Christmas is coming!

I have been busy getting my christmas stitching done, this is a card for Bec in the TOF group as evidently she is mad on Scotty dogs and when I saw this on ebay months ago I thought of her.

The two little ornies were lovely to stitch as they were small and each done in an evening; the blue star and red christmas tree are for my Reading Group friends, I am making those up into cards. Only three more to go!! So a busy stitching evening ahead of me!

A gift

When Su stood up in church a couple of sundays ago and through tears said she had been diagnosed with stomach cancer, I knew I had to make her something, and here it is made up into a hanging.
The mauve ribbon is for any type of cancer.
I hope she'll like it and won't mind me stitching this as she doesn't know me personally but I have said a prayer with every stitch.

I am including a hand made little notelet with it and posting it off today. Progress reports say she is tired from the chemo after her op, so God's Blessings for her and strength to face the rest of her treatments.

Remembrance Sunday

We watchedThe British Legion Service of Remembrance last evening and it had some so sad bits in it as they interviewed a mother of a 20 year soldier killed this year, I had tears in my eyes and I suspect so did Mike as he was very quiet. His nephew Matthew was killed in Iraq three years ago, he used to visit and play with Mike’s son George, so he knew him growing up.
I was struck by the beauty of the whole service and how it was so moving, say what you like about Britain one thing we know is how to produce such a programme.
Today the Baptist church I attend is joining with a C of E church at 11 to stand outside at the Cenotaph. I shall have to take my walking stick to walk the short distance






In Flanders Fields
by John McCrae, May 1915

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.

PIF

I entered a PIF on Hazel's blog and I am one for the lucky people to be drawn as a member of her PIF.
*** This is how it works ***
If you would like to receive something handmade by me within the next 365 days, please comment on this post to say that you are interested. I will then ask my DH to draw 3 names out of a hat on Monday 10th November (GMT). It has to be then as we have weekend visitors. If you are one of the chosen three then in return, please post the same offer on your blog.
This is a simple and a lovely way of spreading joy in the stitching world. I hope that you will join in and possibly become one of my PIF members!
This PIF is open for everyone!

Halloween design by Lavender Wings

I am delighted with this and loved stitching it, and I got it finished by October 31st for the Monthly Challenge! It is Lavender Wings design on 28count even weave with DMC threads. It's called 'Scary Carrie' I shall post it to Saskia and although she now won't get it till next week it, it will go with her newly decorated bedroom which has an orange wall.
A bit chilly here today but who cares we are in the warm and relaxing!!

My Hubby

This is Mike cutting our stuffed marrow, grown by us. I say us, as I grew the seeds in a propagator and he planted the plants out in the garden. It was delicious! I add a bread sauce mix to the mince and onion and it gives it that extra bit of taste. Oh and yes I stuffed and cooked it!

Yesterday he ironed a pile of clothes at my daughters and I cleaned her kitchen and scrubbed her dreadfull dried as hard as cement porridge pot!

Her hubby calls it the devils pot as it is so hard to clean, why oh why doesn't she pop it into a bowl of water as soon as she has served the porridge I don't know! In spite of the fact we went there to Cambridge to help her to get straight and we did, we still had time for cups of tea and chats. Mike took the boys for a kick around in the park and they arrived back at the house just as a terrific hail stone storm arrived, it was so thick it lay on the ground like snow! Brrrrr I think our winter has arrived!

Our Conservatory

Just a corner of our conservatory with some of my new plants. I have been quite a while clearing it up. I love this little room and when I have a minute I intend to put some of my cross stitch pictures in there. All the little baskets and shelves have all my craft stuff there. I did intend to set up Aunt Alice's table with the drop down sides in there to make my cards etc but now with our big table in the dining room there's no need.


So this is where we sit for coffee, the lights are like bull rushes and we bought it with vouchers we were given by friends when we got married.
I like to light candles in there in the evening too and the refection in the windows is so pretty..


The odd plant on the little chest is an aloa vera brought back from holiday by Michael and Helen.. I am always afraid to water it incase I kill it!

The throw on the little settee is the quilt Jenny made for us. Its a Victorian Wedding Quilt

Every square has detail sewn on, fancy stitching, embroidery, beads, flowers, rosebuds, rings and hearts, it is so beautiful and so wonderfully made she is so clever.
I always show it to everyone that comes and tell them that my epal friend Jenny made that for us and gave it to me in April 2006 when she came here to UK.. We must go and visit her in Australia in the spring 2009, and this time nothing will stop us!!

Yesterday .....

.......We bought these plants for the conservatory, I want to spread them out on the window sill and give in there a good clean tomorrow.

We also ordered the curtains for our lounge! We will actually have curtains in there for christmas, they are Laura Ashley and will look perfect with our carpet, we also bought new lamps which are gorgeous and would have got a coffee a table too but delivery was February so we cancelled and came home and bought a pale oak one with two drawers from Oakland Furniture on line and also a nest of matching tables, it is so exciting, once we have up the pictures it will look simply lovely! I can't wait to have it all finished! It is light and pretty in there and with the down lights lit in the shelves in the evening quite romantic!

A very satisfying day!

My latest efforts!

This is my name tag hanging on my basket that I bought when we went to Gloucester and I went to Sue Hawkins work shop.. the basket doesn't go with anything in the lounge but I so love it!

I found the queen stitching quite hard again but looked back at Sue's very detailed pictures of how to do it and I did!

Pictured also is the acorn biscornu which I designed myself although I did see the acorn on a cross stitch pattern in a book the rest is mine. I was really pleased when I had finished it as it was the first biscornu I had made. I use it as a pin cushion and am always delighted when I see it...

The Thief

We think its this furry little rascal that has eaten all but one of our figs! you can see the little teeth marks on the solitary one that is left.. but he does give us loads of entertainment so we will forgive him this year and next year they will be covered with a fleece as soon as they start to form.

We have watched him this morning and honestly we felt exhausted for him, he was up and down off our bird table about 20 times and then digging up the plants in my flower beds to make room for his nuts... he scurried around all morning and we having done the shopping sat and watched him from our conservatory drinking endless coffee and eating jaffa cakes! A very pleasant morning!