Another HD for me

Another Happy Dance as I got Scotland finished today.

Been over to see Shiona again today and thankfully she is a lot brighter, far from being herself again but loads better than when we saw her Friday.

Oscar has had the same thing and when we went over yesterday he just lay on my knee, not his usually talkative and bouncy self at all. However I have spoken to him on the phone today and though he still sounds poorly that is more than he would have done yesterday.

Right I am off to make a start on Holland. Not sure whether it will be done before the new year but I do hope so.

Ready for the New Year

I really missed my side bar with the old blog skin, and have been promising myself that I would do a new layout before the New Year so here it is. I hope you like it and that unlike the last time I changed no one has problems leaving me comments.

I liked the space I had with the last one, but my rota etc was at the bottom under all my posts and I hated that. Also over Christmas I couldn't add any of the little seasonal bits that I normally put in my sidebar.

If you do have any problems leaving messages or clicking on things then please feel free to email me and let me know and I will try and find something that does work.

Where Did You Get That Hat..

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. I did, with lots of lovely stash and other things, and a day spent with all my family over at my sons house.

Yesterday it was just Keith and I and we decided we were just going to spend the day relaxing, which for me meant stitching. I finished Charlotte just after lunch. She wouldnt quite fit in the scanner so there are a few stitches out of site at both the top and bottom. Also there is a big shadow down one side where I had to fold the fabric, but I think you get the idea. I am thrilled with her. She was started on the 6th November 2006 and finished on 26th December 2007. Amelia will be taking her place in my rota.

I had said that I was not going to restart my rota until the new year so thought I would do one of the small VS Beyond Cross Stitch hearts I had for Christmas. I got England and Holland and I decided to do England first. We have been over at my daughters this afternoon as the poor lamb is feeling really ill with a cold and high temperature, I felt awful leaving her and was tempted to bring her home with us but I think going out into the bitter cold might have made things worse. Anyway when we got home I sat down and finished England so I can show you that too.

I am going to do another of these International Hearts next but this time I am going to do Scotland, which was a Christmas present from last year. With any luck I might just get another finish this year.

Thank you again to all the wonderful people who visit my little nook to take a peek and sometimes leave a comment. It is so much appreciated, after all without your visits this would just be a diary and no more, so thank you again from the bottom of my heart.

My Baby Boy

... is 36 today - Happy Birthday David.

Gosh am I old enough to have a child that age lol.

Just look at the photo, Keith's sideburns put it right in the 60s/70s lol and dont we look young. Oh my where did all those years go? I really don't feel any older - though my bones do some mornings. Its a good job its not a full length picture as I think that dress only barely covered my underwear lol.

On the stitching front I thought I would post an update of Charlotte as I had so many kind comments about her. There is not a lot left to do now but it will take a while I think as its like stitching confetti.

I think I am going to be stitching Queen of the Needle on Sunday this week. With Monday being Christmas eve I really don't know what we will be doing or who may be dropping in and I really dont want to miss my week on this one as I am enjoying it so much.

Thank you for all the lovely comment about Oscars card, he is coming tomorrow until Christmas eve morning so will let him read them all for himself. I am sure he will be thrilled with all your kind compliments.

Also thanks for the lovely comments on my Christmas sampler, Shiona was thrilled with it and couldn't believe I had stitched it in only 5 days, come to think of it I find it hard to believe myself as I am not the quickest of stitchers.

I will try and post an update picture of Queen on Monday but just in case I dont get chance to get back here again before the big day I would like to wish each and everyone of you a Wonderful and Peaceful Christmas with those you love and hold dear in your life.

Happy Dancing - at last

I say at last because I actually thought I was happy dancing at about 5 o'clock yesterday. The sampler was done and I just needed a frame. We had dinner and then set out to go to Matalan as we had seen frames in there a few days before that I thought would be ideal. Now I am sure you all know this feeling but - frames and samplers do not seem to feel that they have an obligation to fit together. It didnt matter which frame we picked up - and I picked most of them up even though common sense told me they all followed the same measurements - but they were either just that teeniest of bits too small or miles too big. Well there was only one thing I could do and that was to buy the frame, come home, and work out something more to put on the bottom. The original chart finished with the snowman. My first bit of luck being in the fact that I had just started this at one corner of a rather large piece of fabric so there was loads of room for more.

It was a nightmare I just couldnt get things to look right. In the end I found this little robin on a spade picture - far to long but I didnt need to have all the spade. I found a holly frame which I adapted to fit both sides. The little spikey border was in my easy cross border file and to fill in the gap I just did a double herringbone stitch as there was already a single herringbone in the chart so I thought it would blend in.

It then had to be stitched. The second bit of luck was that Mr Frog stayed well away but I did seem to keep getting knots in my threads (not something I normally have a problem with) but I guess when you are getting in a panic you maybe stitch differently. I eventually finished it at about 1.40 am. I just dropped it on the floor and crawled up to my bed. This morning I have added my name and the date and framed it so its now already for when she arrives about lunch time.

It was difficult getting a picture indoors the flash just diminished everything. So off I went to try my hand outside, in the freezing cold and still in my dressing gown but alas the morning is so dark and grey here that the flash was still going so in the end I tried taking a few at an angle. The results were not brilliant but this I think is the best of them. Would I have gone to this amount of trouble for anyone else but my darling daughter - lol I doubt it.

Ps I couldnt find a picture the right size to fit in the little box which I had left so I ended up doing the little choir boy 1 over 1 aghhh!!!!

Another Update

This time it isn't stitching lol but the piece from last Thursdays newspaper which I have kept meaning to post. It is Ozzie showing off both his Barratt Homes hard hat (he got that and a big tin of Heroes sweets) and the card he designed.

I have been meaning to post it and just needed a break from stitching so thought while I took my break I would do it while I was thinking about it.

A Couple of updates

First off I have last nights update on the Monday SAL I am doing with Sally. I was busy trying to write Christmas cards - I know its a bit late but since I retired I seem to have even less time for stitching etc and I am all behind with everything this year. Anyway I didnt get a lot done but I was really pleased with what I did manage. The roses are quite easy and look good finished but a bit boring to stitch (well I thought so lol), and I have one more of them to do to finish this border.



The second one is my daughters Christmas sampler. The little box on the right I have left blank at the moment as I dont like the picture that goes in there very much so once I have finished the other stitching I will try and find something else that will fit in there.
It is a shame you cannot see the sparkle in this one. The red on the tree is done in metallic and also the red bits in the wreath. The tall half cross stitches are done in silver ribbon and there is a metalic silvery blue thread for the bs bits in the snowflakes, so it looks quite pretty in real life.
I think I am just over half way now so I am hoping it will be finished within the next couple of days. I would like to get the main stitching done today and then be able to just add the beads and that tomorrow but I will have to see as unfortunately I do have other things I have to do today besides stitching. lol life does get in the way.

Thank you for the lovely comments especially about the post on my Dad, you all say such lovely things.

Dad

Mum & Dad

It is three years today since I lost my dear Dad. He thought that flowers were for the living and not the dead and would have hated for us to take flowers to the crem, but I always buy my mum a nice big bunch in his memory (he would have liked that idea ) and this afternoon I took them across to her. The flowers always contain pink carnations, they are what dad always bought her as that is what she carried on their wedding day. They were three months away from celebrating 60 happy years together. Miss you lots Dad and love you still.

Christmas Sampler

As many of you know my Darling Daughter is a lone female buying her own apartment in Nottingham, by the time she had paid all her bills she had very little left for buying clothes etc so decided to take on a weekend job too. So all week she works at the Queens University Hospital and at the weekends she works for the Emergency call out doctors at NEMS. To add to this with the shortage of staff at the hospital she has been working late two or three nights a week in the last couple of months. She came to visit the other week and was looking at all my Christmas pictures and bemoaning the fact that she had not had any time to finish any of her Christmas pictures so I thought I would do her a little sampler to put on her wall and cheer her up. I made a start yesterday and got on quite well so thought I would share my progress so far.

I do have a chart which I am following rather loosely lol and I am quite pleased with the progress so far.

Hope to do some more today though I really must write my Christmas cards today or people will be getting them early for next year instead of late for this lol.

Once again I say thank you to all you wonderful people who take time to read my little blog and even more so to the ones who are kind enough to leave comments. I really cannot tell you how much these are appreciated.

Update on an Olde

I stitched this one some years back for my dear friend Margaret. Since then she has had a couple more grandchildren to be added. Finn in 2004 and the latest little one is Theo.

I have just finished stitching the new name and date and I am going to give it a wash before restringing it and getting it back in the frame. We are going to their house for supper on Saturday so I want it ready to take with me.

Last night we went to see Oscar in his school play. It was called The Christmas Dream, and was a new slant on the nativity as two children sat before the Christmas tree wondering what it had been like when baby Jesus was born, they then fell asleep and dreamt they were there. It was very good especially as they were only 5 and 6 year olds. Oscar was a narrator and stood at the side of the stage telling the story as it unfolded. Oh dear another proud Granny moment lol.

I am still doing stitching on Charlotte and will have to get round to another picture of her, though I have had a busy few days and so not much stitching. Today I have no where to go and no one to see and though I do have things that must be done (still two cards need making and most of the rest still waiting to be written) and could do with doing some of the rude HW word, I am going to find a bit of "Me" space and stitch for an hour or two.

Thank you for the lovely comments on Charlotte and Queen of the Needle, and thank you once again for visiting and taking the time to read my blog.

MONDAY SAL update

Just thought I would post a picture of this weeks progress on Queen of the Needle before I went to bed. Im really pleased with the progress I made tonight. You cant really tell on here but the Trezibond thread which is used for the satin stitches is sort of wavey and it gives a lovely "soft" look. The colours are just so pretty on this one. I hope Sally has had a better week this week and I am looking forward to seeing her updates. Not sure I am looking forward to doing the Roses next week, but I am sure I will cope.

Some Plain Stitching & My Deco's

I have been so busy stitching Christmas cards (my own fault for leaving it so late) and I was beginning to get really bored. I just wanted to sit down and stitch something plain and simple. Not that the cards where difficult but I am not a great one for fiddling about with little things, I prefer to stitch bigger projects.

Anyway I looked in my rota to see if I fancied doing anything in there and Charlotte just started waving "me choose me" and so on Saturday & Sunday night I curled up in front of the TV with Charlotte and really enjoyed stitching her.

Tonight I will be stitching on Queen of the Needle again but I have not put Charlotte away as I think I may stick with her and get her done now she is out. Will just have to see how the mood takes me lol.

I also have some pictures of my Christmas decorations which you might like to see, though they are not as elaborate as many have seen in the blogs.

Thank you for once again visiting and reading my blog. I do so enjoy your visits but wish I could meet you all in person you sound such a wonderful bunch of people.

A Very Excited Little Boy

I have just had some news that I have to share with you.

Recently Barratt Homes launched a competition for schools. The children had to draw a Christmas card and the prize was to be £500 worth of art and craft things for the school.

Tonight my very excited little grandson Oscar has phoned me to tell me that out of all the schools in Derbyshire he has won first prize for his school. The school phoned his parents to ask permission for the local paper to visit the school tomorrow to take pictures and have told them that there will also be a prize for Oscar though they dont know at the moment what that is to be.

A proud granny will be scanning and posting the article when it is in the paper so watch for more lol.

Update on Queen

Here is a picture of this weeks progress on Queen on the Needle. I cheated a bit as tonight I couldnt be bothered to sort anything else out and this was still on the chair so I have done the little urn tonight (sorry Sally) .
The colours really do look lovely.

Took Mum shopping today and then went to have a look at the Christmas display at one of the local garden centres but it was really disappointing this year. They hardly had anything there and what they had was overpriced rubbish. We are going to the rival garden centre on Thursday so I am hoping that will be a bit better.

Tomorrow I have to go to the bank - with my passport - would you believe that when I went in to put a cheque in yesterday they said that my account was now "out of date" and they would transfer it to a new account for me. OK I thought thats OK but the stupid rules wont let them just do that I have to go in with proof of who I am to do it. What is more annoying as that account is no longer running they had to confiscate my book so I have no choice but to do as they wish if I want to get hold of MY MONEY. I felt like saying well just close the ****** account and I will go elsewhere but they are all the same and I would have had as much if not more palaver.

Not long back we wanted to open a new bond for Oscar and we had to get his birth certificate from my son and dil. As I pointed out to the dear lady who did this for us - any man (or woman) in the country can walk into a register office and say he wants to register the birth of a child they ask for the date of birth, the name and where the child was born, they ask for no proof whatsoever, so how the hell is a birth certificate proof on anything.

Oh dear I think I am turning into a Grumpy Old Lady lol but these people do seem to have a real knack for bringing out the worst in folks.

On that I am going back to stitch - another christmas card lol so that will cheer me up again.

Hardanger Angel

This is what I have been working on for the last couple of weeks. I had to adapt the chart a bit as it is designed for one of these dolls heads but I couldnt find one here in the UK and it would have cost about £12 / £14 to send to the USA for one which was more than I was willing to pay - especially as I want to make one for me too. This one is for my Mum. A few weeks back she had been having a sort out and remarked that she had loads of cards I had stitched but although she didnt want to part with them she really didnt know what to do with them so I thought I would stitch her an ornament this year instead of a card, that way she can hang it on her tree every year.
The chart was Emie Bishop's 2001 Angel. The dress should be stitched as one piece with a small hole where the head fits but I stitched the back and the front seperately altered the hole to make a neckline and then stitched it across the shoulders. Also although the wing were very pretty hardanger I had to back them with some "iron on" stiffner stuff which has spoilt the effect a little. The little doll cost me £2 from Asda. Overall however, I am quite pleased with the effect and will take her with me when I go to Mums tomorrow.

Today was SAL Monday but I wanted to make a start on a couple of special cards I have to stitch (I know I'm a bit late but better late than never lol). Anyway I got one done this afternoon and I have made a start on Queen of the Needle tonight. It is lovely to be using some colour on it at last. I havent got a lot done but I am pleased with what I have and will try and take a picture tomorrow. I wonder if Sally has carried on with the colour or done the 2nd Corner. It is lovely to have someone to stitch with and fun to compare what we have done each week so BIG THANK YOU SALLY.

Terri and I have decided that next year we are going to make an early start on stitched cards and on the first Sunday of each month we are going to stitch one in our own little SAL - if anyone fancies joining then please do.

Its been a horrid day today the rain has hammered down and its been so cold. By three o'clock I needed to put the lights on it was like night time. Then some silly woman on the weather said its quite mild at the moment - where do these people get there forcasts, I sometimes wonder if they are in the same country.

Oh well thats my little moan for the day lol so on that note I will say goodnight and wend my weary way to bed.

Thanks for all your comments they really are so much appreciated.

MONDAY SAL

Though it wasnt done on Monday this week lol. I made a start on Wednesday and then we had an unexpected visitor so I resumed it on Thursday and got the 2nd corner done which I am really pleased about. The effect is lovely but I found stitching cross stitch on 28 count with Perle #8 was really heavy going. I am really looking forward to stitching on next weeks with normal floss and in colour. Sally has done one corner and is working in colour now and it looks so lovely but I knew I just had to get those corners out of the way first or I would not want to go back to them. The fabric looks white on the scan but it is Polstitches Pearl and is rather a creamy/beigey colour in real life.
Another new thing for me is I scanned the stitching rather than take a picture. I remarked to Sally that hers showed up better than mine and though I had tried I could not get a clear photo. She told me that she nearly always scans hers so I had a go and I must admit I am pleased with the results, so thanks for the tip Sally.

I am now back to my Christmas stitching which is not a secret as its for my Mum and she doesnt read my blog. It is a hardanger angel ornament which I am really enjoying. The only problem at the moment is having enough time to stitch as with trying to organise Christmas shopping etc.

I have already received two cards and gifts and I havent even thought that far ahead yet lol. Maybe we will get the Christmas things out the loft this weekend and then i will feel more in the Christmas mood.

I just have to pass on a recommendation. You remember I was waiting for a new 17" Q Snap frame from Lekker threads. Well after 3 months and without so much as an email to tell me anything my account was recredited with the money. So one afternoon I placed an order with a firm I found called Stitchdirect. About half an hour after the confirmation email I got another saying the order was despatched and imagine my amazement when it was through the door first thing the next morning. I was really pleased to at last get my big Q Snap frame. At the moment I have Ink Circles on it but it is really for Taj.

Speaking of Lekker I was told that the shop was closing and now I hear its reopening - did she not do that last Christmas too. Well here is one person who will not be using her again whether she reopens or not.

Just a quick note on health. I am fine again now I just seem to have odd days when things play up but I have wonderful and strong medication to get me out of pain fairly quickly so it doesnt last. But a big thank you to all the wonderful people who either posted comments on here or emailed me sending good wishes and hugs, you are all wonderful.

No New Pictures

I have no new pictures to show this week as I have been busy Christmas Stitching and yesterday I was in bed all day (the gall bladder playing up ugghh) so didnt even get my Monday SAL done but will do that tomorrow as I dont want to fall behind.

I know there is no way I am going to get Heirloom Christmas done in time so rather than try rushing it and spoiling it I have put it on one side and will have another go after Christmas (sorry Jane).

I was going to make up for no pictures by showing you one of those that just come out at Christmas but I am on Keiths computer and my pictures are on mine so I cant even do that.

Will hopefully post again either Wednesday night or Thursday morning with an update on my Queen of the Needle SAL, but I am looking forward to seeing how Sally got on with hers this week.

I'm Back

Have been back a couple of days but this is the first chance I have got to update my blog. We had a wonderful holiday and I shall post some pics in a day or two.

For now here is my holiday stitching, not quite finished on holiday but I sat on Sunday evening and did the last wee bit.

Its Classic Embroideries, Amber.

On Monday I started Queen Of The Needle as a SAL with Sally. I started it on a Dusky Pink Linen which was a lovely colour but stitching with a perle #8 thread on an uneven fabric was hell so I unpicked it and chose another fabric from my stock - Polstitches Pearl. This is a little lighter than I would have liked but I was so eager to get on I did not want to wait to order something else and I think it will be fine. I had almost completed the first corner when I realised I had made a mistake and had to frog quite a bit. At that point I decided to give up for this week, I dont know what it was (maybe the jet lag) but I just could not seem to concentrate so best to put it away and I shall look forward to getting it finished next week. Im looking forward to hearing how Sally got on.

Not a very clear picture but best I seemed able to get.

The last thing I have to share with you is something I stitched before the holidays and it was a little pinkeep and fob I did for Edda for her belated birthday gift as I was in hospital and missed her birthday completely. I am sure I took a picture of this but cant find it anywhere so I have pinched the picture that Edda put on her blog (I'm sure she won't mind).

I really enjoyed stitching this one. The pinkeep is from Elizabeth Designs and the fob was just one of my designs I made to match the pinkeep.

Last Post and IC Updated

Here as promised is update on Ink Circles as of last night. I have been asked what colours I am using on this and they are as follow (so far).

The blue outline is Kaalund threads Wisteria and the infill is Kaalund Waterlily. The browny outline is Kallund Tarpan and the infill is Dinky-Dyes Hawthorne. I got a little bored with doing the infills so made a start on the blackwork and so far I have used Dinky-Dyes Emerald and Dinky-Dyes Red Rust.

I did the last line on Heirloom Christmas (apart from the ribbon knots which I havent done before so need to practice) and I have done a few of the kloister blocks on the hardanger at the bottom but not enough progress to show any pictures yet. I have also been stitching a couple of gifts, which I am sure you will see all in good time lol.

Yesterday I retired at long last so I am now a lady of leisure - or pleasure, as I hope to have lots of time to do my stitching and my garden and all the other things which go to make my life a pleasure.

I will be of to Vietnam in the early hours of the morning tomorrow and thought I had better let you know as I would hate anyone to be worrying where I was.

Thanks you all the lovely, lovely people who are kind enough to leave comments they are so much appreciated.

I'm Nearly At The Bottom of The Garden

Well nearly at the bottom of stitching on "Fairies At The Bottom of My Garden". Lots and lots of colour changes, lots of metallics and loads of beads, though at the moment I am leaving the beads well alone. I started by putting them on as I went along but I still have not got my large Q-Snap frame from Lekker - over two months now (arghhhhhhhhhhhh) and with a smaller frame its difficult to try avoiding them. I really enjoy stitching this one though as its such a fun design and though I have stuck to the colours suggested for the main things like leaves and flowers I am having great fun with choosing colours for the fairies.

Next in the rota is Hardanger House but first I really must do some on my Heirloom Christmas, what with hospital and then last weekend we had Oscar so I have two weekends to catch up on. Not sure that I will get that much done anyway as we really must get sorted out with what we want to pack etc this weekend.

Talking of holiday and stitching I had fully intended to take Ink Circles with me but it is really rather big to just get out and stitch on a coach or plane so I have decided that the new ones Jasmine and Amber are coming with me. They are only about
7 x 10 at the most so a much easier size to deal with. I have sorted out the fabric (aida was supplied and I hate aida) and I now have to sort out my conversion charts as the threads supplied are anchor and I really much prefer DMC. I do wish they had been available as just charts, is it only me that ends up re kitting kits lol?????

This & That

What a frustrating week. First the light went in my stitching lamp and when I changed the bulb still nothing happened. It appears that the transformer has died and I am now in contact with the manufacturers to try and get a new one but it is really annoying as it means I cannot stitch with it in the evenings.

Second my computer died. At the moment I can get into Keiths computer to read my emails and update my blog but I have no access to any of my documents on here and that includes my Easy Cross Programme - oh I want to cry sob sob.

On the good side because I have been unable to stitch in my den during the evenings I have been downstairs and getting on well with Ink Circles. I have had a little time for stitching in the day and I am doing "Fairies At The Bottom of My Garden" still which I am really enjoying at the moment. I will show you a picture of this when I have made a little more progress.

Also on the good side I ordered Amber and Jasmine yesterday from Choices Embroidery and was thrilled when they popped through the door this morning. They had emailed to say the order would be dispatched within the next couple of days but with free delivery on UK orders I expected them to be sent 2nd class and so was not expecting them to arrive until next week. Here is a pic though it really does not show them at their best and I would not have ordered them if I had not seen them at the recent Harrogate show. Just goes to show that its not only us who do not get the best from a photograph.

As I am having to use Keiths computer my time on here is quite limited so I am trying to visit other blogs but it is taking a while to get through them all so if I have not left you a comment recently I do apologise and will hope to be back to normal soon.

Now I Can Share

Terri received her birthday gifts today, a little late due to the postal strike but she loved them, so now I can share with you.

The fabric they are laid on is the same fabric that I used for the backings. I have never made a Needle Case before and though I thought I had left enough of a border round the picture by the time I had turned it I realised that I should have left more. That is a lesson I will remember for the future. The pin fob I was really pleased with and think it is definitely the best one I have done so far.

In the past I have always glued the fabric and then glued the two halves together but this time thanks to the very clear instructions Becky gave not long back on her blog I decided to string each piece and then stitch it. I thought it would be quite a long winded affair but was amazed how quickly i did it and because I didnt have to wait for glue to dry it was finished a lot quicker than usual. I took the little pictures for these from the AMAP Le Temps chart as I knew Terri liked that one.

I also want to say a big thank you to those who have taken the time to send cards, e-cards, emails and message of good wishes both here and at Jaynes Attic forum. I am sure all these healing hugs have made me feel so much better so much quicker. Your are wonderful people each and every one of you.

Secret Garden At Last

Did it at last. Its not a very clear picture but at least it shows where I have got to. Also the picture makes it look twisted and it isnt honestly.

Secret Garden & Thanks

Firstly thank you to everyone for all your good wishes both here and in private emails. For those who asked I have apparently got Gall Stones and now have to await an op to remove the Gall bladder and I have no idea when that will be but I am on the waiting list so hopefully not too long.



I had some lovely flowers from the girls at work today which was a nice suprise and really brightened my day.



I wanted to post a picture of Secret Garden but this is not letting me add one, umm will I ever get a blog that works for me as well as you lol.

I will have another try tomorrow but it certainly will not play tonight.

Not Pretty But Working

I am sorry I have not been around for the last week but was rushed into hospital last Wednesday night so have not been here.

I have changed the blog template and it seems to be working now. I dont like this one but until I have the energy to sort out something else it will just have to do.

The painkillers I am taking are making me very sleepy and that is making it difficult to concentrate on stitching so I have moved on from Secret Garden. I didnt do badly but not as much as I would like done. Will try and post a pic tomorrow. Now on to the next in the rota which is Fairies at the Bottom of my Garden and as its just plain cross stitch it doesnt need too much concentration so I will stick with that until I have my pills sorted to a level where they are keeping me out of pain but not causing me to fall asleep all the time.

Thank you to all those who let me know that the link was not working for them and to those who it did work for and were kind enough to leave comments.

Weekend Sal

I started Heirloom Christmas as a SAL with Elaine, but unfortunately she had to drop out and I have been ploughing on alone since then. Now however I have company once again and it has really spurred me one. I am finishing with Jane as a weekend SAL. We had agreed to do one line each weekend but we had both done row 27 on Saturday and agreed to go on and do row 28 as we were both enjoying it so much. Thank you Jane, you have given me the encouragement I was beginning to lack and I have really enjoyed stitching this weekend. Back to my rota tomorrow and it will be the turn on Loopylou's "Secret Garden". After my initial problems with this one I am looking forward to getting back to it now.

Thank you to all those who visit my blog and I do apologise to those who have been unable to leave comments since I moved to my new blog. I really have no idea what the problem is as some people have managed it and others havent. Having said that I have twice today been unable to post comments in blogs so maybe it is a general blogger problem. I do hope so and hope it will be sorted soon as I so love reading what you have to say.

Chiloe, I left messages on your blog hopefully answering the question you asked. If it was not clear please email me (link in my sidebar) and I will try to explain more fully.

Mmmmm is it me or blogger lol

Well I have received 2 comments on my new blog, but I have also received 2 emails from different people saying they have been unable to leave a comment. I have looked and I dont seem to have altered anything so I am hoping that blogger has just been having an off day.


I have put Gracious Era away tonight but for once I really feel pleased with how I got on with this. I decided to scan and enlarge the part of the chart I was working on. Although I have an enlarged photocopy of this chart the symbols are not always easy to read and when they are you cannot always tell what colour they are supposed to be without constantly referring to the main chart which gets confusing at times - well it doesnt take an awful lot to confuse me at the best of times lol. I have just been working on the sky as I really feel that once I have the sky done the rest of it will be so much easier - or at least so much more interesting. Its a bit confetti like and so I am pleased that i have filled in all the gaps and got quite a bit more done besides.

I have a couple of bits I want to get out of the way tomorrow and I might actually make a start on my Heirloom Christmas weekend SAL tomorrow night as we have friends coming on Saturday night and we are expecting company on Sunday for tea so that will knock a whole load of stitching time out of my weekend. The next section has a lot of drawn thread work and re-weaving in it and Im very slow at that anyway.

Its been lovely and sunny here today and I took Mum out for an hour this afternoon. She is quite fascinated by the fact that she can actually see detail on things with the cataract gone from her left eye. Its very bloodshot at the moment and looks more painful than she says it feels but its so good to have her seeing things again. I think once the other one is done too it will really give her a new lease on life as she will be able to stitch and sew and paint again, things shes not done for a good few years now as her sight slowly seemed to get worse.

If you have tried to comment and been unable to leave a message then please email and let me know as I do not know how many people are having a problem with my new blog, and I will so miss all your lovely comments.

THANK YOU NICOLA

..... for helping me to sort out how to make my blog more personal. Nicola was kind enough to send me a very detailed email on how to sort this out. I am a complete technophobe but even I was able to follow her instructions.

So I hope you like the new look blog. The picture is of the Baga river in Goa and is taken from a little riverside cafe that we often visit in the evenings when we are there. Our apartment is just a little further up the river from where this was taken and is just soooooo peaceful. I hope when my DH retires we will be spending a lot more time there during the winter - away from the cold, cold weather which I hate. Lol you will notice that we always have our holidays during the winter as I love my garden and like to be here when the weather is warm and I can be pottering around outside - OK so this year things went wrong and only the ducks were happy pottering about outside, but then this year was an exception I hope.

I might change the actual template again Im not sure but now I know how to do it I can play to my hearts content, though really I know I should be stitching lol.

On the stitching front I got line 26 of Heirloom Christmas done and I have done quite a bit on Gracious Era, mainly boring old sky but will try and stick with it for a couple of days and then start on Secret Garden after the weekend. I tried scanning part of the Dimensions chart and it has certainly come up better than the enlarged photo copy so this might make life a little easier and I might actually get a bit more done each time this one comes round in the rota.

Thank you to everyone for all the lovely comments you have left recently on both my finishes and my wip updates they really are appreciated.

Update on B/W House

Wanted to post this before I went to bed. Not a lot done but with visitors at the weekend and then today I have been at the hospital with Mum as she had her first cataract op, I have not had too much stitching time. Still I have the first half of the roof done so I am quite pleased.
Tomorrow I am going to try and do row 26 of Heirloom Christmas so I am at the same starting point as Jane when we start on Saturday to do our weekend SAL. Once I have done that I shall move back to my rota and the next one is Gracious Era - ugh, not that I mind the design but its a Dimensions and I do find the charts so difficult to read so I never end up doing very much on it. Still as I always say a little is that much less to stitch next time lol.

Sorry this is so short but I really am wacked and its midnight already.

Guess whose a Happy Bunny

Wow, wow, wow Im really dancing tonight. I just finished 4 Wishes by Just Nan. Stitched on 28count Ice Blue fabric with DMC colours (mainly as charted though I did do a little changing round lol).

In the last section my main change was the little bird next to the writing at the bottom. It was a cardinal but our winter bird here in Britain is the cheeky little Robin and that is what I wanted. After searching everywhere and failing to come up with a robin that was small enough to fit I decided to design my own and I was really happy with the result.

I did struggle a bit with the blackwork snowflakes at the bottom as they should have been white, but this just didnt show so I frogged it. On suggestions from the lovely people at Jaynes Attic Forum I tried white with some twinkly thread but it still didnt show, so I tried white perle which was too thick and in the end went for a slightly darker blue with the twinkly thread. Although its hard to see on the photo it really does look pretty in the blue (thanks Christine from Alchemy) .

Jane if you read this can you contact me please (email addy is in my side bar).

Thank you to everyone for there lovely comments regarding Coast to Coast.

ANOTHER UFO DONE

Coast to Coast by Anchor, stitched on white aida fabric (cant remember now if it was 14 or 16 count).
The photo doesnt really do it justice and it looks lovely now its done. I hated stitching it and would never have finished if it hadnt been for joining the UFO SAL, on the Jaynes Attic Forum. Thanks to Julie and her friend Mr Stick I didnt dare not stitch lol.

I am bowing out of the UFO group for a while but will be back with them in the new year to do EMS Garden Alphabet.

I want to concentrate on my rota for a bit and also I have a new SAL coming up when I return from holiday as I am going to be doing Queen of the Needle along with Sally.

Tonight I have made a start on number one in my rota which is Just Nans, 4 Wishes and hope to be able to post a pic in a few days.

Thank you to all the lovely people who visit and comment on my blog, its nice to know I am not just talking to myself for a change lol.

Look What The Postie Brought

Wow I had a very, very belated birthday pressie from Dusty today and just look what was in it .

This scissor fob is just so, so me.

I love it and I am now tempted to buy another pair of scissors in either plain silver or green to match it.

There was also this chart for a beautiful hardanger angel which I am hoping I might be able to do for christmas, though I dare not start it before the holiday.

Also this adorable little bee button which is made of wood.

There was also some pieces of fabric for making ornaments, two little christmas kits, some perle threads, some Tribizond Thread (for Queen of the needle, some iron on transfers, some stick on motifs and 101 (no not dalmations lol) DMC threads.

Dusty I just cannot begin to thank you for this gift it is absolutely stunning.

The postie also returned my wfb to me today and I was so thrilled with it that I just had to frame it at once. I had intended to stitch beads on it when it came back but on seeing it completed I really didnt think the beads were needed. I had the frame in the house and I just added some silver snowflake stickers to brighten up the mount.

Thanks so much to both AnnP and Terri for your lovely work on this one.

I also framed both India and Jayne at long last.

I would also like to thank Karen and Carol for there tips on getting my email link into my blog and you can now contact me by hitting the contact label in my side bar.

Ink Circles - Update

Just a quickie to show you an update

on Blackwork Fantasy Garden. Terri has been nagging at me so this is specially for her lol. I have decided if I can get all the outlines done then I will take this away with me as my holiday stitch.

Does Anyone Know ....

.... and if so can you possibly explain to a techno-phobe, how to put a link to my email address in here.

Thanks.

Nightmares and Good News

First my good news. I finally did it, I handed in my resignation today and I am finally and fully retiring on the 31st October. I cant wait. There have been a number of changes at work recently which I dont feel happy with, and there are more to follow. Added to this I have been feeling a little down just lately (sorry Im not going to moan) and finally I decided enough was enough and sat and wrote my letter. So now I have more stitching time to look forward to - that is unless my Mum decides I have more time for sorting her and her house out lol.

Right on to stitching and the Dippy border which has been a nightmare. I always leave a good border round big projects as I like to have plenty to play with when I am stringing, but I had not counted on doing an extra border on this. Although it was very simple it was awful to stitch as I was working only about an inch from the edge of the fabric so I couldnt use a frame or hoop and the thread kept catching on the fabric edge. It took ages to work it out as there was such a limited amount of space and then because I had worked to the edge of the fabric I had to use adhesive board as there was nothing left for stringing. For some reason the top right hand border just pops under the edge of the mount and when i tried easing it in a little the fabric just creased. So I am afraid for now it is going to have to remain as it is and if I find I cant live with it then I will just have to do what my hubby suggested in the first place and put some ribbon behind the mount. In fact I really do wish I had heeded his advice in the first place but for goodness sake dont anyone tell him I said that he he he.

Rejoice

This is the Rejoice Tree by M Designs, stitched on 28 count pale blue fabric, one over two, with Dinky-Dyes silk in a limited edition thread called Summer Heat. It is for AnnP for her Christmas WFB. She is doing Cherish and Terri is doing Believe and from what I have seen the others are just as pretty. Ann is going to stitch the beads on them herself.

I just wanted to thank everyone for all the lovely comments about Serendipity. The frame I have has a sort of inner and outer mount and there is a tiny gap between them, which just showed plain fabric through. I didnt like this so I am now stitching a tiny border to show in the gap lol. I will show you another picture when I am finally finished and get it framed.