Four Sleeps

It's hard to believe that it's only 4 sleeps to Christmas Day and not long to go to 2014. Where did 2013 go?

I'm trying to have as much of a clean slate for 2014 as I can but I know some things are not going to be finished! Last night I did finish part 4 of Jardin Prive La Pensee Positive which is one of my SALs with Barb. Unfortunately I discovered that I have messed up in several places on this part so am going to have to be very careful with part 5 as there is no way I'm frogging all that! It's personalised lol! I'm looking forward to part 5 in January then I will need to find a hanger I think and finish it as a bell pull.

I did say in my last post that I didn't know when I would get my December ornament for the Christmas All Year Round SAL finished but I decided, rather than having a new start for my 50th birthday, allbeit a bit late,  to try and get the ornament finished as well as  PSS Mary's Sampler. The ornament is stitched, not made up, so that's that SAL done for this year. I'm not sure if I will do it again next year if anyone takes it over as I've managed 24 ornaments over the last 2 years so my tree is looking lovely now. I will probably still stitch the odd ornament especially as I have all those JCS ornament magazines as well as the Lizzie Kate Flora McSample 2013 Stocking Ornaments.

And here's my progress on Mary's Sampler. Almost there.

Part 2 of Little House Needleworks Song of the Seasons is almost done. Hopefully part 3 will get done a little faster!

I've finally got the trim on Country Cottage Needleworks Winter's Eve and Full Circle Designs Moonlit Joyride.  I've also completed the challenge piece for Jura Point De Croix and emailed a pic in but can't show that until after Christmas.

I also got some trim on Shepherd's Bush The Journey. I stitched this last year! The initials on this are mine and Barb's. 

I haven't stitched anymore on my SAL with Chris but hope to do a little tonight and try and get Mary's Sampler done too. Tomorrow evening I'd love to get February's Primrose finished if I can then I start the next one.

I went through all my charts the other day and listed them in To Stitch From In 2014. I have to say I got a considerable shock when I saw just how many charts I have and those don't include HAEDs! So I feel I've done the right thing deciding to go on the chart stash wagon until December 2014 then I will probably have a treat from my wish list before possibly doing the same thing in 2015 depending on how much of my stash I get stitched next year. It's not as though I don't have plenty to keep me going!

I'm really pleased with what I have stitched this year. It has been great therapy for me during what has been a difficult year. I am sure there are people who look at what I get done and think I stitch all day and all evening  but I don't.  I very rarely stitch during the day and the only times I do are for a couple of hours when I go to the craft group and when my friend Gill and I have our stitching afternoons. Sometimes on a weekend if I have nothing else to do I'll sit for an hour in an afternoon but that is very rare.

I am still having problems with my thumb. Overnight while I sleep it seems as though it is ceasing up so when I try and move it it clunks and clicks and is quite sore and painful. I am determined to keep stitching and Lisa B kindly sent me her Handeze gloves to try as she can't get on with them. 

All that remains now is to wish each and every one of you a Happy, Peaceful, Healthy, Stash filled Christmas and thank you for friendship, enabling and wonderful finishing to drool over!

With much love,

Sally xxxxx

Finally Finished- Or Is It?

A few blog posts ago I showed you an unfinished ornament I had found in the 2006 JCS ornament magazine and I'd left it out to get it finished! Well here it is finally finished.

Full Circle Designs Moonlit Joyride

Unknown fabric

DMC

I say finally finished but now that I look it's not! I have a few stitches in the sleigh that I haven't done! Well it's near enough a finish!

I have a second finish. Yes it is finished! I haven't missed anything on this one. It's my Monday night SAL with Barb piece.

Little House Needleworks Little Sheep Virtues Simplicity

32 count Vintage Country Mocha

DMC

We can now start Patience which I'm looking forward to. I see the ONS I'm getting these from has the next two on site so why oh why haven't I received them yet. I thought the idea of auto was you get each one as they come in stock and not have so long that there's 2 to send? What is your idea of being on auto for somethinG?

I have been managing to keep up to date with Plum Street Samplers Mary's Sampler. Love how simple this design is. So sweet.

I made a start on my October ornament for the Christmas All Year Round SAL. I had a change of mind as I was going to stitch a Mosey and Me one from last year's ornament issue but I ended up with My Big Toe Designs Always in my Heart from the 2011 issue I think. Here is my start on 36 count Vintage Exemplar from Lakeside Linens. I decided on this one as I wanted something on my tree in memory of my parents and my parent- in - law. I'm stitching it with the recommended WDW.

Barb and I have also been stitching up a storm on the Jardin Prive Think Positive SAL. I was determined last night to stitch, stitch, stitch on it as I want to get part 2 finished before part 3 is released at the beginning of November. Nearly there!

I got the big tree trunk and a few flowers stitched on LHN Song of the Seasons Mystery. 

A little bit done on HAED QS Spirit of Winter Robin.

Finally more on Lizzie Kate Holly & Hearts Mystery Christmas Sampler. I don't seem to be able to get a good photo of this.

And look at the beauties I received from The Crafty Kitten. The second part of the LK Christmas mystery ( this girl knows how to do autos!) and I'm afraid I could not resist when Dawn said she was getting the LK Stocking ornaments in so I asked her to put my name on one! 

Did I tell you I'd received my JCS Ornament magazine? Yep it arrived and I picked out 23 ornaments that I'd like to stitch. Notice I said that very quietly?! It's a pretty good issue this year. I must admit at first glance I thought nope this is not as good as it has been other years but after a good look through it I had a change of heart.

I've been emailing dear Shirlee a bit lately and we've decided on a New Years SAL! I'm so excited for this but alas it means more stash buying ( insert sneaky looking grin here). You may have seen some new stash she posted a while back and one of the charts was Lone Elm Lane Snow Angel. Well I had seen this on Pinterest and fell in love with it and I was telling her that I loved it too so she suggested a SAL sometime so I said why not and how's about in the New Year :). I am going to make it a treat to myself for my big 50 birthday that's coming up in December. It'll be last treat of the year and there will be no more chart buying except for the autos. Once my sheep, Garden Journal and Holly and Hearts autos are done I will just have the Frosty Forest one. I have to do something to make me proud of myself!

That's all my news for now. My doing more regular blog posts didn't work this week! I'm now going to catch up on all your blogs for half an hour :)

With much love

Sally

A Mystery I Have Fallen In Love With!

Well I thought it was time I started to  try and blog a little more often so that my posts aren't filled with boatloads of my projects every time! Now whether I will keep up is a different matter but we will see how it goes. I really want to try and get back into it more and get back to forums too. Well one particular forum that I really used to love posting in.

So I have lots of stitching planned over the coming weeks / months. I finally started the first part of the Lizzie Kate Hearts and Holly Mystery Christmas Sampler on Saturday evening. Let me tell you if you're on the fence about stitching this do it! I wasn't sure whether to sign up for it or not but I am so glad I did. I didn't want to put it down and have loved every single stitch so far. The second part is on the way to The Crafty Kitten so must get my stitch on before it arrives, and gets sent to me, and get part one finished. Of course I went perusing a US ONS' Facebook page and wished I hadn't as there was a picture of the second part. Oh my God I love it! Another reason why I love it! All I will say is "A Christmas Carol"! Anyway here's what I got stitched on Saturday. My friend Gill and I are starting our stitching afternoons up again so it'll be coming out again this afternoon!

I got more stitched on Cottage Garden Samplings January's Snowflakes. Not too much more to stitch now. Wonder if I can get this done for the end of October? 

Friday and Monday were SAL evenings with Barb. Friday was the Jardin Prive Think Positive SAL. I have cheated a little on this and also took it to craft group with me yesterday so I could get caught up and finish part 1 which was duly done!

Then Monday was sheepy night!  I was very pleased with my progress and I now just have the sun and the border to stitch on Simplicity.

Almost forgot my progress on LHN Song of the Seasons seen as I forgot to take a photo last post!

Last night should have been HAED QS Spirit of Winter Robin but I am thinking of maybe just stitching on it one evening a week until Christmas. It very much depends. I have signed up for a Christmas ornament exchange and once I get my partner's details I want to get on with that. I don't do much stitching for Christmas presents as there are so few people in my family left now who actually appreciate it so I tend just to stitch for one friend in particular and I'd like to get that done in good time too. I also have my annual ornament exchange with Chris and our traditional December SAL which will be Country Cottage Needleworks Silent Night which I am really looking forward to.  I also found an ornament in one of the JCS ornament mags that I hadn't finished stitching, a photo of which, with more stitched now, you can see belowplus I have printed out the Plum Street Samplers SAL, Mary's Sampler, to start sometime when my suitable fabric arrives today. I had all the threads which is a miracle for me!

Still impatiently waiting for my JCS ornament magazine! Fingers crossed for this week!

That's all from me for today! I'll leave you with Meeko and sunset over Hornsea Mere :)

With much love

Sally

xxxx