January ~ Was it a productive month?

CARRIED FORWARD FROM 2018

I said I wanted to complete Just Nan "High Hopes" during January and yes ... hooray .... it's a finish. 

I'm on the lookout for a nice frame for it.

 

 

 

Here are some close ups of the lovely details in it. 

 

 

 

The chart is now winging its way through the postal system to Jo for her Just Nan collection.


STITCHING  

I'm taking part in a valentine exchange next month, stitching complete, but still secret till opening day.   A winter SAL design is stitched, just needs final finishing.    These bring the total to 3 stitching finishes for the first month of the year.

KNITTING

DH's Dennis socks

DH's fingerless gloves

Two finishes and a new WIP being carried forward into February - a red cardigan is on the needles  for my granddaughter.  

 

READING  - 3 books read

The Bride of Ivy Green by Julie Klassen

 

This is the third and final part in this series. I've thoroughly enjoyed reading these and it all started when Clare bought me the first one for my birthday in 2017.  A really lovely series about the village of Ivy Hill, its inhabitants and what they get up to in the 1820's.  Jane, Rachel and Mercy are three ladies who feature in all the books and find themselves in various different situations that you wouldn't expect to find of that time.

Casting Off  by P I Paris

Casting Off was originally a stage play in 2015 that told the story of three elderly ladies, innocent Dorothy, prim Miss Ross and wordly wise Joan in a Scottish highland care home.  The fees are to be put up so they set about trying to find a way to earn some money to help them fund their retirement.  It was so successful that it was turned into a book.   It made me 'laugh out loud' in parts and the things they got up to I can see why it was billed as a comedy play. 

A Whisper of Peace by KimVogal Sawyer

Spotted this one on the charity table at the supermarket. My donation put into the box and I was the owner of a brand new never read book.  It smelt new and the spine cracked when I opened it.  I've seen Kim Vogal Sawyer on a few blogs from overseas ladies and am pleased i found this one.  It was an enjoyable read about a brother and sister missionaries who build a school in Alaska on the edge of an indian village.  They befriend a young girl who is not welcome in the village as she has an indian mother and white father.  It's a tale of the pathway they tread, dealing with various issues and how life can be changed through their preachings.

Have you heard of the author Imogen Clark?  Barb recommended her to me.  I looked her up online, signed up to her newsletter.  She was offering a chance to win copies of her two books in audio form.  After a few clicks on the computer, a little note saying why i sometimes listen to audio books and i had entered.  She emailed me back to say thanks for entering...... wasn't that nice.  Last week an email pinged into my inbox and i was the winner of her stories.  I'm looking forward to listening to them very much after they came highly recommended by Barb.   Has anyone else read her books?

I had quite a productive month with many hours spent enjoying my hobbies, i hope you did too.

Warm thoughts for those in the snow laden areas both here in the UK and overseas.  The best place to be is inside crafting or reading a book.

Love and blessings

Julie

Scavenger Photo-hunt - JANUARY

 

Joining in with Kate for the monthly photo-hunt

 

You can see the other photo-hunters here in the link up post on Kate's blog (I live, I love, I craft, I am me)

 

Cobbled these pics together quickly as it's not been such a good month here healthwise and the mental state is leaving a lot to be desired at the moment. 

Masses of medical appointments, tests and other stuff..... far too complicated and stressful with this rare disease, but the positive attitude is trying hard to keep poking its head above the parapit.

 

 

The words this month were :-

 

Metallic

Plate

Made

Aged

Modern

My Own Choice

 

 

 

METALLIC

 

A rusty old bin ......

 

 

PLATE

 

A gift many years ago that was called 'A Garden Cherub Wall Plate'

although I would call it a plaque myself?

 

 

MADE

 

DH welded and made this weathervane for me.  He modelled it on our cat of the time.  I woke on Christmas morning some years ago and it was on the end of the garage when I opened the blind and looked out.   The best gift ever!

 

 

AGED

 

 

Weather beaten and very aged indeed is this little cute cottage garden ornament that belonged to my late mother-in-law.  It has to be over 25 years old.

 

 

MODERN

 

 

No, its not a wooden seat, it is actually made from recycled plastic milk cartons

 

 

MY OWN CHOICE

 

Granddaughter had a game for Christmas called 'Happy Faces' ....

You spin the spinner and add face parts to the plastic glasses you wear.

It certainly gave us lots of fun and laughter.

 

Did you spot the theme .... a walk round the garden and challenge myself to see what I could come up with to fit this months words.

 

I'm on time posting so that's got to be a big thumbs up.

 

Thanks for stopping by.....

 

Love and blessings to all

 

Julie

 

 

Gifted Gorgeousness ~ JANUARY

The first GG post of 2019

A cute little Miss Mouse has come to live with me. 

Ann who blogs at Beadlework sent me this beautiful sweetie.  We've been regularly corresponding during last year and its been lovely to get to know her better.

 

 

This is the second Miss Mouse that Ann sent as the first one got lost in the Christmas post :-(    We are keeping our fingers crossed that she might find her way here soon. 

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

A surprise from Clare who runs the Needlecraft Haven forum arrived earlier this month.  There are online awards on the forum for the amount of posts you make (a tapatalk site, maybe its usual on all their forums?).

 

Clare stitched me this lovely hanging pillow to celebrate me becoming a Diamond Havener.  I'm the first to receive this award.  I've written over 10,000 posts over the 8 years since the forum started  - I must be very chatty there!

 

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

I've knitted a little gift for DH this month.  He suffers badly with cold hands due to arthritis and fibromyalgia.  I thought these would keep his hands warm whilst he's playing on the ipad - they do, so thumbs up.   Using up leftover sock wool from a pair of his woolly socks.

 

 

 

 

If you haven't heard of GG, please visit Jo's blog to learn more about it.   The sign up page is here.

 

Love and blessings

 

Julie

 

 

 

 

The first week of the year

True to my word, Just Nans High Hopes has had some attention during the first week of the year.  Still lots more to do.....

 

 

The 'Dennis wool' from Hooligan Yarns that DH bought me for Christmas ....

 

 

I couldn't resist casting on with this and made it into a pair of socks for DH.  It's somewhat rough to the touch but DH has plans to wear them inside his wellington boots to keep his feet warm at the community vegetable/garden plot. 

 

 

DH is Chairman of the community garden and they meet one afternoon in the week and one morning at the weekend.  A basket of winter veggies he brought home from there for us this week.  It's nice to share the growing and harvesting with local people and lots of fun there.

 

 

A little walk in the weekend sunshine was nice.

 

A very talented wood carver has been busy as you enter the park.

 

 

Children were throwing bread and other treats into the water for some feathered friends

 

 

I was surprised to see swathes of snowdrops already in bloom.

 

 

 

I hope your first week of the year has gone well and you are having lots of happy times.

 

Love and blessings

 

Julie

 

 

 

Goodbye 2018

Here we are on the last day of the year.  I say each year that it has flown by, but this year it really does seem to have been like a Formula 1 racing car and whizzed along at break neck speed.   It doesn't help that I loose my Mondays now with being in bed all day due to the medications, so in effect I only have a 6 day week!

There have been ups and downs for us as a family and we have suffered the loss of family members.  Many online friends have also seen sadness, but there have been many times I have read of great happiness too.  I do enjoy reading your news and seeing all your lovely craftwork.  Being part of the online community is such a boost and I have learnt so much from overseas friends and reading of their experiences and travels as well as seeing their beautiful work and their sharing of skills. 

End of the month usually sees me doing a roundup post, you've all seen my crafting for December in previous posts so I wont duplicate them again. 

I'll just say, I've looked back and there were 50 craft finishes in 2018.  25 cross stitch/embroidery, many of them small ornament size designs and no real big things this year.  There have been 25 knitting finishes, a few school cardigans and plenty of socks - do 2 socks count as 1 finish or 2? that would bump up the total wouldn't it counting them as 2 LOL.   Almost one finish a week, so a good year all things considered.  

I take into the new year just 1 stitching WIP.  Just Nan - High Hopes is half stitched, that needs to be a finish by the end of January, its been sitting there for such a long time with no attention.  Knitting there is 1 WIP, I've started something with the 'Dennis sheep' wool I showed last time. 

Decembers reads were :-

I  was recommended Barbara Erskine a few years ago by Barb and have to admit to really enjoying her stories.

 

A couple of very easy read Christmas books in the run up to the festive season.  Easy to dip into when you have a spare minute or two.

 

This one was a bit twee ..... 

 

 

We played the left/right game at the Book Borrowers Christmas party with a variety of pre-loved Christmas books all wrapped and passed round according to the left/right story - have you ever played it?  Such fun. 

 

I unwrapped this one.  Debbie Macomber never fails to be a simple and enjoyable quick read.

 

 

These three bring my total to 50 books read in 2018. 

Thank you for your continued support, friendship and visits here during this past year.  There have been new people stopping by which is always nice to see.  

I'm going into the new year with a more positive attitude than I faced the beginning of the 2018 with.  Things have definitely changed around here over the year and lifes pathway is trodden more of a steady slower wander than a sprint or jog.  Whatever the year holds, we will face it with laughter and love and make the best of it.

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year in 2019, I hope it brings many good things your way

 

Love and blessings

Julie x