Friday 27 January 2017

Productive January

Can you believe we are almost at the end of the first month of 2017?! Where has it gone? Thankfully I have had quite a productive month and have had 5 finishes! Yes I did say 5 lol! I showed CCN's Merry Christmas My Deer last time so I'll show the other 4 now!

My lovely surrogate sis Lisa had a birthday the other Monday and I stitched this for her.

The Nebby Needle True Friend

40 count Vintage Country Mocha linen

GAST

Started 4th January 2017

Finished 5th January 2017

Birthday gift for Lisa.

I am very happy to say that she loved it :). I am also happy with my finishing!

My lovely friend Chris also had a birthday this month and this is what I decided to stitch for her. 

Lizzie*Kate Little Cups of Friendship from the Tea Crazy leaflet.

32 count Nougat linen

DMC

Started 6th January 2017.

Finished 12th January 2017.

Birthday gift for Chris.

Chris loved it so that made me happy and I was also happy with my finishing.

You may remember I had my usual New Year's Day new start and that is now finished :) I just love this and as it was a gift from my Dad a few years ago ( with DH's help as it was from my Christmas list ) it is very special to me. 

Lizzie*Kate Sweet Simple Things

30 count Natural linen ( came with the chart )

DMC

New Year's Day New Start SAL, SAL with Lisa, New Start, Old Stash SAL.

Started 1st January 2017

Finished 19th January 2017.

Final finish was my Christmas Eve spur of the moment start! I have really enjoyed stitching this lovely little piece and it was so easy as it came with the threads so I just had to find a piece of fabric that was suitable.

Plum Street Samplers A Bowl Full of Merries Merry Two.

36 count Lakeside Linens Pearled Barley

Started 24th December 2016

Finished 25th January 2017.

So that is my stash down a little bit lol! One thing I really want to try and do this year, as well as getting my chart stash down, is fully finish off things I have stitched as soon as I've stitched them if I can. One thing I hate is having a massive pile of finishing as it makes me not want to do it. So, hopefully, I'll get these 2 fully finished next week if I get chance.

You may have noticed that I have started to put start and finish dates on my finishes again. I did this for quite a time before until someone said it looked like I was showing off so I stopped doing it. It's not showing off as it's more of a record for me so I've decided to start again. Let's face it some things take me ages anyway!

I am stitching another birthday present at the moment and once that is finished I'll be starting something new and bringing Sotto La Neve out again.

I did consider not bringing out HAED SK A Dragons History just yet but I knew if I didn't it might turn into a UFO and I really didn't want that so here it is! Not much to stitch for a page 3 finish then onto the final page!!

Barb and I are still stitching away on Winter. I wish I could get a decent photo of the fabric as it is so pretty. I didn't seem to get much done on Monday but the I is finished except for the star on the top.

Of course I am still getting on with Mini Jolly Old Fellow. I was so fed up with this on Tuesday as it seems never ending with odd stitches etc. It slows me down and it's so frustrating. He will be worth it though and I'm hoping to get this page finished very soon then I'll only have 4 partial pages to go.

Final WIP is my HAED challenge piece which is, of course, Guardian. I don't think there is any way that I'll complete the challenge but I'm not bothered. It's just nice to have him out again.

I am very much enjoying doing stitch from stash again and haven't been tempted at all. OK it is only the first month but I think what is spurring me on is getting through some of the lovely charts that have been neglected in my stash. I am sure there will times when I'm very tempted and have to give in to something that I must have but as long as I don't go mad I won't beat myself up about it. I have just put my January report in and all I've spent is 32 p on a skein of DMC ( my local shop is selling everything off as the lady who does the craft side is retiring but her husband is carrying with the art side and framing ) and I have £28 credit for my 4 finishes. I am sure February won't be so productive but it's a good start!

In my last post I was talking about the possibility of snow. Well snow it did and it was lovely just to watch it fall. There is something so magical about it and I just love it. Unfortunately it turned to rain very soon and by the time I got out for a walk there wasn't much in the fields at the mere which is where I wanted to take photos so I was very disappointed. Some parts of the country got loads. It has been bitterly cold this past few days but no snow. Apparently they are forecasting the next cold spell at the end of February. I think Winter is going to be another let down!

Well on that note thank you for reading. I know blogging seems to be dying off a bit so I'm happy that you are still here with me, Going to catch up with you all now.

Until next time.

With much love.

Sally xxxx


Thursday 12 January 2017

December SAL is Finished!

Here I am with my very first post of 2017 and I have a finish!! Well I actually have 2 but I can't show that one as it's for a birthday present :) I'll be able to show it next time I blog though.

I am happy to say that both Chris and I have finished our December SAL and I love it! It looks so pretty, even though I say so myself, and I now need to decide how to finish it off. I still haven't finished off our last 2 December SALs ( hanging head in shame! )

Country Cottage Needleworks Merry Christmas My Deer

32 count Zweigert Petit Point linen white/natural.

DMC, Classic Colorworks & GAST

Started 1st December 2016

Finished 6th January 2017.

In between Christmas and New Year my rotation went out of the window and now I'm trying very hard to get back to some sort of one. Barb and I are putting the ornament SAL on hold until later in 2017 and at the moment Mondays are being spent stitching on this.

I am loving stitching this! It is just so much fun to stitch and really puts a smile on my face. I think Winter may be over by the time we finish it but it'll be well worth it!

The official Heaven and Earth Designs Facebook group have started another challenge on the 1st January. I wasn't too sure whether to join in or not as it meant I'd have to start something new as it had to be a full page and I don't have full pages left on my SK or mini but then I thought why not get Guardian out so that is what I have done. I've signed up and if I complete the challenge then way to go me but if I don't I'm not going to beat myself up about it! When I last picked it up I was on page 14 so I've left that and page 15, which was a partial page, and started page 16. I think we have until early April but as I'll probably only be stitching one evening a week on it I doubt I'll get it done but we shall see. 

I want to try and get Mini Jolly Old Fellow finished and also keep going with SK Dragons History as I don't want them to be put away. Once Mini Jolly Old Fellow is finished the dragon will move to that slot in my rotation and Guardian will go to the dragon's slot! 

I had my usual New Year's Day new start. As I said in my last post it's Lizzie Kate Sweet Simple Things. Both girls were at work that day so it was just me and my DH once his auntie had gone home  after we'd had dinner so I stitched the afternoon away and then did the same in the evening while Abi played Tomb Raider  ( Jess got her some of the old classic games for Christmas from a retro games shop ) then we watched Sherlock. I haven't stitched on since but, hopefully, I'll be able to get back to it soon.

There is so much I want to stitch! I have so many lovely charts in my stash so still hoping for a good year with lots of new starts and finishes. Lol! 

The weather is turning chilly and it looks like we might just get our first taste of proper winter weather. I keep looking at the forecast and the map says we'll get snow on Saturday but I'm not holding my breath, Some areas up in Scotland have it already so I'm quite jealous. I'm itching to get out with my camera as since I got my first decent camera we haven't had a decent snowfall! Typical!

That's all my news for now. I will catch up with you all soon to see what you're stitching. I hope I won't get enabled as I'm being good :)

Take care everyone.

Until next time.

With much love.

Sally xx