Thank you Stephanie!

Wowza! I got a wonderful parcel today from Stephanie (In Stitches) for the SBEBB ABC Exchange. Not only did she stitch me a wonderful piece from Ewe and Eye and Friends but she sent me a load of other goodies too. Here's a pic:



This is a list of other goodies she sent me:
Magnetic alphabet letters (my dd will love these)
Magnetic wooden "H"
Brass "H" charm
Stitches and Spice fabric (Steph knows I adore this fabric)
Silkweaver fabric
Alphabet fabric
Cath Kidson Bath melts and mitt
Tin of mints and 4 bags of sweets yumm yumm yumm
La D Das Alphabet chart with the NPIsilks to go with it!!!!!!

Here are some more detailed pics of the exquisite stitching:


Inside the bag:


Gorgeous beaded edging:


This was wonderful to recieve and really cheered me up. Thanks so much Stephanie. I love it. xx

I am in Love..

With DMC Variations 4210!! I wanted to stitch something for the tin topper challenge on the Monthly Finishing Challenge blog and stitched this motif from an AMAP chart I have on 36 count Edinburgh Antique white linen (which I have also come to adore) but found that the design is too big for the little Altoids tin I have :(


I guess I will save it for another finishing challenge.

So then I set about stitching another motif - same colours, same fabric, again from AMAP and I think this will fit :)


Cathy B wrote me to say she got the ABC exchange I sent her so I can now show pics. This is La D Das A-Z and between I made into a pinkeep for her:

and I also wanted to get her a chart off her wishlist but when it came I was just too tempted so made it her as well as giving her the chart. This is Notforgotton farm's Alphabet pinpoke and I stuffed it with lavender and backed it with the same fabric as the pinkeep. I sent her some extras too but don't have pics of those.


Did I mention that Sally sent me the Brightneedle chart? Here it is, I so love this.


Also got the Thank You Sarah Tobias chart from Down Sunshine Lane this week fromthe GC that Jenn sent me. It is fab and can't wait to stitch something from this book.

I have been extremely tired this week and have had very little sleep for the last three nights. I sometimes get these attacks of insomnia!! Don't know how much stitching I'll get done this week and I have also got our weekenders trip away with the Jayne's Attic forum on Friday too. I am looking forward to it but just hope I can stay awake the whole weekend.

Thanks for all your comments, they mean so much. Happy stitching. xx

More gifties!

Look what the postman brought me today!!

First up is this gorgeous scissor fob from Carol that she sent me for my birthday. Thank you Carol I love it. She has even personalised it on the back for me.



Next up is the freebie exchange I got from Leigh! Leigh has so spoiled me by not only stitching this pretty design and edging it with silk ribbon but also sending me all these extras. She sent me silken ribbon, fat quarters, and Blackbird designs Bits & Pieces Stitcher's Journal from my wishlist! I feel very spoiled. Thank you Leigh.

I also decided to buy Thank You Sarah Tobias chart from Blackbird designs with the gc that Jenn sent me. Thanks again Jenn. I am sure I will enjoy stitching that design.

Dawn B - thanks for the email hun - I got it.

Yesterday I turned....

well I'm not going to give my age away lol but somewhere inbetween 32 and 34!! So here's how my day went....

Woke up to my dd rushing in and giving me the gifts she bought. She really loved going shopping and choosing something for me and I think she made a lovely choice.



Next giftie was from dh who bought me perfume and bath stuff but he is also paying for my weekenders trip away which is in two weeks yeehaa!

Flowers from dh and another friend:



My friend bought me an AMAP chart which means a lot as she is a new stitcher and really shows she put some thought into what I like. My sisters put together and got me some fat quarters which will be great for exchanges.




When I went online, I found that Jenn had sent me an online gift voucher!! So I was really pleased with that. Thanks Jenn! And in the post Tracy sent me this bunch of goodies:


Amazing gifts, thanks hun!

So the morning started with me having to drive dh to the airport to hire a car and then he took me for lunch in John Lewis. £18 for two salads and two drinks!! Afterwards we picked Lily up from school and went in the park as it was so nice. Before we went out for our meal, Lily and dh sung happy birthday to me and I blew out the candles on my cake. Thorntons chocolate cake with truffle cream and chocolates on the top!



Lovely meal with frinds in an Italian that we frequent ended my day. Oh yeah another friend bought me three more books in the Tudor Novels by Philippa Gregory. Carol - I am nearing 200 pages into The Other Boleyn Girl and loving it!! Parents and in laws gave me money so may have a little online spend. I have seen some gorgeous caramel coloured Athalie threads which I fancy. Will look nice on the BP quaker.

Oh Yes, something else. This is what happened when we went out for our meal:

She lost her first tooth!!

So all in all, a lovely day. Thanks for all your best wishes. xx

Exchanges received

Found out that Staci received my freebie exchange in the post today and that she likes it yay!! I made her a mattress pincushion with a freebie from Les Grilles de Maryse. I have had to pinch her pics as I forgot to take some doh!

These are the extras I sent to her as well. I also know that Angie got my Needleroll in the Jayne's Attic Needleroll exchange. I struggled to find a pattern so I rummaged through my old magazines and found a pretty band sampler. I took a few bands out and came up with this:

Sorry the pics are a bit blurry. I was so proud of myself for making one of these and learning the hemstitching. I used it for the Monthly challenge blog too.

Slowly adding to my blog list. Still need to write down exchange dates so I don't forget them. Rachel reminded me she was about to start my pif I signed up for and it has reminded me to get on with Steph's that I have begun. So tonight I am going to finish the stitching on my summer house sbebb exchange then I will do a bit on Steph's pif. I have also got two biscornu (biscorni??) to think about too. I really do need to get organised. Another rotation perhaps??

Have managed to get a babysitter for my big day next week so dh and I can go out for a nice meal. Woohoo! Escaping the house for a night. What a treat!!

Till next time, have a good weekend everyone. Thanks for your comments.xx

Changeover has begun

Alas I did lose some widgets and page elements so in the process of putting them back in. Collecting blog addresses from comments and links to other blogs so bear with me if you're not on. Also need to go and write down my stitching deadlines. Very important!! Lost my blinkies too. I like it though. Will have fun re-doing it. xx

Finished!

Design from Repertoire des Frises

Stitched on 32 count willow green belfast linen

Stitched with Needle Necesseties 135

Thanks for all the lovely comments saying you couldn't see the stitch! Unfortunately it was one of those stitches that makes the rest of the design not meet up at the end. And, as it was a biscornu and had to be perfectly square, I had no choice but to unpick the left hand row. It didn't take too long and had it finished last night. So this is for the monthly challenge blog. So far these challenges have been not too difficult. I am dreading it if the challenge is something really difficult that you might need a machine for or if you have to do loads of sewing in neat straight lines. I think my worst challenge "fear" would be a basket lid!!!

I have finished my abc exchange piece now but awaiting something to send with it. Sally mentioned in her blog that Jacqueline Holdsworth from Needleprint is re-releasing authorised copies of the Beatrix Potter Quaker Sampler on ebay. I spent my whole bank holiday waiting for her to put more charts up as they were and are selling like hotcakes!! So, finally, I got my copy. Yay!! Sally, Tracy and I are thinking of doing an SAL on it next year so if you fancy joining us, jump on in!!

I may be changing my blog background soon but the only way I can figure out how to do it is by losing all my added pages and elements which will mean slowly putting them all back in again. I will probably work on doing this this week. I think it's nice to have a background that suits your own individuality. I can only try and see I suppose.

Well it's my birthday next week so hoping to get some stitching stuff this time. No-one tends to buy me that which would be the best thing they could buy me really. Well both my friend and my sister have asked me so I have given them some ideas so hopefully I'll get something stitchy. My birthdays are usually very disappointing days so I am not getting my hopes up too much. I have decided I am going to take myself off on my own and spoil myself and do what I want to do even if only for the evening. It may involve just sitting in the car on my own with a book and some cake but hey that's fine!!

Yesterday I broke the washing machine by putting something in it that disintegrated into the machine so now I'll have to wait on somebody coming round today to fix it I think. :(

Happy stitching day everyone. Take care. xx

What an Idiot!

So here I am happily stitching away at my biscornu for the may monthly finishing challenge blog in a gorgeous colour of Needle Necessities thread. I have worked up the left side and then across the top and down the right side. Hmmm lovely isnt it:


and then I spot this!!!!!!! Can you see the misplaced stitch at the top of the left row before it curls up. Out by one stitch!!!! So I now have some unpicking to do.

It really spoke to me actually about mistakes that we often make in our lives and how sometimes we have to do some "unpicking" and starting again. We have a friend who is getting married soon - her 3rd marriage. We are having a little night of celebration for her and if we have a word of encouragement or a poem or something to give her then we can do it then. I am thinking of giving her this as a gift to help her remember that God is still weaving and embroidering her life even when she has made "mistakes" in the past.

Doh! I sent off two exchanges and completely forgot to take pictures of them. I'll have to wait till they have been rec'd then "borrow" the photos!!

And here's a couple of pics of Lily and Elijah at four and a half months old.




Just got "The Other Boleyn Girl" by Philippa Gregory. I only read about one book a year but I am really enjoying this. I love tudor history.

Race is on to unpick and finish this biscornu so I'd better get on with it. Have a good stitching week. xx

quick update

Just a quickie so you all know I am still alive. I have been doing secret stitching so have nothing to show as yet. Exchanges are due to be sent soon so hopefully I'll have pics to show of the HOE Freebie exchange, Jayne's attic Needleroll exchange, SBEBB ABC Exchange. I am working on a little biscornu for the May Challenge on the Monthly challenging blog. Also the Summer House exchange on the SBEBB. Also need to think about doing a couple more biscornu for other exchanges I'm in. I am in the process of setting up a mini exchange with Tracy, Sally, myself and a friend of mine to do a biscornu exchange. My friend loves the idea of doing an exchange but lacks confidence as she is a new stitcher and needs a lot of time to complete something. So I have organised this little exchange between us for Sept/Oct time. So much secret stitching!

Hope everyone is well.

xx

Long time since I blogged!

Firstly a big Thank You to everyone who made a lovely comment about the death of my cat. It did take me some time to get over her. We still have her sibling who seems quite content and happy at the moment and is all over us in the evenings when we settle down.

Okay, so here's some pics of some lovely things I have received recently:
This is a needleroll made by Rachael for the Jayne's Attic Needleroll exchange. I think it is adorable and the fabric is a gorgeous colour. I love it. Thank you Rachael. Rachael also sent me some lovely threads too. Lucky lucky me!! They will get used on my Patchwork no doubt.


And here is a lovely surprise from Tracy!! As if you hadn't given enough already!! This arrived for me a couple of days ago and it is gorgeous and the same colours as Elijah's nursery too.

I love it Tracy - thank you so much. xx

And here's something I made for my very good friend Amanda who I introduced to stitching not so long ago. I think I have her hooked haha. I made this for her birthday. I used Caron waterlilies silk for it and I love it!! It is from the book Repertoire des Frises from Amazon France.


And Yasmin let me know that she received the spring quaker exchange I sent her so here is a pic of what I stitched. It is taken from the Gift of Stitching magazine and uses Polstitches threads. I sent her a few extras too, threads and a chart from her wishlist but forgot to take a pic of the whole bundle. I stuffed it with lavender.


I also got some gorgeous fabric from Stephanie as a rak. Can't wait to stitch something on it. Will show you when I have made something from it. Got an order from A mon ami pierre today as well - very quick delivery. I only ordered it on Monday or was it Tuesday?? She know takes paypal so ordering is easy yay!! However the Euro is very strong against the Pound at the moment and it cost me a load of wedge but hey - A mon ami pierre!!! You can't argue with that. So I got Quaker Amap and Alphabet Amap 8 click for links to the pics. In fact Cari made me the letter H for the redwork exchange and I loved it so much that I bought the chart for the whole alphabet!

So that's me. Sorry it's been a while. I have been really busy with ds who is being very demanding at the moment and sometimes it is just too much for me. I am loving all the new people on the blogs and trying to browse as many blogs as I can. Even if I don't leave a comment be assured that I do visit. Till next time, happy stitching in May! xx

Goodbye Poppy

Today we took our cat Poppy to the vet as she was getting very thin. They told us she had kidney disease and it would be best to put her down. We have had her for 9 years and she went through some rough times of sickness. She had a stroke about 6 years ago due to taking in poison of some sort. Then she recoverd but lost her sense of hearing. I feel too upset to blog properly today. I'm sorry Poppy for the times I treated you wrong. I'm thankful for the many happy memories you brought us and all the presents you used to bring us through the catflap. Goodbye my Poppycat.

Okay, I caved...

I have a new start! I have started A Most Noble Pursuit which is a collaberation of ten different designers. Here is my small start on the first square which is by The Workbasket. It is worked on 36 count lakeside linen and uses needlepoint silks. What's another BAP hey??



Here is my finish for the JA's March Challenge. I made this little pillow and stuffed it with lavender.



I am having a hard time trying to decide which SALs to join at the moment as there are that many going on.
There's

EMS Rose Sampler
Periphaeria Spanish Sampler
Papillon Creations How Does Your Garden Grow?
Ink Circles Book of Circles mystery
Tournicoton Mystery
and probably several others which I am unaware of. If you know of any then let me know and I'll add them to my to do one day list.

Here's some pics of the kids. One of Elijah smiling. Poor lad he now has three teeth that I can spot. And one of Lily doing her Girls Rock thing with her new electric guitar that her dad bought her.




Hope everyone has a fun stitching week. xx

Oooh a finish

I decided to join the Monthly Finishing Challenge blog and make a pinkeep out of an old Lizzie Kate freebie design I had had stitched up but shelved for years. So here it is. I can't remember what the fabric is but the threads are dmc.






It's the first time I have done a padded pinkeep and the first time doing one of those bow thingys at the top. Don't know if I have done it quite right as it is only pinned on and doesn't feel very secure. Apart from that, I think it looks quite cool and has built up my confidence a bit. The lovely trim I got from John Lewis - they have such lovely trims and things and was only 50p a meter which is not bad all things considered.

Oh and I saw this wonderful book on Staci's blog:

Here

which looks fab so I am going to get my dh to get it for me as part of my Birthday present which isn't till June but hey ho! You'll get a better idea of it on her blog actually.

Well tomorrow is reveal day on the Jayne Attics forum for the March Challenge so I will post another pic tomorrow of another finish I have done.

Take care all.
x

Woohoo I got spoiled.

Today I received my Spring Quaker exchange from Edgar from the SBEBB. I am so blessed! He made me this gorgeous pinkeep with lace edging and he truely spoiled me by sending me three charts off my wishlist, four threads, some lovely fabric and a tin of altoids!! The charts are: LHN Coffee Menu, Sampler Cove's Grace Quaker Sampler and Ink Circles' Quackworth. I have been looking for altoids to get the tin so I can make something with it but not been able to find any over here. Now I just need to find a little design to put on it. I'll also need to find some finishing instructions too. Thank you so much Edgar. I am thrilled!



I have some lovely charts in my stash now. Just to decide which one to start next. Hmmmmm....
xx

Quick update

Thanks for all the lovely, supportive comments you gave me after the last post. It's not post natal depression but other issues that have been going on for a while that have just happened to surface at this time. Mainly rejection stuff that I have suffered from for a long time but hey ho you don't want to hear about all that do you?

So the big news is that Elijah has got his first tooth! It has been confirmed by the Health Visitor that the white lump on the back of his gum is indeed a tooth coming through. She also said that his front gums look "ready to pop" too. So poor guy, that is why he has been niggling so much. He is doing really well in getting into a routine now. We put him down at 7.30 and he has a feed at 11 then goes through till about 5 or 6. Not bad going for a hungry, teething boy! As long as I get some of my time back in the evenings, I don't mind.

So I have been able to get a bit of stitching done. I have been working on Steph's pif but can't let you see that yet. I have done the March challenge on Jayne's attic but not allowed to reveal that yet either! But I have also been working on Patchwork so here's an update on that:

I really enjoy working on this and I aim to get it finished this year. I am just using random threads and silks for it so it will be like a real patchwork of threads.

Something else I have done is booked a workshop that a group from Jayne's attic is going on. It is run by the Bedfordshire school of needlework which is over 3 hours drive away. I have never done anything like this before and I am a little nervous but excited too. It will mean an overnight and possibly a 2 night stay in a hotel. Here is a link to the workshop I have booked.
It is a drawn thread sampler and I have never done this type of needlework before so should be good. I have booked a friend on it too so I won't be alone. It's not till June so I have time to get organised.

Sorry I have not commented on many blogs lately. If you have had a comment from me then you are in the minority! I have been savouring any free time I have and have been using it to stitch and watch the series 24 with my dh in the evenings! I promise I will get back to commenting soon. Hope everyone had a blessed Easter and bank holiday. Catch up soon. xx

And the winner is....

As hand picked by my daughter!! Well done Carla. You have won my Needlebook. I don't think I have your snail mail address so please email me it and I'll get it sent off to you as soon as.

So I have had a very hectic couple of weeks and not been on blogland at all!! Last week my dd was in a dance production which lasted all week into the wee hours of the night. We were shattered, she was not. She had a wonderful time dressing up in her costumes and wearing make up and having her hair sprayed with a serious amount of hairspray. She adores being up on stage and being the centre of attention. I wish I had her confidence.

So that was last week and this week has been emotionally hectic. I have a lot going on with my emotions right now and am having to go "see" someone about it. Nothing too serious and I will get fixed but it's been a hard week.

The great thing is that we are now able to start to settle Elijah into an evening routine. It's at the stage where he is crying when we put him down but after about 5 to 10 mins he settles himself. This means I will be able to pick up my needle and thread again! Yippee. I already have made a start. I have begun a pif and Stephanie if you're reading, here's a sneaky peak. Like I said it might take me a while to do.


And speaking of stitching, I am still undecided on threads for the Spanish Mystery that Periphaeria is doing. I came up with this combo of pastels which I thought would look nice on the Cashel Couture linen in Lemon. The Cashel comes ready hemmed and would look good as a table piece I think.


I am still a little nervous about starting an sal when I have so little time on my hands and also when I have never seen it before. The parts are once every two months so I have time to decide when I have seen the first part.

So here is a little pic of Elijah as he is two calendar months old today.

Have a good week.

xx