A Finish for Autumn and A Birthday Gift for Lainey

Actually it's two finishes but one is a Winter one! Yes I am here sooner than usual as I thought I could show my finishes now and maybe I'll have some more later! Well you never know!

First finish is this beautiful one.

Little House Needleworks Autumn Band Sampler

32 count Belfast Light Mocha Linen

GAST, CC and DMC

Started 1st September 2017.

Finished 11th October 2017.

I thoroughly enjoyed stitching this one and just love the lovely Autumnal colours. I think I will finish this one off the same as I did the Winter Band Sampler a few years ago.

My second finish is this cute one. The chart was a gift in the advent box that my dear friend Lisa sent me a few years ago. I feel quite ashamed that it has taken me so long to get around to stitching this but, you know, when you have too much stash things end up wallowing in the pile!

Lizzie*Kate Snowman '10

Unknown fabric

DMC, CC and WDW.

Started 14the August 2017

Finished 11th October 2017.

I have some pretty blue Pom Pom trim to use for this one when I actually get around to doing some finishing. What happened to that I'll finish a few at a time?! I'm not sure what I'll be starting next for mine and Barb's LK SAL but I have an idea or two! 

Last month it was Lainey's birthday and as she loves sheep like me I stitched this for her.

Shepherd's Bush Friendsheep ( free chart with purchase of button. Not the button shown as I have already used it )

Unknown fabric

DMC

Started 27th August 2017

Finished 29th August 2017

I am happy to say that Lainey loved it. I added a sheep pin that I bought ages ago from The Primitive Hare.

I had a memory come up on Facebook this morning and it was my HAED Mini Jolly Old Fellow from last year. In that year I have managed to complete another 3 pages but I really feel that I should have had it finished by now! I took the up to date photo of him this morning and just looked and thought am I really going to get him finished for this Christmas? I do hope so. There is not much to do but it's keeping the momentum going when I sit down to stitch him. He is looking rather good even though I do say so myself.

It's not often I actually sit down and stitch during the day anymore but on Sunday I decided to say to hell with it and I stitched away the afternoon, cooked tea, then carried on in the evening. This is what I stitched on.

As you can see this house, well mansion, is taking a while to stitch but the roof is now going on and hopefully we should have the window frames all in soon! 

Barb and I are stitching away on our sheep SAL and we are both stitching Country Cottage Needleworks Jump for Joy. I just love this piece as it's so bright and cheerful. Look at those cute little lambs! 

My final WIP pic is Mani Di Donna Winter Days Sewing Basket. I have almost finished stitching the sides so am hoping to start on the ends soon. 

I have been a bit naughty recently and bought a few charts. Two I can't say what they are as one is to stitch for a private ornament exchange and the other for a Christmas gift! The other is an LHN ornament chart so that I can take part in the ornament SAL on the LHN/ CCN Facebook page starting, I think, in November. Would you believe I had none in my stash although now that I think about it I could've stitched one from the JCS Christmas ornament mags! Oh well!!

A couple of weeks ago we went on our annual trip to the Yorkshire Wildlife Park at Doncaster. I took a few photos and am showing a few here. We were very lucky as moist of the animals were out and about. I think I fall in love with lions, tigers, polar bears and leopards more every time we go!

So after using an app to do my blog last time on my iPad this time I'm just using Chrome in desktop mode on my iPad then I'll add my photos laptop later. Blogo, which was the app I used, was really good but I didn't like the idea of not being to log out of it. The first time I used it I found a way to disconnect my blog but then the next time I couldn't find that so ended up deleting the app and reinstalling it! Not something I want to have to do every time. So I decided to try it this way for now and maybe next time I'll try adding photos through Chrome as well!

Has anyone who has an iPad or iPhone done the update to IOS 11 yet? I have heard some not so good things about it so am holding off for a bit. My DH has done it on his own phone but is holding off on his works phone until he gets the all clear from their tech team. I am thinking I may hold off until then too lol! 

That is all my news for now. 

Until next time take care everyone.

With much love,

Sally xxxxx

A Holiday, Good News and Stitching. ( Picture Heavy)

Oh dear it has been a while since I last blogged. I had intended to do it a few weeks ago but.............well it didn't happen!

I have been doing some stitching. Not quite so much in recent weeks due to a holiday ( more about that later) and just not really wanting to. I haven't hit a slump. I just haven't been wanting to stitch as much.

That is mostly because mistakes have been made and the type of fabric I'm using!

You may remember I had started Silver Creek Samplers Through the Storms. Well I had almost got all the verse stitched when I looked at the thread key and realised I had been stitching in the wrong colour! Arghhhhh! I could have left it but I wasn't sure I'd have enough thread to finish the verse and stitch what should be stitched in that colour so it all came out. Every last stitch :( I then got started in what I thought was the correct thread only to discover that it was the wrong shade of blue! Needless to say I haven't taken it out again as I think, if I did, I'd end up scrapping it and never stitching it! So here is where I'm at now. Please excuse my awful photos. I really should have taken them somewhere else.

I had a new start of Lizzie*Kate Promise Me. I'm stitching this for Abi. I did a little bit of this while we were on holiday. I have now run out of one of the colours and, as my local shop has closed, it's no longer a case of just nipping in there for more. So I'll stitch on other bits until I can do an order. I am really enjoying this one.

I am not doing so well on The Magic with it being over 1 on 32 count. I did consider scrapping it and restarting it over 2 as I don't think I'm going to finish it as it's supposed to be but I've got quite a bit done. 

I almost forgot that I haven't shown my finish. I looked back at my last post and saw it was only a WIP then. So...........

Lizzie*Kate Good Things

Unknown fabric

DMC

Started 13th April 2017

Finished 24th April 2017

My sheep SAL with Barb is almost finished so I'll be finding another sheep inspired chart from my stash to stitch. This one has been such a lovely one to do. Just the house to fill in and a bit of border.

Finally my Father Christmas! I have, at last, finished page 6 and made a small start on page 7. I can almost taste that finish!

That's all my stitchy news for now. I forgot to take a photo of My Lady at Christmas but it is coming along nicely.

I don't remember if I have mentioned it on here but my youngest DD has been learning to drive since October last year. She did her theory test earlier in the year and on Friday she took her driving test and passed :). She was so happy and on such a high she looked like she was fit to burst! So yesterday she wanted to go looking at cars. She said it a bit overwhelming especially when we came across a bit of a pushy salesman at the final place we looked. We'll be taking her again to look and hopefully she'll find something within her budget that she likes.

As I said earlier we have been on holiday. We only plan on going once this year rather than twice like we did last year. I already want to go back which isn't good!! We went up to the Galloway area of South West Scotland again and stayed in a lovely little cottage just on the edge of the Galloway Forest Park so it was quiet and peaceful. We had red squirrels coming into the garden and lots of birds. We visited places we hadn't gone to before, some we had seen before, and the scenery was just amazing. I'll pop up some photos so this might be picture heavy if I get a bit carried away!!!

So until next time.

With much love.

Sally xxx