Catch up Time!!

Time seems to be flying past. At last I've got over the bug that seems to have haunted me for the last month so I can at least see the charts now the streaming eyes have eased. I went for an MRI scan on my knee last week and I have to wait ten days for the results. I'll be glad when I finally find out what damage I've done to my knee in fall I had in March. I've been feeling as though I've been falling apart at the seams. Still less gloom and doom my DH has been told he should get full movement in arm back after breaking his elbow I think think this means I won't be able to sell his golf clubs on Ebay!!!.

We've spent a good deal of time in the garden making the most of some hot days. Although we only have a small garden we've been planting tomatoes,carrots,spring onions,French beans, cucumbers, squash, radish and mixed salad greens. Some of them have already decided to put up shoots and some are still asleep. The trouble is the moment we plant anything it's like a green light for the snails and slugs to party. We must have the fattest selection of garden nuisances going. Now we have to wait until we can pick something. (Fingers crossed)

Well my stitching has been coming along. I've been concentrating on 12 Days of Christmas this past two weeks.This of course is for the Christmas SAL run by YoYo of Dragon my Needle I've managed to finished the 4 Calling Bird, 5 Gold Rings and have completed the border for 6 Geese a Laying. This means I have managed to catch up one day, another two to try and catch up and then I should managed to finish it for display for this Christmas. The 5 Gold Rings although not as elaborate as the other days still had a lot of stitching in it and rather fiddly. I'm looking forward to 6 Geese as it looks quite an interesting block.




Break Time is moving on. I didn't get attacked by frogs this week, instead I managed to leave one of the 'browns' at my son's house so I have been trying to work round it. I just hope I haven't mis-counted anywhere. I have started the chart that puts his feet on. I can't believe that I have got to that bit, it seems like quite a landmark point. So it'll soon be back to the jacket and all the check work and then onwards and upwards to his head.

Now some time ago forthe I've Started so I'll Finish blog the first UFO I put on was by Teresa Wenzler, The Summer Carousel Horse. I did finish it but it has only recently been framed so here it is in all it's glory....I can tell you I am absolutely delighted with the framing done by Nimble Thimble it's brilliant.

Apart from this I have been transferring Scout badges from one son's scout blanket to his son's scout blanket. My grand-daughter has been helping to sew some on. she counted in the region of 200 badges. My grandson is going on a Father/Son camp in two weeks and would like to take the blanket with him. We'll have to see how we go with the transferring it's probably going to be nearly done as I'll mix it in with the cross stitching.

When trying to catch up with some blogging and email reading I discovered that the next download for Castles in the Air had arrived so that will have to be fitted in to all the other stitching I'm trying to get done. Still haven't got myself a 'little' piece to do.

Oh yes! Last but not least I came across a new SAL by SOLO BRODE. I saw it about three weeks ago but as it's written in French was stumped. I tried the Google translator which for some reason just didn't want to work so I bookmarked the page and decided I'd have another look when I felt better. My French is very poor down to non-existent, anyway I went back to it and this time I managed to get the translator to work and got my down load. I have now to make a decision on material and thread The SAL name is L'attendent l'ete 'Waiting for Summer' You are requested to choose two colours that mean Summer to you. My problem is lots of colours mean Summer to me, blue and yellow for blue skies and sunshine or greens and just about any colour going for the plants I have no idea which way to go. I have yet to try one of the gorgeous variegated colours I see several people using and am wondering if this is the time to experiment? It looks a pretty design so pop over and have a look.

Until next time hope all your stitching goes well .......

Stitching. Bugs and Frogs!

Well it's been a beautiful weekend. We actually had a bar-b-q yesterday. Just the two of us and it was very pleasant. We were going to have gone and visited my sister but I came down with quite a bad virus/cold/ awful coughing bouts/ nose bleeds---- I won't go on ----so we didn't go. Cross stitching got put on hold for most of the week as I couldn't make out the charts through blurred eyes. Anyhow although not 100% I am back stitching on my new frame built for me by my DH.

Be amazed at the progress on my UFO for I've Started so I'll Finish Break Time. I thought I'd take a full picture for the first time and even if I say it myself I was surprised at how much it had grown. I have discovered that some of the threads seem to have become variegated all by themselves (perhaps it's just the age) it's mainly the pale green.
This is how it looked yesterday evening. That's when I realised there was an error!!!! Horror of horrors What to do???!!!





So this is how it looks now.


Can you spot the difference? Of course you can I frogged all the part I had done yesterday evening. I muttered all the time I was doing it .


As I said in my last post Papillon Designs 'Castles in the Air' next download had been sent. So not to end up behind with it I set to and completed it. I am just soooo proud of my self now to wait for the next one to arrive.!



Now to my Three Kings.Yoyo's Christmas Sal I have been putting beads, beads and more beads on it. The colours for some reason are rubbish so that's disappointing but I have really made good progress with it this month. Two Kings done just one to go and then the rest of the border.




Lesleyanne asked me what is my rotation. Well as I am not or ever have been particularly good at sticking to any hard given plan I have a tendency to pick and choose as the mood takes me but over the period of a month I will have done a reasonable amount on each piece I'm doing. I do, however, tend to do the Break Time in an evening while watching TV!! ( Can't imagine how I went wrong) mainly because it takes less concentration and it's in colour blocks. I wouldn't have a chance with any of the Jim Shore one's in the evening. My stitching fits in and around my spare time I really don't know how those fantastic stitchers do it who have full time jobs and yet still complete the most amazing work all credit to them I say. I usually listen to reception class readers on Monday and Wednesday mornings so I stitch in the afternoon on Monday, most of Tuesday depending on what jobs need doing. I take Break Time or Window Wreath with me on a Wednesday afternoon when I go and sleep over at my son's house to do the school runs and meals on that PM and Thursday AM and PM. I also go and listen to year 4 readers while at my son's. Back home Thursday eve. My DH is always waiting with a meal ready for me and it is really so much appreciated. I then usually collapse in a chair and fall asleep. Friday back to stitching. Week-ends are hit and miss. depends on the weather. So there you are my version of a rotation. It may not be perfect but it works for me and I don't get upset if something gets missed. Oh yes I try to avoid going from one Jim Shore to another directly as it takes me a a while to remember that the symbols have changed although he does use the same colour palette.
I am going to go back to 12 Days of Christmas tomorrow and try and get up 6 geese a laying by the end of the month. We'll see. I'll do my best as it's the only way I'll get it completed by Christmas this year. Wish me luck.