Gifts, Looking Back & A Finish

I can't believe that Christmas is over and it's been just over a week since I last did a blog post! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas as we did. I have looked at blogs but I'm so sorry to say that I have not commented as I just haven't had time to sit at the PC and do that. We've been busy just about every day of the past week and have been having some fun:) We all received some lovely gifts and DH and I surprised the girls with a gift that is for all of us and Abi cried and Jess was totally speechless which is amazing for her! We had always said that we'd never be able to update our Playstation 2 console and get a PS3 but we had managed to save a fair bit of money for Christmas and we got a good deal on the console and two games and for once they were games that we knew we could all enjoy.

I received some lovely gifts from Julie, Karan, Karen and Lisa which you can see in the above picture. Thank you so much ladies; I love them all. There are thank you notes on the way via Royal Mail.

From Jess I got a CD and a diary and from Abi I got some very warm sheep slippers and some body spray!

DH bought me some charts and fabric from my wish list as well as some CDs and DVDs. The charts are Isabelle Vautier Cub 'O Love and Grilles De Maryse My Stitching Room Case. He also ordered Shepherd's Bush Shepherd's Purse from Wyndham Needleworks but heard absolutely nothing about the order ( I have had this problem before) so he emailed them. They did reply quickly but what annoyed us was the fact that they knew they didn't have it in stock and knew it was on back order with Shepherd's Bush but didn't bother to email him to let him know when he'd done the order. Anyway they are going to send it as soon as it comes in but it was disappointing not to get it for Christmas especially when DH had ordered it towards the end of November.

I also received lots of lovely gifts from family including a Sony Walkman MP3, clothes, candles, chocolates, a Crop-o-dile is that right?!) with lots of bits with it and books.

Looking back over my last 12 months of stitching I think I have done rather well with what I have achieved even if I do say so myself! I had set myself some goals but took them off my side bar so far through the year as most of them were just not happening. So for 2009 I've decided not to set myself any goals at all other than things I am involved in which are The Beatrix Potter SAL ( starting tomorrow!), Christmas Ornament SAL and Basket of Biscornu. Also Chris and I are hoping to stitch a Shepherd's Bush needleroll a month which I am really looking forward to. I may decide to join in exchanges from time to time but that will depend upon what I am stitching at the time. I had joined Vonna's Me, Myself and I SAL but decided yesterday not to take part. I just can't see my way to taking part and feel much happier knowing that I'm not going to now; if that makes any sense! I want to try and get back to the other two HAEDs I have on the go and make good progress on both of them and maybe even finish Quick Stitch Girly Gothic. Other than that 2009 is going to be a stitch what you feel like year! My stitching for tonight is going to be Tanya's lovely new freebie New Years Birds which you can find on her blog. So here's my list of finishes for 2008.

• 59 Twisted Oaks Merry Noel Needle Nanny
• 58 Twisted Oaks Designs Merry Noel Stitching Smalls ( no.10 project challenge)
• 57 Mary Gary's Sewing Cabin Christmas Heart Pincushion ( no.2! For Juls)
• 56 Bent Creek Christmas Carols ( no.9 project challenge)
• 55 Blackbird Designs Blessings and Kind Wishes ( no.8 project challenge)
• 54 Paw Printings Penguin Hungs ( for Karen)
• 53 JBW Designs Gingerbread Christmas ( for Lisa)
• 52 Prairie Schooler Christmas Tree ( for Julie)
• 51 Mary Garry's Sewing Cabin Christmas Heart Pincushion ( For Christine)
  
• 50 The Workbasket Quaker Christmas Tree
• 49 Carriage House Samplings Merry Christmas ( no. 7 Project Challenge) ( for Chris)
• 48 Bygone Stitches A Quaker Christmas ( no. 6 Project Challenge)
• 47 Midsummer Night Designs Christmas Angel ( For Clare)
  
• 46 My Mark Designs Be Merry
• 45 Bent Creek Christmas Eve ( No. 5 Project challenge)
• 44 Stacy Nash Primitives Hallow's Eve
• 43 By The Bay Needleart Courage
• 42 The Sampler Girl Tea With Jane ( For Julie)
  
• 41 Prairie Schooler A Friend ( For Lizzy)
  
• 40 Just Nan Butterfly Heart ( For DH's auntie)
  
• 39 Ink Circles Sea Stars ( no.4 Project Challenge)
• 38 Windy Willows Noel
• 37 Alchemy Stitchcraft Tumbling Leaves( no. 3 Project Challenge For Hazel biscornu exchange))
• 36 Blackbird Designs Rites of Spring (LF# 30) (no.2 Project Challenge
• 35 SB Shepherd's Roll ( no. 1 Project Challenge)
• 34 Blackbird Designs My Pink House
• 33 IsaV Scissor Pocket Freebie ( Redwork Exchange for Jane)
• 32 Lavender Wings Planted Hearts Needleroll and Fob ( Birthday gift for Julie)
  
• 31 Debbie Draper Designs Love ( For Lisa)
  
• 30 Grilles De Maryse I Love Cross Stitch ( For KarenV)
  
• 29 WDC Design WDC in Blue Biscornu ( secret exchange for Angi))
• 28 With My Needle Ackworth Friendship Book (RR)
• 27 Twisted Oaks M'Lady's Needle Nanny ( For Chris)
  
• 26 Twisted Oaks M'Lady's Needle Nanny ( For Lisa)
  
• 25 Just Nan Morning Song
• 24 Blue Ribbon Designs Acorns and Owls ( For Andrea)
  
• 23 Twisted Oaks M'Lady's Needle Nanny ( For Jane)
  
• 22 Twisted Oaks M'Lady's Needle Nanny ( For Tracy)
  
• 21 Little House Needleworks Faith Hope Love ( needleroll exchange for Dusty)
  
• 20 Angelsan Snowman Fob ( For June)
  
• 19 The Cat's Whiskers Christmas Candles
• 18 Little House Needleworks Winter Wonderland
• 17 Indigo Rose Bee Charmer
• 16 The Drawn Thread The Caron Keeper ( For Paula)
  
• 15 Blackbird Designs Where My Heart Blooms ( LF#29)
• 14 Just Nan Queen of the Needle
• 13 Blue Ribbon Designs Alphabet Tree ( For Sammy Jo)
  
• 12 Prairie Schooler Winter Pinkeep
• 11 Prairie Schooler Spring Pinkeep
• 10 Blackbird Designs Bluebird's Needles and Pins ( For Julie)
  
• 9 Victoria Sampler International Hearts England
• 8 Victoria Sampler Tiny Things
• 7 Shepherd's Bush Lamb
• 6 Prairie Schooler Welcome ( Christmas Ornament)
• 5 Dragonfly Stitches Valentine Heart
• 4 The Drawn Thread Forget Me Not Scissor Keeper ( For Kyrie)
  
• 3 With My Needle Eliza's Pyn Pillow ( For Michele)
  
• 2 Blue Ribbon Designs A Christmas Wish ( For Sandy)
  
• 1 Blue Ribbon Designs Alphabet Tree ( For Lisa)
  

I have steadily been stitching away on Tournicoton Pere Noel and this is where I'm at. Not much more to go now so it'll be ready well in time for Christmas 2009! LOL! This has been lovely to stitch with lots of speciality stitches:)

Finally a little finish of Twisted Oaks Designs Merry Noel Needle Nanny to go with the other Merry Noel stitching smalls. I stitched this last week but only got it made up today!

Of course I cannot end my final post of 2008 without wishing everyone who reads my blogs a very Happy, Healthy, Stitch and Stash filled 2009. Thank you to all of you for your friendship throughout 2008 and I hope you will all continue to visit with me in 2009. I treasure each and everyone of you.

Hugs

Merry Noel

Here is Merry Noel in all it's glory! Finally finished making it up today when I got the waddle and comb done on the chicken:) I must say he does look good!

Twisted Oaks Designs Merry Noel ( A Set of Stitching Smalls)

28 count cashel vintage green linen

Dinky Dyes Silks

Started 1st December 2008 ( SAL with Chris)

Finished and Made Up 23rd December 2008

I loved stitching this and have the matching needleminder to stitch yet but I'm stitching Tournicoton Pere Noel Charmant at the moment ( Carol and Christine you were quite correct!) and it's a bit slow going as there's quite a lot of speciality stitches in it. It does looks good though! It's not going to get finished for Christmas but never mind:)
My SB needlerolls from JJ's arrived today so I am one happy bunny! It's taken them 3 weeks but at least they've arrived safely and not lost as I was beginning to think! Yesterday I received Blue Ribbon Designs Peppermint Twist which I had added to a small order for some interfacing with Thread Bear. I wasn't expecting to receive it until the end of January as they didn't have it stock but it had arrived early so it was a lovely surprise. This will be a SAL for Chris and I for next November/ December! Yes we're planning early! LOL!

Thank you for your good wishes for my scan. The lady who did it said she couldn't see anything to indicate any problems but is going to pass it on and I will hear from the specialist in due course.

That's all from me until after Christmas now so all that remains is for me to wish everyone who reads my blog A Very Happy Christmas! Thank you for your friendship and for keeping me company throughout the year:)


Hugs

More Ornaments and A New Start!

Now that the other two ornaments I stitched for friends have been received I can show those:) The first one is JBW Gingerbread Christmas which I stitched for Lisa. This was stitched on an unknown fabby ( it was in an ornaments cut bag) using DMC and Kreinik. This was a lovely little design to stitch.

Next is Paw Printings Penguin Hugs which I stitched for Karen as she loves penguins! No idea of this fabric either but it was stitched with DMC.


Last night I finished Twisted Oaks Designs Merry Noel which I am SAL-ing with Chris. It's all to cut out and stitch up yet but I loved stitching this and was determined to have it finished. I do still have the needle minder to stitch but that was separate to this piece so if I don't get it done I'm not too bothered. They don't take long to do though so an evening stitching would see it done:)
Finally I have had a new start! Yes I know it's very naughty but I couldn't resist this one. Any ideas what it is???? Chris you're not allowed to guess as you know what it is! LOL!
I still haven't received my SB needlerolls from JJ's so I am getting a bit worried now that they've got lost in the post. It's nearly three weeks since they were posted and they were for my birthday so I'm really disappointed that they didn't arrive in time and that they're still not here. Keeping my finger's crossed that they arrive before Christmas now. Yet my birthday order from Drema arrived in a week but thelast order from her took two weeks! It's ridiculous!

Short post today but I want to get some stitching in! LOL! Hope you are all ready for Christmas and not getting too frazzled in the run up to the big day. I have an appointment at the hospital in Hull on Tuesday afternoon for a scan which I could well do without so close to Christmas but didn't want to cancel in case I was ages before I got another one!

Take care everyone. Thank you to those of you have sent Christmas cards:)

Hugs

Happy Birthday........

To me!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL! Today is my birthday and I was so excited when I woke up this morning! I don't think I've felt so excited about being another year old for a few years so not quite sure what changed this year! Lol! I have received some lovely cards and presents from my family and friends so here are just a few piccies!

From DH, Jess and Abi.

Yes that is a Build- A- Bear you see and yes I did have to kiss the heart, rub it on my forehead etc etc when she was made!!! Thankfully they were very busy so I didn't have to jump around or spin round like Abi did when she got hers!! Her name is Angel and DH bought me her ( I did ask him if I could have one as he hadn't bought me a birthday present and didn't know what to get me!). Also in the picture is an Eeyore scarf and glove set and body spray from Jess and the Polkadot Mushroom Fairy ( design by Jasmine Beckett- Griffith) ornament from Abi. We had seen these in a shop in York and her and Jess had snuck off so that Abi could buy it!

From Julie and Lisa

I was so excited when I opened my gift from Julie and found this adorable little bunny from her! I have admired Julie's knitted bunnies since she started making them and am so proud to be a Mum to one now. And look at the gorgeous little ornament that I received from Lisa! Isn't it beautiful? Thank you so much Julie and Lisa. {{{{hugs}}}} I love them.

Now my adorable little bunny does not have a name so just for a little fun I'm holding a contest to name her so please get your thinking caps on and suggest some names. Of course she is a December baby and Julie tells me she is the one and only snow white bunny so I think she deserves a special name! I'll get Abi and Jess to pick a name in a few days and the winner will receive something from me in the New Year:)

I also received a book, some hand cream, Thorntons continental chocolates, a cute bear ornament, gloves, hand wash and money so I feel I have been truly spoilt:) My Dad gave me some money to buy what I would like so I ordered some Shepherd's Bush needlerolls from JJ's but, unfortunately, they haven't arrived yet so I'm hoping they will today.

As I said in my last post Chris was supposed to visiting on Wednesday and we were both really looking forward to it but her car wouldn't start so we spent so much of the afternoon chatting on MSN! So we are hoping that she may be able to come today. Finger's crossed we can arrange something before Christmas at least.

Stitchy progress so far this week is just Twisted Oaks Designs Merry Noel Stitching Smalls. I managed to finish the stitching for the chicken and started on the snippets tray so I feel excellant progress has been made! LOL!

I treated myself to Olga's gorgeous Hearts and Snowflakes Biscornu and Icicle Ornaments charts the other day ( a little birthday gift to myself!). If you have not seen Olga's lovely designs pop on over to her blog and have a look. I am hoping to get at least one of these stitched before Christmas but if it doesn't happen I'll have them done next year:)

That's it from me for today. I'm hoping to get some stitching in this evening on my stocking. It's going well and I think it will get finished for Christmas!

Take care everyone.

Hugs

It's December!!!

And with December comes more of the white stuff ( and more stitching!). Yay!!! We did have more than is in the photo and we are promised more tomorrow. Look at my poor sheep in the cold! Unfortunately what we had yesterday morning thawed a little bit then we had a keen frost last night so walking is awful today! How I kept on my feet I do not know and I was certainly glad to make it home in one piece!

I have a fair bit of stitching to show today ( thank God, I hear you say!) starting with two Sundays progress on Blackbird Designs Blessings and Kind Wishes. I think I may have this finished before Christmas as I am doing well with it. Then I can start the next one!! Lol!

Next I have some making up to show. I finally got DH's Christmas stocking all made up and ready to hang. You may remember I finished this a while ago and I still have mine to stitch and make up before Christmas Day! Can I do it??? Doubtful with everything I really want to stitch before then! Also got The Workbasket Quaker Christmas Tree made up although I did choose a simple finish for this one. My other finished things I can't show yet as they are the blogoversaray gifts for Juls and Christine which are now on the way to them! Hopefully I'll be able to show them soon.

Finally Chris and I started our SAL of Twisted Oaks Designs Merry Noel Stitching Smalls. We both started with the Chicken pincushion and this is my progress so far. It is stitched on 28 count cashel in vintage green ( which is lovely to stitch on) using Dinky Dyes silks in Bush Fire and Christmas Pines. I am loving stitching this so far and this is two evenings stitching.

I received my birthday discount letter from Drema at Needlecraft Corner and am wondering what to get! LOL! I keep telling myself that I shouldn't as I'm doing the 10 project challenge BUT it is my birthday coming up! I was going to get the Lizzie*Kate limited Christmas Is Forever kit but I just don't feel that I can justify spending all that much so I will have a rethink and probably get Midnight Stitching's Quaker Faith, Hope, Love as I have been wanting this since Marianne first released it:)

I am hoping that the latest BBD Loose Feathers will reach me soon. Not sure when it was shipped to me but I think it's over a week since. Of course the postal service is getting very busy and it amazes me how as soon as it gets to be 1st December deliveries get even later in the day!

Still no framed A Quaker Christmas to show. I called in at the framers this morning and he hadn't done anything with it as yet so I was disappointed. I really want it back so that I can get it on the wall before we put the Christmas decorations up at the weekend.

I hope everyone is well and keeping warm where it's cold. Thank you to those of you who continue to visit and comment even when I don't have much or any stitching to show. According to the tracking thing I have visits have dropped quite a bit lately...... oh well!

Hugs