Theme-a-licious roundup for Amazon April

Crikey, I'm getting later and later with these.  I haven't been near my blog or stitched hardly at all in the last week.  I am currently writing the last assignment for my OU module and then mid June is exam time (eek).  Therefore life at the minute is dedicated to study, revise, study, revise, sleep!

Below are pics of what I have done this month.

So first up is Cotswold Village scene.  This is huge but I really enjoyed stitching on it.  Maybe it shouldn't go back in the UFO box.

This is 'Two Little love birds' which is a Love Thy Threads design that I am guinea pigging.  It is a gorgeous design and the colours are so pretty together. 

Above is my progress so far on Around The World in 80 Stitches (ATW80S) for short. It is really pretty but I haven't come across most of the stitches before so it is challenging me a little...ok a lot. It will be done though!

And this is the pathetic progress on 6 Fat Snowmen.  

I got some fantastic post today.  Jo (Serendipitous Stitching) saw this card and thought of me, can't think why...lol.  It is absolutely amazing and I have had a smile on my face all day and keep going to look at it.  Luke went and compared it to the 'real' one and found loads of differences.  He particularly liked the frog in the demi john bottle at the bottom.  Concensus seems to be that I should frame the card and hang below the cross stitch when it's framed.

The other great bit of news is that I have rediscovered an old friend.  Once upon a time, I became friends with a lovely lady in America although actually I can't remember how we met...hmmm....  Anyway as she loved the British cross stitch mags as much as I did, she had a subscription sent to my house and every now and again I would put them in a box and post them off to her.  She made my two kids the most beautiful quilts for their beds which they still use today - despite the fact their feet stick out the bottom of them.  When I wash them it has to be on a day where I can get them washed and dried and back on the bed the same day....or else!  They love those quilts more than anything they own!

Bizarrely I have been following this person for quite a while and it never ever clicked that this was my old friend.  After discovering who she was I re-read all of her blog and basically thought what an idiot I was as it should have been so blatantly obvious.  Short of putting up neon signs telling me who she was....honestly...I really am dumb!

We never fell out as friends it was just a case of relationship troubles on my part and we gradually lost touch over a period of time.  I would guess the last time we corresponded would have been possibly around 2004/2005 ish maybe.  I am so excited to have found her again.  

Oh I suppose you want to know who it is, do you?  It's...

Shirlee

My big news

Well I said I had a big announcement.  

What is it?

Is a new job?   

 NO!

Am I pregnant?    

 NO!

Did I win the lottery?

NO!

This 

is

what

my 

big

news 

is...

scroll down...

go on......

keep going......

It's finished, it's finally finished!!!

Just under 4 years on and off!

I went to Ikea today and picked up a frame for it and will hopefully frame it over the weekend.  Although as Rachael has a sleepover for her 13th birthday I probably won't get it done!

Wipocalypse update (April)

There hasn't been a lot of progress on my WIP's / UFO's this month.  These are the 3 that I worked on during the month which was as part of the Theme-a-licious March Madness.  

I have been working on Garden Shed yesterday and today and am hoping it will be finished either today or tomorrow.  I am feeling really fired up to finish it and only have about quarter of a page of actual stitching to do with about 2 1/2 pages of backstitch.

I have put a poll up.  What design should I stitch for the rest of the month once Garden Shed is finished?  You can vote for more than one option.  If you're not sure what the designs look like have a look at the WIP page.

Theme-a-licious February round-up

Ooops...a day late with my Theme-a-licious update.  SORRY!  There hasn't been a lot of stitching this month and when I have stitched I've been in a funny mood.  I have found it really hard settle to any particular project.  Madonna of the Garden (Mirabilia) was going to get some love, it got about 6 stitches which is why there is no photo.

Below is my progress on Roots and Wings which is nearly done now.  I am not going to jinx this project by saying I will get it finished.

Roots and Wings
progress as of 29th February

The flower

The words!

Next up is my shhhhh...secret project that Colin mustn't  know about.  Don't tell him!  This one was first shown a couple of weeks ago.  As a bit of fun I wondered if anyone knew what it was from the wiggly line that was showing.  Unsurprisingly, no-one did.  How about now?  Any guesses?  I will put any correct answers in the proverbial hat and draw a winner on 15th March when I do my next Theme-a-licious update.

Who am I?

Any ideas?

Onr thing I really wanted to finish was Garden Shed.  The one thing I really couldn't settle to working on this month?  Garden Shed!  Even though I picked it up a few times in the month, all I managed was a thread or two in the last couple of sections to be stitched and about 2/3rd's of a page of back stitch.  So annoyed with myself but I just didn't feel like working on it at all. Hopefully March will be better!

I love the theme of March.  Try to stitch on a different design every day of the month.  Well I definitely have enough WIP's for that...so I'm up for the challenge!

Today is World Book Day and at work we had to dress up as a book character...oh joy.  Now don't get me wrong, I love books...couldn't eat a whole one but that's another story.  I hate, hate, hate, hate, hate (get the picture?) dressing up.  Anyway, I settled on a book by Jacqueline Wilson called 'The Illustrated Mum'.  Rachael and Luke had a whale of a time this morning drawing all over my arms with felt tips.  For those of you not familiar with Jacqueline Wilson (a) where have you been for the last twenty years and (b) the illustrated mum has loads of tattoos - hence the felt tips.  This is what I looked like after a day at school.

The story is about a mum called Marigold with 2 daughters called Star and Daisy.  So that's 3 of the tattoos covered.  The others are ones she designs but I can't remember why.  Rachael drew the dolphin and a Star that was on my hand.  Luke drew the snake and the daisy.  I managed the heart, marigold and eye myself!  Thankfully it is now over for another year but I am really hoping the pen scrubs off tonight!

Secret stitching sweetheart

Thank you to everyone who commented on my last post.  We have been so fortunate and our prayers must have worked as our childminder has found out that her health problems are not currently as serious as were first thought and once she has recuperated, she will be minding again.  I can't tell you how relieved we are.  So we have to struggle on until 10th February but then fingers crossed she will be given the all clear to resume working.  She will have to have a major operation in the near future but we are all so thankful that she is on the mend now - not just because of the childcare issues but for her and her family too.

Jo at Serendipitous Stitching is having a fun Valentine's Day activity over on her blog. The secret stitching sweetheart.  Don't worry you don't need to make anything in a short space of time.  All you need to do is email Jo a photo of something you have stitched for Valentine's Day in the past.  When she knows who's joining in she will randomly allocate your photo to someone else.  Everyone posts the piccie on 14th February and then the fun begins as you visit all the blogs to see who got yours.  Once you find out you reveal yourself as  their secret stitching sweetheart.  Sounds good?  Go and join up then - the more the merrier!!

I haven't had a lot of stitching time this week.  But here is my progress for the week.  I have been stitching on the RR piece mainly.  I would like to finish that in the next couple of weeks.  I have really enjoyed the RR as it has been very relaxed.  Although it was only a small one with 4 of us, we haven't had a mailing date and have just let everyone know when we were ready to send on.  Surprisingly this has worked brilliantly.

Mystery RR piece - not sure who the designer is.
The colour of the fabrice is rubbish.  IRL it is lovely!

I have worked on Roots to Grow a bit too.  I would love to get this finished and framed.  It is a lovely design to stitch and I wish I knew what the fabric was as it is beautiful to stitch on.  

This is growing slowly.  I love the colours.
Waxing Moon - Roots to grow

I was really naughty in the week and ordered a chart and the threads for it.  There was a design on someone's blog and I can't for the life of me remember who it was but anyway I fell in love.  The design itself has been around years and has never caught my eye before.  As I didn't want to tell Colin about ordering it, I will have to leave it a few weeks before he sees me working on it.  Can you guess from the little I have done, what design it is?  If you can, I would be seriously impressed.  Stay tuned for more progress. 

So then what is this mystery piece???
It's actually stitched on DMC ivory fabric.

Finally, Bronny has redesigned her blog background and looks fab.  I complimented her on her talents and she reckons it's not that hard.  Well I am going to try and do one for myself - see what you've started Bronny?  Can anyone give me any tips on getting some really good photos of my stitching so they look a bit 'arty' close up type photos?  

Theme-a-licious update 15th January

I have posted pictures of my progress so far under the Theme-a-licious tab at the top.  So far I have worked on Garden Shed and Roots to grow.  Below are some photos of progress so far.

        

  
The bottom design is the final part of the RR that I am participating in on facebook.  The colours are nowhere near how they have photographed.  The fabric is a lovely spring green in real life.  I don't know who the designer is for this one.

Our childminder has stopped minding due to health problems and as far as we can decide is unlikely to start up again, which is a shame.  Luke especially liked going to her as she took the kids to the park every night that wasn't wet.  Luke really needs this to burn off energy after a day at school.  He is a livewire and is rarely still.  Thankfully at the moment work are being good about me finishing early.  It is really hard to know exactly what to do.  At nearly 13 many childcare providers won't take Rachael but with her diabetes we can't just let her come home on her own.  The after school club is mega expensive and we really can't afford it.  To send Luke there every night for a week is about £220 a month if not more and only takes up to 11 years of age.  That leaves us still needing care for Rachael.  Part of me thinks it may just be easier in the long run to see if I can cut my hours and if not just start looking for another job.  It's hard to know what to do for the best.

Both the children were back at school this week.  Rachael was particularly glad to be back.  She had her school report on Wednesday which was excellent as always.  It will be such a shock if we get a bad one from her one day!  She is doing really well in all subjects.

I've been playing (oh and some WIPocalypse stitching)

I've been playing with backgrounds and stuff for my blog today and haven't really found anything I'm happy with. I would really like something that reflects me and my love of stitching.  Maybe I need to learn a bit more or invest in Photoshop.  So don't be surprised if you find weird colours, fonts or anything else a bit odd when you visit.  If you have any hints, tips or eurgghh why have you done that's to share, please feel free.

That said...on to the stitching news.

I realised I haven't posted a picture of Sam Snowbody.  This was for the second leg of the RR group on facebook and was a bit of a challenge being on a small count aida with a huge amount of fractionals in it.  I wouldn't be defeated by it though and it is now winging it's way back to USA.  I was really pleased with it when I finished it, it does look nice.

Sam Snowbody
unknown designer
Facebook RR group

I have also been stitching on Cut Thru Garden Shed for my WIPocalypse/Theme-a-licious piece this week.  I finished the bottom middle part and have been working on both of the right hand side pages.  This is where I was on Saturday night.

CutThru garden Shed
Bothy Threads

I didn't get as much done today as I hoped as I took Rachael shopping whilst Colin and Luke watched the United game on TV.  We had a lovely time and after we had hit the shops we went to Costa Coffee for a hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows for a treat...mmmmmm...gorgeous!

Sewandso.co.uk have had a sale on recently and I picked up a few bits that everybody else in the family picked out for me to do.  Colin liked 2 landscapes by Needlepoise which were £2.49 each so I let him have them!  Rachael of course liked the Westie which has a beautifully clear chart to stitch from.  Luke likes the Christmas one and I liked the halloween one.

new stash to play with!!

Theme-a-licious / WIPocalypse

Ok...so...it's 2012...yay!  Happy New Year to you all and happy stitching.  I'm not doing a round up of 2011 as I am glad to see the back of it like many other people.                                                                                
Anyway having signed up for Theme-a-licious and WIPocalypse for 2012 I thought I would start by showing where I am at the start of the month. 

I have got the final leg of the RR I'm in to work on this month but will alternate this with working on Cut Thru Garden Shed and Roots to Grow, Wings to Fly.  There will probably be more progress on Garden Shed as I would love to get that one finished.

Below is where I am before starting on them.

Roots to Grow/Wings to Fly
Waxing Moon
As of 2nd January 2012

Cut Thru Garden Shed
Bothy Threads
Progress as of 2nd January 2012

Close up of Garden Shed - bottom middle section
Only got the rest of this section and 2 small sections to the right plus the backstitching 

Rachael gave me this Mill Hill Tiny Treasured Diamond as a Christmas present.  I had to stitch it up and get it on the tree this year!  Didn't want her to think I didn't like it.

Miche'le never received the first ornie I stitched her which is a shame so I chose another design and replaced it.  The second one arrived on Christmas Eve which was lucky.  The design was from Just Cross Stitch Ornament issue but I can't remember what year.  I would check but they are hidden away behind the Christmas Tree at the moment.

Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issue 

Good News, great stash and other news!

I'm going to start with our day out yesterday.  We went to a National Trust place called Sudbury Hall and Museum of Childhood which was fab.  We parked up and had our picnic on a grass bank near the car park to save having to carry it round the Hall.  The kids wanted to do the museum first but unfortunately you couldn't use flash photography so there are no photos of it.  The exhibits were brilliant.  There was a room where you could pretend to be a chimney sweep with 2 fireplaces that you crawled up one, along and down the other one.  Rachael has reached that awful preteen age where something like that is 'so not cool' and wouldn't do it.  Luke didn't want to go on his own so didn't try it either.

Then we went to the Victorian Schoolroom for a 'proper' Victorian lesson.  Rachael waited outside as that wasn't cool either!  We had to sit down and clean our slates.  The teacher (Miss Savage) then came and inspected our hands/nails - I got told off for wearing jewellery.  We had to write the date in neat script, then had to do a 'reading' exercise followed 'spelling'.  Colin was picked out as a good speller of today's words and had to go to the front to say them for the rest of the class.  Miss Savage then asked him to do yesterday's spellings which of course he didn't know.  He was then given the dunce's cap and told to stand in the corner.  It was so hilarious....I so wish I had the camera to hand.  Priceless!!!

In another gallery there were 3 bedrooms on the ceiling all done up to look like authentic periods.  I think it was Victorian, 1970's and around 2000.  The room guide asked Rachael if she could come back on Tuesday to help change the sheets.  Bizarrely Rachael later asked me if she was joking.

The back of Sudbury Hall

A VERY, VERY rare photo of me

There was this amazingly huge chair in the grounds.
Just so you can get some idea of the size, I'm 5' 7" (tall not round!)

I ordered some fabric earlier in the week from Pelenna Patchworks ready for finishing a couple of items.  Unsurprisingly, the Christmas pudding one is for the Plum Pudding design that I finished stitching last week. I can't decide how to finish it though.  If you read this far, I have put a poll up for ideas on how to finish it so please help me decide.  The one on the right is for my Tree of Stitches (which you can see an update on further down the page.)

Pelenna Patchwork fabric

A really lovely surprise this week was from Colin.  I told him the log in for my wishlist at Sew and So just to allow him plenty of time to organise himself for Christmas.  He had taken a look and ordered me some things for a treat.  Bless his cotton socks!!

Colin's treat to me!  The fabic is a large piece of white jobelan which
is my favourite fabric and a colour I had run short of.

Each week, WOCS has a Friday freebie on their facebook page - or did until facebook decided that it was no longer allowed. All you had to do was to 'like' the freebie post - so I did - and out of 1430 people, I won!! I got a laplight.  I am so chuffed! (chuffed means pleased if you're not local!)

My prize win.  A laplight!

With everything that has been going on all week with getting ready for me and the children going back to school, stitching has had to take something of a back seat.  There has been a few stitches put in my Tree of Stitches which I really want to get finished now I have the backing fabric for it.  I love this design but I'm having such trouble with the cushion stitch, I don't know why but it is just really hard going.  One of the silks I am using is really springy which is part of the problem I think, but it really shouldn't be the most difficult stitch.....grrrrrrrr.

Tree of Stitches - Abi Gurden
This was a SAL on The Stitch Specialists Yahoo Group

Close up of the stitches.  I have unpicked the cushion stitches at the top as I wasn't
happy with the coverage with one strand.  They are being restitched with 2.

It might be possible to see a little progress on my Cut Thru Garden Shed.  I really love this one and will be sad when I finish it.  Oh well I have several more Cut Thru's in my stash!  Congratulations if you made it all the way to the bottom of the post.

Bothy Threads - Cut Thru Garden Shed

Progress on Cut Thru Garden Shed

I have been working intermittently on my Garden Shed.  Yesterday I decided to make a start on the back stitch as I hate back stitch and thought it might become a UFO once the cross stitch was complete.  Once I started the back stitch I found I couldn't put it down.  I was amazing how the design sprang to life as each little bit was outlined.  So far I have completed 2 pages of back stitch and once I have done the last page on the left I will finish stitching the middle bottom section and back stitch the middle column too.  As a leftie this means I won't have to hold what I have already completed then.

So without further ado, here's my progress...

Rachael finished school on Friday and was voted pupil of the year in her form which was a lovely way for her to end the year.