Flipping Frogs!!!

Or is it simply my brain not working??? I picked up Blue Ribbon Designs Stitched with Love last night and found a mistake on the left hand heart! Now I panicked as I thought I was going to have to frog the whole heart and it's contents but on closer inspection I noticed that the lilac parts above lined up as they should and found my silly mistake. This only needed a few stitches unpicking. As I went along and started the vine next to the heart I realised that something else was amiss. You know the rhyme Now I Know My ABC's??? Well it would appear that I don't and my alphabet was missing an I!!!! So I frogged A to H and restitched it all, this time making sure I had the I :) Phew! So this is my progress as of around 10.15 last night! I'll pick it again this evening and hope for no more visits from said frogs!

Friday and Saturday evening was my usual BBD AotH nights and I alternated between the over one wording and the other bits. As this one is going to be dedicated to my paternal grandparents I've stitched a B on the door as that is the initial of their surname and my maiden name :) I am hoping that I will be able to finish this block over the next two evenings I pick it up.

Sunday evening I decided I wanted a new start but was torn between Dandy Dreams and Spot of Winter but as I've had Spot of Winter for ages and have the other spots stitched I decided on that one. I stitched a little more on it yesterday afternoon and this is where I'm at. I'm thinking I might do more this afternoon.

Monday was SAL night with Barb and Colleen and our SB pieces. I am well over halfway now on Emmnauel's Song and after checking my chart I see I have about 10 rows of speciality stitches, a row of wording and two rows of cross stitch ( including the one I'm doing) then I'm done with the stitching and I can add the beads and buttons! Lol!

The last few days have not been good after a suspected bout of cystitis for me over the weekend, a bout of vertigo for me starting Monday and family disagreements for DH. I am truly fed-up and there's no wonder I think things will never improve as it just seems to be one thing after another!

I am hoping my new stash from Anita might arrive today. Once I've finished the spot I'm going to start Dandy Dreams then next week I'll probably start PS Daffodils if it has arrived. I need something bright and cheerful! Then, of course, I have the my Big Toe A New Day SAL with Lisa and the DT Sanctuary SAL with Chris to look forward to.

Well time for me to go and catch up on blogs:)

Take care everyone.

Hugs

Sally

xxxx 

No Facebook = More Stitching!

Yes I have been on as self-imposed Face book ban this week which means more stitching of an evening which equals progress! For 3 evenings this week I have stitched solely on Blue Ribbon Designs Stitched With Love and, even though I say so myself, it is looking gorgeous. If I can continue making progress like this each week I might just get it finished in time for our anniversary on 26th of next month. I am thinking of not getting it framed though and maybe finishing it the same way I finished La D Da Love is Patient.

Wednesday afternoon after a good session on the Wii Fit Plus ( weight is creeping up again which means I am very despondent) I fancied a small new start. I'd sorted threads and fabric for Drawn Thread Sanctuary which I'll be stitching along with Chris, threads for Silver Creek Samplers Dandy Dreams ( I have the urge to start this ASAP) and whilst sorting I came across a piece of 40 count fabric and decided to start this! Any ideas what it is??? Honestly at the rate I'm going I shall have to stay up all night as I just seem to want to stitch everything at the moment, which is not really good!

Finally I picked up Shores this morning from my trusty framer John and I love it! He did say that he'd struggled to get it straight so it's not quite there but I am very happy with it. For some strange reason I was surprised that it's so big, I don't know what I was thinking, but I found somewhere to hang it as soon as I got it home. OK I did actually take one of my angels down but I'll be hanging her somewhere else!

Yesterday postie brought me an envelope and it was from Barb:) She asked me if I would like the chart of SB The Journey and very kindly sent me it:) Thank you so much Barb. You must let me know what you would like for it though. This is another one I am itching to stitch. Also in the photo is Dandy Dreams which I won from Christine:)

Off to catch up on blogs now. Have a wonderful weekend my dear friends.

Hugs

Sally

xxxx

A Finish & Lots of Progress:)

My aim on Sunday evening was to finish my Shepherd's Bush ornament for March so I can get caught up with Chris who finished hers what seems like ages ago! I am pleased to say that I did it! I like this one, well I like them all, but this one is a favourite. So in April I can now start the next one!

Shepherd's Bush Starry Night

36 count Sand linen

DMC

Started 6th March 2011

Finished 20th March 2011

Just how can a little ornament take so many Sunday evenings to stitch?!!!

Friday and Saturday saw me beavering away on BBD A Wish for You. Even though I'm only using DMC on the house I love how this is looking! I'm hoping to get lots more done this week when I pick it up again. I would like to get it finished so that I'm on track for a block a month but there is still lots to do including that over one wording. Now don't get me wrong I'm not averse to stitching over one as I do rather enjoy it but it does seem to take longer somehow! Looking forward to seeing how Valerie, Jane and Lisa B are getting on.

Now that I've finished LHN Be Merry- Belle Pepper I am concentrating on getting a couple of evenings a week at least on Blue Ribbon Designs Stitched With Love. As it is now I can't for the life of me seeing it finished ready for our wedding anniversary but if I stay off the PC of an evening I'm guessing anything is possible. I do love the colours in this, again I'm using good ole DMC.

Final stitchy photo is my progress on Shepherd's Bush Emmanuel's Song my SAL with Barb and Colleen. Now Barb has had a nice new start and that is Lucky and she has a sheep stitched. You have to love those sweet SB sheep! I did get quite a lot stitched last night so I am one happy little stitcher:)

I am feeling rather lucky at the moment as I won Christine's giveaway for Silver Creek Samplers Dandy Dreams chart and postie has just brought it. I absolutely love this design and hope to stitch it as soon as possible and then I will be passing the chart on in the form of a giveaway on here. Thank you so much Christine :) Do pop over to her blog and have a look at her finish of Dandy Dreams.

I recently had some successful sales on Ebay and privately so I decided to treat myself to some new stash. Another Nashville release I could not live without was Shakespeare's Peddler Jenny Bean Creation Sampler so I ordered that as well as Prairie Schooler Daffodils from Anita's Little Stitches. Those are going to be shipped this week and the PS chart is going to be for the PS SAL on Needlecraft Haven. I think I seriously need to stop buying charts now and concentrate on kitting up some of the ones I have!

Writing of SALS ( do you think I like SALs????) Chris visited on Friday and was admiring my DT finishes and I mentioned that I had The Sanctuary to stitch and I really wanted to stitch it soon and as she also has the chart we are going to have a SAL when I've finished BRD Stitched With Love so another SAL to look forward to. I just like SALs as they are motivating especially when you can go at your own pace. Also ( yes another one coming up!) Lisa and I are going to start My Big Toe Designs A New Day once she has finished LHN Winter Band Sampler. I'm really looking forward to both of these SALs.

As I said Chris visited on Friday and it was really good to see her. The last time we saw each other was August so it was high time we met up again and I really enjoyed our afternoon chatting, showing our stitching and drinking tea:) I think it did us both good as we've both been feeling low recently. Thank you for cheering me up Chris:)

I finally got my latest JCS magazine today from my newsagent and oh wow it's another fantastic issue! So much I would love to stitch!

Thank you for all your good wishes for Abi in my last post. It turned out that she has low iron levels so is now on iron tablets for 6 weeks so, hopefully, they will make her feel a whole lot better. She seems to have been ill off and on for so long now.

Well I'm going to catch up on blogs for a bit and see what you've all been up to. No doubt there will be some more enabling going on as I look!

Take care everyone.


Love & hugs


Sally
xxxx

Meet Belle!

Isn't it amazing what you can actually achieve when you get off the computer and stitch! Last week I gave myself another two sessions on Little House Needleworks Be Merry- Belle Merry to finish this beauty BUT last night I sat down straight after I'd washed the pots up and set about stitching. This is the result! Not a brilliant photo as it's rather dull and miserable here today.

Little House Needleworks Be Merry- Belle Pepper

32 count Vintage Country Mocha Linen

DMC, DMC Variations, Carrie's Creations & Crescent Colours

Started 2nd February 2011

Finished 16th March 2011

I have loved every single stitch of this and thank you Lisa and Lesleyanne for SAL-ing with me. I look forward to our next one later in the year :)

Monday evening was SB SAL night ( can you tell I am loving my SALs!!!) with Barb and Colleen. I am eagerly waiting to see what Barb chose to start after her finish of The Journey last week and seeing if Colleen has finally rounded up her sheep after a visit from the frog last week :) When I put Emmanuel's Song away on Monday evening I was half way through the wording so last night, after finishing Belle, I finished the wording and did the next row too. This is such a soothing piece to stitch with the pastel shades.

Finally my progress on my 25th wedding anniversary piece from Tuesday evening. I am planning on stitching this tonight as well as I need to get a move on with it. I am stitching this with good ole DMC on 32 count white evenweave.

My Blackbird Designs A Stitcher's Journey finally arrived on Monday and let me tell it was well worth the wait! I have to admit that I would like to stitch every single thing in it. If you are thinking about this book and not sure what to do I would highly recommend it. It is well worth the money!

These are just a few of the projects that are in the book that I would start tomorrow if I didn't have other things to stitch at present! Lol!

Abi had her blood tests on Monday and I am popping up to the surgery for the results shortly although I am sure had there been anything they would have been in touch anyway. She was ever so brave but started shaking, sweating and crying and I thought she was going to pass out. I have never seen her this bad before. Thankfully the nurse was very good and put wet, cold paper towels on her forehead and neck to cool her down. Needless to say I brought her home rather than her going back to school.

Time for me to dash and get to the surgery!

Thank you for visiting me and for all your lovely comments. I truly appreciate each and every one of them and love reading them :)

Take care everyone.

Love & hugs

Sally

xxxxx

Valentine Rose......

is finished!!!! I popped the final stitches into this gorgeous piece on Friday evening which meant I could start A Wish for You last night.

Blackbird Designs AotH #2 Valentine Rose

36 count Rosewood linen

GAST & DMC

Started 12th February 2011

Finished 11th March 2011

I dedicated this block to my maternal Grandma. The year is the year she married my Grandad ( they did not get married in February though), the initials in the heart shaped flower are my Grandad's and the number 12 on the door is the number of children they had :) I am really pleased with how this one turned out.

So onto A Wish for You now. This is the start I made last night.  I am thinking that this one may be for my paternal grandparents as I think they were married in March.

Finally my Thursday evening progress on The Primitive Needle By the Light of the Moon which I am stitching for the Spooky SAL as a tribute to Lisa Roswell.

Just a quick post today but I cannot end this without mentioning the  earthquake and tsunami in Japan. The images we are seeing are just horrific and my heart goes out to all the people there and those in other countries who are waiting to hear if relatives and friends are safe. I feel so sad that so many people have lost their lifes and those left behind are living in fear of further quakes and the explosions at the nuclear power plants. I will be continuing to keep them in my thoughts, especially our dear stitching friend Yuko and her family.

I will try to get caught up on blog reading tomorrow after I've been to the surgery to support Abi while she has blood taken.

Take care everyone.

Love & hugs

Sally

xxxx

Another Tiny-ish Finish!

I do rather like these smaller finishes in between stitching on slightly larger pieces. This one was finished as a fob on the chart BUT I messed up a little and ended up finishing it as a pincushion. This design is finished rather funky, at least I think so, so I used a bright pink ribbon for a roughly ruched edging with some blue and pink Rocailles that I'd bought Abi for her textiles project but she didn't use them. I am rather pleased with the result.

Cherrywood Design Studios Eat Sleep Stitch

28 count white opalescent evenweave ( 1 over 1)

DMC

Started 3rd March 2011

Finished 6th March 2011

While I had the sewing machine out sewing that one up I also finished off the BBD Winter Garden pincushion. Another simple finish that I absolutely love :)

And to prove to Chris that I am actually stitching the SB ornaments here's the two I have finished! I'm hoping to get the next one finished this next Sunday then I'm all caught up for now. I'm afraid my photo of them is rubbish!

I've been beavering away on my WIPs this week. Monday was SB SAL night with Barb and Colleen. Now Barb has been one speedy stitcher and had a happy dance so please pop on over to her blog and have a peek at The Journey. It is beautiful and so nicely finished. I am hoping ( please!) that Barb will keep on with the SAL with Colleen and I :) Anyway here's my progress on Emmanuel's Song. I am almost half way through this and love how it's stitching up.

Tuesday evening, after my fright of realisng just how close DH and I's 25th wedding anniversary is, I picked up Blue Ribbon Designs Stitched With Love. Once I get the SB ornament for this month finished I shall have two evenings on SWL as I need to get a move on! So much I want to stitch NOW and so little time! Lol!

Finally last night was LHN SAL night with Lisa and Lesleyanne and I see a finish in the not too distant future :) Well I think by the end of March this lovely design should be done and dusted:) I love every single bit of this.

I am still waiting for my BBD A Stitcher's Journey book but I now know what has happened to it! I emailed Karen from Wasatch Needlecraft and it appears it was returned to her. She said she's had a few international packages returned as the mail carriers read the return address as the shipping address!!! Duh! So she resent it on 28th February so keeping my fingers crossed that it actually arrives soon.

Some good news for Jess. As you all know she wants to  be a novelist hence her wanting to now change to Enlgish and Creative Writing at university. We still are none the wiser as to how she's going to fund her fees for the first year of the new course BUT there is a little light in the darkness and that is she has just had her first short story published as an ebook for Kindle on Amazon:) here. I haven't read it so I think I might have to ask for a copy!! Lol! I just hope she does well with it.

Right I'm going to see what you've all been up to on your blogs for a bit. I did a mass catch up yesterday but need to keep on top really! Thank you for visiting :)

Take care everyone.

Love & hugs

Sally

xxxx

A Teeny Finish

I can now show the teeny finish I had last week as it has been received. I wanted to stitch a little something up for Lindsay to show my appreciation of her lending me the BBD chart and as Spring is, hopefully, coming and it'll soon be Easter I chose this little fellow:) He was lovely to stitch and so cute!

The Prairie Schooler Peep ( card freebie)

Unknown ornament cut

DMC

Started 26th February 2011

Finished 1st March 2011

Thank you gift for Lindsay

As there were only two takers for the BBD A Wish for You chart that Becky sent me but I already have it I have decided to pass it on to Lesleyanne, as she commented first, then if she would please pass it on to Hazel when she's stitched it :)

I had a good couple of evenings on BBD Valentine Rose. I didn't get it finished but next time I stitch it I will!!! I love the heart shaped flower and the pot it's in. It looks so pretty.

Thursday I made a start on The Primitive Needle freebie By the Light of the Moon for the Spooky SAL in tribute to Lisa Roswell. I won this piece of fabby from Lee a while ago and decided it would be perfect for this design.

Finally I have actually remembered to take a picture of my little bit of progress on Blue Ribbon Designs Stitched With Love. I'm going to have to stitch on this more often as I only have about 6 weeks to get it done and into the framers. HELP! I'd better move this into my rotation rather than just stitch on it here and there!

Took Abi to the doctors on Friday. She was supposed to have a mock exam but ended up not being able to do it as she had stomach problems. DH and I started to think that she may have IBS and sure enough that is what the doctor thinks. She's given her some peppermint capsules so we will see how she goes with those. We have had so much going on and what with the stress ot it being her final year at school and exams coming up there's no wonder she's feeling the way she is. Bless her.

I've updated my for my sale list. Have reduced prices and also if you're interested in my finished Christmas Mystery IV piece please make me a reasonable offer! lol!

Just a quick post today. I plan on a stitchy afternoon if I can get away with it! Thank you for your comments- I truly appreciate each and every one of them.

Love & hugs

Sally

xxx

The House That Sally Built......

Is looking rather splendid even if I do say so myself! Last night was LHN SAL night with Lisa and Lesleyanne and I finally got all the windows in and the door so the house will be nice and snug for Belle to go into! I love this piece so much and I enjoy stitching on it each Wednesday.

Monday was SB SAL night with Barb and Colleen and an enjoyable evening stitching in spirit with another two lovely ladies. My piece, Emmanuel's Song, is growing rather nicely and is so much fun to stitch.

I have been stitching on Blue Ribbon Designs Stitched with Love but forgot to take a photo of it so I'll show that next time providing I remember of course! Also had another little finish but I can't show that until it's been received.

I have decided that I'm not going to do the Jardin Prive SAL after all. I'm just pleased I thought about it long and hard. It is a beautiful piece but there are so many other things that I would rather stitch.

I mentioned a wee while ago that I had been one of four lucky ladies picked on Becky's blog to receive a stash goody bag from her and just look at what arrived for me on Tuesday! Becky is such a kind hearted, generous lady:) I love everything here! I do already have the BBD chart and the MND one and Becky said I could pass then on so I've passed the MND onto Lisa and if anyone of my regular commenters would like  BBD AotH A Wish for You please mention it in your comment. Thank you so much for your kindness Becky {{{{hugs}}}}

I am patiently impatiently waiting for my BBD A Stitcher's Journey to arrive as I can't hardly wait to get little hands on it and look through it! I think it was shipped over a week ago so, hopefully, it'll be here soon.

I was so sad to hear of the tragic death of Lisa of The Primitive Needle. My thoughts and prayers are with her family. It really does make you realise just how fragile life is. There is a Spooky SAL that has been set up on Facebook to stitch something in tribute to her and although I have never stitched one of her designs or own any I thought it would be nice to join in and I went through my freebies and found two of Lisa's and am going to stitch one of those so I am either doing Wicked or By the Light of the Moon.

We had some good news from Jess on Tuesday but with the good news comes the bad :( The good news is that she has been accepted for the English and Creative Writing course from September at the same university she is at now. She has just rung with the bad news which is that because she's already had a student loan for tuition fees for the almost two years she has already done student finance will only give her a further two years loan and the course she's going to is three years. Plus it's  not the final year she will have to pay herself. Oh no she has to find £3,375 for the year 2011/2012! More to damned well worry about! She does have some savings, although I'm not sure she has enough, but that will mean that everything she has saved will have gone. I don't think she's really thought it through. Also she won't get a grant for living until she's done the first year which means won't have as much to live on. There is no way we can help her so God only knows how she'll manage and I fear that she's going to end up having to drop out. I am just so sick of the worry with everything. And yesterday DH's auntie was admitted to hospital. Thankfully it is not as serious as we first thought it might be and is a stomach bug. If all goes well she should be allowed home today.

Well I had better go. I feel as though all I do is moan lol Just don't know how much more I can take:(

Take care everyone.

Hugs

Sally
xxx