Time for a challenge

Monthly Ornament Challenge :-

Who runs it?  
Christine chooses the design at Needlecraft Haven forum hosted by Clare.  A very small group of  friendly ladies, newcomers welcome.

What do you stitch?  
This year it has been decided that the challenge will be slightly different.  Instead of Christmas designs every month as previously, we will be having alternate months with other designs inbetween.  It's always interesting to see what Christine finds for us.  Next months design is posted on reveal date.

What supplies do you need? 
You are free to use whatever you like and make it up into anything at all - give the brain cells a workout and try something different.  Try out new count fabrics or threads, use up leftovers and finishing oddments.

When is the reveal? 
Reveal date is always the last Sunday of the month (that's today) ...... and there is no punishment for not completing it on time.  The gallery is open always for new finishes to be added as and when you do get round to complete it if you missed the reveal for that month.

Having told you all about the monthly challenge I had better show you my finish this month



This months design comes from La Comtesse & Le Point de Croix

I chose a simple beaded edged pillow finish.   Fabric is 18ct aida and stitched using DMC thread.  A slight change to mine from that charted as I did small one stitch random snowflakes instead of larger four stitch diamond shaped ones around the edge

Trying to be a bit more effective with pics for your viewing, I sat the ornament on one of my granddaughters storybooks that seemed to fit in with the snowflake theme of the ornament.  This finish is the first thing to go into next years Christmas gift box.

Reading challenge :-
The forum also has a reading challenge.  This year the choice is favourite childrens books.  Some you may have already read and some you might have missed out on.  Of course everyone has a different favourite and it will be interesting to see who choses what in the coming months.  January was chosen by Clare herself and she chose The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame.

I've really enjoyed reading this again, although every time Toad speaks in the book I can hear David Jason from the film he voiced when  my son was small.  He loved this movie and we watched it so many times.... happy memories.

Picture image courtesy of Amazon.co.uk

"Hang spring cleaning" said Mole......" Poop poop" said Toad as he whizzed along in his motor car after driving his gypsy caravan into the ditch ....... "There's nothing like messing about in boats" Ratty said to Mole as they enjoyed time on the riverbank with their picnic and then there's the lovely badger who takes them in when they are lost in the Wild Wood in the snow.

A lovely read, curled up on the sofa on a cold January day.  Did you have a favourite book as a child?  What would you have chosen for us to read?

Love and blessings to you all

Julie  xx

How many bunnies?

Quiet moments, peace and tranquillity, needle and thread and wool in hand feels lovely again.

I have a few projects on the go at the minute, i don't often say that.  The stitching I'm doing is a surprise that I can't share with you as it's a gift.  What a can share is the cardigan I'm making for me.  I've had the magazine for a while and really liked this -

An online yarn store emailed a sale to me end of last year and there was the actual wool for the pattern (slightly darker green) but at only half the price who could resist.  I've made a good start on it this month.  Will it be complete ready for the summer months?

The knitting group at the community centre as you know do projects for the wider community.  The lady who runs it asked if we would be willing to make a nativity for next Christmas to be on show at our community centre and also a second set of figures to give away.  All the ladies were keen so we have made a start this month.

You may remember mine that I have, I've shown it before.  My late mother-in-law made ours and it is much loved and treasured.    DH made the stable and will make the one for our community too.

Everyone was given a character to knit two of and I am to knit baby Jesus in his manger.   Not the sort of knitting you expect to be doing early in the year but you never know what lies ahead and if everyone will get their part finished and you may be needed to do extra and of course it's good to be prepared in plenty of time.

Here's my start ...

A little embroidery kit I was given last year.  I've never done a picture like this before with organza background and fixed by the differing stitches and its a long time since i have embroidered.  It's growing nicely.

 

Comments in my last post about my bunnies and Carol asked how many bunnies I have made.   I remember the pattern book I bought and the very first one I made for a friend at the time with a house rabbit, a little Easter gift for her.  What I didn't realise till I looked is that it was in 2008 so it will be 10 years this Easter since I made the very first one!  WOW!

Here he is, his was named Rupert Rabbit -

 

There have been so many knitted and gifted over those 10 years.  The pattern book states that you are not allowed to make monetary gain from making them so I began gifting them.  Many of the ladies who have received one I am no longer in contact with.  You move from forum to forum and people leave the world of blogging for many reasons and contact is lost.

 

I've counted back how many I have recorded and have come up with the figure of just over 90 including Jo's from my last post.  That's a lot of bunnies out there all over the world, some people have more than one if they happened to have a family!

 

 Now a little info that i have been asked to pass on - feel free to whizz past if you don't want to read ....

 

As a lot of you know, last year I was diagnosed with a very rare auto immune disorder called relapsing polychondritis and there have been hospital visits a plenty in the past 6 months.  Last weeks check up and the news wasn't what I wanted to hear, the condition isn't stable and gives cause for concern so the chemo meds and other drugs have been increased.  With it being so rare there is not much evidence and past cases with the correct procedure and medication to take to help.

 

I've been sent details of a group that is beginning called RPUK and they have sent out these notes for us to circulate to family and friends, that's you ......

 

***************

You will probably have seen the recent news headlines about world record breaking team and solo rows across the Atlantic.  Those rowers were all taking part in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge 2017. 

 

The Challenge is still on with teams estimated to be finishing into February.  One of those teams is the Atlantic Ladies, rowing on behalf of three charities, including RPUK.

 

 

Having set off from La Gomera on 14^th December 2017 they have survived extreme weather, terrible seasickness and some equipment failures to reach the halfway mark.  This picture was taken on a rare day calm enough for the support yacht to get alongside. They are currently 21^st of the 21 teams remaining, but fighting their way back with their finish date currently estimated as 21st February 2018. 

 

Whenever they finish, they will set world records with skipper Di Carrington (who has celebrated her 62^nd birthday during the race) becoming the oldest woman ever to row the Atlantic and the team becoming the first and oldest female trio ever to row the Atlantic.  That should attract some publicity.  They are being filmed throughout by the BBC and have been interviewed on radio whilst at sea by both the BBC and ITV’s This Morning.

 

Just listen to this short interview to the end.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/03pispmh3dof9nh/Atlantic%20ladies%20Live%20With%20vicki%20archer.m4a?dl=0

  

And please spread the word amongst your family, friends and networks, and encourage them to join in.

 

At the end of the interview, Di also talks about raising money for their chosen charities, including RPUK, as a huge motivation for them.  Not to raise money after all they have been through would be terrible blow to them.  RPUK has a fundraising platform at

http://www.giveasyoulive.com/join/relapsing-polychondritis-UK

Thank you to those or you who have already joined, donated or otherwise used Give As You Live to the benefit of RPUK.  If you have not already done so, please take a look.

 

For those of you wanting more information on RPUK, we are registered charity 1170936 and you can check us out on the Charity Commission Register at

http://beta.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/?q=1170936 by clicking on Relapsing Polychondritis UK.  In brief, our Mission Statement is “RPUK aims to provide a unifying platform for those living with, and working in the field of, RP - to raise awareness, increase knowledge and improve access to expertise and treatment”

Our website remains under development.  You can email us at info@relapsingpolychondritisuk.org.

  

For those of you looking for more information on the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge 2017, this link will take you to the race website https://www.taliskerwhiskyatlanticchallenge.com/.  There, I would recommend reading the Race Blog and following the Atlantic Ladies’ progress  using the 2017 Race Tracker (updated every four hours).  The Atlantic Ladies’ own website can be found at www.atlanticladies.co.

 

We really hope you feel able to join in.

With thanks from RPUK and the Atlantic Ladies.

 

 

Tina Clark and Michelle Wedgebrow

Trustees RPUK

 

 

Signing up to Give as you live is a great way to add a little to a charity of your choice when you shop online.  If you have a favourite charity there may be a site for you or perhaps you would like to join RPUK and let each shop you do online add a little to our pot.

 

Thank you for your visits here and if you feel that you want to share this fundraiser with your friends and family, please feel free to do so.

 

Love and blessings

 

Julie