November Stitch From Stash & Christmas RAK from Andrea

I thought it was time I got my butt into gear and did my Stitch from Stash report for November. Of course, as I said last time I have chosen November as my free month so besides the spending I did at the knitting and stitching show in Harrogate I also bought a couple of charts and a piece of fabric I couldn't get there, which have arrived,  and ordered a couple of charts I wish that I'd got! They won't be paid for or arrive until next month as I've asked if they can be added to my magazine order when that comes into stock so they'll come off my December SFS! 

So I have a few WIPs to show you and a finish.

Well it's a finish all but the French knots for the eyes and buttons on the snowman!

Country Cottage Needleworks January Cottage

32 count opalascent natural linen

DMC.

I'll be starting the February one next week hopefully! Need to get January made up ready to go on display in the right month!

My robin got a little bit of attention on Saturday evening. Not as much as I'd hoped but every single stitch helps doesn't it? 

August's Poppy is coming along really well. Loving how this looks so far and I have to say it is one of my favourites so far. Living by the sea it is very me!

Monday saw me Wicked stitching with my lovely friend Barb. I hadn't done any last week so I was intent on catching up a bit this week but it didn't happen. I almost got the word Wicked finished :) Barb is almost finished with hers!

As you can see from my blog title I was very lucky to be chosen as a recipient of one of Andrea's Christmas RAKs. Many years ago before Andrea started offering these on her blog I was one of the chosen ones then and I have refrained from entering on her blog until this year. Anyway this lovely package was waiting for me when my DH and I arrived back from our shopping day in York.

Isn't it absolutely gorgeous?! I just love the design and the beautiful way Andrea has finished it. Thank you so much Andrea. I can't wait to get my ornament tree up :) Hope you received my email.

As this month has been my free month on SFS I am guessing that I don't have to declare the amount I spent but I have £59.91 to carry over to next month from last month.  I definitely won't be spending it all but as I'm thinking about signing up for the new Lizzie* Kate mystery I may spend some of it! I will then be gearing up for SFS 2015 which Mel is kindly hosting again :)

Well I think that's all for now. I'm hoping to get settled down to some serious stitching again next week! I've been so tired since Harrogate and we've also been Christmas shopping. I think my DH is ready to go back to work for a rest lol! 

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends :). 

Until next time,

With much love

Sally xxx

Harrogate Knitting and Stitching Show

It hardly seems like 5 minutes since I last posted and here we are back home and our visit to the show is over for this year. Yes I say this year as I think I might like to go again next year!

I had a brilliant time. It was rather overwhelming at first with it being my first time there but I thoroughly enjoyed it and spent some pennies. I bought a few charts, some fabric, threads and finishing fabrics, felt, buttons as well as a shawl pin for when I get my shawl knitted and a crochet hook for Abi. I got a little excited when I saw Jane Greenoff as I was thinking wow she is actually a designer and here she is! Lol! I did treat myself to a kit of hers. It wasn't on my list but Mouse showed me it and I couldn't resist! 

Mouse and I saw each other a few times so stopped for a natter and I also met the lovely Kate, Sandra and Ally. I also saw some ladies from where I live who were on coach trips there including my friend Gill. I don't think I have ever seen so many people in one place. I don't honestly know how many people must have gone through the doors on Thursday alone but it was packed! It was extremely tiring and I think I wore my DH out walking round and round! I went to Trudy Anne Designs 3 times and bought something all 3 times, The Nimble Thimble twice but only bought once and Sparklies twice but only bought once! I actually came home with money too! Shocking isn't it?!!!! However there's always a little internet shopping as, after all, I am using November as my free month for Stitch From Stash!

I took some stitching and some knitting with me but only got a bit of knitting done. After the show on Thursday DH and I went out for something to eat then went to visit Mouse, Sandra and Ally for a natter and a cuppa, as they had rented a house for the duration of the show, so I got to see what Mouse had bought that day! By the time we got back to our guest house I was too tired and ended up in bed at about 10 pm! 

Yesterday we packed up, had breakfast then left the guest house to have a wander around the shops. I found The Remnant House so in I went to see if I could get some fabric and ribbons that I couldn't find at the show and sure enough I got what I wanted! This shop was crammed full of fabric, ribbons, trims, buttons! It was amazing!

So we're now home after a lovely couple of days. Harrogate is a beautiful place to visit and I am so pleased we managed to get a wander round. The Christmas lights had been switched on on Thursday evening so it was lovely to get a look at those. I don't think I have ever seen such a beautifully lit place for Christmas. Unfortunately my camera stayed in our room! I was planning on taking photos in the show with my phone but it was just so busy then I never thought to take it out to take photos around Harrogate :(

Not a lot of stitching has been done since my last post. My robin has a few stitches added and I'm hoping to get more done tonight. 

August's Poppy now has all the wording and some poppies! This is so pretty.

No Wicked Since this week but I did get some done on Tricotine which is my other SAL with Barb. That border is straight even though it doesn't look it! Lol! I think mine should be finished in a few more weeks.

Finally the January Cottage :). Loving this and the colours.

So that's it for this post. I'll be back for Stitch From Stash sometime next week. I'm guessing we still have to do some sort of report even if we're taking our free month :).

Until next time.

With much love

Sally xxx

Excited!

This time next week my trip to the Harrogate Knitting and Stitching Show will be over and I will, hopefully, be home with some lovely new stash!  I have a list as I know if I go without one I won't remember what I want and will come home with stuff I don't really need lol! I've listed just about all the charts from my wish list with the hope I can find a couple and maybe kit them up too. Also planning on buying some fabrics, trims etc for finishing. I'm feeling quite excited but one thing putting a bit of a damper on it is my back. I hurt it again last Saturday, just over a month after I did last time, but it's not as bad thankfully. I've had the TENS machine on it four times today already and it'll be getting used several times more in the hope I can get rid of it before we go next week!

Grrrrr. I had loads typed out and Jess' hamster Bruce has just walked across my tab. I don't know what happened but it's all gone except my first paragraph! Hmmmmm he's in bad books now! Lol! Not that I'll stay mad at him long!

I have been stitching up quite a storm this week as I've been leaving my tab in another room so that I'm not tempted to play games or look on Facebook etc! It's been a good plan and one I really need to keep up! Tricotine is coming along rather nicely, even if I do say so myself, and the colours look so pretty.  I must add something to my list actually as I have plans for this when it's finished and I may be able to pick some bits up for it at Harrogate.  When we've finished Tricotine we're planning a new SAL of the CCN Classic Ornaments! Barb couldn't resist them either! Lol!

Barb and I are also SALing on Barbara Ana Designs Wicked Since.  This is just such a fun stitch and it makes me smile everytime I pick it up. Lots more to do yet on it but it's the first of our Halloween stitching over the next year.

Speaking of Barbara Ana Designs I had a new start last night. I was invited to join a Facebook group called Candy Cane Stitchers. Several designers have been very generous and designed a free Christmas design for us each month for 12 months starting last month. I am a little behind but I intend to try and stitch each one. So this is my start on Silent Night.  If you like the look of this then do join the group on Facebook. It's a lovely group of ladies and you won't find this design anywhere else.

I had a new start on Sunday. This time it was August's Poppy from the Garden Journal series. I have itching to get to this one as I just love it.

I'm still stitching away on the first of the CCN Monthly Cottages and am very pleased with my fabric choice. The opalescent doesn't show up very well on the photo though. I am looking forwrad to stitching all 12 cottages over the next year.

Finally Frosty Forest and a little more on Snowy Foxes. Not a fox in sight though just snow! Only 3 more to go after this one then I'll have to decide whether to frame it or finish it into a cushion although I think framing is probably going to be the better option seen as I've used some hand dyes.

You may remember that I was knitting a poncho for Jess. Well it's all finished and she's now wearing it! Unfortunately I did have a problem with the wool even though it was the same shade no., batch no. etc and had to get a replacement ball for one but there is still a difference between some as you can probably see from the photo. In fact now that I look at the photo it sticks out like a sore thumb. I am disappointed but Jess loves it and that's all that matters. Here she is modelling it.

It will soon be December so that can only mean Chris and I will be starting our annual SAL! I ordered the charts from UB Designs earlier in the week rather than us both paying postage and they arrived today.  

Looking forward to starting this one :)

I am hoping to get caught on blog commenting soon. May well have a go once I've published this as I haven't visited for a week I think. Keep telling myself to keep up a bit every day but it doesn't happen! 

Take care everyone. Don't think I'll get a post done next week but we'll see.

Until next time.

With much love.

Sally xxx

July's Delphinium.....

Is finally finished! This one seems to have taken me ages but it was well worth it as it is just so pretty. I am enjoying stitching each and every one of these and can hardly wait to start stitching the next one!

Cottage Garden Samplings My Garden Journal July's Delphinium

40 count Pearl Grey Linen

DMC

No other finishes I'm afraid so just WIPs to show you. I do, however, have a page finish. Page 3 of QS Spirit of Winter Robin was duly finished on Saturday and a small start on page 4 was made. This page has lots of confetti in it so will take me ages to to! Lisa is making brilliant progress on the piece she's stitching along with me.

As you all know by now Barb and I are SALing several times  a week at the moment. Fridays are our Tralala Tricotine SAL and here's my progress.

Mondays is our Halloween SAL and at the moment we're stitching on Barbara Ana Designs Wicked Since.

Thursdays we're stitching ornaments for our private exchange but, of course, I can't show what I have been stitching but will say I want to stitch them both again for me! I have missed my Christmas ornament stitching this year so next year I am planning on one a month and guess what I have done?! After much deliberation I have signed up for auto on the Country Cottage Needleworks Classic Ornaments :) I really think I need my head testing as I have far too many charts to stitch from but I've done very well on Stitch From Stash this year and I still have leftover budget so I'm proud of myself. I don't know if I'll continue with the Stitch From Stash group next year or try and do it on my own. It depends on the rules etc! I am using this month as my free month.

I am still beavering away on CCN Frosty Forest. I am hoping to finish Bluebird Cabin this evening but I still have a lot of white stitching to do! I think I need to buy several more skeins of white! 

Finally a little more progress on CCN January Cottage

I really was hoping for a clean slate of projects by the end of the year but it is not going to happen so I will have to make the best of it and it may mean no new start on the 1st January like I usually have. I am enjoying my stitching though so I don't mind. There'll be plenty of time for new starts later in 2015 I hope!

Tomorrow is a big day for Jess as she starts her temporary job. Fingers crossed she likes it and they like her and will maybe keep her on. Abi is still enjoying her job but has been ill this past couple of weeks and struggling. She's got the nasty cold virus thing that has been going around. 

I went for an MRI scan on Monday and should get the results in a couple of weeks or so. This is to do with the vertigo etc that I have experienced in the past and I think my consultant is trying very hard to get to the bottom of it. Although I have read recently about some women having dizziness etc during menopause so I am now wondering if it's something to do with that. We shall see.

I really must try and get caught up with blogs this week. I am so far behind again but time seems to be getting away from me at the moment!

Take care everyone.

Until next time.

With much love

Sally xxx