A Few Firsts

Some great firsts have been recorded throughout history ~ my firsts for the beginning of 2014 are perhaps just a wee bit less noteworthy.

My first post ~ and hopefully not my last!
I have had things to report however with life being busy in the run up to Christmas, work, collecting GB1 from university etc my posts were sparse to say the least.  I guess I also got a little lazy ~ having the benefit of my ipad makes access to the Internet/social networking/emails etc very easy.  What I do not find easy is posting via blogger, either via the app or the net ~ in fact I find it a hugely frustrating event, am I the only one?  I can't manage to master uploading photographs as I like to have them, text decides for itself where it will reside and which font.  So the laziness comes in when I start to think about having to fire up the PC ~ which is in the conservatory ~ or dig out a laptop.  And to add to the frustration when I did get a laptop out on Wednesday night because it hasn't been used for so long it required 91 Windows updates ~ which I did ~ and then it decided that the version of IE was too out of date to be of any use.  I packed it away and went to bed!
This morning we have laptop #2 ~ which so far seems to be working ok!

First TUSAL
Was actually 1 January 2014 ~ I had about 3 orts to show ~ please see explanation of laziness/ipad frustration above for why I did not share.
The next new moon is 30 January and I will curb the laziness to share a picture close to that time.  If you have no idea what this SAL is about you can read about it on Daffycat's Blog.

First 2014 Start ~ definitely not the last!

This is Home of a Needleworker from LHN ~ my New Year's Day start.  I'm stitching this 1/1 on 28ct Gingerbread Brittney fabric from Kate at Sparklies with the recommended DMC threads. The couple of threads on the LH side are actually my meagre pile of orts.




First IHSW
 Is this weekend and I have a date with a chair and my stitching bag ~ I hope to work on Home of a Needleworker, La Pensee Positive ~ a beautiful SAL from Nathalie at Jardin Privee (I have the last part to complete), Needlecraft Haven's monthly challenge which for January is a gorgeous freebie from Laura at The Little Stitcher.  I think that is plenty to keep me out of mischief.

In other news I signed up for this


which Mel at Epic Stitching is running.  The title says it all really ~ we do have a monthly budget available for supplies however I am going to try and steer clear of spending on any stash ~ as you may imagine I do have a fair bit squirrelled away to work with.  Wish me luck!





Aside from stitching I have a couple of housey jobs to complete and unfortunately the LM is poorly so a good dollop of TLC is in order.  The really bad news is that GB2 needs the rocket up the derriere again in terms of cleaning/tidying his room ~ oh boy!

Whatever your weekend brings I hope you enjoy it.

Kate

 

Years End

Well almost.
I hope this post finds you all well and that you have enjoyed a peaceful Christmas.  We have had quiet, family time so far ~ New Year celebrations are ahead of us and we will be spending time with my Sis2 and her DH who from here on in shall be known as McBiL ~ being my brother in law who resides in Scotland.
GB1 has been home from university ~ his final lecture was December 13th, however he was committed to work until 19th when we collected him to bring him home.  With the studying/revision he has needed to do and also working back in his old Costa store we've seen very little of him.  It's still been lovely having him home ~ not sure that GB2 agrees!
I've signed myself up for stitching only from stash during 2014 ~ check out my page link across to the right ~ I've made a start listing the charts/kits that I have in my stash and as you will see there is plenty to keep me going!  I'm sure I can do this, do you fancy giving it a try?
I'm watching The Holiday again while sorting out fabric for my New Year's Day start ~ Home of a Needleworker by LHN.  I already had the thread pulled and stored in the pattern wallet so it seems like an easy option.  I may even make 2 starts as I am planning to stitch a Christmas piece a month ~ with this in mind I have The 12 Days of Christmas Parts I & II  from The Little Stitcher so my 2014 ornaments will be themed.
Being reasonably certain that I won't be posting again this year I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you all for reading my meagre posting efforts this year ~ I'm hoping that I will be better at updating my blog in 2014.
Here's wishing you a Happy, Healthy & Stitchful New Year.
Kate

It's Here Again

Yes it's IHSW this weekend ~ another early start for me today as the LM has gone off to the Classic Car Show at the NEC in Birmingham so perfect time to catch up with blog reading, I'm working my way through the 284 unread posts that are hanging about in my reader.
Anyway, one of them is from Joysze's blog with a reminder of the event.  I have a packed weekend but hope to manage some stitching in between the other stuff we have on.
GB1 is home for a brief visit and we'll be taking him back to university after a trip to the Living North Christmas Fair at York Racecourse tomorrow.  He has kindly provided us with a list to make up the required student food parcel to take back and today I will probably be doing the laundry he brought home in amongst the other things on my list.
GB2 is working on getting access to my car as after months of nagging from us he has finally taken steps to clean and tidy his room ~ all it takes is the right incentive!
Have a good Saturday

Kate

Who Knew?

That I would be such a bad blogger?

We've been busy with one or two things since way before the wedding - which is now some 108 days ago!  I haven't just counted this ~ I installed a countdown app on my phone and it has continued to count.

It was a summer of exams ~ A Level for GB1 & AS Level for GB2
Both boys have now passed their driving tests - GB1 in the summer and GB2 this week
The LM had an unpleasant experience after collecting his car from a service at the dealership ~ a few weeks before the wedding
Making favours, boutonnieres and assorted other bits n bobs
GB1 had lung surgery ~ 13 days before the wedding
The wedding ~ we had an awesome day
The wedding party ~ back at home
Honeymoon ~ European tour in the TVR
Work
Installing GB1 at university
Weekends away in Blackpool (there was a valid reason for going there) Scotland & Cumbria (sort of)
and more work.

I hope you can forgive me?

We're slowly getting back to some kind of normality and now C*****mas is on the horizon.  Stitching (other than wedding stuff) has appeared in my life again and I joined the French SAL La Pensee Positive.

This is Part II finished and I am now almost finished Part III, just a few sheep and a rabbit to complete. 
Stitched on Sparklies Barely Bronzed 36ct Edinburgh with the recommended threads.
This has been so lovely to stitch ~ I decided to stitch the French version but it is available in English, Italian, Spanish & German and possibly more too ~ it can be found here.

Part IV is due to be released next month.

I'll leave you with a photograph of the sunset over the Tyne ~ I was going to Newcastle to run a couple of errands and collect the LM from the station and couldn't resist driving onto Riverside Drive to capture this.  Not the best photograph ever as it was taken on my phone, but I like it.

See you soon.

 

Kate

 

IHSW Weekend

I've signed up - have you?  Head on over to Joysze's blog - http://joysze.blogspot.co.uk/ - to join in the fun.

Saturday we are packing up the car and taking our oldest DS to University and getting him 

installed into his accomodation ready for freshers week.  He's going to Leeds which is not too far - 

he went on Monday with some of his things and collected his keys etc so he has  a plan for how

everything will be installed/arranged.  

My stitching time will therefore be restricted to Sunday - haven't decided what to work on yet - I

know what it should be, however a new start is calling me.......

Kate

A Little Taster

from our wedding day - The LM & Mrs LM
Monday seems ages ago already, we're now looking forward to our party tomorrow.

Hopefully I'll have some time to show more pictures before we set off on honeymoon.

Kate

Switching to Bloglovin

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/5005353/?claim=tb9xp68erkx">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

Today see the end of Google Reader - so I have finally made the move to Bloglovin.  I've not been around here much as we have been busy with:

Exam season for both of the GBs

Work

University visiting

LM was away at the Le Mans 24 hour race

Wedding plans!!!!!!!

I will be back as soon as time allows and hopefully show you some stitching progess.

Kate