At last i can post pics!

Blogger has not been playing nicely, I've been trying to add pics to my post for what seems like forever and it's very frustrating and annoying. It's not the same writing a whole load of waffle with no pictures to accompany it.

Here we are almost the end of the month and my first post this month... I had some really nice things to tell you too.

A couple of weekends ago it was the autumn meeting of the ladies at Needlecraft Haven and one of them, Dusty, had flown in especially all the way from the USA. She spent a lovely week with Clare (lots of pics on Clare's blog of what they got up to and more of the meet up too, pop along and have a look).

We had a group pic on the day...

A book exchange - Choose a raffle ticket and you get the wrapped book corresponding. Mine was from Ursh. Thank Ursh, it looks an interesting read.

Good bag exchange - This time the theme was Saints as the pub we meet has been refurbished and changed its name to Saints. Clare had made cakes and under each cupcake was a ticket corresponding to the lovely selection of bags that had been filled with goodies. You chose between lemon cake and chocolate and orange - the theme for these being "Orange and Lemons say the Bells of Saint Clements"

The goody bag I received was from Angie and the Saint she chose was St Clare of Assissi. Thanks Angie, such lovely contents.

Hubby had a good idea for mine, the high street retailer Marks and Spencer has the tradename St Michael so I was able to get some things to go into my parcel with their brand name and as he is the archangel Michael I was able to add some angel goodies too. Angie received my bag, but I forgot to take a pic of what I put in it.

A raffle is always held and the proceeds are used to make the forum ad free for however long the money lasts, usually it lasts till the next meet up which is great.

We all contributed a small gift and I made a little bunny and chocolate treat parcel.

Dusty was desperate to win the bunny but it was not to be. She is a whizz with hardanger stitching so we decided to do an exchange.  I'd knit her a bunny in colours of her choice and she would make me a hardanger angel. My bunny bought its plane ticket earlier this week and is winging its way over the pond to her.

The gift I chose when it was my turn to win was these lovely earrings made my Angi, cute little owls and so sweet.

We had a wonderful time meeting Dusty. Unbeknown to her each of us had stitched a coaster with a theme of something British as a reminder of her trip.  I chose to stitch a little thatched cottage for mine. Dusty was thrilled with her surprise parcel.  (Pics of all the surprise coaster collection on Clare's blog).

It's always a lovely day meeting online friends but this time it was extra special to be able to meet Dusty, I had a great time and thanks ladies for the fun and friendship.

Early November I had another exciting day out. A trip to the NEC to the Hobbbycraft show.

An early start to join the Craftshare ladies on a bus trip. The place was heaving with people so no pics of the stands and there were quite a few that had 'no photographs please' signs up.

I did take pics of the goodies I bought whilst there.

A few little craft items and some lovely Blue Faced Leicester sheep wool to knit DH a pair of socks ....

A goody bag of things for a small cost, lots of papercrafting items that will come in handy at future craft sessions.

I do have a few pics of finished items to share with you...

The October challenge finally got made up and the pic sent to Christine for the gallery.   The design is from Little House Needleworks and can be found here.

I've been knitting quite a bit instead of stitching and have made 2 sets of covered coat hangers.

 

One for a Christmas gift and one for the Craftshare Christmas Fayre stall.

A little fairy doll in the making, ready to be included in Isabelle's Christmas stocking.  A lovely free download pattern from Deramores.

A bit more stitching on O Holy Night - I've done quite a bit more to it since this pic was taken.

A couple of patchwork projects are finished but i'm not able to show you those as they are gifts and I have another one in the making too. It's that time of year when we are all making secret stuff to send out as little gifts to friends and family.

A stitched Christmas ornament exchange is happening, opening day for that is Dec 1st so not long to wait. My parcel has been posted, but none received here as yet. Something to show next time.

I've also had another little early Christmas pressie treat. DH and I visited the Fabric Guild and he has bought me a self healing mat, rotary cutter and ruler as I am determined to make more use of the sewing machine next year. A few other things dropped into the basket as well ... as they do!

There is also the challenge for November, reveal day for that is Sunday, I've got a bit more stitching to do and also make it up before then, so yet again I'm running a little late and will be cutting it very close to reveal day.

There have been a few things going on at home and healthwise that have been taking my time and also things out in the wider community too this month. Another appointment arrived for further investigations for my heart at the hospital, that's next week.

The library arrived in all its glory at the community centre, things certainly have changed for the Book Borrowers with some not nice and rather spiteful and nasty comments being made and causing some trouble. There have been a few hiccups as with all new things, and we now know the local main library will be closing Dec 1st for 4 months for a big refurbishment and that's caused a lot of unrest with people who live near that and the motives of the council have been questioned why our little self service one was put in.

It's also that time of year when we all have things that really must be done ready for the 'big day' next month and computer time becomes limited a little for us all.  I'm all up to date with blog reading, you've all been so busy creating lots of lovely things and exchanging goodies. It's been nice to see what those who attended the Harrogate show bought home with them.

Today, not a lot is planned as my darling granddaughter has shared her cold germs with and I really need to get rid of it before next weeks hospital visit.  

I'd like to end by wishing all my US readers a very happy Thanksgiving.  I hope you are having a wonderful time celebrating with your families and loved ones. 

I am very thankful today to have finally been able to actually complete a blog post with pics and not walk away from the computer feeling aggravated by blogger!   Has anyone else been having problems recently?

Thanks for stopping by

Blessings to you all

Happy Halloween

Just flying in on my broomstick today with a catch up post as we've come to the end of yet another month.

October you whizzed by even faster than last month....or was it just me thought that .... so what have I been crafting?

Last night we had a lovely fun Halloween party at the Craftshare group.  Most of us dressed up and our recent autumn/Halloween/bonfire night hanging was perfect on the wall in the room. The ladies really did a great job with this one.

A little gift was given to all, a lovely touch by the ladies who run the group.  A jar full of crafting goodies for us to use in the coming weeks.

The autumnal themed hanging will be coming down next week and the poppy one will be put back up for the remembrance period. 

The autumn one will return again for a short time and then we'll all be busy working on a Christmas one to be hung in time for the festivities.... 9 weeks did I hear someone say? 

We've been asked to make Christmas gifts.  A rabbit family have come to life on my knitting needles.

I've been really excited, one quilting lady has shown me how to make a lovely patchwork project.  I've started it and its FANTASTIC. I'm so thrilled with how its turning out.  Its going to be a gift so I can't show that here just in case the person sees it. 

A birthday card has been stitched and posted out early October.  The recipient loved it.

A new start, another Christmas gift (yes Linda, this is the one I was supposed to be SAL'ing with you and yours is almost finished lol)

A little light reading, of course its the annual JCS ornament magazine.  A lot of ladies have said they were disappointed with it, but I found quite a few I like this time.  I have them all from the year 2000 and often look at them for inspiration when finishing off items.

Another little stitch project has been completed, I cant show that till its been received and I have a knitting project on the needles that I seem to have forgotten to take a snap of.

The monthly challenge is stitched, that just needs to be finished off, mine will be late for the album this time.  It was stitched in plenty of time, sat there on my table awaiting the finishing and here we are the last day of the month and it's still sitting there unfinished..... sorry Christine.

Well that about wraps up October, I hope you've all had a good month. The weather here in the UK has been strange, cold one day and decidedly warm the next. Today the suns out and it's a whopping 19 degrees, very weird as we head into November tomorrow.  It's usually the time to break out the sweaters but mine are still tucked up in the back of the wardrobe.  No doubt now I've said that we'll be in for a cold spell......... ha ha did I really type that!

Take care and make time in your busy life to craft, it's the best hobby there is!

 

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!