Some Making Up

At long last I have finished up my With My Needle Ackworth Friendship Book which I stitched as an RR last year with Chris, Jane, Lisa and Tracy. It was great fun stitching on these ladies pieces and thank you all for stitching on mine. It has taken me a while to actually finish it and I am not totally happy with my finishing but it’s done and I can now display it.

Another item made up this week is Tournicoton Pere Noel Charmant. You may remember I finished this in early January so it's taken me a while to get it finished completely. I decided to make it into a pinkeep and I love how it looks. The pins are some that Chris bought me and I think they suit this piece perfectly. The bow on the top came off a box of Thornton's Continental Chocolates! LOL!

Stitching wise I've been busy with my usual pieces including Little House Needleworks Hen Party. I managed to stitch a good chunk of it and I may just have another finish this Saturday! I have enjoyed stitching this so much and it's helped to take my mind of things.

Another Sunday has gone by on Blackbird Designs Beyond My Heart. For all I love this piece and I have enjoyed stitching it I have to admit that I'm getting a bit tired of it now and can't wait for it to be finished. I'm not going to take a break from it because I don't want it to end up a UFO so I'll carry on it with it until it's done. I've just about finished the flowers then I can start on the basket.

More progress on Needleprint Beatrix Potter Quaker Sampler too this week. I didn't quite get the motif finished but it's close enough! I'll just add the last few stitches next Monday.

Other stitching is a PIF for Angela. I have finished the stitching but now need to make it up but I should have it in the post by the end of the week.

I have done a bit of chart stash enhancement this week. As I said in my last post I was saving up for Shepherd's Bush Family Sampler. I was thinking about ordering it from the USA but I actually found it at Fobbles and it worked out cheaper so I ordered it from there on Sunday evening and it arrived yesterday. Then I saw on Andrea's blog that Sew and So had got the Just Nan Floral Fifteen chart in so I emailed then to see how much it was then rang yesterday to order it. It hasn't arrived yet but I should get it tomorrow. So now I am on a self imposed chart stash diet until at least November! Please please if you read that I am tempted by something remind me of my chart stash diet and shout NO!!! LOL! Hopefully I should not need any fabric either!

I also received some charts from Marianne of Midnight Stitching on Saturday. She asked me a while ago if I'd trade my Merry Noel chart with her for some of her designs so I said yes and please could I have Heartstruck Quakers. She also sent me her lovely new design Quaker 's Winter Slumber which is gorgeous. I have the perfect fabric for it in my stash! Thank you Marianne for a wonderful trade.

I am going for blood tests again next week. I won't go into huge detail here but I have not been well for several weeks but kept soldiering on but it has got to the stage where I am really struggling and hardly dare go out on my own for fear I pass out or something. I've been forcing myself but it has been rather scary. I decided yesterday to get an appointment and I saw a different doctor. I was getting upset telling her how I felt but she was lovely. Straight away she said she wanted blood tests and that I needed an MOT! She's given me iron tablets as she's sure I'm anaemic but she's upped the dose that I've been given before. She's also sending me for an ultrasound on my pelvic area. One of the last things she said to me was you're not going to carry on like this as there are things we can do to help. I was so relieved as some days I feel so ill I don't know what to do with myself. I just wish someone had done this before things got like they are. Stitching has been my sanity as it's helped take my mind off how I've been feeling to some extent.

Well time for me to leave in you in peace and have a bit of a catch up on blogs I think.

Take care everyone.

Hugs

Sally

xx

Christmas Eve

No I haven't gone off in a time machine to the near future; that is the title of my latest finish! I finished ( or thought I had) Bent Creek Christmas Eve and it will be DH's Christmas stocking. Unforutunately I did not read the instructions correctly until I'd finished and it's supposed to be stitched over two threads on 18 coutn fabric. I did know it should be 18 count but didn't have any so chose some 28 count in raw linen. Of course it is smaller than it should be so DH will have to have small pressies this year ( awwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!). Also when I was editing the piccie I noticed I have some missed some stitches so I'll have to rectify that before I make it up. Anyway here it is!

Bent Creek Christmas Eve

28 count raw linen

DMC

Started 2nd October 2008

Finished 3rd November 2008.

On Saturday I received my prize for winning Stephanie's blog drawing. I won the JCS Halloween issue which is a wonderful issue and next year I want to stitch the ornaments in it and buy a small black tree to display them on at Halloween. Stephanie also made me the cute Halloweeny floss tag you can see in the piccie. Thank you so much Stephanie!

I did not stitch on BBD Blessings and Kind Wishes again this Sunday this time due to flashing in my eyes. It had started earlier in the afternoon then when I thought it had gone it came on again. After tea I settled down to watch the F1 Grand Prix and it started again so I was not too happy. I sat there with an eye mask on listening to the race rather than watching the action but my eye mask came off when it got the final few laps!

I have, however, managed two good evenings stitching on Bygone Stitches A Quaker Christmas and I only have three more motifs and my initials to stitch and it will be done! For such a big piece I am amazed it has grown so quickly but I think it's because I am enjoying it so much.

I thought it was about time I showed the With My Needle Ackworth Friendship Book that Jane, Lisa, Chris, Tracy and I stitched as an RR earlier in the year. Just to prove I am in the process of making it up I took some piccies of it as it is now. With mine being stitched on 36 count the backstitches are quite tiny and I can't sew it up for long before my eyes are suffering!

I must apologise for my piccies today. I had starting using Photoshop a bit to edit my piccies to try and make them look better but I don't know what has happened today as I can't get the crop tool to work properly so I've had to edit them using the software that came with the scanner which isn't anywhere near as good as Photoshop. I must get somebody in the know to help me as I had the same problem the other day and DH sorted it but I can't remember how he did it! Lol!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful week. I have not been feeling too well and my doctor thinks it's all to do with migraine and hormones. I have felt so ill at times over the past week or so that I felt quite scared but thankfully it seems to be subsiding now and I don't feel too bad. I shall just be happy when it's all over and done in; whenever that will be! Anyway I was just wondering if any of you who read my blog and suffer from migraines/ headaches have been prescribed beta blockers to try and prevent them and, if so, how you got on with them. My doctor has given me a presciption for them but I'm not sure I want to take them.

Hugs

My RR Returns and Other Stuff!

I am here at last with a blog update! Last week was my full-ish week on Bygone Stitches A Quaker Christmas and I made pretty good progress even though I do say so myself! Lol! I actually stayed up until I'd finished the snowflake motif last night as I didn't want to leave it unfinished! You can see my last picture of it here.
Friday Chris came for a visit. We had a lovely afternoon chatting. I showed her all my stitching all over the house, some of my stash, we did a bit of trading and I saw her gorgeous Judy O' Dell Sampler Garden Casket and accessories ( not finished yet) and it made me want to start mine but I can't yet so have to be good! She forgot to bring my RR but I forgave her and we decided that she keep it, finish it for me, and send it back all done!!! Lol! Somehow I think she must have had a change of heart as my RR arrived in the post yesterday:) I'm looking forward to meeting up again soon as I enjoy her company and we get on well. Here is a pic of my RR. I couldn't get a close-up but in the next few weeks I hope to make a start on making it up into the accordian book. Should be fun!


As you know I was thinking about maybe having a new start to replace Just Nan Morning Song and I couldn't make up my mind what to do. In the end, rightly or wrongly, I decided to go ahead and start Blackbird Designs Rites of Spring:) My plan had been to keep up with the Loose Feathers and have one finished before the next one came out which worked well for the first one then went totally to pot after that! Lol! I managed to stitch a bit of the tree and one of the swans. I think it could be quite quick to stitch.

I have been very naughty this morning and have ordered this after Kate posted a link to it on the S&S forum. I ordered it from Hollie Stitch . I will never be rich at this rate but I will have some lovely stash! Still at least I'm not stashing as much as I used to and I'm being much more selective about what I buy! I tend to think long and hard now rather than jump in with both feet!

Last week I received a parcel from Sarah who I got to know through the HAED forum and we keep in touch via PM on there. She knows I have not been well and sent me these lovely things:) Thank you so much Sarah. The notepad and pen are now in my bag and the JBW chart is waiting to be started and I hope to stitch it ready for Autumn:)

I finished the biscornu for the S&S secret biscornu exchange and it's in the post. I can't show it yet although I don't think the person I'm sending to reads my blog. I don't think it'll be much of a secret as we've known each other for several years now!

I went to the doctors yesterday as I found out on Friday afternoon that he wanted to see me regarding my blood tests. There was nothing untoward showed up so my swollen jaw is still a complete mystery, which is rather annoying, but he did mention the possibilty of it being a blocked saliva gland but I would be in more pain. I wanted to scream so why the hell have I felt so ill then?!!! It's been swollen two weeks now and I'm beginning to think I'm stuck with it although it's not as swollen as it was. So it's a wait and see situation as far as that is concerned. The only thing that did come to light is that my iron levels are low again so I now have just over three months supply of iron tablets. Something else that it looks as though I am going to have to put up with! Thank you all for your good wishes. I appreciate them very much and they mean more than you could all ever know:)

Well I better end here so thank you for reading all my drivel today:) Hugs to you all.

Lisa's RR Take 2!

I have just put the final stitches into my second block on Lisa's RR and this one went so much better! I think I was just scared when I did the first one that I'd mess up with it being one over one on 28 count and I relaxed a bit more stitching this block. This is stitched over one on 28 count using DMC 99, which I have taken a liking to! So here you go Lisa:) I hope you like it:) This will be in the post to you this week:)




As promised here's my progress on Ink Circles Sea Stars. I am much happier with what I got stitched this time. It seemed to have been so slow of late but two motifs and a bit of a seahorse have made me happy!


That's all for today. I'm going to do some more stitching, cook tea, then get Just Nan Morning Song out:) It's a stitching day today as it's so windy out there!

Hugs

Lisa's RR:)

I have been stitching on my first block of Lisa's RR this week and for all it's a lovely piece it has been a bit of a long haul stitching this! Lol! I'm afraid I did have to frog one motif but it's restitched and all correct now so, as promised, here's a piccie for you Lisa:) I hope you like it. I've been restitching the motif and doing the backstitch whilst listening to Russell Watson this afternoon so I am happy and relaxed {{{{sigh}}}} He's got such a gorgeous voice.

No progress picture of Sea Stars yet as I forgot to take a picture yesterday and DH has gone to Donnington with his Dad and brother today to watch the Moto GP practice and qualifying so has taken his camera with him. I am happy to report, though, that I did make better progress this week and stitched two small motifs and started a sea horse!

Abi went back to school yesterday feeling much better than she did on Wednesday so that was a relief. She had a huge nosebleed last night just before she went to bed so I hope she doesn't have another one today. She is prone to them especially during hayfever season.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend:)

Hugs

Where Has The Week Gone?

Sorry for the delay in posting my Quaker Christmas and Sea Stars WIP this week. I was going to post yesterday and catch up on blogs but a migraine put paid to that idea and it was 10am before I dare open the living room curtains! I did catch up on a few blogs yesterday afternoon but I still have some to read yet and I'm hoping to do that today.

So here's my WIP pics now! a Quaker Christmas is going rather well and I can't wait to work on it for longer than just a Monday evening again. I've just about finished the first page and am loving every single stitch I put in it.

Sea Stars is going well too. I didn't quite get the red motif finished so finger's crossed for next week! I think I've got about three pages of this done now. Karen how is yours going? I'll check your blog in a bit:)



I've also finished my two pages on Jane's RR which I have really enjoyed stitching. I love the colour of the thread she used. I hope you like it Jane:)



Other stitching I've done is secret! It's a little PIF that is on it's way somewhere as we speak! Lol! I'll reveal it when it's safely with it's new Mum. Also my needleroll for the S&S secret needleroll exchange is on it's way but I can't reveal that until the end of May:)


It's that time of year again. Abi had her Maths SATS on Tuesday. She has taken it a year early and in September she'll start working towards taking her Maths GCSE in 2010 rather than 2011. She was so nervous, bless her, and her hayfever is playing her up so she was worried she hadn't done so well. Jess has her first AS level exam next Thursday so we're keeping our finger's crossed that it all goes well.


That's all for today! Hope everyone is enjoying the lovely weather we're having at the moment!

Hugs

RR & Sea Stars & Test Results

Thank you for all your lovely comments on the PS pinkeeps in my previous post:) Look out for the Summer one sometime in the future!

I am well ahead with Tracy's RR as I have now completed page 2. I had a bit of a problem deciding which bits to stitch in GAST Hyacinth this time so I hope it isn't too much but I must admit I rather like the effect:) So roll on to receiving Jane's next but that isn't for a few more weeks yet! I am really enjoying this RR and am looking forward to everybody getting their pieces back in July ready to be made up:)

Tuesday was my Ink Circles Sea Stars day with Karen and I finally got the octopus and the ship's wheel finished and another motif started but, again, I have noticed that I have missed a bit, this time a bit of the ship's wheel so I must remember to stitch that bit next week! I seem to be getting good at missing bits! Lol! It's nice to get back into this piece properly again and feel like I'm making progress.

So that's all the stitching I have to show for today. I still have my S&S SAL challenge piece to make up so as it's wet and windy today I might just have a go when I've finished this. I'll be stitching on BBD Loose Feather's #29 Where My Heart Blooms tonight and possibly over the weekend too. It depends on what takes my fancy so it'll either be that or LHN Winter Wonderland.

Do you like my new header?! Lol! I've been wanting a nice view of the town where I live but didn't want to use anything I found on the Net for copyright reasons. Anyway DH treated himself to a SLR digital camera a couple of weeks ago and went out last night and took some photos of the mere and that's now my header! This is a beautiful sight to see coming into where I live and it is the largest freshwater lake in East Yorkshire.

WARNING!!! If you would rather not read about my blood test results then please feel free to stop reading now! I rang the surgery on Tuesday afternoon and the lady I spoke to said they back but seemed reluctant to tell my anymore so I was going to leave it at that as I was going to make an appointment to see my doctor anyway. I had to laugh when she suddenly blurted out that I was menopausal, that she didn't like giving news like that to women of a certain age and that I was too young! Lol! So I managed to get appointment the following day ( we have a ring on the day for same day appointments here). I was a little confused, to say the least, as my levels of oestradial say I'm menopausal ( and that level is most likely the cause of all the headaches I keep getting) but my FSH says I'm not quite there yet so it's not at a level to cause full blown hot flashes and sweats. Anyway my doctor says that HRT would help the headaches but I really want that to be a last resort as there are so many conflicting reports and new research going on about it that even doctors can't keep up. Also it can cause strokes and as my Mum had one and never recovered I don't want to increase any risk there might be. So I'd already been doing my own research for alternatives and came across Menopace which has especially formulated for menopause and is approved by BUPA so I bought some and started taking it yesterday. I'm keeping my finger's crossed that it will help as I just want my life back. I know it's not an illness but it can make you feel so lousy that you can't function properly and that is just how I've felt this past month or so. My sister wanted me to let her know how I'd got on ( which surprised me) and she has suggested I take up Yoga and has recommended a DVD by Barbara Currie so, as I need to tone up and lose some weight, I'm going to have a go. If it'll help I'll try it! So that's that! We'll see how I get on over the next month or so with the Menopace and hope they help.

If you've got this far thank you for reading:) I hope everyone has had a good week and have a wonderful weekend:)

Hugs

It's Freezing!

'Tis a wee bit chilly here on the east coast of England this Easter weekend! The wind is rather brisk and the wind chill makes it feel much colder than it actually is. We've seen rain, hail and snow today and, if I'm honest, I'm hoping for a good ole snow fall over night! Lol!

I've been busy doing a bit of stitching in an evening, although I did get the first page of Tracy's RR stitched up and the second page started on Thursday afternoon after several games of Chinese Patience with Jess. She was quite disgusted at how fast I picked the rules up and beat her on my second attempt! Lol! Anyway here's Tracy's RR. She is using a lovely 28 count Brittney fabric and GAST and WDW.

Last night I stitched a bit on BBD Loose Feathers #29 Where My Heart Blooms. I have almost finished the house but got a bit bored with it last night so stitched a bit on the stem and leaves of the flower. The house should be finished next time it comes out! I must say that I am loving stitching this and can't wait to see what the next installment will be. I am hoping to keep up with the designs as they come out and my plan is to hang them all in my hallway after it gets decorated in the summer.

Finally this is my fabric and threads for Bygone Stitches A Quaker Christmas. I dyed this piece with coffee but I'm not 100% sure that I like it yet! It looks a bit dirty in places so I may do it again. What do you think? I'm waiting on the rest of my threads as Jayne ordered the Old World Red so I'd get all the same dyelot.

Well I'm going back to my stitching now. I'm hoping to get Blue Ribbon Designs Alphabet Tree finished tonight for the S&S SAL challenge. I'm stitching it using ............................. Yeah Like I'm going to let that slip!! Lol!

Have a wonderful Easter Sunday and Monday and stay warm:)

Hugs

Earthquake & Stitching

I was woken this morning at 1am and thought someone was shaking the bed. Then I realised the house was shaking! DH shot out of bed saying what the hell's going on! I just laid there; too damned scared to move. Yes it was an earthquake. Something I have never experienced before and never want to again. It's a rare occurance here in the UK, although according to the news we get quite a lot in a year but obviously most are insignificant to the 5.2 on the rickter ( spelling?) scale of the one this morning. Apparently it's the strongest quake we've had since 1984. We didn't feel that one here but as we are only about 60 miles north of the epicentre we certainly felt this one. Jess thought she'd dreamt it and Abi was too scared to walk to school this morning. I must admit I am still rather uptight about it. I hope everyone on Lincolnshire is safe and there isn't too much damage, especially Claire and Karan.

Onto my stitching:) Last week I stitched up a small piece, Victoria Sampler Tiny Things, and tried my first tin finish:) Julie sent me an Altoids tin last year and I wanted to send the tin back to Julie as a thank you. Unfortunately after I'd glued the fabric inside I made the mistake of closing it up and the exposed parts of the tin went rusty so I didn't want to send it like that. Anyway I am happy with it otherwise:)

Last night was Ink Circles Sea Stars SAL with Karen and I finally finished the octopus and moved onto the ship's wheel. I love how this is stitching up and look forward to picking it up every Tuesday. I might have got more done had I not been on the Internet for a while lookin at fabrics!

I finished my second page for Chris' RR too so am now looking forward to getting Tracy's next month and stitching on hers. I hope this is OK Chris:)

I am still thinking about Quaker Christmas and I think I will probably buy it before long. It'd be nice to make a start and try and stitch it for Christmas this year but it's such a big piece it probably wouldn't happen! Although now I only have one full sized HAED on the go I feel liberated and able to stitch on other things more. Does that make sense?!!!

Take care care everyone and enjoy the rest of the week:)

Hugs

Some Updates

I have had quite a good stitching week so far this week for all me and the girls were playing on the Wii for a while on Monday evening but I managed to tear myself away to do some stitching! Lol! As you will all know by now Monday is Just Nan Queen of the Needle SAL with Helen and this time I completed the verse and the other bunny. Just have a bit of backstitch to do and I can move onto the next band but that won't be for two weeks as while Helen is away I'm not going to stitch on it. Hopefully the image will be clickable so you can see it better as it's a bit small! Still loving stitching this.

And another one I'm still loving stitching is Ink Circles Sea Stars; my Tuesday SAL with Karen. Last week I didn't get any done as I wasn't feeling well enough to stitch but last night I got quite a bit stitched whilst watching Holby City and CSI:) I got the motif I was working on last time finished, stitched another one then made a start on the octopus. I just love how this one stitches up.

Also thought I'd post a piccie of the page I've got done on Chris' RR. This is a lovely piece to stitch and I'm so pleased we decided on this RR. Chris chose DMC 791 for hers and it looks gorgeous. Abi is going to a friend's this afternoon so I think I'll make a start on another page and concentrate on that for the afternoon.

Yesterday I received my Blackbird Designs Loose Feathers #29 Where My Heart Blooms with the suggested fabric. I must say that the fabric is a little, er, strange but I'm sure it'll be fine! Lol! The chart is absolutely gorgeous and I can hardly wait to start stitching on it!

My DH is due back from his course tonight so me and the girls are looking forward to his return, even though he can be a pain at times! LOL!

Hope everyone is having a good week. I'm sorry if I haven't caught up with all your blogs yet but I will get around to it at some point!

New Year; Another New Start!

New Year and a second new start from me! I decided to get on with the With My Needle Ackworth Friendship Book so that I was in good time for the post off date to Lisa on 31st January. It is just lovely to stitch although I did make two mistakes ( the same at the bottom and the top so had a bit of frogging to do!) but I love it. Stitching on the 36 fabric is easier than I thought it would be and the Lakeside Linens fabric is gorgeous. Hope the others enjoy stitching on it too. So without further ado here's the front and back page stitched using DMC 115.I just have the backstitch outline to do and will sit quietly and do that this afternoon I think as I'm feeling under the weather with this damned cold. I thought I had it beat but it's come back!

Not sure what I'll stitch tonight! Maybe a new start or maybe a bit on the Christmas mystery that I need to get finished before it becomes a permanent UFO!

I placed an order with Daisy Stitches a few weeks ago ( my second to last fling!) and Despina posted it on 17th December and it still hasn't arrived. I'm just hoping it's the Christmas post that has slowed things up and it hasn't got lost.

I must apologise for not picking a winner of The Trilogy Sloane the Snowman earlier but I totally forgot about it! Duh! Anyway the winner is Paula! Congratulations! I have your address so I'll pop the chart in the post this week:)

Thank you for your comments on my new look blog. I have to give credit to Julie for the header as I was looking for a picture to use when I was chatting to her on MSN and couldn't find one I wanted to she suggested I scan a Christmas card and hey presto there's my header! So thanks Julie for the suggestion {{{{hugs}}}}