Happy New Year everyone and a healthy one and I hope that you will receive many blessings through out the year.

And remember....

You’ve gotta dance like there’s nobody watching,
Love like you’ll never be hurt,
Sing like there’s nobody listening,
And live like it’s heaven on earth.

- William W. Purkey

 

Chris xx

Thank you....

..... for your advice and suggestions.. 15 mins sounds a bit too short a time for me, it would take too long. However one evening a week would probably suit me better. I could cope with that.
 So this design will stay in my WIP bag and I will post once a month on my progress.
Thank you too for the yuku forum I think  I will look at that..

So Chatelaine I will not be beaten!  I did have an  email from someone who  paid twice what I paid, it seems over the years it has gone up considerably. I must have bought this 6 years ago. I can't remember! When I bought it I loved it, although I  was a bit dismayed by the PDF doc print out but enlarging it on screen works a treat

So Happy Stitching All

Chris xx

Help I hate it!

 

 

Am I the only stitcher to have done this?  I bought the whole pack of Chatelaine’s Convents Herbal Garden, the chart, the HD linen, all the silks and beads at considerable cost and I hate it!

It started to go wrong when I couldn’t see what was stitches and what were beads on the printed out chart which came as a PDF document.. Other stitchers suggested to enlarge the chart on my laptop screen, and then print it off or even work from the screen. My DH and I had a frustrating morning trying to open the PDF doc. because I couldn’t remember the pass word. Then inspiration I suddenly thought what would Martine have given me as a password personal to me.. ah-ha my own email addy and it opened. So it is easier to see the chart now and I have stitched the middle section but oh how I hate it.. anyone got the answer to spur me on??

I need help, I can’t just scrap it, it cost too much!

Chris xx

I am very proud of my efforts because I have stitched these each month. I have two more to complete and thats  what I am stitching and finishing off  this weekend, if I have time.

My step daughters arrive tomorrow for Christmas and tomorrow night we are joined by my DS and DIL.. He phoned this afternoon to say that they could pop in tomorrow evening for a bite to eat!! Criky I thought obviously I don't have enough to do.. I only have the cake to ice, mince pies to make and now a meal for six tomorrow night!

 

And here is my little helper. While DH has been away, we have walked every afternoon, just before it goes dark.

and then, this is where she is...... resting on her blanket and her little 'LOVE' pillow we bought her last Christmas.!

Thank you for all the encouragement on my weight loss,  it helps me to keep at my food plan, I am going to try and not put on a whole lot of weight over the Christmas period as I have done in previous times. We have a weigh in on the 27th Dec. so I hope it won't be too bad!

Happy Christmas all.. I hope its your best one ever.

Chris xx

Losing weight the easy way???

Well after all that eating the  weekend of my party I was dreading my Wednesday weigh in, but by some miracle I lost a pound! Spurred on I decided  I would keep to the plan and try to lose again this week. Saturday I wasn't well. So I saved some calories, because I didn't eat. But Sunday I had the dinner at the Albert Hall. Of course being a posh meal the servings were very small,  and worried if I drank all the wine we had been given, it. would make me sleep though the concert. I only drank the champagne and sipped a little of the wine.  Yes .....I can go to sleep after just one glass of wine!!
But this week at our Slimming World meeting, it was a taster session where every one brought some thing to eat. I had tried to find the web site of the 'Cake Lady' as I had heard about this almost syn free sponge cake.. however

 it seems the cake lady had to remove her website,  because her SW syn values were challenged by SW ! But here is a super site and the almost free cake is wow!   www.lowsynlife.com

I tasted it this morning and it was absolutely delicious. The woman who had made it cooked it in a swiss roll tray (I am off to buy one this afternoon) Then she had cut it in half long wise, spread it with the fromage frais sweetened and then berries and then put the other half on the top with more fromage frais and berries.. It was amazing.

The recipe I originally made to take was horrible. I think I had copied it down wrongly off the F/B page, so I made SW biscuits which should have had toffee yogurt and choc chips but they had gone in the first attempt,  so I used mandarin yogurt and zest of an orange and drizzled orange flavoured icing over them and then sprinkled more zest over them They were very nice and everyone wanted the recipe which is this...

4 oz Plain flour

2oz SR flour

100 grams mandarin yogurt

1 1/2 oz reduced fat marg

3 tbs sweetner (canderel)

A few drops of vanilla essence

2 or 3 tsp zest of orange

Method

Rub fat into flour

Then add all other ingredients and make into a dough

Roll out to thickness of a pound coin and cut with biscuit cutters (I used a 2inch diameter)

Bake at reg 7 gas which is about 220 electric for 12 minutes or until biscuit coloured!

Cool on rack and then.....

Drizzle with runny orange flavoured icing and some extra zest

Can you guess we have a super new zester which is so easy to use.

These are about 2 1/2 syns each and very nice.

I wanted to lose 7 pounds in the last 6 weeks before Christmas but only managed 5 which is good for me. ( Weight loss so far 19 pounds) So I am losing weight albeit slowly. One woman in our group has lost 6 1/2 stone since February. Criky I thought what does she eat, not the same as me obviously!!LOL
I want to lose at least another stone before we leave for Australia in the middle of February.. with this in mind I have resisted all the mince pies and as yet haven't even had one, where as normally  I would have had at least one every day from the first of December!!
Happy days.. only 5 days to go...
Chris xx

PS I forgot to say I lost 2 pounds this week!!

Another bit of my birthday celebration

I hadn't realised that DH had taken these pics. The food was all delicious and altho' I had a nibble of every thing and  a big piece of birthday cake,

 

when I went to SW for my weigh in on wednesday, amazingly I had lost a pound! 

 

All the puds were delicious

 

And Mr Waitrose's wraps were mouth watering delicious.

And it wouldn't have been a party without ballons!

 

I had a super time.

But my birthday treat was yesterday.

DH had booked a Carols by Candle Light Concert with a very posh meal before hand at the Albert Hall

He had booked this last July! The concert was lovely with audience participation for the carols, altho when the choir were singing Zadok the Priest and the Halleuia Chorus we could have sung along as we have sung these two pieces in a choir in Coventry!

It was beautiful.

The dinner was excellent but as I had had a tummy upset on saturday I just nibbled. The champayne was good, I managed that!

Now we are full steam ahead for Christmas..only 7 days 13 hours and 17minutes and ..10.. 9.. 8...... seconds to go.. yiphee!

 

Chris xx

A party

I have just had a party for my birthday which isn't until the 20th, but this date fitted in with members of my family. We had a lovely time, all 20 of us. Some of my friends came that I have known for years, well I would have known them for years as I am old?! I don't feel my age and still do everything I could do when younger, except now I take longer to get it done!
I made the cake myself; it is my Christmas cake recipe and is delicious. Mr Waitrose provided the party food and that was delicious too.

My friend gave me a lovely orchid and my daughter a pale pink camellia and I have lots of other presents to open when it is my proper birthday.. like the Queen I am having two birthdays!LOL

Chris xx

A present for my best friend

It's my best friends birthday tomorrow and I am visiting her for the day. She moved to Worthing 3 years ago, but we still see each other regularly.

 

Each year I make her something for her birthday. This year it's this cushion.

It looks a bit white as the photo was taken with flash so the true colours are slightly darker.

This is the back with the zip through the middle.

I have really got the sewing bug and this applique work is all machined on! I go to a sewing class on saturday mornings and the other ladies asked how I did it and my answer?  'Slowly!!' My machine has 70 odd different stitches and this was a blanket stitch made smaller and flipped for each side of the letters and flower stems. It is a work of heART! I hope she'll like it. She has a cane settee and matching chairs with green seat cushions so this should match it.
And I loved making it, I have started another one for me!
It's from a book called Garden Song by Nancy Halvorsen from her Art to Heart series.

I can't stop sewing!!

Happy crafting all and I hope you're looking forward to Christmas just like me!

Chris xx

Progress at last

 

I have stitched the second one of the Anniversaries of the Heart by BlackBird designs. I have decided to do these in 'fours' rather than one big piece with all of them on.

The first four are going to be my own children using the months they were born. So these two are my sons born in January and February. 

And I have stitched a little of LHN natures beauty. I am stitching this in a SAL with stitching sisters in Needlecraft Haven on Wednesday evenings.. so I will be happily stitching this evening.

 

Here's the progress on this design by Sudberry. It is a Welcome sampler with a cat. I love this..

So I feel I have done really well in November because as well as my stitching I have made my hall and landing curtains which I found more difficult than I remember when I was younger... but they are up and look fantastic, which I would expect as it is Laura Ashley material.....

The colour is a little more acqua than the photo shows, but they match the paint and wall paper.. Laura Ashley of course! I think I have been furnishing my homes with Laura Ashley colours for years!

Happy stitching all

Chris xx

Come and join 12friends

I have my own yahoo group, called 12friends2  and  it has been going since February 2003. Its a chit chat group for women and we love to hear about each other....our families, our grand children and what we do through our days and weeks. We have members in NZ, US, one in France and several in UK but it would be nice to have some new women in the group.

It would suit some one who likes to tell about their life and what they like to do..and who has the time to spare to post messages through the week.

So if you live alone, or has time in the day when you feel the need for company come and join us. The only rules we have are the usually ones, which good women would adhere to without being asked!

 

The button to join is on the side bar..

We cry with you in your sad times and we are always there..

But if you come and join us,  you will go to bed laughing at the silly things we do and say and wondering what next??

 

Chris xx

Lest We Forget..

I have attended a lovely service this morning at a local cenotaph, so many people were there.  The names of those who were on the cenotaph were read out, and even the traffic stopped.

Sad day for many who I am sure are weeping in their hearts when they remember their men who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

 

Chris

 

Christmas is coming...

I have stitched my second little JWB tree..these were easy stitching but not so easy to make up.

But I think they do look rather nice. Only two  more to go for Christmas altho I think I might try to do two extra as there is quite a bit of stairway to decorate.

And this is my SAL progress, stitched with the ladies of Needlecraft Haven on Wednesday evenings

And that's what I will be doing this evening... hope you can too.
Happy Stitching

Chris xx

A SAL and a new start

I am joining in the sal at Needlecraft Haven  It can be LHN, CCN or TSG design. It's a wednesday evening stitch as I have quite a few LHN charts.  I have chosen 'Nature's Beauty' and a cream 32C linen with the recommended DMC threads.

I have also started this which I have had for years! The fabric is like aida but much softer and no spaces between the threads.. I have had it so long I can't remember when I bought it but I like the design of the cat and the side borders which I think are supposed to be cherries.

Anyway, I like it although I doubt I would make it up as a tray, I just know I am going to be a happy bunny stitching these!

 

Happy Days

 

Chris xx

 

A stitching day and a pretty little finish..

 

Yesterday I spent the day at the Canvey Stitchers with other members of  the 'Sampler Guild.'

It was a super day with a bring and share lunch that was yummy. (Thank you to the members that brought the cheese cake and who ever it was that brought the mince pies.!)

We chatted and caught up with newsy bits and all looked at the stitched post cards that they have been sending to each other. They were amazing, one person had sent a little stuffed pig through the post and it arrived at its destination! No packaging just the pig!www.stitchingonanisland.weebly.com
Heres the link to see some of those amazing postcrds

I finished off this, Its 'Sitting Pretty' by Valerie Pfeiffer. I have a frame for this as it is to be a little birthday present for DH. I needed to do all the back and long stitches and didn't want him to see, as up till now I have only had a part of the chart on view and kept the stitching so he couldn't see it. . I have bought us theatre tickets to see 'Top Hat' in London but I wanted to have something to give him on his birthday. He is a 'twitcher' so I know he'll like this.

 

I took this bag that I have made to show and all my christmas ornies. (Nine to date!)

This patchwork bag is made from a set of samples that I was given, apart from the handles so cost me nothing!

Isn't it nice to have something for nothing!!

I am now on course to stitch another three Christmas ornies and I have 'a small' to do as well.

I still have my Chatelaine to stitch and may do a little of this but I really am not happy stitching it. Perhaps if I do a little more it will become easier?

Anyway Happy Stitching all.

Enjoy what ever you're doing.

Thank you to all for your comments, I am working my way through my followers, but now with 182 it's taking me a while!

Chris xx

Another finish!!

I hope you kept those dancing shoes to hand as here it is.... finished!

 

Every last bead sewn on and it looks so good.

 I like stitching this as the fabric is so soft. Bought from Polstitches, it's 28C Jobelan hand dyed Silver Sage.

 

I have another Celtic Lady but I think for the moment I will stitch something else.
All those beads needed a good eye just to thread the needle!! So I think something easy for my next project.
The best sort of day today for stitching... rain! So no gardening altho I have started to get it ready for my spring bulbs and flowers.
Happy Days...

Chris xx

Put on your dancing shoes and dance with me!

I had an urge to get this finished and stitched until I had.. Rosewood Manor Quakers and Quilts stitched on 32C Antique white linen.. so what shall I do with it. I now have six large finished projects waiting to be framed!

 

Not too good photos I am afraid but I must have my camera on the wrong setting but I can't take colour true pics. This Celtic lady Summer only needs a few more beads and her eye and face outlined. So near a finish which I will try to do this coming week.

I have had a good September of stitching having stitched these, plus my Christmas ornie and Busy Needle which was the Traveling chart and still has to be made up.
As well as these I have managed to sew a patchwork tote bag and a new patch work cushion for a bed room chair. When I can get my camera back to normal I shall take some pics of them all.

Happy Stitching all

Chris xx

A Christmas Ornie and a pin cushion.

I have been busy sewing again and this little pin cushion was very fiddly but I love the way it turned out. It came from the book I showed last month.. lots more to sew from it, it cost a lot but was worth it.

These hexagons were especially fiddly to sew as they were so small..

And this is my latest Christmas Ornie.

A freebee but I can't remember where I got it from. Stitched on 28c evenweave with DMC threads.

I made it up into this little cushion with some extra fabrics because it was rather small.

I really like it... only three more ornies to go for Christmas! It's that time already to make my christmas cakes!
Happy Days All

Chris xx

A beautiful postcard....

Look what the postie delivered  this morning. Isn't it beautiful?

It has been made for me by Rosemary,  someone in the Sampler Guild, who I see at the Canvey get together twice a year.

Here are some of the other postcards made by members of the Canvey group..

www.stitchingonanisland.weebly.com

 

It's planned again for a saturday in October, so I can't wait. It's always a great day and the bring and share meal is always fantastic. One member always makes the most lush chocolate cake, worth breaking my diet for!
Too little stitching but lots of chatting and looking at what other members have made makes the day a perfect time.
Roll on October.

Happy Stitching

Chris xx

Our visit to the Paralympics

What a super day we had yesterday seeing 4 world records broken, and paralympic records too! We saw Jonathan Fox get his swimming gold

 

 

 

and Sarah Storey get hers in the cycling!

 

 

 

 

All very exciting and DH is hoarse this morning! We were awake at 5 and left the house at 6:50! I actually had a snooze in the velodrome!! We had been in the acquaticentre for 3 hours, had our picnic lunch and then walked to the velodrome about 1 ½ miles!! So by that time, 2pm I was tired and it was so hot, so I slept ! With all the cheering and DH one side clapping and a man the other side clapping and I still managed to sleep for about 20mins! This when there was time trials going on... so I don’t think I missed much! I felt better for it anyway!

Then on the 2 mile walk from the velodrome back to Stratford station thro Westfield Centre. Just at the entry to the park we met , DH's son and grandson! They had tickets for the park for the evening, altho could only get two,  so DIL and the baby were in John Lewis! In all those 1000s of people and the park which covers 500 acres, How’s that??

DH reckons I walked about 5 miles yesterday, me who doesn't walk much! So next time we go, I shall wear my pedometer. We have tickets for athletics on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and the closing ceremony on Sunday! Exciting times!

I felt so proud to be British, the Olympic Park is amazing and the banks of flowers so pretty, it is quite an achievement and the games and atmosphere worth every penny.... go  team GB go!

 

Chris xx

 

Ornies made up

This is last months ornie made up and some red beads for the holly berries only just sewn on.

And this months is a Nativity Scene

 

Stitched on blue 28c linen. It looks a bit drab to me so I might sew on some beads as stars. It should have a gold star charm but I can't find it.. when I do I'll sew that on too. It shouldn't be too difficult as it is softly filled.  These are hanging on last years Christmas tree, just for the photographs... which we are keeping for this year, can you see the cones it has grown? We were so surprised to see them when they grew.
I have hardly done any stitching this past month because I have been too busy sewing patchwork bits and pieces.
But I intend to finish at least one WIP in September.
Watch this space!
Happy Days
Chris xx

AMAZING GIVAWAY
http://craftymoo-sarah.blogspot.com

The post man came today!

And this is the beautifully wrapped book in tissue, tied with pink ribbon and those lovely buttons.  I have been waiting for this all week! Its come from the Stitchers Inn Holland.

I saw one of the items on some ones blog and had to have it!

 

So many beautful things to make inside all red!

I love this bag...

 

 

but I think this little pin cushion will be my first make

Here is a better pic of the pin cushion taken from the Stitchers Inn blog.

 

 

 

I can't wait to start!

Happy sewing days ahead for me, what about you?

Chris xx

Who will be the next person to get the Travelling Pattern?!

I have been sent this by shebafudge to be the next recipient of The Travelling Pattern by LHN
Woo-hoo!! This is a special edition and is no longer available.
Lynda, who started this,  has the original list of recipients, so I am sorry I can't offer it here...

I am quite excited and looked at some blogs as to how this had been finished. I think Shebafudge is thinking of a box top and others, a pin keep and flat fold. I want a new needle case and this design is perfect, so watch this space!  This is just what I needed to give me my stitching mojo back! It is such a pretty design.

Thank you for all the kind comments about my quilt for my GD, she loved it and the Tresor crystal bracelet. (I quite fancy one of those myself!)

Happy Stitching and happy days.

Chris xx

 

A quilt for my GD

I seem to have neglected my blog, but we have had my in-laws to stay for five days and the Olympics were great to watch too, so I have kind of been busy. We can't wait now for the Para-Olympics as we have tickets for swimming, cycling and three athletic events with medal ceremonies and the closing ceremony, so we will be off and out for the most part of a week! Exciting times..

And this is what has kept me really busy. Its a quilt made from a jelly roll of Moda's Wildflowers design. It's for my GD to take to Uni

A simple pattern of squares and rectangles but it still took me awhile to make.

I finished the binding last evening sitting out after our BBQ meal in the beautiful warm evening. We have been having such super summer weather of late.

Now I should really do some of my stitching which has been left.. but I think I have the quilting bug and I already have the fabric for my next project!
Happy Days!

Chris xx