A Sweet View

I had a very enjoyable week stitching and a very enjoyable visit to Chris on Friday :) First of all the piece I stitched on Monday through Thursday and have just had the sewing machine out this afternoon to finish it up into a simple hanging pillow. As I said in my last post Barb and I decided to stitch a small Sampler Girl piece until we start the Jane Austen Sampler Stocking tomorrow and she lent me A Sweet View to stitch. This was such an enjoyable piece so I had to keep going until I finished it. It was a real joy so big thanks to Tanya for such a beautiful design.  The flowers and word sweet should have been stitched in DMC 400 but I wanted something a little more pinky/ red so I chose GAST Antique Rose which came out perfectly:)

The Sampler Girl A Sweet View

Sassy's Fabbys 28 count Khaki

DMC and GAST.

Started 23rd August 2010

Finished 26th August 2010.

Thank you so much Barb for lending me the chart :) I will be returning it to you shortly. I am very much looking forward to our new start tomorrow:)

On Friday I finally got through to visit Chris. We had planned it twice before and I ended up having to cancel both times because I was under the weather. This time I decided that no matter what I was going as I'm sick of whatever this thing is ruining my day to day life. Silly me panicked on the bus though and got off a stop earlier than I should have done. Chris was waiting in her car near the next stop, saw my bus go past and not stop and was wondering where I was!!!! I could see her car as I walking along so starting rushing as I thought she might drive off without me!!! Anyway we had a brilliant day. We'd decided to have a go at making fabric covered boxes as Chris had some box kits that she'd been given but we couldn't work out if they were complete or not so sort of made it up as went along! She had a lovely book that we could refer to to make things a bit easier for us but I was amazed at just how easy it was to do. I had taken some fabric with me but Chris had some fabric samples so we used those instead seen as this was our first attempt. Neither of us got our boxes finished before I had to leave to catch my bus home so I finished mine yesterday. The lid does not fit too well as when I was trying to get the fabric hinge inbetween the lid pieces I must have got it slightly off square but I am very happy with it for a first attempt. I have had a look through my charts and have decided to stitch something to add to the lid but that won't get done just yet as I have other things that need stitching first. Chris was very cruel though and wouldn't let me have my lunch until I'd stuck the fabric to the sides of my box!!!! Lol! Thank you so much for your hospitality, Chris, I had a brilliant time and hope we can do it again soon. It has given me a bit  more confidence to make up my casket so you may see that soon but in the meantime here's my box:)

Last Sunday I stitched on Blackbird Designs Their Song. I love this piece so much and look forward to stitching it on each week. Maybe I can lots more done tonight!

I don't stitch on Chatelaine Spring Morning on a Tuesday evening now as I'm onto the beading so I started that on Tuesday afternoon instead then I can sit at the table. I know full well if I sit on the sofa I will have beads everywhere and never find them again! So this picture if three afternoon's beading ( Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday!) Please remind me next time I stitch a piece with lots of beads on to bead as I go along!! I am sick of the sight of them but I think after a few days break I will be happy to get back to it!

Finally Shores. Block 8 is still going well and I have actually managed not to make any mistakes on this one! Lots of filling in now so that should go fairly quick.

Yesterday I had a comment on my blog from Laura letting me know that I had won her giveaway:) Laura had picked up the LHN Falala ornament chart at the House of Stitches garage sale to offer up on her blog. I am so happy to have won this chart so thank you so much Laura. I look forward to stitching it in time to put it on my tree this Christmas:)

Abi picked up her two early GSCE results on Tuesday and was so happy that she got an A in Spanish and a C in RE. She is going to continue doing Spanish and has also decided to do another year in RE rather than use the time for other work. She takes her Maths GCSE in November then all the others in May/ June next year. We are so proud of her for doing so well.

Finally Jess is moving into her student house so there's stuff everywhere! I just hope no one gets up in the night to use the bathroom and forgets her cases are on the landing!!! Abi has had a good cry this afternoon as she doesn't want her to go. I have to admit that I'm not looking forward to it either but we have to let go sooner or later and we should be used to it when she's had a year away already. We are lucky in that she's not that far away and if she wants to come home she's only about an hour and a half away on the bus.

I can't believe it's 1st September on Wednesday. My stitching plans for September are an SB needleroll ( of course!), LHN Holly and Berries and a Halloween ornament at least, as well as the WIP I have. Hopefully Chatelaine Spring Morning will get finished early September then I'll move onto my other long term UFO which is the Chatelaine Christmas mystery from way back when! This is the last picture I can find of it on my blog.

Time for me to go now and do some veg for Sunday dinner:) It's a nasty, blustery day up here today and we keep getting some heavy showers so a nice Sunday lunch is definitely the order of the day!

I am a bit behind on blogs but I promise to catch up and see what you've all been up to soon. Take care and thank you all for your friendship.

Hugs

Sally

xxx

Let's All Linger and Gaze

I have had two more finishes this week and an almost finish :) I think I am definitely well into my stitching again and I just want to stitch everything I have now!!!

So I think it's time to shut up and show my stitching! As my regular readers will know Barb and I have been SAL-ing on The Sampler Girl Return the Sea With Jane Austen. Amazingly we both finished it this week and we are both delighted! I have thoroughly enjoyed stitching on this piece and am looking forward to our small pieces next week then on Bank Holiday Monday we are starting the Jane Austen Sampler Stocking. I have edged mine with nun stitch and will add some ribbon as a hanger. I'm planning on finishing At Home the same way. Thank you so much, Barb, for stitching this lovely with me.

The Sampler Girl Return to the Sea With Jane Austen

36 count flax linen

DMC

Started 5th July 2010

Finished 17th August 2010

For the small design that Barb and I are going to stitch Barb has lent me A Sweet View which I absolutely love. I think Barb is going to stitch A Turn in the Garden:) She also sent me the Shepherd's Bush 2008 Fob chart- thank you so much Barb xxx

My second finish is ( wait for it!) another Halloween ornament! Yay I shall have two ornaments on my black tree at least! I chose a quicker stitch this time and just love this cute pumpkin! Not sure what design I will choose next but I can't wait to get the JCS mag with the Halloween ornaments in it. I asked at my newsagent if they could get the mag for me and they can:)

Just Nan Batty Jack from JCS Aug/ Sept 2008

Unknown fabby

DMC

Started 18th August 2010

Finished 20th August 2010

My almost finish of this week is Chatelaine Spring Morning. I finished all the stitching except for the backstitch around the lily of the valley as it's white and it doesn't show up at all so I've left it off for now until I decide what to do. This week I'll be adding the beads and crystals but as there are lots of beads it may take me a while!

My final WIP, of course, is CHS Shores. Block 8 seems to be going very well ( should I have said that as I may have just jinxed myself!!!!) I have got quite a lot done over the past two evenings which makes me a very happy stitcher lol!

Thank you for all your lovely comments on the finishes in my last post and the other things I wrote about. I absolutely LOVE my hair! Wonder what my hairdresser will say when we go next Saturday!

After all the stress on Jess' student house last Sunday it has all been sorted. We went yesterday to take some her stuff and it looks so much better. I think they may all take some time to settle and I must admit I am worried about how Jess will take to it but I am sure after a couple of weeks she'll be fine and once the new semester starts and she gets into a routine again it will all come together. She's moving in properly next weekend and that will leave a huge hole at home again until we get used to it.

The girls and I took a trip into Hull on Friday. We don't do this very often as the fares are ridiculous but we needed to get Abi's uniform and didn't know when we were going to have time on a weekend. We are not a two car family and my DH uses ours for getting to work so off we went on the bus! We did quite well getting what Abi needed and, thankfully, she didn't need everything new as she'd got some new bits in the last term. I dread unifrom shopping more and more every year as the older they get the harder it gets but this is her last year. On Tuesday she goes for the results of the two GCSEs she's taken early so fingers crossed she's done well in those.

Time I was going now to get some washing hung out and put more in. I need to make sure everything Jess needs with her is ready to pack over the next week!

Take care everyone.

Hugs

Sally

xxxx

More SB Finishes!

OK so I know what you're thinking! Yes I will admit that I am addicted to Shepherd's Bush! I have two more finishes and I am so pleased with them. Last week I decided I needed a small new start to cheer me up and after much deliberation I started Shepherd's Bush My Pins. This is an adorable, quick to stitch design. The kit included everything I needed right down to the backing fabric, ricrac and the adorable swirly flower pin. I must admit that the ricrac was fiddly to get right and I almost left it off but I am so glad I perservered with it as it looks lovely.

Shepherd's Bush My Pins

24 count Prairie Cloth

DMC and Weeks Dye Works

Started 12th August 2010

Finished 14th August 2010

The chart and leftover threads are now for sale on my for sale page

My next finish is the roll I showed in my last post. I finished all the stitching and added the beads and lace. This is a lovely one. I think my fabric was maybe a bit too narrow but I am happy with it anyway :) I wonder if Chris has got anymore done?!

Shepherd's Bush Violet Roll.

28 count vintage country mocha linen

DMC thread and Mill Hill beads

Started 5th August 2010

Finished 12th August 2010

As usual Tuesdays are UFO nights with the girls from Stitch and Stash so, to save a beating telling off from Mr Stick and Julie, I was a good girl and stitched on Chatelaine Spring Morning. I didn't quite get all the cross stitching done so, hopefully, I will tomorrow evening as well as the backstitching then I can bead :) My next UFO project will be the Chatelaine Christmas Mystery, I think it was IV and I can't remember how long ago I actually last picked this up.

I had a good couple of nights on CHS Shores of Hawk Run Hollow on Friday and Saturday. I just seemed to be in the right frame of mind so this block is going really well. I think that could well be because I have got the BIG block out of the way! I am looking forward to seeing how Jane and Nicki are getting on with theirs.

Another enjoyable evening on Blackbird Designs Their Song was had last night :) I was desperately in need of a relaxing evening after a rather stressful day ( more about that in brief in a bit!) so this helped a bit.

Tonight has become one of my favourite nights of the week as it's my JA SAL night with Barb. I think we may both have a finish this evening and then we are going to do a small one, then start the Jane Austen Sampler Stocking on August Bank Holiday so I am really looking forward to that!

On Saturday I received an RAK from Hazel. I had sent her a chart that she had on her wish list and she had been looking at mine and had this lovely from it, which she has stitched. I have been wanting this for quite some time as I want to stitch it in memory of my Mum ( her name was Mary) so thank you so much Hazel xx

DH is back at work today and I am missing him. We did spend a long time not getting on too well in the last year or so but these past couple of months have been so much better and we are both much happier. I don't know if it was me or him or both of us but I'm glad we are back on track and he says he's got his old Sally back :) I just wish that we'd have better luck in other things too!

Yesterday, as I said in my previous post, Jess should have been moving her stuff into her student house. Well to cut a very long story short there had been a mix up with the contract. The company's paperwork said it started 22nd August, Jess and her friends paperwork said 15th and the first payment went out of their accounts last week. They were given the all clear to move in but when we arrived yesterday the house wasn't ready! My heart sank when I saw it as it hadn't been cleaned, the door didn't even lock, there were doors off the kitchen units, the beds were the ones the previous tenants had slept in and were stained and dirty. Everywhere we looked there was something. It was just dirty and unsafe. We have been assured it will be ready for next Sunday and they did start removing old beds and appliances when were talking outside to other parents. I have spoken to the lettings manager today and told her how unhappy we are and she has taken full responsibility for the mix-up and has apologised but that doesn't help the fact that a mistake was made and it was very stressful for all of us. I guess they won't be going to the same company next time!

Finally Abi wanted to dye my hair! I used to dye it regularly years ago but she decided it might make me feel better about myself ( bless her xx) so last week when we went to Meadowhall in Sheffield we snuck into Superdrug and chose a semi-permanent colour and this morning she set about dying it for me and this is the result. It hasn't quite covered all my greys ( I do have a few) but I love it and I love how she's styled it. I can't get it to go like this!

Time I was off to sort some veg and stuff for tea. Thanks for reading and for all your wonderful comments. They mean so much. Will be back tomorrow to catch up on your blogs :)

Hugs

Sally

xxx

The Big Block Is Done :)

Just a little into August and the BIG block on CHS Shores of Hawk Run Hollow is done. Yipeeee!!!! This is my SAL with Jane and Nicki. For all this block caused me some problems because of a mistake I made with the borders I did enjoy stitching this block. I made a small start on block 8 whilst watching Alice in Wonderland on DVD, which we bought for Jess for her birthday. There is a lot of stitching in this block but not too many colour changes so it shouldn't take too long! Haha famous last words!

I've almost done all the stitching on the SB Violet Roll which I started last week. This roll is another very pretty one and I hope to finish it tomorrow evening.

Sunday evening I had my shameless new start! Well I did finish the stitching on the casket so a new start was in order :) As I said in my post before Jess' birthday post I decided to start Blackbird Designs Their Song. I coffee dyed some white 40 fabric for this piece last year and I'm using DMC threads. I love what I have done so far and am looking forward to stitching more on it next Sunday.

Last night was my JA SAL night with Barb and more loveliness was stitched on Return to the Sea With Jane Austen. When this one is finished I'm going to edge both this one and At Home with Nun stitch then use some ribbon to make a hanger to hang them both on the wall.

Tonight I would like to finish the cross stitching on Chatelaine Spring Morning then when I get an afternoon free add all the beads and crystals. Not sure when that will be as we are having a day out shopping tomorrow. Even if DH and I can't buy anything the girls can and Jess needs some bits and pieces for when she moves into her new student digs. She's picking up her keys at the weekend as her contract has started which I can't get my head around as they don't get any money from student finance until they start the new semester at the end of September. Good job she managed to save some money from her last lot of student money but she will be job hunting too when she gets settled in. She's sharing with 4 friends. It hardly seems like 5 minutes since she came back home.

Thank you to those of you who left birthday wishes for Jess and also for all your wonderful comments on my previous post. They really lift my spirits. It's so nice to know that people are reading my blog and like my stitching :) Thank you from the bottom of my heart xxxx

Take care everyone.

Hugs

Sally

xxxx

Happy Birthday Jessica!!!

Today my eldest DD Jessica is 19 so HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESSICA!!!!! I hope you have a lovely, relaxing day and don't get too drunk tonight :)

I can't believe how fast those 19 years have gone. Even though we may not always see eye to eye we are so proud of you and hope you will achieve everything you want over the next few years at university and beyond. Show them what you're made of sweetheart and make that difference!! You are the most amazing person, fun loving, a *little* crazy, loving, giving but most of all you are our wonderful daughter.

Love you loads

Mum and Dad xxxxxx

More Winter Wingding and Stuff!

I decided yesterday to do some finishing up. Blue Ribbon Designs Winter Wingding had been wallowing in my finishing pile since I finished the stitching a while ago as I couldn't decide how to finish it. Anyway I decided on a simple pillow finish so out came my sewing machine. For all it's a simple finish I am rather pleased with this. Please excuse my photos in this post as it's been rather dull and I've struggled with the photo editing program I'm using.

Another one that has been waiting to be finished is Just Nan 4 Wishes. Like my other JN finishes I've used a simple bell pull finish. I have run out of space on my JN wall so this one will have to go on another wall!

Finally I stitched this little fob up when I stitched the LHN Needle and Thread Scissor Bed a while ago but never got around to adding the cording so that was another job for yesterday and is now complete :)

I've had two more finishes this week so I'm rather happy! I think I have missed having a good few finishes and now that I'm getting quite a few it makes stitching on the bigger pieces easier! If that makes sense. Anyway first finish is Just A Thought Sampler Garden Casket and Accessories. Obviously this now needs making up but it might be a good idea for me to wait until I am on my own to do it. I have loved stitching this and I just hope I can do the piece justice when it comes to making it up.

Just A Thought Sampler Garden Casket

32 count Belfast linen

DMC and Threadworx

Started 28th March 2010

Finished 1st August 2010

My final finish for today is...... wait for it........ a Halloween ornament! Yes I will have at least one ornament on that black tree! Not made up yet but that will happen soon lol. I would like to try and get some nice bright ribbon for it.

Raise The Roof Boo Whoo ( JCS Halloween issue 2008)

Possibly a Jayne's Attic fabric

DMC thread & JABC Buttons

Started sometime in 2009!

Finished 4th August 2010.

Onto my WIPs now :) I didn't quite get blocks 6 & 7 finished on CHS Shores of Hawk Run Hollow but it was close so I should get it finished this weekend then I can move onto block 8. I am not so bothered if I don't get a block a month done on this. It was my plan but I am just wanting to enjoy it rather than think that I must finish it :) If it's not finished by the end of the year I shall just hold off starting my big piece for next year then it'll give me more time to save up and collect the charts!

Monday evening was my  Jane Austen SAL with Barb which I look forward to every week. I had the DMC that I'd run out of so the verse is now finished as is the ship and I have sea too!!! So now you can linger and gaze at the sea lol! I just love Tanya's Jane inspired designs.

Lastly and a little closer to a finish is Chatelaine Spring Morning. Once I've finished all the stitching there are a lot of beads to sew on so that'll probably be a good afternoon's work. I prefer to sit at the dining table when I sew beads on incase I spill them!

So what's next? Well I have decided to replace the casket with Blackbird Designs Their Song which Nicola kindly sent me last year when she had stitched it. It was a bit of a toss up between that and Shepherd's Bush Emmanuel's Song, which Barb kindly sent me, but I decided on Their Song because I've had it the longest then once that is done I'll make a start on Emmanuel's Song. Last night I made a small start on my SB roll for this month and I chose Violet which is really pretty. I'll continue to stitch on that tonight then once it's done I'll be starting LHN Holly and Berries I think.

I have added The Cat's Whiskers For My Friend Scissor Case chart ( gently used) to my for sale page so it's there with Just Nan 4 Wishes and M Designs Reindeer Needleroll and Sampler. Please email me ( in my profile) if you are interested:)

It looks very much as though my days of being a SAHM are numbered but I have to admit that going back out to work after nearly 16 years is scaring the hell out of me and also I am scared that I won't be able to find a job and wondering what hell we'll do if I can't. We need another wage coming in as we can no longer manage on DH's wage alone. So when DH goes back to work after his holiday I'll be job hunting. I can't say that I'm too happy about it as I wanted to do this on my terms not being forced because everything is going sky high beyond what so many of us can afford, but I know we're not the only ones in this situation. So no stashing for me unless I have pennies in my PP account! Good job I have plenty to stitch but I'll be putting some bits on my Christmas list lol!!!!

Well it's time I stopped waffling on and got caught up on blogs.

Take care everyone!

Hugs

Sally

xxxx