HAPPY NEW YEAR

Wishing you all a very happy,

healthy and wonderfully fun filled 2009

Julie x

Stitch & Sew

So far so good ..... i had a very quiet and lazy day today as the boys were out at work. I listened to some nice peaceful CD's and drank lots of Lady Grey tea whilst finishing off gift number 1 which i started yesterday.

The design you have seen before as i stitched it for the noteblock Christmas gift (and it was still in my workbox lol) Its a great design from an old magazine. Thread is DMC 3835 and i chose to finish it as a lavendar hanging pomander (home grown lavendar)as the lady its for is a knitter and not a stitcher, i hope she likes it.

I'm on a roll ... another lady has a birthday second week of Jan and her scissors are naked, so i decided to make a biscornu fob. 28ct mushroom evenweave and Dragon Perle 12 floss 'beloved' was used. I always backstitch the outline and sew up with Perle 12 when doing a biscornu as its much stronger and you can pull it tight without it snapping. I decided to carry on and stitch the front and back with the same and made up the design as i went along after i had stitched a 22 stitch square. The twisted cord is made with the Perle 12 too.

Happy Stitching, i think i'll put a few X's into the dreaded Peacock Chair tonight ...

Christmas gifts

I was well and truly spoiled by stitching friends and received some wonderful gifts, special thanks to Karen, Karan, Kathy, Clare, Sally, Judy, Steph and Cindy.

I am the proud owner of a glass bead bracelet from Karen. DH thought these were sweets and could be eaten - silly man!

Karen also stitched me this super quaker ornament

Little things i stitched and sent ...
Lizzie Kate 'Friendship Grows' for Steph

From the Gift of Stitching online mag for Kathy

Elizabeth Designs - Special Stitcher for Karen

What plans have you made for stitching in 2009 then?? I've signed up for the Beatrix Potter Quaker SAL that starts Jan 1st. Fabric and threads are sorted so i'm all ready to begin.

I still need to finish off the Papillon How does your garden grow 2008 SAL, i'm only up to Part 9 so intend to get that finished as well as The Peacock Chair by The Cats Whiskers before i start anything else. Also there are lots of birthdays at the stitching club in January and i had intended to stitch them something this year instead of buying a present. The first birthday is Jan 1st so i guess i better get my 'smokin needle' out and start something hadn't i LOL

Happy Birthday Blog!

2 years since i started this blog and i have enjoyed it so much. I have met some wonderful people and been so inspired by so many things i have seen. Thank you for your continued support, encouragement and comfort during both the good and bad times.

If you would like to receive something made by me to celebrate, please leave a comment, the draw will take place Jan 1st to give anyone who is busy during this time a chance to enter.

I hope you all had a wonderfully happy and peaceful Christmas.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

'Twas the Night before Christmas'

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

by Clement Clarke Moore

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas with your families

Love and {hugs}

Julie xx

Good Evening .... Thank you for your kind words, i'm sorry i lost my temper, i've calmed down now and my dads anniversary has passed so i'm in a slightly better frame of mind.

The final weekend is behind us and its only 4 more sleeps till Santa comes - are you all excited? I thought the shopping centres would be full to bursting this past weekend so we stayed away, but according to local radio there were lots of spaces in the car parks. I wonder if everyone has gone green and used public transport or are they super organised and all ready, more likely saving their cash for the sales LOL

DH and i were at the local supermarket at 8am yesterday to get groceries, just a few last minute fresh things to get now and we are all sorted. It's going to be a quiet time here. Amy & David will be calling in Christmas morning, then off to his mums for dinner so i'm only cooking for 3 this year. My brother and his family came over today and we had a really lovely day, even DS was here so a full house and just how Christmas should be.... fun, laughter and love with those you care about the most.

A few small finishes ...

Stitchy Kitty - No Froggin Allowed

Elizabeth Designs - Home Sweet Home

Lizzie Kate - Peace, love, joy

Needlebook - Winnie The Pooh alphabet booklet

and finally, WIP of CCN The Tea Room.

I can't believe its almost 2 years since i started this blog, watch out for a blogoversary drawing soon.

Thank you for you visits, i really do appreciate them.

ARRRGGGGHHHHHHH

I am so furious, angry, hurt, upset

British Gas just phoned and asked to speak to my dad - he passed away 3 years ago on Friday!!! He never lived at this address, what the flippin heck was that all about.

I think i need to shout at someone at British Gas.... find me the phone book and their number ....................

Gifts received & exchange pics

Postie has been real busy coming to my house recently ... I am the proud owner of one of Karen's handmade glass bead fobs, isn't this superb, i think its going to be put on my heart shaped scissors DH bought me for my birthday. I wish you could smell the lovely lavendar scent that is coming from the little sachet - the corner beads are Karens handmade glass ones too ... Karen these are wonderful and you are so clever at making these glass beads

A parcel from Sally was delivered today, this one made me smile. We had been challenged on one of the MB's i visit to stitch and make up an ornie just for ourselves. Having never done a PS santa i found this one in JCS ornament 2002 and decided i really needed to have that on my tree. It seems Sally and i were stitching the same one at the same time....how cool is that!! Thank you Sally its beautiful and looks wonderful on the tree.

Pictures have now been shown of the ornament exchange at JA. I chose to stitch the JBW for Maddy, she requested something pink/purple to go onto her tree. I also added some choccies into the envelope for her to share with her son. Barb(no blog) sent to me and it was her 1st exchange. I have this JBW in my stash and have been meaning to stitch if for soooooooooo long. The stitching is so exquisite and i love the hanger she included in the parcel. Thank you so much Barb, i hope you enjoyed this exchange and you join more in future.

Hope you have a god day. I'm going to pay a visit to my old Uncle Bill. He'll be telling me stories about Christmas's past and how the weather is not as bad as it used to be when he was a boy or on his travels in the navy as a young man, its going to be fun and interesting morning.

Christmas Tree Festival

Yesterday DH and i met with Clare to see the 60 Christmas trees that have been decorated by her community in their local church. It tells you here all about the festival at St Laurences.

Clare had been asked to decorate a tree herself and she chose to use handstitched ornaments from her friends. It was lovely to see my ornie and the work of some of the ladies i know through MB's and blogs. There are lots more close up pics on Clare's blog of the ornaments that are on the tree and some of the other craft decorated trees.

A few pics taken ....

Standing at the altar and looking down the aisle

Along the back wall

This one was called 'The Remembrance Tree'

19th December is the anniversary of my dads passing, so i made a donation and added my gold star (the tiny one middle right) and a message for dad

Clare and me standing next to her 'A Fine Needle' tree

*fuzzy pic, me and cameras are not compatible LOL

Thank you Clare for a lovely time, DH and i really enjoyed ourselves

Love and {hugs}

Julie x

Get Knitted!

'Noel' went off in a parcel to Kathy (no blog) on the East Cost here in the UK, he's now been received and sitting on her desk with 'Holly' who was in a previous post.
This little family warming themselves in front of my fire was an emergency project. DH asked me a week or so ago to knit them for one of his customers little girls. He came home yesterday afternoon and informed me that today would be the last time he would be seeing them before the hols!!!! Its a good job mum and dad were already knitted but i spent the whole of the late afternoon and evening knitting, sewing and stuffing. It's a good job he is a nice man otherwise we might be playing 'hunt the knitting pin'.......

Happy Birthday Sally!!!

Sally has a particular love of snowmen so i decided to make her one of my bunnys for her birthday, but one with a difference. I made her all white, she is the only white bunny that has been knitted, in fact the only completely one colour one ever.

Sally is holding a competition on her blog to give 'snowbunny' a name, pop on over and leave your idea, wonder what she'll be called?

Finally for today, as promised is the lovely handmade Christmas card i received from Karan, isn't it gorgeous.

DH thinks we ought to put the tree up this afternoon .... seems like a lot of hard work to me, i am still in the 'bah humbug' mood and would much rather be sitting reading my book or stitching. I must remind him he needs to go up in the loft first and FIND all the stuff before i can do the decorating. Of course, this year i dont have DD to help me and there wont be the usual squabble of which ornie looks best where, this could be an advantage and it might not take so long LOL

I do have some finished stitchy pics to show you but i'll save them for another day. Thanks for visiting, love and {hugs}

Smalls ...

Last Monday i met up with Clare at our local shopping centre as she was doing a spot of shopping there. We spent a lovely hour chatting and drinking hot chocolate (that was me!) before we were thrown out as they were closing. I'm looking forward to going over to her local church this weekend to see the Christmas tree she is decorating with the stitched ornaments she's received.

This little one is by Lizzie Kate from 2000 JCS ornament issue, it appealed to me because of its simplicity, so i just finished it off simply with the jingly bells.

These 2 gifts used designs from an old magazine. The noteblock i bought from a bargain store, unwrapped it and tucked the stitching down the front adding a small pen. I then rewrapped it in clear plastic. The coaster is for DD's BF's gran as she loves to receive something handmade and i like her to have a small something to open when they visit her on Christmas day.

SAL stitching ... i did do a small amount on The Tea Room this week but not enough to warrant an update pic.

A very kind person seems to have shared their 'germs' again and have been feeling under the weather, this cold bug sure does seem to hang around and there was me thinking i had escaped the worst of it. My day was brightened today as i received a lovely handmade card and little gift from Karan, the gift has been sent to santa but i'll take a pic of the lovely card so you can see it next time i blog.

Till the next time *atishoo, cough, splutter*

OUCH!!

When i woke up this morning DH called me into the kitchen to look out of the window and look at the trees in our garden. I rushed off to grab the camera and in my haste to switch it on and get a pic i ran into the glass patio doors of the conservatory as DH hadn't opened them yet!!! I am now sporting 2 lovely black eyes and a very bruised/swollen nose, but i did get a pic of the heron that sat there for quite a while surveying the area (click pic for a better view). I guess he was looking for something he could steal to eat. Some neighbours do have fishponds, i wonder what was on the menu for him?

Have you all finished your Christmas shopping? I still have a few small items to get and wrap and also a couple of stitched items to finish off and make up. This weekend the master plan is to write my cards, although due to recent events and low funds i'll not be sending as many as i usually do. I hope people will understand, i'm sure a lot of people will be having a different Christmas this year due to the economy, maybe its a good thing and the true meaning of Christmas will be in a lot of homes.

Enjoy your weekend

Friendship is for sharing

A friend/neighbour is an active member of the Royal British Legion and today was involved in the annual Christmas dinner for some of the elderly veterans. She was presented with this lovely bouquet of flowers in thanks. Imagine my surprise when she knocked on my door and presented me with them this afternoon! She said the fun and laughter on the faces of the veterans was thanks enough for her today and she felt that DH and I would benefit more from having these beauties in our home right now, wasn't that a wonderful gesture. I'd like to share them with you all and thank you for listening to my rambling and moaning recently.

KNITTING
Here are a couple of little friends i've made. I can share them now they've been received. The bunny i named 'Holly' as its apt for this time of year. It was my first attempt at the little penguin - the knitted bits looked real weird and strange and i really didn't think it was going to turn out looking anything like it should. She went off in the post unamed ... what do you think we should call her??

Advent chocaholic update .... yesterday is was the chocolate truffle :-) and todays flavour was orange cream :-( Thats not one i like so as DH was being a good boy i let him enjoy this one. The toffee penny i really dont like, you can come over and eat that one Rachael - they always end up left in the tin and go in the bin LOL

Thank you Mylene

I was the lucky winner of Mylene's blogoversary drawing, look what arrived in the post today. My very first flatfold, it is so beautifully stitched and made up, now i have seen one of these i really have no excuse not to try one. Such a beautiful sants stitched on the lovely card too. Thank you so much Mylene, your stitching is wonderful and your finishing skills exquisite. I have it on my fireplace for all to admire when they visit.

Yes Jenn the chocs in the advent are Quality Street, and Karen i did think of you when i ate the strawberry cream LOL

Decembers here ...

Time to press the panic button and see whats left to cross off my ever increasing list of 'to do' stuff before the guy in the red coat drops down my chimney **mental note to self, no roaring fire Christmas Eve, dont want to be smelling burnt Santa**

1st December means its the start of advent, did you all open your calendars, i wonder how many of you girls have the choccie variety like me. DH bought me this cute little guy a couple of years back and you can fill him with your favourite sweeties .... perfect, i took this pic before i stuffed Day 1 into my mouth LOL

Back to the vets today, good news Mr Moe is doing well, that good the vet decided to give him his annual boosters as it will make him dopey and sleep for the next 24 hours so another day/night inside to be on the safe side. He sends you all big purrs and fluffy cuddles.

Not a lot of stitching going on ....

Yet another visit to the vets with Mr Moe. We thought he was on the mend after his re-check on Tuesday, but he went downhill during the evening Friday so off we went again yesterday morning. She was quite concerned about him, 2 injections later and a lot of advice and emergency numbers just incase, we brought him home to rest. He just couldn't settle down to sleep all day and kept moving from one room to the other. Bedtime came for us and normally he would be lying beside me, not this night, he was meowwing very loudly but we had been told he must not be allowed to go out - try telling a cat he has to use the litter tray!! He and i spent all night downstairs and watched the clock go round from 2am to 7am. After a long chat with him, i explained as you do to a cat..... that he really would be more comfortable if he stopped wandering from the back door to the front door in the hope that i would cave in and open it, i had sat him in the litter tray about 100 times ..... eventually at 6.30am he couldn't hold on any longer, sucess and he was a lot happier. DH got up and took over and i snuggled down and slept till 10.30am. He's been asleep most of the day, we have to take him back again tomorrow morning for another assessment.

Wednesday night was the stitchy club and i took CCN Tea Room with me. This is the SAL that Karen and i are doing. I decided i would build a house. How did you get on this week Karen?

Dh is recovering well and doing exactly what i tell him!!!! Thank you for your kind wishes for both him and Mr Moe.

I hope you all had a nice weekend, it was really cold here, we've had a roaring coal fire going most of the time.