It's been a while..........

A long while really and I must apologise ~ there have been a few things that have eaten into my time and left none spare for blogging, in fact I started this post a couple of weeks ago and then other things got in the way of me adding the pictures and posting!  I have been trying to keep on top of reading what you have all been doing, but even that has taken a bit of a back seat at times.

Stitching has been slow to non-existent, I did manage to finish my New Years Day start.

 

LHN ~ Summer Splendor

Recommended threads with one substitution

Fabric unknown

Started 01 January 2013

Finished 09 March 2013 

 



I plan to finish this into a bag ~ when that might happen is anyone's guess though.  My latest LHN project is Be True which was a birthday gift from Barb last year ~ I'm stitching one over one on 28ct so it's going to be just the perfect size for a scissor fob.
I've also started stitching the Drawn Thread "Love" scissor keep ~ I'm stitching this 9 times as they are to be the place cards for the Ladies who will be at out wedding.

 

 

The Drawn Thread - Love Scissors Tag

Recommended Needlepoint & Northern Lights Silk

Sparklies 35ct Edinburgh Linen ~ Barely Bronzed

Started 09 February 2013

 

As of today I have 4½ stitched so I'm halfway there!  You must excuse the crumpled appearance, thought I'd leave the ironing until they are all finished.

 

And a closer picture ~ I love the muted colours and the variety of stitches.  Our wedding is quite small and we wanted to include some handmade/personalised items ~ I know that each of the Ladies will appreciate these gifts.  We have something a little more manly for the Guys!  Well I have work tomorrow ~ another thing that gets in the way! ~ so I guess I had better go get some sleep.  I'll be trying very hard to be here with better regularity than I have displayed so far this year. 

 

Till next time.

 

Kate  

 

 

Christmas Ornaments & Secret Santa 2012

Firendly Stitchers Group Ornament Exchange

I received this beauty from Judy together with some threads and needles ~ thanks Judy.

I'd love to show you the ornament that I sent to Judy, however I forgot to take any pictures!  It was the LHN design from the 2012 ornament edition of JCS, you know, the one with the blue house ~ sorry I can't remember the design name & the magazine has clearly hibernated as I can't find it to look it up.

Needlecraft Haven Group Ornament Exchange

Another gorgeous ornament received ~ this one from Mary who also send a skein of thread and a cute present charm ~ thank you Mary.

This one is Christmas Eve by Pickle Barrel Designs from the JCS Ornament Edition 2012 ~ stitched for Christine on 32ct Barely Bronzed evenweave from Sparklies with the recommended threads.  The fabric in the background is on the reverse of the ornament.

Tuesday Stitching Group

Secret Santa

Ma Boite a Tresors from C'Mon Monde

Stitched on 40ct Antique White linen with recommended DMC threads.  Mounted onto a box that I painted and lined.

Interior of the box with mini spools and bobbins.

Kate









Quiet Sunday

Quiet is what we have planned ~ we were up and at the gym for 8am, sounds grim and I guess it was, however I definitely feel good for having done it ~ might be a different story tomorrow!  It's well over a month since I was last there as I've been waiting for a sinus infection to clear up. Unfortunately that doesn't appear to be happening anytime soon and I've got a wedding to be trim & toned for!
Sis2 is on her way down as tomorrow we're off to Nottingham to see a bridal fabric supplier ~ so she's popping in here at lunchtime then off to stay with Dad.  We're leaving at stupid o'clock in the morning and I will be returning her to Dad's tomorrow evening, where she'll stay and spend Tuesday with him before returning to Scotland.
I have a few stitchy things I want to accomplish today, might even go stash surfing to kit a few Christmas projects for the Christmas Ornaments All Year Round SAL.  I joined this SAL last year but didn't make it past May, so I want to be well prepared this year.
The LM is planning a DVD fest, he'll probably watch most of it through the insides of his eyelids!
Have a wonderful Sunday.

Kate

Autumn & Winter Exchanges 2012

Last year Clare at Needlecraft Haven ran a Four Seasons Exchange ~ due to a number of things I didn't post any pictures from either Autumn or Winter.

There was a bit of a trial with my Autumn piece ~ it went into the black hole of the postal system, whether that was on this side of the pond or stateside Dusty didn't receive her gift.  So a new one had to be finished and shipped out, fortunately this one did eventually turn up.

This is Autumn Sampler by Lizzie Kate stitched with the recommended threads on 40ct linen.  I made this into a small bourse ~ just the right size to carry threads for a project.  Pictures of the outside and the completed bourse follow.

Here's the gorgeous needle roll that I received from Julie ~ my very first one.  I love it, the colours, the design, the trim & buttons ~ just all of it.  Thanks again Julie.  The text on the picture should read - FROM Julie

Julie was my partner to stitch for in the Winter exchange and I stitched part of the design of Snow White by LHN.  The fabric is 32ct Rue Green linen and I used Finca Perle #16.

I finished it as a needle book/thread organiser.

Christine stitched this little beauty for me ~ I must apologise for the quality of some of the pictures today ~ this one certainly does not capture the colour of the gorgeous fabric.  Thanks so much Christine.

I hope I can do this type of seasonal exchange again as I really enjoyed participating in this one ~ thanks to Clare for organising it all.

Hope to update you with Christmas exchanges next time.

Kate

IHSW Catch Up

Did you all hermit at the weekend ~ I did & in more ways than one.  The first type was staying out of the weather.  We had snow the whole weekend, groceries were delivered Friday so there was no need for us to venture out.  The LM had a pressing need to give some TLC to the LM car ~ the wayward cover had been removed during some windy weather ~ do you remember that cover?  So the LM car was cleared of the snow that had settled on her, cleaned, dried and snuggled under the cover once more.  It may appear that I am poking fun at the LM (as if I would...) about going out in the snow to clean a car ~ well I shouldn't really as while he was out there he cleaned my car too.

On to the second type of hermitting ~ the stitching kind ~ after looking forward to the first IHSW session of the year I'm afraid it fell a little flat for me.  I did stitch, and enjoyed what I managed it just wasn't all that much. 

I finished the stitching on my January ornament for the Christmas Ornaments All Year Round SAL.  This is a freebie from Nikys Creations.  I plan to finish this as a luggage tag ornament.

I stitched a little on Summer Splendor by LHN ~ I started this while we were staying with Sis2 and her family at New Year.  There wasn't much stitched on it that day either as champagne was in the mix.

 

I also managed to start the finishing ~ always sounds wrong ~ on my piece for the valentine/friendship exchange on the Friendly Stitchers Group.  Can't show a picture of that until it has been received by my partner.

 

For the second week running our Tuesday Stitching Group was cancelled ~ I was going to stitch however I've spent the time sorting through pictures on the camera memory card, got a wee bit lost in looking at them as you do.  Watch out for some updates on exchanges from last year.

 

Stay safe & warm.

 

Kate

 

 

January Hermitting

It's the first IHSW this coming weekend - will you be participating? I am hoping to.
My plans are to:

Make up a piece that is stitched for a Valentine exchange on Friendly Stitchers

Complete my January Christmas ornament - a freebie from Nicky's Creations

Start a Valentine piece for the LM

Continue with LHN Summer Splendor - this was my New Year's Day start


Hope to see you there


Kate

The Dog Ate My Homework

We don't have a dog.
It's just my way of explaining my prolonged absence from this place.
An alternative phrase is - The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

The Good
The LM's business has been tremendously busy since launching a software update at a trade show back in September.  There was much work to do leading up to the exhibition, however since then he has been working silly hours to keep on top of the additional business that has been generated.  Leading to

The Bad
10 - 12 hour days in the office, starting again at home after dinner, working weekends and many trips away from home.  Not much time to spend keeping up with household stuff, with the GB's or each other.  Yes it is frustrating, bordering on annoying at times, however it's business, it's paying off and it brings additional stability - in these dark economic times.....  Unfortunately anxiety and stress lead to

The Ugly
My usual LM - the one with the sunny disposition, heaps of patience and lots of time for everybody has temporarily disappeared - I understand why and I'll just wait for his return.  A couple of weeks ago his lower back went into spasm ~ now that was very ugly ~ it's slowly returning to normal however it added to the frustration.  There have been other health issues in the house too, the usual coughs, sniffles and sneezes as well as a trip to A&E for GB1 ~ it wasn't good, he is recovering but may have future issues.  Don't you just hate your babies having pain?

So although the dog didn't eat my homework we have had a few things on our plate that have eroded the time I had for doing lovely things ~ like stitching & posting & blog reading, & painting etc
I have managed some stitching as I joined a couple of ornament exchanges ~ one has been received (pictures next time as camera battery has expired) and the other is on it's way over the pond.  There has been a disaster with an Autumn exchange ~ which disappeared into some kind of black hole ~ a second piece has now been sent and I'm waiting for news of it's arrival.  The Winter exchange is due to be mailed this week and I'm on track for that, then I just have a secret Santa piece to finish for next Tuesday.  So, there should be lots of pictures to show you, and hopefully soon.
I'm of to hide my homework from the imaginary dog........

Kate