Two…..Yes TWO HDs!

I finished two pieces this week and am delighted with myself as I have also (with the help of my parents babysitting) draft written the first part of my third assignment on Michael Faraday.

My first finish is the Sew Mystery SAL by Carol…

iSitch “Sew Mystery”

32c Murano “Vanilla” with GAST “Rhubarb”

Stitched with one thread over one

Started 30th August 2011 – Finished 7th November 2011

I received the bonus pin pillow chart from Carol which I will stitch soon, I will finish this onto a little wooden stitcher’s box, which my Dad currently has to varnish for me.

My second finish is…

CCN “Princess Parade”

Jayne’s Attic Hand-dyed 28c evenweave “Snapdragon”

GAST, Crescent Colours, DMC threads as charted but swapped around slightly.

Started 12th October 2011 – Finished 9th November 2011

I framed it earlier today in a simple white frame and added some fun flower shaped buttons!

A quiet night in with my stitching this evening, I have a friend who has her 3rd little one due early December, so a second Lizzie*Kate “Bless the Baby” piece in 2 months will be stitched this weekend. She hasn’t found out the sex of the baby so I am using baby blue, pink, green, lemon and lilac…to cover all the options…lol!

Have a great weekend whatever your plans!

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

SAL HD & Scissors

I finished my 7th Sampler Girl design of the year, I just love stitching Tanya’s designs…this is my fourth piece in the TSG SAL over at Needlecraft Haven…

The Sampler Girl “Just Married, The Jane Austen Way”

28c Polstitches Hand-dyed evenweave (not sure what colour)

DMC threads as charted, but adapted slightly

Started 7th September 2011 – Finished 8th October 2011

Carol emailed out part 6 of her lovely SAL yesterday, I stitched it straight away….this weeks part was a lovely scissors motif..

Thanks for visiting my blog today…

Hugs & Stitches

2 Finishes and SAL Progress

I have managed to do some stitching this week, not as much as I would have liked to..but alas life interrupted as always…here is my first little finish…I loved stitching this…

Des Fille et une Aigulles “Amitie” Freebie

28c Ivory evenweave

GAST “Cherry Wine” & CC “Cherry Tomato”

Started 20th September 2011 – Finished 24th September 2011

I have finished number four of my L*K 12 Blessings…”Charity”

Carol sent out part 5 of the iStitch SAL last night, I sat and stitched that earlier today, as I am stitching over 1 on 32c, I have to stitch during the daytime WITH my daylight lamp on too…it’s a lovely design, I’m so enjoying it.

Wednesday night was TSG SAL over at Needlecraft Haven, I made a little more progress on “Just Married, The Jane Austen Way”…

I received my tutor information yesterday and my first tutorial which is next Saturday…also a welcome email from my tutor arrived today too…it all seems so real now.

My stitching and blogging will be taking a back seat as I get used to fitting in 16 hours of study each week…but I am really looking forward to getting “stuck” in now!

Keep checking back for a birthday giveaway very soon….

Thanks for visiting my blog today

Hugs & Stitches

SAL Progress!

I have managed some stitching this week, not as much as I would have liked….but life gets in the way sometimes!

Firstly I have just stitched the fourth part for the iStitch SAL, I am stitching this over 1 on 32 count, you can see how small it is by the needle!

I also managed some stitching on my TSG SAL piece too..

I ordered a new chart from Tanya yesterday…as soon as I saw it I just had to have it…”The Witch School Sampler 1821”…I ordered the CC & GAST required and a few other bits too…rude not to…don’t you think!

Isaac had his cast taken off his foot on Thursday, he is tentatively walking around, he had a bath this morning which removed a lot of the dry blood etc. which made it look a lot better, but I am still being bandage nurse as he won’t put socks and shoes on without a bandage, so we have compromised…bandage during the day….fresh air to it on an evening and overnight to aid the healing!

We took a walk around to the local shops, usually a 25 minute round trip….55 minutes today, but at least he is up and moving around!

I booked my ticket to go to the Stitching Show at Harrogate in November, I am going with my lovely friends Michelle & Kath…should be a fantastic day out :0)

Another X Factor double bill weekend, plus Downton Abbey is back tomorrow evening and Spooks…I love the autumn, lots of great TV and more time to get snuggly & cosy and do lots of stitching!

Watch out for a giveaway coming soon to celebrate my 40th Birthday in 3 weeks time!

Have a great weekend!

Hugs & Stitches

A Little Progress

Firstly here is my progress on my iStitch SAL piece, I am loving stitching this design, I’m using 32c Murano “Vanilla” and GAST “Rhubarb” and stitching 1 over 1, it is so tiny & delicate…

Secondly a small amount of progress on my next TSG SAL piece..”Just Married, The Jane Austen Way” I am using hand dyed fabric and the recommended DMC threads!

Isaac is back at the hospital tomorrow to have his bandages & stitches removed, it will be exciting to see how his “new toe” will look!

The wind has finally died down here, but it is very cold but sunny and bright, I have hung some washing out on the line, but it doesn't;t seem to be moving at all…lol!

Thank you for all your lovely comments in regard to my pillows I finished up over the weekend…I really appreciate them!

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

Finally a Start

I have finally made a start on my Lizzie*Kate Lover SAL “12 Blessings”, I am stitching it as 12 separate pieces to make up as ornaments…I chose “Love” first…I’m stitching them all on 32c Murano “Taupe” with the recommended DMC threads.

I sent a little RAK to my lovely treasured friend Michelle this week….for for her being her…lol

Threadworks Primitive freebie “Pins Wreath”

28c Brittney “Lilac” DMC threads of own choice

Finished as a pinkeep

I joined Carol’s iStitch mystery SAL….here is my progress

I’m stitching it on 40c natural linen with Dinky Dyes Silk “Peter Pan”…and oh wow how tricky to stitch on this 40c…lol

Well managed to do some study reading this past few evenings, childfree today so I have caught up with household and garden chores and this afternoon I have watched the first half of Cleopatra with Liz Taylor whilst stitching…studying and stitching together…perfect multitasking if I do say so myself.

I have also booked myself a ticket at the theatre to see a production of Dr Faustus which is one of the subjects in my module, I haven;t been to the theatre for years and last time was to see Grease the musical!!

Tonight is Chinese takeaway, stitching and…yes it’s back X FACTOR!!!!!!…yeehaaa!

Have fun whatever you do….thank you as always for visiting and commenting on my blog, it is really 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