Sunday, April 27, 2008

SBEBB Spring House and Garden Exchange

Just look at what I received from Yuko, isn't it wonderful. Yuko stitched a Prairie Schooler designed, and finished it into a small mirror. I love it. Thank you so much.


And look at these wonderful goodies Yuko sent. I love the green fabrics, and trimmings. I really love the colours, and I'm going to make something special from these bits, and then there was chocolate-strawberry flavour-yum, yum. And tea, with a gorgeous little teaspoon, with a lilac crystal head, it's so pretty. I've not tried the tea yet, but will let you know what it's like.




I sent my exchange piece to Edgar, as you can see I made another pin keep, I think this is becoming my favourite finish. I think Edgar liked it too.



I had hoped to meet up with Sally on Friday, but once again events took over, and I never got there. Please wish us luck for the next time.

I seem to have lost my way in life at the moment, soon I hope to be back on track. I'll leave you with this - on Friday I was 49, on Saturday I was 40yrs, and today I'm 31years old. At this rate, I'll be reborn next weekend. Can anyone guess why? (Sally, shhhh)

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

JN Sunday


Just a quick post, I didn't realise it had been over a week since my last post. I finished the needle roll, but still need to make it up. Otherwise I've not stitched much at all. I posted me next exchange piece on Monday, so hopefully that's well on it's way.

What a week I had last week. On Tues/Wed my phone decided it no longer wanted to be part of the phone. I have one of these all in one, caller display, answerphone, directory type phones and something inside must have failed, as it constantly makes a horrible noise, and asks us to replace the handset. So now we're having to use a couple of old phones, until I sort out another. I really miss the caller display, and answerphone. On Friday, I was going to meet Sally, and having set off early, as I needed to go a couple of places on route, my car started making a strange noise, so I ended up driving to the garage, where it was diagnosed as not fit for the road, and I had to leave it there, whilst they ordered the part. So I was disappointed not to meet up with Sally, but we'll try again this week. I got my car back the following door, at a cost of nearly £200 ($400).
On Sunday i got up and when I turned the pc on, it decided I'd never used an email account before, and wanted me to set one up! All my emails, and address book had completely gone. My blog reader had also gone, and my browser programme had also decided it was new, no favourite sites for me. I was devastated! I got the engineer out of bed at 8.20, he doesn't normally get out of bed until lunchtime. Anyway a full morning was spent updating, reinstalling, deleting, reinstalling, and eventually my address book was found. Then having offered to bake a cake if my emails could be found, they were also found hidden in a backup folder. Next was my favourites, and my blogs, however my blog reader could not be sorted. So I now have a different program for my blog reader, and my blogs have to be added one by one. I'll get there eventually, and might even be able to post comments.

Also a big thank you to Cathy, who was kind enough to send me a JN chart with left over beads that she had finished with. Once I've stitched it I'll be offering it up, so watch this space.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

JN Sunday, and a new start



Sunday was a good stitching day, I got a good start on Part 3 of Barnabee, and I'm pleased with my progress. I'm not really in the mood for chatting, I'm too tired, so I'll just leave you with a little pic of my new start, unfortunately the first row needs frogging, as I mis counted, those long stitches should be groups of 7, and I only did 6. I suppose it's not all bad, as the following bands can just be extended, so at least I don't have to frog those. This is Holly needle roll by The Sweetheart Tree, last year I promised I'd swap this pattern with Andrea, so I thought I'd better stitch it, I hope she still wants it.




Sunday, April 13, 2008

Simple Harvest


I finished Simple Harvest by Blackbird Designs, and I am in love with this fabric, although I have no idea what it is, as it was not labeled. I bought it in a bag with others from a Sew It All at a Harrogate show, a couple of years ago. The thread I use is called 'Come floss with me' Dragon Floss. I just have to decide how to finish it now.
Today is JN day, so hope to stitch on Barnabee later today. My stitching plans for the week will be a needleroll for the monthly finishing blog, and to make up my Spring House and Garden exchange, which is stitched the other week. I have just joined another couple of exchanges, and already know exactly what I'm doing for one of them, so hope to pull fabric and threads for that, it should be a quick stitch. I hope to update the side bar of my blog soon, and maybe even get back in to updating webshots, and maybe it's time for a change on the blog look, I think I've seen enough pink, and that clock has to go.
Wishing you all a nice weekend.

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

JN Sunday

Well, I managed a little stitching on Barnabee. I stitched the final band on Part 2, and back stitched the final band on Part1, which I'd never done. I still need to add the bees, ants, etc, but they will be done soon.



On Monday night I picked out fabric and threads for the monthly challenge which is The Caron Keeper, and stitched that. I can't show that yet though, until reveal day, but I have already decided how I'm going to make it up.

I originally picked the fabric you see below, but then decided it would be perfect for this sampler, and just had to start it next, so here it is. This is Blackbird Designs Simple Harvest, and this is what I did last night, hoping to stitch more on that tonight.

Sunday, April 06, 2008

Sampler Garden Accessories

The next parts of the Sampler Garden chart were released this week, well actually it is the final part, we received the chart for all of the accessories. Here's the first pics, I have stitched two of the accessories, just one more to go, and then next month we will receive the finishing instructions, and there's a finishing weekend planned. I'm looking forward to that.

For those who read and commented about my wall, your good wishes worked. The weather yesterday was changeable, but dh and bil got a good start, there was one really heavy downpour, but thankfully it didn't last long, and they managed to work through the small showers. Today, it's bright sunshine, although only 3C first thing, but hopefully they'll finish. Dh expects the rain by this afternoon. We've been lucky. The wall nearly didn't go ahead, when I received a phone call, on Friday lunch, from the care home, where my mil lives. They had been unable to wake her for lunch, and had called her GP. He came straight away, and she was grey and unresponsive, he diagnosed a massive stroke, and said to just put her in her bed, and if she was still alive by Monday, to call him again. (His exact words). I rang dh at work, and rang around the family, then tried to establish times for my building materials, and the mixer I had hired, asking them if they could hurry as I had to go out. The next thing, just over a hour since the first call, it's the home, and mil is awake and trying to get out of bed, so they were going to get her up, and for me not to rush there. After deliveries had arrived, I picked dh up from work, and we went to see her. There she was, back to normal, and had been walking around the home for nearly two hours! (She has dementia, and spends most of her days walking). As you can imagine this was a very Up and Down day, but a good ending, and I was completely drained by the evening. Doctors - what do they know?

For those of you who I have failed to email, a big sorry, and I will catch up soon.

Thursday, April 03, 2008

Valentines Day Exchange received.


On Monday I received my Valentine Day exchange, isn't it gorgeous? It's from Wendy, but I had guessed this, as I had seen that she had been visiting my blog, around the time of the exchange. Wendy says this is her first tin finish, and she's done a great job on it too. I love the lining.
Here's a pic of the goodies that Wendy sent with the exchange, dd couldn't wait to open the packet of buttons, so they've gone into the tin. And I have started those yummy Lindt hearts. Wendy said it's not Valentines Day without chocolates - how true.

Now, last weekend I finished the second page of Quaker Friends RR, and the posting date for that is not until the end of April, but I like to get it done, as you never know what might happen.


Do I hear anyone asking where's JN Sunday? Well, it never happened, in fact I've not stitched since Saturday! I'm hoping to remedy that tonight, if I can get my act together. I've been in a whirlwind since Saturday, and my feet haven't touched the ground. I'm now trying to catch up on all my emails. What have I been doing. To be honest I'm not really sure, but I have been busy, busy, busy, and I have picked up some needles - knitting needles to be exact. A knitting UFO, I have been doing this two or three rows at a time, but just never enough time to get a little bit of stitching done.

The garden wall which I was having built at Easter, and was cancelled due to the winter weather (snow), has now been rearranged for this weekend, but once again the weather forecast is bad, so please everyone cross your fingers. The building materials will be delivered tomorrow, and I don't want them stuck outside for too long.