Back at it!

Thank you all so much for your kind, kind words in my last post. Each comment really helped me and I feel a lot better and getting stronger each day. I don't want to dwell on the negatives though. I saw a great quote today on Pinterest that said:

Every day may not be good

But there is something good in every day.

I like that. For a while now I have been trying to pick out the positives in each and every day. Here's one from today:

Yes the snow finally hit Great Britain. How long it will last is anyone's guess. So we had a bit of fun with it and got the sledge out and then little man brought out the buckets and spades and wanted to make snow castles.

I have slowly been getting back into crafting mood although I have had an exchange to stitch for this month so most of my time has been dedicated to that. Although I don't want to spoil the surprise for my exchange partner, I thought I would show you a glimpse of it.

Yes, it is as intricate as it looks and is taking me forever but in a good way, it has kept my mind from wandering during the last few weeks.

I have picked up the knitting as well. An online shop I use for most of my yarn - Deramores - had a free pattern on its newsletter for a cowl or snood. A knit along they are doing. You can find all the details on Ravelry here. Instead of knitting two together through the back, I am just doing a normal knit two together. I am using King Cole Riot which is wonderfully soft to work with and is working up a treat. Here's my progress so far. It is still in its unfinished and unblocked state.

I have also been inspired to try and make myself a garment - again!! I decided I would use super chunky wool and something small so hopefully it will be fairly quick and easy. Here is the pattern I am doing and the yarn I am knitting it in. I just hope it is as simple as it looks as I am not great at following patterns. I know a few people on hand though who hopefully might be able to help me if I get stuck. Yes Liz, if you're reading - I am talking to you!!

Lastly, before Christmas I ordered something rather special which I forgot to mention. My dd used her spare Euros to buy if for me so I had to wait till Christmas day to open it. Karen from My 4 Lil Girls blog made this gorgeous bag to order. She even crocheted the flower brooch on it as well which can be removed. Karen makes some amazing things including cushions so please pop by her blog and take a peek. She has recently opened an Etsy shop too. This bag is my favourite bag ever. It is so well made with lining and everything. 

I have been busy working on my zigzag blanket as well but I will take some snaps for another post. I need to get on with this exchange or it will be late!

Thanks for taking the time to visit and comment. I really appreciate it. xxxxxx

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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A little catch up

Hello dears. What an emotional week it has been and very overwhelming in more ways than one. I can hardly think straight and I know that as I attempt to write this post, there will probably be loads of things I miss out and forget so please forgive me if I sound a bit scatty.

First of all, let me say a huge Thank you to everyone who left me and my family condolences on the loss of my dear brother. I, and my parents, were deeply moved by them and the heartwarming prayers and thoughts that have been going out to us this past week. The funeral was on Wednesday and, as well as being very moving and upsetting in itself, it was also very overwhelming as relatives whom I had not seen in about 25 years were there as well. I had really missed them and it was good to see them again and make contact.

Unfortunately, issues at home raised their ugly heads again I found myself between a rock and a hard place. All way too distressing and I found myself back on panic attack pills. An enforced visit to the doc ensued for the other half and now, I hope, we have turned the last corner and things will be on the mend. Time will tell.

So, understandably, my stitching mojo hid in a corner and refused to come out and play this week. I did manage to make some knitted dishcloths to add to my sisters' Christmas packages but I didn't take any pics. Suffice to say, they are a lot like Staci's - here - all in bright cotton colours. I used the remains of the Rico cotton from my bag. I also used a ball of Peaches and creme and I did get a shot of those:

The pattern is super easy and can be found here.

Knitting definitely was on the agenda and I finished up two pairs of wristwarmers - one for my neice and one for Lily's teacher who loved them - phew.

My other neice wanted a Slytherin scarf made for her as well so I got looking on the internet - not being a Potter fan - for a pattern and found one in crochet. This is the result. It is very long so hope she likes it. Pattern found here.

I recently wrote to Karen asking her to do a wee bit of finishing for me as I had this Mirabilia Angel waiting to be finished since ages ago but I had a real problem with knowing what to do with it. Karen thought a flatfold would be a good idea and she did a beautiful job. Here it is now:

Absolutely stunning. I love it Karen. Thank you so very much for doing this finishing job for me.

I also got my exchange ornie from Tina (no blog) through the post this week too. Look at this:

I love it and the tinkling bells are a fantastic touch. See - hung on my tree already. Tina also spoilt me by getting me a PS chart from off my wishlist too. Love love love.

Now, I can't remember if I showed a pic of my HOE exchange ornie or not so I'll show you that too. I stitched this for Marie and it is from one of the Just cross ornie mags. Marie has got nicer pics of it.

Well, that's me spent. I am exhausted. I have one last present to wrap and that is it. So I will leave you of some pics of my decorated home.

Wishing you all a very peaceful and stress free Christmas.

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PS Next post i will be doing a kit review so look out for that. x

Goodbye my dear brother..

It is with much grief and sadness that I announce the sad passing of my brother. After being in hospital for six weeks and battling pneumonia amongst other things, Kenneth finally passed away and left his world and body of suffering to run straight into green meadows of freedom. I love you Kenneth and will never forget you.

Kenneth Clark

Forever loved.

Forever in our hearts.

Born 21st August 1959

Died 12th December 2011