Welcome December......

My favourite month of the year! It is just so magical.

My DH was off last week and we were out every day doing the festive thing! We had a lovely day at Meadowhall in Sheffield with both girls and also went to MacAthur Glen Outlet near York then into York with Abi which was manic!

I didn't stitch at all on Wednesday evening as by the time we got home, had something to eat and settled down I was too tired to pick it up which is very unusual for me! So no progress on Little House Needleworks Song of the Seasons. So much so for getting it finished by the end of November so I'll now try and ain for the end of the year! If I don't get into the parlour this week over at Needlecraft Haven they will be locking the door and not letting me in again! Lol!

So what I have been stitching.

Part 3 of Holly and Hearts Christmas Sampler is going very well and I hope to be almost done by the time I put it away on Saturday night. I just love this and really want to leave it up all year. It's too pretty to be put away.

Cottage Garden Samplings February's Primrose made an appearance again and I just have the border to do now :). Next year I want to make a journal or see if I can find a suitable one ready made to put these in. I now have July, August and September in my stash so just 3 more to get.

Barb and I have been carrying on with our sweet little sheep and here's my progress on Wisdom. Once this is finished we can start Friendship and we also have the next one at last but I won't be able to start that one until after Christmas providing Father Christmas is kind enough to bring me more of the fabric I'm using :). Just two more to get now!

I have made a bit more progress on my November ornament for the Christmas All Year Round SAL. I would like to get this finished this week so I can start on my December one . I've got rather behind but not to worry. Hopefully they'll both be on my tree by Christmas!

The 4th part of the Jardin Prive SAL is out now so as soon as I get an extension lead out so I can plug the printer in I'll have it printed ready for Barb and I to start on Friday. I still have to stitch the border on Plum Street Samplers Mary's Sampler. I managed to get caught up before the final part came out. I have so much I want to finish this month!

Chris and I started our annual December SAL on Sunday. We chose Country Cottage Needleworks Silent Night this year. Here is my start. I'm using an unknown colour of 32 count Belfast linen that I bought in the Viking Loom at York and DMC. I was going to use the hand dyed threads used in the chart but I decided it was just more expense. I'm going to use good old DMC as much as I can next year rather than hand dyes unless I already have them in my stash.

My Christmas ornament for the exchange on Needlecraft Haven has been received and opening day was 1st December but I can't show it as partners have not been revealed yet because some people are still waiting for theirs. Of course I messed up on mine as it's a secret exchange and I put names on the back lol! Christine please don't shout at me! Lol! Mine arrived today and look how lovely it is! My partner clearly knows me well and I have a sneaking suspicion I know who it is! Thank you so much whoever you are :) Here's the front.

And here's the back.

We put our Christmas decorations up on Sunday. I shed a few tears as we were doing them. I miss my Dad so much.  My stitched ornament tree is looking lovely now with a few more ornaments on. In fact I now have 3 shoe boxes full and need to start on another one. The pictures is not brilliant but will try and get a better one. I have a lovely selection of ornaments both stitched by myself, received in exchanges and stitched by friends for me.

That's it for today. Have wonderful week everyone. It's going to get colder again here later this week. Our temps are up and down like I don't know what! Wish they'd just stay down!

With much love,

Sally xxxx