It'll be ready for Christmas!!!!!!

Back again. I hadn't realised that January had flown by so quickly and there was I thinking I was plodding along quite nicely with my stitching.
I have had one or two or so detractions. Such as a new game for my DS which I almost became glued to until I had managed to complete it, I also had to make arrangements for going to see the village 'Pantomine', This is put on in the Village Hall and several of the local children take part. This is the village where one of my sons live and this year I had just one of my grand-daughters in it as the older one was busy doing studying for some of her exams which she took about two weeks ago. The commitment that is required by these youngsters is quite demanding and they are now all very tired. The 'Panto ' was very good and is always quite hilarious. The gentleman who plays 'The Dame' really enjoys himself although I must admit I don't know that he ever sticks to the script. This is him in a couple of his several outfits playing the part of 'Granny Verruca Gubbins'. I can tell you he must have got the art of quick changing off very well as his costumes and hair wig change maybe seven times throughout the show.

But now to the serious stuff...... I have been stitching along on my 12 Day of Christmas (this is where I can here you thinking CHRISTMAS) and am pleased with my progress..... I have been thinking about how to finish it off and my niece has sent me some instructions on some sort of hemming. I understand that it takes a while to do but it's top of my list at the moment.

Firstly here is the completed 9 Ladies Dancing. I'm not to sure about the colour used to give facial definition so any input from yourselves would be useful. Must admit I enjoyed doing that one as it had a totally different border.

Here is how the row for the days 7,8,9 looks


Now on to the '10 Lords a Leaping'. There are are quite a number of beads on the jacket and it is quite eye-catching. Again the border is made up of the floral garlands and there are stacks of beads in them. Really sparkly.


Lastly the '11 Pipers Piping'. I'm getting along quite well with this one. There doesn't seem to be the number of beads on this day, mind you maybe I just haven't seen them on the chart properly as I have been busy concentrating on the main cross stitch.


I'm hoping to have the cross stitching on this finished before too long and then I think it may be catch up time on the 'Castle in the Air' which I haven't looked at for months. I check the downloads every month and keep think I really must get on with it and then I look at something else. Oh! to be a quicker cross stitcher but never mind I get there in the end. I think I may just do the 'My Family's like Fudge' by Waxing Moons as they are fun to do and don't take that long.
Last but not least here's one I've squeezed in.......

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It's been done before so I've used a perforated paper from a Jim Shore one that I changed to fabric and have put on a 'bead bow' instead of the little treasure that should be there. I think the effect is OK I have some more of them that have already been done but this time they can go on my tree.

As usual many thanks for dropping in and spending a few minutes with my musings. If you've time leave a comment they so much appreciated. Until next time Happy stitching to you all

Byeeeeeeeee

Thanks Santa!!!!!

It's all over for another year. Was it all worth it? YES of course it was. I spent Christmas Eve Lunch with my older son and his family, where some winter health blues had struck a few days earlier but all were much better. Followed by a visit to my niece, then back to watch my grandchildren in the Nativity Play at their Church. Unfortunately I missed the play, due to a time change that I received too late, but I did get to the rest of the service. I took with me a grand daughter from my other son and she was fascinated as at her church, in a different village, they don't have the service where they turn out all the lights and you walk round the church, passed the Crib, with lit candles. It's very twinkly and a lovely feeling of peace and calm.
After being delivered back to the her family my DH and I went back home to finish sorting out gifts ready for Christmas Day, which we spent with my younger son and his family. we returned to home base on Boxing day where, having forgotten to take out our chosen food from the freezer, we ended up having the good old English favourite 'Fish and Chips'.

Santa was very kind, I have some great stash enhancement and have spent some time since tracking down fabric that I can't find in the UK.


I could not resist this Hob Nobs Button they are fun to do and pretty quick too!!!

I have about another 6 charts but as they are on download and as I have yet to do that they will be popping up in the future. I also had some material and some Northern Lights Silks as gifts. Lucky me.
Here's my Christmas Surprise for you. A little late I know but as just before Christmas I was not too good and had little concentration powers. I went to visit my sister for a lovely weekend and while there I took 'The Three Kings' to the 'Nimble Thimble' to get it framed. While I was out the next day my picture was delivered to my sisters all done. Many Thanks Chris. Here it is .......
I have made a little more progress on my Jim Shore Santa which I started on my sister visit. Not that much though!

Since Christmas I have put some more stitches into 'The Twelve Days of Christmas'. The 9 Ladies Dancing is now coming along quite well.

I haven't done much stitching at all between Christmas and New Year as I had a family lunch on New Year's Eve and on New Year's Day family until the following day. I really enjoyed the houseful of family, it made me feel good inside although vaguely shattered after the mince pie making and all the cooking. I'll only take until the end of January to recover!!!

I'm trying to decide what to do next. I have to catch up on Castles in the Air. which has been put on one side for such a long time I am now back to about three months or so behind... I daren't look in case it's more!! BUT then there's all the new charts and kits to choose from Oh decisions, decisions. I think I'll try and get the Twelve Days finished and then I'll do a much smaller piece to give myself a boost.

Oh Yes I must show you the Place settings that I bought for my daughter-in-laws. Again made by 'Maisie Moonshine'. I think they are great and they went down a treat. Must admit I did give them early for Christmas so that they could be used.



The 'Robin' and the 'Toy Soldier' are the ones that I had made for my DH and myself so they travel with us. Great aren't they???

Well I'm off now to order some threads so that I don't forget and then get annoyed with myself, even though I probably will not be stitching with them for a while. I've also got to try and find some SQUARE frames so that I can get some of my finished pieces sorted.

Until next time thanks for calling in and if you have the time to leave a comment.. much appreciated.. May the New Year have revitalised your stitching hand and given a new shine to your needle....

New Year Countdown

Happy Dances AT LAST

It seems an age since I blogged. I've been stitching away along with trying to Christmas shop. Must admit I've done better with the cross stitching than I have with the Christmas shopping. I have no ideas really on what to get any one and time is getting nearer.OOOps OOOps and even more OOOps. I'll have it sorted in the end though. Now that's what I call positive thinking.!!

I have been working hard at finishing some of my stitching. The first one to start the music to the happy dancing is the Window Wreath. I have actually finished this one off completely even down to it being mounted and framed.

There was a lot of back stitching on this and it was working with one over two. The finished piece is very pretty and looks quite delicate especially the window panes.

I have finally finished the 'Winter Wonderland' I have to get a frame for it yet though and this will probably come from Sew and So. I got over the stressing about the the fact that so many of the beads just didn't want to let you sew them on. I muttered a lot and got on with it and I am so glad that I did.


Now can you spot the deliberate mistake? (Other than the fact that one is taken with flash and the other isn't)
The sparkle on it is incredible and well worth the music on the dancing starting to get a little louder.

Hold your breath every one wish you could hear the 'fanfare' it's reverberating all around............The Grand Finish........ THE THREE KINGS.........
I am so please with this I wish I could think of enough words to say how it looks. I still have to get it framed and mounted and I had intended taking it to the 'Nimble Thimble for Chris to frame it this last weekend when I was visiting my sister but with the weather being so YUK I was worried about the roads so I didn't take it. Hopefully this next weekend may see it reach the framers as I am off to my sister's again. It's a good job she is an understanding sister for my DH and I keep arriving on her and her DH. for yet another couple of days or so.


The next surprise is The Twelve Days are back out of hiding. I made a start on the 9 Ladies Dancing and then when I went back to it today I couldn't find one of the threads so spent,what seemed like, forever looking for it to discover later that it was under the cover on the frame all the time. Never mind at least I found it. I will be trying to get this finished by Christmas but I think I may just be dreaming still there's alway next Christmas. I think that that will be the more reasonable approach as I am going to make a wall-hanging of it I think and I'll have tp work out the best way of doing that. Any ideas out there?????



I then had a slight detour as I ended up on Ebay hopefully selling some things. It has taken me ages to put everything on between weighing and working out what you call everything. I just hope a bit of it sells so that I'll have a little more room for my next lot of clutter to mount up.!!!
A new start is the Western Santa from the Jim Shore range. Silly me forgot to take a photo so that'll be something to look out for next time. I'm stitching it on the Babbling Brook Jobelan instead of the card that comes in the kit. I know that they work out OK as I did this with the last one I did.
I'm off to a 'panto' with a school next Tuesday so I've been practising my 'He's behind you' lines as I can be as bad as the children. It'll be good fun.
Still trying to catch up with the blogs as we have been having several computer problems, I hope that they'll soon be all sorted out.

Anyway once again thanks for popping in and it you've the time to leave a comment. much appreciated. Good luck with all your stitching Until next time Keep warm
Cheers to you all.

Trying hard BUT not really succeeding!!!!!

Hi there again. Hope you are all on top of your stitching and also the dreaded Christmas Shopping. My husband and I have been out and about searching for the illusive gifts. Not doing very well at the moment but we still have some time to go yet!!! Usually I have it sorted to a degree by now but this year it seems to have beaten me. I just love Christmas time from the carols to the Christmas trees and the look of anticipation on family faces. It can also be a time for stash enhancement, now that's a brilliant thought. Must remember if anyone asks for gift ideas I'll have to have a list ready. Don't know if I've a piece of paper long enough..

Well here's how I've been doing.....not as much as I would have hoped but I've been here there and everywhere again so stitching has been a little difficult. Plus getting the task of selling some of my grandchildren's fancy dress and dance outfits on the old Ebay.
Here goes.....................
Still haven't finished the Mill Hill 'White Christmas'. In fact haven't picked it up...now that's naughty ...as there isn't really that much to do just the rest of the beads.
On the plus side the Window Wreath is coming along. I may actually get this done in time for the festive season. I've been doing this in the evenings when I've been at home. I've all but given up on taking any stitching with me when I go to Grandchildren watching nights, partly because the light isn't good enough to stitch by, but I do get a little done in an afternoon.

My next picture is of one I just decided to do just to cheer myself up. It's call 'Kitchen Included' and it's a kit from Design Works Crafts It was a bit of fun although it ran out of the gold thread so the fancy bow on the front of the dress is missing. It is now waiting in my finishing to do pile. This pile is slowly becoming bigger than my stash pile.

The one I have made most progress on really is the Three Kings. It did fall to the frogging a little though when I realised that I had misread a symbol. Fortunately I hadn't done that much and it was on the side borders I'd read + for x or the other way round. Better get it right before I start again or I will be mumbling. It looks a little 'bitty' at the moment but that's because I can't reach the top of the stitching on my frame so I have to keep turning it round. So I've been stitching 'upside down' so to speak and then I'll have to change it again so that I can finish off a side section. Most of the cross stitching it now finished and it's the beading that I am now concentrating on, there's still quite a lot of beads to go on but I can honestly say that I'm very happy with it. Hope I manage to get it done for Christmas....fingers crossed.


I meant to post this picture last time but totally forgot so please don't think I've gone loopy. I bought these great 'Halloween Owls' for my sons. They came from 'Maisie Moonshine's Handmade Craft Emporium'. I think that they're great. I know that there are some lovely Christmas place settings available so guess who's ordering some.


I must try and catch up on my 'blog' reading as I'm sure some of the blogs I follow will have thought I've vanished. I love reading other blogs and seeing what they are up to in the world of stitching. It's a great source of ideas and of seeing designers you may not have heard of. Off now to try and get a little more stitching done. Until next time.... thanks for popping in and if you've time to leave a comment much appreciated.


Happy stitching to you all

ON A ROLL.....again

OOps she says. started to post and then I clicked the wrong button and it was gone. I then discovered that I had posted a title all on it's own. Now that's sad.

There I was really pleased with myself thinking I'd do a draft posting so that I can finish it off when I get back from my grand children minding. My days doing that have changed this week as it's half term. I think this is just to confuse me!!! I shall pretend that it never happened and continue in my own wondering way.

Hello there everyone in cross stitch land. Hope you have all been having a productive time. Finally got a completed finish to show you all framed and done properly. It's the Waxing Moon 'Christmas Snow'. It's the one I finished at my sister's house a couple of weeks ago and forgot to photo.


I've also finished stitching the Christmas ornaments, the frames have arrived so I'll have to get them finished. That's often where I go wrong I stitch them and then put them away and forget about them ( Or should I say 'put off' finishing them in case I make a mess of doing it).


Must admit I enjoyed doing these ornaments as they are not something I would normally do.

Still no progress on the 12 Days but again the Three Kings are moving on slowly at the moment but this is partly because I have been grand children minding more than usual and I love doing that. The Three Kings now has the top border about 1/3 completed and I'm beading it as I move along it I've found it easier to follow the pattern. The side borders still need some time spending on them but I'll get there.

A few weeks ago I bought some buttons from Hob-Nobb Designs. Well after lots of sole searching about where I was up to with everything I decided I'd do one of them.My choice was the 'Snowflake Snowman'. I have stitched it on a pale lavender linen, the outer border is Gentle Arts-Sugarplum, the inner border is Gentle Arts - Cornflower, the centre band is Gentle Arts- Potpourri, the snowflakes are DMC- White. This is the first time I have used any over-dyed thread and must admit I love the finish but found I had to work hard to remember to do each stitch individually and also was surprised how much the thread seemed to twist. Hope you like the result.


I may just have to find another one out now and do that one. But wait a minute ...NOTE TO SELF: COMPLETE THREE KINGS AND GET A MOVE ON WITH THE 12 DAYS....
I have been doing a little better on my Window Wreath. Although I did take it with me when I went to visit my niece one evening. Actually I was delivering something for her other half after dropping off two of my grand-daughters at the final night of the Centenary of Girl Guiding. The Centenary finale was well thought out as the guides attending re-took their promises at 20.10 on the 20th of the 10th in 2010. So it's just the 20.10.20.10.2010 time and date to remember. Clever don't you think? Anyhow back to my visit. My niece industrious stitched away at her piece and I plodded along with mine, her other half then casually asked ' How much have you actually done? You seem to be taking a good deal back.' I had been found out. The small amount I'd done had been stitched in the wrong colour followed by the wrong place. I probably put in about ten stitches in the right place and colour in about 1 1/2 hours. Is this a record???

Today I have been shopping, well I was looking for some square photo frames. I've worn my feet out and haven't managed to find one. Evidently square is not in fashion at the moment. I'm devastated as I wanted them to frame some of my cross stitch. I'll have to look on line (hadn't thought of that when I went shopping). Still I bought some rather fetching fluorescent socks, also some earrings ...........

.....now guess what I'm doing this weekend.!!!!!!

SURPRISE....SURPRISE...

Here's my FINISHED CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS I'm really rather pleased with them. I'm trying to decide whether to tie some red ribbon bows round the top of the frame. That's one I'll have to think about.


That's it for now. Many thanks for popping in. If you've time please leave a comment much appreciated they are. Until next time Happy Haunting Halloween to you all. Have super spooky time.

More finishes!!!

Beautiful day today. Picture postcard sky and really warm. My DH and I went visiting my sister and her DH again last weekend. Lovely time had by all. My DH vanishes off on to the local golf course and generally comes back with throbbing feet from having gone round and round the course. (He says he has enjoyed himself though). While there this time I started my Waxing Moon Christmas Moon design and finished it. I haven't got a picture though as I left it with my sister to take it to 'The Nimble Thimble' for framing. Silly me, I'll put a picture on as soon as I get it backI.
I also did a little stash enhancing with anotherWaxing Moon Design 'Our family is like Fudge. Very Sweet with a few nuts.' This is Oh so true!! It's worked with Gentle Arts Threads and one Weeks Dye Works, this is a step into the unknown for me as this will be the first time I have ever used them. I have also bought the frame shown from the Poppy Designs so I'm looking forward to starting it. Must admit I still have to buy the fabric and I'll probably buy this from Sew and So.

I still haven't done anymore stitching on my 12 Days of Christmas but my 'Three Kings' is coming along well, just the top border and both the side pieces to finish. This time I have tried to get a better colour but in doing this I seem to have it an angle, Oh well I suppose you can't have everything. One out of two would be OK (even that seems to be difficult).

I've been browsing the web and have seen the new Jim Shore designs of the 'Playing Cards', being quite a Jim Shore fan I rather like these although I'm not too sure about the Queen's face. Perhaps these will have to go on my Christmas Wish List.
A pat on the back is deserved as I have finally put some more stitches into The Window Wreath poor thing it's be languishing a bit in a bag, not really forgotten just didn't have the inspiration needed to do it.

Been busy beading the Mill Hill Winter Wonderland but decided not to take a photo of it now until it's completed. The petite beads are a bit of a pain as so many of them will not allow the head of the beading needle through the hole. Am I the only person in the whole world that this happens to? Now I know I'm not but isn't it frustrating? I just hope that I'll have sufficient beads to complete it. Must admit I'm considering emailing Mill Hill to tell them of the problem.

My Christmas ornaments have moved on though and there are now only another two to do.




I am buying the round frames for them fromFramecraft having what has seemed to be a nightmare trying to find the size needed. They will pop up all over everywhere now and I'll see them on every website going.

In the past I have made and sold teddy bears. I haven't done it now for quite a while but it doesn't stop me enjoying the little furry beings and passing on any info. So to anyone who has a soft spot for bears there is an Autumn Giveaway onBearbits. Must say he looks a cute little one with her friend.

Off now to make some Flapjacks for one of my grandsons. My DH makes fudge and sends it to our grandchildren but one of the grandsons doesn't like it so he gets flapjacks and last week I forgot them so this week it's his turn for the goodies. (I'll probably be his 'best friend' for a short while.)

Again Thank you for popping in and leaving you friendly comments. They keep up my stitching needle going.
Until next time