Playing Catch up

I'm having computer problems again and so I'm having to use Mel's once more. I had started this post on mine but it decided that it wasn't going to play ball anymore otherwise there would of also been a pic of my Birthday start as well.

May has turned out to be a busy month for me and so things have got behind in many area's of my life esp. blogging.

Anyway a few updates for you.

First up is Carriage House Samplings Quaker Alphabet. I've done the top row since taking this pic this morning

Next is Nova.

I've not been able to keep up with a sqaure a day this month but I hav emade some progress on it

My monthly progress on Kaleidoscope

And this month's ornament is the first of the ones I owe Caleb.

I got Caleb to do the draw for my mystery giveaway this afternoon and he drew Edgar out of the bowl. Thank you to everyone that entered and I'll be in touch tomorrow Edgar when Mel's not waiting to go to sleep.

Recent beading finishes

I know that some of you are waiting to find out if you've won my mystery giveaway and I'm sorry I've not done it yet, this week has been a hectic one and I've spent the last 3 days fighting a migraine so just haven't felt up to it. Tomorrow I'm going to pick Caleb up and I will get him to draw a name before he goes to bed.

I've done more beading than stitching the last couple of weeks and have had a few finishes.

First is a netted rope set, this one started out as one of those old class projects that I wanted to finish but while I was working on the necklace I thought it would be nice to have a matching set so I carried on did just that.

Next are a couple of little hearts done in square stitch that I did as samples for the beading group, a few members are unsure of square stitch and I agreed to show them how to do it.

The pink one is in size 11's and the red one in delica's

And lastly a waistcoat. This was one of those projects that I just had to do but I still need to add some button to it and stitch the shoulders together.

Cholmondeley Castle

As you may have guessed from the title I spent the day at Cholmondeley Castle & Gardens today and rather than try and tell you about it I'll just leave with pics but I will say I'm the one in the black dress and some of the pics are the result of my playing about with the zoom

My birthday

I've spent the day at a bead fair and spent a small fortune but I have plenty to keep me occupied for the next few months including this that I've lusted after for years

I also ordered Raphael I was hoping to bring him home with me but the ash cloud held his flight up so he'll be here as soon as he can.

I only bought a few beads - honest


I just decided to offer a giveaway but I've got no clue what it's going to be so if you'd like a chance to win a complete mystery leave a comment and tell me you want in before Midnight May 23

TUSAL

Two posts in one day a rare event :)

I've just been sat here catching up on my blog reading and it dawned on that it must about the time of the new moon so I went looking and found this andit turns out that I was right and yesterday was the new moon and so this should of appeared yesterday.

So here's this month's update for the TUSAL.

This month there are orts from Legends of the Dragons, Mary Busby, Kaleidoscope, UFO RR, Nova, various shades of nymo from assorted beading projects and Taz (all that yellow on top is Taz)

And something for you to drool over, yesterday I made Snickerdoodles for the first time in years and they turned out quite well

Help

Tomorrow it's my birthday and every year I treat myself to a new start and normally by now I know what it is I'm going to start but not this year.

The project I really wanted to start I don't have the fabric for because of a supply issue so I've been stash diving and come up with these which have all called me in the last month or two but I can't decide so I thought I'd ask your opinion.

First up is Cherry Blossom Spring from the Cats Whiskers (I don't have the beads for this one but I'm going to a bead fair tomorrow and plan on looking out for something I can use)

Then we have The Dreaming from Dinky Dyes Designs

Next is Lizzie Kate's ABC Christmas (last year I did the lessons as my birthday start)

And lastly Cut Thru' Haberdashers from Bothy Threads, please excuse the wonky scan


If it helps the first two are charts that I've kitted up, ABC Lessons was a Christmas present and the Cut Thru was one I just had to get last year.
Mel has already cast her vote and no doubt my Mum will tell me which one she thinks tomorrow when I see her so I thought I'd see what others thought.

Taz Happy Dance

I know I've not updated on him for a couple of weeks but I did keep working on him and this week I only had his yellow arm and the BS to finish so I decided to carry on and get it done.

Taz's Shadow

Designer Stitches kit 1999

He's the fourth of my long term PHD's to get finished this year and the 19th in total.

UFO RR

Leigh had to send out another RR as the first one that went out was finished so she sent Bent Creek's Snapperbets straight to me.

As it arrived

And as it leaves me

My Sunday (very pic heavy)

I've been busy lately and I have been stitching but there's not much to share so here's how I spent my Sunday but I warn you now there are a lot of pics and no words :)

The plane is a Spitfire in case your wondering

April progress & May goals

For April I said

UFO RR Yes
Get an ornament done I did 2 Silly Snowquakes
Make good progress on a WIP I make a huge move forward with Kaleidoscope
Hopefully go back to a square a day on Nova I did 22 squares but didn't pick it up until April 13 so I'm pleased with that

For May I'd like to
UFO RR
Get an ornament done
Finish Taz
Pick a Birthday start
Square a day on Nova

I stitched for 74 hours 22 mins in April which isn't bad when you think I had family here for 10 days at the start of the month so didn't really get much done.
I had 2 starts and 3 finishes 2 of them being the new starts so overall a goo dmonth I think

Current PHD total =40