Santa Village...a finish not a WIP

I've got a smile on my face today, the final stitch has been put into Hot Cocoa Café, cottage number 12 in the Santa Village series by Country Cottage Needleworks.

I started Santa Village as a SAL on the Needlecraft Haven forum 30th January 2013 and have been stitching each Wednesday evening with the ladies until recently when I decided to focus on them to make sure i finished the last two this year and have them ready for the festive season.  The final stitch going in last night 6th October 2014.

Fabric chosen - 32ct flax belfast linen and I chose to use DMC threads.

Hot Cocoa Café

 

They look wonderful all 12 together....

 

A lot of people stitched them on one large piece of linen and they look really nice like that, but I decided to do mine individually and i think they are going to be Christmas bunting to hang in my conservatory over the festive season, but that could all change if I have another idea before I get the fabric and the sewing machine out!

 

Another smiley face day this week was Sunday.  A florist stood at my front door with a gift.  "Happy Grandparents Day" she said .... I didn't know it was Grandparents Day, did you? 

 

She handed me this lovely floral arrangement and small box of choccies.  As I only have 1 granddaughter i didn't need to call  M C Beaton's famous detective Agatha Raisin to suss out who sent them.....what a nice treat.  My daughter was thrilled with her little surprise and so were we.

 

Inside the little box were these .... unfortunately they are no longer in the box as DH and i have shared them, very nice they were too.

 

Last time i asked if anyone would like CCN Silent Night to stitch. As per Sallys instructions when i won it on her blog, i have stitched it and now it's time for it to travel on...... 

 

 

Heather was the only one who asked for it, so it's yours Heather.  Please can you let me have your address and i'll mail it out to you.  I hope you enjoy stitching it as much as i did.

 

I've got a vey long appointment at the hospital tomorrow for some further investigations, better find a little stitching project to put in my bag in case i am waiting around a long time.

 

Sending love and {hugs} to you all, i know a couple of ladies out there who could really do with them right now as life is not being too kind to them.

 

 

 

 

 

Look who's here.....

When I was a young girl, many moons ago now, on the classroom wall at school there was a huge map of the big wide world.  All the countries were different colours and it seemed such a vast place. The teacher would point out the UK and remind us that we were a little island compared to Europe and the USA and other larger countries.

I've grown a lot since then and so has technology and how we communicate with people.  We can now chat via Skype to folks in these countries so far away and phone calls are cheaper or even free.   Over the last few years I've formed quite a few friendships with stitchers and crafters across the world.

It's always nice to chat via email and blogs etc and hear news, you think that you will never meet some of these people as they live to far away.  What's even better though is when you can actually meet up in person.

Gillie, a British lady now living in Michigan in the USA and i have been doing a SAL earlier this year of Elizabeth Designs Nature's Alphabet.  Mine is finished but Gillie still has a little to do on hers.

She is in the UK this week and was passing though my city so emailed to ask if we could possibly have a meet in person ...... yes please!!

We met a 5 minute drive from me at a local small garden centre before she was heading up north to meet more friendly stitchers.  We had a lovely time and of course I had to take along my finish.  She's promised to get on with hers now and get it finished so we can perhaps do something else together.

 

Here's the proof Gillie that mine is done and you have seen it ..... get stitching!

 

I took along my latest little finish to give to her as a reminder of our first meeting.  A little biscornu that I had been doing at the Craftshare.  Some of the other ladies have been making one too as they were surprised how 2 little squares of fabric could turn into such a funny shaped pincushion. 

 

Not my best work as its on 14ct aida and the design is a quick made up little stitch......

 

 

I'd added my name and date to it as a reminder and Gillie liked it.

 

Thanks Gillie for taking time out of your trip to spend a couple of hours with me, it was very enjoyable and lovely to meet you.  Have a wonderful time with your friends before you head off home again across the sea.

 

You know what folks, we might connect through the World Wide Web but that huge world that was once out there is a small world these days.  Who would have thought that little girl looking at the map all those years ago thinking about how folks live in other countries would be sitting drinking coffee and eating cake all those years later in her own neighbourhood through the power of technology and friendship.

 

AND .... next month another visitor from the USA will be stopping by at the twice yearly meet up, she's coming over for her first trip abroad to the UK to meet us stitchers and spend time with a good friend of hers.  Two visitors in two months from across the pond......exciting stuff!

 

 

 

September - you came and went ....

It's been a busy time here this past month.

The horticultural show went really well.  Over 300 entries this year and a good day had by all.

 

The Best in Show sampler was won by one of my cross stitching friends.  Lesley is a senior lady who stitches a lot of photostitch projects to give as gifts to family and friends - you know the thing, a chart is made of a photograph and then you stitch the picture onto the fabric using threads.  She has coveted the cup and sampler for a long time and finally was this years winner.  We were so busy we only managed a few pictures of the hall after the judging before the public were allowed in and for some reason there are no close up pics of the entries this year - someone forgot!  

 

The library is moving forward and the self service machine was due to be installed today at the Community Centre ready for the grand opening later in October.  The Book Borrowers have been having a photographic course with a college tutor for the past 3 meetings so the graphic panels that will adorn the new bookshelves will have our photographs attached of local points of interest.  Strange how you take so much of your local environment for granted till new eyes come along and point out things that they find interesting and you see it in a different perspective. 

 

A book that kept my interest this month was Barbara Erskine's latest, The Darkest Hour.  A lovely read.  My copy was a gift from Barb for my birthday earlier this year.  Thanks Barb, i really enjoyed reading about Evie and her family and their connection to the Battle of Britain.

 

 

I've still been going to my tai chi class twice a week.  Good for the mind and the body.  Although this past week i didn't get there as i was on holiday in Wales for the week. 

 

A caravan in the mountains ......

 

 

but this close to the beach as well ....wonderful!

 

 

The weather was very kind to us, warm and lovely most of the time, a little cool in the evenings.

 

 Hubby got his train fix not once but twice ....

 

 

 

and one day it rained but we still had another little train ride.....

 

There was a reason for all this train riding and not much walking on this holiday, I've not been so good in the couple of weeks before we went, i thought i was just tired as I'd been so busy.   Check ups with the doctor revealed that there might be a little problem with my heart.  This week I'm waiting for a phone call for some further investigations at the hospital to check it out more.  I was allowed to go away with some meds and very strict instructions to take it easy and rest and what better way than sitting on a train and taking in the scenery for a lot of the time.

 

Cardigan Bay looks out over the sea to the most beautiful sunset, each evening we sat admiring its beauty ......

 

before the short walk back to the caravan for a restful evening, hubby with his book and me stitching a little.

 

I took with me Santa Village number 11, Elves Workshop and its now completed.  That just leaves one more to go.

 

 

I'd finished CCN Silent Night just before i went away .....

 

 

Sally passed this chart on to me after she had received it from Barb.  I'm under instructions to pass it on to another blogger who would like to stitch it and then pass it on themselves.  So if you would like to receive Silent Night to stitch and pass on again, please leave a note in your comment and i'll draw a name next Sunday if more than one person wants it. 

 

 

Sunday was the reveal for the challenge at Needlecraft Haven.  Christine chose this lovely little design from The Little Shop Around the Corner for September.   My finish was a quick one, just a bit of evenweave band folded over at the back, sewn together and joined down the sides with a ribbon hanger, a quick finish but in time for the reveal even with a busy month.

 

 

A week of no internet and my blog reader is bursting with things you've all been up to and there's lot to catch up with at home as well, hospital visits and energy levels permitting.  There might be some of your posts that don't get a comment whilst i catch up a little, so please bear with me. 

 

Thanks for stopping by, see you all next month!

 

 

Just a stitch or two

Hello blog readers ....

Still not a lot of craft happening here. There are so many others things taking my attention at the moment.  This coming weekend its the Horticultural Show and then i'll be away for a little holiday.  

Also, the new library service is coming to the community centre mid October so that's been taking up a lot of time with preparation and organising of that. The Book Borrowers will still run as normal, but slightly different to how its been since I started it over 2 years ago...time for change, I hope it works well after all the hard work that's gone into it.

The reveal for the August  challenge was the last Sunday in August, mine was a little late. A quick stitch free design chosen by Christine from Woollen Sails.  I cheated and used a white fabric so i didn't have to stitch the snowman, just his outline and then did a quick simple finish too! 

 

 

A little progress on Silent Night, the church is now all stitched since I took this pic - I had planned to blog last week, but time escaped me and I've not got round to taking another update pic.  I'm using aida to stitch this as I had the perfect grey in my stash and didn't want to order fabric when it wasn't needed plus I have an idea for finishing it that might need the added stiffness of the fabric.

 

Half a little flower border added to Irish Garden.  Of course, last night saw the launch show of this years Strictly Come Dancing, so Strictly UFO stitching will be happening again in 3 weeks time when the show starts and continue each week up till Christmas.  Lots of ladies will be joining in with this to make progress on their forgotten projects whilst watching the glitz and glamour of the show each weekend.  Stitching something you don't enjoy so much doesn't seem half so bad when watching and humming along to this lively show.  Perhaps you would like to give it a go too? 

 

 

A little lavender stuffed owl was the Craftshare project.  A fun evening, mine turned into a little girlie owl ...... she's going to be a little extra gift for a friend who has a birthday later this month.

 

September and the start of the new school year.  My granddaughter Isabelle will start in the pre-school nursery now she is three and a half.  It certainly brought a tear to my eye when she came to show me her new school uniform.   How time flies ......

 

 

A couple of things to look forward to as the autumn moves in.  The Craftshare group are off on a bus trip, we're going to the Hobbycraft Show in November and there's a stitchers meet up being organised too. 

 

Thanks to those who still come to visit even though I've not had a lot to show you over the summer months.  I do appreciate your visits.

 

Time for me to have a blog read catch up session and see what you've all being doing this past week or so.

 

Till the next time ....

 

The first blog post in August...

Oh dear, what's happened? How can we be so far into August and I haven't blogged anything?  Time has ran away with me this month.

No excuses, there aren't any, just life in general, family times, work and sleeping!

I have done a little crafting, not a lot though and I've been reading too.

Finally stitched up the July challenge free chart that Christine chooses for us.  Only 3 weeks too late for the reveal date :-(

I had a new frame but when I unwrapped it for another project the glass was cracked inside.  I thought this design would make a perfect little Christmas stocking filler gift and padded the background to make it stand out in the frame.  I'm pleased with how it turned out and have used up an otherwise redundant frame.

 

The sampler I stitch for winner of the Best in Show entry into our local Horticultural and Craft Show is now completed.  Just need to find a nice frame ready for our show on September 13th. 

 

 

Thanks Jo for the heads up on this chart, it has turned out really pretty.   

 

Tricia, one of my Book Borrowers celebrates her birthday today.  This little pincushion pillow was stitched and made up, an old Lizzie Kate free design.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY Tricia, have a lovely day   *she does pop along and read my blog, and visit some of you too*

 

 

The Craftshare group is as busy as ever with lots of new skills being learned each week. 

 

I needed a new crochet hook holder, the plastic one that they arrived in when new was just not up to the job.  I created this new one from some vintage fabric....

 

and it rolls up lovely to fit into my workbox or crafting bag....

 

A few ladies had a try at learning other skills too last week.  We were given a pack with all supplies inside ready to make a book cover.  Applique, embroidery and more sewing machine practice - mine could have done with being a little bit more snug on the book, but not a bad attempt and we had fun putting them together, they were all so different.

 

 

The whole group has made another wall hanging to celebrate Summer, this now hangs in the lounge of the community centre as the poppies we made for the WWI celebrations have a new home.

 

The organisers of the group planned what individual things they thought would depict a nice summer scene and bring a touch of colour to the room.  Small pieces of paper were folded into a little bag and each member drew one out with an item written on it that you had to make and attach to make up a seaside picture.

 

I drew out the word 'deckchair' and decided on plastic canvas to stitch mine onto to give it a bit more rigidity.  A quick easy stitch lol.

 

 

The final hanging looks like this .....  the plane is pulling the banner "Here Comes Summer"

 

Can you find my deckchair?

 

 

There are lots of blogs I read that have been quieter over the summer months, I hope you have all been enjoying yourselves in the garden, having outings or away on your summer holidays.  The weather seems to be turning a little cooler recently so I expect you'll all be back to crafting as the autumnal days draw closer.

 

My brother recently had a day out and went off to visit Highclere Castle, the real Downton Abbey.  He brought me a little gift......

 

 

He sent me a surprise text on my phone with a picture saying he was having tea on the lawn with Lady Ann (his wife lol), unfortunately not served by Carson!  I didn't know he had plans to visit there.  He said it was an amazing place to visit and now as they watch the new series when its aired will have more idea of the wonderful surroundings.

 

I've still got a little holiday to have next month, i'm looking forward to that.

 

Happy crafting!

 

 

 

*****Edited *****Thank you Carm for your comment.  You asked for the link to the cardinal free chart, unfortunately you have left no way to contact you direct so I am adding it here for you.