It's December SAL Time Again!

Yes it's that time again! Time for Chris and I to start our annual December SAL. We always seem to decide well in advance what we are going to stitch and this year was no exception! I put up a poll earlier in the year as we had 3 designs and couldn't decide which but cheated a little and actually went with the one that had the least votes! So here is my small start on UB Designs Beerenherz im Winter.  We are just stitching the heart at the top of the chart rather than the whole thing. I think it's going to be very pretty.

I've had another new start :) I'm determined to keep on top of the Country Cottage Needleworks monthly cottages so that I can have them on display next year rather than having to wait another year so here is February started. 

I really need to get myself sorted and make a way to display them. I have seen one on Pinterest so have card, fabric and ribbon etc at the ready but it's just getting going with it!

Barb and I are continuing on our 2 SALS. Wicked Since is going well and I don't think I have too much more to do on this then we are putting our Halloween SAL on hold until January! 

I ran out of DMC 3011 on Tricotine but I have some now so I'll, hopefully, get the green on the border finished this evening. Once we have both finished we're starting the CCN Classic Ornaments! Yay!

Speaking of ornaments here is my ornament tree. It's not the best photo but oh I do love looking at this! So many pretty things stitched in exchanges, as gifts for me and stitched by me. I still have to get my The Little Stitcher 12 Days of Christmas ornaments up but I think I'm going to hang those like I did the LHN sheep. 

No robin or August's Poppy this week as they are both on hold. Time has got away from me and I had a couple of things I wanted to get stitched so one is done and half finished up and the other is half stitched! So, hopefully, I'll be back to both next weekend. Phew! I did manage a little progress on Frosty Forest Snowy Foxes though. Don't those foxes look cute! OK so they don't have eyes yet but they will!

Stitch from Stash will soon be over for 2014. We have to have our reports done in a couple of weeks I think. I am intent on joining again in 2015 but this time I am even more determined. I was very lucky to be able to go the knitting and stitching show in Harrogate last month and buy a few charts there then made the most of my free month and the spare pennies I brought home and bought a couple more and ordered a couple too but next year I am going to try extremely hard to not buy any charts at all except for a December SAL one lol. I was doing very well this year until Harrogate and when I put my charts away I just decided that I could not carry on like this! Yes I've stitched several from my stash this year but I still have a lot there and I need to get them down! We are still allowed exemptions next year which include magazine subscriptions and autos providing we have signed up before the second part is released. I have my ornament auto and also I have signed up for the Lizzie*Kate Things Unseen mystery so they are my exemptions. I am not renewing my sub for Just Cross Stitch when it runs out and will just buy the ornament issue when it comes out. I've been very ruthless and cut my wish list right down too.

I was thinking today though about the charts I've asked to be added to my magazine order which should be here this month but what with the time of year and customs it might not arrive until January then I'll be out of Stitch from Stash when it's only just started lol! If it happens I'll just have to do it on my own but report as usual!!! 

Before I go here's a photo of our main tree. Jess and Abi did this one while I did my ornament one. 

I'm so sorry I haven't visited your blogs lately but I am hoping to get caught up tomorrow. I really don't know where the time is going!

Hopefully, next time I'll be able to show the ornaments that I stitched for Chris and Barb from the private exchanges we did. Chris has hers but doesn't want to open it until she's given me the one she stitched for me :). Barb's is in the post so fingers crossed she'll receive it tomorrow!

That's all from me for now. Take care everyone.

Until next time.

With much love

Sally

xxxx

Almost 2014.

Well the New Year is almost upon us so that means that Stitch From Stash 2014 is almost here too. I have been good for a week now. My last chart purchase was iStitch Designs Sew Advent and Sew a Brown Bunny. I didn't sign up for Sew Advent when Carol announced the SAL as I knew I had too much on to keep up with it so when she released it once the SAL was over and I had also seen the lovely progress I decided to have that one last treat. I am rather ashamed of what I have bought lately but it's not all charts as I have bought fabric as I received a GC from Kerri ( no blog)  for Colour Cascade Fabrics a couple of weeks ago which I added pennies to so I could buy a Gold/ Silver Duet which arrived on Saturday. That was amazing as it was posted on Christmas Eve and winged its way from Australia in record time! I do have some fabric on order from The Crafty Kitten along with a couple of finishing forms which I have paid for today :) The next chart in the CCN Frosty Forest series arrived so that has gone away ready for when I start it sometime early 2014!

So even though there are still a couple of days left in 2013 I'm not going to succumb to anymore ordering! I will start as I mean to go on. No more charts until December except for buying one probably in November for the SAL Chris and I will be doing in December and fabric and thread when I need them.

Speaking of the SAL Chris and I will be doing next December I have set up a poll  on my side bar and ask if you would help us decide which one to stitch please! We have 3 and can't decide which one to do! Here are photos of the 3.

Barbara Ann Designs O Christmas Tree

 New York Dreamer Frosty Night

 UB Designs Beerenherz im Winter

So I guess I'd better show what I've been stitching and the gifts I received for Christmas. As I said in one of my last posts I finished both February's Primrose and Mary's Sampler but didn't show them. I'm not sure how I'm going to finish Mary's Sampler yet.

I can now show the challenge piece I stitched from the Jura Point De Croix blog. I loved stitching this. It was a must stitch for me!

I've been desperately trying to get plenty done on Little House Needleworks Song of the Seasons so have been stitching mostly on that. I finished part 2 and am getting on well with part 3. It won't get finished before the end of the year but hopefully it will be an early finish in 2014.

A little progress on Friendship with Barb :)

The only other thing I can show is my progress on Country Cottage Needleworks Silent Night which is my December SAL with Chris. I settled down yesterday with it and got quite a bit done.

I stitched an ornament as a little gift for Michelle which she loves.

These are the lovely gifts that I received for Christmas in no particular order. This is what I received from Michelle.  Isn't that ornament so me!

This is my beautiful glass robin from Barb which was made by her DH Martin.

This lovely ornament came from Shirlee.

This lovely needle threader is from Lisa.

This is Rory the Reindeer which is from Lainey.

This lovely notebook is from Karan. I am going to use it as a stitching diary for 2014 and beyond :)

My DH bought me these fabrics and chart ( they were on my Christmas list! ).

Thank you all for my wonderful gifts. Hugs to you all :)

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas. We had a quiet one full of happy memories, a few tears and lots of laughs. We ate far too much, drunk a little, watched a little TV and just generally chilled. I asked Father Christmas to bring us a Wii U console, which he did, and it's great fun. I downloaded the new Wii U Fit for free. It's a 31 day trial but if you buy a Wii Fit Meter and sync it to your console you get to keep the full version of the game which is a great deal. My meter arrived today so will see if I can get it synced! Hope so as it's no use without the game lol! It's been lovely just chilling and spending precious time together as, believe me, you never know what is going to happen. 

Anyway I have had a very successful stitching year finishing a grand total of 44 projects. Not as many as previous years but I've just been enjoying it and having great fun with it. There have been highlights and low points through the year. The highlight has to be my 50th birthday earlier this month as my family and friends made it so special for me. I will never, ever forget it as long as I live. The low point was January 14th when my dear Dad passed away. I still have guilt and I don't feel as though I have anyone I can talk about it to. Hopefully I'll be able to deal with it better in 2014. 

This is my last post for 2013 so I shall see you all, hopefully, in 2014 with some new starts, WIPs, SAL's and finishes. Thank you all for reading and commenting on my blog. It means the world to me. Happy New Year to you all!

With much love

Sally xxx

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

A New Stitching Year Is About To Begin

The old year will soon make way for the new. Not quite sure where the last year has gone as it hardly seems like 5 minutes since last New Year's Eve!

Anyway I have achieved lots of finishes this last year ( I don't expect to have as many in 2013), had a few abandoned pieces and renewed my love for HAEDs. I've stitched at least 12 Christmas ornaments thanks to Lainey's Christmas All Year Round SAL which I think I'm going to take part in again in 2013. It has been great fun and really makes you want to get on and stitch. I have also made new stitchy friends through blogging and Facebook, made a firm friend through craft club and we intend to get together regularly outside of the club for stitchy afternoons in 2013. 

I'm not going to make any particular plans for stitching in 2013 other than ornaments, the new Little House Needleworks Little Sheep Virtues and hopefully make plenty of progress on my HAEDs. I intend to stitch from my stash as much as possible but obviously I will be buying the sheep :) I'm going to go on auto for them probably with Patchwork Rabbit as Karla is brilliant to deal with. I am hoping just to buy fabric and threads through the year if I need them. I did get fabric for Christmas so have plenty to keep me going on my HAEDs and other things. At the rate I'm going with new HAED starts I probably won't have much time to stitch on much else! I also got one of the Lizzie*Kate Inspiration Boxers. I really want to collect these as they are just lovely. I was surprised to see that they are presented in a CD case. 

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. Ours was quiet but enjoyable. We played games on the Wii, watched DVDs, ate too much, drank a bit and just generally chilled. We had a trip to the sales in Hull on Friday. I don't believe in the sales starting on Boxing Day so won't venture out then. I wish they'd go back to New Year sales like years ago. I'm afraid all this is killing family times and family values but that's just my opinion. At the sales I picked up a half price Charles Dickens book which has his Christmas stories in including A Christmas Carol. Jess set me off my buying me two Dickens books for Christmas then she said she should have got me a special version of A Christmas Carol so when I saw the book at half price I had to buy it!

My dear stitching friends were very kind to me at Christmas and I received some gifts. I feel so bad as I didn't send to anyone other than Lisa and Michelle ( I let Michelle open hers early) but I just can't do it. Anyway I feel very blessed and will let the pictures do the talking. Thank you so much my dear friends xx

 From Michelle

From Lisa

From Christine

From Karan

From Mouse

From Elaine

I pondered over what I could do for Lisa and finally decided on this ornament which she loves.

Shepherd's Bush Do You Hear

Unknown fabric

DMC

Started 20th November 2012

Finished 3rd December 2012

Christmas Gift for Lisa

I finally got my last three ornaments made up to hang. I need to be a bit more creative in 2013 with my finishes I think!

And my last ornament of the year was finished yesterday but not made up yet!

Amy Brueken Designs I Believe

28 count Natural Pearl Linen

DMC

Started 23rd December 2012

Finished 30th December 2012

I had a new start on Boxing Day. This is HAED Mini The Forgotten. Not a lot done but loving it so far.

I also made progress on HAED Guardian and HAED QS Holly Fairy. I finished page 10 on Guardian and managed 560 stitches on page 11.

Finally my progress on Country Cottage Needleworks Gingerbread Cottage. Photo is awful I'm afraid. Chris  has finished hers and is wondering how to finish it.

So that's my final stitchy update for 2012. No more finishes in the pipeline now until 2013. I have been stitching away on a gift but I don't think that will be finished until next year now unless I get lots of stitching in today!

Thank you to you all for your friendship in 2012 and long may it continue. I love seeing what you are all doing even though I may not always keep up with commenting especially at this time of year. 

So that is it from me for 2012! Wishing you all good health, happiness and lots of stitchy goodness in 2013. 

With much love

Sally

xxxx

It's December!

As yesterday was the 1 st December and we put our Christmas decorations I could at long last open the ornament that my dear friend June kindly sent me. I could have opened it before but I thought it would be more special if I saved it. I have to tell you it was well worth waiting to open. It is a gorgeous PS design and I absolutely love it. Thank you so much June, I will treasure it always.

I didn't get my ornament tree put up until today. I didn't realise how many ornaments I had. These are ones that have been been gifted with, received in exchanges or stitched myself. The photo is not that clear so will try and get a better one.

Not much on the stitching front this last week. My DH had a week off so that we could do our Christmas shopping and I've been so tired. The lovely thing was we picked Jessica up on Wednesday and had a day out shopping with her then Friday Abi had two lessons cancelled so we took her out shopping. Hopefully I will get some stitching done this weekend and get caught up.

I have, however, almost finished the page on HAED QS Holly Fairy so hopefully I'll finish that this week. I have a gift I need to get finished and a few ornaments I need to get made up. I haven't enough progress to show on anything else I'm afraid. I shall be putting LHN Home of a Needlework ( Too! ) on hold for a while but will still  be stitching with the ladies in the parlour on a Wednesday as Chris and I are starting our December SAL of CCN Gingerbread Cottage. Chris has started hers.

Yesterday I had a gift from my dear friend Lesleyanne. She sent me HAED Effects of Caffeine SK as a thank you for me lending her a chart. It was a lovely surprise. The silly thing is I can't for the life of me remember lending her a chart let alone which one I lent her! Thank you so much Lesleyanne. I love these little draggie charts. They are so cute.

Thank you to all of those who entered my blogoversary giveaway. There may be more finished piece giveaways in the New Year. Yesterday I actually considered giving up stitching (won't go into detail ) but I can't just sit in front of the tv and vegetate in an evening plus if I didn't have my stitching I would go mad! Anyway enough of my ramblings. The randomiser chose.......................................Christine! Congratulations Christine! I have your address so I will get that off to you this week :)

That's all for now. Finger's crossed I'll have more show next time! Must catch up on blogs too!

Take care everyone and keep warm. It's going to get very cold this week.

With much love.

Sally

XXX