Always smiling

Winter flowers

2012-02-12T09:40:00.002Z

Peeping through the snow our first snow drops.

We have others, but they were too far up the garden to photo, too cold to go out there.

I am willing this snow to go. Yesterday driving along the lanes to Herrongate the fields looked beautiful, especially as the sun was shining, but all very deceitful as it is bitterly cold and as far as I am concerned it's warm socks, tea and buttered toasted fruit buns weather, with the heating turned up high.

Hope you stitchers are keeping warm and happily stitching.

Chris xx

Progress report and a happy dance!

2012-02-07T13:28:00.004Z

I honestly hadn't realised just how much stitching I had done in January, but here it all is! My second Christmas ornie, it's stitched on 28C evenweave coloured pale green, with the recommeded DMC threads. A funny little candy eating snowman design from 2009 JC Christmas edition.

And here is my Bothy Threads 'Buzzy Days' completely finished, beads as well. They are not the beads that came with the kit as Nell ate those when she was still a puppy and was eating everything she could!!

I am pleased I have completed it, as it lost its charm for me half way through!LOL

And I have stitched a whole lot more of my 'Summer Celtic Lady' and stitched the beads on the blue part of her gown. This section I completely frogged and redid last December because it had gone horribly gone. I intend getting this finished before the end of the year.

And it may not look as though I haven't stitched much on my Chatelaine, Convent's Herbal Garden but I have... 'onest!

This was my new start.. it's Rosewood Manor 'Quakers and Quilts.' I have worked out how much I have to stitch each month to get this completed this year. This is my BAP!

Of course I also stitched 'The Arbour' in January which was my 'small' This month I am starting
Down Sunshine Lane 'Pastel Hearts' Needle Roll as my small. I have stitched another Christmas ornie but still have to make that up.. busy, busy, busy because I am also making a patchwork quilt. I don't like to waste a minute of my days..
Happy Stitching and Happy Days all.

Chris xx

Deep and Crisp and even!

2012-02-05T12:11:00.000Z

We woke this morning to 5 inches of snow and Nell loves it.. she is like a small child dashing through it.

Fun fun fun, except when she comes back in and there is balls of clinging to her hair and she brushes past you... ugh wet wet wet!!

But there is quiet beauty about it.

A day to stay in the warm and sew or stitch.

Hope you can do just that.

Happy Days

Chris xx

Argggg!! The Dentist...

2012-02-01T18:19:00.000Z

Did you know that an almond raspberry slice at Costa coffee is 458 calories??? But after the dentist I felt I deserved it.. she was more polite than last time, six months ago. I think she remembered my little talk on 'I am a war baby and lucky to have any teeth at all !!!’ Or my notes are marked as 'difficult grumpy old bag!!'

However, after examining my teeth, she offered to clean them, which I wasn't happy about, as I rarely ever need that. However she said that it wouldn't hurt and just take a minute or two... well she stretched my little mouth to its limits, sprayed me with water all over my face and dug around at the base of my poor teeth. I stopped her when she got to my sensitive tooth and she said, ‘just rinse,’ and was then going to polish my teeth, but I hopped out of the chair, well actually struggled to get up from the prostrate position they put you these days and said.... 'Enough I don't want that and I am not having that done again!!!' Didn't wait for her to say anything else and slammed the door on my way out!!! Which I might add, I had to ask to have closed otherwise anyone going past would see me stretched out on the couch with my mouth saying '0', what a to-do!!

DH has to see the hygienist, why I don't know because he cleans his teeth every night and I sometimes don't, but when I do clean my teeth I clean them for at least 3 minutes. When I worked I used to watch my digital clock from the door of my ensuite, and if you have ever done that you’ll know that the numbers jiggle up and down when using an electric tooth brush, so that must be your eye balls as the clock stays still !!LOL

I asked to have my next appointment Feb 1st 2013, twelve months away!! I am hoping by then, she will have moved on!!LOL

So you can see, I had to have that almond slice I deserved it!!LOL

Thank goodness I have some uncomplicated stitching to do this evening as Lesleyanne has lent me her Snowman L*K chart.

Chris

Woo-hoo look what I won!

2012-01-28T00:00:00.000Z

It so pretty.. It was such a surprise to win... thank you Nancy of http://victorianmottosamplershoppe.blogspot.com

I can't wait to sew it myself.. this is the finished needle book. My camera batteries are dead so I can't take a photo of the kit.
What a great start to my year.
Happy Days

Chris xx

Christmas ornie and a small...

2012-01-22T13:11:00.001Z

This was a freebie from http://lacontesselepointdecroix.blogspot.com.. and altho' this may not be there now as it was a while ago when I got it, she has plenty more and all very pretty.. this is for the Monthly ornie challenge. I intend to stitch all Christmas ones as I saw how some one had decorated her stair rail with greenery and all stitched ornies so I would love to do something similar.
It is stitched on 28c Even weave with DMC 321 and is hanging on our Christmas tree which is in a pot and hopefully will be our tree for 2012!

And this my first small of 2012 and part of my challenge to myself to stitched the charts I have as well my WIPs in 2012!! It is stitched on 32c Belfast linen antique white with the recommended DMC threads. Its Shepherd Bush 'The Arbour.' It appealed to me as it is so delicate looking. I did change the stitching between each row.
I am now continuing my WIPs.. I can see a finish before the end of January!!
Happy Stitching all

Chris xx

My first star block

2012-01-15T10:55:00.003Z

I had a super saturday although to a certain extent it was 'brain aching!!' LOL I went to a patchwork/ quilting class. I did go to a few last year and then with moving and settling in etc I couldn't fit it in. But yesterday I made the effort.'Brain aching???' You may ask why? Because I have made cushions covers, two throws for our little consevatory settee and a bed quilt with squares, rectangles and simple triangles, in the last two years, but now I feel I am ready to do something more difficult.. and here it is. This is done as a sample and I need I practise some more.

If you are not a quilter you might think this looks good, but I haven't left enough fabric at the points, so if I was to sew more around I would lose the points. But it was a try, which took me 3 hours plus!! The class was only 2 hours so I came home and finished it. The pointy bits are called 'Flying Geese' and I am confident that with practice I will improve, I will, I will!! LOL
Whatever, I did enjoy the class and the woman who teaches it was very helpful. I am looking forward to next week.
Happy days!

Chris xx

A win!!

2012-01-11T16:47:00.000Z

Isn't it just so pretty I am thrilled to have won this. Thank you Nancy

Do have a peep at her blog she is always having givaways.. but as well as that her HDF is beautiful.

What I love about her threads is, that you can have a range of all one colour, so pale colours through to a darker shades. They are amazing.

I can't wait to start this, hurray up Mr Postie!

And this is our cutie Nell fast asleep on her blanket with her head on the little pillow we gave her for Christmas.

She is such a sweetie and a lovely dog, three years old this coming year in March but still loves to play.

This morning as I was in the garden pegging out our washing and checking my bulbs. as I walked back and fro, she was following me with her ball. Each time I stopped she dropped the ball at my feet for me to throw it. She loves playing 'fetch!'

Happy Stitching all

Chris xx

WIPocalyse and BAP progress

2012-01-09T14:14:00.001Z

This is The Arbour by Shepherds Bush. A small that should have taken no time at all.. I say should have but I didn't like the rows between each section so I chose to stitch different stitches.

I had a few tries on some scap linen to see the effect, hence why it took longer. But I am pleased with the results. Its very pretty and delicate looking and should be finished this coming week.

And this is my BAP Rosewood Manor Quakers and Quilts. This is going to be my year long project but I have several bigger designs to stitch as well.....

So the sooner I have posted this, the sooner I can get back to my stitching!!

Happy Stitching all
Chris xx

BAP Challenge

2012-01-03T18:29:00.000Z

Becky is hosting a BAP...Whats that you may say? Well to be honest I don't actually know what the initials stand for but what you must do is start a design which must be at least 12x 10 inches and finish it by 31st December 2012... here's the link As I am already stitching designs for my WIPocalyse I have chosed Rosewood Manor's 'Quakers and Quilts' for this challenge.

There is even a $100 prize draw for finished pieces!

Happy Stitching all

Chris xx

WIPocalyse!

2012-01-02T08:47:00.006Z

I always feel quite virtuous when I see some stitchers have more than 10 WIPs as I really only have these three! Celtic Lady Summer... still to finish stitching and loads of beads!

Chatelaine Convent's Herbal Garden.. only just started and I made a mistake and cast it to one side..

Fortunately having enlarged this photo I can see the mistake and it is easily rectafied so this will be back in my rota.

This Bothy Threads was an impluse buy and why?? I don't know.. I only need to do the back stitching and some beads so this is going to be my January finish!

However I think this year will put me in the ranks of more than 10 wips.. hey ho.. what else is life about except to do the things you love..

~~~~~~~~~~~~

And these are the charts I really want to stitch.

This first one was a swap with Gaynor.

I so love it so must do this one this year!

A little one in between bigger designs. Shepherd Bush's 'The Arbour'

And as I stitched Rosewood Manor's Spring Quaker last year.. this is a must for 2012.

Its called 'Quakers and Quilts'

And I love it. I have it all kitted up ready to go.

With 32C Cream Belfast linen and the recommended Valdani floss.

Ohhh can't wait to start this!

This is so pretty gifted to me by Elisa.

I hope I can stitch it as well as she did..It's Down Sunshine Lane

'Pastel Hearts' Needle Roll

And these are so cute. I have wanted to stitch these so an age..

Valarie Pfeiffer's 'Sitting Pretty'

These would perfect as a birthday present for someone I know who is a 'twitcher!!'

And I thought each one of these motifs could be stitched between bigger designs. It's

Just Nan's Floral Fifteen biscornu.

Gifted to me by Julie.

Hers was wonderful

As well as these I have kitted up and which costed a lot more than I am willing to admit to,

BB's Anniversaries Of The Heart.

This is just the first one, there are 12!!

I think all these are going to keep me busy right up till 2015!!

Happy Stitching all in 2012..

Chris xx

Find out about the WIPocalyse here

Today I wish you.........

2011-12-29T15:05:00.001Z

Today...I wish you a day of ordinary miracles-

A fresh pot of coffee you didn't have to make yourself.

An unexpected phone call from an old friend.

Green stoplights on your way to work or shop.

I wish you a day of little things to rejoice in...

The fastest line at the grocery store.

A good sing along song on the radio.

Your keys right where you look.

I wish You a day of Peace, Happiness and Joy.

They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them,
but then an entire life to forget them.

Send this phrase to the people you'll never forget.
It's a short message to let them know that you'll never forget them.

Wishing you a very Blessed Holiday Season
and the best in 2012 and....

Nell loved her christmas pressie!

2011-12-25T11:17:00.000Z

Isn't it lovely to see a present you bought someone being appreciated!

Here's our Nell with her little pillow we bought her and she loved it right away... how did we know?? Well she started to chew a corner but did stop with a firm NO!"

Then she did the thing that all dogs do... she tried to 'hump' it!!! If you don't have a dog or never have you wouldn't know they did that but they do...LOL

We do love her and she too will be having a turkey dinner... which is where I am off to now as I am in charge of the cooking this year!
Hope every one has a wonderful christmas time

Chris xx

A Very Happy Dance...

2011-12-18T12:47:00.001Z

I put the last few stitches in this last week, but Christmas preparations prevented me from posting pictures of it.. Rosewood Manor's Spring Quaker has been a delight to stitch.

Each motif is different and the colours are beautiful. I have loved watching this grow.

I put in my own initial rather than that of Karen Kluba the designer.

In 2012, I have all ready kitted up... Anniversaries of the Heart, a Blackbird design, all 12!! plus another Rosewood Manor called Quakers and Quilts.. as well as these I have several charts all ready to stitch so watch this space! I am thinking of joining in a challenge, where you declare what you have to stitch and then stitch like mad all year to get them completed! Anyone know of any or I may start one myself?

Chris

Givaway...

2011-12-09T07:13:00.000Z

If you're a regular blog reader then you'll have come across Gaynor's blog.. she is one young woman..

Having been diagosed with cancer a month or so ago, she is fighting with all her might but also always thinking of others.. She is starting up a help group where she lives in Ireland.

A very courageous young Mum..sorting out her Wips to take when she will be away from her family for radio therapy as it seems it is a 2 hour journey so she will have to stay there. But not to be down about that she is taking her stitching and also doing a givaway.

Do pop to her blog to take part ot just to read her story of her journey with this dreadful illness.
I am praying for you Gaynor every day.

Chris xx

Christmas ornies for pressies

2011-12-07T07:59:00.004Z

Here are the Christmas ornies I stitched for friends.. all arrived except for a couple of over seas friends, but they don't blog so quite safe to show these now.
I loved stitching them all and doing different ones for each friend.
Stitching progress is good because I am determined to finish my Rosewood Spring Quaker before Christmas or at least before 31st Dec as I have a new large stitching project for 2012.
I also have some socks to finish for Dh and he has said he'd like a scarf.. so I will crochet his in just double crochet, navy and wine colours with a cream stripe.. so keeping busy all the time.
Hope everyone like us has been caught up in the Christmas spirit, we have an Advent Candle which nearly did all 25 numbers when we forgot we had lit it on the very first night, even though it was there right in front of us!! And a lovely little Musical Tree with little numbered drawers, each one having a little decoration to hang on the tree. We take turns to open the drawers, so there is no fighting over whose turn it is, after all we are adults. We have also bought a very red sequined table runner with matching napkins for the table on Christmas day?!!! Oooo it is getting exciting!
Happy days and happy stitching.
Chris xx

A new scarf

2011-11-29T19:40:00.002Z

The colours are not as dark as this photo shows.
It took just four evenings to crochet and I varied the stitches to make it more interesting.. so it has a twisted double and twisted treble stitches as well as treble 'V' shapes, single and double in the different rows.
The colours are to go with my new browns, fawns, mustard and cream clothes that I bought as I had dropped a dress size! It has been a struggle to lose those 15pounds and I am carrying on to lose some more!

If anyone else has struggled to lose weight you will know it is hard work!

Chris xx

Comments

2011-11-22T10:16:00.000Z

Hi All, especially those who leave comments, they are such encouragement.

I do visit the blogs of those who follow me to leave a comment as I know what a boost it is to receive comments... however some of you have your blog settings so that I am unable to leave a comment, even ones that I follow.. Carol I have tried several times.

I can't remember how I altered my settings when I had that bother, but I am sure there will be some of you clever ladies out there who can say how to get around this problem.

Hopefully I will be able to leave a comment for you toooooo!!

Chris xx

A happy dance!

2011-11-21T14:38:00.000Z

This was an easy design, a Bothy Thread 'Poppies,' that I fancied doing with my other more intricate WIPs.. Now finished I have decided to finish one of my other WIPs to get it finished before Christmas.

This was all part of my Autumn promises to finish something and so I am well on the way to keeping those promises..

The garden promises were completed right away, I also completed 8 Christmas ornies for friends.. to be shown when they have all been received and of course the applique book cover for my friend's birthday. I didn't buy anything to extend my already too big a stash but I am afraid I did give in and bought some books..although some were crochet books from 'The Works,' a publishers outlet so quite cheap and in fact cheaper than magazines.
Our home has been very christmassy this last week, with yet another cake cooked, two puddings steamed in the slow cooker (had to buy a new one, my other went phut!) and me playing Christmas carols for my church's Christmas Carol Service. I must be mad to take on yet something else!! Still it has been a very Christmasy here.

Happy days all

Chris xx

BE AWARE!!

2011-11-15T09:27:00.002Z

I have just discovered that my blog has been hacked into!!! A friend emailed me when she was looking at the blogs she was following, only to see one that she didn't recognise. Then she remembered we had done a sal together... looked for it in my blog and when she clicked on the link I had put, up came..... not the sal but......

Celebrity Magazine!! I have edited that post and taken out the link... so be aware..

This has really shocked me and I will be especially careful as to what I write.. In future when I put a link for something I will check back that it hasn't been altered...

So bloggers take care!

Chris

Lest we Forget

2011-11-13T09:17:00.000Z

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them."
Fourth stanza of 'For the Fallen' by Laurence Binyon (1869 - 1943)

I think he loves me!

2011-11-12T16:10:00.003Z

Every day mid morning we have a coffee together ( my Dh works from home) We always stop to drink it together, sometimes when it is warm we sit outside in the garden or in the conservatory. Dh always makes it and I often have this chocolate heart on the top of the frothy milk.
It is has become a thing and I say 'I heart you too!' Corny? Not at all we love each other.
The lovely heart was something he bought for me the other week and gave it to me with the comment, 'something you don't need.' Ooooh I love that man!
We are very happy together, we live a very blessed life. Every morning and through every day I say a silent thank you to God for everything.

Chris xx

Goodbye.... to number 24 in Coventry

2011-11-07T09:14:00.003Z

We are so pleased that the house in Coventry has been sold. we spent all last week there packing up the remaining furniture, ornaments, books, Cds, Kitchen pans, other stuff and cuddly toys!!

All belonging to my step daughers. It has been a nightmare, getting it all packed into crates and boxes in two days to be ready for the van booked to take it all into storage. They had just sorted out their old games and then it was up to us to get it all sorted.

The girls did feel a bit emotional after all it was their home for close on 22 years.. me?? It never felt like home although I faithfully cleaned and polished in that house for the 4 1/2 years I lived there. Such relief to say a permanent Good Bye!! It fact bliss!

DH did 8 trips to the dump and a car load of stuff went to the local charity shop. It was such relief that they agreed to take it all as they distribute it to other shops. I cleaned and cleaned and cleaned! The house looked spectacular and we were very pleased. It was worth decorating the hall, stairs and landing and having a light new carpet laid as it made the entrance into the house bright and inviting.

It took us two days to recover we were so exhausted.

My poor DH had his birthday on the 1st, so we did go to Stratford, but we were too tired to do much there except have a meal in our favourite Italian restaurant.

************

But here we are now back in lovely home here in Essex.

While we were away the leaves had changed colour on the silver birch trees and the fallen leaves look like jewels on the lawn.

It is wonderfully wonderful to be home!

Chris xx

So what have you done today???

2011-10-29T17:19:00.000+01:00

I have done the two socks and one and a half shoes!!!...that's all I have stitched today, the reasons being I have spent the day with the Canvey branch of the Sampler Guild. I have had a lovely day, laughing, chatting and looking at some amazing work. Beautiful stitching, beautiful samplers, and amazing bags and super friendly ladies. And so talented too, I am in such awe of them, but it makes me want to do a lot more..
So I am screaming again, more hours in the day, more time, more time! LOL
So thank you to the ladies who sorted out the lunch (it was a bring and share) made cups of tea and kept us happy all day. I can't wait for the next one.. Next April I believe, roll on April.

Happy stitching all

Chris xx

Getting back to how it was!

2011-10-23T12:08:00.003+01:00

My garden is beginning to look a little like it used.. but so slowly! During the four years of being in the hands of tenants the weeds had taken over and it has taken a while to clear the tangle of brambles and celandine. The slowness is due to me, it has been difficult. I have been able to plant up a new bit of garden in front of the small trees. I am pleased I made the effort the other week. It may look bare in places but I am willing the perennials to bush out and I will add to them in the spring.

There are still daffodil bulbs to plant, but when we had that wonderful Indian summer, it was too hot! How could it have been too hot in October? I am not worried about getting the last of the bulbs in, when I worked full time I planted them on Boxing day as it was the only day I had free time!

When people were saying it was too hot I kept quiet after last winter’s snow, the longer it is, before winter sets in suits me best.

My little shed has had a new coat of paint and looks as good as new. The nastursiums bordering the flower bed were all planted this summer, just so I could have some colour. We have sat out here each day for morning coffee and afternoon tea and when it gets chilly we will sit in the conservatory and look at it all, just a small piece of heaven..

A book cover!

2011-10-19T17:52:00.003+01:00

I started this on tuesday and last night put in the final stitches.
It's a note book cover for my friend's birthday in December, so I am pleased to have got it done well in advance. She doesn't blog or even is that interested in computers so quite safe to show it here. I make her some thing every year and I saw this in a book and had a go!
The applique work was quite hard to do, well fiddly and I had two goes at the cat!
The note book its self is a 'catty' one with a different cat in each page. She loves cats

Hope you recognised the suffolk puffs as the flower heads!

To make this now was all part of my Autumn promises, so I have now completed 5 of them, but failed on promising to not buy a book! It was 'The First Wife' by Emily Barr, who is
was my favourite author. This latest book was rubbish compared to her others, very disappointing.
Ah well at least I helped W H Smith's monthly profit as I haven't bought a book at the full price for some time.
I am now on my Christmas ornies.. 3 down 7 to go!!
Thank you for all the lovely comments about my ripple blanket, they are very much appreciated and a spur to try new things.
Happy stitching everyone..

My September finish.... A mammoth task!!!

2011-10-12T13:39:00.002+01:00

I have finished my ripple blanket!! Wa-hooooo I decided it would be my September finish of one of my projects and here it is.

Each row took me 45 mins to crochet so quite a few hours have gone into this but I am well pleased with it.

Since then I have made the granny square cushion to go with it. The joins aren't too good at each corner so I am going to put a crochet flower and button on each. I also intend to do a crochet border to finish it off.

It does look cosy on the little settee in the conservatory, I just have to keep Nell off it as she likes to sit out there in the sun.

When I have crocheted the border, I am starting my birthday present for my friend.

Cross stitching has had to take a back seat for a while but I will soon be back to it as I want to stitch some more Christmas ornies. I think I have five more to do.

Its only 11 weeks away!

Happy Stitching everyone.

Hugs

South Pacific

2011-10-09T14:07:00.002+01:00

Yesterday I had the most amazing day.. I attended a singalong of the show South Pacific. It was thoroughly enjoyable and I will certainly be signing up for another one I enjoyed it so much. There were about 80 plus people there and the two women who teach these days were wonderful, so talented.

If you fancy a singalong here is the original film and Mitzi Gaynor, wasn't she wonderful....

South Pacific - A Wonderful Guy (Sing-along) - YouTube
	www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMO72_TF9JY You +1'd this publicly. Undo 14 Aug 2007 - 3 min - Uploaded by rafizztube "A Wonderful Guy" sung by Mitzi Gaynor from the musical South Pacific. Sing-a- long version.


	"A Wonderful Guy" sung by Mitzi Gaynor from the musical South Pacific. Sing-a- long version. Just Click on the title and sing away and Enjoy!!! Hugs

What you can do when you're retired!

2011-10-04T11:20:00.002+01:00

Yesterday when DH had a phone call to say his work meeting was to be put back a week... we decided to take advantge of the wonderful weather 29°C and off we went to Southend, and there were more people there than we have seen in the summer months! People were swimming and the beach was crowded! We went to Rossi’s for ice cream and the queue was so long DH waited for 10 mins! I managed to get us a seat in the outside area and it was lovely, sitting there in the sun and eating ice cream! Nell loved it too as we always give her a bit! We walked along the prom and although there was a strong breeze it was warm, just like being abroad!

Then we sat on a bench and watched the sea come right in, the seagulls riding the waves, people walking past and the enjoyed the warm sunshine.

Something that amused us and several other people was an altercation between two drivers. One pulled out of the parking space (they are all in the middle of the road) and so a car coming along had to stop to let him out, then the car driver that stopped, tooted his horn and gesticulated as if to say move along... wow if he did. The other driver stopped got out and started a fight, his wife was trying to get in between them and stop it. We were absolutely gob smacked so were several other people walking past and as they got back in their cars, a woman watching said to us.. 'you can see it all in Southend!' LOL What a laugh, but so silly of both the men. When we went to drive off, a car gave way for us and was quite happy for us to drive off in our own time, thank goodness!

We got home about 5:30 and got our evening meal right away, cold lamb and SW chips and peas and it was gorgeous, we were both hungry! Then when we sat down to watch TV I went to sleep, didn’t even feel myself go! I missed Eastenders and I woke about 9 but dozed and went to bed at 10 and we have both slept all night. Just shows what fresh sea air can do!

It was such a lovely afternoon, just what you can do when you’re retired!

A postcard from Henley on Thames

2011-09-30T16:57:00.001+01:00

We have just returned from a three day break in Henley on Thames. Our B&B was in the most gorgeous Victorian Villa, very clean and very comfortable and right by the town and the river.
Alushta Guest House

But our reason for going there was to go to The Chiltern Winery and Brewery. A Christmas present from DH’s son and daughter-in-law. The tour was very interesting and although we tasted 12 wines, none appealed to me. It was as though they were too thin and green tasting. However, DH did buy a bottle to give to his DS and a beer for himself, said to be the Duke of Edinburgh’s favourite!

And What a very nice town Henley was. Lots of very posh frock shops and kitchen shops kept us looking around on the Wednesday afternoon. Then we settled on a bench in the town square and ate our picnic bought from Waitrose, spicy chicken wraps and their scrumptious Lemon Curd yogurts. A feast fit for a King. In the evenings we tried different pubs and restaurants and this morning the scales say how very delicious the food was !! LOL

The weather of course was amazingly hot for this time of year with temperatures as high as 28°C.. a bit too hot at night! Nell was left in kennels and all we can say is that she survived. The kennel girls said she was very shy and didn’t venture out of her bed, only to be exercised. She was overjoyed to see us and wouldn’t calm down for us to put on her lead. We did have worries about her, but kennels are safe for her and these are very good ones with grass runs and several girls all with full qualifications to look after dogs.

And we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and have come home relaxed and happy.

Finished shrug/cardi

2011-09-26T09:58:00.001+01:00

This is my little shrug/cardi I knitted in August, I am only just getting round to posting a pic of it.

I have worn it when I visited my friend in Cambridge last tuesday. It is quite warm as it is wool so nice on these autumn days. I have three skirts that it complements so lots of opportunity to wear it.

And this I bought from Homebase. It was such a reasonable price... cheaper than making it myself

Nice isn't it?
I am busy crocheting my ripple blanket and am going to keep at it till it is finished!

Happy days..

Hugs and happy stitchy wishes to everyone.

RAKs arrived....

2011-09-23T14:53:00.001+01:00

When Sue offered a PIF earlier in the year, I said I'd love to be a recipient but I would offer a RAK (Random Act of Kindness ) instead of a PIF..

Lesleyanne and Rachael won.

I decided to make these pin keeps. Similar colours but a different designs.. Both are freebies with a slight design alteration by me (erum!!)

I had seen these rose patterned little scissors at my Sampler Guild get together last April ..so made the packet at the back to hold the scissors.. they're so cute I wish I had bought one for me.
But as there is another get together end of October so I might buy one then.

These are the scissors out of the pocket, I just snagged this pic off Rachael's blog!

I loved making these, there is something so satisfactory being able ot stitch something and completely finish it!

Hugs and happy stitching

Stitching update

2011-09-13T10:12:00.002+01:00

This is my Chatelaine Convent's Herbal Garden which I am struggling with.. I am sad to tell you that I am really not enjoying stitching this at all! I still have the very centre pic to finish but as its one over one I can only do this in bright sunlight!

But I don't like the first few rounds of colours as I think they are a bit muddy looking.. and because I didn't like the very bright blue fabric I bought I soaked it in hot water and I think the fabric shrunk, so I need my magnifying glass in the evenings... as well as that where do you put the beads as there are no numbers on any of my charts? Have I not down loaded it all?
I hope not as I bought it years ago.. so I am leaving it for a while.
I have emailed Martina via the Chatelaine yahoo group about the beads.

It cost quite a bit to buy all the silks so I don't want to abandon it but at the moment I could chuck it!

This is my light relief...... an easier stitching design.. although this week

I am going to do one block of my BOM.. This will be nice to do and although I find it hard I have realised that I can only do my best and if it isn't perfect it will still be my own efforts!

Why do I put myself through these challenges???

As for my Autumn promises I am on target, just!

Geraniums are potted up, and garden has had some work. I am losing weight albeit slowly and my sewing machine is out ready to use!

Happy Stitiching or crafting all

Happy Days!

My Autumn Promises

2011-09-07T17:05:00.001+01:00

Autumn Promises.

1. Not to buy any more charts.. I am already into the ‘SABLE’ class. (Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy!)

2. Make up 2 blocks of my ‘ BOM’ block of the month buy, which cost a bomb!!

3. Lose at least 12 pounds before December.. should be possible..... erummmm!!

4. No new stitching starts till I finish one WIPs.. well unless I feel down and then I could just pick one of my charts all ready kitted up??

5. Work in the garden and get veg plot ready for next year, well perhaps if DH helps.

6. Do NOT buy any more books, I already have 16 here to read, plus 2 library books and the 2 Reading Group books! This also includes getting free books from the free book shop in Basildon!!

7. Stitch 4 christmas ornies, these don’t count as new starts!

8. Make birthday present for my friend Yvonne (B/D December 3^rd)

9. Make Christmas cake, I usually make 4!

10. Work on ripple crochet blanket, could I finish this by Christmas??

11. Plant daffodil and tulip bulbs, possibly before the end of September when the ground is not too hard.

12. Lift and pot up pelargoniums ready for the winter.

The photo is the crab apple in my garden; it is always pretty, beautiful blossom in the spring and these crab apples in the Autumn.

Out of my basket came.........

2011-09-04T20:00:00.002+01:00

These WIPs.......

Last week, because I have ordered BBD, 'Anniversaries if the Heart' which is all of charts, the floss for the first three and a yard of linen I felt to had to justify my expenditure by stitching some of my WIPs and my UFO!!

So here they are... the first one is a BBD, 'Willow House.' I couldn't get the recommended colour of linen, tobacco, so bought a one called brandy and that was a bright rust colour and I hated it.. so I used this instead.. because I wasn't fussy on the colour it got pushed to the bottom of my basket. But here it is,, ta-da... finished!

Then I stitched another motif on my Rose Manor, 'Spring Quaker,' so that is moving along.(it's the bottom one on the left as you look at it.

'Summer' Celtic Lady had been pushed this into my UFO basket because I had made a mistake and couldn't find it. But I sat one evening and frogged all of the pale blue section of her skirt and re-did it all, plus a bit more over two evenings. The gold was made easier by using thread heaven, why had I never heard of it for metallic threads before?? It made it so much easier and I happily stitched until I had finished all the blue section and all that's left now of her skirt, are the greens and some more gold.

And this Bothy Thread called 'Buzzy Days,' is my real UFO because having finished all the stitching, I had the back stitching to do... ugh!But in two hours I have managed to do the leaves and dandelions to the left of the little mouse. I re-did the outline of the mouse, as I had outlined it in black and it was supposed to be a thread colour called stone.

So I am feeling very virtuous as it was really hard to leave my 'Poppies' and also my Chatelaine 'Convent's Herbal Garden.' to do these other WIPs.

I intend to rotate all my WIPs for two evenings and try to finish one every other month.

I hope I can, as I am dangerously close to be stitching well into my hundreds!!!LOL

I hope you too can catch up on your WIPs...

Happy Stitching

An Anniversary present

2011-08-17T12:49:00.001+01:00

On monday evening we got dressed up and went to London to see.....

The singing was amazing and we had super seats, right in the middle of the third row in the circle.
It was our 5th wedding anniversary present to ourselves, booked some time ago by DH.. I even had my hair done and bought a new outfit too..

Had a bit of a hiccup before we went.. we were standing on the platform in Billericay and Mike suddenly said oh sh--. I’ve left the tickets in the car!!!! So off he went arrived back breathless to see the 5:17 train leave!! But we had chosen to go a bit earlier than we needed to take our time in London. So we caught the 5:37 and arrived in plenty of time.. just on 7:00pm at the theatre. The trains at that time are all fasts so it is only a 30min journey into London.

What is he like????

Any way we had a wonderful evening, fabulous seats so a great view.

A super present to ourselves although pretty pricy and the fruit trees we bought ourselves as well were naughty an extra!! LOL I think we are on a spending diet for the next month or two!! LOL
If you haven't see the show it is well worth a visit. We also would like to see 'Over the Rainbow' as we followed the competition to find the perfect Dorothy each week on the TV..
And we want to go to a Christmas Carol concert and and and ........ the list could go on and on LOL

Happy Days

Hugs

My first love......

2011-08-13T22:30:00.024+01:00

..... well after my DH and Nell and even stitching.. is gardening!!
Here, where the garden has been sadly neglected in the four years when the house was leased, it is begining to take shape... but in spite of starting late in the summer I have been able to plant a small veg patch.

The beans are making good progress and we are looking forward to eating them with our own potatoes which we have grown in potato bags.. I have never done this before so it will be interesting to see how many we get. If you ever watched Alys Fowler in the Edible Garden, when she tipped out the pot of potatoes she had grown and there were only a few... you'll remember her saying' I am a bit disappointed' We hope that won't be us!

The tomatoes are wow! I just grew some old seeds, in my propagator. I didn't even look to see what they were. So when we were travelling back and fro from Coventry to here, the seedlings came with us, so it's amazing they survived.

I decided to plant them outside, because we had already booked weeks away and I knew they wouldn't survive in the green house.. I grew pounds and pounds on the allotment in Coventry so I was confident they would survive here. (Well I hoped!!)

Courgettes are growing so are the squash. I shall leave a few to grow big to have stuffed marrow, one of our favourite meals.

My herbs are doing well too, just look at my parsley. I also have corriander, mint, chives and today I bought thyme and sage...I still have to plant those.

And behind the beans you can just see my carrtots in pots, the one is in my chimney. Up 60cms off the ground as carrot flies can't fly that high!!

Still lots to do but I am very proud of this small patch as it wasn't planted till the middle of June, because we were so busy trying to get 'box free' in the house. Still loads to do, but we are enjoying living here, in fact I can honestly say we are extremely happy here. It is a lovely home.

We have damsons galore from my little tree bought six years ago from 'Woolies'...and with the rain in June they have grown bigger and are so sweet to eat. For our 5th Wedding anniversary 29th July, we bought ourselves a victoria plum and a bramley cooking apple tree. So we are looking forward to pies next year!

Hope you too are as blessed as us with a garden to brighten your days.

Hugs

PS....

This weighs 13.4 ozs!! Nearly a pound, just a few marks but smells wonderful, we are having it tonight for our sunday tea with ham salad!

Summer Exchange

2011-08-08T12:50:00.003+01:00

Clare on Needlework Haven forum had the idea for a summer exchange. The idea was that you sent a free chart with the all materials to your partner. The design had to be stitched while you were on holiday or perhaps stitched in your garden at home.

This what arrived for me from my secret partner.

Opened up, this is what was inside that pretty little bag.

Strawberries design and to be made into a biscornu.

The conditions of the exchange was that you had to provide a pic of you stitching it on holiday.

So this is me squinting into the camera on our one very sunny afternnoon in Skipton.

And here it is finished. I sewed it up at home as I stitched it all in Skipton, well else do you do when it rains??

A great idea Clare...Hope you all have some happy stitching days on your holiday and in the sunshine!

An award

2011-08-05T12:35:00.002+01:00

Elisa,   (Old Ragged Threads) gave me this award a few weeks ago, thank you Elisa... but what with holidays away and things around here with family I nearly forgot!!
So now I have to tell you 7 things about me.
And offer the award to 15 peeps! How could I just choose 15 from all those of you that leave me such wonderful comments?  So.....
.....I am offering it to anyone follows my blog and leave comments.

7 things about me??

1. I am quite a serious person and listen to Radio 4 rather than music programmes.
2. I love and follow 'The Archers' on the radio and have done for 40 years!! Yes I am that old!
3 Talking of age, a present to myself on my 60th birthday was a small butterfly tattoo on my left breast, just out of sight!LOL
4.I play the piano. just got back onto playing regularly.
5.I am very good at keeping secrets.
6. Girl friends are very important to me and I have a very close one, that I have known since we were 7 years old.
7. Although Billericay in Essex is my home now and I love it here, home was Porthcawl, South Wales and I have thought about moving back there, to be by the sea.

Do take the award and I let me know so I can see what your 7 things might be.

Happy Days.

Hugs

A UFO, something easy and something really difficult!!

2011-08-04T15:28:00.003+01:00

I have been busy getting on with my stitching. This UFO has all the stitching complete, just got to do the top stitching, which I hate! I think just an hour a week will do for me!

And this has been an easy stitch. Its called Poppies by Bothy Threads and a delight to relax with each evening.

And this is my Chatelaine Convent's Herbal Garden.

I have had this to stitch for over three years and have been slightly afraid to get started on it.. but I have some stitching friends who also have Chatelaines which have never been started.

The chart and all the silk floss was really costly and I kept thinking I should make a start,,

The Fabric I bought from Polstitches and when it arrived I was terribly disapointed because it was just too too a bright blue. So I soaked it in hot water, then in cold with a few drops of bleach and this is how it turned out. It looks really nice.

The middle picture of the flower (unfinished at this time ) was 1 over 1 and I was glad of my magnifying glass.

I have stitched around the middle picture and stitched some of the Algerian eyelets.

I think its going to be a lovely year long project.

Happy stitching everyone.

I am gradually visiting all the blogs of my loyal followers, so watch out it may be you next!

Thank you for all those of you who visit and leave and comment and if you visit and don't leave a comment, I would love to hear what you have to say.

Hugs

A watery week in Yorkshire!

2011-07-23T14:20:00.004+01:00

We have just had a week away in Skipton. Our accommodation in this cottage was superb, albeit some of the furniture was old fashioned. The bed had both wooden head board and foot board and the mattress although cosy was inclined to dip in the middle, so just as well DH and I get on!

This was the front but there was also a communal garden just outside this front area.

One late afternoon we sat here and had a bread, a selection of cheeses and pickles bought from the market with red wine, picnic and very enjoyable it was too!

We would have liked more sunshine but in spite of the fact that the sun was hidden behind grey clouds for most of the week, we did enjoy ourselves.

We had a trip on the canal one afternoon and then stopped in the nearby cafe for coffee and cakes!

All very delicious. We ate out most evenings and the Woolly Sheep pub had very delicious meals. So now of course we are back on the food plan and I intend to be back to the weight I was by Wednesday's weigh in, before we went!

And as well as lots of cakes we had to have .....

......Because how could you not have fish and chips when on holiday! LOL

It was a pretty little town and quite busy especially on market days.

We went so that we could go to my step daughter's degree ceremony in Bradford,and that all went well.

We're back home and it is wonderful. Today we have got up to sun and blue skies and everything in the garden looks great!

My RR is home and finished

2011-07-13T17:07:00.003+01:00

I set out the pics I wanted for this RR like Blue Ribbon designs with each little pic in a box. There were just four of us in this RR Clare, Dusty, Jaclyn and my self.
Clare did the bowl of strawberries, Jaclyn the tea cups and Dusty the cake.. All members of Needlescraft Haven.
I am very happy with the finished piece. This the second RR I join in with these very able stitchers,
Very exciting when it arrives home!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have these little cuties to do along side my two wips (Celtic Summer and Spring Quaker) plus I am going to start Lesley Teare design.. one of the Country Lass designs 'Poppies'

Lots to do!

Crochet bag and some stitching.

2011-07-04T20:10:00.001+01:00

I have been busy with my hook! I wanted a bag for my knitting and started to match up fabric for a patch work tote bag, but I had seen a crochet bag in one of my books. And here it is.. I love the bright colours. I love crocheting, I find it so relaxing. June's Country Homes & Interiors magazine has a crochet blanket, plus a quilt.

I am a magazinaholic!! Friends say what do you do once you have read them, but I read them all over again! I do give them away eventually, usually when they are a year old...here is the quilt. Just simple squares and then ribble free stitched.

And I love these open shelves in kitchens, except I paid a fortune to have my fitted kitchen, so no open shelves!

And I have stitched another motif on my Rosewood Manor Spring Quaker since we came back from our holiday.

So making progress albeit slow... it has been so hot today I struggled to get the cleaning done that was really needed to be done.

Hope your weather where ever you are, has been good.

Happy days

A week in West Wales

2011-07-01T18:49:00.004+01:00

We have been away for a week’s holiday in Saundersfoot West Wales..

It was a long way to go just over 284 miles and along the M25 and M4, so going last Friday morning it took us 7 ½ hours. Although we had a 40 minutes pit stop, it was very tiring.

Saundersfoot is a pretty sea side town and we were only two minutes from the beach and the town. It was very hilly and my little legs ached after a couple of days, but our accommodation was very comfortable so we relaxed and enjoyed ourselves. There were some lovely little shops, one was a stitching and yarn and fabric one, an old fashioned haberdashery and yes I did augment my fabric stash! A super old fashioned sweet shop that sold the most yummy fudge and lots of knick knack shops. I bought myself two new tops and a new purse.

Some areas of the beach were dog friendly and Nell loved playing fetch with her ball. Although she is still reluctant to drop the ball when she comes back. She keeps going for quite a while, but the last time we played it was noticeable that she was slower running back, poor thing was tired.

We slept well being full of fresh sea air and tired legs as it was very hilly. But Nell did not! She cried nearly all night the first night and was awake most mornings at 5!!
In spite of me checking with the agents about a garden, it did not have one, so DH was taking her out when only Nell and the seagulls were awake! I have complained to the manager of the letting agents, as the advert for the property showed a garden. But as soon as we arrived there I recognised the

garden as being the house opposite! According to the manager, it was a view from the window, but it didn't say that and the advert showed a house with a garden. It seems they don't have to say it is not the property picture!! Have you ever heard of such rubbish? Here is DH happily paddling in the shallows... he and Nell did enjoy the sea! LOL

This morning we left at 7 and arrived back about 12:30pm ! So a good journey.. we both feel very relaxed and I am very glad to be home. I am dreading weighing in the morning but I do have 4 days before my Slimming group weigh in. (the fish and chips were very good! LOL)

Any way I am so glad to be home. The apartment where we stayed was very comfortable but home is best!!
Happy Days!

Some things I like to buy!

2011-06-22T16:10:00.004+01:00

We love pasta meals so when I saw these in our local kitchen ware shop last summer I just had to buy them,

Not only are the dishes beautiful, but so are the boxes they come in too. Yesterday we bought another four bowls so we'd have enough for all the family and also....

The eight plates.

I think I will have to go back and buy the little individual oil and balsamic vinegar dishes!
It is so nice to have such beautiful china to eat from. They are a design from Rosanna Bowles.She has been awarded the prestigious 'Gift of The Year' award by the British Giftware Association; and her products have been celebrated in top fashion and home design magazines.
And so they deserve to be...They are too nice to put behind a cupboard door but as we are at last getting straight in our kitchen away they will have to go! We did have a pasta meal last evening, penne, bacon,onions and mushrooms in a cheese sauce so we could use them. Have you too been out and bought something you really like recently? I seem to be attracted to kitchen shops, it must be because I am following a weight reducing food plan!! LOL
Happy days!

Put on your dancing shoes and dance with me!!!

2011-06-14T16:30:00.003+01:00

I have kept stitching this over the last week and it is fini!! Don't you just love the tiny little butterflies and hearts? So pretty...

It looks lovely and I am well pleased with the finished piece. I love the colours

I still have part 3 but will leave that till another time.

So what to do next along side my two wips.....I can't decide whether to do The Tree of Stitches which is a design by Abi in The Specialist Stitches group... or do some crocheting.

I bought some books that are all crocheting flowers and I can see in my mind a border of flowers inset in a stripy bag.

Such decisions to make! LOL

On a wet Sunday afternoon.

2011-06-13T15:01:00.004+01:00

It poured all Sunday afternoon, no tennis so I listen to the audio tape of ‘Bridges of Madison County.’ I bought it years ago but had never listened to it. A lot of its charm for me, was that it is read by the Author Robert James Waller so the American accent helped to make this a very enjoyable three hours!(The hero's name was Robert too!!)

I had read the book and seen the film, several times and have loved it, but this audio version was a new thing for me and it was wonderful.

I stitched and listen with the rain beating on the conservatory roof. I had to stop a several times as I couldn’t see the stitches through my tears. Such a love story and such a sadness when she decides to do her duty to her husband and family. How sad that she tried to find Robert when her husband died but failed.

I loved the fact that she followed his life through the Geographic Magazine in which his photographs were published.

I hoped that Francesca will turn the handle on the car door this time (you have to have read it or seen the film to understand) I understood so much of Francesca life, her daily routines, housework, children and details, and know how you can lose yourself in the midst of it all and you forget the dream filled, passionate, sensual person you once were and hoped to be. When Robert Kinkaid arrived, Francesca became once more the woman she used to be. Five days in an Iowa Summer..... heartbreaking. This has to be one of the most touching and romantic tales ever told. A story of two middle aged people who found each other one warm summer night, who spent the rest of their lives remembering and regretting not taking their chance. This is certainly not a fairytale but a heartbreaking story of once in a lifetime love.

A wonderful way to spend a wet Sunday afternoon.

~..~..~..~..~..~..~..~..~..~

A stitching progress report at last!!!

2011-06-05T10:41:00.002+01:00

I have finished knitting my little cardi but haven't sewn it up yet. I thought I 'd leave that till monday so I won't rush it and press and block it out properly first. So I have picked up my stitching, I do love this Sampler Aux Bouquets and have had to buy some more threads to finish it.

If you do buy threads from Katscrossstitch.co.uk please remember her in your prayers as she is battling with cancer. Her website is closed but is taking orders if you just email her. (katsxstitch@hotmail.co.uk)

And I have stitched a little of my Rosewood Manor Spring Quaker..Just the very small motif under the word Crocus and then stitched the word Fern and Poppy and I am now stitching the largest motif of the design,

I shall continue to stitch this over the next few days so hope to do a lot more.

Today my grand son is 15 years old, where did the years go? Has anyone else noticed that as you get older the years seem to go quicker?

And it's my DS's birthday tomorrow so we are off to have dinner with him and his wife this evening. They live in Surrey so not too far to drive. Yesterday evening we all met up for a surprise party for my DIL's step dad's 70th Birthday. A lovely evening with friends and family, 15 altogether and the food was excellent.

I think my diet might have done slightly off course! But it is only one meal!!

June is a very busy birthday month for us.

Looks like we are going to have some proper rain tonight, which is long needed. The grass is yellowing and we have had to water each evening if we were to keep our new plants alive.

But it is so wonderful being back here I don't care what the weather is like, it can't dampen my 'Pollyanna' mood!

Happy days all and enjoy your stitching.

My wool has arrived.....

2011-06-02T19:46:00.003+01:00

Yes they are all bright colours but that's what I wanted to knit ....

.......this a multi coloured stripy cardi for the winter.

The fawn is for the welts and the border.

As soon as I saw this in the 'Lets Knit' magazine last year, I knew I just had to knit it..
But I had so much on the go I forgot about it and then when I was looking at wool sites last week, I saw these 25gram balls at a very reasonable price so that was it. I changed my mind about the colours several times but am happy now with my choice. I think I will have to try the balls next to each other before I actually start knitting but I am quite confident that I will like what I do.

I won't start this till September as I want to finish my Sampler Aux Bouquet and the two RAKS that I have to stitch... but it is a pattern that I am really going to enjoy.

I don't think I will be wearing a mini skirt with it, my mini skirt days are long past, but I am game to wear the bright pink stockings!! LOL
Hope every one is happy and stitching, knitting or gardening in this beautiful sunny and hot weather in UK.
We are still not straight in the house but the garden has been dug over and we have alloted part to grow veggies. We found our allotment diary today when I unpacked a box of books and the entries were so funny ......
......September 4th 2007 read.. 'Had a happy day at our 'lottie' the sun shone, we got another area cleared, ate our sandwiches and drank our coffee before the heavens opened and we arrived home wet through. So wet that we had to undress in the shower. But we really enjoyed ourselves.' They were happy days for us, hard work, very hard work, but happy! LOL

Hugs and happy stitching everyone.

Frustration!!

2011-05-31T19:11:00.002+01:00

Thank goodness blogger seems to be back to normal. It was very frustrating not to be able to leave comments on blogs..The trouble seemed to be with comments that needed the extra word confirmation and you ended up in a loop of signing in and then signing in and then signing in .... LOL
Thank you to all those of you that did manage to leave comments for me.

No stitching to show I am ashamed to say because I have that knitting bug and have to finish this little cardi. Its coming along nicely and although the pattern is a very simple one it has caused me some bother, maily because I was knitting watching TV and forgot the pattern rows. I have also been very naughty and ordered a whole lot of wool to make a multi striped cardi for the Autumn. I 'll show it all as soon as it arrives. It was all reduced at www.deramores.com But I have vowed not to start knitting it till August as I must get on with my stitchy things.
I will be watching the postie tomorrow.

.

Something different.... for a while

2011-05-25T21:45:00.002+01:00

All this unpacking has been very stressful. I worried about packing up our belongings, I worried about the moving day but it never occured to me that unpacking would cause stress!
Why stress????Bbecause we still have too much stuff. although we have sorted and given loads of china, books and furniture away we are still trying to find room for more!
Although I have been happy stitching my Sampler Aux Bouquets I needed some thing easy and different so..... when I was reading some blogs the other evening I came accross Hazel's who had just ordered and received some beautiful yarn. Lovely colours to crochet a granny square blanket. I don't really need a blanket expecially as I have not long made a quilt.
So after an hour or two (or maybe three or four!! LOL ) I found what I wanted.

A knitted little cardi or bolero

I decided on this colour of dusky pink and to knit the little short sleeved cardi because I have just bought a bolero.

I find knitting very relaxing and also with the French Open Tennis championships on TV at the moment, it's just perfect to knit and watch the tennis. This little cardi will be perfect for our week away in Saundersfoot at the end of June.
Hope everyone is happy doing what ever it is you enjoy.

I am still stitching!!

2011-05-20T08:11:00.004+01:00

When you're moving house, packing up your belongings just takes over your life!

Or so I thought.. it is a week and one day since we moved and now unpacking our belongings is all we're doing. Trying to find a place for everything is getting very stressful. We have given a lot of glasses, china and books away. We just have too much stuff. Everyday we have tried to get straight but as we unpack more and more boxes, the more mess we seem to be creating!

Some evenings I have fallen alseep as soon as we have had dinner I have been so tired.. but those evenings when I have stayed awake I have worked on this..

Sampler Aux Bouquet. It didn't need a massive change of colours so seemed simple to stitch.

However saying that, I had frogs all over part 1 and spent a lot of time unpicking and re-stitching.
But here is it is I have now completed all of part 1 and am half way through part 2. Unfortunately I didn't allow enough fabric for part 3, so I will stitch that one separately.

And as we are here in Billericay I intend to join in the quilters class I did, when we stayed here in April and I have already picked out what I want to make. As you can see the little flower heads are suffolk puffs!

This is in this book that was recommended to me by a member of the Sampler Guild, that I met when I went to the Canvey Stitchers get together.. it is a lovely book with lots of other projects in it too.

I can't wait to get started, but I have to unpack a few more boxes first!!!
Thank you to all that wished us well for our move, I am sorry that I haven't been visiting blogs of late, I am just too tired some evenings to log on... now that is admitting to something to be too tired to log on!!

We've moved!!

2011-05-14T19:37:00.003+01:00

You might be thinking I have given up on my blog but these boxes and bags are the reason why I haven't been able to post. I have been extremely busy!

These were in Coventry last thursday 12th May... our moving day!! It all went very smoothly but then we had been packing boxes for two weeks prior to the day and now??
This is the kitchen in Billericay to where we have moved... and these are just a few. We had about a hundred boxes and two days here we have unpacked about thirty!

And here is a picture of dh at the end of the day..

I am sure we will be straight eventually and it is worth the temporary mess and hard work.

When we went shopping yesterday we met my teaching assistant and I had a lovely chat with her, while we were chatting along came another from my old school, so it was hugs all round. It seems the school is to have a two day OFSTED next week, Joy of joy I am no longer teaching.. I shall pop into the school thursday after its all over. I had planned to go to the school to give the Headteacher my acceptant note for her leaving do, so just as well I met June who told me the Inspection was Tuesday and Wednesday!!

It is so wonderful to be back here..in fact it's bliss!!

The Royal Wedding

2011-04-29T14:58:00.000+01:00

The crowds

The ABBEY

That dress... wow!

Happily married

The Kiss!

I loved it all! Spent all morning watching the whole event and wow can't the Royals put on a show!
It was wonderful..

A good read!

2011-04-28T06:42:00.005+01:00

The opening page of this book is the 07:44 train on the Brighton to London line.

Carriages packed with commuters. We are given a snap shot of the occupants of one section of the train. A woman applies her make-up. Another occupies her time observing the people around her. A husband and wife share an affectionate gesture. Further along, a woman flicks through a glossy magazine.
Then, abruptly, everything changes: a man has a heart attack, and can't be resuscitated; the train is stopped, an ambulance called. The passengers leave the train.

For at least three passengers on the 07:44 on that particular morning, life will never be the same again.
Lou witnesses the man's final moments. Anna and Lou share a cab when they realise the train is going nowhere fast. Anna is Karen's best friend.
And Karen? Karen's husband is the man who dies.

Telling the story of the week following that fateful train journey, One Moment, One Morning is a stunning novel about love and loss, about family and – above all – friendship. A stark reminder that, sometimes, one moment is all it takes, it also reminds us that
somehow, and despite everything, life can and does go on.

A super read that held me all the way through, which I read more or less in one sitting.

My first ever bed sized quilt!

2011-04-21T10:33:00.002+01:00

My very first quilt. I am delighted with it although it is far from perfect. I love the sherbet colours of the fabric which I bought in Australia the year before last! I am so glad I bought that 1/4" foot for my machine as it is so much easier to get the seams 1/4" accurately. Although it is only squares and rectangles, the corners still had to be matched up! I can't free arm stitch all over the quilt so it is just stitched along the sashing, that was hard enough.(stitched in the ditch)
I think I will keep to my cross stitching for the next few months as it is easier!
Wonderful weather here. I have been in Essex the last three weeks, the first two for the building of our conservatory and then because DH went to Dubai with work.

We love the conservatory although it hasn't any furniture in it yet, because that is all in Coventry.. in three weeks time it should all be here!
Hope you're all enjoying the warm sunny weather where ever you are.. and are stitching happily.

Hugs

Suffolk Puffs and a day with stitching friends.

2011-04-17T10:47:00.003+01:00

I had a really lovely day yesterday as I joined the Canvey Stitching group, part of the Sampler Guild that I joined a coupe of years ago. They do a bring and share lunch, which was delicious. I weakened and had two pieces of this melt in the mouth chocolate cake made by one of the members.
Its only a 20 minute drive for me so I intend to go each week to their regular group and once a month they have a quilting day, which I am looking forward to as well. They aren't just a friendly group but extremely talented and the work on display was amazing, quilting, different designed bags as well as cross stitch. Laura told me how to make Suffolk Puffs (called yoyos in US)
When I got home I walked Nell and didn't fancy my cross stitch so decided to make some . I made three and was on my forth when I dropped my scissors, I leaned over to pick them up and must have swooshed the finished puffs off my little table on to the floor, because when I sat up they had gone.. I looked all round and couldn't see them..,. then realised Nell was outside and yes she had blinging ate them, well at least chewed them to death!! LOL
She is such a little minx!!

Mine are small about ¾" across so just bite sized for Nell!! Here's a link to show how they are made.
http://stayabreast.co.uk/pink-pom-pom-project/pppp-knit-patterns/suffolk-puffs-yoyos/

Here are the ones I made. I am going to use them as a border round an embroidered picture on a note book cover.
It was so soothing to sew these last evening I was missing Mike quite a bit. He texted this morning and it is 25°C in Dubai and work is going well. I think Nell is missing him too altho' I have walked her each evening and yesterday I walked her in the morning too before I went out, so she is being exercised.
Lovely sunny day here again, I love it here!

Happy days and and enjoy what ever you're doing.

I've caught the patchwork bug!!

2011-04-10T15:52:00.003+01:00

I am amazed that I found these two cushions covers so easy .... but I have found the reason.

Accurate measuring and cutting and using a 1/4 inch machine foot!!

I've used the bright fabric I bought for a throw for the conservatory settee. Not everyone's colour choice but they were meant to be bright for our patio chairs.

The top one is made using squares and rectangles and the other is a log cabin pattern.

I choose these patterns to practice my cutting out and accurate stitching and it has certainly paid off, as I am a lot more confident in matching up corners and seams!

This was all from one session at a quilting and patchwork class, which I thoroughly enjoyed and intend to go to each week once we move here permanently.

It less than a ten minute drive from my home and she sells fabric and wools, a verity Aladins cave!

I think I have caught the patchwork bug and now feel confident enough to attempt a bed size quilt!

Socks and stitching..

2011-04-07T10:15:00.003+01:00

These were to be my March socks but ended up as my April 1st socks, just couldn't get them knitted in time. I had a couple of evenings when I did nothing, no knitting or cross stitch! Most unusual for me but I was so tired.

This is two weeks work as no batteries for my camera last week. I have completed a small motif and the word Tulip and a bigger motif. I am still delighted with this and love the colour combination of each motif.

It is on target to be a years stitch!

And my new start on the French Sampler au Bouquet is coming along nicely.

I am happily in the SAL in the Needlecraft Haven group with this.

However with this sunny weather knitting and stitching has been left to garden!

We are here in Billericay as we are having a conservatory built and it is nearly completed. We should be returning to Coventry next week and we will be packing stuff to move here permanently.

I am so excited!! Like a silly little girl! Every time I drive out somewhere I have to drive back through the little town just to see it all over again!

Thank you for all the lovely comments on my framed design 'His Name' for my church.. I have sent the link to all of you who asked for the web site, some nice things on it and all free.

Hope you're enjoying this sunny warm weather where ever you are.

Framed and dancing all the way!

2011-03-25T21:41:00.000Z

I have framed this myself and I am very pleased with my efforts. I carefully pinned and stretched the piece of work and measured it in mm. The frame is dark blue and really suits the stitching. Sorry about the flash on the glass but this was the best photograph I could do. This is going to be my leaving present for the church I have been attending here in Coventry.

Thank you to Clare who told me about this frame shop in Coventry I think I will be using it again.

Happy Stitching all

A RAK arrived!

2011-03-23T16:41:00.000Z

Crystal in Canada was one of my RAK winners and on the 25th February she had Samuel.. I didn't know she was expecting, it was such a surprise as I have only been following her blog for a while. I had this wool and the pattern, which I had bought for a work in school, whose scan according to them, was a boy. I think they were quite surprised when little Megan popped out! So I knitted a little pink cardi instead!

So when Crystal announced she had Sam I got knitting right away. The needle roll was a quick stitch as I had stitched one in a different colour a couple of years ago. It wasn't what I intended to do origially but I wanted Crystal to have the jumper as soon as possible.

It is not a baby first size as Sam was over 9 pounds born so I do hope it fits.
Love to you Crystal and Sam and all your family, I remember that your daughter is off on a trip, hope she is enjoying herself and you're not missing her too much.

Brought back lovely memories when I was knitting, as all my sons are very grown and tower over me and my DD has her own three children, all growning up very fast. I can't believe my GD will be 17 this summer.
I used to make all my childrens clothes and never stopped sewing and knitting... those were happy days.

Meet Up and a pressie

2011-03-19T21:50:00.001Z

Today it was the Meet Up in Nuneaton of the Needlecraft Haven-ers.. there were 23 of us all stitching and maybe a small amount of chatting!! LOL

Lots of amazing finished work which was beautiful. Such talent I was in awe of the beautiful stitching.
This is Julie (bagpuss) and Tina and as you see stitching, their needles were smoking!

Clare organised the day and seen here with the blue scarf, Lynsey as well and all stitching!

Its Maggie hiding behind her tapistry

And when I got home after a lovely day, this was waiting for me.

And inside this beautifully stitched little pillow from Sue (As if by Magic)

She had offered a PIF on her blog and I won.

The stitching is exquisit and the colours lovely. I love it Sue, thank you very much.

I love the way she has added beads to the ribbon, very artistic.

Thank you again Sue. I offered a RAK instead of a PIF and I am stitching away.....
After a lovely day I am so tired so having an early night... all that ~~chatting...~~ no stitching has worn me out!
Happy Days everyone
Hugs Chris x

Happy dancing and a tra la la!

2011-03-18T10:34:00.001Z

I have finished this in record time.. so off this morning to arrange for it to be framed. It is for the church I have been attending these last four years, the best part of Coventry!
I like it in all the different colour blues and His Name is Jesus in the darker colour so it stands out. I am very pleased with myself for getting it stitched in such a short time. ( I started it on 25th February)

And here is Sal Aux Bouquet all kitted up and ready to go. I am using 32C even weave in cream and the recommended DMC threads. I have down loaded the first two parts and will buy number III when it comes out.

It is a SAL on the French web site hence the name, but I am in a SAL with Needlecraft Haven. It was planned to start on the 15th March, but I wanted to finish one of my WIPs before I started it. I might have a few things on the go but I like to finish one thing before I start another!
That way I don't feel so guilty starting some thing new even though I have others to stitch. Anyway my explanation is with a few things on the go I don't get board because I always have some thing different to stitch!
Tomorrow is the Meet Up of the Needlecraft Haven-ers in Nuneaton so I am really looking forward to that!
Happy Stitching and aren't the spring flowers beautiful... gives me a boost when ever I see them.

Some pics at last and busy days

2011-03-09T17:50:00.005Z

I have been having problems down loading photographs, so frustrating.. but today its worked Yipee!!

So here are some progress pics.. my 'His Name' design is coming along nicely and I hope to finish this by next week as I want to take part in the Sampler-au-Bouquet Sal..

I have down loaded the charts and have sufficient Antique White 32C even weave and the threads.. so can't wait to get started.

My Spring Quaker by Rosewood Manor is coming along slowly too. I intend for this be my long term project so I only do one motif or part of a motif each week. So I finished last weeks big motif and did the small one next to it. I still love it.

I have completed one of my RAK pressies and it is ready to post. I don't usually complete just one when I am doing something like this, but there was a very special reason for doing this which will be revealed when it has arrived with the recipient.
My other stitching has gone into my WIPs bag and will have to stay there until 'His Name' design is finished, as I need to give it to my church before the end of April.. which seems an age away but it will have to be framed first.
We have been very busy in the house too, yesterday I part painted our front wicker fence. I say part as I was hours and it was dusk when I came in with the intention of finishing today, but the sudden showers stopped me. This was just as well as all the bending over yesterday was not good for my back!! Poor ol' me!
We have a beautiful kitchen free of clutter with shining kitchen cupboard doors with new pine knobs and the new hall stairs and landing carpet looks very good. We have strips of the cut offs to protect where we walk!!
So we will soon be ready to go up for sale; At last!
We are off to my DIL's birthday meal on Friday and I have actually made a hair appointment! All her family will be there and so I don't want to let my son down.

We seem to be busy all the time and this afternoon was my Library ReadingGroup, which was very interesting

This was the choice for March and for once we discussed this for the whole hour! Quite unusual as sometimes we go off the book. I loved it and so led the group as some of the others didn't get it finished.
A good read and worth persevering past the first two chapters as it was a
bit confusing at first!!

Happy Stitching all

Hugs

It's a dog's life!

2011-02-27T13:50:00.001Z

Does she look comfy on my Laura Ashley chair, resting on my silk cushion and my cross stitch one of ‘Cats,’ that took me a year or two to finish??

This little rascal girl Nell woke us this morning just after 4 am. Dh got up to see what the crying and wailing was all about. She had been a very, very little bit sick. He settled her and came back to bed, did she settle back down?? At 5 ish we were drinking cups of tea and she was on the bed in between us and sleeping!

I did doze but was extremely tired when we did decided to get up at 7:45 and she was still sleeping! Grrrrr

I didn’t go to church this morning because I knew if I sat still and quiet for any length of time I would doze off. Very embarrassing, I did it once in a members meeting and was woken at the end for the last song!

And where has Nell been all morning? Sleeping on the chair.

What a life she has and what a merry dance she sometimes puts us through! But we still love her.

I haven’t done any stitching this week as we have been very busy trying to get this house decorated and garden weeded and tidy as we want to go on the market to sell. We have had a new carpet laid in the hall, stairs and landing, which now looks a lot lighter. DH has removed all the broken handles and replaced them with pine knobs, on the kitchen cupboard doors and they look superb. Why we didn’t do this for us is a mystery! But it does all look very nice now.

I have also been knitting and unravelling a sock! I tried a mock cable stitch and the sock turned out to be too tight, even though I had cast on extra stitches to allow for the pattern. So I undid it, and knitted it up again, this time with the little mock cable as the rib and the rest of the sock just a patterned rib. I am half way through the second sock and if it is to be a February sock for the SOM I ‘d best get knitting!

Why do I give myself so much to do!

Happy days!!

Spring Sampler, Praying for a Cure and a new start..'.His Name' design.

2011-02-21T11:20:00.002Z

I have only managed a small bit of my Spring Quaker this week because I have had other stitching to do..
So this week I have stitched February's christmas ornie, can't post a pic to day as we are in Essex and it is in Coventry.
I also stitched this for a church friend as she has been diagnosed with breast cancer, so this was stitched with a prayer in every stitch and still praying for her. Especially today as it is her op day.

And this will be for the church I am leaving in Coventry so must keep stitching this each evening till its completed.

Its on 32C Antique white even weave and the chart was a freebee from http://www.joyfulexpressions.us/.
I am using DMC all different colour blue threads. I think it is going to look rather nice.

What a bargain knitting book!

2011-02-16T17:48:00.004Z

The new yarn I ordered arrived last week and I am delighted with it.. It will be used for the sock a month challenge for February and March. And just look at this book of patterns it was only £2.00.

I saw it when we were shopping in Tesco and had to have it. It is absolutely gorgeous and has a variety of patterns, modern cardigans, socks, cushions, the sweetest little baby booties and scarves and hats. I could spend hours just looking through it!!

What a bargain...

And these socks are a must to knit, they are so, so pretty

Love this cushion and knitted ones are all the rage.

Oh for a 36 hour day to enjoy all these lovely things to make! And doesn't the month seem to be rushing away? We are more than half way through it already and isn't it nice to see the sun, albeit still be a bit chilly in the early mornings; roll on spring!

And the winners are

2011-02-14T13:42:00.009Z

My RAK winners are:-

I used a random number generator and the following came up...

Lesleyanne

Chystal

Rachael

Thank you to the other 21 for taking part...

Sorry I couldn't post this at the weekend, my computer wouldn't let me play!!

I shall be in touch for your addresses and you will receive some thing made by me within the next 12 months

Hope you're all having a great Valentine's day.. my DH made me a super card on his computer and his own rhyming verse.

I made a heart shaped short bread biscuit. It was quite big and we have had some and it was delicious. When I made it I didn't think about the taste, just that it was something different.

Each year I have made some thing different..

Year 1 was an ivy covered wire heart growing in a flower pot.

Year 2 was a flowery home made card

Year 3 Was a cross stitched heart(I gave him this when we were in Australia)

Year 4 was a wire shaped heart with buttons on it.

So this year it was something to eat.

That's my food plan out the window today!!

Happy Days and happy stitching

Spring has sprung!

2011-02-09T16:55:00.001Z

How can I be miserable about the cold weather when I have these in my garden.

The first signs of spring... Tuesday's weather was warm and sunny and I was able to do some tidying up in the garden and tucked away under some dried fern fronds were these little beauties.

At last some real signs that the winter is on its way out.. sorry Australia and New Zealand but yours is on its way. At least you won't have the snow as we have had this winter. These have reminded me I have a cross stitch chart of snow drops some where, that I stitched years ago for a friend. I think I'll search it out and stitch it again! It will be some where in my stash, I wonder if I will be able to find it???
Happy Days every one..

A very proud day

2011-02-08T07:42:00.003Z

Today is a very proud day for me because it is the 8th anniversary of the ladies chit chat group I run.
We have been going for 8 years I can't believe it! It started off in Smart Groups and when that finished we emigrated to yahoo groups.
Members have come and gone but those who have remained come from UK, US, NZ and France. With only 14 members we manage to generate an average of 800 mails a month! Some months we top 1200!
Over the years we have had births of grandchildren, marriages, one being my own, a very sad passing of one of our members and lots of laughs. What do we chat about? Every thing!
It is my morning pick up with friends who are always there even though I have never met them.
A big part of my life...

I have been blessed with this group of friends and whose friendship has been a life saver on many occasions.
So a very big thank you to Heather, (Scotland) Pauline and Jae(NZ) Iris( France) Sue, Jane, Lesley, Pam, (UK) and Marge, Peggy, and the two Bonnies (US)
A wonderful group of women with whom I have laughed and cried over the years. Long may we all go on and on!

WIPs Progress

2011-02-06T15:33:00.002Z

I have stitched a lot more on this and have nearly finished all the gold which is horrible to use. Perhaps I should have used a wax or something with it. At one point I though I had mis-counted and was greatly relieved when it met up with the lower border! I was dreading it being wrong.

I am having a rest from this this week.

If I wasn't in the 2011 weekly stitchalong I probably wouldn't be stitching this! I need now to start the back stitch as it looks as though it is going to be complicated on the outlines of the petals of the dandelions!

This I love! I love the muted colours and that each motif is different.

I am glad I used 32C as it makes it look so delicate.

There is still lots of time to sign up for my giveaway as the draw is not till next sunday..so leave your name and be included..

Happy stitching all

My busy January.

2011-02-03T15:36:00.002Z

I saw this pattern and had to make it. It took me just three evenings to crochet it. I used the yarn used in the pattern but had to search around for it from a UK dealer. Its a wool mixture called Bamboo Ewe and the colours have delightful names: Geranium, Lipstick, Sprout and Snapdragon. I think the names are as lovely as the colours themselves

I love the bright colours and wore it to church on sunday. I had lots of admiring comments which was nice.

Crocheting is back in vogue!

As is knitting.. my efforts for the January challenge for SOM group was in my previous post.

Lovely and stripy socks, just what I like.

And of course I stitched a reindeer for the Christmas Ornie challenge.

Now I need some new sock yarn for February and I have dug out my JC Christmas edition for my February ornie.

As well as this I have managed to work on all three of my WIPs and will show pics next time.
And I stitched Jaclyn's RR... So quite a busy month.
If you haven't already signed up, don't miss my free givaway, sign up now. The draw is on the 12th February

Happy Days and enjoy your crafting whatever it is..

A RAK Givaway

2011-01-29T09:31:00.005Z

My friend Sue was offering a PIF on her blog and as I have had a beautiful needle case from her before, I couldn’t wait to sign up.. and I was the only one!!

So perhaps with so many Challenges, SALs, Exchanges and WIPs finishing off blogs, going on , PIFs have for the moment taken a back seat... So with this in mind I have decided to do RAK instead... this could be anything to do with cross stitch, so come on sign up for a giveaway from me in the next year.

Just leave a comment here and then give a link back to my blog on your blog to qualify. I will chose three.

I shall make the draw on Saturday, February 12th.

I should explain RAK is a Random Act of Kindness, so it is a givaway..

First 2 makes of 2011

2011-01-26T14:21:00.001Z

I have joined Knit a sock a month! And these are my January socks. I loved the stripy colours and they are

so easy to make. I am going to make a patterned pair next.. so surfing for some sock yarn!

And I have also join Christmas Challenge 2011.

Just stitch a Christmas ornie each month. I thought they could be presents for my friends instead of just a card next Christmas. This is stitched on 28C even weave with a gold thread. Dmc 666 and trimmed with red rick-rack. Its backed with red Christmas fabric.

So I am well pleased with myself.. two presents for next Christmas already!

A very busy and happy weekend!

2011-01-25T09:26:00.003Z

We have had such a lovely weekend... its true when you do something for someone else it makes you happy! Saturday we invited Mike's DS and wife and little GS for the day...They came here to my house in Essex as it so much nearer to travel to than Coventry. We had a lovely day with them and they gave me these lovely roses.

Their second baby is due in April so exciting time ahead.

***

Then Sunday we had asked my DD and her DH and my lovely grand children to come for sunday dinner! They gave me the tulips, and brought wine and mint chocs.

We cooked this huge leg of lamb and with roast potatoes and a selection of veg, it was all eaten.

The children cleared their plates and my granddaughter finished off all the gravy as she loves her grandma's gravy and always had extra gravy.

My grandsons were lovely and I had extra hugs from Theo my youngest (he's 10) as he said he hadn't seen me for ages! He gave me his school photo and its lovely and one photo as a book mark which is lovely too. He is leaning forward with his arms folded on a table and it's a great pose, which he did he told he did because he had a mark on his tee shirt!! LOL
I had such a lovely day..exhausting but so enjoyable.
I bought the daffodils on friday when we went to Basildon shopping.

To me they mean spring is on its way!

So we had a very busy time but it was so enjoyable...

A present, a buy and a make!

2011-01-21T17:06:00.002Z

I love the bright colours of this, its one of those funny little tea-pots that lifts off to reveal a cup underneath.was given it for a christmas present and I love it. It will look lovely on my dresser.

Last week we went to Stratford, just for a wander around and I saw these in one of the many little knick-nak shops. They are salt and pepper pots. I doubt if I will ever use them but I didn't buy them to use just to have them on my dresser and to look at! Perhaps if I did an afternoon tea with friends I would put them out on the table! They are so cute and cup cakes are all the rage.

And I made this ages ago and kept forgetting to photograph it.

This stands on my mantle shelf in my house in Essex, where my real home is!

I like to have bitty things around and to the friends who have said to me in the past, all those things to dust...... poof!! I only dust them now and then, because I am too busy stitching!

Happy days and happy stitching!

The way to live your life!

2011-01-18T12:25:00.004Z

For all you ladies who like me like to live life to the full.

Click on the D and enjoy!!

Dancing

Three very different WIPs and a PIF and 2 new Challenges!

2011-01-16T13:32:00.007Z

I have stitched a little bit on each of my WIPs this week and think all three are showing progress, so I am pleased..

Rosewood Manor,' Spring Quaker': Bothy Threads 'Buzzy Days'

And Celtic Lady 'Summer'

I have kitted up Rosewood Manor Quaker and Quilts and will

start this when I have finished one of these. I am going to use 32C cream linen, and the recommended Valdani floss

To keep myself busy I have also joined two new blogs,

Knit a pr of socks in a Month

and

Challenge for a Christmas Ornie a month!

And of course I am taking part in Stitchers Haven RR..

And if you would like a beautiful stitched something, then pop along to Sue's blog as she is doing a PIF.

Happy Stitchy Days, whether it is stitching, knitting or crochet... Enjoy

Much better... and the sun is shining!

2011-01-09T13:09:00.004Z

Thank you to you all for your very kind words last week and to those who emailed me. What ever it was that pushed me into feeling so down has gone! And they were only words from someone I never see, so who cares??

Perhaps it had something to do with this....I stitched this for some one in my church who had been diagnosed with cancer ( Oct 2008) She is fine, completely cured and looks great! I didn't know this till today but she has this hanging where she sees it every day and every day and some times several times a day, she says a prayer for me. I was astonished when she told me.. how little things we do for some one can have an effect on us too. So thank you Su, I needed those prayers.And this morning church was wonderful, the preaching was completely uplifting and great worship songs too.

And the sun is shining today, albeit very frosty; the house is at last clean and tidy after Christmas (took it all down on thursday 12th night, which exhausted me and meant I slept really well !)
And DH and I have had some very pleasant evenings together, alone again...bliss!
My stitching is all getting done and I am loving it all.

I don't know why I decided I didn't like stitching this, because I have quite enjoyed it this week and had to stop myself from finishing it, after all I joined the 2011 weekly SAL to get it finished so I have all year!! LOL
I will start my Chatelaine for the SAL and do that when it is finished.

My Summer Celtic Lady is showing progress too. This HD Polstitches fabric is gorgeous to stitch on, so soft.

I think it is beginning to look like I have done some thing on it.

AND ta-da my latest stitching is.......

My Rosewood Manor Quaker Spring.. I absolutely love it! I didn't use the pale grey fabric as the paler colours just didn't show up, so used a 32C Cream Belfast that I had in my stash. I think the smaller stitching makes it look so delicate and I love the colours! Can't wait to stitch some more of this, this week!
So I am back normal and alwayssmiling again..So hip-hop and skippity do and happy days to all and wishing you many happy stitchy hours.

Miserable me!

2011-01-05T14:35:00.001Z

When is wet and miserably cold outside or I feel miserable, I think of this summer meadow.

But today it just hasn't worked.

I am having a horrible day.. for some reason only known to herself, my MIL has said some horrible things about me. I can't work out why because I have always been pleasant to her.

It could have some thing to do with the fact that DH has said we are moving away from Coventry.They have become very reliant on their son for shopping and various Dr appointments lately, which I have never objected to. It has made me feel miserable and I want to run away!! Silly me...... I am a grown woman...... but I am a grown woman with my own house so it is possible for me to just go.

I won't of course, I wouldn't give my DH that sort of grief.

And this cold wet weather doesn't help how I feel.

When I felt like this before, we were in Tesco's and I saw a woman there with one of those scarves tied round her head, as women do when they have lost their hair because of chemo. It made me snap out of my mood right away and count my blessings. So that's what I should do now!

Evidently MIL has regretted saying what she did, although she hasn't said this to me. Anyway words are like feathers in the wind, you can never get them back.

I have these growing in our conservatory and pots of daffs already sprouting, so lots of things to cheer me up.

And I am blessed in too many ways to mention... the house needs a good clean as we still have Christmas cards up and our tree as we always leave it all for 12th night..so I am off to clean in our bedroom and throw off this black mood!
House work is the panacea for all sorts of things for me and it gets me feeling pleased with myself! Sad or what???LOL
I am getting on well with all my stitching and I think I will start one of the new charts I have all kitted up, yeh!!

Review of 2010 and Plans for 2011

2011-01-03T08:46:00.011Z

In 2010 I took up knitting and crocheting again, something I did a lot of when my children were little. I am still knitting socks like there is no tomorrow! I love this stripy yarn you can buy these days, its all so pretty.

And I had completed a lot more stitchy projects than I thought.

And I did a few other little things as well. Beaded scissor fobs, a button heart for DH for valentine's day and a summer and autumn throw for our little settee in the conservatory. Quilting was a brand new project for me.

So in 2011, I am going to finish my Summer Celtic Lady, SAL my Rosewood Quaker Spring, quaker sal SAL my Bothy Threads 'Buzzy days' http://2011weeklysal.blogspot.com/ and I am sewing a Block of the Month Quilt..As well as that I am in a RR with the new group called Needle Craft Haven I have other stitching projects all kitted up and ready to go and I want to make another quilt for our bed in Billericay. And of course we are moving there, so a busy year!

Happy Crafting all and enjoy yourselves!

Progress of one and start of a new cross stitch design.

2010-12-29T07:28:00.007Z

How quickly the few days of Christmas passed. I hope you all enjoyed the time with family and friends.

The snow now gone, that was lovely to look out on, has turned our garden to a sorry sight with growth all blackened and rather sad looking. Still I know there are snowdrops and daffodils all there waiting to burst through the sodden ground. Yesterday I planted some bulbs! Yes yesterday, I had bought some reduced at the garden centre we went to before Christmas, they were already sprouting so they are now in large pots on the patio.

A New Year stretches ahead with all those new cross stitchy things to do and some to finish!

This is my Summer Celtic Lady, I have been steadily stitching in the evenings. I really want to get this finished by the end of January. I have stitched a lot of the gold, which I hate using as it is inclined to shred so I only use short lengths. It is begining to look good so I am pleased with how it is turning out.

And this will be a new start in January. It is my Quaker design by Rosewood Manor and I have bought the recommended Valdani hand dyed cotton floss. I have choosen a 28C Pale Grey cashel linen.

This is my piece for the quaker sal I have set up to start in January. Do leave me your email if you would like to join in with any quaker design, either new or one you have already started.

I can't wait to start this.. I also have quite a few charts ready kitted up and intend to start some thing new every other week, so no not quite the Crazy January Challenge where you start some thing new each day for fifteen days !!! I was tempted but I have pledged to finish designs as I start new and that's enough for me. Just fancy having fifteen things on the go!

When I started blogging I had no idea how much my life would be made richer by all the blogging friends I have made from all over the world. Thank you for all the comments and nice things you have all said, it has been very encouraging and heart warming.
Things haven't been all yippidy do for me this year, living here in Coventry has its down side, but I try to remember to be happy as each day is a new day and made just for me!
So I wish all my blogging friends a Very Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year, with lots of happy stitchy hours.
Bests

Happy and Blessed Christmas to everyone!

2010-12-24T17:14:00.002Z

I hope all my blogging friends will have a wonderful Christmas and you are all able to share it with family and friends.

We are all ready, and are looking forward to tomorrow when we can all sit round the table and share our Christmas meal.
I have iced the cake and we have decorated around the house. We have once again been blessed with beautiful cards and there are lots of presents under the tree.
The one I bought for DH is too bit to wrap, although it has the packing on it from the shop so he can't see what it is. (I am looking forward to seeing his face when he opens it tomorrow!) I hope he will like it, I do!

Here is our side board with the cake and lots of goodies.

So a Very Happy and Blessed Christmas to all and all good wishes for Health and Happiness in 2011.

Birthday .... mine!

2010-12-22T10:55:00.003Z

It was my birthday on Monday 20th Dec.. I hate it this time of the year, it seems sometimes to get in the way of Christmas. We had travelled to my house in Essex as it is nearer for my family to come to and we had planned a family get together on Saturday, but because of the snow, nobody could come. So I was disappointed but I didn't want them stuck on motor ways in snow or have an accident. So it was just my lovely DH and me! These are the lovely earings and the bracelet that he bought for me. And I love them.

We went out for an Italian meal together on monday. which was very nice and the red wine too.

And I have had loads of cards from friends so thats nice too and some lovely presents.

My son and his wife did come on Monday afternoon in between snow showers, and so we had mince pies and cups of tea and it was lovely to see them. And we drove back via a very snowy Cambridge to see my daughter and grand children. When we went in the two boys were out in the snowy back garden and hyper already and my lovely 16 year old grand daugher was still in bed but arrived half an hour later fully made up!

We are now back in Coventry and it is snowing hard, so once again I am indoors! I am afraid to walk out in the snow incase I slip. Last February my friend Peta fell and broke her shoulder and was off work for three months and couldn't even dress herself the first few weeks. And just think not being able to stitch for weeks and weeks, I couldn't face that so I am happy to stay inside!
We brought all the extra food back so we had plenty of tea, milk, bread, cake, chicken, ham, a cooked potato with bacon and thyme in cream cheese sauce dish, coleslaw, trifle, (half eaten as we have eaten some,) crisps,tasty Indian bits to dip in sweet chili sauce, prawns in pastry, sausage rolls and ice cream and lots more! So if you fancy a party .....don't phone, just pop in!!! We have enough to feed an army!
Happy days!

Summer Celtic Lady

2010-12-19T13:11:00.003Z

I have stitched this regularly this last month and fitted it in around making Christmas pressies. I would really like to get it finished in the New year.
I have other stitching to do and need to finish some of my WIPs. I did pledge to finish one WIP each month and although I did finish my 'Golden Gate Houses' in November, I have since then knitted socks and made Christmas cards so this could be finished end of January? Not as many WIPs as some, I only have three, but I started this last August 2009! The fabric I am using is Polstitches Silversage 28 Jobelan.
And as we are in Billericay in the snow!! I have knitted myself some short socks these last two days, from the pattered yarn left over from the socks I knitted for my grand daughter last year, and matched with some pink yarn for the welt, heels and toes. It seems such a waste not to use the patterned yarn and I like to think I am getting my money's worth!

The Quaker SAL now has 9 members so if you have a quaker design all ready started, or want to stitch one come and join us in this stitch-a-long starting in January. If it takes your fancy send me your email addy and I'll send you an invite.
Happy stitching all

Wanted some Stitch-a-long friends

2010-12-14T13:26:00.001Z

I want to stitch this starting in the new year... so if there are any stitchers who have a quaker design as a wip or wants to start anew, I would love to Stitch-a-Long with you!

I see S&S are doing a SAL and although the design they have chosen is lovely, its not something I want to do.

So any one fancy a SAL?

To join in this SAL you need to leave me your email addy..

Thanks Chris x

A very happy dance and lots of finishes!

2010-12-13T14:54:00.004Z

My Golden Gate Houses finished!

I have loved stitching this and now it is finished I think I am going to get it professionally framed.

I love the design and the rich colours and am very pleased as to how it has turned out.

We actually saw houses like these in Sans Francisco on our honeymoon!

And all my crocheting and knitting for christmas are finished too. This scarf and hat was for my friend's birthday and in spite of the snow, she received them only a day or two after the date. And they have been worn already!

And how could I let Christmas pass with our knitting some socks.

Two pairs, one for each of my grand sons.

I added another colour for the welt, heel and toe to make the yarn do two pairs!

And some chocs for my daughter in a decorated jar! I used glass paints for the lid and then stuck on some pretty blue buttons.

And that I think is all my making done, although I quite fancy a little crochet hat for my grand daughter; black of course with sequins and beads.
And I have a new ball of self patterning yarn so I think a restful time over Christmas knitting socks!
Happy stitching n' knitting to you all.

I am now stitching my Celtic Lady and will post pics of my progress next time.

Snowed in!

2010-12-02T07:59:00.007Z

We arrived here in Billericay Monday afternoon and woke up tuesday to snow! And it has continued to snow! We managed to get out to get some shopping bits as we had planned to do our food shop here instead of bringing it with us. However although our road has just a slight hill, only four wheel drive and some bigger vans have made it up the hill! This is my little shed I painted forgot-me-not blue to look like a beach hut and the snow has drifted up the side.

And look at the christmas tree I planted in the garden after Christmas 2005, it is huge now. It would be lovely with my outside lights around it come Christmas time

And here is Nell, she has been like a small child dashing aound in the snow and burying her nose in it having a whale of a time.

And us???? We are toasty warm inside and eatling winter vegetable soup made by myself. The soup bowls were my grand mothers and about 60 years old!! Just two left of this design.

Our plan was to return to Coventry tomorrow but if the M25 has problems we will stay till it is safe to travel. I hope we can, as I have commitments at my church over the weekend and I don't like letting people down.

Best thing about this weather is, it is inside knitting, crocheting and stitching weather.!

Hope where ever you are you are happily stitching or knitting!

PS A fabulous give away here.. http://feathersinthenest.blogspot.com/

Happy Thanks Giving Day

2010-11-25T08:13:00.002Z

For flowers that bloom about our feet;

For tender grass, so fresh, so sweet;

For song of bird, and hum of bee;

For all things fair we hear or see,

Father in heaven, we thank Thee!

Ralph Waldo Emerson

The First Thanksgiving

When the Pilgrims

first gathered together to share

with their Indian friends

in the mild autumn air,

they lifted the voices

in jubilant praise

for the bread on the table,

the berries and maize,

for field and for forest,

for turkey and deer,

for the bountiful crops

they were blessed with that year.

They were thankful for these

as they feasted away,

and as they were thankful

we're thankful today.

Unknown

A lovely way to thank God for all our blessings. Not celebrated in a big way outside US but I think we all have blessings that need a thank you. I know I certainly have.

So I say a big Thank You to all those of you that read my blog and also to those of you who leave such lovely comments.

Enjoy today!

From one house to the other!

2010-11-13T16:24:00.003Z

We left my house in Billericay in Thursday's blustery winds and rain, a dreadful journey home with gusts of winds up to 60mph on the motorway, quite frightening. At one point on the M1 a couple of apple trees on the embankment shed their apples in a whoosh of wind. They hit DH's car and spread across the carriageway. By the time I went past some were squashed but some were rolling all over the road. Quite amazing! We arrived home exhausted from the drive and I was really glad of an early night.

But before we left I had to go into my garden with my camera and here it is in the rain just before we left.

In the bottom left corner you can just see my water feature.'Gladys'. I bought her several years ago at the Garden's World show at the NEC, with money left me by my Aunty Gladys! The water comes out of a flower on her hat and runs round the brim to trickle off one side. I love her but quite a few people have been horrid and said they thought she was ugly, what a cheek!! LOL But to me she is beautiful. Verdigris bronze and cute!

And tucked away under an over grown bush was this.. a hellebore. This was given to me by Nicky a young teaching colleague for my 60th birthday, It has survived the four years of neglect! We did manage to plant some spring bulbs although the ground was very soggy and heavy. It is impossible to weed out the thick thatch of celandines and buttercup runners so come the spring I shall dig up any flowers that are there and pot them up and spray weed killer. It will be the only way to get rid of the worst of the weeds.

And... I needed some retail therapy and this beautiful jug was in one of the lovely nik-knack shops in the High St.

And now its mine!

Hope you're all enjoying the milder weather we are having again. DH and I have just planted some polyanthas in the front garden here to brighten it up.Can't let the garden go here and I do like things to look tidy.
Roll on spring!!! I can't wait to get my garden in Billericay full of flowers again.
Happy gardening and stitching!

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow.

2010-11-11T08:36:00.000Z

In Flanders Fields

By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)

Canadian Army

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields

The original poem handwritten by John McCrae

TA-DA.... A happy dance!

2010-11-06T09:31:00.003Z

I started this 8th August 2010 ... it is a design called ABECEDAIRE by http://gazette94.blogspot.com/. I have used 28 C Linen and DMC threads 561 and 598 and I am very happy with it.
It was lovely to stitch and although I am 5 days over the October ending I feel I have met my pledge to finish an UFO each month.. and here is it finished!

For November my pledge is to finish my Golden Bridge Houses which still has a lot of back stitching and french knots to do. I am now making gifts for Christmas and have nearly finished my wavy crochet pattern scarf for my friend.. so lots to do!
After Christmas I am starting Rosewood Manor Quakers Spring and I have signed up for another RR with the Stitch and Stash group... my UFO to finish along side with these projects will be my Celtic Lady, 'Summer'

Happy stitching everyone and hope you too are enjoying this extra-ordinary warm weather.

Always smiling

Winter flowers

Progress report and a happy dance!

Deep and Crisp and even!

Argggg!! The Dentist...

Woo-hoo look what I won!

Christmas ornie and a small...

My first star block

A win!!

WIPocalyse and BAP progress

BAP Challenge

WIPocalyse!

Today I wish you.........

Nell loved her christmas pressie!

A Very Happy Dance...

Givaway...

Christmas ornies for pressies

A new scarf

Comments

A happy dance!

BE AWARE!!

Lest we Forget

I think he loves me!

Goodbye.... to number 24 in Coventry

So what have you done today???

Getting back to how it was!

A book cover!

My September finish.... A mammoth task!!!

South Pacific

South Pacific - A Wonderful Guy (Sing-along) - YouTube

What you can do when you're retired!

A postcard from Henley on Thames

Finished shrug/cardi

RAKs arrived....

Stitching update

My Autumn Promises

Out of my basket came.........

An Anniversary present

My first love......

Summer Exchange

An award

A UFO, something easy and something really difficult!!

A watery week in Yorkshire!

My RR is home and finished

Crochet bag and some stitching.

A week in West Wales

Some things I like to buy!

Put on your dancing shoes and dance with me!!!

On a wet Sunday afternoon.

A stitching progress report at last!!!

My wool has arrived.....

Frustration!!

Something different.... for a while

I am still stitching!!

We've moved!!

The Royal Wedding

A good read!

My first ever bed sized quilt!

Suffolk Puffs and a day with stitching friends.

I've caught the patchwork bug!!

Socks and stitching..

Framed and dancing all the way!

A RAK arrived!

Meet Up and a pressie

Happy dancing and a tra la la!

Some pics at last and busy days

It's a dog's life!

Spring Sampler, Praying for a Cure and a new start..'.His Name' design.

What a bargain knitting book!

And the winners are

Spring has sprung!

A very proud day

WIPs Progress

My busy January.

A RAK Givaway

First 2 makes of 2011

A very busy and happy weekend!

A present, a buy and a make!

The way to live your life!

Three very different WIPs and a PIF and 2 new Challenges!