I'm Two Today...

..... or at least my blog is and here is the Birthday Bunny just to brighten the page up because I still have no pictures to share. The Hat shook up all the names of those lovely people who commented on my last blog and drew out a name

guess who won?................

Why it was Debby from Stitch Wizard. I am so pleased it was Debbie as she has been going through the mill a little lately with her health and I hope this will cheer her up and give her a great big smile. I shall be a little apprahensive stitching something for Debby as she does lovely stitching herself. Please email me with your address Debby (my email link is in my sidebar).

I am still beavering away at both the stitching and the card making as and when I can, though I did have my card making things spread all round my den floor so I thought I had better put them all away this afternoon. I am hoping the electrician will not have to take floorboards up but in the event I did not want to be just stuffing it away quickly and not knowing where things were.

On the MM&IRR front then I think I now have everything as I want it. Of course there may still be a little tweeking, in fact I am sure there will, especially with the landscaping. I am rather sparse of little creatures and critters and would like to fit more of those in but its not important at the moment and they can be added when found. I do feel I need some people and pets, I want it to be a happy and close neighbourhood where all my friends will want to come and live. I have the fabric ready and my friend Col has a overlock machine and she has kindly said she will run that along the top and bottom (there are selvedge down the sides). I do think this is going to be a major project and you all know I am desperately in need of a new major project (about as much as I am in need of a hole in my head) but nevertheless I am really excited about it. I do have a worry, it is a very minor one but I really would like to use some hand dyed threads. I know anchor and dmc both do washable ones but what i need is something far more subtle than those. More shading rather than varigated for walls and roofs etc. Although it is going to be a table cloth it is going to be (if it ever gets completed) more of a decorative than a useful item, so it will only need light washing and i am wondering if i use something like Caron threads they are going to be less likely to run than the cheaper ones to be had. If anyone has any advice or experience regarding washing of hand dyed threads I really would appreciate it.

I am now going to crawl into my bed as I will need to be up early for the electrician tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed that my house does not end up like a bomb site.

Hugs to all who need them and thank you once again for visiting.





may your frogs stay in their ponds

It's That Time Of Year..

When no one has much to show. I did to a little more of EMS Rose and I did start to do some knitting but suddenly I realised how near Christmas it was. Very few pressies, three stitched cards and that was about my limit so I have been busy stitching and card making in the little time I have had for these things.

I have not been too good recently, one dose of sinisitis after another and glands going up and down like yoyo's till in the end I could take no more and decided to make a doctors appointment. It's just a virus and we cannot treat a virus - I knew what to expect but I was beginning to worry in case it was not just a virus. The doctor could not have been nicer, my glands were at there very best on the day of the visit (I mean they were mega painful and very swollen). Doc admitted they were a mess and that both my throat and ears were very red and irritated looking - however she could find no sign of infection at all. She said there clearly was infection somewhere to cause the reddness, swelling and pain so decided as they may be an underlying cause of something entirely different she would give me a course of penicillian. Five days on and I feel so much better the swelling has gone, the sinusitis seems to have settled down and there is just a small amount of tenderness rather than pain in the gland area of my throat.

To top that on Tuesday I had a small op to remove a wart thing from my side. The op went well but the bleeding wouldn't stop so I came home well padded and had to go back the following day for another inspection and the dressing changed. I was told I must not wear a bra for a week until it had started to heel so I have felt a bit self consious about going anywhere this week. I should have been going to visit with my friend Colly on Wednesday but she cancelled as she was not feeling well and as I too had not been feeling well it was a relief really, even though I had been praying I would feel well as I always enjoy my days with Colly. As it turned out I would not have had much time with her anyway as I was between the doctor and the nurse for what seemed like most of the morning.

By Thursday luckily I was feeling both the benefits of the Penicillian and the bleeding had eased so we did not have to cancel the Harrogate show. I just chose a nice big baggy jumper and hoped no one would notice I had joined the "burn your bra brigade". I started off by driving but Shiona took over when it was getting a bit much for me. We had a lovely day. She saw a Dimensions kit which she fell in love with (Sandcastle Dreams) and as Mum had given me some money so I could get her something for Christmas I bought it for her - though I have told her Granny will have to send it away to Santa lol. We also got a couple of cheap kits each which we bought for the linen and the threads rather than the design, some fabric and some card making bits and bobs. I also bought myself a new pair of scissors to take to Mums as her so called needlework scissors get used for anything else that happens to need a pair of scissors. Oz cutting out, a broken nail, some string to tie a plant up - you name it and the same scissors do it all. Before taking them I will make a nice big fob to tie of them preferably with a warning about the consequences of using them for anything else (which could be murder lol).

Friday we had the Electrician come to put in a new Mother Board and he has found some problems which mean we are going to have to have the house partially rewired. Not cheap and can be a lot of mess (he has promised that he will try and keep this to a minumum but just what that means is anyones guess). This is just what we need before Christmas but at the end of the day we cannot put it off as it is potentially dangerous. At the end of the day our house is 40 years old and lots of sockets etc have been added since it was built. Even a big extension on the back which apparently has its electrics just running off the exsisting supply chain. I am just crossing everything that all the floorboards do not have to come up. Oh well such is life and as long as no one gets hurt we will cope.

I have my second blogoversary coming up on the 26th November. I would like to make a small gift for someone as a thankyou for visiting my blog and having the patients to read all my ramblings each time. Especially like now when there isnt even a pretty picture to look at.
If you leave me a comment on this blog I will draw a name out of The Hat on the 26th and will stitch a little something especially for you.

In the mean time I hope you are all having a wonderful stitchy weekend.



may your frogs stay in their ponds.

28 today

Sure they were the numbers lol. Happy birthday Mum hope you had a wonderful day.

This is the card I made for her it was an adaptation of the Brooke Publishing freebie for Breast Cancer but as soon as I saw the one that Elisa had stitched I just knew that was what I wanted to do for Mum. I made a card and then cut a piece of cardboard the same size, covered it with light wadding, laced the stitching over it and stuck it to the front of the ready made card.

Its nice to have another finish so close to the last one, even if it was only tiny.

Chiloe is having a blog giveaway if anyone would like to take part then please give her a visit.

xx
May your frogs stay in their ponds

Tagged

I have been tagged by Becca to write 6 things about myself. I am then supposed to tag 6 more people. Well I hate these things so all I will do is write the things about me and then say if you would like to tell us 6 things about yourself please feel free to do so.

1. I have more stash than I will ever be able to use but that doesnt stop me wanting more (sure you will all associate with that one lol)

2. I married a very dear friend and even though next year we will celebrate 40 years of marriage he is still my best friend.

3. I have always been known by my middle name.

4. My son was born on the shortest day of the year and my grandson was born on the longest day of the year.

5. I have always enjoyed designing my own bits and pieces and next year I hope to launch my own site with a few of the designs I have done.

6. I hate talking about personal things which is why I always have such a job with these things.


May your frogs stay in their ponds

Roses and Rambles

Well I have had another HD but like so many people at this time of year I cannot share. Mind this one I will be able to share in a day or two but I have other things in the pipeline (or in the hoop may be a better description) which will remain secret for a couple of months. There will be so many pretty pics floating about after the fat man has been to visit.


My SS (secret stitching) is rather hard on the old eyes so it is being saved for the day light hours which seem to be few and far between. I know the shortest day is fast approaching - how can I forget it is my sons birthday and for me was one of the longest days of my life lol - but thats another story. The last few days here have just been so dark that we hardly seem to have seen any daylight at all some days. Mind I did spend most of the weekend in bed with the dreaded flu bug. More of a really severe cold and an attack of sinusitis combined mostly gone now though i still keep getting sneezing attacks. I think this is the third time that I have had these symptoms recently and I just seem to recover and its back again. Whilst I was working I was considered to be in a vulnerable situation and was given the flu jab each year. This year for the first time I have not had one and I am wondering if this it the cause. Maybe with having a jab each year I have failed to build up a natural immunity.


On the stitching that I can share I decided to make EMS Rose Sampler my priority for this week and here is a picture of my progress thus far. I am working across between sections 7, 8 and 9. I know it might be easier to do one page at a time but I am enjoying doing it this way so shall continue to do so. I would like to get this section finished before I put it away.

I have come to the sad conclusion that Heirloom Christmas is not going to be finished in time for this years celebrations. It is not that I could not get it done but I cannot see the point in rushing to finish it when I know it will not get framed in time. My framer usually asks that you allow about 6 weeks near Christmas as its always a busy time for him and therefore I think its better to leave it and finish it after Christmas having it all ready in good time for next year. Also I do feel that I need more practise with the ribbon roses and I do not have the time for playing about with that at the moment. Oh well I am sure it will be worth waiting for.

I need to get my SS done and then with those out of the way I have three smaller Christmas projects that I would love to do all of which I can either frame myself or do as large pinkeep finishes. I rather like these large pinkeep type finishes - can you tell LOL.

On the decorating front I am afraid we still do not have anything on the walls. My DH kept to his end of the bargain and the ceiling is painted, all the gloss work is done and all the doors have been done in Satinwood. We have the paper but unfortunately my other half only tackles the pasting when it comes to that part of the job. I am the one who actually sticks it on the walls and the only think I was capable of sticking at the weekend was myself under the covers, so we still have that to do and to make it even more fun we have Oz this weekend so I cannot see a lot getting done then.

Well my dearest is telling me that its after midnight and hes bought me a nice hot drink up to bed so I better shift my butt and go get ready to join him.

Thank you for all your lovely comment and for taking the time to visit and read my rambles.

Hugs to all those who need them

xx
May your frogs stay in their ponds

I Have A Happy, Happy, Happy, Dance.......

Oh yes it's a happy dance for me and I am really happy with the results. I just finished it tonight and the picture has just been taken so its not in the best light by any means.

This is Cottage Dreams by Judy Dixon. Started on the 1st July and finished 5th November. I have not been stitching on this for 4 months, if you follow my blog you will know that I am (or was) a rotation stitcher. These days I am more of a flitter stitcher lol. There are a few small changes. I was not happy with the Pearsall Silk and changed that for a Caron Waterlillies and I also changed the Gloriana silk called for (Gloriana Green Gables a lovely thread but it did not show on my fabric) was changed for another Caron Waterlillies thread. I cannot remember the thread colours and they are downstairs so if you are interested let me know and I will look them up for you. The other changes were with the beads changing the cream beads called for to tiny pink pearls. I kept to the gold ones called for but drastically reduced the amount there was supposed to be. I like a little bling but felt that it would have been too OTT for me with all those beads. I want to finish this one in a large pinkeep for my bedroom which is awaiting redecoration so just for the now it will be tucked away and will be finished at a later date.

I have almost finished the first of my secret stitching - though i have a few other bits I would like to do if its possible, we will have to see. I have not decided what is coming out next. I want to spend the weekend on some of my secret bits and then I next week I will make a decision on what is to be next. I have my eye on a few things in my wip file so you will have to wait and see.

I do have one more update but I keep forgetting to take a picture of it. I bought Ink Circles, Blackwork Fantasy Garden back from Mums last week. The "knot garden" is now completed and it is just the blackwork flowers to do. I did try doing a bit of the blackwork at Mums but notice I have made a couple of very minor mistakes as I find it difficult to concentrate . Mum would be good and sit quitely while I stitched to allow me concentration time but to be fair I go to keep her company and asking her to be quite while I stitch is hardly doing that. Instead I have taken the Silhouette Sampler over. I am about half way done on this one anyway, its not big, and it doesnt take much concentration so think that is an ideal project. I do not really get much stitching time anyway sometimes half an hour, sometimes less than 5 minutes but its nice to just keep some there for when I do get the chance and Mum enjoys seeing things grow.

Right I am now off to bed but I did want to share my HD before I went.

Goodnight all and sweet dreams.

May your frogs stay in their ponds

Heart Warming

Yesterday I had two lovely gifts in the post.

First my dear friend Karan from "Karan's Craft Corner" has just finished stitching this beautiful Heartwarmer Bell Pull. I was full of admiration for this piece from the minute I saw the first little snowman appear and Karan kindly forwarded the chart on to me when she finished. She said the chart was a nightmare to follow and I can well understand why having seen the chart. The three snowmen are on three seperare little charts and there there is a square chart with the 4 spacers in it. Apart from telling you there is 4 fabric threads between each chart there is no indication as to placing and each of the snowmen charts are slightly different sizes. Luckily I have a cross stitch program on my computer so i spent a couple of hours on my computer working out the placements and I am all set (AND ITCHING LOL) now to start on this project. Unfortunately I have a few other things that must come first - sob sob.

Secondly Jacqui from Smoking Needles, kindly sent me two 100g balls of lovely BabySoft double knitting wool for my charity knitting.

I have done a little stitching - just two corners on my Cottage Dreams, not enough for a picture yet unfortunately. I won't be stitching tonight either as we are - being completely mad - off to a Barn Dance in a tent. LOL my dear friend Jen (no blog) was 60 yesterday and she is having the dance in a marquee on her lawn, but it is freezing out this evening and pouring with rain. Yes I have my thermals and lots of layers ready to put on before we go.

We are up to our elbows in decorating at the moment but tomorrow Sky are showing the local Derby match between Derby and Nottingham Forest, my kids and grandson being Forest supporters and Keith being a Derby supporter they are all going to watch together over at Davids house so that means I will have about three hours of uninterupted stitching time. I am hoping I may get the first of my secret projects out of the way while I have peace.

I hope to be back with some stitchy pic updates in a day or two. In the meantime I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend and at least some of you are getting to stitch. LOL unfortunately this is the time of year when everyone is busy but no piccies for the blogs as there is so many secrets.

Thank you as always for all your lovely comments and a big welcome to the new visitors to my blog - I have had three new blogs to go check out this week, it's been great fun though I have seen even more things to tempt me.

Hugs

xx
May your frogs stay in their ponds