Guess what....The Sun's Shining.

Hi there everyone. Summer holidays are upon us. That means that for the last 10 days we've had grandchildren staying with us. Very busy cooking and doing the old cub badges with my two youngest grandsons. Must admit they did very well and duly deserve their badges when they get them. The flapjacks and oat biscuits were delicious.


I must admit it was very nice having someone to do the washing up and window cleaning as well.

You've guessed it.....rather camera shy grandson!!


The hosepipe ban is still on despite the fact that there have been flash foods and torrential downpours, You know the same old story 'WRONG SORT OF RAIN', after all it's all wet, I do know what they mean, at least the gardens are fine. Thought you might like to see a little of our garden as we are further along in the year. It isn't looking so great really but we have some bright spots.






We had a bout of strong winds which ruined the hanging baskets and 'burnt' several plants. Luckily the tomatoes are doing well whether they will eventually turn to the right colour is another matter. It's a good job that we like green tomato chutney!!




My DH and I have just returned from our 'Garden Centre' roam with another new plant for the garden,it's a climbing Hydrangea which we intend to plant on a North-facing wall that we have always had a problem with. Here's hoping that this will solve it! Along with our plant we have bought some more bird feeders to replace the ones that have finally fallen apart. Already filled with seed,nuts and suet treats .....not a bird in sight!!!.
This picture is something that cheers me up it's a patio apple it just grows in a pot and it fruits every year. The apple type is' Katie' it was bought after the death of our Mum, Kathleen, back in 2001 my sister has a tree as well.

Because of the grandchildren visits and minding, cross stitch has been a little on hold. Unfortunately The 12 Days of Christmas has fallen behind. I should have been onto the 8 Maids a Milking but my Swans are still getting their feathers so they can't swim very well yet. Still never mind as I now have a few weeks while the 'young ones'( this includes my sons and their wives) are all away on their Summer hols. That is Guides camps, Cadbury World, Longleat, Spain all in no particular order. My hubby and I are just putting our feet up at home and probably pottering about a bit. I'll get some stitching done and the odd game of golf will creep in for my DH.
Here's my picture of the 12 Days. I will do better I promise



Must admit that while at my son's with three of the grandchildren I did get quite a lot of my UFO done which is for Jen's blog...I've Started so I'll Finished....Eventually
I have quite surprised myself with this one as finally I find that I am enjoying it. I am now on the last few of the 42"inches width of this piece, the chart is very hard to read as it is a hand drawn one and several splodges are just guessed. His face is much more cheery than I expected and I have put some half stitches in around the eyelashes although they are not actually shown on the chart. ( I just have to fiddle around a bit and make it mine)



I have been trying to catch up on my reading blogs that I follow and wanted to leave a comment onRocky Mountain Stitcher to say how well I thought her mermaid was doing but unfortunately I couldn't get it to take any comment. If anyone knows Berniceplease will you ask if she can check her 'settings' as I notice there are no comments and this seems strange as her stitching is lovely. To Bernice' It could well be me being a little in my dotage doing it wrong'.


I am now away to get some more feathers on my Swans....so thanks for calling in and leaving a comment. Enjoy your holidays whatever you may be doing.
Until next time HAPPY STITCHING

Water, Water everywhere but not a drop to ......water the garden with

Hose pipe ban in full force. Absolutely pouring down! That seems to be the way it goes. We have been told it's not the right kind of rain or else in the wrong place. Sounds very strange, fortunately I know what they mean but it doesn't help the bad feeling when watching water coming out of underground pipes that need repairing by the water company. That's the grumble over.

Now to happier things. My DH and I have been away this weekend. He's been on the old golf course thoroughly enjoying himself. Mind you his feet ache and his shoulders need a massage, could be from lack of golf playing through the injury earlier in the year or else the fact that 'Old Father Time' keeps chasing him and he's starting to find he's catching up!!!.
I had a good weekend stitching as did my sister. I took with me the dreaded Break Time, which I started by following Jen's I've Started so I'll Finish....Eventually. I have to be honest and say I haven't yet got a picture of the latest progress made this weekend but I have an update of prior advance. He's coming along well and I have at least got a sense of achievement from how he's doing.

I have been thinking about what to do with him when he's finished and top of the list of ideas at the moment is a hanging for the bedroom my grand-children use when they come. I'm still considering this though. I'm not the best at finishing things like that and I really don't want him to look a mess. Has anyone any good finishing tips???

I promised last time that I'd post my picture of The 12 Days of Christmas, 6 Geese a Laying after I had beaded it so here it is. There are still missing some red beads off the wing as i have yet to order them.
I have started the next part being the 7 Swans but up to now have only done 2 1/2 sides of the frame, that is my current WIP on my frame. Both the Twelve Days and the Three Kings were started for YoYo's Christmas Blog. I haven't heard anything for an age off Yoyo and am becoming very concerned.


The best progress has been made on The Three Kings. Despite a visit form the frogs where I took out a full section of the base pattern believing I had counted the centre square 1 stitch out, only to discover after I'd taken it all out that it was right in the first place. I can tell you I cried all the way to the kettle. Put the stitching away and started again the next day. After giving myself a good shake and making sure that I had my good frame of mind in control I set to on the third King. I can tell you his robe is a pain with fiddly back stitch round the sections that seem to make up the 'flower leaves on the robe. Granted they look worth it when you can see it for rea, the colours are lovely. At least this time the photo has a better colour, last time it looked washed out.


Last week I went to Liverpool on a visit with one of the school's I volunteer at. Must say we all had a great day we visited the World Museum. The children had been studying Egypt at school, the museum had a super Egypt display and question hunt, We also went in the planetarium and that was also superb all the pupils enjoyed it even though several of the girls clutched hands because of the sometimes intense dark. It a place I would recommend if you aren't too far from there for 'Summer Hols' visits,
Off now to watch the 'High Lights' of the 'Tour de France'. I'll be out of breath after about 2 minutes. I just don't know how they do it.

Happy stitching to you all. Thanks for visiting, Bye for now.

Just a bit of this and a bit of that.

The weather has still been fantastic. Just a couple of days that were a little undecided. We have had some rain but mostly overnight. Still spending a lot of time in the garden . We have been painting the fencing and redoing the back gate. It is now looking quite smart again. After power-washing the brick paving we now have to re-point quite a lot of it. Oh dear! Must admit though it looks a good deal brighter than it was, well worth my DH's efforts and my clearing up and brewing up job.
'
We have been having strawberries and ice cream. It's great when you can just pick them and 'Yummy' they have tasted delicious, we have never had so many so it's been great.

Cross-stitching had been a little on the back-burner because of the outside tidy up. I have beaded all the 6 Geese (honestly) but alas I have forgotten to take a picture so that'll have to be a wait for next time.
I spent and extra day grand children caring this week. All to do with the month end causing extra work and also covering for their other grandma who's having a weeks holiday in Spain. She went looking for the sun! I think we found it by staying in the UK.
Anyway because of the extra time away from home I have been able to do more on Break time. So here at long last is the BIG ROLL UP.

All the back stitching is done so when it vanishes around the roller I at least know I don't have to worry over whether I have forgotten any bits. So now it's the check jacket and smiley face as my next targets. With a little bit of luck it'll be finished sooner than I anticipated. (Well perhaps a lot of luck).

I have managed to catch up part of Castles in the Air I think I have just done part 12. I spend quite a lot of time trying to figure out what part will come next, but obviously to no avail. Guess what I just finish a bit and another download arrives.



That will have to wait as I am trying to get myself focused back on the Three Kings, now they haven't been stitched on for the last month. I am going to have to do some serious stitching on it to get it back on track and for some reason I'm having a bit of a problem getting going. I have decided to do part of the third King and then the bottom border so that the bottom section will be completed.
I must to get started on The 'Seven Swans a Swimming', only so that I stand a chance of having it done for THIS Xmas. I always enjoy stitching it no idea why, I find it sort of grabs you and away you go. After the swans I'll be onto all the 'people 'parts so that'll be interesting. Hoping to go visiting my sister again shortly. It's so enjoyable when we go. My DH goes playing his beloved golf and my sister and I usually get quite an amount of stitching done. Her DH potters in the garden (he is known periodically to turn his hand to stitching), he's always doing something so he's always busy.

Here's an extra picture for you. DRUM ROLL TA TARA TA TARA.

Here's Break Time progress since the roll up. He really is growing. Shame the chart isn't clearer hate to admit some of it is guess work.



Hope you all have a good time enjoying the weather or doing your stitching or whatever you get pleasure from. Until next time

Happy stitching to you all and once again thanks for visiting and leaving your comments.

Summertime ..Well Nearly

We've had some beautiful weather recently, so much so that we keep hearing that we may have a hosepipe ban by the end of June through lack of rainfall. (I'll worry about that if if happens). Although when my DH and I were returning from a visit to my sister and her DH it rained that hard it was difficult to see the vehicles and roads, but that was last weekend. By the way it was a lovely weekend visit. We brought some fruit bushes and a courgette plant back up with us ( this could mean more food for the slug and snails).
My DH and I have been outside in the garden a lot tidying it up and taking stuff to the tip. As I've said before we haven't a big garden and we are not proficient gardeners but we try so I thought you may like a look at what we have growing. This rose is just outside our back door it's a 'Pilgrim' and the perfume is fab. We have been amazed at the amount of roses we have on it this year.


This year, for I think the first time ever, we have a water lily that has managed to flower, usually the fish uproot them and seem to eat them, so I am quite proud of the flower even though it is not enormous.


While my DH and I were out browsing the garden centres one day we came across this 'Pol-anter'. It's like a sturdy plastic tube with holes in that you plant up it's watered from the bottom by attaching your hosepipe to it. Quite clever really and very effective.

The grapevine we planted two or three years ago has got lots of flower heads on so I hope that they all flower well and then we'll get more grapes than we have so far. Today we had, for the first time this year, some home grown radish and rocket it really is good to just go and pick it and eat it.

While at my sisters I collected some buttons by Hob Nobs that she had collected for me from 'The Nimble Thimble'. I think they are beautifully made and a lot of fun. One I especially like is The Stitching Snow Woman. I'll have to find some suitable material and stitch them, they'll be quite a quick finish, my problem is I'm not that good a choosing colours still never mind I'm sure I'll come up with something.




I haven't done any of Castles in the Air yet this month and another download is probably about to appear I think I'll just have to get my head in gear.. .. Nor have I made any further progress on The Three Kings.... not doing too well am I?

I have almost completed The Six Geese a Laying, I have run out of the red beads that finish off the wing. I'll be sending off for some more beads when I have run out or nearly run out of some more colours. I'll have to check the requirements list again.!!! I think I need some more threads as well. Still never mind I am so please with it the colours of the beads are knock-out.

I have to thank Jen on her I've Started So I'll FinishBlog Break time would still be in a drawer and forgotten, instead the progress is good. I have to finish off the backstitching all around the foot,shoe,laces etc and then it is the BIG turnup all the way back to his jacket. I have continued to stitch this in the evenings and also took it with me to my Sisters.


Off now to perhaps read for a while. Thanks for popping in it makes my day. Until next time
Happy stitching or whatever your delight is.

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.

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.