A bit behind.....

As usual, I'm a bit behind on my blog reading and updating....I blame all you wonderful people who keep updating your blogs regularly!  I promise to read them all but I might not comment on all, that doesn't mean that I don't love the work you produce!

Well, I've done a bit of stash buying, although I'm too scared to put it all in one place to take a picture!  Needless to say it included a fair bit of Crafty Kitten Fabric (one of my favourites!), some Sparklies fabric (another favourite!), Ink Circles charts and new QSnaps.  I've finally got my fabric for the AAN SAL, so I plan to start that very soon, possibly next week.

I've a few project updates for you though, so there are some pictures to see!

This is one that has been unloved since mid 2012 and I decided I'd quite like to finish her this year.  It's Joan Elliott's Celtic Fairy:

The fabric doesn't show up too well, it's a lovely pale yellow with hints of pink through it.  I'm really enjoying this stitch so I think I'll keep on with her this week too.

Next up, another project that hasn't seen any love since I initially started it back in 2013, The Three Fates - Jasmine Becket-Griffith (HAED)

It's starting to look like something rather than some splodges of blue, actually no, it does still look like splodges of blue!

Last one for you is Endless Dream - Vacher (HAED)

A bit of progress, although I can still see the mistake, as I stitch more it is becoming less noticeable!

I'm really happy with how my stitching is going so far this year, maybe a bit less than I hoped for, but all in all, a good start to the year!

As a final note, I want to wish you a Happy Valentine's Day!

We don't really celebrate it, I feel blessed everyday and although I don't feel I need a special day to tell my loved ones how much I love and appreciate them, I know it can be really fun!  This year we decided to sponsor a kennel at the local Dog's Home as our present to each other!

January IHSW

I actually managed to get some stitching in during this IHSW and it was on a WIP that hasn't been touched since August 2012!  I'm thrilled to be working on it again as it's a lovely picture.  It's Endless Dream - Christophe Vacher (HAED) as I've not worked on this for a while I'll show you what it'll (hopefully) look like when it's finished!

Before (Aug 2012)

After

I had a slight colour incident but hopefully it's not noticeable!  I'm pretty happy with progress that I made and I'm happy to add it into my current (informal) stitching plan.  If you aren't familiar with International Hermit and Stitch Weekend, click on the little picture on the sidebar and it'll take you to Random Ramblings which gives you all the information so you can join in next month!

It was lovely to have some comments about the book blogs and I'm very sure that Emma and Thea will be pleased to have a few more visitors to their pages.  As a few seem to be interested in books, I've added a small link on the sidebar to show the book I'm currently reading and if you click it, it'll take you to the Amazon UK page for that book which gives you more information about it and also reviews. 

Thank you for reading, hope you all had a great weekend.  I look forward to reading all your posts, even if it takes me a while!

Reading!

I know that some of you love reading, as I do and a couple of my online friends have started new book related blogs.  As yet they are still growing so I figured it wouldn't hurt to give them a little mention in the hope that it might attract a few new followers for them and also introduce you to some books that you might not know about or have thought about previously.  I love finding new authors!

If you have a few minutes please stop by and have a look, I know they would appreciate it!

Gizzimomo's Book Shelf and Itzy's Reading Corner 

Thanks very much!

Another finish!

I really had hoped to get this completed before the New Year, but as usual my plans never quite go as I want them too!  Ah well......I can now say that I've got another finish in 2014....it makes me look a bit better as I'm not really likely to have many this year!

This is the Lizzie*Kate Christmas Mystery SAL for 2013:

I apologise for it not being pressed, I will do it very soon though!

You may have noticed my blog has had a bit of a revamp, it really wasn't intentional.  I was trying to tweak a few things and messed it up and ended up deleting all the formatting!  That's the last time I try and be clever!  I couldn't find a background that I liked so I decided to go fairly plain, but I actually like it a lot.  It may well change again if I see something that grabs me!

Those of you that have followed my blog for a while may remember that in 2012 I completed a Henry VIII sampler.  I finally got it framed and I gifted it to my Mum for Christmas as she has always loved it and I knew she would appreciate it.  She's not usually an emotional person, but she was really overcome when she opened it, which surprised me, but confirmed that I'd made the right decision.

It was hard to get good photo's once it was framed due to the flash but hopefully you can get an idea of what it looks like.  

Also, I've got an updated picture of where I'm up to with Pyramid 4 - Ciro Marchetti (HAED).  Not masses more done but at least it's something!

 I'm slowly catching up with all the blog posts, it seems that the New Year has renewed everyone's passion for blogging, which is wonderful to see!  I apologise if I haven't commented on them all. Hopefully once I've caught up I can get into more of routine and comment much more as I know how nice it feels when I get comments!

Thanks for reading!

Happy New Year!

First off, I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year!  I'm sorry my blogging presence tailed off at the end of last year, this year I aim to post a little more regularly.

For this year, my stitching plans are as follows:

ENJOY STITCHING!

That's right, no real plans!  I've got a number of WIPS that got neglected last year and I'd like to pick some of those up and make some real progress, there may be some new starts along the way too.  

I have signed up for the Alessandra Adelaide Mystery SAL that's taking place on Facebook (check out her FB group for info) and I intend to stitch this during the year at my own pace.

Prior to Christmas I was trying to get a birth sampler done for my cousin's 1st birthday, sadly I didn't manage it, but I did finally get it finished yesterday

It was a DMC kit and I loved how colourful it was.  I've yet to get it framed but I can take my time and look for a nice frame now.  

I didn't manage to finish the Lizzie*Kate Mystery SAL prior to Christmas, as I was stitching the birth sampler, so I'll be aiming to complete that early this year.

I look forward to catching up with your blogs too!

 

Nancy's Give-Away!

Just a quick post to tell you about Nancy's amazing floss give-away!  She's very generously giving away 25 skeins of her beautiful floss and it really is lovely, I've bought a lot of it and they are very generous skeins of 20 yards as well!

You have until the 25th December to enter and I recommend you do....what is there to lose?!

Click here to enter!

Also, check out the other amazing items she's giving away too!  As a hugely generous gift, she's offering a $50 gift certificate for her ebay shop. 

Click here to enter! 

Mystic Garden Completed

I've actually managed to finish the HAED 2013 Bulletin Board SAL before the end of the year and I'm thrilled!  It's actually turned out pretty well and I'm really happy with it!

Since completing it if been in a "post finish slump" and haven't wanted to do any stitching at all, however the bug is slowly creeping back.  I've managed to finish the second part of the Lizzie*Kate Mystery SAL, although I've not taken a photo.  I'm now making a slow start on the last part and hopefully it should be done before the end of the year.  I've also stitched a little bit of the birth sampler that I started for my Cousin's baby, who was born last December, bit not enough to see any real change as yet!  I will take a photo once I've got something to show.

Hope you are all enjoying getting ready for the festive period.  I've had to be prepared early as I've got a few parcels to be sent overseas.  They aren't all wrapped yet, but I've got all the gifts made and bought, so they should be ready to go out early next week.  I then have to start shopping and crafting for the friends and family nearby!

A bit of a catch-up!

Well it's been while since I posted last but as tends to happen, life got in the way a little!  I'll not go into detail (mainly as it's boring) but things are now getting back on track.

I have managed to get a fair bit of stitching done though so at least I have some things to share with you!

In September it was our 1st wedding anniversary and I stitched a present for my husband that represented how I lucky I feel to have met such a wonderful man!  It's a Design Works kit (designed by Joan Elliott) called Happiness Bears.

I've also joined in 2 different SAL's with 2 FaceBook groups.  I apologise that neither of these have been pressed so they may look a little crumpled.

The first is An Important Flower - Alessandra Adelaide Needlework (AAN) Stitched on 28ct Deep Teal Jazlyn using Sulky Blendables thread in Baby Soft.

Next is a design by Love Thy Thread that was created specifically for this SAL called Halloween.  I stitched on 18ct Aida in Moondust from Crafty Kitten using DMC threads.

 

I've joined the Lizzie*Kate Mystery SAL and I've made a start but not very much to show of that as yet and I'm still steadily working through the HAED BB SAL and I promise I'll take a picture next time I move my Q-Snaps!

Hope you are all doing well and I'll catch up on your blogs.  I may not post comments on all of them but I do enjoy reading them!

Just as a final note, my thoughts go out to Pumpkin's (Cathey) friends and family, as she lost her fight with cancer.  Her wonderful heart and spirit will be missed.

Birthday Stash!

It was my birthday at the end of July and I did a little bit of stash shopping!  As most of it was online, some bits haven't arrived as yet, but a few have and I thought I'd share it with you!

First up, a lovely selection of fabrics from Crafty Kitten:

Some of the very cute Whiskerkins designs by CM Deisgns, also bought from Crafty Kitten:

A couple of Alessandra Adelaide Needleworks charts:

Some of the lovely threads from the Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe:

The lovely cake that hubby bought for me:

Also, I was very lucky to win a giveaway of a chart, threads and fabric from the Jodyri Designs group on Facebook.  If you haven't heard of them I strongly suggest you check out her website:

Last, but definitely not least,  I was gifted a lovely chart of QS A - Tamara Newman from Heaven and Earth Designs by the wonderful Nikki:

I'm currently looking for the perfect fabric to stitch it on now!

I feel really lucky to have a few special friends and a wonderful hubby that made the day really nice for me!  Hubby even encourages the stash buying too!

WIPocalypse - July 2013

It's a couple of days late but here I am with my WIPocalypse update.  I don't know where July went as it only seems like I was doing June's update a few days ago!

I've been working on QS Clara and haven't done much more since I posted my IHSW update so I haven't bothered updating it!  I won't repost it as it's in my last post (and on my WIP page) for those whose want to see!

I do have a new start to show you, it's the one I planned to start earlier in the year and never got around to it.  This is The 3 Fates - Jasmine Becket-Griffith (HAED):

Not much to see as yet as it's just a bit of background but it'll take shape soon!


Next up, Pyramid 4 - Ciro Marchetti:

June

 

July

The scarab is complete now and I'm making some progress on the Pharaoh now.  This is fun to work on, the fact it's a pyramid just makes it more fun!


Last up is the HAED Bulletin Board SAL piece, QS Mystic Garden:

June

July

 

 

 

 
There's been a bit more progress on the tiger and on the fountain as well, slowly taking shape.  I may be a bit behind but I'm pleased with how it's going so far and I'm enjoying stitching it, which is the important thing!

Considering how hot it's been over the last couple of weeks in the UK, I'm really pleased with my progress, we're just not used to it!