Where does the time go?

April over in a few hours-- I just can't believe how quickly this year seems to be flying past. I know they say that time goes quicker the older you are--- BUT this is RIDICULOUS!!!
It has been a good stitching couple of weeks though as I've had my head down trying to make inroads into the designs I'm doing. The Christmas Wreath has had a little more work done on it although there is still a large amount back stitching to do. I took it with me on my weekly grandchildren minding last week.

Now this week I didn't take any cross-stitching with me at all as I was busy stitching badges on a 'Camp Blanket' for one of my grand-daughters and repairing my eldest son's Scout Camp Blanket. After 22 years of leaving scouts he has become a scout leader. I searched out the camp blanket and horror of horrors it was full of holes. Some of this was from an infestation of moths (from a coat given us by an aging aunt) and also from the fact that the blanket was quite old and more than a bit thin 30 years ago. So I am trying to be a bit inventive about trying to repair it. My DH said just get a new blanket. My DS wants 'His Blanket' When I manage to 'restore' it I'll put photo on of his beloved blanket.

At last I've started to quite enjoy the Break Time. Not mega amounts of enjoyment I might add but a definite improvement. The light brown is the biggest downfall and there's a lot of it. I figure at the moment I have done approximately a quarter of the length of the design, not a quarter of the stitching though. Now that may sound a little odd but the part I'm doing is the shallowest section, the head and shoulder bit is quite deep, but also has more interest, so you win a bit and lose a bit.


I think I may to have to have a look through my stash to find something small to do to give my self a bit of a boost and then I can say 'It's a finish'. I keep meaning to get some of the 'Humbug' patterns and then something else crops up and I forget all about it. ( Note to self AGAIN : Must remeber!) Perhaps I'll do it as soon as I finish blogging today.

Now to YoYo's Christmas SAL. Now I am really enjoying this although once again I will give myself the biggest projects as a challenge. The 12 Days of Christmas is like a magnet to me and I keep doing a little more of it in favour of some the others in my mini rotation. I have managed to make up part of a month so my target of having it finished and framed for this Christmas is standing more of a chance.


Must admit although it says '3 French Hens' unless my eyes deceive me I'm sure this is a ROOSTER??

Here's my extra catch-up bit.



This next pic is just to show you how the completed days look as a whole.


The Three Kings has been on the back burner for the last two weeks but should be back on the rota this next week and then I really must get some hard work done on it. I love the colours in it. My DH says the middle King looks very grumpy (he just doesn't appreciate the trials of camel riding).

My DH's elbow is on the mend from his fall. The Dr. is sending him for physio and he's to start doing a little more with his arm now. He's been told he probably won't be able to straighten his arm properly again so I hope that it won't affect his golf. That is his one activity that he can get a little carried away with. (I am not a golfer)

Guess what there's a download for Castle in the Air so I must get that done so that I am not playing catch-up on that again. There will be a photo of that next time.

Caught Up Yippee!!!!

Over the Easter holidays three of our grandchildren came to stay. It saved me worrying about my Hubby managing to cook, wash up, bathe or really just have anymore accidents. His elbow is giving him quite a lot of pain and he keeps leaning on it when he gets up from a chair. Anyhow he's back at hospital in about 10 days for a progress check. Back to the grandchildren. We had a lovely couple of days. Chocolate cake was in abundance along with butterfly cakes and a first attempt at egg custard(all courtesy of our young grand-daughter). She did a grand job. The garden got tidied and sweet pea seeds were planted by the other two. Even homework was done!!.( The cross-stitch suffers a bit when they are here as I just don't seem able to get any done. ) They all enjoy playing with Playmobil or more to say these days is setting it up and moving characters to the desired places and then looking at it for a while and then putting it all away. We have got loads of it stored away in all sorts of places so they have plenty of choices on what they set up.

Well after a their short stay peace returned and so did the cross stitching. I have been trying to catch up Papillon's ' Castles in the Air' and at last I have managed it. Now all I have to do is to remember to keep a look out for the down loads and not let it get behind again.(We'll just have to wait and see). I am now getting more into it. It's the first time I have ever done a download pattern so it's been quite a challenge for me. I admire anyone that does the large mandalas I think I'd probably get lost in no time at all.




I am getting on quite well with the Christmas SAL and really enjoying them both. The Three Kings is coming along quite nicely, the centre King is almost finished just a few more beads on the lower section of his clothing and then he is complete. Then back to some of the border and the first King. Sometimes the background blue seems to all blend into the background blue stitches and I lose where I'm up too. When I was on the phone to Sew and So the other day they said Mill Hill were bringing out some more Jim Shore designs so I'll have to keep my eyes open for them.

The 'big' Christmas one is the 12 Days of Christmas. I am loving doing this. It is a real challenge. I need to try and complete more than one day a month so that I stand a chance of finishing it before this Christmas. I seem to be doing huge amounts of stitching but great lack of finishes.


Here's the one I 'started a little earlier' and am trying to get finished 'Break Time'. I have spent quite a lot of time doing back stitch and at last I have rolled it on on the frame. I've decided to go for the brown trousers first so here's hoping I don't go nutty doing it. As always with this one Thanks to Jens I've Started so I'll Finish otherwise it would still be in a cupboard.
Mind you I'm still very unsure to what I am going to do with a 42" long cross stitch!!



Until next time. Thanks for calling in. Please leave a comment, it cheers me up. Happy Stitching to you all.

Just another week!!

Happy Easter to you all.

Firstly here's an update on my accident. I went off to the hospital and discovered that I had broken two possibly three ribs. So I have been taking pain killers like mad just to get through each day. I'm starting to feel a little better now thank goodness.


Over the Easter Weekend I always go, at some point. to watch my younger son play Field Hockey at the annual tournament in Blackpool Lancashire. I think this year is the 59th one to take place. He has played in them for about the last 20 years and his family also go and do a bit of supporting. This year my hubby and I went up to watch and after the completion of a match were moving to another pitch. Our grandchildren were there watching and my hubby, in a fit of thinking he was younger than he is, started to play hockey with them with one of their shorter than adult sticks. You've guessed it. He fell over. He got up laughing and we plodded on to the next match. Later in the day we had the grandchildren at our house when he decided to go and get his now rather painful arm checked out. He took himself off to the local hospital while I stayed and made buns and fudge with the younger grand-daughter, her twin brother and older sister watched Harry Potter DVDs. Eventually my DH arrived home with his arm in a sling. He's broken his funny bone. So it's back to the hospital on Monday to see the Orthopedic people. Between us we can make one whole person at the moment.

Now to the better bits.
I have finished 'Let it Snow' and am really pleased with it. The button attachment has fantastic detail.

I've also made a little progress on 'Window Wreath' . The colours in this are really close together but the effect is very good on the window panes. There is quite a lot of backstitching to do on this. I had started to take it when I go child sitting but have decided that the light is not good enough so I just pick it up every now again.

My Christmas SAL pieces aren't doing to badly. This month I haven't done as much on the 'Three Kings' because I had been concentrating on catching up Castles in the Air. I have got some done though and stitched quite a few beads on. Click HERE For Yoyo's Christmas Sal Gallery.


I am really pleased with my Two Turtle Doves. They took quite a while to do. I still have a few more green beads to put on one of the small leaves to the right at the bottom because I ran out of them. I have sent off for several more lots of beads as the requirements list I saw has evidently underestimated the amount of beads required. Still that doesn't matter because I am so pleased with how it's looking, it's a shame that the photo's don't always do justice to the vibrancy of the colours. It's all about French Hens next and I'm looking forward to that as well.





I have just started to try and do some more of my UFO forI've Started so I'll Finish. I am doing some of the backstitching and then I am ready for turning it so that I can do either the next section of the trousers or the other way for the jacket. Oh! Decisions. Decisions. At the moment I'm thinking on the lines of the brown because that'll be the part that'll drive me nuts most and then I can cheer myself up by doing the checked jacket and finish off with the smiley face.


Any how that's it for now. I'm off to administer the pain killers to my DH and sort out a meal.
Keep safe everyone and Happy Stitching.