Last Stitch for 2006

Mother Earth designed by Polstitches

I won this in a quiz at Stitch and Stash forum last New Years eve so I think its very appropriate that it should be finished on New Years eve too.

I didnt add the bead flowers, I am not a fussy person and for me I think they would look fussy, though I do like them on others I have seen. The suspended beads (as Jane predicted) were nowhere near as difficult as I had thought and I have really enjoyed stitching this.

2006 has been quite a good year for stitching. I have had lots of finishes and got on fairly well with my Rota, though I have left it a few times for special projects.

2006 also bought me introduction to the world of Blogging and I have really enjoyed sharing things in the last couple of months.
I would like to thank everyone for there kind words both of encouragement on the blogging and the stitching.

May I take this oppertunity to wish everyone and their families and friends a wonderful 2007.

A WIP

I have been quite busy over the last few days but have managed to find a little time for stitching - of course.

This is Mother Earth to date and I am hoping to get the cutting done to day. Then just the wrapping and the beads to do. I have never done suspended beading before so looking forward to the challenge, though I must admit to being rather apprehensive about my ability to do it.

I shall let you know and hopefully post another picture in the next few days.

I have everything ready now to start my Heirloom Christmas on the 2nd January. I am doing this as a SAL with Elaine from the Stitch and Stash group at Jaynes Attic, and we are hoping to do so much each month finishing (with any luck) in August.

My goals for 2007 are to get this done on time and apart from this one, to try and stick to my rota and turn some of my WIPs into finished items. Also I must get round to posting a list of my WIP rota in here and putting a picture on each time I update a project.

A Wonderful Stash Filled Christmas

I had a wonderful Christmas. Lots of lovely pressies, including perfume, smelly accessories (shower gels and the like), books, a plant, and loads and loads of stash.

Have managed to do a bit of stitching though not as much as I hoped. I have nearly finished my kissy cross sampler but have had to put it to one side as I have run out of one of the threads I need. Good excuse for a visit to Jaynes attic though. I am trying to make my mind up whether or not to put a border round it. Will let you know what I decide.

Also a good excuse for a new start which is on Mother Earth by Polstitches Designs. I am changing the colours in it - as is usual for me. Hopefully the kloister blocks will be done by tomorrow night, I dont think this one is going to take too long to stitch.

A finish and some framing

I finally got this small AOY design finished and framed in time to give my daughter for Christmas. I changed the colours to suit her bathroom and left the border off as I did not think it would suit her. The picture is not distorted the frame actually bows out in the middle.

I also managed to get this one called Cherish Yesterday framed. My Dad died two years ago this month and my dear friend Terri stitched this for me at a time when I was really down. Im sorry its taken so long to frame Terri but it will now hang with pride in my den.

I am hoping to get a couple more pictures framed tonight once I have got my little grandson to bed.

I can't find my angels

I had an horrendous afternoon yesterday. After finishing work I was dashing down the by-pass to my mums when the tyre blew on my car. I managed to glide into a country lane which was coming up so I was out of harms way luckily. Would you believe it I had not renewed my AA (completely forgot about it) which was due last month and I was just on the phone to my hubby when a little old white van with 2 angels appeared.

My Angels in disguise got out, they were 2 big (and I mean big) rough looking chaps. But they said they could change the tyre in no time. To worsen matters when they got the spare out of the boot it was flat. This didn't phase them in the least, one went off to find a local garage and get the spare blown up while the other took the wheel off. The first chap was back in no time and despite the fact that the tyre in question was still "leaking" a little they said it would get me to my destination. In fact after replacing the tyre they followed me part of the way to check I was ok.

I was so shaken up at the time I never thought to get their names and only remember the van was small white and had the name Speeds in blue on the side.

This morning I have phoned every firm in the region with that name but the van does not describe their vans so I cannot find who they were to thank them properly.

I have always thought that people were often kinder than we give them credit for but these two were real "Angels in Disguise" and whoever they are and wherever they are I only hope there are angels there for them if ever they are needed.

Some Cards & A Gift

This lovely little tuck was a RAK gift from Elaine (Jaynes Attic, Stitch and Stash Forum). I made the little snowman to go in it as a quick stitch and may do something a little better for next year but for now it is hanging on my tree.

Thank you Elaine.

I have also been busy on and off this weekend making Christmas Cards and sorting out my stash and getting it in order before Santa comes with hopefully more stash tee hee.

Yesterday we were dog sitting for my Son and DIL who had taken Oscar to London for the day. They had a visit to Hamleys and Harrods and then went to the Natural History Museum to see the dinosaur skeletons. He phoned this morning to tell me all about his trip and asked do you know where dinosuars come from Granny. No I said and he explained - there was a big bang and they all got covered in sand so now there are just bones there and if you are very lucky you can still find them. I think when the rain stops he may be digging up the garden in hope lol.

We had friends round last night so all in all its been a very relaxing and pleasant weekend despite the rain today which kept us inside instead of doing more to the front garden as planned.

Thank Crunchy its Friday

Not much happening today though I had to go into work for a couple of hours as my manager has had a family bereavement.

I couldnt get on with my project in hand as my daughter was visiting tonight (its a suprise for her Christmas) and so I have been stitching a little snowman to go in the lovely ornament tuck that was sent me by Elaine (for the Stitch and Stash forum at Jaynes Attic). I have nearly finished it but its on 32 count which is really a little too much for my poor eyes these days. I shall get it finished tomorrow hopefully and then post a picture.

We are hoping to get some of the hard landscaping in the front garden done tomorrow so I am hoping for fine weather. I guess its too much to hope it might be warm too.

Thank Crunchy its Friday

Not much happening today though I had to go into work for a couple of hours as my manager has had a family bereavement.

I couldnt get on with my project in hand as my daughter was visiting tonight (its a suprise for her Christmas) and so I have been stitching a little snowman to go in the lovely ornament tuck that was sent me by Elaine (for the Stitch and Stash forum at Jaynes Attic). I have nearly finished it but its on 32 count which is really a little too much for my poor eyes these days. I shall get it finished tomorrow hopefully and then post a picture.

We are hoping to get some of the hard landscaping in the front garden done tomorrow so I am hoping for fine weather. I guess its too much to hope it might be warm too.

Busy Weekend

We had our 4 year old grandson Oscar to stay for the weekend. He used to stay most weekends but after starting school in September was a bit clingy with Mummy and Daddy and so this weekend was a real treat for us.


Friday night we all went to see the lights being turned on in our local town. Not very impressive this year I must say, though Oscar thought they were lovely. Saturday we took him to Woodlands Garden Centre nr Hinkley in Leicestershire. It is one of the best garden centres I know for its Christmas displays and Oscar loves to go there. Saturday night we walked down to one of the houses near us that has all the Christmas lights and he was facinated by them and wanted to know why we didnt have lights on our house.

Today I have managed to get in the festive spirit by putting our Christmas decorations up. Now I just need to finish the shopping, write my cards, wrap and in some cases post off gifts, in fact just the normal panic that leads up to December 25th.

I have managed to get some stitching done today and I finished off a little gift for one of the girls at work. She has just had a conservatory built after wanting one for years and she can't stop talking about it so I designed this just for her.