Mary Busby

Here's this week's progress on Mary Busby, she's coming along nicely but won't be finished this year unless I really get stuck into her and that's not going to happen because of the SAL I'm doing on her with Pat (no blog)

And this post marks the end of Blogtoberfest and I have managed to post every day this month so I'm quite pleased :) Some days have been harder than others to find something to post about but I found something.

4 Sale

This is another finished TW called 4 Sale, I went through a phase of wanting to stitch all the TW magazine designs and I've not done to badly really but haven't done any for a few years now.

I think this is the only one that I've actully done anything with, it now sits on my bookshelf.

Thinking about it I could probably post a TW every day for a month with the amount of them I've finished along with the one's I have as WIP's but I won't inflect that on you

New Stash

Mel and I went down the The Nimble Thimble this afternoon so that Mel could pick the framing for her rose, she's gone for a gold frame with hints of red in it and no mounts. I'll post a pic when it comes home.

Of course while I was there I had to get some stash :) The plan was to get the Cupcake boxer as well to finish the set off but it was the only one not there!

As tempted as I was to start It's Cold Outside I've been very good and resisted but I can see it being added to my WIPs in January when all starts are guilt free.

Another framed dragon

This time it's TW's Tempest freebie and he hangs in the hall near the front door.

Back in Mid 2001 TW came over the pond and a GTG was held in her honour and at said GTG she presented everyone there with a fully kitted up Tempest (and spent a loooooong time signing everyone's charts) as a special treat because at the time he hadn't been released. I started mine in the B&B that night and then he went to live in 'the drawer' for a while until I had him framed a few years ago

Welsh Dragon

If your on Yuku you'll recognise this little guy as my avatar.

I stitched him a couple of years ago for Mel as a Christmas present. She is a huge dragon fan but is esp. fond of the Welsh Dragon so when I saw this chart I knew I had to do it for her.

He's on that silver lurex Linda that you could get years ago and the frame really is gold

Please excuse the flash but I forgot to take a pic earlier in the day

Triangularity

I've spent the last couple of days working on this and I have to say I'm loving it and I'm sorry it's been so long since I last picked it up.

But I know me and tomorrow I will work on something else because I know that if I carry on with it I'll get bored and probably not touch it again for months and I would like to get it finished this year.

The fabric looks blue in this pic but it's really purple, the pic in the link above gives you a much better idea of the colour.

I've found out that Hoffmandis is now carrying Labyrinth so when I go to The Nimble Thimble in a couple of days to take Mel's rose I'm going to ask Chris to order it for me and hope that they decide to carry Maze and Octagonal at some point as well as I really love these designs

Mel's Lavender field

A few years ago Mel went to a art class once a month on a Sunday, this is the first thing she ever did at the class and it's the only one that's ever been framed.

Every one that took the class did the same thing, the teacher would have a finished one and then he would paint another during the class step by step for them to follow and everyone put their own touchs to it.

Mel always painted some birds on hers, if you click on the pic they are on the right above the trees

Mary busby update

If you look really closely at the bottom left corner you can just make out the motif there.

I started it last week but with being so busy I hardly got any stitches in at all so the bulk of it has been done this week. I'm off to the NEC in a couple of weeks time and it's a good job I am because I'm going to need another skein of the really pale yellow that you can't really see on the pic

My Friday

I've been to Kate's (Sparklies) today to have a gossip and to help her get ready for the Harrogate Knitting & Stitching show next month.

This morning we started off with this

and when I left some of those bundles looked like this

And there's probably at least the same amount left to do!

An Unfortunate meme

I saw this on Monique's blog and thought I'd have a go.

The how to is really simple, go to Google and type in unfortunately followed by your name and see what comes up.

This is what I got

• has spent much of her youth having to apologize to half of the world for her childish tantrums.
• was forced to withdraw from the Bank of the West Classic that started this week as she still suffers from her knee injury
• never saw her kidnappers, so they remain at large.
• appeared to be as slack in her attitude to check-in times as she was in her approach to dressing properly.
• suffered an overwhelming illness in 1996 which put a stop to business and forced the suspension of mining operations at the Rogerley mines
• may have already shocked people a little too much.
• doesn't actually have any real friends
• won't face felony grand theft charges because Los Angeles prosecutors can't prove the case

I'm getting better

I now know half the alphabet, maybe by the end of the year I'll know it all :)

I had to frog some of it or there would of been more progress to share but progress is still progress no matter how small

Time to be totally useless

I'm a couple of days late this month with my ort jar but I was busy with Mel's party and having a house full on Saturday and it wasn't until I caught up on my blog reading last night I remembered it was that time of the month.

All that red you can see is from Gloria (Mel's present) but there's also some from Needlestory, ABC lessons, Mary Busby and the autumn exchange along with more nymo in various colours.

PIF received

Last year Susan did a PIF on her blog and I was lucky enough to be picked.

Friday morning it arrived and it's gorgeous.

Susan stitched Rose from the Cottage Garden series put out by County Cottage Needleworks for me. All I have to do now is decide where it's going to live

Mel's party

Last night we had Mel's birthday party and a great time was had by all.

Caleb and his Great Aunt Amy (My SIL)

Mel's Birthday present

As you know I've been working on something for Mel for her birthday yesterday and I finished it on Wednesday morning but I couldn't share it until today.

So here it is

Gloria

The Silver Lining

30 count Ant.White Murano

DMC

Please excuse the wrinkles but I was so happy to have it finished that I didn't stop to iron it before christening my newly arrived camera taking a pic

18 Today

Happy Birthday Mel

Baby pic in this post if your interested

My next UFO

This little guy is the next of my UFO's to face finishing.

I don't know when I started him but I think it was close to the start of my stitching life and at the time I started him I had no idea that his face was done in petite point and I was scared witless at the though of doing that so he got put down.

I've picked him up for a few minutes here and there over the years but now it's time to get him done.

I'm still getting to grips with the camera so this one's not turned out all that well, the fabric is silver and full of sparkle.

Playing about

First of all, Woo hoo I finished Mel's present this morning but you'll have to wait a couple of days for a pic

My new camera arrived this morning as well so once I'd finished the present and done what I needed to do I played about.

This is one of my favourite pics of all the ones I took and I was testing the red eye gizmo at the time

You never know I might post better pics in the future now

2 more panels done

I've had these done for a while now but haven't got round to posting them, the Mum panels of Frosty Trio

Just the child ones to do now then I can start putting it together

Blogtoberfest Day 12

And I'm at a complete loss what to blog about!

I decided to sign up for this on Oct 2 and so far I'm keeping up, fingers crossed I'll make it to the end of the month

Daft cat

Millie as you know likes to sit in some odd places and her latest one is the toilet seat!

When you have to move her because you need to use it she goes round your feet for a stroke and then sits in the shower

Last night she fell in, lol
I heard a noise and thought nothing of it even when she came flying downstairs and jumped on the back of the sofa. It wasn't until I went to get ready for bed and saw that the seat was wet and there were little paw sized wet patches across the floor that I realised what had happened and had to have a giggle

Mary Busby update

A couple more weeks worth of progress on her, one more motif to go on the left hand side and I've reached the bottom.

Another beaded ornament

Here's the latest one of the hanging ornaments I'm working on for Christmas this year.

The plan is do one of each of the designs I have and start again

Last time I posted one of these someone asked (Sharon I think) how big they are so I've had the ruler out and inc. the fringe & hanger they are approx 4 X1 1/2.

Autumn Exchange again

Look what arrived this morning from Lisa

Lisa wrote that it's Acorns & Owls freebie from Blue Ribbon Designs and she used 32ct linen and DMC.

I absolutely love it and it's sat leaning against my monitor where I can admire it all the time

Trip down memory lane

A week tomorrow is WI craft group and I have been roped into showing them how to make a Pinkeep so this afternoon I went through 'the drawer' to have a look what I could use for my demo piece. It's been a loooooong time since I last went to the bottom of the drawer and it was nice to visit old finishes if only briefly. Some of the projects left me wondering why I stitched them while there were others that I had plain forgotten about. The one thing that really stuck out was the complete change in taste over the years, down at the bottom there are several Teddy Bears and cute type designs. Come up a little and there's some dragons, celtic designs and a few things to make you smile as you read the saying. Alot of the projects reminded me of what was happening in my life at the time inc, the first project I finished after I left my DH, the one's I did in the days after my Gran's death, the round robin projects that made me think of people I stitched with for several rounds because we got on so well together.

My last thought as put them all back was that it seemed such a small amount to represent the huge amount of hours I've spent over the last 18 years stitching but then I realised that really they were only a small portion of the whole. I spent several years Model stitching for companies (one of which got my name in a book, have to brag about that when I get chance,lol) I worked on all the RR's of the freinds whose stitching is in the drawer. I have stitching on my walls, my Mum has several on her walls and there's still quite a lot at Ex's as well. There's the ornaments and exchange pieces I've done over the years along with the ornaments I've given as gifts or donated as raffle prizes. And lastly there's the countless squares I've stitched for SOLAK and the Angel Quilt project.

Just in case your wondering I did find a couple of things that I can use for Demo projects as well as a couple of projects that will go to SOLAK

Needlestory finish

I tried again this morning to get a decent pic of Needlestory and failed but I did manage to take not completely useless ones in sections

Mel's present is coming along really well and should be done by the end of the week yay and I've spent this evening working ABC Lessons while I decide what WIP to finish next

Autumn Exchange

Carol has let me know that the Autumn exchange I sent her has arrived safely

I stitched her one of the arches from Bent Creeks Autumn Arches using the called for Weeks and a piece of Cashel linen that was the perfect size from stash. The fabric as ever is the backing and I also sent Carol a piece of it

I've finished Needlestory this evening but the pics are even worse than normal so I'll try again tomorrow in daylight

Almost there

I'm on the last band and then there's just the beads to add, fingers crossed I'll be finished tomorrow

I know the pic is useless as normal but I am looking at getting a new camera with a much higer pixel count (my current one only has 3.1 million and is really basic) hopefully before Mel's party in a couple of weeks

An old finish

Years ago I did a SAL with a friend (sadly I'm no longer in touch with her) it was before I started to keep a record of what fabric, thread etc I used so I really can't tell you what I used other than DMC.

She now hangs above my computer and off to her left hangs Princess and the Dragon

Lavender & Lace #27

The Quiltmaker

I've been out at a gtg today and while I've been gone Mel has installed my new (to me) flat screen monitor and it seems huge compared to my old one and really, really bright!

Charity shop find

Most weeks when Mum and I go into town to do the food shop, pay bills etc we check out a few of the charity shops and this week was no different. There's only really one of them that ever has any stitching stuff at all and this week we found these stuffed in a box along with some kits.

The really sad thing is that they cost just £2.50 for the entire lot and they are really well stitched.

I also picked up a Lanarte kit for £1.50 the same one Chiloe finished early in the year and just missed out on a John Clayton flower panel of Daffodils, it was seeing that on top of someone's walker that made me look a little closer in the box she was pawing through.

September progress & October goals

For September I said
Finish another WIP No but I've got one over half done
Finish Mel's present No but I've made really good progress
Stitch and send Autumn exchange by mid month Done but a little later than I hoped
UFO RR Done and mailed early
Maybe stitch a Christmas ornament Never gave it another thought!

For October I'd like to
Finish Mel's present (have to really it's her birthday mid month)
Finish Needlestory
Make good progress on a WIP
UFO RR
Maybe stitch a Christmas ornament
Finish my beaded ornament

Not a bad month considering most weekends I was busy/away from home. I stitched for 96 hours 17 mins, had 1 new start and 2 finishes one of which was the new start

Current WIP total = 45