He's A Flake - He's A Finished!

Here's the little guy all stitched up and finished off!

I must say that he looked nothing special from the chart but now he's all done i just love him!!

LHN Monthly Ornament - 'He's A Flake'

Stitched with the recommended threads

Linen - mystery piece from my stash

It's a pity he's got to be hidden away in a box until Christmas, i want to show him off now!, lol

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I dug out my ABC to work on this weekend, I'd forgotten that i was so close to finishing this one. I was happily stitching away yesterday afternoon on the border until i noticed that i was one stitch off, this is the offending bit

I started one stitch too high, i can't ignore it because it will throw the rest off, but i was too disheartened yesterday to rip it out and started over on the other side instead, I'll take out the little blighters in a couple of days when I've got over it!

Only two sections to go on this piece so I'm going to keep going this week and see if i can get done.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

My other exciting news to share tonight is that my eldest daughter has started her training as a Police Constable today and we will be having a 'Proud Parent Moment' tomorrow night watching her at her passing out ceremony, i can't tell you how proud we are of her, she is such a hard worker and always gives 100% in everything she does and so deserves every success :-)

Right, that's me caught up for a few days, off to settle into bed with my book and a cuppa :-) Until next time xx

Rubie Owl

Tomorrow morning is back to work, I've had four lovely days off and since Bank Holiday weather is notoriously bad here in the UK i had nothing more energetic planned than sitting and stitching and catching on TV programmes I'd recorded. (I've become addicted to Anthea Turner's Perfect Housewife). It's on the 'Home' Channel between 1am-3am, which only goes to show how sad i am as the programme doesn't even warrant prime time viewing!! What can i say, the woman has some great cleaning and storage tips!!

I've also been playing about with my blog colours, again! i can't seem to find something to stick with, these will do for now though. My header is a photo i took of the daffodils in my garden, me and my daughter planted over 200 of them last year and i am thrilled so many made it to flowering :-) They bring a lovey splash of colour to the garden even when it's raining.

Anyway, here's the progress i made on Rubie Owl.

I really love the way these colours jump out at you, but does anyone else have a problem with Belle Soie silks knotting? I usually work with about a yard of floss but have had to reduce this to less because of knotting.

The fabric is more of a sandy colour, which is refusing to show up true in the photos.

the weekend was spent stitching mostly leaves, and after a while I lost the ability to count! i must have frogged as many as I've stitched!! I need to order a couple of colours to finish off the tree, and because of the Bank Holiday they will be a few more days yet.

I'm putting Rubie back in the bag this week and working on the LHN monthly ornament, He's A Flake, it feels like ages since i had a finish and this looks like it will be a quickie. Until next time, have a great week.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just Catching Up

Hello Peeps! Ive been poised to do a blog entry since last week but somehow other things keep getting in the way. We had a great break in Poland, apart from DH completely driving me nuts, lol, you've heard the saying 'less is more', well let me tell you, that saying definitely applies to time spent with my DH. Perhaps it's because I'm only used to his company at the weekends (and let me tell you I'm quite happy with that!) but i had forgotten how he can sulk and take offence at the smallest thing!! Oh well, i suppose we all have our crosses to bear, and he's mine, lol.
While in Poland we visited Auschwitz which was something else, there really are some horrific tales from that place, and also the salt mines which was OK but not as exciting as i thought it would be. The weather was kind to us, not cold like i thought it would be, in fact when i phoned home they told me it was wet and miserable in the UK whereas Poland was basking in sunshine! I haven't managed to upload any photos of the trip yet, perhaps over the Easter break I'll have time.

Saturday just gone was the Hobby Craft show at the NEC in Birmingham so i took myself off there for the day on Saturday, just me myself & I, it was heaven! here's a few stitchy goodies i bought home with me.

The plastic thread keeper i bought before i came across the wooden ones, i much prefer the wood. The thread heaven i haven't used yet but have heard good reports.

And because a girl can't have enough handbags, this beautiful Italian bull leather handbag found it's way home with me :-) I also treated myself to a new phone case & specs case in a funky purple colour.

I bought the little charm on the bag on Saturday too. The bag was way, way (like a week of my wages expensive!!!!!) but the little charm is cheap & cheerful!

I knew my DH had his good points :-) one of them being he never ever complains if i spend money, nor does he ever ask how much anything costs, just says, 'yeah nice' so he's not so bad ;-)

When i was catching up on blogs last week i found out Sherry had left me my first award! Thank you so much for thinking of me Sherry. I'm supposed to pass it onto 12 bloggers but I've been looking around and most of the blogs i read have already been awarded this, so I'll cheat a little and say that if i read your blog or you are on my blog roll and have not received this award then consider yourself Sunshine awarded!

Another lovely surprise was to find out that i had won a consolation prize from Felicity i shall eagerly await the post man!

Well that's about it for now, you will have noticed that there are no stitchy pics, I've been stitching, honest! and to prove it an update of Rubie Owl will follow soon. Until then, take care x

I'm Still Here - Honest!

Bet you thought seeing as I'd been MIA for so long that i would have lots of little x's to show, you will be sorely disappointed my friends, there are no stitchy updates for this post, sorry to say that there is hardly anything worth showing. I have some purchases from the Bay of Evil which i will share next time & a new way to store my WIPs' which I'm pleased to have found, also to be shared next time :-)

My photography class is going well, still really enjoying it (thank you for all your wonderful comments on my 'Love of Books' photo) they really did boost my confidence & for me it was definitely my best shot yet! I have signed up for the Spring term classes so hopefully will have more shots to share. We've been working on Cyanotypes, a form of early printing and i was extremely pleased with my print, so pleased I'm intending on getting it framed! I'll show that over the next few weeks too Sorry to be such a tease ;-)

I'm still on my health eating 'none diet' and (drum roll please) i have now lost 15Lb's. I can't tell you how good it felt when i took a pair of size 12 jeans (UK sizing) in the changing room on Saturday and they FIT!!! I have tried loosing weight in the past but never stuck to anything and i don't know why this time should be any different, it just has, i really think the eating breakfast at 'breakfast time' has helped. Also not labeling it as a 'diet' has helped, i have not bought any special diet options of anything, just cut out the crap and learnt to eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full! and obviously that's what's working for me so I'm sticking to it!

Anyway, what i came here to say is that we are off on one of our little sight seeing trips again on Wednesday, Krakow in Poland this time, we will be back sometime the following Monday and if time allows i will update stitching and such after that.

That's it for now, off to sort out my waterproof jacket as the weather forecast for Poland is still showing little snowflakes!!

Have fun whatever you may be up to x

Wordless Wednesday (not)

Greetings Peeps! thank you all so much for your well wishes for my mammogram and scan on Monday, I'm happy to report that all is well, nothing at all to be worried about, thank goodness :-) I had both scan & mammogram and the conclusion was that it was 'glandular' probably caused by hormones. The consultant recommend taking Angus Castus which can be bought from the health food shop, it's taken in liquid form, added to water and sipped throughout the day and supposedly helps to balance out the hormones. I'm giving it a go anyway to see if it will make a difference. so, big sign of relief and i feel much better in my mind this week :-)

I enrolled on another photography course in January and thought it would be nice to show off some of my photos, sort of like Wordless Wednesday, except of course this Wednesday i haven't shut up yet, ;-) I'd love to hear your comments and/or criticism on my efforts. So, if you're reading this please take time to let me know what you think.

Without further blabbering here's Wendnesday's photo

~~~Love of Books~~~

Rubies, Diamonds & Golden Pears

For the past few weeks I've been suffering with very tender 'boobs' more than usual even taking the time of the month in consideration, the doctor could feel nothing but could tell how tender i was, i went to see the consultant today who believes it's just a thickening of the breast tissue and is nothing nasty to worry about. She suggested a scan & mammogram just to have a look see, so I'm taking advantage of the health insurance we have at work and have an appointment at a local private hospital on Monday morning. At least my mind is a little easier now, you know how it is worrying about these things, I've just plodded through the week to be honest. So, now I'm more 'myself' I'm ready to share some updates :-) First i finished stitching the LHN ornament Pear Tree this afternoon, in my mind when i started this SAL was going to finish them all as hanging ornaments, but this one is HUGE!! too big to be a hanging ornament (me thinks) and i don't know how to finish it..any and all suggestions will be gratefully received!

I Stitched it on a scrap of 28 count and it measures 4" x 5" it turned out much bigger than i imagined but i do like it, i still have the beads to put on and I'm sure i had some somewhere, but at the moment can't lay my hands on them.

My first new start i thought would be quicker to stitch, ha, ha, famous last words! i didn't take a very good look at the chart, there are lots of colour changes!! so this is going to be a while in the making. Welcome Quaker Diamonds for the first of what may be many outings ;-)

I may need motivation with this one so if anyone knows of a SAL or would like to get one going, do let me know.

And just because i needed something that would be a little faster i started Rubie Owl, i had to wait for my LNS to get the threads in for this one, so again not too much to show. I splashed out on different fabric for this one (more expensive) I'm not going to name it because i know that lots of people love this particular linen and I'm going to stick my neck out here and say that i cannot say that i love it, it's OK, but no way does it justify the price i paid. Just my opinion ;-)

Meet Rubie Owl,

I've been reading more than stitching this week and have finished up another Philippa Gregory book, i started the next one, The Virgins Lover last night. Only one more to read and then I've finished the Tudor Court series but i did read on line somewhere that her next series will be on the Plantagenet's, if they are as good as the Tudor's i can't wait! When i was leaving the hospital on Friday there was a book sale in reception, i took a few minutes to browse and came across these for 50 pence each!

I already read The Lovely Bones a few years ago but it belonged to my daughter and i would like to read it again. I couldn't believe i found The Concubines Secret for 50p! i already have the Red Scarf (bought from Amazon) and The Russian Concubine (bought from the charity shop for

45 pence!!) so this completes the set which i plan on reading when I've finished the Tudor series, has anyone read these? The other two i read the blurb in WH Smith some time ago and wasn't too sure about so couldn't justify spending the money on them, but at a give-away price like i got

them at i don't mind if i don't want to keep them afterwards!

Phew, i think I've about made up for my none blogging, and if you're still with me, thank you!! and if your not that's OK too ;-) I'm off to plonk my bum on the sofa and get some stitching done, have a great weekend whatever your up too :-) see ya soon xx

Quaker Row All Framed Up

Hello Peeps! Thank you for all your wonderful comments on the results of my first attempt at tea bag splodging! Being the conservative type i did feel rather reckless but as i love the results, especially when i saw it framed, you can be sure I'll be trying it again :-)

I picked Quaker Row up this afternoon, and once again Sharon & Mark at 'Betty's' did a great job!

As I've been plagued with a migraine for the last couple of days not much stitching has been done, two days running i had to come back from work and go to bed for a few hours, thankfully this afternoon i have finally got a clear head, such a great feeling after migraine pain.

********************

I finally got myself organised enough to have a sort out and decided to start a 'swap / trade' blog if you want to have a wander over the link is in the right side bar, I've put some charts up for now but i have loads of magazines that i will be sorting through over the next couple of weeks and adding too, and I'm certain there are other charts lurking somewhere. I've added some wishes, likes & dislikes too.

********************

For my birthday at Christmas amongst other things my eldest daughter bought me Quaker Diamonds with the required Valdani threads and i made this my new start last weekend, this is not going to be a 'quick stitch' and i haven't made enough progress to show, I'll share it next week when I've been able to fit more stitchy time in.

********************

I'm thrilled that so many of you enjoy Philippa Gregory books too, I'm getting blank looks when i mention them at work and a sort of wrinkling of the nose when i say they are about the Tudors. I seem to be on a bit of a history fest at the moment and was chuffed to bits today when i came across two books in the charity shop, 'Elizabeth The Great' by Elizabeth Jenkins about

Elizabeth I and 'Mary Tudor' by H.F.M Prescott, about Katherine of Aragon's daughter, Mary.

They both look brand new and a bargain at 90pence each!

I'm behind on my blog commenting because of the 'head thing' but i will get to you all this weekend to see what wonderful things you have been up to :-)

Until next time xx