Happy Birthday Paula

My second parcel has arrived and spot on time for Paulas birthday yesterday.

This little guy doned snorkel and flippers and set off across the Irish sea to his new mum. Paula emailed me to say she is not around much right now as she is off sick this week, and that she has decided to name him Seamus. Here's hoping he brings her lots of luck and that they both find a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, or have a lottery win at least!! Get well {{hugs}} to you Paula, hope you feel good as new real soon.

Hanging head in shame this month with the Needleprint Beatrix Potter Quaker, i only managed to add 1 motif onto this. April was a busy month with birthdays and garden stuff, i will try and do better next month.

As it's Tuesday Mr Stick is around again looking for his UFO ladies and checking up on their progress

Happy Stitching

Reveal Day

The monthly challenge at Stitch and Stash is an exciting SAL and today is the reveal for us all to see which free design we chose to stitch from A Mon Ami Pierre. Another great month, the ladies have done some amazing work (well done girls), you can see all the finishes in this album. It was a hard decision this month, i liked them all. Choice finally made, this one just screamed mattress pin cushion to me when i saw it. A flash of inspiration and out came the DMC linen threads as i decided on paler colours. I've not used the colourays asked for but chose what i wanted from the bobbin box as i was stitching. Fabric is 26ct oatmeal that was an oddment i had in my stash drawer. It's a bit of a fiddly finish but well worth the effort. On the back i just stitched 2009 in the blue thread.

Friends and RAK's

I had a visitor yesterday, Rachael drove over to see me. When the doorbell rang and i answered it i was greeted by a lovely lady holding out this gorgeous bunch of flowers!! She also stitched me a lovely fob that is now firmly attached to one of my pairs of scissors. We had a lovely time chatting about stitching (what else!) and other stuff. Poor girl was subjected to all the family on her first visit here. DH and DS came home from work early, then she even met DD as she was on hols from work and called in to get dad to 'help' her wash her car. Mr Moe and Midge were also on hand to see who was visiting their patch. It was lovely to meet you Rachael, i had a really nice time and dont know where 5 hours went to, i hope our family fun and frivolity didn't scare you off.

One of my knitted parcels has arrived with its new mum.

I asked DH to choose a name from one of my posts on the blog to send an RAK bunny too and he picked Ranae. Poor little chap doesn't have a name so there is a contest over at Ranaes to name him. She is a wonderful stitcher, posts pics of the wonderful place she lives in and has a lovely blog so why not pop over and check it out. If you have a suggestion as to what 'bunny' might be called even better. There are some nice guesses, glad i dont have to choose one.

No stitching updates as i haven't put one stitch into anything at all for a few days, one of those weeks when other stuff happens and you just dont get round to it.

Have a lovely weekend whatever your plans

Sunny Tuesday

Thank you all for your kind words about the vandalism. The problem we have is they are bordered by a public footpath to one side and an open wooded area on the other and the police are patrolling more than usual as they think this is why we are targeted - easy access. I was saddened to read in tonights local newspaper another group of allotments had 48 sheds burgled and tools stolen on Saturday night, police are appealing for public to come forward with any info, they think an organised group are responsible due to the type of cutters used on padlocks etc!!

I haven't any stitchy pics to share with you. I've finished stitching the LHN Wool needlebook and fob, the fob is made up, but i'll show you that when the needlebook is done too. I've also been knitting a bit and have sent off 2 parcels this week so cant share those either till they arrive. I can show you these two rascals in the garden today enjoying the sunshine. Mr Moe loves to sit high up and wait for Midge to pass by so he can pounce on him and play. Can you spot Romeo and Juliet in the bottom corner of the garden?

Lots of things growing and needing planting in the garden and greenhouse, this time of the year does cut into stitching/reading time and just when i've started a new book and its really good, although the exercise is good for me so DH tells me :-)

Thank you for stopping by and visiting, i do appreciate it

'Shed'ding a tear ...

Dear Vandal

I am probably old enough to be your mother, but when i was brought up, i was taught to respect other peoples property, i assume you did not have this kind of upbringing!!

What is the fun in ripping the doors off someones shed and smashing the window only to throw tools etc across all the other allotments, this you did to all of the allotments where DH and i have our plot this week. Was it the boredom of the school holidays?

A few of the people are unable to pay for repairs for the 3rd time in less than 12 months so are giving up their hobby and this makes me really sad.

Word has been passed round in the village that there are some undesireables out there and a group of young local boys (early 20's) are patrolling the area of an evening/night to see if they can locate the culprits. I do hope that you are caught and brought to justice, but i did hear that if you are there are 2 lovely broom handles that are waiting for you and you might just end up like Worzel Gummidge on one of the plots!!!

Awaiting your early capture, just so i can see what scum looks like!!!

(a very sad and out of pocket allotment owner)

SAL & WIP

I have a folder with lots of ornament designs that i'd like to stitch and the monthly ornie SAL is a great way to get a good collection for the festive season. This one came from JCS Ornament Edition 2006 and is by Charlotte Web Needleworks. It's one of those designs i think you either love or hate. The roof and bricks are not the stitch shown in the magazine, i didn't like how it was done so used the stitchers perogative and gave it my own version.

A bit more progress to show on the Travelling Stitcher too, this is so lovely to stitch.

I have one more deadline item to stitch for this month which is the monthly challenge. This time the designer is A mon ami pierre, i've finally decided which one i will do (i think!) i like most of the free charts on this site :-)

Of course i still need to get a couple of motifs onto Beatrix this month too but i dont suppose i'll get a lot done this week stitchywise as DH has got the week off and he has plans for lots of little jobs getting done around here, fingers crossed Mr Sunshine decides to play nicely and we can get the trelliswork painted ... such joy!!!

Easter Blessings to you all

HAPPY EASTER

these little bunnys contain a Cadburys creme egg inside them and were given to family/friends as a little easter treat.

How many eggs did you receive and have you eaten them all yet LOL


My SIL has a birthday towards the end of this month and its getting harder each year to think of something new to make for her.
This design is from Gift of Stitching June 2007 by The Sweetheart Tree called Opalescent Heart. This was not the finish i had planned for it but i like how it turned out in the end with the tassels on the corner and she doesn't have this type of finish yet :-)

Another lady at the stitching club also has a birthday. This is the last lady to receive a biscornu fob and they will all have one then. This time i decided to go with the handdyed fabric and make a dramatic black/purple design on this one. Its quite effective and i like it, i hope she does too.

Hope you are all having a lovely easter


Sorry you have this a few times in your readers, pics were not posting

Bead Bonanza!!

Postman armed with 2 padded envelopes addressed to me, that was a nice surprise today. Flipping them over i saw the names of Karen and Barb on the back. What could these ladies possibly be sending to me?? 2 mins later and i'd opened them to find these inside. A gorgeous ice-cream cone scissor fob from Karen and two of Barbs (no blog) beautiful beaded bracelets. Thank you so much ladies for my wonderful Easter surprises, they are beautiful.

I also had a lovely afternoon. Clare and i met for coffee at my local asda as she was in town shopping. We had a great girlie gossip. Thanks Clare for coming over, hope you have a nice week away in Wales. As if that wasn't enough excitment for one day, i chatted to Karen on the telephone too.

A gift for Barb

Barb (no blog) has received the little gift i stitched for her as a thank you for the lovely parcel she sent to me. The design is a very old Lizzie Kate freebie which i chose to make into a bobbin holder. We'd had a conversation at Stitch and Stash about how we all finished our challenge pieces and if we hand sew or machine stitch them. I always hand sew mine and thought what better way to explain than to show her. Vicki Clayton thread in garnet was my choice on sky blue britney stitched 1x1. I also included the 2 skeins of silk for her to try. I'm looking forward to seeing what she stitches with them and how she likes them... i do hope i have not started her off on a new collection of threads :-)

Not a lot to say...

My LNS has gone from selling lots of cross stitch stuff to now selling mainly wool and papercraft things. They do have a nice range of ribbons and finishing braids though. Earlier in the year i noticed in the sale bucket a couple of these little notebooks from Framecraft for a bargain price. This one i've stitched for my SIL's mum for her birthday later this month. The design is a medieval alphabet from a very old magazine and was especially for these books. The old grey matter seemed to be in working order when i remembered this design and it was so quck to stitch and finish and i'm really pleased with the way it turned out, i hope she likes it.

At long last my camelias are starting to bloom, they are so late this year. The pic on the left is 'brigadoon' and is a new one that DH bought me for my wedding anniversary this year to join the one he bought for our first anniversary. The one on the right is 7 feet tall and so gorgeous when in full bloom, this is the first flower this season though, normally they are out in February.

Here you go Lori-Ann, just for you!!

DH has been spending some time in the greenhouse sowing and potting up his veggie seeds, lots of nice green shoots happening and things are progressing nicely at the allotment too. The nice sunshine we have had for the past week has helped everything to put on a growth spurt :-)

Not a lot else happening here right now, i've not been so good this week so not been around much and not stitched a whole lot either. I did make a start on the monthly Christmas ornie and also a gift for my SIL's birthday which i really need to get cracking with this week. This years plan of being organised seems to be fading......

I hope everything is good with you and yours