Monday 9 May 2016

Oooops! ( Picture Heavy Post )

Wow has it really been a month since I last posted! A lot of stitching has been happening in that time but no finishing. I'm still struggling to get going with that! Something else that has happened in the last month is my DH and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary and not only that we went away for a week and this was our view!

More about that later. Stitching first!

I've had a couple of finishes. First one is the 5th Shepherd's Fold piece.


Shepherd's Bush Shepherd's Fold Fear Not.

As kitted.


As you can see it's not made up into a needleroll yet. How lazy am I as it wouldn't take much finishing.

Second finish is my April ornament for the SAL with Barb and Chris. 


Country Cottage Needleworks Peace ( from the 2007 JCS ornament mag)

32 count Permin Riviera Olive linen.

DMC.


I will, hopefully, be starting my May one this evening and it will be from the 2014 issue.

My other SAL with Barb is, of course, the sheep SAL and we have been stitching With Thy Needle and Thread Sweet Violet. Mine is nearly finished but I ran out of thread and I could have sworn I had another skein. I don't want to order another so I'm going to see if I can match it up with DMC somehow. Fingers crossed this will be finished on Friday.

Elizabeth Jane is coming along slowly but surely. I desperately want to get this Anniversaries of the Heart piece finished as soon as but whether I will is a different matter!

My HAEDs have been getting some attention. As you may remember I joined in the second challenge on the official Facebook page and that challenge was to stitch a full page cross country using one colour at a time. Well I think this is the fastest I've finished a full page in a long, long time! You can see by my photo that I still have to go back and finish page 1.

I've done a little more on SK Dragons History.

As I had finished CCN Countdown to Christmas I started a new one to stitch in the virtual parlour with the ladies of Needlecraft Haven. Not much has been done as I only took a couple of bits away with me plus last Wednesday I ended up with a banging headache and I had to go to bed. This one is LHN Hands to Work which was a birthday gift from dear Shirlee a couple of years ago.

While we were away I had a new start. This is Tilton Crafts Always ( Alan Rickman tribute ). I was very naughty and bought it then ordered a thread pack from Thread Geeks. I have never had a thread pack before and I am so pleased with it. Anyway not much of a start as I only stitched a few hours on it. I must find a way to get it into my rotation! Can you see my needleminder? That was a gift from my surrogate sis Lisa :)

So that's all my stitchy news for now so time to tell you about our holiday!

A while ago Jess came home from work saying she'd been chatting to one of her colleagues and every year she goes to the Dumfries and Galloway area of Scotland on holiday and Jess thought it might be nice for my DH and I to go for our 30th wedding anniversary. She said she'd pay towards us going as a present. Well let's just say that I like my own bed these days but the more I looked at photos etc the more I thought let's go! So we booked a cottage called The Hen Hoose near Newton Stewart and patiently waited for the day to come. We were both dreading it a little as we were leaving the girls behind for a week and it was going to be strange without them. However we had a fantastic week, we didn't want to come back here, and we only scratched the surface of things to do. We have both decided that we're going back next year. It was so beautiful and peaceful. So here's just a few photos ( I took well over 500 and I dread to think how many DH took! ). 




















So that's all my news for this time. Hopefully it won't be a month before I post again!

Until next time.

With much love.

Sally xxxx


17 comments:

Vickie said...

Oh Happy Anniversary to you both! What a lovely, gorgeous area you seem to have visited! I loved the pictures.

Southpaw Stitcher said...

You've finished quite a few projects. Well done! Love all your photos from your Scottish holiday, especially the squirrels. They are so cute!

Mii Stitch said...

Belated Wedding Anniversary wishes :)
Lovely stitching and congrats on finishing 2 projects.
I love your colourful HAED Santa!!

Angela said...

Lovely stitching, congrats on the finishes and lovely pics of Scotland too :)

WendyCarole said...

Stitching is looking good.
I am so pleased you loved Dumfries and Galloway. We have been going about nine years now. We are a bit limited where we can get too because we have to rely on public transport and each year there are less buses.

Can I recommend cream of galloway next time you go the ice cream is out of this world! There are nice walks around the lake. And the coast just down the road from there is lovely too.

Lesleyanne said...

Happy Anniversary. Love your stitching projects. Gorgeous pictures from your holiday glad you had a great time.

Le trame della Galaverna said...

Wow it's a very beautiful post
Congratulations for your needle works.
Giovanna

Brigitte said...

A lot of lovely was going on during the last weeks. And you even have some finishes. When it comes to finishing projects, I also procrastinate, lol.
Happy belated Anniversary! What a wonderful trip you made. Your pictures are fantastic and when I look at the wonderful scenery I would love to explore that region as well. I can easily see why you want to go back there for another stay.

Julie said...

What an idyllic setting your anniversary trip away was. Lots of lovely pictures you have shared.
LOts of great stitching you have accomplished too since your last post here.
Belated anniversary wishes to you both.
xx

Christine said...

Happy Anniversary to you both! It's our 30th this year too. Your holiday looks absolutely wonderful.
Loads of fabulous stitching there too

Mary - Lecoeurceltique said...

A belated Happy Anniversary. Your holiday photos are lovely, especially those of the squirrel. You've made a lot of progress on your stitching.

gominam said...

Beautiful pictures and stitching update. You've been busy. Love the waterfall and cute squirrels!

Carol said...

Oh, your anniversary trip photos are so special, Sally--I just love them. You really are an excellent photographer! And how sweet of Jess to come up with the idea for your trip and help pay for it :)

Loved seeing your stitching updates--finishing always takes a while, doesn't it?

Have a lovely weekend!

Justine said...

Happy Anniversary Sally and Mr Sally! Your trip looks idyllic, just the perfect way to celebrate.

You have some lovely projects on the go as usual, and wow didn't you make a lot of progress on that Santa?!

I think I recognise the Olive linen as well, glad you found a good project to make use of it.

I love love love the Alan Rickman tribute chart, I have looked at that one but realistically I want to finish some other large projects first. It's on my mmmmm-maybe list though!

Joysze said...

Picture heavy posts are the best!!! That last squirrel pic is too funny!

Andrea said...

Lovely stitching. Your anniversary holiday looks an idyllic spot. Love the photos especially the red squirrel with the nut between his paws. He looks so sweet! Happy belated anniversary. :)

Anonymous said...

beautiful stitching, great photos