Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Mary Busby update

With having fanily here last week I only got a few hours in on Mary and a chunk of that involved yet more frogging on that brown motif!!


Hopefully this Friday I'll be able to get some good stitching time in and make a fair bit of progress. I know next week I won't get more than an hour or so if I'm lucky cause I'm off down to DD's ready for her wedding on Saturday

Monday, March 30, 2009

1 Today

Happy Birthday Caleb

A few hours old
Age 1

Sunday, March 29, 2009

An early Birthday party

We had a little early Birthday party for Caleb yesterday before I took them home












Friday, March 27, 2009

Travelling Stitcher update

Not much progress this week I only got a couple of hours stitching time yesterday.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Look at the size of that bunny!!

We went off to Cheshire Oaks this afternoon (local Designer outlet village) so Mel could find a dress for Lucy's (aka Heather) wedding in a couple of weeks time. Since we last went a Lindt store has opened and of course we went in but outside they had a big gold bunny so Mel and Caleb posed for a pic :)


That one is tiny compared to the other one we saw, it must of been about 12 foot high but we never thought to get a pic of it

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Living with Charm update

I have at last got round to scanning Living with Charm, I worked on it last week and over the weekend. Only two left to go so I'm on track to finish next month, yay


Other than saying that I've driven 250 miles in a round trip to get DD today (a good 60 miles of the first half in the pouring rain with the wipers going full pelt) I don't have anything else to say today, makes a change :)

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

A crafty bag

We had a social evening at WI tonight and the craft group had a table so with in mind we were all given a bag (made by a member) to decorate in whatever way we wanted, this is what I did with mine

Side 1

Side 2
The tape that runs along the top of each side


This is my favourite block of the panel I used, no surprise really


I had one member ask me if I was going to sell it! I also took along my Socks, Beaded Tassel and Angel Box along with something I can't show you because it's a very late Birthday present for someone. I'm told that the tassel and box were much admired and I'm going to be showing the craft group how to make a Pinkeep later in the year as Mum took her Mother's Day present along as well.

Just to answer a question for yesterday's comments, Rachel that one is my 11 inch. I've got different fabric for my other 2 sizes and should get them done next week.

I'm going to pick DD up tomorrow, she's coming up here for a few days and we'll be having a little Birthday party for Caleb who turns 1 next Monday :) so I may not be around much

Monday, March 23, 2009

Lookie what I made

Until last Sept I never used my sewing machine for anything but that changed with help from friends and I used it last year to make ornaments up. Yesterday I got round to using the fabric I bought at the NEC to make a Q snap cover and it went straight into use around Celtic Banner.



Those 2 pics where taken seconds apart yet the top one turned out really dark, the close up is a much more life like. For someone that ran away from her machine for along time I'm really pleased with the way it came out, flaws and all

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Mother's Day

As you'll already know today is Mother's Day here in the UK and I've had a nice day. I've got some stitching in, made a Q snap cover, done a bit of knitting, messed about making pom pom's and made up a Pin Keep.

You might remember me finishing the Crocus' last month (Sharon have you stitched them yet?), at the time Mum said she'd be happy to give them a home (very good at dropping hints like that my Mum, normally with a sledgehammer) so this little thought started to run my head that they would make a nice pin keep for Mother's Day. The daft thing is Mum helped me pick out the backing fabric at the quilting shop not long after I finished them and I said then that she may get them today as a gift. Mum promtly forgot I said that so she had a nice surprise today when I handed it over.





The backing fabric is a little lighter IRL but today's been a very cloudy day.

Mel gave me some stash and a crystal to hang in the window (pic tomorrow if I remember) and I'll find out what Heather has for me on Wednesday when I go and get her & Caleb

Saturday, March 21, 2009

The other new WIP

I started Mary Busby yesterday (new SAL project with Pat) but made very little progress. I'd barely got anywhere when I had to frog and if you look really closely at the pic you should be able to spot where I restitched it wrong but not as much as the first time! And I had frog another couple of times as well I really hope that I was just having a bad day and that I've not set the tone for the entire project


BTW the fabric is 40 count Newcastle Linen and I converted to NPI, the scan has both pretty accurate but once I switch to my camera that will no doubt change

Friday, March 20, 2009

Another WIP to add to the pile

Yes I know I'm bad and I have waaaaaaay too many WIPs already but hey I've still got 9 months to reach my goal of 40 or less by the end of the year, LOL. I started Travelling Stitcher yesterday but I'm doing it as a SAL over on the LHN & CCN blog so it should be done by the end of next month and in plenty of time for my 6 month goal review

Believe it or not the fabric is Platinum but it was taken late afternoon after the sun had disappeared from the front of the house.

Here's were you can can all fall about laughing at my complete lack of control over starting new WIP's and killing off old one's, I started another one today but you'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out what it is

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Winter Exchange again

I found out today that Cris (no blog) received the Winter Exchange we both took part in on the Rotation BB. I stitched Winter from Lizzie Kate's Winter Crazy for her. I took loads of pics of it and the only one that turned out well is the second one!



I also put a Red Nose in at the last minute so there's no pic of that.

My back is OK now and I'm just left with a small bruise that will soon disappear and we have a date for Dad to go and see the Doc at Liverpool, it's on April 2nd at 2pm

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Triangularity

I spent the weekend working on this and I'm quite pleased with the progress I made


Yes the socks from yesterday's post are knitted, I can only do a basic crochet chain and nothing more even though Mum tried for years to teach me.

Today's Lumber Punture went well and it was quick and almost painless although my back is now bright pink and I have what seems like a huge dressing slap bang in the middle of my lower back . I'm not suffereing the pain I did last week but movement is hard and I have a bit of a headache caused by them taking a sample of spinal fluid. I'm not feeling esp. talkative tonight so apologise if I seem off :)

Monday, March 16, 2009

Socks

I finished a some socks last night, one of several pairs on the go


The yarn is Alpaca & Merino from The Natural Dye Studio and I used the Simple Ankle Sock pattern included in their sock kits

Sunday, March 15, 2009

NEC goodies

So yesterday I went to Sewing for Pleasure & Hobbycrafts at the NEC, spent too much, walked miles and suffered back ache all day but I had a great time :)

My first stand netted me Simply Live from The Primitive Needle, Something Old, Something New from Little House Needleworks, Quaker Faith Hope Love from Midnight Stitching and Quaker Pincushions from Miladys Needle

Then I kitted up Mary Busby with NPI and a piece of 40 ct Newcastle Linen (the pale blue came with the chart so I didn't replace that one)

Then I bought LHN Traveling Stitcher & Geranium Houe and LK Ice Cream Boxer (I will get the set as I go to Chris at The Nimble Thimble) & ABC Lessons as well as picking up some framing Chris had for me that I'll share another day

Assorted silks, some for projects some not, some retired Weeks, a couple of skeins of rayon for beaded tassels, piece of 32 ct Belfast, a nice long but not wide piece of fabric to make myself a Q Snap cover and JBW Desisgns A Very Merry Winter

And lastly a couple of charts books with charts in for SOLAK (they cost all of £1 each), a kids kit of Gromit that I'll use a different fabric for (again it was dirt cheap and I can prob. stitch it a couple of times from the floss) and a few ribbons that I picked up for finishing


I also bought a few bits and pieces to inclue in exchange packages as well as a couple of gifts so I can't really share those.
I really want to go and make a start on something I bought yesterday but I'm going to try and be good and work on a WIP instead, besides Mel had a list of things she could get me for Mother's Day next week so if she did get anything off it for me I'll be having anew start next Sunday

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Needleswork update

I got about 4 hours in last night and she now has some arms and a finished chicken :)


With being at the NEC all day today I've had to take the pic under my lamp this evening.
More about the NEC tomorrow when I've unpacked my bag and played with new stash a bit more

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Scary Book update

I spent the weekend and early part of this week working on Scary Book (last pic is here) the big blocks look black but they are really DMC 939 wich is a really dark blue.


Not much else to add really apart from Mel has earned a shooting badge at Cadets and my back decided that although it felt fine first thing walking round town was not a good idea :(

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Winter Exchange part 1

First of all I want to say Thank You for all your kind comments and emails about both my Dad's and mine hospital visits yesterday they are very much appreciated and although she doesn't comment I know my Mum reads my blog and feels the same. There's no news as yet on the hospital appointment for Dad and my back is still sore and I can't move freely as yet but it's so much better than yesterday, fingers crossed in the morning it'll be OK

On to the exchange :)
This morning the postman brought me this little beauty from Heather for the Winter themed Pinkeep exchange on the Rotation BB He's so cute and loveable, Thank You Heather


She also included some goodies, a pile of white aida squares for me to use for SOLAK stitching, a really cool Canada postcard that has stickers on the front and a couple of GAST colours


Thank You so much Heather, after yesterday it really lifted my spirits today

Oh and a quick question for UK stitchers, is anyone going to the NEC on Saturday for Sewing for Pleasure and wants to meet up?

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Today was not a good health day

Both my Dad and I had hospital appointments and nither of us had a good outcome.

You may remember that last summer (around August I think is was) my Dad hurt his knee going upstairs and it's not been right since then. A few weeks ago he went to the Doc's about it and she arranged for him to see a specialist, today was the day. They took a look at the x-ray and immediately sent him for a MRI scan. He has a cyst on his tibia under his kneecap and if it continues to grow it could shatter his knee. They have sorted out the paperwork and within 48 hours he's going to find out when he has to go and see a different spcialist at Liverpool Royal to get it seen to. They think it's benign so please keep your fingers crossed it is.

Mine seems so trival in comparison! I had to go for another lumber punture today and it didn't go well at all. Even though she was dead central in spine she kept catching nerves and causing me alot of pain and some numbness in my foot. After several attempts she called it a day and has arranged for me to back again next week to have an x-ray guided one done, fingers crossed that is the last one has the same result as the one in December and I will get discharged when I go to see my Nurologist in a month or two. The downside is that it means at least one day again next week of not being able to move much and very intense back ache

Monday, March 09, 2009

Look what the postman brought

At the start of the month Laurel had a giveaway for 4 items and I was lucky enough to win #3 (the Sugar Maple) this morning it arrived along with a piece of Silkweavers and a pack of Piecemakers needles both of which were unexpected and very much appreciated.


Thank You so much Laurel, I'm really looking forward to stitching on them and I'm really happy to have some new Piecemakers to use, they are really hard to find over here so I enjoy them hugely when I get a new pack.

Sunday, March 08, 2009

My Needleswork

I had a really good stitching day on Friday and got almost 8 hours in (what can I say I was up really early) around 4 1/2 hours of those were on My Needleswork for the Friday night SAT.


I'm hoping that I'll get her finished later in the month as I'm starting another SAL with Pat on Friday's in early April on Mary Busby so I'd like to be able to cross another WIP off the list before then. Yes I know I said back in Jan that I didn't want another huge start and to a degree that's still true (that's why I'm ignoring Cirque's call to start it) but with stitching it as a SAL I'm much more likely to stick with it.
I didn't go back to the UFO yesterday instead I pulled out Scary Book and it's progressing well, I will go back to the UFO at some point this month so I can get it finished.
Jo, I'd love to be able to keep up killing off 3 projects a month but most of them are large so I'm going to be lucky to do one a month in a couple months time(I mean old WIP's here not the new smaller stuff I start)

Friday, March 06, 2009

UFO RR

I spent most of last week working on Laurel's Tapestry Cat

As he arrived

And as he left me


The last few days I've been working on an exchange project which I finished this afternoon so tomorrow I'll get it made up and ready to post on Monday. Then in the spirit of killing my WIPs I pulled out an old UFO and put an hour in on it before picking up My Needleswork for the Friday night SAT (does that make me a WIP tart?), I rather enjoyed working on the UFO and may well work on it again tomorrow and could even poss. finish it if I want another case of stitch ass that is :)

Thursday, March 05, 2009

Millie, the blog reading cat


I guess she thought I needed a bit of help catching up on my reader. Now I'm off to bed, night

Wednesday, March 04, 2009

February progress & March goals

For February I'd like to

Finish the Angel Box Done
UFO RR Done
Finish the SOLAK Square No but I did make progress on it
Finish Quaker Row Done
Finish the stitching on both exchanges I'm signed up for Only got one done

For March I'd like to

Finish the exchange project
Finish the SOLAK square
UFO RR
Make good progress on My Needleswork
Start one of the ornaments I owe Mel

I stitched for a total of 83 hours 30 minutes (my best Feb for a few years) had NO new starts and 3 finishes

Current WIP total = 46 (I've already started the other exchange project or it'd be 45)

The Darts Match

So last night was the Darts match and .......... Hartford WI team 2 were the runners up :)

I was Captin of Team 1 and out of our 3 games we only managed to win one but we only lost out other 2 games by 1 point and 2 points. Team 2 however won all 3 of their's and played the winners of our league who happen to be a team that practices alot but who have a habit of not standing behind the line, yanking their darts out of the board before the scorer has checked the score and then they suddenly decide that dispite having agreed the score with the scorer that it was in fact wrong and should be 2 points lower than it was. We all know what they are like and we make sure they don't get away with it very much if at all when they play against us.

Tuesday, March 03, 2009

Catching up

I was not a happy bunny on Friday evening when I switched the puter on to find that my ISP had cut me off even though I had payed the bill, they claimed I had more to pay and wouldn't switch me back on until it was payed so I payed it and still no net, after several phone calls and being called a raceist for saying I spoke to an indian (who knew stating a fact was raceist) it still wasn't on but then their priority team got involved and things happened not quite as quick as they should as the one person that could fix it wasn't in yesterday. It finally got sorted this morning (Mum's sick so I'm staying home, the lsat thing she needs is for me to get sick again!) and in a little while I'm going to write a letter of complaint to the MD.

Anyway I was coming on to post about the Freindship exchange, the one I sent had arrived safely that morning, as ever the fabric in the background is the backing and if it looks familiar, it is :) it's the one that was in the background on my DIY framing job that I did the same day I made this up. Nearly forgot I sent to Jane/Miss 376

This shows the fabric colour so much better


Friday night I took part in the SAT on Let's stitch and got about 3 hours in.



I was doing so well posting daily and I would of made it through until today at least with a daily post but it wasn't to be so I'll be doing a few today instead :)

Oh before I forget it's the Darts Match tonight and I'm one of the Team Captin's!!!!! Wish us luck