Beatrix Potter and a little stash

This is my Beatrix Potter SAL which I started at the end of January. I've not done a lot to it since I put my first photo up but this month seems to have flown by so I've not had a great deal of time to work on it, but at least there's a bit of progress to show.

Before the car decided to give up the ghost, I sent off for some goodies from sew and so as now that I was in front with my exchanges I needed something to stitch for me so I thought that I'd send off for a few threads that would make up my LHN charts.

I also bought a new thread box and some bobbins as my threads were getting to be a bit jumbled. Just need to get myself organised now.

hugs,

Lily's birthday

How could I forget about this? February 7th was Lily's 1st birthday and Rachel and her partner Darren brought Lily round to show us the cake that she'd got for her birthday tea. It was so funny watching her face as the candles were lit and then when Rachel tried to blow them out with her, she screamed the house down.

The pictures are all a bit dark for some reason, but , as you can see she had a great time pulling pieces off the cake though she didn't eat any. She must be the only child I know that doesn't like sweet things, not even chocolate.

hugs,

back again

It seems ages since I've blogged but I have had so many problems with my computer that I've felt like throwing it out; if it wasn't for the fact that I can't afford a new one then it would be gone. To be honest though, she has done me proud as we are both getting on in years, so until she heads for the big cyberspace in the sky then I'll stick with her!

We also had another major expense that we didn't want when the car broke down. Tony said that it had been driving funny for weeks so we thought as it was so old we'd have to get another or risk being stranded somewhere, so last week was spent looking for another car.

We eventually got one on Saturday afternoon so on Sunday we decided to go for a drive to test it out. I didn't want to just go up and down the motorway so we decided to head for Bakewell which is probably an hour and a half from where we live. It is so beautiful there and although it is only a little village it was so crowded. The area is well known for hikers and climbers but I didn't imagine that there would be so many people about this early in the season.

Here's a link to the village if you'd like to see what it's like.

I didn't let on to Tony that there is a lovely needlework shop in Bakewell until we happened to walk past it. We did go in and look around but as we'd just had the expense of the car I was quite happy just to browse but later on, just before we went home Tony took me back and ordered me a new sewing lamp that I'm eagerly waiting to be delivered.

All the stitching that I've done seems to be for exchanges or PIFs so no pictures to put up but now everything is done I'm thinking of stitching a LHN chart that I've wanted to do for ages, just got to decide which one,

hugs,

xstitch monthly exchange

My exchange to Tara made its way to her dispite all the snow on the ground so I can put a picture up to remind me of what I've stitched for her.
I added a little pocket at the back as I thought it might be somewhere to store thread or scissors.

An Award

I have been given this award by Chris and I now have to pass it on to 8 friends who I think deserve this. It might take some time so I'll be back later. The words have to go with the picture.





These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbon of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers.




Right, I've had a think and these are the people that will get an award

Erynne Be-stitched
Susan the lazy stitcher
Kath kaths stitching heaven
Lorna a bit of everything

And the winners are...

thanks to Kath, and Susan, for entering my PIF and as they are the only two, well you're the winners lol.
If you could both let me have your addresses then I will stitch something for you by the end of the year.

Sue

My Pay It Forward

There's still time to join in if anyone would like to, I'll give the results tomorrow.

Sue x

Saturday

yes it's Saturday again and after another shopping trip and queueing in the post office for half an hour I've finally managed to do a bit of stitching, nothing that can be shown as it's for a gift. I thought that I'd have five minutes looking through my mail and as usual I end up looking at other peoples blogs and the time vanishes so quickly when I'm enjoying myself.
I am now an official member of CADD thanks to Erryne, http://be-stitched.blogspot.com/ I wish I knew how to do a proper link, if anyone could tell me I'd be so grateful.
I've a stitchy night planned, Tony says he wants pizza for tea so who am I to argue, it means I don't have to cook so more time to stitch.

My exchange from Tara

I joined xstitch monthly just before Christmas and this is my first exchange with the group from Tara. I went to the post office this morning to send mine on its way and when I got home Taras was waiting for me to open. I can't put a photo up of what I've stitched for her yet just in case someone sees it. Isn't it lovely........

Too good to be true

I had so much planned for today and its now gone 4.00pm and I'm still in my dressing gown. Another water infection has had me spending the day on the sofa, I am so fed up with feeling low. Still I have had time to finish my library book so it's not been all bad. I couldn't concentrate on my stitching otherwise I'd have done a bit more on my SAL; never mind, tomorrow's another day and hopefully it will be a better one.............

Summer will soon be here again................

Tuesday and I'm shattered

I think that I'm still catching my breath from the weekend. Sunday I had a day in the garden and did some heavy digging although the garden was a bit too wet for it but it really needed doing. I cleared out the small greenhouse where we usually grow the tomatoes, changed all the soil and composted it so that it's ready for some juicy tomatoes and cucumbers to grow.

We went to the garden centre first thing Sunday morning as there is a lovely little fabric and stitching shop on the site, a little bit expensive but some lovely fabric, and I needed some to back some stitching that I'd done. Then of course I couldn't walk away without looking at the seeds and came out with a load of potatoes, onion sets and seeds to plant, hence the mad workout in the garden.

The garden was sadly neglected last yearuntil the autumn when we started to move everything around but at last I can see what I need to do to make it look better.

This is our vegetable plot though now it is twice as big as we've taken all the turf up so that we can grow more. We moved the turf up to the top flower garden and extended the lawn with it so now we have a clean slate to start off with this year though at the moment the flower borders are looking a bit bare but I can see the daffodils and snowdrops pushing through as well as a load of forget me not plants that I dig out every year but always come back.

Yesterday, I spent most of the morning sorting out the freezer as we'd ordered a load of meat from Tony's brother's shop so I made sure that everything was labelled correctly so we don't eat beef when it's supposed to be lamb............I've done that quite a few times lol.

Today it's been back to looking after Lily and she's such an angel. She hardly stopped giggling from the moment Rachel brought her in this morning until she picked her up this evening. She takes all my energy though so it will be an early night if I can make it.

There's nothing on TV so I think I'll go and stitch for a bit, it's such a hard life.........

Saturday

Saturday was a day for me. I was determined that I was going to get something done so I started early with the housework so that I could get the rest of the day to myself. First I had to do a bit of baking as Tony likes his cakes and if he's happy then the whole world is fine.

By the time I managed to take a photo, half an apple pie had been devoured and a few of the tarts and sad to say they have all been polished off by everyone now so I need to do some more.

The afternoon was spent searching for a pattern for my Easter banner so I had a good look through all my old magazines but still didn't come up with anything but I've an idea of what I want so it might have to be a bit of this and that to make what I want to stitch.

I finished Tara's needlecase after the second attempt. The theme is signs of the zodiac and with Tara being a Libra I thought that I'd stitch some scales; that was until DH asked why I was stitching a pair of hanging baskets and somehow it didn't look right after that. After that I sorted out my material for my Beatrix Potter SAL and spent a few hours in the evening stitching away on that. I'm still not sure about the colour but I don't think that I can be bothered to frog it all so I'll just have to get used to it.

It doesn't look as dark as this in real life so I think I might persevere.............

where did all those years go?

I'm catching up on my blog as I seem to have been a bit too busy to write anything for the past couple of weeks, but I couldn't miss writing about Sharon's birthday. 30 years ago on 23rd January 1979 I became the proud mother of a gorgeous baby girl who arrived looking bright red with an enormous mop of black hair, but after almost 24 hours in labour and an emergency caesarian I wouldn't have cared what she looked like. And now she is expecting her first baby and I can't wait for it to come.

This is Sharon and Rachels' baby Lily taken in September last year, oh how lovely to be able to sit outside in the sunshine again......

Clearing away the cobwebs

I have had a few days trying to sort out the computer as it is so full of junk that it's going on strike. I thought though that I didn't want to get rid of everything so I'm putting a few pictures to remind me on here. The next two photos are of my middle daughter Kim, she doesn't get a mention very often so I thought that I'd write a bit about her.

Recently, just before Christmas, she was made redundant from her accounts job and has had no luck in finding another job yet though it is early days and there aren't that many jobs going around here. She also split with her boyfriend of over three years so a good reason for her to let her hair down a little. The photos were taken at her friend Donna's birthday party, and, no, she didn't take the gun out with her. All her friends dressed up in forces uniform and I dread to think what they all looked like marching into the pubs, but they had a good night out and that's what counts.

She's been thinking of joining the RAF and went to an open day in Nottingham yesterday for the nursing course. She's not sure if she's going to do anything about it yet as it means another three years at uni and she's already done four but this time she would be getting paid for it. If she does decide to try for it and she's lucky enough to get accepted, then the training starts in June and it will be the first time in thirty years that Tony and me will be on our own in our little house which seems to be getting bigger month by month. I would have two bedrooms spare and the front room, someone must have been listening to my prayers.

New blog background

I have been having a messing about day today on the computer and saw on Chris's blog a link to Izzie Grace's free backgrounds and as it's taken me over an hour to figure it out I'm not sure whether I should leave it like this or go back to my original white background. I shall see how long it takes for me to get used to it.

PIF

I entered a PIF on Chris's blog last year and I was one for the lucky people to be drawn as a member of her PIF. I've not had chance until now to sort me and my blog out to give the chance to someone else so I'm hoping that somebody might find my blog and join in.
*** This is how it works ***
If you would like to receive something handmade by me within the next 365 days, please comment on this post to say that you are interested. I will then ask my DH to draw 3 names out of a hat on January 31st. If you are one of the chosen three then in return, please post the same offer on your blog.This is a simple and a lovely way of spreading joy in the stitching world. I hope that you will join in and possibly become one of my PIF members!This PIF is open for everyone.

Beatrix Potter SAL

I have finally sorted out my fabric and threads for this SAL and hopefully I'm going to try and get some stitches in before the weekend. I decided on 32 count antique white Belfast linen as I've used that before quite a bit and for some reason I can never match coloured fabric and threads successfully. The thread is DMC115 as I already had enough of that in my sewing box and I like the effect that it gives so I've stuck with something that I know that I'll be happy with.

It's not a very good photo, I think my camera is freezing up in this cold weather or it could just be my cold hands not doing it right lol.

PIB

Chris sent me her lovely needle case for her PIF but I wanted to send her something just for being a good friend and keeping me motivated with my stitching, her enthusiasm is certainly catching. This is what I came up with and I said it was a PIB, a Pay It Back, for all her kindness.This is the first time that I'd tried doing a heart shape and I'm pleased the way that it has turned out and I think chris was pleased with the end result too.

My Birthday

Well, I was feeling so much better for my birthday even though my head was still spinning for an ear infection that the flu had left me with and I had so many cards and presents for my birthday (January 1st) that I couldn't be miserable even if I tried.
These are the cards and presents that I received from the Threads Of Friendship group that I am in, they are a lovely group of ladies and this was either my third or fourth year of doing this exchange.

These are all my birthday cards, I think I had about 40 in all as well as some lovely smellies and chocolate and another Lilliput Lane cottage to put to my collection.

Chris http://alwayssmiling24.blogspot.com/ sent me her PIF that I was lucky enough to win on her blog and it is absolutely gorgeous.

Don't you agree that it is lovely, the photo doesn't do it justice so if I get a minute I'll try and take a better one.

Christmas and the New Year

It seems such a long time since I posted but things have a habit of going into freefall these days and I've not been feeling my best.

The week before Rachel and Darren were to move out, I came down with the flu and it stopped me in my tracks, I felt so rough and ended up in bed for almost a week which took us to Christmas. Tony in the meantime had also caught it but had to help Rachel move out or they'd have never got in in time for Christmas Day.

Sharon and Carl came for Boxing Day and Saturday and I felt so sorry for them as we just weren't up to visitors but they said that they enjoyed the time with us although we weren't 100%.

Rachel Lily and Darren came for Christmas lunch which turned out surprisingly good even if we didn't eat much but the highlight of the day was seeing Lily open her presents for the first time.

As you can see, she was more interested in the wrapping paper than she was of the gifts inside but she did love the little cooker that Darren's mum and dad bought her.
This is our Christmas tree which we managed to move back into the front room. We only had half of it up in the conservatory but once Rachel had moved all her stuff out we managed to get the whole tree up and decorated just in time for Christmas day.

The table setting wasn't too good this year as it was all done in a bit of a hurry but the old stanbys served their purpose and we sat by candle light for our meal.

All in all dispite feeling so ill, I think everyone enjoyed themselves but just in case they were being kind, we said that we'd do it all again at Easter if we can