Happy New Year!

Hectic time isn't it? I have still not caught up with myself but feel the need to do a catch up blog post. I'll probably most likely to forget something though so you might see me posting sooner rather than later.

Well, did you all have a good Christmas and new year? I did. I was very ill though with this Flu bug that has been going around. By the time Christmas day came, I went over to my in laws and collapsed on their sofa. It was all very lovely and nice though although I have to say there was an OBSCENE amount of presents for the children. Way over the top. It is too much to deal with - our house is not that big! Next year I might suggest we go away to a cosy cottage and give the kids just one gift each. It has gotten way too materialistic. Anyhoo, all fun.

My exchange piece finally arrived at Carole's house so she was able to put it on the tree.


Merry Christmas friend by CHS stitched on 40ct Wichelt Sand using a mixture of silk and dmc

I also did a quick finish for dh. I finished it simply so he can take it with him on his travels as a reminder of me! Think Braveheart lol. I think he liked it. Well he said he did but he might have just been being kind.






My Everything The Sampler Girl Stitched on 32 ct Summer Khaki using Caron Waterlilies.

I also made Tracy something as part of her Christmas present.


Sweet Simple Things by The Sampler Girl.

Ruth from the Musing Badger gifted me with the fabric and thread last year and I just think it looks great! It is the first time I have attempted a cushion finish like this and think it's not a bad first job.

Speaking of gifts, Tracy absolutely spoiled me. She gave me loads of stuff including this very special chart form my wishlist including all the threads!!:



She also got me:



Fantastic Silkweavers fabric, BBD chart and these Piecemaker needles which I have heard so much about. I can't wait to try them out. She got me a lovely scarf and toiletries too. Very spoilt. Thank you dear friend. We were just chatting actually about the BBD AotH series and we were both saying how we would like to do them all. Maybe that is something in the pipeline then. That would be a lot of fun SALing the whole series together. I just spent a relaxing couple of days at Tracy's, although she herself was a little unwell, and I was able to get a fair bit of stitching done. I have finished my piece for my very first Round Robin that I am in with Tina (no blog), Clare and Julie. Just the four of us as Julie and myself have never done a RR before and wanted a "safety net". It is being run on a new forum that Clare has set up called Needlecraft Haven and I know she would love you all to join the stitch and chat fun! It was really hard to choose a design that would work ie it had to be a certain size and there needed to be four parts to it. I finally found something which is a bit unusual for me - I wouldn't normally stitch something like this - but I saw potential and so I stitched up my first piece ready to be sent off.


Design from Cross Stitch Card Shop by Lisa Reakes (I think!) Stitched on 32ct Summer Khaki using dmc.

I also decided to get out Mary Wigham. I have nearly finished the first page:


Mary Wigham Needleprint. 25 ct Light Mocha lugana 1x1 DMC

I have decided that I am going to try to aim for stitching a page a month to get this finished within the year. I know I can do this!

Also here is my progress on Winter Whites:


Winter Whites LHN 32 ct Wichelt Star Sapphire mixture of threads.

As usual I have ran out of thread so need to reorder some. I am thinking about doing the words in between the alphabet in a slightly different colour so they stand out a little. Love working on this but it is going to have to be put to one side for a while.

I thought as well you might like to see my dad's progress on I am Half Sick of Shadows:









He has reached the bottom! Not long to go now.

So what is in store for this year? More crochet for a start. I will leave that for another post. I am hoping to start Shores of HRH but need to get fabric and threads sorted for it. Also want to join in the new HAED SAL - I chose Fragile Heart. I also have Hannah Westcombe by Needleprint to start and Helen Bell's Multiplication Table by CHS all kitted up ready to go. I must get on with the Stitch and Pass on as well. Ohhhh sooo much to do!

Well I think that's all folks. Boy I really needed to get that little lot off my chest! Thank you if you got this far down. Wishing every one of my readers and commentors a very special year ahead. xxxxxx