Last day of May

Here we are again bidding farewell to yet another month in 2009 and time to see if i achieved everything i was hoping to this month... in a word YES!!
Nice progress on Beatrix and a good start to the fruit and veg piece. Birthday gifts sent and received in plenty of time too :-)

Here's an update pic of 'Home is' i had hoped to get it finished this month but a good book and some days of ill health i didn't even pick up a needle so no surprise that its not complete. June will be the start of a hardanger SAL at Stitch & Stash, there were 2 designs to choose from by Lynda Bodkin at Loopylou Designs, i decided on Christmas Wishes and all being well it will be finished in time for this Christmas.

Four and twenty blackbirds ... well maybe not quite that many but it certainly seems like it with all the noise Mr is making at trying to get the babies to come out for their maiden flight. Here he is (left) complete with a beak full of worms desperately calling them, you can see the ivy on the left in the second pic and where he is hoping they will fly to him... maybe they think its just a bit too far. Two days of squarking (is that how you spell it?) and we're still waiting to see them.

An amazing thing happened this morning,DH and i were sitting at the bottom of the garden on the seat amongst the trees, all of a sudden we heard this purring sound, i thought it was Mr Moe on the fence behind us, but when i turned to look it was a baby squirrel. Did you know they purr like kittens?? I had to check it out, it says so here how cute is that, sure made my day.

Hope you are all having a lovely weekend

Challenge revealed

The challenge at Stitch & Stash this month was for a biscornu. Lots of nice sites to choose a design from but i did so enjoy making the hummingbird scissor holder for Stephie earlier in the year i decided to do that design again. A free design from xstitchhappy.com. The colours are so bright and vivid and on the back i have stitched 'Happy Birthday Mum 2009' as her birthday is early next month and i hadn't made a biscornu for her before.

The 'Best in Show' for the fruit and veg show is progressing nicely, i did lots this weekend whilst in the garden and i'm really pleased with how its looking. Tonight is the stitchy club so i'll take it with me to see what the other ladies think to it.

Enjoy your day

Beatrix Potter SAL

I know i have another week left of May but i've put this away till June.

I just posted this months progress on the BP SAL blog so thought i would show you a before and after pic too. I'm really pleased with the 5 motifs i stitched this month - 3 larger and 2 smaller ones. Threads i am using are Carries Creations in Wedgewood Blue and Bordeaux for the infills in the flowers. It's on 25ct lugana and the colour is potato, i'm stitching mine 1x1 and its over half finished now so i'm on schedule for a 2009 finish :-)

Another birthday gift...

Julianne celebrated her birthday yesterday, so i can now share with you the mattress pincushion finish i sent to her.

She has a fondness for The Prairie Schooler designs and i chose this one from Gift of Stitching Issue 25, Feb 2008. All four seasons are in this issue but i chose Spring. I hope you had a wonderful Birthday Julianne.

We have a set of steps and a ramp to get down into our garden, but you have to go past Mr & Mrs Blackbird nesting in the ivy on the side of our garage. There has been a lot of activity the past few days with both mum and dad flying in and out with beaks full of food.

I think they have recruited a new security guard to sit underneath the nest and keep their babies safe, but i think this candidate might have lied on his CV about previous experience!!! A quick squib with the water squirter and he soon realised that he had lost his new job LOL

It's been a lovely sunny start to the spring bank holiday here, i've spent time out in the garden till late this evening. I did a bit of reading, stitched a letter on the 'Best in Show' and even helped DH to plant some seeds (yes i was in the greenhouse pretending to know what i was doing!) Sitting outside with cups of tea and slices of cake, what could be nicer. More sunny weather predicted for tomorrow so i guess we'll be having a morning up at the allotment before DH has his motor racing fix watching the Grand Prix in the afternoon - Good Luck to Jenson Button. Monday they are predicting storms with thunder and lightning, now thats more the typical weather we usually get when you get a day off work, fingers crossed Mr Weatherman has read the signs wrong.

Have a lovely weekend and enjoy time spent with your families
Love and {hugs}

Birthday gift revealed

Rachael had her birthday yesterday...

Mr Stick (he who is responsible for prodding and getting ladies stitching on their UFO's over at Stitch & Stash on Tuesday) decided he wanted to send out another spy so he can see how many UFO projects she has and make sure she is making good progress on them. Miss Twiggy complete with her prodding stick arrived safely and is under strict instructions to report in each week on the forum with Rachaels progress as does Seymour who went to live with Barb. I know you all think i am bonkers and lost the plot, maybe think is the wrong word...some of you have met me and others know me well :-)

When sitting in my conservatory recently with lashing rain and high winds (every day this week so far), its been a pleasure to watch my cactus come into flower. These flowers are some 6" across and there are about 20 buds waiting to bloom on it. Such a shame its not in flower for the show, it might have won a prize, although i will take more pics and enter them into the photography category for other growers to see it.

Thanks for stopping by, i hope you are having a good week

Another new start!

Those of you who have been coming here for a while will know that i'm on the committee for the annual fruit and veg show and the stitching club always make gifts for winners to keep to accompany the trophies (these have to be given back each year). This year it's my turn to stitch the gift for 'Best in Show'. I've found a lovely floral alphabet and have made a start in plenty of time for the show 5th September, its from Donna Koolers 555 fabulous cross stitch patterns.
We're still having wet and windy weather here, not nice at all and its turned really cool, what better place to be than nice and cosy and curled up looking like bookends on the sofa in the conservatory!! I think i might join them in there this afternoon and put a stitch or two into Beatrix ....

Rainy Saturday

Good Morning blog readers from a very wet and windy UK

I cant share much stitching progress with you today i'm afriad. A small amount that i did on Home is where... and thats it. I have however, completed the stitching on both sides of the biscornu for the monthly challenge over at Stitch and Stash and plan to make that up this weekend, of course no reveal till the end of the month when we see what everyone has chosen, sorry!

I really need to get out Beatrix Potter for the SAL, here we are halfway through May and its yet to make an appearance again, not good news considering i only did one motif last month ... telling myself 'must do better Julie' i hope i am listening to myself and paying attentionLOL

I was reading Clares blog and she commented about how she has changed the way she stitches since she began and it became apparent when she pulled out an old project, and it got me thinking. Do you stitch (a) / \ or (b) \ / and have you always stitched this way?? And does it make a difference if you are left handed or not?? I'm a leftie and i stitch (a) and i think i always have when cross stitching. I've just been and looked at a tapestry piece i did in tent stitch a long time ago and was surprised to see that's stitched (b) \ how weird....

Anyone need a relaxing paino music fix? I came across some wonderful music tracks HERE that have been composed by a UK man, its very relaxing to listen to, a great de-stresser.

Have a lovely weekend

FROM Sharon & Karan

Postie brought me a couple of packages today.

One i was expecting from across the pond, in it was the beautiful 28ct evenweave fabric that Sharon(daffycat) has hand dyed and offered in a drawing on her blog. I was lucky enough to be drawn the winner, just look at these superb colours and the cute card enclosed too. Thank you Sharon, i look forward to using it

The second envelope revealed a well known name and address on the back, it was from Karan. I wasn't expecting anything from her and i know she is off on her hols this week so imagine my surprise when i found this gorgeous pocketed pinkeep inside together with the beautiful scissors and also one of her handmade cards. She has written the most lovely things inside the card, thank you Karan it is stunning and the finishing is so expertly done, i will treasure it.

Sometimes life has this habit of getting a bit stressful, healthwise and other stuff but its strange how on one of these days a simple gesture can lift your spirits and make you realise that even though you have never actually met some people in real life, they have an impact on your life and can bring a smile to your face on the darkest of days that not even your family can do even though they are so close to you. Thank you ladies, you have both done this to me today.

Happy Mothers Day and a new start ...

Happy Mothers Day to all ladies overseas who are celebrating today, i hope you have a wonderful day.

My new start is 'Home is Where you Hang Your Needlework' by Homespun Elegance. This lovely chart was passed on to me by Marian after she had stitched a wonderful version of it and finished it so beautifully. Thank you Marian it was shouting so loud in my workbox i couldnt resist it any longer! As if by magic the perfect colour and size piece of 28ct permin linen was in my fabric box but has no name on it so no idea what it is. There are only 2 colours in the design and it asks for Belle Soir Silks, i've never used these and dont have any so decided to go with the DMC blended conversion listed and am really happy with how it's stitching up.

I haven't forgotten about the making up of the Travelling Stitcher, there seems to be a problem with the sewing machine and i need DH to look at it for me when he has time. I'll keep pestering him so hopefully he'll do it sooner rather than later :-)

Love and {hugs}

Monthly Ornament

Something a little different this time, not your usual Christmas type of ornament this month. I came across Victorian Christmas Treasures by Design Connection Inc - Book 105 2002 in with my Christmas charts, strange how i dont remember this being in there! When i pulled the threads and tried them against different fabrics, this little piece of 28ct linen in waterlily was so perfect although you can only see a small amount around the edges. The little bell actually jingles and i know exactly who will be receiving this one later in the year. My SIL loves all things dainty and delicate and i think this will be ideal on her tree.

Have a lovely weekend whatever your plans

Emails to make you smile

Someone has sent me this, being a cat lover it really did make me smile hope it does the same for you!


Hope you all had a lovely Bank Holiday weekend. The weather wasnt too bad here. Saturday we went for a walk in a local parkland where there was a fundraiser for the local MS society, it was a lovely afternoon and nice to sit out in the sunshine after our walk in the countryside. Sunday was spent in the greenhouse for DH and i spent some of it stitching and reading. I finished off the latest Barbara Erskine book Warriors Princess, thoroughly enjoyed it too. Yesterday DH was yet again in the greenhouse for a lot of the time complaining about not enough room in there for his seeds/tomatoes etc, its the same every year you would think the dear man would be used to it by now. He also went to the allotment and with the rain we had been having there were 6 cauliflowers ready to be picked, guess what we had for tea today!!!

I haven't any stitchy pics to share with you. I finished a small birthday gift which i will reveal when it has been sent and received. I also started the monthly Christmas ornament, this one is very different and i really do like the colour combination, not your usual red/green christmas colours this time but you'll have to wait and see that too, its almost stitched so not too long a wait :-)

Thanks for visiting

May Day

I wont bore you all with a list of what i achieved in April, only to say that i did all i wanted to but i didn't get the UFO out the box (only to show Rachael when she visited, then it went back into the bottom!) and i didn't have a new start either. I can show you the Travelling Stitcher, the large design is done and i have almost finished the smaller one too. I'm not making it up as the chart shows, i've thought of something else.

Last weekend i made a start on the making up of the needlebook from LHN Needlebook and Fob (the SAL with Karen) its all done now and i am really pleased with how it turned out. I have noticed though that i missed a stitch on the top right corner of the blanket stitch edge, never mind, i'm not undoing it, i think i can live with it like that as i am keeping these for me.

I hope you all have a lovely Bank holiday weekend