Frogs and Progress!

I have had quite a productive week stitching so far this week although the needleroll I chose to stitch for the exchange hasn't gone well! Lol! I have stitched, frogged, stitched, frogged that many times that yesterday I was well and truly cursing it so it came very close to getting thrown in the bin never to be seen again!! Lol!

Anyway I had a good evening on Ink Circles Sea Stars, my SAL with Karen, and finished the motif I was working on. It was quite a big one so took quite a bit of stitching but I like the effect of it so it was worth it.

I have been stitching on Bygone Stitches A Quaker Christmas for the rest of the week in an evening. I am loving it so far and am so pleased I chose red as the main colour as the Carrie's Creations Old World Red is just gorgeous. I think I messed up when I bought 13 skeins of it as I'm stitching with one strand of thread and the model is stitched with two so I should have a few skeins left for something else:) I'll be carrying on with this until my Sunday JN SAL with Nic:)

Abi finally went back to school yesterday although she still didn't feel 100% but today she's much better and is actually managing to eat better. DH is on a first aid refresher course, as he's one of the first aiders where he works ( this is someone who hates the sight of blood!), and he wasn't feeling well this morning but we think it could be nerves as he's got his assessment today and wasn't looking forward to it. Finger's crossed he gets on OK today but I have every faith in him. Jess just wants us all to stay away from her so we don't give whatever Abi and I have had to her! Lol!

I am looking forward to this afternoon as Chris is coming to visit to hand over the RR, have a cuppa and a natter. So I'm popping out in a bit to see if my BBD Where My Heart Blooms is ready at the framers so she can see it. That is if I can catch Billy to get him back in his cage! He came out on his own yesterday but this morning Jess got him out of his cage and I can't get him back in! Lol!

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. Looks like we're in for another cold, blustery one!

Hugs

It's Monday!

Very original blog post title! Lol! Couldn't think of anything else! I think Abi and I have that Monday morning feeling. Well mine started just before tea on Friday and I've felt off it all weekend. We both feel like we're getting cold, feel a bit sick and achey but I am sure we will both get over it:)

On the stitching front I finally picked up Chatelaine Spring Morning on Friday evening and stitched quite a bit on that. I stitched the over one daffodils with the one strand of the DMC Satin. It does looks OK but it is a little thicker than the silk threads. So I am now onto the lily of the valley of the band which is quite pretty. I'm quite looking forward to getting back to this in a few weeks time.

Nic and I started our Just Nan Morning Song SAL yesterday; well I did so I hope Nic did too! I chose Jayne's Attic COM from last month, Jonquil, but I think I may have to backstitch round the white bits or choose a different colour for the fence, sheep etc. or even change my fabric, although I don't want to do that now! I'll see how it goes. I love this piece.

Michele over at X Marks My Spot asked if she could see a picture of Queen finished up as a bell pull so just for you here it is:)

Sue asked if Karen and I were using different colourways for Sea Stars. Yes we are. The actual chart is charted mostly for greens and blues but we both decided we wanted something a bit more colourful. Karen is using Carrie's Creations and I'm using DMC Variations:)

I had a lovely surprise last week when I dropped by Dani's blog and found I'd won her birthday contest! The prize is a stitched something so I'm looking forward to seeing what it is:) Thanks Dani!

And finally here's Billy on my finger on Friday evening. He hasn't been out of his cage since! Lol!

Well I'm going to half an hour before lunch catching on blogs then will carry on after lunch! I love catching up and seeing what you've all been up to:) Have a good week everyone!

Hugs

Another Happy Dance!

Last night I put the final stitches into Blackbird Designs Loose Feathers #29 Where My Heart Blooms. This was an absolute joy to stitch, even though I did have to frog some, and I can't wait to receive the next one and make a start.

Blackbird Designs Loose Feathers #29

Stitched on 30 count R&R Korty's Special Blend

Using WDW and GAST

Started 29th February 2008

Finished 10th April 2008

This piece is now at the framers and will be ready next Friday:)

Now I haven't forgotten about the Sea Stars SAL with Karen. I did stitch on it but didn't get the big motif finished. I did manage quite a bit though! Karen is at the bottom now and ready to stitch the sea monster:)

I have decided to join a secret needleroll exchange on the Stitch and Stash forum. I've never done an exchange on there before so I'm really looking forward to it.

Billy has had his first venture out into the big wide world outside of his cage! Lol! He's found several places he likes to sit, has been sat on fingers and seems to like being snuggled. His cage door is open now but he won't come out. I've had him on my finger and got him as far as his cage door and he jumps off onto his perch! Sam asked if we train our budgies to talk. We do try to. Our first one was quite good but the second one didn't seem to interested in learning! Lol! We are trying with this one. I'm quite amazed at how fast he has got used to us. All we have been doing is putting our finger's in his cage and stroking him. If he starts jumping about we take them out until he settles down. I think he is going to be quite a character.

It looks like we are possibly going to be in for a cold, rough weekend here so stitching may the order of the weekend! I think I better do some on Chatelaine Spring Morning seen as that's what I'm supposed to stitching on this week! Lol! Have a wonderful weekend whatever you are doing:)

Hugs

Almost There!

I have been stitching up a storm these last few days on BBD Loose Feathers #29 Where My Heart Blooms and it is almost finished! Finger's crossed that Fridays session will see it finished as I might just have the next one, Rites of Spring, by then! Even after the frog had visited I still really enjoyed stitching this one and am looking forward to Friday.

Last night I started Bygone Stitches A Quaker Christmas and got one motif stitched:) I am using my own coffee dyed 25 count fabric with Carrie's Creations Old World Red, Antique Gold and Frosty Pine. Old World Red will be the main colour as I didn't fancy green being the main one. I think that this is going to be lovely to stitch and of course, it's a Quaker design:)

I am going to make a change to my rotation again. I have been thinking about the two HAEDs I have on the go and everytime they come round in my rotation I don't want to stitch them on and just feel that I have to because they are there. Well we all know that stitching is supposed to be a pleasure and not a chore so I have decided to put Guardian away for now and just have quick stitch Girly Gothic in my rotation. I'll be replacing Guardian with A Quaker Christmas so that I get more stitched on that and hope to have it finished by Christmas. I will still stitch on it on a Monday evening too. I do feel a little guilty as Guardian was a gift but I'm not to going to carry on with something when I don't really want to at the moment. I may well come back to it later on in the year. I don't need to feel miserable over something I'm stitching as my hormones can make me that way as it is and I need things in my life that are going to lift me up not put me down.

I don't think I'm doing too well on the chart wagon at the moment. The other week when I was feeling ill and really down I put an order in with the wonderful Thread Bear for LHN Schoolgirl Lessons, La D Da Quaker Alphabet and a skein of red DMC Variations to stitch the LHN in. Kate had to order the La D Da chart in and in the meantime I'd finished Just Nan Queen of the Needle so I emailed her to ask if I could add a pair of bell pull ends to my order. Well my order arrived yesterday and I love both charts and the bell pull ends are perfect for Queen so she is now hung in my living room. When I looked at my receipt Kate hadn't charged me for the bell pull ends so I got straight on the phone to tell her:)

I am all ready for my SAL with Nic! I'm going to use my Jayne's Attic COM from last month which is Jonquil and I think it'll perfect for Morning Song. I need to do a floss toss just to make sure that all the colours will stand out OK.

Thank you for all your lovely comments on the latest addition to our family. Billy ( the third!) seems to be settling well and does not seem to be scared of anything as yet! Iv'e vaccuumed, used the hair dryer and he doesn't seem bothered by it. He's found his food pot, is quite the acrobat hanging upside down on his perch then swinging back up! I think he could be a bit bored today as the girls are back at school and he just has me for company! Lol!

I'm going to make a start on my yoga today. Thought I'd wait until I was on my own and I know I'd get disturbed otherwise! I'm going to take it slowly and just do a bit every day until I get used to it.

Well I best go and get on! Cleaned some of my kitchen cupboards out earlier and threw some stuff away! I must be feeling a bit better if I'm doing that as I just haven't been bothered to do much lately. Keeping my finger's crossed that it keeps going that way- please

Hugs

Introducing......

Our new baby budgie Billy the Third! Yeah I know can't we think of another name!!! The girls wanted him to have the same name and it does save confusion I guess! We are guessing he is about 6-8 weeks old as his cere is just turning blue. He is already proving to be a bit of a character and has amazed us by letting us stroke him, he's sitting on our fingers ( still in his cage as yet) and has even eaten seed off my finger! He looks as though he's eager to be out of his cage as he jumps about from perch to perch like a bird possessed! Of course he could never replace Billy the Second as he really was one in a million and we really miss him and I, for one, am struggling a bit with the fact that he's gone and how sudden it was, but this little fella will ease the pain. As you can see he's a much paler blue than Billy the Second and has more white in his wings etc.

On the stitching front I should have been stitching on HAED quick stitch Girly Gothic but I'm not in the HAED mood so have been stitching on BBD Where My Heart Blooms. I sat Thursday evening and got quite a bit done then realised I was a stitch out on the border so it made the plants I'd stitched at the top wrong so I had three to frog as well as a bit of the border and the year!! Grrrrrrrrrrrr! I stitched it all back last night so can get on tonight and tomorrow night with it. I'd quite like to get it finished soon as the new one Rites of Spring is due out about now.

I'm going to be doing another JN SAL; this time with Nic and we'll be stitching Morning Song, which I'm looking forward to. We're planning on stitching either on a Saturday or Sunday so we may well be starting next weekend! I haven't decided on my fabric yet but I think I'll use one of Jayne's COTM fabrics.

Hope you're all having a wonderful weekend. It's certainly much colder than it has been this week and we might see a bit of snow!

Hugs

SAL Challenge Revealed!

Now that I know my SAL challenge piece has been received by it's new owner I can reveal it at last:) I decided to send it to Sammy Jo as one of my PIFs and she loves it, so I am very happy!

Blue Ribbon Designs Alphabet Tree

Own coffee dyed aida

DMC 107

Finished as a sweetie dish

Instructions courtesy of Christine ( Alchemy Stitchcraft)

My finishing isn't brilliant but I am very happy with the way it turned out for a first attempt. Thank you, Christine, for your brilliant instructions. It was funny as both Helen and I did this finish this time! This month's challenge piece is The Caron Keeper so I'm looking forward to stitching that one:)

Tuesday evening was Ink Circles Sea Stars night and I'm pleased with the progress I made. Finished the motif I was working on last week and stitched a few fish!

Thank you for all your hugs and kind words following the passing of our beautiful budgie Billy. The girls are heartbroken and I just keep thinking about him and wishing he was still here. The house is just not the same without him as he was such a character. We loved him and he gave us so much love in return and always brightened the worst day. My Dad used to breed budgies as did DH's uncle so we have both grown up with budgies in the family ( I had one of my own too) so we've always had a love for them. Now the girls have too. Billy was our second one. The first one was 7 when he passed so it was quite a shock to loose Billy at just 4 but they are prone to strokes and we knew that. We had no warning as he had been fine all day, being his cheeky, mischievous self. We have decided that, although we can never replace him and we'd never get another like him ( he was one in a million) we are going to get another one.

Hugs

RIP Billy

Billy ( photo taken 16/03/08)

2004-2008

Our beautiful, cheeky little budgie who passed over the rainbow bridge ( do birds go there?) last night with Abi and I at his side, following a stroke. God bless you our little treasured friend.

Happy Dancing!

Yay I am happy dancing as the gorgeous Queen is finished!!! I put the final few stitches in last night and added the last few beads and the charm and here it is in all it's glory and beauty!

Just Nan Queen of the Needle

Polstitches 28 count Dusky Rose

DMC

Started 19th November 2007

Finished 31st March 2008.

Stitched along with Helen

I have thoroughly enjoyed stitching this piece and I must admit I shall really miss my Mondays on this. Thank you so much Helen for stitching along with me and I hope you have finished too or are close to:) I have ordered some bell pull ends from Thread Bear to finish this but have not heard back from them yet.

I added a few more stitches to Little House Needleworks Winter Wonderland last night. This is another enjoyable one to stitch and of course it had a snowman and snow so is a must for me! I ran out of DMC 712 so will have to go get a skein later today but I won't be stitching it for a while now.

Tonight I shall be stitching on Ink Circles Sea Stars with Karen, another one I look forward to evey week. It's coming along nicely and I love using all the different colours on it.

I'm a bit behind on blog reading again but I promise I'll get caught up again soon. DH is off this week. We're not doing a deal as the price of petrol is really making us think twice about trips out now. It has just gone up yet again over here and is nearly £1.04 a litre where we fill up plus the MOT is due on the car so it's going in on Thursday. DH is outside now doing a service on it and checking the brakes etc. Later today we're out present shopping as DH's Dad will be 70 on Thursday! So I think it's just as well I've cut right back on chart buying!

Have a great Tuesday everyone!

Hugs

Where My Heart Blooms

I decided to have a couple of evenings stitching on BBD Where My Heart Blooms this week but ended up not stitching on Friday at all as I wasn't feeling too well so stitched on it Saturday and Sunday evening instead and I am delighted with the progress I have made. The only things that I don't think show up well enough are the GAST Shaker White flower centres ( eyelet stitches) as my Shaker White isn't quite as white as I would have liked but I think I'll see how it goes.Yesterday I stitched all the beads on Just Nan Queen of the Needle and am hoping to finish the last bit of stitching and beading tonight! I have had so much fun with this piece and am looking forward to stitching another JN sometime soon.

Saturday was reveal day for the S&S/ JA SAL challenge, which was Blue Ribbon Designs Alphabet Tree. This design is a retired freebie but Belinda kindly let us use it. I had already stitched it once but was happy to stitch it again. I can't show it yet as it's on it's way further up north as one of my PIFs! As I said a while ago I decided that I would choose three people to receive a PIF from me as PIF sign-ups were very slow so that's my first one done:)

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and thank you for all your lovely comments and good wishes. I must just apologise to Sammy Jo as when she read my warning bit on my last post and not to read if you didn't want to hear about blood tests she thought it was bad news, but the reason I did it was so that anybody who didn't want to read about it and me moaning could skip it! So sorry about that Sammy Jo.

Have a wonderful week! Hopefully I'll have a happy dance by the end of this evening!

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