Last day of June

Here we are again at the end of another month, time to find out if i achieved everything i hoped to this month? YES, i certainly did and even managed to add 3 motifs onto Beatrix. I've updated the side bar with goals for July, the monthly challenge is taking a summer break but will return in September, but this will give me 2 months to stitch an ornament for Clares 'Miss-Tree' for the Christmas festival at her local church.

Hope you all had a productive June too. Stay cool UK ladies, another 30 degree day here again today although the evenings are bringing storms to freshen the air which is much needed.

Reveal Day

Another first for me was to use some DMC satin threads i had in my stash. Sally sent the two purple ones quite a while ago and i bought the green and vibrant pink to go with them months ago and thought one day i will find a project that just calls for them. Junes challenge, the free chart, Flowers of Olde from With My Needle seemed the perfect design to use them for. The fabric is a 28ct unlabelled hand dyed piece.

As i was stitching this one Karan kept popping into my mind and the journey she has been on for the past few months, how her pagan beliefs are different to others but like the pink flower she stands strong. I decided to use some homegrown lavendar and fill a beaded edge sachet for her. She's received it and told me she has put it by her bedside and it seems to be aiding her sleep. I'm so pleased you like it Karan and hope it continues to send you to sleep LOL

Guess where i went today?? after getting a heads up that the Fabric Guild had an open morning today DH said he would take me for a look as we hadn't been before. Well, we looked and we bought, but i've done a daft thing and put it all away and not taken a pic. I bought some batting, 25ct fabric, fat quarters of lovely backing fabrics, a few DMC's and some lovely beads. We'll definately be going again when i have saved some pennies, the range of fat quarters is amazing, i saw lots i would like to have in my stash. As he went with me this morning, i thought it was only fair that i go with him to the allotment and help this afternoon/evening, its looking lovely for the judging tomorrow and of course there was lots more produce to pick too.

I hope you all had a lovely weekend too, they are predicting a heatwave for us UK girls this week, stay cool ladies!

The sun has got his hat on....

A super week weatherwise for Wimbledon, i bet there are lots of stitchers out there who are making great progress on projects whilst watching.

What does a cat do when it's too hot?? here is what Mr Moe was up to today. Just to the right of him is the door out of the conservatory and there was a slight breeze blowing on his face and yes thats my floorstand he's hugging LOL
What does a stitcher do when its hot? not stitch, she reads a book in the shade with a cool drink enjoying the peace. I stayed there till i finished the book!

DH has had a rotten week, who wants to be at work in this sweltering heat. Today he was exhausted but we really needed to water at the allotment so we went after we'd eaten this evening. YAY for phones with cameras in (and operators who now know how to work them) here's some veggies just after we picked them tonight. The bald grass is not our bad gardening skills, its where we all park our cars. Next week the Parish Council do their annual inspection when the plots are in full use and there are prizes awarded for the best kept plot, i bet DH will be up there this weekend making sure there isn't a weed to be seen LOL

I can report that a motif has been added to Beatrix, i took it with me to the stitchy club last night and did quite a bit. I've decided to carry on with it over the weekend and see if i can achieve another motif before the end of the month. I think there are about 15 motifs left to stitch, but some are quite big.

Hope you are all having a lovely week

How was your weekend?

Fathers Day here was not quite as expected.

DH had some lovely pressies and cards then spent a nice quiet morning gardening. He then sat down nice and relaxed to watch the Formula 1 Grand Prix live from Silverstone. Not long into the race we had a telephone call that DS had been involved in a road accident and could he go and help get the car out of the ditch and tow him home (he has all the kit in his van as both DH & DS are mechanics). Seems there was a blowout of the tyre and the car veered off the road. DS wasn't badly injured, very shocked and his chest took the brunt of it from the seatbelt. The car, however, didn't fair so well and needs a new bonnet/wing/headlamp. I cooked a roast beef dinner and DD arrived after she finished work so all was not lost as Dad did get some quality time with his family after all.

I lit my candle for my dad and my FIL as they are both angel dads and played both of their favourite songs and shed a tear or two, the candle i left burning for the whole of the day in the grate of the fire and blew it out as i went to bed. Much love to all those who have angel dads too and those who were not able to be with their own Fathers on this specical day.

Now to some stitching...Part 1 of the Hardanger SAL was stitched, and i made up a birthday gift - no reveal till its received though. Some progress on Dolly Mamas but had to hide it quick when DD came yesterday but Beatrix still hasn't seen daylight in June, i have to knuckle down and make progress, the end of the month is coming ever closer and i need to post a pic of this months progress LOL



for your visit and leaving me a comment, i do appreciate it

Saturday afternoon

The 1st Annual National Pelagonium and Geranium Show held its very first show close to where i live this year. Growers came from all over the UK to exhibit. As DH collects these and has quite a few different ones in the greenhouse he was keen to go and see what experts can grow and get some tips. The one with the rosette (left) was the Best in Show. We had a lovely time viewing them all and seeing the enormous collection of trophies that had been awarded and of course we came home with two new ones that he just couldn't resist.

Marian has asked if i have taken any pics of my fluffy boys recently. Unfortunately, they seem to be off playing where i cant see them or are just not doing anything exciting. Today though, DH went for a sit down outside with his cuppa in his deckchair next to the greenhouse, but as you see someone else got there first and had no intention of giving up his nice comfy spot. Midge on the other hand has spent most of the day upstairs keeping nice and snuggly with DS. I think they both arrived home together just before dawn, and i wasn't going in there for a pic, the snoring coming from in there didn't sound friendly LOL

Next time i'll show you a pic of the hardanger SAL as i've almost completed Part 1

Enjoy your weekend whatever your plans

Finish & new start

Fruit & Veg Sampler finish...
Yesterday i put the final stitch into the sampler for the winner of the Best in Show category in our local horticultural and craft show. The design i made up myself from different charts i have in my stash. We just need to find a frame and put it away safely till September 5th. I hope you dont mind but i decided to cover up the name of the village. A thumbs up from the ladies at the stitching club last night.

New start...
A lovely bright design, Dolly Mamas Domestically Challenged. DD has a birthday in August and as she has recently moved into her first home and is finding all the chores and working full time cutting into her quality time, i thought this was a real fun project for her. She has a great sense of humour, its sure to cause a giggle on her birthday. You can see the finished design here, its number 30 if you scroll down. They are all such fun designs, you either love them or hate them. I wonder which one will be your favourite? I also have number 17 in my stash, that was a pressie from a friend LOL

Beatrix Potter SAL still needs to come out the bag this month and i also need to make a start on the hardanger SAL Christmas Wishes, plenty of time yet though, but will i be able to take a break from the bright and colourful new start LOL

Thanks for visiting

Stitcherific Weekend

The men in this house have been busy this weekend, they went off to the Rolls Royce show. I decided this year to stay home and persue my hobby :-) I finished stitching 'Home is' and also made up the monthly challenge, no pic of that though till reveal day as usual. I can tell you the design is Flowers of Olde by With my Needle and can be found here just scroll down to find it together with a couple of others.

I also started and finished this little one. A birthday coming up for DD's partner early next month and he is in the process of restoring his beloved classic old mini (with a lot of expert advice/help from DH!), so when i was asked if i would like this chart at the stitching club i decided it would be perfect for his birthday card. A visit to the post office a couple of weeks ago for postage stamps and this time they had the mini on them ... mind whirring, a plan was forming and i came up with a better idea. I've stitched the mini in the same blue as his beloved car 'called Gizmo' 1x1 on 28ct so it fitted into a keyring and then put the first class stamp inside so it shows on the back. I hope you like it David.

I hope you all had a lovely weekend too

Always look on the bright side of life ...

well what else can you sing when you've just had a pigeon play kamakaze and throw itself down your chimney into the lounge bringing a nice lovely shower of soot. What a clean up session we had today, i could have been hired out at weddings as a chimney sweep. It was a good job DH was home as the bird was flying all over the place, he went into action man mode, grabbed a towel and threw it over the bird, grabbed it, took it outside and released it, then set too with helping to get us cleaned up and back to some sort of normal, never a dull moment at our house

Sunday - cant think of another title!

Earlier this week the UK was in the grip of hottest temperatures for this year and we were basking in 26degrees, evenings spent here at the allotment by DH as watering was needed and we harvested our first few potatoes. He did comment that a spell of rain would be good to swell them as they were a little small.... well he certainly got that yesterday and today, its piddling down and the road outside is flooded!! Lots of other fruit and veggies growing nicely too, i made rhubarb jam yesterday and in the greenhouse we have our first cucumber ready for picking the next time we have a salad.

Stitching had been very slow this week, not been feeling the best, results of the tests last year showed i have a mild form of MS so its an ongoing thing. I did stitch the monthly ornie this week and today put it together, the first time i have used a finishing form and it was so easy to use. This design is a free one by Just Nan - Christmas Hearts and can be found at Nordic Needle together with quite a few others. I printed this off in November 2005 so it says on the bottom of the chart, its not been in my to do pile that long then, i bet have others that have been there longer if i look :-)

Clare is doing a tutorial for beginners, intermediate and advanced stitchers in hardanger at Stitch and Stash starting 1st July. Although i've done a little, i still feel i could do with some expert help and advice. She has a charity blog where she is selling her own hardanger bookmark designs and other things with all proceeds going to 2 different charities. I'll be doing the beginners one. I'm sure it will be great success Clare and i hope you make lots of money for the charities.

Love and {hugs}