Gifts, Looking Back & A Finish

I can't believe that Christmas is over and it's been just over a week since I last did a blog post! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas as we did. I have looked at blogs but I'm so sorry to say that I have not commented as I just haven't had time to sit at the PC and do that. We've been busy just about every day of the past week and have been having some fun:) We all received some lovely gifts and DH and I surprised the girls with a gift that is for all of us and Abi cried and Jess was totally speechless which is amazing for her! We had always said that we'd never be able to update our Playstation 2 console and get a PS3 but we had managed to save a fair bit of money for Christmas and we got a good deal on the console and two games and for once they were games that we knew we could all enjoy.

I received some lovely gifts from Julie, Karan, Karen and Lisa which you can see in the above picture. Thank you so much ladies; I love them all. There are thank you notes on the way via Royal Mail.

From Jess I got a CD and a diary and from Abi I got some very warm sheep slippers and some body spray!

DH bought me some charts and fabric from my wish list as well as some CDs and DVDs. The charts are Isabelle Vautier Cub 'O Love and Grilles De Maryse My Stitching Room Case. He also ordered Shepherd's Bush Shepherd's Purse from Wyndham Needleworks but heard absolutely nothing about the order ( I have had this problem before) so he emailed them. They did reply quickly but what annoyed us was the fact that they knew they didn't have it in stock and knew it was on back order with Shepherd's Bush but didn't bother to email him to let him know when he'd done the order. Anyway they are going to send it as soon as it comes in but it was disappointing not to get it for Christmas especially when DH had ordered it towards the end of November.

I also received lots of lovely gifts from family including a Sony Walkman MP3, clothes, candles, chocolates, a Crop-o-dile is that right?!) with lots of bits with it and books.

Looking back over my last 12 months of stitching I think I have done rather well with what I have achieved even if I do say so myself! I had set myself some goals but took them off my side bar so far through the year as most of them were just not happening. So for 2009 I've decided not to set myself any goals at all other than things I am involved in which are The Beatrix Potter SAL ( starting tomorrow!), Christmas Ornament SAL and Basket of Biscornu. Also Chris and I are hoping to stitch a Shepherd's Bush needleroll a month which I am really looking forward to. I may decide to join in exchanges from time to time but that will depend upon what I am stitching at the time. I had joined Vonna's Me, Myself and I SAL but decided yesterday not to take part. I just can't see my way to taking part and feel much happier knowing that I'm not going to now; if that makes any sense! I want to try and get back to the other two HAEDs I have on the go and make good progress on both of them and maybe even finish Quick Stitch Girly Gothic. Other than that 2009 is going to be a stitch what you feel like year! My stitching for tonight is going to be Tanya's lovely new freebie New Years Birds which you can find on her blog. So here's my list of finishes for 2008.

• 59 Twisted Oaks Merry Noel Needle Nanny
• 58 Twisted Oaks Designs Merry Noel Stitching Smalls ( no.10 project challenge)
• 57 Mary Gary's Sewing Cabin Christmas Heart Pincushion ( no.2! For Juls)
• 56 Bent Creek Christmas Carols ( no.9 project challenge)
• 55 Blackbird Designs Blessings and Kind Wishes ( no.8 project challenge)
• 54 Paw Printings Penguin Hungs ( for Karen)
• 53 JBW Designs Gingerbread Christmas ( for Lisa)
• 52 Prairie Schooler Christmas Tree ( for Julie)
• 51 Mary Garry's Sewing Cabin Christmas Heart Pincushion ( For Christine)
  
• 50 The Workbasket Quaker Christmas Tree
• 49 Carriage House Samplings Merry Christmas ( no. 7 Project Challenge) ( for Chris)
• 48 Bygone Stitches A Quaker Christmas ( no. 6 Project Challenge)
• 47 Midsummer Night Designs Christmas Angel ( For Clare)
  
• 46 My Mark Designs Be Merry
• 45 Bent Creek Christmas Eve ( No. 5 Project challenge)
• 44 Stacy Nash Primitives Hallow's Eve
• 43 By The Bay Needleart Courage
• 42 The Sampler Girl Tea With Jane ( For Julie)
  
• 41 Prairie Schooler A Friend ( For Lizzy)
  
• 40 Just Nan Butterfly Heart ( For DH's auntie)
  
• 39 Ink Circles Sea Stars ( no.4 Project Challenge)
• 38 Windy Willows Noel
• 37 Alchemy Stitchcraft Tumbling Leaves( no. 3 Project Challenge For Hazel biscornu exchange))
• 36 Blackbird Designs Rites of Spring (LF# 30) (no.2 Project Challenge
• 35 SB Shepherd's Roll ( no. 1 Project Challenge)
• 34 Blackbird Designs My Pink House
• 33 IsaV Scissor Pocket Freebie ( Redwork Exchange for Jane)
• 32 Lavender Wings Planted Hearts Needleroll and Fob ( Birthday gift for Julie)
  
• 31 Debbie Draper Designs Love ( For Lisa)
  
• 30 Grilles De Maryse I Love Cross Stitch ( For KarenV)
  
• 29 WDC Design WDC in Blue Biscornu ( secret exchange for Angi))
• 28 With My Needle Ackworth Friendship Book (RR)
• 27 Twisted Oaks M'Lady's Needle Nanny ( For Chris)
  
• 26 Twisted Oaks M'Lady's Needle Nanny ( For Lisa)
  
• 25 Just Nan Morning Song
• 24 Blue Ribbon Designs Acorns and Owls ( For Andrea)
  
• 23 Twisted Oaks M'Lady's Needle Nanny ( For Jane)
  
• 22 Twisted Oaks M'Lady's Needle Nanny ( For Tracy)
  
• 21 Little House Needleworks Faith Hope Love ( needleroll exchange for Dusty)
  
• 20 Angelsan Snowman Fob ( For June)
  
• 19 The Cat's Whiskers Christmas Candles
• 18 Little House Needleworks Winter Wonderland
• 17 Indigo Rose Bee Charmer
• 16 The Drawn Thread The Caron Keeper ( For Paula)
  
• 15 Blackbird Designs Where My Heart Blooms ( LF#29)
• 14 Just Nan Queen of the Needle
• 13 Blue Ribbon Designs Alphabet Tree ( For Sammy Jo)
  
• 12 Prairie Schooler Winter Pinkeep
• 11 Prairie Schooler Spring Pinkeep
• 10 Blackbird Designs Bluebird's Needles and Pins ( For Julie)
  
• 9 Victoria Sampler International Hearts England
• 8 Victoria Sampler Tiny Things
• 7 Shepherd's Bush Lamb
• 6 Prairie Schooler Welcome ( Christmas Ornament)
• 5 Dragonfly Stitches Valentine Heart
• 4 The Drawn Thread Forget Me Not Scissor Keeper ( For Kyrie)
  
• 3 With My Needle Eliza's Pyn Pillow ( For Michele)
  
• 2 Blue Ribbon Designs A Christmas Wish ( For Sandy)
  
• 1 Blue Ribbon Designs Alphabet Tree ( For Lisa)
  

I have steadily been stitching away on Tournicoton Pere Noel and this is where I'm at. Not much more to go now so it'll be ready well in time for Christmas 2009! LOL! This has been lovely to stitch with lots of speciality stitches:)

Finally a little finish of Twisted Oaks Designs Merry Noel Needle Nanny to go with the other Merry Noel stitching smalls. I stitched this last week but only got it made up today!

Of course I cannot end my final post of 2008 without wishing everyone who reads my blogs a very Happy, Healthy, Stitch and Stash filled 2009. Thank you to all of you for your friendship throughout 2008 and I hope you will all continue to visit with me in 2009. I treasure each and everyone of you.

Hugs

Merry Noel

Here is Merry Noel in all it's glory! Finally finished making it up today when I got the waddle and comb done on the chicken:) I must say he does look good!

Twisted Oaks Designs Merry Noel ( A Set of Stitching Smalls)

28 count cashel vintage green linen

Dinky Dyes Silks

Started 1st December 2008 ( SAL with Chris)

Finished and Made Up 23rd December 2008

I loved stitching this and have the matching needleminder to stitch yet but I'm stitching Tournicoton Pere Noel Charmant at the moment ( Carol and Christine you were quite correct!) and it's a bit slow going as there's quite a lot of speciality stitches in it. It does looks good though! It's not going to get finished for Christmas but never mind:)
My SB needlerolls from JJ's arrived today so I am one happy bunny! It's taken them 3 weeks but at least they've arrived safely and not lost as I was beginning to think! Yesterday I received Blue Ribbon Designs Peppermint Twist which I had added to a small order for some interfacing with Thread Bear. I wasn't expecting to receive it until the end of January as they didn't have it stock but it had arrived early so it was a lovely surprise. This will be a SAL for Chris and I for next November/ December! Yes we're planning early! LOL!

Thank you for your good wishes for my scan. The lady who did it said she couldn't see anything to indicate any problems but is going to pass it on and I will hear from the specialist in due course.

That's all from me until after Christmas now so all that remains is for me to wish everyone who reads my blog A Very Happy Christmas! Thank you for your friendship and for keeping me company throughout the year:)


Hugs

More Ornaments and A New Start!

Now that the other two ornaments I stitched for friends have been received I can show those:) The first one is JBW Gingerbread Christmas which I stitched for Lisa. This was stitched on an unknown fabby ( it was in an ornaments cut bag) using DMC and Kreinik. This was a lovely little design to stitch.

Next is Paw Printings Penguin Hugs which I stitched for Karen as she loves penguins! No idea of this fabric either but it was stitched with DMC.


Last night I finished Twisted Oaks Designs Merry Noel which I am SAL-ing with Chris. It's all to cut out and stitch up yet but I loved stitching this and was determined to have it finished. I do still have the needle minder to stitch but that was separate to this piece so if I don't get it done I'm not too bothered. They don't take long to do though so an evening stitching would see it done:)
Finally I have had a new start! Yes I know it's very naughty but I couldn't resist this one. Any ideas what it is???? Chris you're not allowed to guess as you know what it is! LOL!
I still haven't received my SB needlerolls from JJ's so I am getting a bit worried now that they've got lost in the post. It's nearly three weeks since they were posted and they were for my birthday so I'm really disappointed that they didn't arrive in time and that they're still not here. Keeping my finger's crossed that they arrive before Christmas now. Yet my birthday order from Drema arrived in a week but thelast order from her took two weeks! It's ridiculous!

Short post today but I want to get some stitching in! LOL! Hope you are all ready for Christmas and not getting too frazzled in the run up to the big day. I have an appointment at the hospital in Hull on Tuesday afternoon for a scan which I could well do without so close to Christmas but didn't want to cancel in case I was ages before I got another one!

Take care everyone. Thank you to those of you have sent Christmas cards:)

Hugs

More Finishes!

Wahoo!!! I have two more finishes to show you today so I am well pleased! Plus two things that have been received so that takes my finishes so far this year to 57!!! Wow!

First of all here is my stocking all finished up and hung up ready for Father Christmas!

Bent Creek Christmas Carols

28 count raw linen

DMC

Started 7th November 2008

Finished 15th December 2008

Next finish is my BBD Loose Feathers which would have been finished on Sunday evening had it not been for the fact that I had a visit from the frog and had to rip out all the stitching I'd managed to do that evening on the left border! So I sat down on Monday afternoon and finished it!

Blackbird Designs Blessings and Kind Wishes

30 count R&R Olde Town Blend

DMC

Started 7th September 2008

Finished 15th December 2008

I decided to stitch a few ornaments for friends this year and I can show the one I sent to Julie as she received it yesterday. The funny thing is I chose this particular design from the 2002 issue of the JCS ornament magazine because I read on her blog that she'd taken a liking to PS Santas. The thing I didn't know was that Julie was stitching same one for herself! LOL! So she now has two!

Prairie Schooler Christmas Tree

Stitched on unknown fabric over one

DMC

For Julie

Next is the blogoversary gift I sent to Juls. I stitched the same for both Juls and Christine but Juls has green velvet ribbon around it. I heard from Juls yesterday that she had received it at last and likes it so I am happy!

Mary Garry Sewing Cabin Christmas Heart Pincushion

30 count R&R fabric

Carrie's Creations

The girls have picked a name for the lovely one and only snow white bunny that Julie knitted me for my birthday:) She is called Snowdrop so the winner of a little prize from me is Rachael! Rachael please email me your address and I will get something in the post to you in the New Year! Julie I hope you like her name:)

Last week I won one of Michelle's wonderful giveaways and on Monday I receieved my prize which was a Mill Hill kit called Warm Wishes Snowlady. I entered for this one because I just love snowmen so was delighted when I won. Michelle also included some Greek chewing gum and a lovely card. The thread you see in the photo was in a Christmas card I received from Ranae. Isn't it a lovely colour? Thank you so much Michelle and Ranae.

I think that's all from me for today. It's taken me ages to do this post and get the photos positioned correctly as, in light of the major security flaw in Microsofts Internet Explorer, I'm using a different browser and it seems to work differently to IE but it seems so much better!

Someone asked me about Twisted Oaks Designs Merry Noel and I can't find the comment and can't remember who it was! I am so useless! Anyway the design is called Merry Noel and Drema at Needlecraft Corner has it on her site.

Thank you for continuing to visit and to all those who leave comments:) They mean a lot to me:)

Hugs

More Birthday Cards and Gifts and Some Stitching!

Thank you to everybody who left Happy Birthday wishes for me on my last post. It means the world to me:) I had a lovely day and received more surprises through the post on the day and yesterday:)

First of all from Karen I received this lovely Polstitches Nature's Grace opalescent fabric and Carrie's Creations threads. Now I love Polstitches fabby and Carrie's threads so thank you so much Karen.{{{hugs}}}

Next up is the gorgeous handmade card and JBW Friendship Quilts chart from Karan. I love seeing Karan's handmade cards on her blog as she has a real talent for them and I admire them so much. The Friendship Quilt chart is gorgeous and I have had my eye on it for some time. Thank you so much Karan {{{hugs}}}

DH arrived home on Friday afternoon with these pretties:) All pink and just gorgeous:)

In the post yesterday was another gorgeous handmade card and this lovely fabric and DMC thread from Helen. Helen I love this fabric as it's so pretty and the card is beautiful. Thank you so much {{{hugs}}}.

You may remember in my post on my birthday Chris and I were hoping to meet up after the let down on Wednesday when her car wouldn't start but, unfortunately, her DH couldn't get her car going so she couldn't come. We were doing a private ornament exchange so we decided we'd post them rather than wait and see if we got chance to meet up before Christmas. Anyway my package from Chris arrived yesterday afternoon and inside was a birthday card and gift as well. She sent me this Whitman's tin which I have admired and would have loved for a long time ( since I saw it on Carol's blog) but they are not easy to find. Now I have one and look at the pretties inside it:) Isn't it beautiful? Chris' stitching and finishing are gorgeous. Now does anyone know where I can get a pair of scissors to fit inside the tin??? Thank you so much Chris. I love it! {{{hugs}}}

Also inside I found two beautiful ornaments for our exchange. These are JBW designs and I absolutely love them. I love JBW designs so Chris couldn't have picked anything better to stitch for me:) Another thank you Chris!! LOL!

So I can now show what I stitched for Chris as she received it yesterday. This is Carriage House Samplings Merry Christmas and I stitched one of the birds on the back along with our initials. It was a pleasure to stitch this for Chris and I am so pleased she likes it.

No other stitchy pics today. I am almost finished with my stocking so hope to add the last stitches to it today as well as ) finger's crossed) finish my BBD Blessings and Kind Wishes. I got loads stitched on my stocking last night whilst watching the X Factor Final. I was really disappointed when Diana went out last week as me and the girls wanted her to win but after seeing Alexandra performing Silent Night last night there couldn't have been any other winner than her. It's my absolute favourite Christmas carol and it brought tears to my eyes when she sang it. Her song with Beyonce was amazing! Anyone else in the UK watch it or are you all Strictly fans??

We are having an afternoon out this afternoon. Beverley has a Festival of Christmas each year and there is a Victorian Christmas market so we are going to that. My aim is to get a basket to display my stitching smalls in. I bought one last year ( or was it the year before???!) and it's full so need another one. We are taking Abi's friend with us and then she's coming back here for tea. Jess has gone to Hull with friends and has just rung to tell me she's bought a black tree for me. I've been wanting one to display Halloween ornaments on next year!

I think I am way behind on blogs but I promise to caught up in the next few days. Don't forget the contest to name my gorgeous snow white bunny from Julie in my previous post:)

Take care

Hugs

Happy Birthday........

To me!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL! Today is my birthday and I was so excited when I woke up this morning! I don't think I've felt so excited about being another year old for a few years so not quite sure what changed this year! Lol! I have received some lovely cards and presents from my family and friends so here are just a few piccies!

From DH, Jess and Abi.

Yes that is a Build- A- Bear you see and yes I did have to kiss the heart, rub it on my forehead etc etc when she was made!!! Thankfully they were very busy so I didn't have to jump around or spin round like Abi did when she got hers!! Her name is Angel and DH bought me her ( I did ask him if I could have one as he hadn't bought me a birthday present and didn't know what to get me!). Also in the picture is an Eeyore scarf and glove set and body spray from Jess and the Polkadot Mushroom Fairy ( design by Jasmine Beckett- Griffith) ornament from Abi. We had seen these in a shop in York and her and Jess had snuck off so that Abi could buy it!

From Julie and Lisa

I was so excited when I opened my gift from Julie and found this adorable little bunny from her! I have admired Julie's knitted bunnies since she started making them and am so proud to be a Mum to one now. And look at the gorgeous little ornament that I received from Lisa! Isn't it beautiful? Thank you so much Julie and Lisa. {{{{hugs}}}} I love them.

Now my adorable little bunny does not have a name so just for a little fun I'm holding a contest to name her so please get your thinking caps on and suggest some names. Of course she is a December baby and Julie tells me she is the one and only snow white bunny so I think she deserves a special name! I'll get Abi and Jess to pick a name in a few days and the winner will receive something from me in the New Year:)

I also received a book, some hand cream, Thorntons continental chocolates, a cute bear ornament, gloves, hand wash and money so I feel I have been truly spoilt:) My Dad gave me some money to buy what I would like so I ordered some Shepherd's Bush needlerolls from JJ's but, unfortunately, they haven't arrived yet so I'm hoping they will today.

As I said in my last post Chris was supposed to visiting on Wednesday and we were both really looking forward to it but her car wouldn't start so we spent so much of the afternoon chatting on MSN! So we are hoping that she may be able to come today. Finger's crossed we can arrange something before Christmas at least.

Stitchy progress so far this week is just Twisted Oaks Designs Merry Noel Stitching Smalls. I managed to finish the stitching for the chicken and started on the snippets tray so I feel excellant progress has been made! LOL!

I treated myself to Olga's gorgeous Hearts and Snowflakes Biscornu and Icicle Ornaments charts the other day ( a little birthday gift to myself!). If you have not seen Olga's lovely designs pop on over to her blog and have a look. I am hoping to get at least one of these stitched before Christmas but if it doesn't happen I'll have them done next year:)

That's it from me for today. I'm hoping to get some stitching in this evening on my stocking. It's going well and I think it will get finished for Christmas!

Take care everyone.

Hugs

It's Back!!

Wahoooo!!! At last I have my framed A Quaker Christmas back with me all put right and hung on my living room wall. DH took this photo for me before he hung it up. I am so proud of this piece and after the original hic-cup my framer has done a lovely job. We decided on red and gold mounts with a goldy- red frame.

Last week I managed to get back to my stocking, Bent Creek Christmas Carols, and I am so pleased with the progress I made even after a visit from the frog! I should have it finished this week but I still need to finish stitching an ornament then make two up so that I can get them in the post.

Now that Christine has received her gift from my blogoversary draw I can show what I stitched for her although you have already seen this a few weeks ago but before I got it made up. I used a velvety red ribbon for the ruching around this pinkeep and added red pins at the corners and a Made With Love charm at the bottom. I am so happy that Christine liked it. I also added a little angel bear ornament with a C on it and a Thorntons pudding chocolate.
Sunday evening, as usual, is my BBD night so out came Blessings and Kind Wishes. I finished the house so just the grass, borders and initials to stitch so I might just get it finished next Sunday! I received Loose Feathers #33 last week and I really like it, although I would have prefered it with a bird on it somewhere! LOL!

Tonight it's back to the SAL with Chris of Twisted Oaks Designs Merry Noel. I am going to stitch on it three nights this week as I really want to have it all finished and made up in time for Christmas, although it will on display all year:) Also Chris and I are meeting up on Wednesday so I'm really looking forward to that.

We put our Christmas decorations up on Saturday but not without a few problems which made me think why am I bothering! I wasn't feeling too well and I could have happily put everything back in boxes! First off I'd bought a new tree in the Studio Cards sale early on in the year but when we got it out and the branches all out we realised it was not going to go anywhere in the living room so back in it's box it went and I'll be putting a for sale card in the post office window! So old faithful tree came down from the loft, got the lights on only to discover about 8 bulbs that had blown. Everytime DH replaced a bulb it blew so off they came! Got another set on, they worked fine, put the fibre optic fairy on the top and she wouldn't work! Tried her in another socket and she worked so DH had to take the socket off the wall and fix that! So that was the three things ( well they say things come in threes) and by lunchtime all we'd done was put the tree up and get the lights on! LOL! Anyway everything is up and I'm feeling very Christmassy now!

Ranae asked what I had ordered from Needlecraft Corner with my birthday disount. Well I finally decided on Midnight Stitching Quaker Faith Hope Love and also Just Nan Memories ( I realised after I'd emailed Drema that this was in the clearance sale so will get it at sale price rather than with my birthday discount) as both these have been on my wish list for a while now. I don't expect them to arrive before Christmas as my BBD Loose Feathers took nearly two weeks.

I am going to spend the afternoon ( don't tell my DH!) finishing off Chris' ornament for our private ornament exchange then maybe finish off the other ornament I need to get finished.

Have a wonderful week everyone and stay warm if it's cold where you are:) I'll be catching up on blogs over the next few days I hope.

Hugs

It's December!!!

And with December comes more of the white stuff ( and more stitching!). Yay!!! We did have more than is in the photo and we are promised more tomorrow. Look at my poor sheep in the cold! Unfortunately what we had yesterday morning thawed a little bit then we had a keen frost last night so walking is awful today! How I kept on my feet I do not know and I was certainly glad to make it home in one piece!

I have a fair bit of stitching to show today ( thank God, I hear you say!) starting with two Sundays progress on Blackbird Designs Blessings and Kind Wishes. I think I may have this finished before Christmas as I am doing well with it. Then I can start the next one!! Lol!

Next I have some making up to show. I finally got DH's Christmas stocking all made up and ready to hang. You may remember I finished this a while ago and I still have mine to stitch and make up before Christmas Day! Can I do it??? Doubtful with everything I really want to stitch before then! Also got The Workbasket Quaker Christmas Tree made up although I did choose a simple finish for this one. My other finished things I can't show yet as they are the blogoversaray gifts for Juls and Christine which are now on the way to them! Hopefully I'll be able to show them soon.

Finally Chris and I started our SAL of Twisted Oaks Designs Merry Noel Stitching Smalls. We both started with the Chicken pincushion and this is my progress so far. It is stitched on 28 count cashel in vintage green ( which is lovely to stitch on) using Dinky Dyes silks in Bush Fire and Christmas Pines. I am loving stitching this so far and this is two evenings stitching.

I received my birthday discount letter from Drema at Needlecraft Corner and am wondering what to get! LOL! I keep telling myself that I shouldn't as I'm doing the 10 project challenge BUT it is my birthday coming up! I was going to get the Lizzie*Kate limited Christmas Is Forever kit but I just don't feel that I can justify spending all that much so I will have a rethink and probably get Midnight Stitching's Quaker Faith, Hope, Love as I have been wanting this since Marianne first released it:)

I am hoping that the latest BBD Loose Feathers will reach me soon. Not sure when it was shipped to me but I think it's over a week since. Of course the postal service is getting very busy and it amazes me how as soon as it gets to be 1st December deliveries get even later in the day!

Still no framed A Quaker Christmas to show. I called in at the framers this morning and he hadn't done anything with it as yet so I was disappointed. I really want it back so that I can get it on the wall before we put the Christmas decorations up at the weekend.

I hope everyone is well and keeping warm where it's cold. Thank you to those of you who continue to visit and comment even when I don't have much or any stitching to show. According to the tracking thing I have visits have dropped quite a bit lately...... oh well!

Hugs