How To Forget What You’re Doing!

I kind of think I got a little over exited this morning! I started cleaning the bathroom (I always spray the bath and sink with cleaner and leave it for a while) went to change Jess' bedding, brought it downstairs to wash then postie arrived with a package for me. Well let's just say that I still haven't been back to finish the bathroom as it totally slipped my mind in the excitement of receiving an envelope covered in hearts from Lizzy. When I opened it up here's what I found inside. All beautifully wrapped and again I was like a child on Christmas morning!

When I opened the first parcel I was in awe at this beautiful piece Lizzy had stitched for her blogoversary giveaway. It is from the 2008 JCS Ornament issue and it's Honor Christmas by Forget Me Not In Stitches.

Here is the front

And here is the back

Isn't this a truly beautiful piece? I will be keeping this on display all year round as I truly believe we should all keep Christmas in our hearts.

When I opened the second parcel I found the LHN chart Hen Party, which I absolutely love, as well as the threads to stitch it with. Tucked inside wrapped in pink tissue paper was a gorgeous Kelmscott butterfly thread winder. I have to keep picking everything up and having another look as I love it all so much. Lizzy you have well and truly spoilt me and I thank you from the bottom of my heart and wish I could come on over and give you a huge HUG and have a Hen Party with you. There will be an email on the way shortly right after I've gone upstairs to finish cleaning my bathroom! LOL!

At the weekend I finished up my biscornu for February for the Basket of Biscornu SAL. I chose a hearts design after seeing it on Irene's blog. It looked so pretty so I downloaded the chart right away.

Hearts Biscornu (chart cane be found here )

28 count pink dahlia linen

DMC Threads

I made some good progress on my BBD piece Beyond My Heart on Sunday evening once I'd torn myself away from Abi's Mario Kart game on the Wii. I think I'm addicted! I would like to finish this piece by the end of March but not sure I can make it as I still have quite a lot to do.

Finally last night I stitched my last evening for February on Needleprint Beatrix Potter Quaker Sampler. I am taking it slowly but surely on this one as I'm stitching it one over one on 25 count and really don't want to have to frog as it's a nightmare!

In all my excitement I almost forgot to show my framed HAED TT Sampler Letter J which I picked up yesterday. Jess chose the frame and I think she's made a good choice too.

My appointment with the ENT specialist last Thursday went well and I don't have to see him anymore unless things become worse. The scan didn't show anything so that was good news so when I have any problems I have to massage my face or eat tart foods like lemon. He also asked about my ear so I told him I'd had another infection since I'd seen him last. He did say my ear looked much better than it did the last time I saw him but he gave me a steroid cream (how the hell I get it in my ear I do not know but he said to put some on the end of my finger, apply it and it'll work its way in!) which I have to use for two months.

I think that's all for now. I better go and finish off my bathroom then I'll publish this! LOL! After lunch I'll have a catch up on blogs. Thank you to all of you who continue to visit me. It truly means a lot to me to know that there are people who read my ramblings and look at what I'm stitching/ have stitched.

Take care everyone.

Hugs

Sally

xx

Has It Been A Week?

Well it has been just over a week since my last blog post so I thought it was time I gathered all my piccies together and wrote!

You may remember a few weeks ago Barb (no blog) sent me a couple of Shepherd's Bush roll charts and a lovely little SB kit. As her birthday was coming up I decided to stitch her a little something as way of a thank you and birthday gift. As she rather likes SB I chose a little freebie design which also appeared in Classic Stitches magazine. I didn't have a leaping sheep charm so I just stitched a sheep where that should be.

Shepherd's Bush Sheep in the Meadow

Unknown fabric

DMC

Stitched for Barb.

I have made a start on my biscornu for February but there have been a couple of evenings where I just haven't wanted to stitch, as I've either felt too tired or just not had the enthusiasm, so I haven't finished the stitching yet. It's a good job there's still about 10 days left in the month as I'd also like to get a PIF stitched!

I have finished up stitching my Feb ornament for the Christmas ornament SAL. This isn't the original design I chose as when this arrived with my Loose Feathers order from Drema I just had to start it. It was such fun to stitch!

Shepherd's Bush Santa's Coming (freebie with purchase of button, bought as kit)

28 count Newport Linen

Crescent Colours

For the HAED SAL with Lisa and Claire last Wednesday Quick Stitch Girly Gothic came out. Now she hasn't seen the light of day since May last year. I did enjoy getting back to her and I'm determined to stick with her this time until she's finished.

Sunday was my evening for stitching on BBD Beyond My Heart. I finished the verse and moved onto the flowers. I think these are going to take a few Sundays stitching as there seems a lot to stitch there. This picture is a bit dull so the verse is difficult to see. I have been thinking a lot about whether I am going to stitch the next design and the mystery and have decided I will stitch the next one (but not the last one!) but I'm not going to do the whole of the mystery. I think I may just do the part that is with the Keepsake Box.

Next up is my progress from Monday evening on the Needleprint Beatrix Potter Quaker Sampler. No frogs this week thank God!

That's all my stitchy progress caught up on! Now I have had two wonderful surprises this week as I have won Lizzy's blogoversary contest and also Lesley's birthday contest so I have been very lucky. I can't believe that I have won two in a week so thank you so much Lizzy and Lesley. I look forward to receiving my goodies and will be sure to show you when I do.

Also I have been given and this award by Michele. Here's a description of it:

These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these kind writers. When you pass the award along please include these guidelines. I am to choose eight friends to share this with.

It's always so difficult to choose just a few blogs to share these awards with but it's also nice to do it. As I have said before please don't be offended if your blog isn't on my list.

Olga

Juls

Yuko

Chris

Elisa

Cindy F

Harmien

Lisa

I think that's all from me for today. I don't think I've forgotten anything but I might have done! DH and I are going to be alone for the afternoon and so much of the evening tomorrow as Jess is going out with friends then back to one friend's house to stay over. Abi is going to her friend's house so we'll probably have an afternoon out together. I have a follow-up appointment with the ENT specialist in the morning so that'll be fun- NOT!

I'm afraid I am way behind on my blog reading as with Dh being off and it being half term I've not had time plus this morning I was going to catch up and I got so far through this post and had to save it because I had a flashing in my eyes. It's been very annoying as I've thought it had gone then it's appeared again. Grrrr. I think it's gone now but I'm having another break from stitching tonight. I will try and get caught up with you all soon as I really miss seeing what you've all been stitching.

Take care everyone.

Hugs

Sally

xx

Another Roll and A Prize!

Thank you so much to everyone who commented on my HAED finish! I was so happy to have another HAED finish after such a long time. I am hoping to get stuck into QS Girly Gothic and have her finished by the end of year but not sure that will happen!

I have to say that I am really enjoying stitching smalls each month. I am so pleased that Chris suggested the needleroll SAL and that I joined the biscornu and Christmas ornament SALs. So here's my first small finish of February and it's a needleroll! LOL! I LOVE stitching these as they are so easy to stitch and finish up! This month I chose Welcome Baby so that I can send on the chart to Barb ( no blog) as I promised. As you can see instead of adding a charm I stitched a pink heart and instead of adding a name and date I added the names of my both my girls.

Shepherd's Bush Welcome Baby Roll

32 count cream fabric

DMC & Mill Hill Beads

Started 1^st February 2009

Finished 9^th February 2009

Just before Christmas I won a contest on Sammy Jo's blog and look what arrived on Friday! I was like a child on Christmas morning! LOL! Everything was wrapped in this lovely pink paper.

When I opened it up look what I found!

This is the lovely pincushion that she stitched for me.

Thank you so much Sammy Jo! I love it all and I hope you have received the email I sent.

The only other piece of stitching I have to show is my progress on the Needleprint Beatrix Potter Quaker Sampler from last night. I didn't stitch on Sunday evening so no BBD this week. I managed a small motif on Bea this week so I'm happy!

Jess and DH were very impressed with Nottingham University on Saturday but whether she will opt for it I do not know. Her nerves got the better of her before they set off and she told me she wasn't going as she didn't want to go! Needless to say I put on my stern Mum act and off she went in strop! She said she was fine once she got in the car! If I am honest I am worried that she will decide which uni she wants to go to then will end up not going because she's too nervous and frightened. We shall see.

Our Sunday lunch out for my Dad's birthday was lovely. It's been a long time since we've all gone out for a meal. It's his 80^th birthday today so Happy Birthday Dad! I've been to see him this morning and he's now two bottles of malt whiskey better off! LOL! Guess my sister and I had the same idea!

We had some snow Sunday evening and overnight but it's all gone now and it's raining. I HATE rain and it feels miserable!

As I said in my last post Elisa awarded me the Your Blog is Fabulous award. As I have already done five addictions I won't do those again but I am passing the award onto these blogs. As I said before if your blog isn't here please don't be offended. It doesn't mean that I like your blog any less.

Dani

Sonda

Michelle

Michele

Lizzy

I am afraid I am way behind on blogs at the moment and will try and get caught up again soon. This PC is so slow at times and I get so frustrated. Still it's 6 years old so in PC terms I guess that is ancient!

Take care everyone.

Hugs

Sally

x

9 Months Later! LOL!

I am one happy bunny today as I have finished Heaven and Earth Designs Tiny Treasures Sampler Letter J! I had almost got her finished after the SAL with Lisa and Claire so, as I wasn't feeling too good, I stitched on her yesterday afternoon until she was finished! I have so enjoyed stitching this piece as there are big blocks of colour which make it so much easier to stitch. It has taken me about 9 months to stitch but I have mostly stitched on it just one evening a week.

Heaven and Earth Designs Tiny Treasures Sampler Letter J

Artwork by Selina Fenech

25 count fabric

DMC

Started 14^th May 2008

Finished 5^th February 2009

For our SAL starting next week I'm going back to QS Girly Gothic. It's going to seem strange going back to her as she has quite a lot of "confetti" stitching in her so she'll be much slower to stitch!

Sunday evening I had some fairly good progress on BBD Beyond My Heart. I have almost finished stitching the verse so will soon be able to move onto the flowers etc. I love how this is stitching up.

Monday was BP night for me so I stitched the flower. I did make a mistake on this but I didn't realise until I'd almost finished it so decided not to frog.

Other than these pieces I've been stitching a little on my choice of needleroll for this month for my SAL with Chris. I have chosen Welcome Baby so that I can then pass the chart onto Barb. It's stitching up nicely so far.

Good news at last I think my Christmas present from DH is finally on the way from Wyndham Needleworks. He hasn't had an email saying it's in stock but there's a pending charge on the CC so, hopefully, I should have that soon. It's only been nearly 3 months! Edited to add: Posty has just delivered it!! No apology for it taking so long to get or anything! Oh well at least it's here at last. I was so excited I opened it not thinking it was addressed to DH!!

Elisa has given me the Your Blog is Fabulous Award:) Thank you so much Elisa. I will pass this award on on my next blog post:)

Last night it was Abi's parent's evening at school. As I have mentioned before she has to choose her options for GCSE soon so we used the evening not only to see how she's doing but also to see if her teachers thought she'd be OK for GCSE in her subjects. We didn't doubt for a minute that anyone would say she wouldn't be as she is very bright. Anyway the evening went well; all her teachers spoke very highly of her although she did upset her history and geography teachers when they asked if she was thinking of opting for those subjects!! Her history teacher even begged her to put it down as a reserve just in case! LOL! She is already doing GCSE work in Maths, RE, Spanish and IT and thinks she is going to choose dual award science, textiles, IT and art and, of course, they have to do English.

Jess and DH are going to Nottingham University tomorrow for her to visit the Chemistry department and discuss her application. This one isn't one of her first choices as they don't do the course she wants to do but at least it's something to fall back on. We need to check on the weather as we know it's been bad further south from us (we haven't seen a snowflake since Monday!) to see if it's safe for them to travel. I'm staying home with Abi which is a good thing the way I've been feeling.

Sunday we are going out for Sunday lunch with my Dad, sister and her partner to celebrate my Dad's upcoming 80^th birthday! He didn't want a fuss but we wanted to do a bit of something so that's what we decided between us.

Time for me to go and wait for my Tesco's order!

Take care

Hugs

Sally

Prize For Rachael

First of all I must apologise for the colour of my text on my last post. I have started using Microsoft Word to type my posts and publish them to my blog (DH got Office Enterprise for a very good price through a scheme they do at work) and I obviously chose the wrong colour text and I couldn't change it once it was published; I did try. So this time you've got good old black which I hope you can read OK!

Just a quick post today to show Rachael's prize for naming my snow white bunny in the contest I had when it was my birthday. She suggested the name Snowdrop and that's the name the girl's picked out. Anyway I decided to stitch a little Shepherd's Bush freebie and make it up into a mini needleroll. Rachael received it today and I'm happy to hear that she likes it.

Shepherd's Bush Teri's Sheep

Can't remember the name of the fabric!

DMC Threads

Speaking of Shepherd's Bush I am still waiting for the Christmas present (Shepherd's Purse) DH ordered from Wyndham Needleworks back in November. He has heard nothing more from them until he emailed them to ask if there were any updates and he was told that they'd ordered it 3 times and it was backordered to them from SB. They had an order coming in last week and were hoping it would be in that but we've heard no more and the CC hasn't been charged. I'm so disappointed that it's still not here.

Another disappointment is the last BBD Loose Feathers design for 2008. The design is called Two Hearts and I'm sorry to say that it's not all that nice and I'm not the only one who thinks so. It's certainly not what I was expecting and not very BBD in my honest opinion. As I am in the LF club at Needlecraft Corner I have to have the chart but as I'm planning on stitching the mystery it won't really matter.

Did you get much snow yesterday? We got quite a bit but nowhere near as much as some parts of the country did. Infact ours has all gone which is a shame! It turned to rain yesterday afternoon, rained all night then froze at day break. It was bitterly cold and the high winds made it even colder. At least we have a lovely sunny but very cold day today. There's a possibility of more snow later in the week.

I'll be back later in the week with updates on my WIPs. Hope you're not bored of them.

Hugs

Sally