A Quick Update

Before i head off to bed for an early night i wanted to share a quick update with you.

This is where i left Molly last week, more or less finished off the tree.

See that little blank space bottom right?  I had to un pick that bit as i stitched it in the wrong colour!

I had to have a rest from all that brown stitching so i picked up BP and stitched, errrr, more brown, lol

I finished off the motif on the left, completed the large one on the right and the small one above that.  I'm going to finish off the one i started next the the bird before putting it away for a few days.

I need some colour in my stitching life with all this brown so there may be a new start to share next time ;-)

Thank you all for your lovely comments on my last post.  Changing the background for your own image was not that hard, although i had to re-size the photo.  For those who asked to know how, go into Design Template then Background and there is a little box called Background image, select the the drop down arrow next to that box and it will give you an option to Upload your own image (or there are loads of different backgrounds on there to choose from instead)  It does suggest the size to make your photo so that it will fit.

I mentioned last time that i was going to start a 365 photo blog.  I made my first post tonight, i hope you will pop over and take a look and maybe a comment to start me off?

Until next time x

Playing Around

I've been in a bit of a slump this week, missed stitching at least three nights, just can't seem to get going. 

So last night i was sitting here browsing all your lovely blogs and beautiful stitching and i thought I'd have a play around with my blog. 

I've changed the layout a little and best of all discovered that you can upload you own image as a blogger background! How cool is that?   I suspect this is not news to the more techie (is that the correct spelling!) minded, but to me it was a revelation and I'm so impressed with myself that i managed to do it, lol. 

So how does it look, my new LHN background?  I know, i know it's a bit 'red' and a bit 'Christmassy looking'  but we are still in winter, and that is my favourite LHN ornament finish :-) 

Talking of photos, have you seen some of the new photo a day blogs out there?  What a great idea, and yes i am thinking of making another blog, I'll let you know when it's up and i hope you will come visit me there too :-)  If you have started a photo a day blog please let me know where you are so i can come visit you :-)

While my stitching has been a non starter this week i have been reading.  I finished Wideacre last night, I've updated my 2011 reading page (at the top of my blog) with my take on the book (I've never written a review before and felt a bit silly doing so), but i thought it would help me remember the book and help to exercise my aging brain!  I kept it short and to the point till i get the hang of it.

I have made a little progress on Molly, very, very little, still working on the tree so i won't bother showing you more brown/green stitching this time.  Off now to try and make more headway on said tree.

Until next time x

It's Official

December 2010 was the coldest in the UK..... EVER, well in the last one hundred years anyway. And just to prove that it's still not over we woke to snow again this morning. Within half an hour everything was covered in the white stuff. As it was such a nasty morning i dropped Stevie off at College before work, the round trip would usually take about 20 minutes, this morning it took me an hour, the traffic was backed up all the way, I'm not a patient driver so was pretty miffed when i got into work (half an hour late!!). By mid morning the snow had turned to rain and things were back to normal on the roads. Good job too as Joanne has her second driving test tomorrow afternoon, could you please keep your fingers crossed for her? She has her little KA all ready, plus it's costing a fortune for all these lessons and tests!!

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I made a start on Molly on 1st January

Quite a lot of brown going on at the moment, but i love the way it's looking so far. Most of this was done whilst watching repeats of Downton Abbey. Did anyone else watch it? What a great series, I'm having Downton withdrawal, and we have to wait until the Autumn for the next one to air! The house that was used in the series is Highclere Castle, it looks wonderful, you know me and historic houses, i can already feel a little trip coming on in the summer, lol

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I had to order some more threads for Molly from So and Sew this week and this chart found it's way into my basket.

I just love it! but whats not to love? it has a house and an alphabet, two of my most favourite things : -)

Talking of Sew and So, have you visited their site lately? If not take a look, it's been revamped and browsing is much easier, now you can set up a password and save your details, review orders, create a wish list and, i noticed they have gift certificates too. I wish i had ordered them over Christmas now though, i could have avoided the VAT increase that happened on 4th Jan, missed out on saving myself some pennies there.

Thank you for your visits and your lovely comments and encouragement, I'm glad there are such lovely people out there:-)

Edited to say that Joanne just got back and she PASSED her driving test!!

Until next time...x

Goodbye 2010, Hello 2011!

It's almost time to say goodbye to 2010 and welcome in 2011, we will take the decorations down on Sunday, they will have been up since 1st December. In years past i have been one of the last to put my Christmas tree up and the first to take it down, the years must have mellowed me, i have enjoyed my decorations and appreciated the time I've spent at home this holiday. I have a friend who itches to go out at any opportunity and just hates to hang around her house, not so me, i love pottering around home, and I'm comfortable with my own company, i suppose it wouldn't do for us all to be the same.

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So by tomorrow i hope these have all been eaten so as not to tempt me

Because it's back to sensible eating for me, although i have tried to moderate myself i will still need to do a few hours step up's on the Wii to compensate for my indulgence ;)

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I've enjoyed seeing everyone's round up of the years stitching, there are some lovely slide shows out there of the most beautiful finishes, you are all such a talented bunch! I had 15 finishes this year a couple were carried over (the larger ones), if you scroll back to the top of my blog there is a slide show at the top right so i won't put up another one. I really enjoyed the LHN ornament SAL this past year, and it gave me the chance to have a go at finishing, I'm still not perfect but at least now i have some idea and not so afraid of having a go :-)

For 2011 i have a few charts i would like to stitch like these...

And these
But that could be subject to change if something else takes my fancy, lol. I've also got a stack of 'freebies' that i want to stitch too.

One i do want to finish is Beatrix Potter

This is the first time I've shown BP, when i started it i was reluctant to share it because i wasn't sure i would carry on with it, being such a big project i thought i might loose interest, anyway i picked it up again this week and I've decided that it's a keeper, so watch this space!

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As i don't make resolutions the only other thing apart from stitching goals is to carry on with my reading. I fell behind in my list keeping last year but i read 25 books, not bad going for me :-) I've had quite a few books for Christmas so I've got plenty to keep me going for now.

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We are having a quiet New Years Eve. We will be going for a curry early this evening then coming home to see the New Year in. I hope you all have fun however you are celebrating :)

Thank you for your visits in 2010, they have been very much appreciated :-)

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Merry Christmas!

Before i get caught up in Christmas activities i thought I'd stop by and wish you all a very Merry Christmas, i want to thank you all for your visits to my blog over the last 12 months, i know that i have enjoyed visiting you all and seeing your wonderful stitching, finishing and getting getting to know you. I have a few things to share, namely the last of my LHN ornaments, i have really enjoyed these, i can't believe it's been 12 months since we started this SAL! The only one i didn't get finished into an ornament was the Pear Tree, i cut the fabric too close when i finished stitching and the only thing i think it will finish as is a pinkeep and as yet I'm not brave enough to try that finish. Any how here are the last two:

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My favourite out of these two is definitely All is Calm, so cute!

I did one last trip into town today and there was a half price sale of Christmas decorations, amongst other things i couldn't resist this metal tree

Isn't it perfect for stitched ornies :-)

It will hold 15, so I'll have to get busy for next year, but I'm also thinking it could be used for seasonal ornies too as it's not a Christmasy looking tree, what do you think?

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Last but by no means least is a lovely gift i received from Elaine, such a pleasant surprise to receive this lovely stitched and finished snowman ornament (there were also some chocolate Santa's that got eaten right away :-) and some lovely hand and body lotion which is now in my treatment basket in my bedroom:-)

Thank you so much Elaine, everything was appreciated and your snowman will always have a special place on my tree :-)

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Well the presents are all wrapped and ready and i will be heading of to bed soon, tomorrow i have the day off preparing food as we are going out for Christmas lunch this year, Yipeeee no cooking, lol. My mum, sister and brother in law and my Niece and her boyfriend and their daughter are coming too so hopefully it will be a good day. After lunch we are going to my eldest daughters for more nibbles and present opening.

Boxing day will be my day to sit and stitch and play with my presents :-) and then the day after will be my birthday! 2011 will be my last year in my 40's ;-)

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Have fun whatever you may be getting up too - Until next time - have a good one!

Time has just run away with me again, i suppose it has something to do with the time of year but also to do with the fact that i have been a lazy blogger!

I owe a long over due thank you to Mylene, i won a give away on her blog a while ago and this is what arrived in the mail....

...My very first pyn keep! It is stitched and finished so beautifully, thank you so much Mylene, it will always have a special place on my tree xx.

My own stitches have be few and far between, i have managed to finish another LHN ornament and put it together at the weekend

Only one more of these ornaments to finish off now and i can proudly say that i kept up for the whole 12 months (that's a first for me!!) The little angel is almost stitched and the two little houses are stitched up but i have yet to finish them into anything (forgive me for not giving the charts their proper names, i have a mental block when it comes to remembering chart names!)

Daughter #2 had a birthday while I've been absent, she turned 23 on 2nd December

She took her driving test last Thursday but unfortunately didn't pass, she managed to get a cancellation this morning for January 8th, so lets hope she has better luck 2nd time around.

Today has been one of those horrible dark, cold and damp days, but for a couple of weeks we did have snow and ice causing havoc on our roads (if you know the UK then you will know how what little snow it can take to cause havoc, and keep us talking about it forever!! LOL) Personally i would rather have the snow and ice back, to me there is nothing better that a lovely crisp frosty morning :-) I took myself and my camera off to the park after work one afternoon last week so I'll leave you with some of the results.

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The guy in the red coat and the bike just happened to walk up as i was taking the photo, how lucky was that!

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I didn't realise until i looked at the photos on my computer that there was a couple sharing a kiss under the tree...how sweet.

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The last two photos are of a couple of friends i made that day ;-)

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My blog header photo is also at the park that day.

I owe quite a few of you blog visits and comments, i will be trying to catch up this week.

Thank you for stopping by today, and have a great week whatever you may be up too xx

Boxes, Baskets & Calendar Cats!

Millie & Molly would like to send you all a BIG thank you for your lovely comments about their photos :-)

The calendar came into the shop on Friday and i went to pick one up straight after work
Introducing the calendar girl of 2011!

Apparently there were almost 200 photos entered in the competition, didn't she do well to get chosen! I can report that the fame hasn't turned her head one bit, she is still the same self assured Molly who gets her own way with everything :-)

The local paper that featured the competition are doing a follow-up on it so my mug shot will be in there in the next couple of week (I'm preparing myself for the comments from work about that!)
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Last week i was in and out the house for one thing and another and couldn't settle into stitching except for finishing another LHN ornament.

This is Peppermint Twist made up into yet another puffy pillow (are you getting fed-up seeing this type of finishing yet!)

I left off the button, i didn't think it added anything to it.

While i was out and about last week a few things made it home with me. My LNS had this limited edition DMC box in, it's on sale with 40 threads included but Sharon said if i wanted the box she would knock off the price of the threads, how could i pass a chance like that!

Isn't it great! (you will have to tilt your head to one side now because i just couldn't get blogger to co-operate!!)
It fastens with rustic string a a little heart toggle. I think i only ended up paying about £6 for it, bargain!

Continuing with the bargain hunting, i came across this little box in a local department store

It's all shabby & chic and i love it! When i get round to sorting more of my threads out this is where they are going :-)

I've saved the best bargain until last, while i was collecting "the calendar" i spied this

How gorgeous is this shopping basket!! It cost me all of a fiver! I said to daughter #2 that i felt like i should be walking in a picturesque village somewhere do my shopping, she said, i think you look like you should be skipping along in a wood wearing red cloak, lol - kids what do they know!

Until next time x