February - it flew by

It's been a strange month has February 2019 

Here in the UK we have seen records broken with the hottest winter temperatures ever recorded.  We've seen temps hitting 21 degrees this past week and its been wonderful.

We paid a visit to the local botanical gardens to see the crocus in bloom at the weekend.  They were magnificent due to the recent sunshine.  Acres of pretty spring colour to feast the eyes upon.

 

End of the month so here's my hobbies round up for February .....

KNITTING  ~  3 finishes

 

Fingerless gloves for the craft group sale

 

Rib socks using WYS Forget-me-not

 

The red cardigan 

STITCHING  ~  5 little finishes

Winter SAL

Love and friendship exchange card

Two card kits

 

CCN Gingerbread Cottage (needs to be made up)

 

 

READING

 

4 books were read

 

 

 

I hope February was a good month for you too and you were able to achieve all you wanted to.

 

 

Today, the last day of February is Rare Disease Day.  Sufferers and parents of children suffering with many rare diseases have been adding a star to illuminate the reality on Rare Disease UK to raise more awareness of the problems, physically and mentally faced by us all with lack of specialists, very limited or not at all knowledge by GP's/nurses and lack of known working treatments that can help us.  A mine field in day to day living, but we try to keep a smile on our face and a happy heart. 

 

As most of you know, I was diagnosed with relapsing polychondritis in July 2017, a very rare disease.

Many thanks for taking time to visit me here, a little comment is always lovely to read and very welcome. 

 

Love and blessings

 

Julie

 

 

Gifted Gorgeousness - FEBRUARY

 

 

 

Gifted Gorgeousness - It's a time to share something gifted  TO YOU or FROM YOU to someone else between the 15th of each month

 

If you haven't heard of GG, it's an idea thought of and organised by Jo.  Please visit Jo's blog to learn more about it.  Everyone adds their blog post for the month to the list of GG participants so you can read all about others who take part each month and find new bloggers to enjoy.

 

A parcel arrived with me earlier this month from Justine.  It contained a selection of magazine free kits and a few other bits that she no longer wanted for a craft group I attend.

 

 

I have passed on the booklets and threads to the group.  We are to have a table to raise funds for the group so i'm going to stitch the cover kits, make the cards and add them to the sale table.

 

I've finished two already.  Strangely, I saw this same card completed over on Cath's blog this last week.

 

 

and then I spotted the cute hedgehog the same as this one on Astrid's blog

 

 

I finished reading Casting Off last month and gave it back to the lady it was loaned from.  When Jo (a different Jo, blogging at Through the Keyhole) commented on my end of month post, she said it was on her wish list.   I mentioned someone would like it at my Book Borrowers reading group and the lady who works in a charity shop where she takes all of our finished with non-library books still had it and kindly I was given it back to send off to Jo. 

 

 

Happy Reading Jo.

 

Valentines Day was opening day for the gift of love and friendship exchange at Needlecraft Haven.  The brief was to send a stitched card, a thread the colour you used in the stitched design and a sweetie treat.   It's an anonymous exchange and we wrote inside the card 'Stitching love from everyone at Needlecraft Haven'  Partners have now been revealed so I can post my GG for February and share the cards sent/received by me.

 

My parcel came from Christine.  A pretty ladybird and heart design card with some delicious looking ladybird chocolates from the Royal Horticultural Society together with WDW Ladybug thread. 

 

 

Christine is so clever, she made her stitching into an ornament that can be removed from the card backing....love it!

 

 

I sent to Justine, this is my stitched card. The design is in a book I have. I cut the centre out of a paper doily to make a circular mount for the card. 

 

 

I added some love heart sweets as well as the chocs so Justine could share with her boys and one of the pink threads I had used.

 

 

The contents were wrapped in a piece of fabric that had birds on in a heart shaped design and tied with a length of ribbon she would be able to re-use. 

 

 

I was very lucky as I had another envelope the same day.  It came from Clare. A lovely card with such nice words from her inside together with a heart shaped button and a love heart sweet treat.  Thank you Clare x 

 

 

Just before I end this months GG post ,I want to share this gift from my next door neighbour in mid January.  She received 4 different bulbs for Christmas gifts and thought I might like to have the joy of watching one grow.  I've seen and watched a few of these bulbs mature on blogs, but never had one myself.

 

We've had a few warm days and one of the buds became fully open to reveal such a delight ......WOW!   We had no idea what colour it was meant to be as it arrived in its pot all planted.

 

 

I'm looking forward to reading all the other GG posts for February and seeing what delights the kind people in the hobbies and crafting community have sent and received.   Friendship is a wonderful gift.

 

Love and blessings

 

Julie   

2 Finishes, 2 new starts & a WIP

Last year at Needlecraft Haven there was a challenge each month.  Christine chose a free online design for us to stitch a Christmas ornament each time and finish in any way we chose.  We've had some great designs in the past.

This year the challenge is different, its a seasonal one.  Winter is the theme for January and February.  There is an ornament design and also a themed one.  You can stitch both or just one.   I chose to stitch the ornament, this free design from la Comtesse et le point de Croix.   The gallery was opened 1st Feb so I can show you my round version. 

 

A little something for the fund raiser sale at the craft group I belong to.  Fingerless gloves stitched with alpaca wool.  Not sure about my drawing of the alpaca on the label though!

 

CCN Gingerbread House chart was a Christmas present.  It seemed a shame to put the chart away till a later date.  Stitching over 1 on a leftover scrap of gingham has begun.   

 

 

Casting on a new pair of socks.  West Yorkshire Spinners forget-me-not from the floral collection is the wool and the pattern is easy rib socks by Winwick Mum ... easy to knit, not many concentration brain cells needed.

 

 

 

Terrible picture of the red cardigan progress. It needs sewing up and the neck and front bands added.  

 

 

I hope you've enjoyed a good weekend. 

 

Love and blessings

 

Julie