Returning to rotation

Finally I am back on track with my rotation - various reasons including holidays and parties but I am stitching to my rotation plan:

I finished a little gift for our son in his new flat, I wanted to stitch something but nothing girlie - I found this online and it's perfect He gave quite a chuckle when he opened it.



New home gift for our son

Monday I finished Gillie's Round Robin - part of the Welcome RR with Needlecraft Haven. I've posted it off and have received Dusty's which is the final RR for me to stitch on.

Gillie's RR - Jardin Prive design

Tuesday I did a very small bit on my September Drawn Thread as I had hurt my ankle and felt a little out of sorts. It's all ok now but I just didn't feel like doing much.

Wednesday was stitching night in the Parlour on Needlecraft Haven and I started a new house on my CCN Santa's Village table cloth - North Pole Post Office. It's stitched over one so doesn't look much but this little bit took all evening.

North Pole Post Office

Yesterday and this morning I have worked on a gift for some very good friends - I'll share it once it's done.

I just managed to finish the June Monthly Christmas Challenge in time for the reveal - the design for June was Coroncina Noel" by Luli

I used the background fabric for the backing

Today I have been sorting out the wine for the next round of tasting in the Scout 100 Challenge - it's Europe this time but not France as that has a tasting of it's own in September.

Last Friday was our 25th Anniversary party, we've had some lovely cards, thank you everyone. I bought some lovely ribbon yesterday that has silver hearts on and says 'All my love' which I've used to bundle them up - we still have the family ones out. We had a super evening meeting friends and family, some of whom we had not seen for over 15 years.



My dress - we borrowed a friends
dressmakers dummy to put it on

Back detail - I designed the dress
and had it made professionally

Close up of the neck, my veil and my necklace which
Nick bought me (with matching earrings)



Our friend Niki made a replica of
our wedding cake

My original bouquet of silk flowers

Replicating a wedding
day pose 25 years later.

Our Just Giving page is over £500 - thank you so much to all our friends. We can't believe we have doubled our target, it's a lovely amount to give to Pancreatic Cancer UK. You can read our story here https://www.justgiving.com/NickClareHearnden25th/

Thank you for popping by to read my latest news - fingers crossed my rotation will be on track next week too.

Superb exchanges

The end of June brought Opening Day for two exchanges on Needlecraft Haven. The Meet Up exchange was from the spring get together in Nuneaton earlier this year.

At the Meet Up everyone who wanted to join the exchange completed a little card with details of their favourite summer places, colours and treats. The cards were put in blank envelopes. Whoever's card you picked was your partner and the exchange gift was a coaster with the theme based on the details in the card.

I had Lindsay as my partner, her favourite summer places were the beach and visiting English gardens so I chose a Just Nan design that I thought looked like the layout of a formal garden. Lindsay's favourite colour is purple so I slightly changed the original colour scheme to match. I used a picture of a beach for the backing.

Coaster for Lindsay

Coaster back

When the card is put in the envelopes everyone is given a number which they write on the top corner, this is so when the envelopes are picked it's easy to see if you've picked your own without opening. Julie noticed that I knew she had selected my card and as Angi had selected Gill's (who is her close friend) they did a secret swap so Angi stitched for me hee hee. She sent a beautiful rose design along with a little tea bag but Ruby decided to steal that before it got anywhere near the kitchen !

Beautiful rose coaster from Angi

The other Needlecraft Haven exchange was the second part of the Four Season's Exchange - summer. This time I organised exchanges in actual pairs which we haven't done for a while. Chris was my partner and I know she loves gardening so I chose this basket of flowers for a coaster - although a small design it was quite complex to stitch, lots of single stitches but I loved stitching it and seeing the flowers come together.

Summer exchange for Chris

 Unfortunately one of the ladies on NH is unwell at the moment so I stitched the exchange piece for her partner - it was a quick stitch but I'm please with how it turned out.

Additional Summer Exchange piece

 

I received a beautiful pillow from Chris - I think it will be living at the caravan although it looks great at home too. Chris knows I love France so she changed the wording Summer Time to L'heure d'ete - what a lovely lady :)

 

Beautiful pillow from Chris

 We received another beautiful gift this week - Julie sent a gorgeous cross stitch picture for our 25th Anniversary. I'll be taking it to our party tomorrow night to put on the table with a few other things (I'm also taking my wedding dress but I'll be blogging that next time)

 

Hubby & I went to London and Paris to celebrate - you can read about our travels on my other blog Aimetu's - if you do pop by please leave a comment as it will add to our keepsakes.

Anniversary gift from Julie

My garden is looking ok but many of my flowers wilted whilst we were away - although DS & DD were home I think they thought the other would do the watering. Things are slowly returning and there are some lovely blooms although I do need more flowering plats as our garden always looks so green.

 

Fushia - it was tiny last year so hopefully will
fill the pot next

Climbing clematis - I love this colour

Hubby has a lily out in his pond

Thanks for calling by Aimetu's Stitching, your comments are always appreciated :)

Stitch from Stash for June

I'm posting a little early this month as we're on holiday now - this afternoon we are off to London for a few days then Sunday we're off to Paris to celebrate our Silver Wedding (Tuesday) I have made a special travel wallet for our travel - you can read about it in my last post

http://aimetu-clare.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/finished-in-time-just.html


So here's this month's Stitch from Stash (not much as I've been busy with other things)

Charts

• Monthly Challenge
• Summer exchange (Donna Cooler Cross Stitch Designs)
• Gillie's RR  

Fabric

• 28ct antique cream
• 28ct ecru

Thread

• DMC colours as required for charts

Finishing

• Metal hearts (Travel wallet)
• Christmas fabric (monthly exchange)
• item for summer exchange (£1.69)

Additions to Stash


So I spent the grand total of £1.69 which was not actually stash but a finishing item for an exchange.

I finished both my June and July Drawn Thread pieces - June is on the mantle and July is ready now for when we get back. I can't share the exchanges and I have nothing else completely finished - I hope next month I'll have lots more to share.

Finished in time ... just

I had an idea a while back to make a travel wallet for when Hubby and I travel by train. We have a large plastic folder for our holidays by car as there are so many documents to take (ferry, hotels, gite, insurance, breakdown) but by train there is just travel and hotel information.

We are off to London on Friday for a couple of nights and then Paris for a few more. It is a special holiday as its or 25th Wedding Anniversary next Tuesday and we will be in Paris to celebrate ( a bonus of me leaving work as I would not have been able to have to actual day off)

Anyway I have finished my travel wallet today - I had the idea from my friend Mary who stitched me a project case for an exchange one autumn. She kindly sent me the instructions which helped although my wallet is slightly different. I did a bit at a time over three days as I have been quite worried if it would work. Today I have finished it and I love it :)

Front of my travel wallet

Back of wallet

Inside of my wallet with our Eurostar documents
tucked safely inside.

We are very excited about going away - me more than Hubby I think - and just after we're back we're having a small get together for family and a few friends. Unfortunately just 8 months after our wedding we lost Hubby's Dad to pancreatic cancer - he was just 55.

To mark our anniversary we're fundraising for Pancreatic Cancer in his memory - and help our future generations - our just giving page is https://www.justgiving.com/NickClareHearnden25th/

There's a few old photos on there too :) I still have my dress, flowers and veil. They will be out at the party with our album - I'm sure we'll all have a chuckle at the 1980's fashions :)

I haven't done any shareable stitching but I have been creative. Over the last few months I have begun wine making again and now have a demijohn of dandelion wine steadily clearing and rhubarb wine still bubbling away.

Rhubarb wine & Dandelion wine



Yesterday I collected a bucket full of elderflowers - some to make cordial and some to make wine. The cordial is done; I've made a large bottle for us, a smaller one for my Mum and frozen the rest.

The wine is now fermenting in a bucket until we return from France but here are the flowers in the saucepan with lemons. The kitchen smelt wonderful.

Elderflowers in the pot

That's about all my news for now - pre warning of a large blog when we're back with maybe a few photos haha

Thanks for calling by - happy blogging to you all

Exchange stitching

We've just had a lovely weekend at the caravan with Hubby's mum and partner and I did a little stitching but it was all for an exchange so no sharing :(

I have two exchange pieces to send off soon as the posting dates are while we're away, Both are for Needlecraft Haven - the Meet Up exchange is ready to go and I am nearly done with the Summer exchange.

All this exchange work means not only have I no pictures to share but my other stitching has not had a look in. I am hoping to make up my travel project but just before we went to Wales I planned to reline Philippa's caravan curtains. Unfortunately my machine stopped working. I had no time to look properly but maybe this week I can see what's wrong - I really would like to complete my project ready to take away later this month. Please send positive mending thoughts my way :)

The weather in Wales was lovely - we went to Barmouth on Saturday for the start of the Three Peaks Yacht Race. The town was very busy and it was quite warm in the sun. Ruby was very good - a little jumpy with the crowds but it's all good experience for her.

The yachts lined up in the harbour and at 3.30 sailed out to the start point. I'm not sure what time they were actually setting off as they were still there at 4.30 when we'd travelled round the estuary to go home, although their sails were up.

We stayed in and around Tywyn for the remainder of our short break - plenty of walking along the front, restful sitting outside in the sun, plenty of good food and wine - a perfect break.

On our way home we called at Kerry Vale Vineyard - it' s a fairly new venture that we've wanted to call at before. They have a lovely coffee shop which will be one of our stop overs if we travel that route again. We also sampled three of their wines - our first Welsh wine - and two bottles have joined our cellar at home :)

We had a lovely surprise when we arrived home - there was a large rose bush in a large pot on our patio table. The rose bush is Happy Anniversary and is from our lovely son Michael. He has given it us early as he needed transport help from my Mum (she is now away and back the day we go away). It's a beautiful red/pink with lots of buds about to bloom.

Happy Anniversary rose from Michael

Before we left I made up July - The Drawn Thread. I thought I should as we're away the end of June and it needs to be ready for the mantle. Our June mantle is quite light at the moment, our new place markers are there with my June piece but that's about all.

July - The Drawn Thread

Thanks for calling by - I'm sure I'll have some more stitching news soon and I know I'll have some holiday news but that may be posted on Aimetu's.  Hugs and wishes to all, especially those in need at the moment x x x x

June - an exciting month

But before I post about June I must just add a little from May - we had an amazing time in Wales both at the caravan and with Philippa as she carried the Queen's Baton last Sunday.

 

 

 I have add a separate page with lots of photos on Aimetu's

 

http://aimetus.blogspot.co.uk/p/the-queens-baton-relay.html 

 

and our local paper ran a piece too

 

http://www.nuneaton-news.co.uk/Student-s-amazing-day-Queen-s-Relay-Baton-bearer/story-21162246-detail/story.html

 

On our way to the caravan Nick and I visited Powis Castle - something we can't do when we have Ruby with us but everytime we pass we say we'd like to visit. It's was a glorious day and the castle was just stunning.

 

Main entrance through the courtyard

Looking over the gardens

Views of the surrounding countryside

Side view of castle as
it's perched on its rock

Beautiful wisteria

King in residence

We did discover that you can take dogs in the grounds and in the courtyard so this may well become our refreshment stop on our travels, especially if it's a nice day as Ruby could have a lovely walk in the grounds which saves a job later.

We had a lovely few days at the caravan - it does make a difference going alone as we can stay out longer and visit more places. This time we went to Porthmadog so Hubby could visit the Purple Moose Brewery and of course buy a few 'samples'.

 

Tywyn beach looking towards Aberystwyth



Tywyn beach looking west



Ffestinog Railway coming into Porthmadog

Porthmadog harbour

 

As you can see we had a lovely time - and June is full of more adventures. Next weekend we're back at the caravan with DH's Mum and partner (and Ruby) for a long weekend and then on the 20th Hubby and I are off to London followed by 4 days in Paris for our wedding anniversary - a special one this time - 25 years :)

 

My Mum and stepdad are also away in June so they popped round this afternoon to give us a pressie - they have already bought us a camellia 'Silver Anniversary' - today they have given us a beautiful set of place holders, a Portmerion salt & pepper set and Mum made a lace insert for a silver plate.

 

Pressies from Mum & Keith

 

We are having a small party in July but have requested donations not gifts in memory of Hubby's Dad who sadly passed away of pancreatic cancer just 8 months after our wedding

 

http://www.justgiving.com/NickClareHearnden25th

 

I do have a little stitching to share - but not much as most of my stitching lately is for exchanges. However I have finished my June piece for the mantle, the stitching on my travel project and started a new little project for me.

 

June - The Drawn Thread

Travel Project - ready to make up

New project for me

 

I guess that's all from me for now - I'll be blogging after our weekend away and maybe again before our special holiday. Thank you for calling by - I hope you've enjoyed reading all my news, I certainly enjoyed making it :) 

 

Stitch from Stash May

I can't believe it's the end of May - the time has flown, especially the last week or so. I have lots to blog so will blog on Aimetu's Stitching and Aimetu's today - this blog is purely for Stitch from Stash and my stitching ... so here's my update:

Charts

• Hearts Full of Love - Lynn's chart sent with RR
• Meet Up Exchange
• Summer Exchange
• French Country - Amour
• Monthly Challenge -- free chart The Little Stitcher

Fabric

• 28ct antique white
• 32ct ecru

Thread

• DMC colours as required for charts
• Weeks Dye Works as required for charts

Finishing

• backing fabric Summer Exchange
• ribbon Summer Exchange
• Christmas fabric Monthly Challenge
• gold ribbon Monthly Challenge

Additions to Stash

• seaside ribbon 25p (one metre)
• owl ribbon 25p (one metre)
• flag ribbon 25p (one metre)
• heart ribbon 90p (one roll)
• Paris fabric £2.75 (fat quarter)
• pink fabric £1.25 (fat quarter)
• plastic coaster Meet Up Exchange (£1.69)

Total spent £7.34

My section on Lynn's RR

Lynn's RR so far

May Monthly Challenge

My Travel Project kitted up

Santa's House - completed
(minus the white)

Ribbons bought for stash

CCN Monthly charts
prize from Stitch from Stash

I can't share some of this months photos just yet but I will do soon. Thank you for calling by to see this month's Stitch from Stash - even though I did spend a little hee hee