Tulip House Stitcher's Companion

A while ago my dear friend, Barb, kindly sent me an SB kit ( Blackberrie Sampler) as she had decided she would not stitch it. I wanted to stitch something up for her to say thank you and also to thank her for her friendship as I treasure it very much. So I decided upon Blackbird Designs Tulip House Stitcher's Companion. I could not find the playing card box that the BBD ladies used here in the UK but I did find one of a similar size but without the compartments from Boxy Lady. I also stitched up the little pincushion for the inside. I heard from Barb today and she loves it :) It was an absolute pleasure stitching this up and making it for her. The paint job on the box is not brilliant as I really should have watered the paint down but for a first attempt I was really pleased with it:)

Blackbird Designs Tulip House Stitcher's Companion

32 count vintage country mocha linen

GAST.

Gift for Barb.

No other finishes but I do have some progress and .......... another new start! Wednesday evening was SAL night with Lisa on My Big Toe Designs A New Day. I am attempting to finish the words then fill in the rest of the flowers before moving onto the top and the border. This is stitching up amazingly quickly.

Thursday was PS SAL night for me with NH and although I really didn't want to stitch on this ( my counselling was Thursday afternoon and the PS was just not calling to me) I forced myself to pick it up and told myself that I could do an hour and if I still wasn't feeling I would allow myself to put it away and pick something else up. I ended up stitching on it all evening!

My BOAF Sally Spencer Sampler arrived through my letterbox on Thursday and, although I'm itching to start it, I have put it away for now. I also received the Shepherd's Bush 2009 Fob chart which Valerie has very kindly lent me ( thank you so much Valerie :) )and as I like to get charts back to people ASAP I made a start on this last night after I'd done a couple of hours on BBD AotH. Well that's my excuse anyway! So this is my start:)

Besides those I received the Bent Creek Littles Bunny chart which I won in Tricia's giveaway:) Thank you so much Tricia :) I will be passing the chart on when I have finished with it.

That's all from me today. Have a wonderful long weekend everyone. Monday is a bank holiday for us here and I know it's Memorial Day in the USA.

Love & hugs

Sally

xxx

Jenny Bean is Back!

At last I have "finished" finished Shakespeare's Peddler Jenny Bean's Pin Tuffet. I stole Chris' idea of a tin finish the same as the one she kindly made me for my birthday last December. It's not perfect but for a first attempt I'm quite happy with it. I sent it to Fiona ( no blog),  one of my oldest online stitching friends from way back when we met on Stitchaholics Welcome, as she has been a wonderful online friend and often texts, emails or sends me messages on Facebook to see how I am etc. I am glad to say that she loves it :) 

So what else have my eager beaver stitching fingers been up to. Well I have shamelessly had three new starts in the last three days. Yes you read that right! Three in three days. I so need my stitching. Sunday evening I started Little House Needleworks Red House in Winter. I love the look of this one and am looking forward to getting more stitched this coming Sunday. I'm stitching it on 36 count sand linen like I did the others.

Monday evening's new start was another Shepherd's Bush Fob for the SAL I do with Barb and Colleen. This time I picked up the Glad Tidings one which is another chart that dear Barb sent me. I did a little searching through my GAST collection and picked colours as close as I could to the picture and this is the front almost finished. My poor sheep is legless at the moment!

New start number three was last night and Chris and I started our SAL of The Drawn Thread The Sanctuary. Kajsa is also joining us in the hope that she can get hers finished :) You'd be amazed at how much time that middle bit took! I got confused ( it don't take much!!!) and thought I'd misstitched the whole lot when I'd got quite a lot done but, thankfully, it was just the row I'd just stitched! Phew!!!!

Last piece of stitching is my progress on BBD AotH Moonlight Visitor. I did some house building this time. The brick laying is done so I can start putting in the windows and the door:)

It's AND night with Lisa tonight and I can barely wait to sit on my comfy sofa and get stitching :)

So that's all my stitchy news. I heard from Stephanie at Thread Bear yesterday and my BOAF Sally Spencer Sampler chart has arrived so that's something to look forward to it popping through my letter box:)  No way will I be starting it yet but I have the threads and will dye some fabric:)

I'm way behind on reading and commenting on blogs and I really need to sort myself out and get caught up. I seem to waste so much time playing games again on FB ( good to tell I'm really down) so those are going ( again) except for Hatchlings as I really like that!

My prayers go out to all those affected by the tornadoes in the US. 

Take care everyone.

Love & hugs

Sally

xxx

A Wee Finish

I couldn't resist getting the Shepherd's Bush Fob I started on Monday evening for my SAL with Barb and Colleen finished. It was so lovely to stitch and I've another one of those weeks where I found it hard to stick to one thing, except for on Wednesday when I was stitching MBT A New Day another SAL! So Thursday evening I finished off all the stitching then yesterday I backstitched a border then today I sewed the back and front together and added the ribbon. The ribbon is maybe not quite the right shade but I'm really happy with it. I couldn't remember what colour button should be used on the back so just used one I had in my stash and hoped it would look OK!

Shepherd's Bush 2008 Fob

32 count vintage country mocha linen

DMC

Started 16th May 2011

Finished 20th May 2011

My SAL night with Lisa on My Big Toe Designs A New Day went well. I am very happy with the progress I made as I did some of the flowers in between the words and then did more words. I really love this design and can't wait to have it finished and up on my wall. It is very meaningful for me.

I only made a little bit of progress on Prairie Schooler Daffodils Sampler on Thursday. It's hardly worth showing really but I guess even a little bit is better than none. I did a bit of fencing. I'm hoping I made it strong enough to withstand the winds we're getting lately!

So last night I stitched a bit on BBD AotH Moonlight Visitor as well as my PIFs. Plan B on those has now become Plan C! I just hope I don't get through the whole alphabet with plans! I'll do more on Pumpkin Farm tonight then tomorrow night a new ornament start! Seen as I've done my SB ornament for this month I've decided to start Little House Needleworks Red House in Winter. My new SB start for SAL night on Monday will probably be another small one as I'm thinking Glad Tidings Fob if I can sort some threads. I don't have the threads used so will have to do some matching up!

I've almost finished making up Jenny Bean so will hopefully be able to show that next week. It's not perfect but it's not bad for a first attempt even though I say so myself!

No new stash to report this week. I'm still waiting for my BOAF Sally Spencer Sampler chart from Thread Bear. Still keeping my fingers crossed as they said they could get it for me! I have been tempted to get more stash but am desperately trying to be good! Lol!

I had a lovely surprise when I saw I'd won Tricia's giveaway of Bent Creek Littles Bunny chart! I've had this one on my wish list since I saw Daffycat's finish of it so am delighted to have won it:) Thank you so much Tricia!

Before I go thank your comments, private emails etc on my other blog. I shall keep updating it now and again but I may eventually make it private. However if you do go to read and I have done that just ask for permission to read it:)

I have more making up to do but I can't motivate myself!

ETA Sorry for the crappy photos. I couldn't understand why they didn't look so good. it's my DH's fault as he used it to take some photos while we were out walking this morning and changed the settings! Well it is his camera!

Have a lovely weekend everyone and take care:)

Love & hugs

Sally

xxx

Sweet Baby

Yesterday I finished stitching my Shepherd's Bush ornament for May:) I hope Chris is proud of me lol especially as I totally missed stitching one last month! This was a very quick stitch and as usual with an SB piece I love the colours. I always find their designs so soothing to stitch. I didn't have the SB moon charm as they are a bit expensive so I won't be using any of the charms in these.

Shepherd's Bush Sweet Baby

36 count Sand linen

DMC

Started 8th May 2011

Finished 17th May 2011

Following close behind will be this piece that I started for my SB SAL with Barb and Colleen on Monday evening. I chose a quick stitch this time so this one is the 2008 Fob. I've almost finished the front, I just have some backstitch to do, then I can stitch the back. I'm not going to change the wording or year on it as I like it the way it is. Does anyone have the 2009 Fob chart that they would be prepared to lend me please? I just missed out on that one early last year as Fobbles had sold the last one they had!

Ooh I almost forgot my progress on my AotH piece! This is my progress on Moonlight Visitor from Friday and Saturday evenings and I'm really enjoying this. 

That's all my stitching for now. I'm still working on getting JB's Pin Tuffet finished finished, if you know what I mean, and I'm hoping to get that done very soon. Also have a gift to make up as the stitching is finished so I'll be keeping myself busy:)

In light of my up coming therapy/counselling sessions and not wanting to fill this, my stitching blog, with all that stuff I've finally started a new blog. I thought it might help me to get things written down. I've been going to do this for a few weeks but the one thing stopping me was a title for it! Anyway Stitchyangel's Journey is the title and I blogged my first post yesterday so if you'd like to read it please do.  Just because you read my this blog please don't feel you have to read the other one:) Also please don't think any less of me for putting down what I've been through etc. It wasn't easy to write it and I did think about making the blog private but for now I'm going to leave it open. I welcome any comments and if you've been though anything like this I also welcome suggestions, things that helped you, anything really.

I need to get caught up on blogs so I'm going to grab a cuppa and something to eat and make a start :)

Take care everyone.

Love & hugs

Sally

xxx 

Jenny Bean's Pin Tuffet

As promised I am back ( I had planned on doing this yesterday but, of course, Blogger was down) and I did finish Jenny Bean's Pin Tuffet. It's not a finish finish as yet but, hopefully, it will be in a day or two! It's funny how long this has taken me to stitch but I did put it away for a while. My upcoming SAL with Chris ( and Kajsa is joining us :) ) spurred me on to get some stuff that I'd left for a while finished so we should be able to start soon. Anyway I'm getting off topic here so here's my JB finish. It is my first Shakespeare's Peddler finish and it most certainly will not be last.

Shakespeare's Peddler Jenny Bean's Pin Tuffet

40 count coffee dyed fabric

GAST & DMC

Started 23rd March 2011

Finished 10th May 2011

As I said in my last post last weekend I didn't seem to be able to settle to stitching on just one thing. I can't show the gift as it's still not finished so hasn't been sent to its new Mum yet but I can show on BBD AotH Moonlight Visitor. I have done more on this as I picked it up again last night.

From Sunday night I can show my wee start on Shepherd's Bush Sweet Baby from the JCS ornament magazine. I need to get caught up as I think Chris has already done this one. Speaking of SB have you seen their gorgeous new pincushion Sophie's Pincushion??? It's simply adorable. Well it would be wouldn't it; there's a sheep!!! Anyone who knows me well will know I love sheep and snowmen :)

Sorry I have a couple more to show yet lol! Wednesday was SAL night on My Big Toe Designs A New Day with Lisa. I enjoy stitching on this so much but having said that I am enjoying all my stitching at the moment. It's helping me so much as it helps me relax and helps me take my mind off things. 

I did a bit more on Prairie Schooler Daffodils Sampler on Thursday once we got back in from school. Abi had an "interview" ( yes I use the term loosely as it wasn't exactly a proper interview) for 6th form and it was a drop in thing so we had rather a long wait) so I didn't get quite as much done as I would have liked but it is all progress:)

Final picture is my prize from a giveaway on NH which Clare organised. I love the sentiment of the Lizzie*Kate chart. Thank you so much Clare:)

I had a rather nice post day yesterday. I think Tony the postie knows me too well as he stopped me while I was out for my walk and said he had two large envelopes of cross stitch stuff for me! How does he know????? I was rather puzzled though as I knew I had my order from Anita's Little Stitches but I couldn't for the life of me work out what the other one would be and it was ages afterwards that I realised it would be from Jane as we've just traded 3 of the BBD AotH charts! Duh! So I got those and my order from Anita had the GAST threads for BOAF Sally Spencer Sampler ( now I just need the chart!) and BBD AotH Pumpkin Farm.

My idea for my PIFs has had to go to plan B this week as plan A did not go........ well to plan! I was rather cross with myself but won't say why as it'll give the game away!

I think I'll go catch up a bit on blogs for bit. I had some stuff up on Ebay and managed to sell 2 things so it's not too bad I guess. I can't sell the Chatelaine Christmas Mystery as it seems no one wants it!!! It's the 3rd time I've had it up so I guess it'll be languishing in a drawer for eternity!

Have a lovely weekend everyone. Hugs to all.

Love & hugs

Sally

xxx

Put on Your Dancing Shoes! And A Winner!

Join me in my latest, big happy dance! I was thinking I wouldn't have another HD for a while as I didn't think I was quite as close to finishing this as I was! So I think I'll let my crappy pictures do the talking!

Shepherd's Bush Emmanuel's Song ( kit)

Started 3rd January 2011

Finished 9th May 2011

SAL with Barb and Colleen.

Thank you ladies for SAL-ing with me. I shall be joining you again next Monday with a new start. Thank you also to my dear friend, Barb, for RAK-ing me with the kit. I have loved every single stitch of this. Next week I plan on starting an SB fob as I fancy something small while I decide on what my next big one will be :)

I do have other stitching but haven't taken photos so will leave those until another time. Saturday evening I was in one of those moods and didn't seem to be able to settle on stitching one thing so by the time I went to bed I'd stitched on 3! I did a bit on my Jenny Bean Pin Tuffet, made a start on BBD AotH Moonlight Visitor and stitched on a gift! Sunday evening was the same but this time the JB came out again and the gift and I started SB Sweet Baby ornament for the SAL with Chris. I didn't stitch one last month so I think I need to get my finger out! So there'll be a few more photos next time and, hopefully, the JB Pin Tuffet might just be finished.

Thank you for all your sweet comments on my last post and for all your advice:) You girls are well and truly the best :) I was having a right royal pity party! My sister visited on Sunday afternoon and I was even close to tears talking to her. I need putting in a bag and shaking up!

I'm drawing my giveaway for Silver Creek Samplers Dandy Dreams chart a day early as I don't think I'll have time to do it tomorrow. Thank you to everyone who entered. I was amazed at the amount of people as I don't normally get that many comments! I have used  Random.org to pick a winner for me ( I know it's lazy!) So the winner is...................................

There were 36 items in your list. Here they are in random order:

1. Lisa
2. Lois
3. Ellen
4. Kasja
5. Kate
6. Beth
7. vEr0n!c@
8. Jane
9. Gillie
10. Michelle
11. Colleen
12. Jane F
13. Trillium
14. Suzanne
15. CalamityJr
16. Angi M
17. Stitcher
18. Ann
19. Marcy
20. Tina
21. Lindsay
22. Rachael
23. Lynda
24. Bonnie
25. stitcherw
26. nicola lamond
27. Elisa
28. Julie
29. Mylene
30. Barb
31. Melissa
32. Mouse
33. Gabi
34. Sue
35. Patty C
36. Lesleyanee

Timestamp: 2011-05-10 12:20:35 UTC

Congratulations Lisa!!!!!! I will pop the chart in the post to you tomorrow:)

Well that's it from me today. I've had a busy morning baking buns and defrosting the freezer so I'd better get those buns iced! I'm a little behind on blog reading but will get caught up tomorrow :)

Take care everyone!

Love & hugs

Sally

xxxx

Just Some Progress

I just have a little stitching progress to show today. I had a new start last night but I can't show it as it's a gift.

Anyway Wednesday night was SAL night with Lisa on My Big Toe Designs A new Day. I absolutely love this design! It is so soothing to stitch and seems to be stitching up fairly quickly. I am happy with the GAST colours I chose for this ( well I only had one of the WDW needed!) and the lone Carrie's thread!

Thursday night after two Thursdays away from it I picked up Prairie Schooler Daffodils for the SAL on NH. It was good to get going on this again but I had to leave stitching the doors on the house as I was desperate to add the birds!

Not sure what I'm going to stitch tonight and tomorrow night. I might finish stitching the gift tonight then maybe start an SB ornament tomorrow seen as I missed last month! No AotH for me this weekend I don't think unless I make a start on Moonlight Visitor tonight. Will see how I feel when I settle down to stitch :)

I have been doing a little stash enhancement this week seen as I had funds in PP. Luckily Thread Bear are able to get me BOAF Sally Spencer Sampler so I splurged on the threads for it from Anita's Little Stitches as well as BBD AotH Pumpkin Farm so that will be the last of my purchases ( once the BOAF arrives) for a while. I am going through a feeling bad period that I have so much stash ( chart wise) and I keep adding to it. It's just getting silly although I probably don't have as much as some of you:) So it's time to get some perspective if you like. I'm having this it's my fault ( I feel that everything is my fault at the moment no matter what it is!) because I don't work thing and I know I have to sort myself out, "put on my big girls panties and deal with it" and get a job! Not easy when your confidence is at an all time low and you're dealing with depression. I could sit and cry at the thought of it as it scares me so. OK I haven't bought anything in the last few months without having the funds in PP from sales of charts I've finished with and I'll continue to do that but for a while it'll have to be if I need fabric, threads or pretties to finish things off with. I'm even going to scour charity shops for frames!

OK pity party over! I'll behave now!

Just a quick blog post today. I might go pick up some stitching for a bit:) Don't forget my Dandy Dreams giveaway!

Have a lovely weekend everyone!

Love & hugs

Sally

xxxx

A Birthday Gift, Dandy Dreams and A Giveaway!

It was my lovely friend Michelle's birthday yesterday so I couldn't resist stitching a little something for her. I chose this sweet design by Danybrod and finished it as a little pillow. I added our initials on the back and the year. I am very happy to say that Michelle loves it:)

Danybrod Printemps des Lapins

25 count lugana 1 over 1

DMC

Started 19th April 2011

Finished 28th April 2011

Birthday gift for Michelle.

Monday evening was my SAL night but Colleen and I were stitching alone as poor Barb was in quarantine with a bad throat:( I do hope you're feeling better Barb {{{{hugs}}}} Anyway I had to stitch the sheepy row ( didn't I???? Lol!) and finished that before moving back to the row I started before. This is not quite complete yet but I did get more done than I expected as it stitched up quite quickly. I think the end is nigh!

I have yet another finish! I think I am on a roll but I did want to get these pieces finished before Chris and I start our Sanctuary SAL. One more to go and I did stitch a teeny bit on that one last night. Anyway my finish is this beauty:)

Silver Creek Samplers Dandy Dreams

28 count Jayne's Attic Lily of the Valley COTM

DMC

Started 31st March 2011

Finished 3rd May 2011

I absolutely love this! It is so pretty and the verse is lovely. I'm not sure how I'm going to finish it. I'm thinking about going round the charity shops to see if I can find a frame:)

*NOW CLOSED*So onto the giveaway bit. I am passing on this lovely chart as I won it in Christine's giveaway. So if you'd like to stitch up this beauty and are willing to pass it on when you have stitched it please leave a comment on this post only and I'll pick a winner next Wednesday. You don't have to be a follower and I would rather you didn't mention it on your blogs as I'd much rather it was a regular reader who won it :)

Well that's all from me for now. I'm going to catch up on blogs while I eat my lunch then make the girls beds up seen as I've stripped them to wash this morning. It's SAL night on AND with Lisa tonight so looking forward to that.

Take care everyone.

Love and hugs

Sally

xxx

Finishes Are Like Buses!

You wait ages for one then two come along at once! Lol! OK so I've not exactly had to wait ages but it seems like a while before I finish BRD Stitched with Love that I had one! So I should stop rambling and show you. As I said in my last post I finished BBD AotH Pink Hill Manor on Friday evening and here's the photo!

Blackbird Designs AotH #4 Pink Hill Manor

36 count Rosewood linen

DMC & GAST

Started 8th April 2011

Finished 29th April 2011

I loved stitching this one as the colours are so me! Lol! I personalised this with mine and DH's names, the initials of our daughters, the year we were married and the initial of our surname. Jane and I are almost ready to swap our first 3 charts so I'm not sure which one I will do next but I'm looking forward to starting another one.

On Saturday evening I completed my piece for the Spooky SAL for Lisa Roswell. As I said in my last post I hadn't picked this up for a while but I stayed up until 11.30 and finished it! I really like this but not sure how I'll finish it as yet. Probably a pinkeep or a pin cushion so that I can display it on my black tree:)

The Primitive Needle By the Light of the Moon ( freebie)

Unknown fabric ( won on Lee's blog ages ago)

DMC

Started 3rd March 2011

Finished 30th April 2011

Yesterday I'd had a good vac round downstairs, cleaned and re- protected our sofas and done some washing so I decided an afternoon stitching was a nice idea. I picked up Silver Creek Samplers Dandy Dreams and after the afternoon and evening stitching sessions it was almost another finish! Once I get started on this I just don't want to put it down but had to tear myself away from it as I was so tired. The frog visited so I had to rip out some of the big leaf and restitch it so I might have got further on it than I did. Still when you consider where I left it last I did not do a bad job! I am hoping to get this finished when I pick it up again, probably tomorrow, evening so look out for a giveaway as I will passing the chart on ( I won it from Christine)

It's SB night with Barb and Colleen tonight. Do I start the sheep row or finish the other row that I left?????

Thank you for the lovely comments on my last post. I had to laugh at Anne's comment on my DH's glasses!

Angela and I have been emailing each other about the design for the stitcher's box that I won in her giveaway ( I still can't believe it) and , although I have given her some ideas, it is going to be a surprise which I absolutely LOVE. Come on who doesn't love nice surprises!  I am so excited!  

After my scare last week I decided I needed a wee stash treat but I had bother deciding what to get! Now I'd seen KarenV's gorgeous BOAF Sally Spencer Sampler finish and fell in love with it straight away so I emailed Thread Bear at the weekend to see if they had it in stock ( they had it on their website) but they haven't so they are going to get it for me. I am keeping my fingers crossed as it is still listed on Hoffmandis but is it right that BOAF are no longer designing cross stitch? I intend to dye some fabric to stitch this one; as much as I would like to get some nice hand dyed to stitch this on it's a bit too expensive for me these days! So I'll have to experiment I think but can anyone suggest what to use to dye a piece a similar shade to the one Karen used for hers??? Would tea and coffee work?

DH is back at work tomorrow then Abi is back at school on Wednesday. I'm not looking forward to being on my own as it's been a bit of a stressful couple of weeks and last Friday I hit such an awful low but I have to try and be positive and hope that in a few months time I might just start to learn to like myself and deal with all these issues through the help of the counselling. I really should start another blog to get everything down rather than talk about it here.

Right time to go and maybe pick up my stitching or I might just see if Abi would like me to join her for a game of Mario Kart on the Wii. I love playing that with her but not played it in ages.

Have a wonderful week.

Love & hugs

Sally

xxxx