Busy ,Busy, Busy.

Not had a great deal of stitching time this last couple of weeks despite not having to go midweek grandchildren minding. Instead my DH and I went out tropical fish searching. We keep saying we're only looking and keep coming back with something else. Also we've been garden tidying !!! Our small garden has looked pretty awful for weeks but finally daffodils and crocus have decided to pop their heads up to cheer us up. I'll take a pic next time only today it's pouring down.
Although not mid week minding I was there instead at the weekend. This was while my son and his wife went to see the 'Blues Brother Show' followed by a 40th birthday. This meant they stayed at my home whilst I stayed at theirs. Did I draw the short straw?? Early Saturday evening my grandson was making biscuits for the Scout troop AGM and his twin sister then made some buns, chocolate of course, she likes to experiment and puts half a 'Rolo' in the bun, They turn out well, she always calls them her 'Surprise Buns' because you never can be sure what she has tried in the middle.
I was up with the larks on the Sunday to deliver my two granddaughters to the dress rehearsal of the show that they were that day in the City theatre (Dress rehearsal 9.30am first performance 14.00, 2nd performance 19.00) Then it was a return journey to the village to take and watch my grandson at his away football match for 10.00. The match didn't start until 11.00 and we were at the pitch before the home team were out of bed!!(Well seemed like it!) I don't usually watch football but being the 'stand in' supporter I watched. It was a lovely sunny day but with a cold wind (I'd forgotten my coat I usually do my sport supporting in) so I got more than a bit on the chilly side. The youngsters scored a few goals and were extremely pleased with themselves when I looked up to see my son and his wife walking round the pitch. They'd left my house earlier than I thought they would and traveled to watch. The final score was 15 - 3. my grandsons team had won in style and he had scored one of the goals. He was delighted as his normal place is a defender but as their score rose they let him have a go 'up front'. He was even more thrilled yesterday to see his name in the paper in the 'results section' for the junior leagues. So yet another exciting sporting week ended. This weekend I think I've got the watch junior hockey straw!! By the way the Dance Show was very good, on the long side though, but the girls had thoroughly enjoyed themselves and their brother managed to sleep through the finale. Don't know how. Must be a 'Boy thing'.

The stitching hasn't been totally ignored. I have made some good progress on my WIPS. I thought you may like to see these Christmas ornaments there are a little different to ones I have seen before. They are by TLC Designs. Vancouver,BC Canada. I haven't seen all the range but there are about 22/23 of them.


The first one is Santa V11, I did this one a while ago and had totally forgotten about him, he still needs his mustache making and putting on then finishing off.

I have Santa 11 in my bag and have started to take it out when waiting places such as the doctors the other day and today the dentist. It gives you something else to concentrate on in the waiting rooms!!

Depending on how they look when I finally get round to finishing them off completely will determine whether or not I get anymore of them. They are about 3" in height and simply padded with a couple of cotton wool balls, so simple to make up.
I have just found this site that shows all
TLC Designs Santas It's called Buttoned Up. Now I can have a good look at the different patterns and decide if I will do any more of them.

Still with Christmas in mind another of the Festival of Trees that I am adapting slightly to suit what I have available in the bead box. This is the fourth one, the Victorian Tree, two completed, the one I started second is on hold at the moment, can't quite remember why though. It'll come back to me, probably something to do with bead shades.

My Dance Leader I am enjoying doing. It's my feet up in the evening stitching. The colours are lovely and it grows quite quickly. There is all the outline on the dress to back-stitch and it's colour changes as the skirt changes shade. The back-ground shading is quite subtle as it is done in a combination of two thread half stitch and one thread half stitch along side the actual colour variations.


I keep looking on Papillon Designs with trepidation in case there's another download while I am still on my catch up stint. Although I have altered it here and there to suit me, download 16 is now complete. I'm holding back on D.17 as I'm not too sure that I like it so I've jumped to D.19 which I think is rather like a 'Folly' that was often constructed in the grounds of some of the grand homes of the 'Landed Gentry' of the UK. I'm don't know haw many more downloads there will be as this started somewhere about April/May in 2009. I shall be continuing my efforts to get it up to date before starting any other larger pieces. I know some of you out there have put it on one side and it may never come out again but for me I feel as though too much time and effort has been put into it not to get it all finished and as I have 'personalised' parts it does make it more special.
Here is D 16

This how far I've got on D 19

This pic is just to show how it all appears on it as a whole.

Wish me luck with my catching up I'm almost there.
Now it's off for an early meal as I am back grand children minding as there parents are off to an evening Wedding Do and I have 4 of my grandchildren to keep an eye on. 2 girls from one son and 2 boys from my other son. The other 2 are out at Scouts. All I can say is thank goodness for Wii Machines!!!!!

Thanks for calling in and spending a while. Your comments as usual are much appreciated. Until next time Enjoy your stitching and ' May your MOJO be with you'