Stash & Stitching & Wildlife

Well it's been a while since I last posted. We had a hectic week the week my DH had off going out, started to rip the kitchen out to make way for the new one and filling out forms regarding the sale of my Dad's house with my sister and taking it all in to the solicitors. The solicitor's PA informed us that we'd have more to fill in. Seriously?!

So I have been stitching and I tried to get some making up done, honestly I did, but didn't quite get there and get finished. I will though.

I have had a finish and a new start but I can't show either of those as they are gifts. I also have an almost finish! This is Courage,  one of the Little Sheep Virtues, which I'm stitching with Barb. I really should have had it finished  by now but I didn't stitch at all the Monday before last as we'd been out all day. I want to try and get it finished before Monday as Barb and I now have other plans in between stitching these adorable sheep!

My new start, HAED Mini Jolly Old Fellow, is  not going too badly at all and I even have a litle bit of Father Christmas' hat. I'm really enjoying this so far. Poor Gill, who I am SALing with, hadn't started her Mini Sleigh Ride as her threads hadn't arrived but she's hoping to start it tomorrow.

QS Spirit of Winter Robin is now getting stitched on 2 evenings a week and is  growing nicely. He now has an eye and doesn't he look adorable!

Speaking of adorable look at this photo I took during our day out at Yorkshire Wildlife Park. I am so proud of this photo!

OK back to stitching! Lainey, Mouse and I are still SALing on LHN Curly Q Ewe. Here's my progress. It's a headless, leg less woman walking a sheep! See my needleminder? Well that was one of my naughty purchases this week. My surrogate sis, Lisa,  has started making these and I couldn't resist this one. She has a group on Facebook so if you're on there it is No More Lost Needles and tell her I sent you :). I think I'm aiming for a needleminder for every project as I already have a few!

I'm happy to report that I finally finished page 13 of HAED Guardian and have made a small start on page 14. Yay! It's going to take me at least 2 more years to finish him though!

I haven't started my ornament for July as yet. I thought I'd decided on another Lizzie * Kate one but when I looked at my list I discovered it was this one!

Now to the stash part of my title! As you can see from the photos I did actually buy 2 needleminder as there was a Holly Fairy one and I couldn't decide between them! My JCS ornament preview issue arrived and oh dear there are several I want to stitch so I dread to think what the actual ornament magazine will make me want to stitch!  The same day I also had the LHN Song of the Seasons chart, thread pack and fabric from Karla at The Patchwork Rabbit. Can hardly wait to get started on this one and this is what Barb and I are going to stitch on in between the sheep. Once I've got this year's stash fest over with I really must stop  buying new charts and just buy fabric and threads if I need them!

Ooh I almost forgot! QS Holly Fairy is back from the framers! We did have to take her back as there was a piece of the fabric stuck in between the glass and the stitching but my framer soon put that right. It's difficult to get a decent photo but hope you can see it OK.

As I said earlier we had a day out at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park. We had a fantastic day, walked miles around the park and saw lots of animals. Took lots of photos too so here are just a few. Thank God for zoom lenses otherwise you wouldn't have seen much on some of these!

Once again I am way behind on blog reading and commenting.  I just don't seem to be able to get myself motivated to do much of anything other than stitching yet again. I have discovered that bereavement is not just about grieving for a loved one as it can lead to a slippery slope of having little or no enthusiasm which in turn leads to not wanting to go anywhere or do anything other than sit on your  butt which leads to a bigger butt and bigger everything! So I am peeved cos I know I've put more weight on so I have to try and sort myself and get myself going on. I have started exercising again using EA Sports Active for the Wii but it's such hard work so think I'm going to do yoga as well and alternate them. I only go out walking when I have to unless I have someone to walk with which isn't good. I feel so sad so much it's really not good. I have thought about asking about bereavement counselling as I do have issues with guilt etc but I guess it's still early days yet.  I really don't want to lose my readers and commenters because I haven't been visiting your blogs very often so I will try harder.

If you've made it this far thank you cor sticking with me. I appreciate all your lovely comments and hope you will continue to leave them:)

Until next time.

With mu h love

Sally xxxxx