A Mystery I Have Fallen In Love With!

Well I thought it was time I started to  try and blog a little more often so that my posts aren't filled with boatloads of my projects every time! Now whether I will keep up is a different matter but we will see how it goes. I really want to try and get back into it more and get back to forums too. Well one particular forum that I really used to love posting in.

So I have lots of stitching planned over the coming weeks / months. I finally started the first part of the Lizzie Kate Hearts and Holly Mystery Christmas Sampler on Saturday evening. Let me tell you if you're on the fence about stitching this do it! I wasn't sure whether to sign up for it or not but I am so glad I did. I didn't want to put it down and have loved every single stitch so far. The second part is on the way to The Crafty Kitten so must get my stitch on before it arrives, and gets sent to me, and get part one finished. Of course I went perusing a US ONS' Facebook page and wished I hadn't as there was a picture of the second part. Oh my God I love it! Another reason why I love it! All I will say is "A Christmas Carol"! Anyway here's what I got stitched on Saturday. My friend Gill and I are starting our stitching afternoons up again so it'll be coming out again this afternoon!

I got more stitched on Cottage Garden Samplings January's Snowflakes. Not too much more to stitch now. Wonder if I can get this done for the end of October? 

Friday and Monday were SAL evenings with Barb. Friday was the Jardin Prive Think Positive SAL. I have cheated a little on this and also took it to craft group with me yesterday so I could get caught up and finish part 1 which was duly done!

Then Monday was sheepy night!  I was very pleased with my progress and I now just have the sun and the border to stitch on Simplicity.

Almost forgot my progress on LHN Song of the Seasons seen as I forgot to take a photo last post!

Last night should have been HAED QS Spirit of Winter Robin but I am thinking of maybe just stitching on it one evening a week until Christmas. It very much depends. I have signed up for a Christmas ornament exchange and once I get my partner's details I want to get on with that. I don't do much stitching for Christmas presents as there are so few people in my family left now who actually appreciate it so I tend just to stitch for one friend in particular and I'd like to get that done in good time too. I also have my annual ornament exchange with Chris and our traditional December SAL which will be Country Cottage Needleworks Silent Night which I am really looking forward to.  I also found an ornament in one of the JCS ornament mags that I hadn't finished stitching, a photo of which, with more stitched now, you can see belowplus I have printed out the Plum Street Samplers SAL, Mary's Sampler, to start sometime when my suitable fabric arrives today. I had all the threads which is a miracle for me!

Still impatiently waiting for my JCS ornament magazine! Fingers crossed for this week!

That's all from me for today! I'll leave you with Meeko and sunset over Hornsea Mere :)

With much love

Sally

xxxx

Lainey's Birthday, Stitching & A New Family Member

It's a been a wee while since I showed any stitching so thought it was about time I blogged to show you what I've been up to. I have to say that I was humbled by all the Pumpkins for Cathey posts that popped up last Friday and I was honoured to have taken part. Just goes to show there are some wonderful people in the stitchy blogging community showing our love and support for such an inspirational lady. 

Anyhow last week it was my dear friend Lainey's birthday. After much deliberating about what I should I stitch for her I came across a cute freebie on Facebook and decided yes that is perfect. I am very happy to say that Lainey loved it :)

Fearn Abbey Needleworks Little Lambs

Sparklies 32 count Pisces

DMC

Birthday Gift for Lainey.

I have had another two finishes. First my ornament for September for the Christmas All Year Round SAL. I must admit I have been thinking that I wouldn't do this again next year but now I'm thinking I will! I've enjoyed it so much and have 12 lovely ornaments at the end of the year. That is if I get my finger out and get them made up!

My Big Toe Designs His Gift

Can't remember the fabric

DMC

Started 3rd September 2013

Finished 17th September 2013

My other finish is this one. Need to add buttons.

Little House Needleworks Little Sheep Virtues Faith

32 count Vintage Country Mocha

DMC

Started 15th August 2013

Finished 24th September 2013.

Oooh just remembered I have another finish! Silly girl! How could I forget my SAL with Lainey, Mouse and the ladies in the parlour at Needlecraft Haven?!

Little House Needleworks Curly Q Ewe

36 count Flax linen

Crescent Colours & DMC

Started 22nd May 2013

Finished 25th September 2013.

WIPs now. My Lizzie*Kate Hearts and Holly Mystery Sampler is still not started but it will be, hopefully, tomorrow evening. I have to get a move on as the next part will be here in a few weeks.

On Wednesday with Barb and the ladies in the parlour at Needlecraft Haven I went back to stitching the Little House Needleworks Song of the Seasons mystery. I'm still on part one. No photo as I intended to blog on Wednesday and took my photos then! I have now almost finished part one :)

As I'd finally finished Faith I started Simplicity with Barb on Monday evening. I just got the sheep stitched. Hopefully this one won't be running away due to the grass dying off like the last one did! Patience finally arrived last week so at least Barb and I have another one in the pipeline when this one is finished. 

Barb and I started another SAL the other Friday :) I love my SALs with Barb as she is such a special friend and we have achieved so much since we started stitching together virtually a few years ago. We started the Jardin Prive free SAL Think Positive. I haven't finished the first part yet and I stitched the fence in the wrong colour but I'm not frogging it! I downloaded part 2 yesterday after Barb reminded me it was ready :)

I am getting on well with Cottage Garden Samplings January's Snowflakes. Really loving this. I am so glad I chose 40 count to stitch this one. I took it to craft group with me on Tuesday as I didn't have time to kit my ornament for October up before I went.

Finally a little progress on HAED QS Spirit of Winter Robin. I have to admit that I am enjoying my stitching so much more now I am sticking to just one HAED. I feel bad that none of my others are currently getting stitched but it's the way it is for now!

I am impatiently waiting for the Just Cross Stitch Ornament issue to drop through my letterbox. I subscribe through Country Designs here in the UK and the ornament issue is part of the sub. I know people who have ordered the single issue through them have received their copies so starting to wonder where mine is although Chris hasn't got hers either!

My plan next year was not to buy any charts and just buy fabric and threads when I really need them. Well that has now sort of flown out of the window! What should pop up on the Country Cottage Needleworks Facebook page but a new 9 part series called Frosty Forest. Now anyone that know me well will know I love Winter designs and as I love the sound of this I'm signing up for it. However it is ALL I am going to buy chart wise next year! Enough is enough and if I can go a year with just that series I shall be so proud of myself. I was going to do it this year but things happened and my stash treats have been a great comfort but next year I need to put on my big girls panties and just deal with it! Lol!

So I bet you're all wondering who the new family member is. Well here is he!

Meeko!

He is Abi's new little furry friend who came to live with us almost 2 weeks ago.He was only about 6 weeks old when we got him and hadn't been handled so we're going through the taming process. He is doing incredibly well though but is still a little nervous at times. He is quite a character and we love him to bits!

That's all my news for now. 

Until next time.

With much love

Sally

xxxxx

Pumpkins for Cathey

Just for you Cathey on your  blogoversary. A circle of blogging friends enveloping you with friendship and love :)

Hugs  Sally xxx

To see the rest of the Pumpkins for Cathey gang visit Daffycat's blog :) Special thanks to Daffycat for organising this xx

Darn Sheep!

I have been doing a bit of frogging this week! I sat down eagerly anticipating a good evening's stitching with Barb ( oh how I wish) on Monday evening on Faith. Everything was going swimmingly until I suddenly realised my sheep was in the wrong place. Why? How could this have happened. Simple. I had too much grass which meant if I left it my border would not go right. So lots of unpicking happened. Poor sheepie had to run away to pastures new until the grass grows again. Poor sheepie hasn't returned yet :(. I had high hopes of getting this finished tomorrow evening. Not a hope in hell now! Lol! Sorry Barb I will give it my best shot!

Last Sunday I was very naughty. I fancied a new start so I had one. This is Cottage Garden Samplings January's Snowflake from the My Garden Journal series. I'm stitching each one on 40 count Pearl Grey Newcastle linen. Yep 40 count. I think I've taken leave of my senses. 

Tuesday at craft group I continued with my ornament for September. I'm loving the colours in this one.

A little bit of progress this week on my robin. Hopefully I'll be able to go back to two evenings a week on this soon.

Finally some of the border on Curly Q Ewe which is my SAL with Lainey and Mouse. 

Last Thursday was the year 13 celebrations evening which Abi did not want to go to but I received a phone call from one the deputy heads who organises the evening asking if we would go as Abi was going to receive two awards. I persuaded her to go and off we went for a very proud parents moment. She received awards for Art and Photography and here are some photos. 

 Abi and Mrs Egan, her art teacher.

 Abi and Mr Skinner, her photography teacher.

 Abi with Mrs Egan and Mr Skinner.

Abi with Mr Dawson, one of her IT teachers.

Finally more photos using my new camera. I will admit that my DH set the shutter speed and aperture for the moon shot for me. I asked him to help me as it's all double Dutch to me at the moment! 

The Moon.

Playing with scene modes. One taken in through glass mode and one in sunset mode.

Thank you all for continuing to visit me and for leaving such lovely comments. They mean so much.

With much love.

Sally

xxxx

September.....

September is here and the mornings and evenings have an Autumnal feel to them. In fact the whole day has had that feel as we have much welcomed cooler temperatures today. Phew. I don't know if it will last or if the heatwave will come back but I don't know about you ladies I don't want it back now! 

I have been getting some stitching in but have also been trying to get to grips with my new camera. Yes I caved and bought one and it's my treat with some of my inheritance. I think my Dad would approve. When I went to the store I went with two cameras in mind, one of which he said was very heavy and the other he said I wouldn't be able to get it anywhere, but I ended up with a different one. It's a Panasonic Lumix FZ72 and I will admit having bought it and then read reviews and comments on those reviews I did go through a period of regret and wished I'd waited to try and get one of my original choices. However having played with it I'm getting some pretty nice photos. I'm mostly using it on intelligent auto but am learning other bits too. I've only had it a week and am rather pleased with it now. I think I'll learn to try and make my own mind up and not listen to others! Anyway I'll pop up a few photos that I've taken with it later other than my stitching!

I finished the Love-ly Pincushion from the Lizzie*Kate Not All of Us Boxer chart and love it! It's not made up yet but I'll get it done sometime. My sewing machine is misbehaving and I'm not sure if I'm going to have to have it serviced so am not a happy bunny!

Lizzie*Kate Love-ly Pincushion

Unknown Fabric

DMC

So the chart for this and Not All Of Us is ready to go to another stitcher and that stitcher is...............Clare! Clare I will pop it in the post to you sometime this week :)

I've been doing a little finishing of a few pieces. These two I stitched way back last year. I've also started to finish off a couple of ornaments and just have trims to add on.

Country Cottage Needleworks Snowflake Serenade

JBW Designs French Country Flower Basket

I only have a few WIPs I can show this time. Here is LHN Little Sheep Virtues Faith which I'm stitching with Barb. Loving this one. Can hardly wait to get Patience and Wisdom!

LHN Curly Q Ewe which I'm stitching with Lainey and Mouse. I've started the border and am hoping when it's eventually done it'll meet!

I started my September ornament for the Christmas All Year Round SAL at craft club last Tuesday. I chose My Bog Toe Designs His Gift from last year's JCS Christmas Ornament mag. I'm feeling quite excited for this year's mag. 

Finally a little bit of progress on HAED QS Spirit of Winter Robin.

I've had some stash this past week or so. The final part of the LHN Song of the Seasons mystery arrived from Patchwork Rabbit then I had asked Dawn at The Crafty Kitten if she could get me LHN Needlworker and that arrived this last week. I can hardly wait for the end of my autos then I really must stop buying charts!

Just a few photos now taken with my new camera.

 Taken out of the window. My holly bush against the sunset.

 This cat likes to sleep under our conifer hedge. He belongs to the family next door but one.

My kitchen is almost finished. my DH is tiling as I type! Yay!

Until next time... with much love

Sally xxxx