Stunning Sunset and Stitching!

Hello fellow stitchers! Yes I'm here again much sooner than I have been of late! I really, really want to become the blogger I used to be so I'm going to try really hard to make that happen. I just hope that you won't get fed up of seeing my WIPs as I certainly haven't had as many finishes as I have in previous years! Last year I had 60+ and this year ( up to now ) I haven't managed 30! However I have been stitching on bigger pieces this year.

You may remember me finishing an ornament the other month called Snow by Val's Stuff. Well I have got it all made up. I am so pleased with this! Those eyes are so funny!

No other finishes for me but plenty of progress which is always good. Barb and I are stitching away on our SB Frightful Halloween Rolls and are hoping to get them finished for the day. I thought that the 31st was on Tuesday but, of course, it's on Monday so this has to be finished this evening so that I can get it made up over the weekend!

I am continuing my house building on the bonus block of my Anniversaries of the Heart. I can hardly wait to get this finished, framed and on my wall.............if I can find a space lol! I could swap things out but lack of storage space makes that just a bit difficult! 

I forgot to take a photo of my progress on my dragon but I did take a photo of my progress on Tilton Crafts Always ( Alan Rickman tribute ). Justine was asking me how I was getting on with it. It's not much when you consider I started this on April 26th but it only comes out every now and then. I'm hoping that I can fit it into my rotation next year and stitch on it more.

My plan for October on Mini Jolly Old Fellow was to definitely finish the partial page and attempt to finish 10 rows on the next page. Well I did manage the partial page but not the 10 rows. I gave it a good go though!

Lovely Sotto La Neve is getting some love!

Finally a bit of knitting. I can't actually remember whether I've posted this on my blog or not but I've  been knitting an aran jumper ( wool and pattern from Seaside Yarns ). This is the front, back and one sleeve done! Hopefully I should have it finished just in time for cold weather coming! It isn't a colour I would normally wear but I fancied something different!

Last night I was cooking tea when I glanced out of my kitchen window and saw the most amazing sunset going on! I rushed into the living room where my DH was sitting, turned out the light and pointed out the window! We both grabbed our cameras and took some photos. These are a couple of mine. I don't think I have ever seen such an amazing sunset and it was just one of those moments that makes you feel glad to be alive! 

That's all my news for now. Thank you to those of you who are sticking with me and dropping by to see me and leave a comment. I truly appreciate each and every one. I finally made time to drop by and see you all and am hoping to keep that up too!

Take care everyone.

Until next time.

With much love

Sally xxx

A Birthday Gift for Lainey

Oh dear I can't believe it is a month since I last blogged. I just don't seem to be able to get back into the swing of this or visiting blogs. I have, again, considered giving it up but I would miss it so if I manage one post a month then I'm fine with that even it's just for me to record my finishes etc. 

Anyway I have a month's worth of stitching to show and some photos from our holiday ( yes we took another trip up to Scotland but this time Abi came with us ).

Just before we went on holiday it was my lovely friend Lainey's birthday. I wanted to go with a sheep or snowman themed stitch as these are her favourite things ( and who can argue with that as they are mine too! ) so I decided to stitch a portion of Histoire De Moutons and I am delighted to say that Lainey loved it.

Portion of Jardin Prive Histoire De Moutons part 3

DMC and unknown fabric

Birthday gift for Lainey.

I've had a few other finishes. It seems they are like buses; you wait for one and several come along at once!

My Big Toe Designs Merry Christmas

28 count white linen.

DMC

WDC Needleworks 2016 Stocking

32 count nougat linen

DMC

Final finish is my sheep SAL with Barb piece.

Shepherd's Bush Red Snowman

Weeks Dye Works 30 count red pear

WDW, GAST and CC.

I love how this turned out. The snowman needs his nose but I have 4 buttons in my stash and they're all too big so he'll end up with a stitched one!

The other week postie brought me a surprise from The Nimble Thimble from my dear friend Barb. She knows I love SB needlerolls ( well SB in general really!) and had bought me this.

She has also bought herself one so we decided to abandon our sheep and ornament SAL just for the next few weeks to try and get it stitched in time for Halloween. I only started mine on Friday but I did manage to get a bit stitched. Thank you so much Barb I'm enjoying stitching this. It's so nice to do another needleroll to add to my collection.

Both my HAED pieces are coming along quite nicely. I have picked up SK Dragons History again and got a little stitched on it but oh last week I really wanted to just scrap it! However after Saturday's session on it I'm feeling better about it and am determined to finish it. I just have this page to finish and then a partial page to stitch!

Mini Jolly Old Fellow is looking rather good even though I say so myself. I've finished the 4th page and have gridded ready to start the next page. I don't think a Christmas finish will happen but I'll give it a damn good try!

I have been stitching away on the middle tree on Sotto La Neve and I will admit that it has been driving me mad! I did a working copy copy of the chart so that I could mark off what I'd stitched but it's not very clear and I have already personalised it ( as in made mistakes! ) but never mind! I'm happy to have been stitching birds on it now instead of just tree! Lol! It is a very pretty piece so that will keep me going!

My final WIP is the AotH piece by Blackbird Designs. I can feel the finish line! There is still a good bit to do and some of it will be over one stitching ( not good on 36 count! ) but it is looking so pretty! 

Oooh I almost forgot I finally took my Lizzie Kate Holly and Hearts Sampler to get framed. I finished this in 2013 ( hangs head in shame!). My framer did a great job as always.

When we went on holiday I took my Tilton Crafts Always with me. I didn't stitch every night but I did almost finish all the black stitching on the first page. I forgot to take a photo though so I'll take one next time.

So a while ago we decided it might be nice to go back up to the Dumfries and Galloway area of Scotland again. Abi said she would love to go with us so we decided on the last week of September and booked a lovely looking semi detatched cottage in a little village not far from Gatehouse of Fleet. We had the most brilliant few days up there visiting places we'd been before and discovering new ones. Abi loved it and we have vowed to go again next year. I'll add a few photos. The scenery is just amazing and the wildlife incredibly cute. It just takes your breath away!

Well that's all for now and I'll see you all in a month unless I manage another post before then.Tomorrow, hopefully, I'll pop by and see what you have all been up to.

Until next time.

With much love,

Sally xxxx

A Little Bit Of Stashing :)

Yes I have been stashing a little! Not a huge amount as I am still trying very, very hard to be good but in being good I'm not supporting my favourite online shop much so maybe next year I should get back into buying lol! I think I've only ordered twice from there this year so Karla must be wondering what on earth has happened! I did so desperately want to sign up for the new 5 part series from Country Cottage Needleworks and was going to do it when I was told not to sign up by my friend Chris. I'm not sure if she was being my voice or what but I've done as I was told................for now!!!

So what was my stash?! Well we have got to that time of year when the JCS Christmas ornament magazine is reaching our shores from across the pond and I couldn't resist ordering a copy but I couldn't order just that so I ordered another part of the Jardin Prive Histoire De Moutons series so I just have one more to get now. Oh and a couple of skeins of DMC white. Only one is in the photo as the other is in use!

There are some lovely ornaments in this issue so there'll be even more ornament stitching in my future!

When I blogged last I showed my cute little snowman by Val's Stuff which I've been stitching as part of the ornament SAL with Barb and Chris. Well I now have the snowflakes stitched so it's just to make up. I'm going to try and get this done this weekend as I have another piece which needs to be done very soon. I have picked out another to start for this month but I doubt it will get finished before the end of the month.

I also have another finish! 

Little House Needleworks Season's Greetings

28 count Vintage Country Mocha linen

Classic Colorworks

I'm so pleased with this one. It is so pretty. 

Once this was finished I started this beauty.

I've had this in my stash along with the fabric for a while now. My DH bought me it for Christmas a few years ago when I had it on my list :). It is Renato Parolin Sotto La Neve which I'm stitching on Crafty Kitten 32 count latte monaco. 

I have a little more progress on my AotH piece. I didn't get much done but every little helps doesn't it?!

On Saturday Abi wanted to go to Meadowhall and I was shattered and in a really strange mood with myself  when we got back so Saturday evening I couldn't be bothered to pick my Sk Dragons History. I just wanted some mindless stitching so out came Tilton Crafts Always ( Alan Rickman tribute ) and some black stitching! It's slow as I don't pick it up much but when Barb and I have our stitching for a week on one project I'm probably going to choose this piece to do.

This evening Barb and I will be doing our sheep SAL and look I actually have a sheep on mine now! Just love this!

Of course no post would be complete without Mini Jolly Old Fellow! As you can see I'm about halfway down the partial page on the right. The more I think about it the more I doubt it'll be finished for Christmas but if it's just after I do not mind. I'll probably want to keep it on my wall all year anyway. 

Just a quick post today as I wanted to get one in and try not to leave it so long between if I can. Thank you for visiting and for your lovely comments :) They truly mean so much to me.

Until next time.

With much love.

Sally xxxx

A Birthday Gift and Other Stuff!

Well I have managed to make it back to my blog within a month of my last post! However my reason this time has been I wanted to finish the page I was stitching on Mini Jolly Old Fellow before I posted and at long last I have done it! I have even made a start on the next page!

I would early love to get this finished for Christmas but if I don't manage it I'm not going to get upset over it. I'll just see how things go. I managed to stitch this page in just over 2 months which these days is pretty good for me! I have one full page left to do and the rest are partials so wish me luck lol!

Back at the end of July it was lovely Julie's birthday but I have been awful with my gift stitching this year so I ended up sending her a belated birthday gift last week. I am very happy to say that she loved it and it cheered her up as she's recently had a fall. 

Lizzie*Kate Little Cups of Friendship from Tea Crazy

32 count fabric

DMC

Birthday gift for Julie.

I have done a little more finishing. I wanted to finish Welcome Spring in a different way to the usual simple finishing I've been doing of late so I asked the all knowing oracle Google to help me out and I came across a beautiful finish by Carin. I took myself off to the craft store, bought some fat quarters and set on trying to work out sizes and how to etc etc and ended up with this.

I am so happy with how this turned out! It's not perfect ( why can I never get that bottom straight!) but I just love it!

I also finished off these two ornaments which I'm happy with too. 

Typing of ornaments I am still trying to get my August ornament finished! The main bit is done but I have 3 snowflakes now.I think Barb has caught up and Chris is well on her to catching up too. I think I'm going to end up behind lol!

Barb and I are still stitching away on our sheep projects. I still don't have an actual sheep on mine as the snowman took more stitching than I expected! I do love how it's looking though. 

Season's Greetings is coming along nicely although I haven't stitched on it for a coupe of weeks or it would have been finished. It might be tonight if I behave and keep on stitching instead of reaching for my tab!

I am still desperately trying to get plenty done on my AotH piece. There is so much to stitch in this bonus block and it seems to be taking forever and of course I have the house to do yet! It is very pretty though and if I can finish this before the end of the year I will be very happy!

Finally I am making slow but sure on SK Dragons History. Another one I would love to finish by the end of the year but we'll see! 

On my last post I was saying I was struggling with the book Sourcery. Well I finally finished it! It did get better but it was oh so slow to begin with. Since then I've read The Gospel of Loki by Joanne Harris which was a brilliant read and started the next Discworld book Wyrd Sisters which I am already enjoying. I have so many books to read that it is getting silly! rather like my chart stash lol! 

That is all my news for now. I finally made myself sit and visit your blogs and comment which I really enjoyed doing. It was so nice to catch up with you all and I hope to do it again more often than I have been.

Until next time.

With much love,

Sally xxx