Really rubbish time..

This is not going to be a long post but I do feel all my loyal readers and friends deserve an explanation of why I have been awol from the blogs.

Just a little over two weeks ago, my husband left me. Zip. Gone. And yet was still in the background as we have two young children. It has been the two worst weeks in my entire life. I felt like I had been ripped in two and was missing my other half. I got really ill and lost ten pounds in those two weeks through not eating. Devastated is not the word. Friends rallied round me and helped to scrape me off the floor and pick me up, literally. My body went into shock and shook and shook till I could barely stand up. Yet, I had those two young children to care for. So I had to. Each day, I had to keep accepting that he wasn't coming back, that it was over and every day, I cried and cried. Twenty years of loving gone in a moment.

Yesterday, he came back. It is very early days and of course, there's a lot to work through but for the first day in weeks, I have not cried once. I have been at peace. Sort of.

So, you will be able to understand why I have not been around much. I couldn't face the thought of crafting. I couldn't face the thought of all those cosy, "family" orientated blogs out there. Couldn't stand that others were so warm and happy and together when I was so miserable and alone. Just couldn't face it. I apologise. Hopefully, things will get better from here on in but please keep us in your thoughts and prayers. Thanks to those who have mailed me. Sorry I couldn't respond. Thank you so much to all my close friends who have rallied round me and been my support. I don't know where I would be right now if you hadn't.

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Gifts, an exchange, Tracy's and a bit of crochet

I am a bit behind in goings on around here so I need to do a catch up post and try and cram everything in that I can.

Several lovely people have gifted me with gifts recently. Please please - if you have sent me something and I have accidentally missed it out - please forgive me and let me know!

First up is the lovely chart Tina sent me with the ornie she stitched. Love this one.

Karan sent me this lovely chart for Christmas. Another off my wishlist.

Claire sent me these lovely threads that match. Lollipop is long gone.

Gillie sent me this little beauty and it has a beautiful beaded edge. What a lovely surprise. Thanks so much Gillie. I have this one in my stash waiting to be stitched.

Tracy got me lots of lovely goodies when we exchanged presents on my recent trip to see her. Love them all. So gorgeous. Oh and she got me a lovely candle holder too. I forgot to take a pic!

This has felt on the back to keep my needles in.

Finally, my Stitcher's choice ornament arrived this morning from USA from the lovely Diana O. We were all getting a little bit worried as it seemed to take a very long time for it to arrive. It is perfect and beautiful and very very me so I thank you Diana for a lovely ornament.

I have also been doing a little bit of crochet too. I wanted something that would be fairly easy to do and comforting and not stressful so I decided to learn how to do the Granny ripple or Zig zag as I call it. I learned how to do it from here and it fits the bill perfectly. Very soft, drapey, comforting and super easy and quick to do. Lovely colours - I am using Stylecraft Special and just using up the odd balls I have left over. It is supposed to be a stash busting blanket but..... I may need to order some more!!!!! I love it. It doesn't quite fit on my bed - I made it slightly too small but it will be great to snuggle up to in the cold evenings.

I mentioned I have recently been on a trip to Tracy's. I managed to get two nights away and a bit of peace and quiet. Lots of stitching was done - you can see most of mine in my Wipocalypse post below and Tracy's you can see on her blog here. We spent some of the time at the beach near where she lives. I really felt I needed to see the sea to help me get things into perspective. It was a quiet break. I really needed it.

Cheers!

Well, that's all from me in a very large nutshell. I'll be back soon with more progress I hope.

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WIPocalpyse January posting and Crazy 7!

Well New year came and went and it was not a good one for me. Hopefully the rest of the year will get better and not worse from here on in. Now, I did have two new starts before the new year and due to the craziness of the week - it was ds' birthday yesterday - I only managed 5 new starts so I will add on the 2 I started before the new year as my crazy 7 and they will all go towards my WIPocalpyse post. So without further ado, here is my progress on my 7 new starts:

DAY 1

Lizzie Kate ABC's of Christmas

Silkweaver 32 count Lugana and Crescent Colours threads

Really pleased with progress on this one as I have completed a full row already. The fabric is greener than in the picture and the colours really pop on it. Love it.

Day 2

Yiota's Cross stitch kit Poppies and Daisies

14 count black aida and madiera threads

You have seen this one in my previous post and so I am counting it towards my Crazy 7

Day 3 (truthfully - the first new start of the year!)

Here we come Wassailing by Shakespeare's Peddler

40 count linen and Gentle Art threads

I think this will be one of the first ones to get finished as I am working quite quickly on it and it is not so very big.

Day 4

Bygone Stitches - A Quaker Christmas

36 count vintage light exemplar Lakeside linens and Threadworx thread

I am stitching this 2x2 and really love the vibrancy of the red on the fabric. Nice choice I think.

Day 5

Mckintosh samplers - The Elisabeth Lillie sampler

34 count Legacy Linen in Oaten Scone and DMC threads

The fabric is a joy to stitch on. Really pretty colours too. I am going to enjoy this one.

Day 6

Carriage House Samplers - Helen Bell's multiplication sampler

32ct dark tan fabric from silkweaver and Victorian Motto threads in Heather B shades

I like this although it seems to take forever. Just hope I can make more progress on it.

Day 7

Just Nan's Nan's Garden

28 count Lambwool linen and DMC threads

Unfortunately I took this away to start at Tracy's - another post- but I had previously dipped into the thread bag and pinched some of the colours for another project and never replaced them (a very bad habit of mine!) so I have a few threads missing so didn't get as much done on this as I would have liked. I am intending to stitch this for my mum who is also called Nan and who enjoys her garden very much.

So that's my first posting for the WIPocalypse post and you have my 7 new starts too.

I have received lots of nice gifts but I will do a separate post soon for those.

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