Forget Me Not

Last Friday was my dear friend and SAL partner Barb's birthday. So after much deliberation I decided to stitch this beauty for her as I know she loves blue. Well I think she does as I seem to remember something about blue. I hope I didn't dream it!

Heartstring Samplery Forget Me Not

Polstitches Designs fabric from grab bag

GAST & WDW

Started 20th January 2013

Finished 5th February 2013

I'm happy to say that Barb loves it.

I don't have a deal to show. HAED Guardian didn't happen much at the weekend but QS Holly Fairy went very well and I finished page 2 and started and nearly finished page 3! Yay! I had better explain that page 3 is 98 rows of just 8 stitches and is all DMC 310!

I didn't quite get CCN Gingerbread Cottage finished last Wednesday so hoping to this week. Still no DMC 437 at my local shop but one of the lovely ladies at craft club brought me some on a bobbin for which I was very grateful.  Not sure what to stitch once I've finished this. I may see if Mouse wants to start the Shakespeare's Peddler piece that was with the LHN last year or finish LHN Home of a Needleworker ( Too ).

I stitched a little bit more on QS Spirit of Winter Robin on Sunday evening. This, like my other two HAEDs, may not get stitched on regularly. I seem to be finding it hard to knuckle down to any stitching during the day at the moment.  Wish I could get just a bit done as feeling as if I've bitten off more than I can chew at the moment!

Postie was kind to me last week. I ended up subscribing to Just Cross Stitch magazine through Country Designs after my newsagent let me down. The shop changed hands and since then they've packed away the mags to send back and this time not bothered to get them in at all even though I had a regular order with the previous owners. Anyway the January / February issue arrived last week  from Country Designs so I haven't missed any. The following day the first of the LHN Little Sheep Virtues arrived from Karla at Patchwork Rabbit. I also received a lovely card from my long time online friend Fi which I forgot to take a pic of.

So Barb and I are now SAL-ing on the Little Sheep Virtues and I have to say I just loved my time stitching Hope on Monday evening. I hope Barb did too. Here's my progress.

I must apologise for not commenting on blogs again.  I've been setting off with good intentions but since my Dad passed away I just don't seem to have much enthusiasm. Apart from the odd blog post and getting stitching done I just seem to be burying my head. I wish I could hide away and pretend it didn't happen. I have so much going round in my head. I go to bed and I can't sleep as my brain goes into overdrive so I dread going to bed but then I wake up in a morning and don't want to get up. It's crazy!

That's it from me for now.

With much love

Sally xx

I Sew'd My Heart and A Couple of RAKS

Thankfully my DH knew how to blur out my maiden name on my finish of I Sew'd My Heart and how to is now firmly lodged in my brain for the next time I need to do something like that! I had a little "Duh!" moment when I realised where I was going wrong:) Anyway I personalised it with my maiden name and added the year 1970 but I'm now thinking I should have stitched a later year. Did schoolgirls of old stitch samplers are the age of 7????

Heartstring Samplery I Sew'd My Heart

32 count Vintage Country Mocha Linen

GAST

Started 3rd February 2012

Finished 11th March 2012

I have to say that I just love this piece and it is definitely my favourite finish this year so far. If you're interested in finding out about this design and how to obtain the chart please read here:) I don't know how I'm going to this yet. Any suggestions?

The two RAK's I entrusted to Royal Mail yesterday have safely reached their destinations. First off this little pin cushion arrived at the Mouse house.

The Primitive Hare Please Enter Your Pin

35 count coffee dyed fabric

DMC

Started 8th March 2012

Finished 10th March 2012

RAK/ Thank You for Mouse.

Mouse kindly sent me some pretty pins so I stitched this up as a thank you for her:) 

The second RAK went to Jane as she's been very much under the weather with a nasty chest infection. As soon as I saw this design I just knew I had to stitch it for her. Those of you who know Jane will know she has two of the cutest little bunnies called Tilly and Oscar so I thought this would be nice for her :)

Pilgrims & Pioneers 1820 Bunnies and Tulips

35 count coffee dyed fabric

DMC

Started and Finished 8th March 2012.

RAK for Jane.

 Mouse and Jane love their little gifts and that makes my day :)

I've got another piece all finished up from my finishing pile. My Feb ornament The Cat's Whiskers Joyeux Noel.  Please excuse the dull photo.

I have been stitching on my WIPS SB The Journey and L*K 6 Fat Men but forgot to take photos of them so will save those for my next blog post. 

Still catching up on blogs too so if I haven't got around to you just yet I will do soon. 

I was intent on maybe doing a little stitching this afternoon but I guess I'd better do some housework instead!

Thank you to those of you who take time to read and comment on my ramblings :) It means a lot to me.

Until next time:)

With much love

Sally

xxxx

February Ornament Finally Finished!

A wee bit late but better late than never! The theme for the Christmas All Year Round SAL for February was Christmas Tree and here's mine.

The Cat's Whiskers Design Studio Joyeux Noel

28 count Jayne's Attic COTM I think it's Sweet Pea!

GAST

Started 7th February 2012

Finished 3rd March 2012.

I love this one. It's such a pretty design. This month is a free choice month so I've chosen Blackbird Designs Joy from last year's JCS ornament magazine. I need to get my fabric and threads sorted ready to take to craft club with me tomorrow.

I've not much else to show as I've been busy getting a couple of gifts done. I did have a new start on Saturday and it's something I've had in my stash for ages which feels good as I can definitely call it a stitch from stash piece! This is Stacy Nash Primitives True Love Sampler Bag, or at least the start of it! I've picked some fabric scraps from my stash as when it's done and made up it's going to be aged so thought it didn't matter what I used. I think this might stitch up quite quickly.

Last night I picked up Heartstring Samplery I Sew'd My Heart and finished the all the stitching barring the name at the bottom. I'm not quite sure whether to stitch it as Beth charted it or use another name. I will decide before I pick it up again.

Tonight is SB SAL night with Barb and Colleen and I'll be carrying on with The Journey. Tomorrow night I want to get back to my L*K 6 Fat Men SAL with Lisa as I missed it last week. Hopefully at the weekend I'll pick BBD AotH back up again too. I fear if I don't get on with it it'll become a UFO!

I'm afraid I caved and ordered the Little House Needlworks/ Shakespeare's Peddler pattern/ thread pack from Anita's Little Stitches. I figured that as I had some birthday money left I wasn't really breaking my stitch from chart stash promise and I'm going to keep it to stitch as I recover from my surgery! 

I am behind on blogs again! I just seem to have so much bother keeping up these days but I will try and catch up a bit tomorrow if I don't get chance today. 

Thank you for continuing to visit me and for all your lovely comments :) I cannot tell you how much I appreciate them.

With much love.

Sally

xxxx

A Finish, IHSW Update and Other Stuff!

This post may be a little picture heavy seen as I haven't updated in a week. Our phone line is working fine ( fingers crossed it stays that way as we got two days out of it last time before it went again!) so I should be able to update more often. It's been half term this week too and although we haven't really done much we've been busy every day with opticians for Abi, dentist for us both, hospital appointment for me and a retail therapy day yesterday as I had birthday money left to spend.

First stitchy photo has to be my finish! I started this before Christmas on a whim as I just wanted a new start. I really shouldn't have done as I had enough on at the time and in recent weeks I've been pretty desperate to get it finished. I took it to craft club with me a few weeks ago and one of the ladies said I had plenty of time to get it finished for next Christmas!

Country Cottage Needleworks Snowflake Serenade

32 count cobblestone linen

DMC

Started 18th November 2011

Finished 16th February 2012

I nearly forgot my second sort of finish! I finished my block on L*K 6 Fat Men, my SAL with Lisa. Only two more to go now including the long one at the bottom!

Lizzie*Kate 6 Fat Men Snow House

32 count Permin Amber Linen

DMC

Started 17th January 2012

Finished 21st February 2012

Last weekend I took part in my first IHSW and also incorporated my first WIP night on The Superstar Serial Starters and Divine Disciplined Divas page on Facebook. I stitched on about 4 things over the IHSW weekend although I can only show 3. Friday out came HAED Guardian and I managed about 120 stitches. Not much to show really but progress nevertheless:)

Saturday I finished the house on BBD AotH Swan Lake and almost got the swan stitched when I realised I'd made a mistake and had to frog it! 

Sunday I made good progress on Heartstring Samplery I Sew'd My Heart. This photo really does not do this justice. I couldn't get a good one and the fabric colour is definitely not true to life as it's vintage country mocha which is my absolute favourite fabric.

Hmmm what else I have been stitching on? Oh yes Monday night was SB SAL night with Barb and Colleen. I almost had a happy dance but it didn't quite happen so hopefully next Monday :) This one is Simple Joys and it is turning out so simple but pretty.

So that's all I can show you. I did start and almost finish The Primitive Hare May Love but I can't show that until after 1st March as it's a contest piece. Also started a gift last night which I'll continue with tonight. I didn't go to craft club this week so no progress on my tree for the Christmas All Year Round SAL. I think I might be a bit late finishing this one this month but I'll give it a good go when I'm there next week! 

I treated myself last week to one of Nancy of Victorian Motto's grab bags of hand dyed trims. Let me tell you I was highly delighted with it and would recommend them to anyone. I always struggle, living in a rural area, to find nice coloured trims etc so these are wonderful for me. Nancy is a sweetheart to deal with too.

As I said earlier I was at the hospital on Tuesday for my gynae appointment. I have a small bladder prolapse which causes me quite a lot of discomfort and after being prodded and poked it was decided that I would have surgery. I go in on 9th May and hopefully will only be in a day or two. As far as I know recovery is 4 to 6 weeks so I see plenty of stitching time during the day with no guilt! I know come the time I will be so nervous but it needs doing. 

I think that's all from me for now. Until next time keep stitching!

With much love

Sally

xxxx

2011 Fob & Ornament Made Up

My sewing machine has been busy again but I can only show one thing that I sewed up using it as the other is in the post as I type!

I actually decided to hand sew my Shepherd's Bush 2011 Fob as it's so tiny. I'm not the greatest hand sewer by a long way but I did it! I did have bother adding the ribbon as I kept thinking I was going to run out but after some in my head cussing I finally got it done! 

I also made up my January ornament for the Christmas All Year Round SAL. I'm a bit limited with my fabrics but didn't want to buy anymore just yet. I do like how this has turned out though.

I've been trying to get CCN Snowflake Serenade finished and now just have the border to stitch. I stitched on it two evenings last week so that I could plenty done and I love how it's looking. 

Friday and Saturday I was determined to pick up Blackbird Designs AotH Swan Lake. I started AotH in January last year as a SAL with Jane and Valerie. I think Valerie may have abandoned hers for now but Jane is still stitching away steadily as I am. I think once the house on this block is done it should stitch up quite quickly.

I had a wee new start on Saturday evening as I wanted a bit of a break from that house on Swan Lake! Just in time for Valentine's Day but not made up is this.

The Primitive Hare Valentine

28 count fabric scrap ( possibly Polstitches Hot Potato)

Carrie's Creations Cranberry Sauce

Started 11th February 2012

Finished 12th February 2012

Finally a little progress on Heartstring Samplery I Sew'd My Heart. I ended up frogging the flowers I'd stitched last time as I stupidly stitched using two strands rather than one! I had also stitched the heart with two strands but I've left that. God only knows what I was thinking of; clearly I wasn't thinking!!!

Typing of not thinking, brain fog is horrendous today. It's days like this that I swear I have early onset dementia. Days like this I hardly dare open my mouth to speak for fear of the drivel that might come out of it. I've gone 6 months since my last period and I'm hoping and praying with all my might that this might be the end. I know I have another 6 months to go yet and I may well curl up in a ball in a corner if I start!

Anyway I'm going to catch up blogs now then sort some fabric for my new SB start for my SAL with Barb and Colleen tonight. I'm starting Simple Joys.

Thank you all for your continued visits and your lovely comments. I appreciate each and everyone :)

Until next time... keep stitching :)

Much love

Sally

xxxx

Some Thank You Gifts

I stitched up a couple of thank you gifts and have been waiting for them to arrive before I could show them as they were surprises for both recipients.

Last year I asked on my blog if anyone had the Shepherd's Bush 2009 Fob chart that I could borrow and Valerie very kindly offered to lend me it. I've been a while getting something stitched for her but this is what I did for her and I am happy to know that she loves it :) 

Shepherd's Bush Lucky

32 count light taupe evenweave

DMC 

Started 22nd January 2012

Finished 25th January 2012

Thank you gift for Valerie.

I admired a Carriage House Samplings finish on Suzanne's blog last year and saw that it was from an issue of JCS so I asked which one. Suzanne kindly offered to send me the magazine. Again it's taken me a while but I stitched up a little something for her and she loves it :)

Blackbird Designs Rosebud Sachet ( from A Schoolgirl's Work)

32 count light taupe evenweave

GAST and DMC

Started 21st January 2012

Finished 22nd January 2012

Thank you gift for Suzanne.

I shamelessly had my new start last Friday and stitched on Saturday and a bit on Sunday too. It is Heartstring Samplery I Sew'd My Heart. I first saw it last year when Catherine stitched it up so beautifully then I saw Mouse's lovely start and jogged my memory! I'm stitching it on 32 count vintage country mocha linen ( not that you can tell- the photo is bad!) using the recommended GAST.

I also made a little progress on CCN Snowflake Serenade. It's really time that this baby was finished so maybe I should have an evening a week on it instead of fitting it in here and there. 

I have yet another Shepherd's Bush finish. It's not made up yet but I love how this stitched up. I keep saying that I'm going to start a bigger SB design for my SAL with Barb and Colleen but I'm really enjoying stitching smaller bits at the moment. Barb kindly sent me the Count Your Blessings chart when she'd finished with it so I think I'm starting that next week!

Shepherd's Bush 2011 Fob ( as kitted)

Started 30th January 2012

Finished 6th February 2012

At craft club yesterday I started my tree for the Christmas All Year Round SAL. I am amazed at how much I actually got done as what with listening to others chatting and getting involved myself I felt sure I wouldn't be able to concentrate enough!

Finally last night was L*K 6 Fat Men SAL night with my surrogate sis Lisa. I stitched snow, snow and more snow! Still love it though :)

Late Saturday afternoon the snow started and kept on falling. It was blowing too so in some places there were some deep drifts. I was so happy to see it so Sunday morning DH and I went out bright and early ( well early for a Sunday morning! ) for a walk armed with our cameras. We had planned to have a walk so far around the mere but it was very misty teh nearer we got so we decided we wouldn't get any clear photos so after taking the odd one or two of some sheep in a field we went to the park then onto the mere from another way by which time the fog had cleared. Here's just a few of my photos.

Hull Road

Back of St Nicholas Church from Hallgarth Park

Hallgarth Park

Hallgarth Park

Hallgarth Park

Hallgarth Park

Sheep by The Mere

St Nicholas Church

Swan Island, The Mere. Frozen and snow covered

Swans in the snow and ice, The Mere

Boats in the snow. This one caught my eye the way the snow had blown up the side.

The forecast says the icy blast is going to continue and we may get more snow at the weekend.

Poor Jess rang in tears on Sunday afternoon as Ivor, her hamster, had died. She was absolutely heartbroken. She'd had him just over a year and he was lovely. A real character and we all played with him when she was home. Thankfully the mains roads were clear of snow so we were able to go through and bring her home for the night. I think she just needed her Mum as the first thing she did when we got there was fling her arms round me and burst into tears again. 

That's it for today. I'm going to finish off catching up on blogs now. I started yesterday when I got back from craft club but didn't get them all read!

Stay safe and warm in the snow and ice.

Much love

Sally

xxxx