Top Secret!

I'm quite excited about this top secret project ~ I have joined a SAL through Nataliejo at L'Atelier Perdu.  I joined late so I have only until 21 July before part two is issued!
I love the thread colours and the 32ct fabric that have been recommended for this.  We have been set a mission for next time too - we need to find 7 co-ordinating printed fabrics for making up - guess that means a trip to Just Quilting at the weekend ~ what a chore that will be!!
I must resist starting until I have my Tuesday Stitching Group birthday gifts finished.  I am hoping that the current batch of 3 gifts will all be ready to be re-homed on Tuesday next week.  One is finished, one is waiting to be made up and there is the teeniest amount of stitching to complete on # 3 before it can be made up.
Wish me luck.

Kate

Giveaway & Exchange Received

I've had a couple of gorgeous things arrive at Flossbox Central ~ they can speak for themselves:

This fab pincushion and lovely cupcake card arrived a wee while ago from Rachael at Stitchabilities as I won her draw that marked her 4th year blogaversary ~ Thank you so much Rachael. 
I tried and tried to get a decent picture that would show the beads that are stitched on but no matter what I tried I couldn't manage to get it right.
I signed up to a Blackbird Designs Exchange that Michelle was organising through her blog ~ there were seven of us participating.  I had an unsuccessful attempt to mail to my partner yesterday ~ I didn't realise that Post Offices still did half day closing on Wednesdays, shows what I know.  I have been more successful today and it's now winging it's way to my partner.  I will show a picture once I know it is safely received.

This was waiting for me when I returned home from work yesterday ~ it's been on an epic journey ~ it came all the way from Perth, Australia!  This is from Lisa who was my partner in the Blackbird Design Exchange.  This is Summer Iris and Lisa has stitched it on 32ct antique cream linen.  How fab is that ribbon on the top?
The back is on the picture below - thank you so much Lisa.  And thank you Michelle for organising the exchange.





Tomorrow is the last day of my working week and it has taken an absolute age to arrive ~ I'm planning to start early so I can finish early as I have an appointment to attend.  Hopefully I can squeeze in a visit to see the WP's too.
We have been invited to a friend's barbecue in the evening to celebrate his wife's qualification as a doctor ~ attendance depends on the LM being home early enough and still in possession of some energy.  He has been away this week training people so he'll no doubt be all talked out and fatigued from driving 280 miles in Friday traffic ~ yuk!

Kate

Mid Week Report

Isn't time passing by quickly at the moment?  Wednesday already!
The Tuesday Stitching group Ladies were at my house last night ~ eight of us in total.  Our two hours were over in what seemed like about 10 mins.  As most of my current projects are secret ones I was not able to stitch ~ should have been a bit more organised really.  I enjoyed the chatter and had one or two things to seek out for people so I wasn't totally lazy! 
I'm off to quilting group tonight and I'm planning on being more productive ~ not sure what I'll be working on yet.

Roll on the weekend ~ I have a Saturday of stitching planned.

Kate

Sunny Weekend Report

Last weekend (June) LM and I headed off to Scotland to stay with my Sis2 and her family ~ the main purpose was to spend some time with them as we haven't been since New Year.  It was also their annual village BBQ on Saturday which we had planned to attend ~ however we spent most of Saturday chatting, snoozing, stitching, watching tennis and eating the most fabulous cream scones.  It was really quite lovely in our little family bubble that we did not want to add others to the mix ~ quite unsociable really.  So instead of the BBQ we had dinner here which was fantastic ~ huge but very tasty.  The guys were disappointed as we arrived too late for them to visit the Real Ale Shop ~ they settled for sampling some of it in the bar as consolation. The live music wafted through to the conservatory from the bar as we finished our meal ~ I love live music ~ a great evening.  Sunday after breakfast we set again for home stopping off briefly at Houghton Hall Garden Centre  for lunch and a poke around the craft department before the final part of our journey.  A wonderful weekend.

This weekend I spent mostly indoors completing some long overdue housey chores ~ serves me right for bunking off at other times!

I did manage to sneak off to The Crafts House for a few hours on Sunday morning for a spot of painting ~ can't show you any progress at the moment as I didn't finish what I started ~ my project has been "bagged-up" for when I return again.  It's a trio of owls for the wise old bird in our family ~ my wonderful Dad who will be 90 later this year. 
As always it was a lovely relaxing time and I finally got to meet a fellow blogger Michelle who has recently been persuaded to keep her blog online ~ not too sure what Sandra threatened her with!  No matter, it did the trick and online she stays to inspire us with her wonderful projects.  Also had the pleasure of company from Doreen and Lucie and Lucie's very talented daughter.  A coffee stop with Doreen rounded off my "free" time - thanks Doreen!
Now ~ a warning ~ I love my vacuum cleaner it's very efficient and does a super job, however on Saturday afternoon it bit!  You see that hose ~ well it got very tight hold of the "bingo wing" area on my left arm and would not let go and boy did that smart!  I usually have to have a pretty hard knock to get a bruise but this one came up instantly.
Shall be making every effort to avoid that in the future.

Kate

June Events

LM was away at Le Mans and returned 14 June ~ happy to be home but more tired than expected, he could barely keep his eyes open.
I walked to Tuesday Stitching Group that week ~ our host lives not too far from me so I decided to walk to boost my exercise for the week.  It was a hard walk as it was all uphill!  I did feel better for having done it though.  We were a small group that night and our host, who always treats us to lovely homemade goodies had made strawberry pavlova ~ it was wonderful.  There was also a show and tell as she had finished her quilt ~ had I known I would have taken the camera to get a picture as it is absolutely fabulous.
LM had planned that we would go out for the day on Wednesday, so we set off to Richmond in North Yorkshire.  I was driver for the day ~ well LM had just driven back from France, and I really enjoy driving which some people find strange.  We had a lovely time ambling around chatting & looking in gift and antique shops. 

We found the perfect baby gift that had been eluding us in Dot's Place on Castle Hill ~ a gorgeous shop that's well worth a visit.  LM found this in a n antique shop ~ a 100ft metal retractable tape measure bound in leather which looks barely used. We got Fathers' Day gifts while we were there too.  We lunched at The Crossview Tearoom ~ fish & chips for LM and Bacon, mushroom & stilton baguette for me.  If you're going to Richmond I can recommend this place ~ the staff were really friendly and the food is all freshly cooked and was gorgeous.

One of our favourite places in Richmond is York House Antiques, sorry I couldn't find a link for this ~ it's an Aladdin's Cave of a place arranged over several floors and you could spend hours looking around.  They have a mix of old and new, weird and wonderful.  I'm fascinated every time I go.  I got this flat iron.

I didn't fancy a run up the motorway so we detoured a little (especially as I missed a turn!) along the A66 via Barnard Castle, Staindrop, Tow Law & Lanchester ~ it was a lovely drive, much nicer than joining the stream of vehicles up the A1.  If only we could spend every day just ambling around ~ how nice would that be?
Have a happy Monday.

Kate 

TUSAL, New Starts & Shopping

 

Firstly TUSAL ~ left shows my ORT's for June and right shows the first six months of this year in a christmas bauble.  You can see there are many colour changes ~ for me there are just a few too many fuzzy bits!

I have a number of new starts ~ unfortunately I can't show any of them here yet.  There should be one that could be pictured if only I could establish where it is!  It's a freebie from The Primitive Hare called Merry Yule ~ my Christmas Ornament for June.  It's still a WIP at the moment ~ I will show it once I can find it and get a photograph.  The others are all birthday gifts for Tuesday Stitching Group which should be finished and re-homed soon.

I bought these fabrics from Michelle who was having a bit of a de-stash ~ I love the colours, especially the green.  I have plans for at least one of them but at the moment I'm not sure about the others ~ they will be found a use!

I also bought the new book by Mandy Shaw from Dandelion Designs ~ Stitch With Love

It's full of gorgeous stitcheries and things to make such as cushions, bags, blanket a Christmas wreath and gift tags, aprons and the fabulous sewing tidy pictured below. 

Hope you're enjoying the weekend.

Kate

I have Lots To Tell You

As I've been missing for a wee while ~ I thought I'd split up my posting into several small ones to prevent boredom setting in with one long one!
Firstly, thanks to all who sent kind wishes for my Mum they have been very much appreciated.  She's recovering well but the fall has definitely knocked her confidence.  She's sporting a cast on her wrist for the next four weeks but thankfully the stitches are removed and the bruising is almost gone.  Bro4 is here for the weekend and planning on taking the WP's out and about so hopefully that will give her a good lift.
It's gorgeous here so far today ~ I have almost all the laundry done and hanging in the sunshine and I still have plenty of other chores to keep me busy but I am hoping for some time to relax in the garden too.  The house is quiet as LM has taken the LM car off for a bit of TLC, GB1 is off to work and hoping for a relatively calm shift and GB2 is away for the weekend.  It's sometimes nice to have the house to yourself don't you think?

I'll leave you with a picture of All You Need Is Love by The Drawn Thread.  The stitching has been finished for quite some time as it was intended as a Valentine gift for LM.  I had originally planned a tin finish but I haven't finished anything that way before and couldn't cope with the idea of glue going wrong on this piece.  So it sat waiting until recently when I found this frame ~ it's a bit battered but I thought it would be perfect.  I love it and I hope LM does too.  Valentine's gifts are OK in July ~ right?
Have a fabulous Saturday.

Kate