hours on `Tis the Gift last night whilst watching Living With The Amish, what a fascinating programme it is, I am so enjoying it, I just admire and love the simplicity of their lives, I could quite happily live like they do.

The Christmas gift shopping is almost complete, just a few little gifts to get now, I have wrapped most of them too, just little ladies to do…when she is not around.

Martha starts nursery school in January so I will have 2 full days (school hours) and an afternoon childfree to do my studying, which will mean I won’t have to fit it all in during the evenings, hence leaving more time for stitching….I have really missed having my stitching time each evening. Not that I will have every evening as I will be looking around for a job in the New Year, Wes will be moving in with us early next year and once we know what hours he will be working then I can find a little part-time job to work around them. It will be nice to get out to work again…I have worked from the age of 15 until 37 years old and I have missed it.

Well the housework and washing is done, so I intend to have a lazy evening with some stitching…maybe I will start on Mother Hens…

Have a great weekend whatever you decide to do..

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

More This & That!

I’ve managed to do some stitching this past week, not as much as I would have liked…due to a bad headache which lasted the week…I went for an eye test yesterday, but my eye’s haven't changed really, so I trip to the doctors is on the cards this week. My Mum thinks I have overdosed on medication and now it’s not working and just poisoning my system, so I am not taking any even though there is a slight headache above my right eye, I am persevering on just using tiger balm on my temples to ease it…

Wednesday was TSG SAL night at NCH and I stitched some more on “Pleasant Hill”, if I get a good evening of stitching this week, I hope this will be a HD!

I have spent most of the week stitching this beauty, it’s a birthday gift for my Mum, I was going to do her the L*K Secret Garden, but she saw a needleroll I had done for a friend and fell in love with it, so I decided to do one for her. It’s “April Rose” needleroll by Heirloom Embroideries, it appeared in GOSM April 2008, I changed the colours to suit my Mum’s tastes. I have liked this as it’s included new stitches, including woven crosses and spider web stitches…which look so lovely when wanting to stitch roses, just another row of roses to do and a  little back stitch then this will be all ready to finish up.

Barb sent me this gorgeous design a while ago as I had admired it on her blog, I haven’t used the asked for colours, but adapted it with Carries Creation threads….

I have chosen my fabric now for my 2 new projects, I am stitching them both on 40c natural linen, the first time on 40c…good job I have my daylight lamp!!

I have joined Carol’s mystery SAL and I have chosen to stitch my piece with Dinky Dyes silk “Peter Pan”

Finally…I purchased some lovely fabrics from eBay this week….the larger green rose fabric is to make up my TSG “in the Garden with Jane Austen” finish from a while ago….cushion or bag…not quite decided yet!! The red gingham is for my Christmas stitching and the others just had to be bought to warrant postage…lol…my excuse anyhow!

Nothing planned this week as yet, let’s hope the weather improves so we can all actually get outside….the kids now have a new trampoline in the garden…so they will be happy on that for a few days….I need to cut the grass…once it dries out that is.

Had notification from the OU that my textbooks have been despatched…exciting!!

Thanks for visiting my blog today….I appreciate your time and your comments!

Hugs & Stitches

WIP’s Progress

Not a very imaginative title but it does what it says on the tin!!

I have been busy stitching some exchange pieces and a birthday gift so the WIP’s have suffered slightly this past week..

Firstly my progress on BBD “Prairie House” from the Stitcher’s Journey booklet

Secondly my progress on TSG “Sense & Sensibility” Sampler, this shows the past 2 Wednesday’s progress as I forgot to take a picture last week, it is about half way completed now…

Thirdly…I started a new Carriage House Sampling’s SAL over at Needlecraft Haven…I am stitching “The Gingham Dog & Calico Cat” this is Sunday evening’s progress…not a lot but better than nothing.

I had a bit of eBay sales money left so decided to buy few bits and bobs…firstly some bright Debbie Bliss cotton yarn to make some dishcloths…my others are now well used so replacements will soon be needed…the colours look a lot brighter “in real life” teal, fuchsia, apple green and bright blue! I ordered this from Meadow Yarn on Tuesday so very swift service and a lovely teabag on the invoice too…a lovely touch!

Finally I ordered 2 charts from Thread Bear (unfortunately they have had to order them from America for me)

I saw this design finished up as a pillow on Margaret’s blog and I knew straight away I wanted needed to stitch it…

M Designs “Miss Mary Mac's Pins & Needles Pincushion”

The other design is from my own wish list…

I just adore this one….:0)

Well better stop nattering and finish off today’s chores…lol

Have a great Thursday

Thanks for visiting my blog!

Hugs & Stitches

Good Friday

An obvious title I know…

The weather here is glorious and has been the past week…we have been busy out and about and also getting sorting in the house. I have managed some stitching…

Wednesday was TSG SAL night on Needlecraft Haven and I managed some progress, I finished the house which seemed an never ending task..

I have also been busy stitching my BBD Prairie House, I love this piece, the colours are so subtle and delicate

Martha decided she wanted a photo taken…and then she changed her mind…

Here are some of the felt Easter egg ornaments I made for friends and family…

Hoping that you all have a fabulous Easter weekend and the sun shines on you and yours!

Hugs & Stitches

In Love….

….with these gorgeous books which arrived in the mail this morning from Michelle…

I have had a quick flick through them…OMG so many to stitch…which one will be first I wonder!

As promised yesterday…here is my progress on “Home of a Needleworker”…as you can see, it’s almost completed…just the top and bottom borders to finish…that could be this evenings stitching, then it’s all done. I have swapped the charted threads around on this one…but I like how they look.

My parents are having the kids this afternoon…so the second coat of paint will go on the bathroom walls and if I have the time the last coat of satinwood will go onto the tongue and groove…then it’ll almost be done :0)

Hugs & Stitches

Party time….and nearly a HD!!

The children had been invited to a joint birthday party yesterday…which they both really enjoyed…here are the gifts I made for the two birthday girls…I embroidered the initials, hearts and flowers freehand…the bags contain a selection of glittery nail polishes and groovy eye colours…perfect for young ladies!!

I have been working on two of my WIP’s this week along with secret stitching which I cannot show yet…my Lizzie*Kate Double Flips was a UFO but as you can see it’s almost a HD now…just the last word and the border to complete…it’s my aim to complete this piece during the week…this has been an on and off WIP/UFO for 2 years so it will be a relief to finish it…!

My other WIP progress this week is my LHN “Home of a Needleworker” which I am SO loving stitching…I have just started on the house…which is a great stitch when wanting to watch something “good” on the TV as I don’t need to do lots of counting and thread changes…

Martha is back to full health now…and is eating everything in sight…making up for the 5 day's without food! She wanted to pose this morning whilst I had my camera out to take my progress pictures…she loves this new top I bought her…it says “Mummy says I’ve got the X-Factor!”

 

Not much going on today, the wind has died down but it’s wet, dark and miserable here, but at least the temperature has increased…it certainly makes a big difference. The washing and ironing is all done..just the Sunday dinner to prepare…turkey dinner today with all the trimmings…yummy…:0)

Have a great 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