Round Robin and SALs

Tomorrow is the first posting day for the Round Robin I've organised on Stitch and Stash. I have decided to to another table topper and have chosen to use Lizzie Kate's seasons designs. I have marked out where the designs need to go and plotted it out on the computer to show how it will look finished.

I am sending to Dusty in USA each time - we've decided to use international recorded so they should getthere inone piece. It will be September by the time the Robins are back home.

I have started stitching my Fa La La for the Little House Needleworks SAL I am doing it over one which is a bit fiddly at night. I have just started the snowy base but it will have to wait a while as I have other stitching to do.

I need to get working on the Travelling Stitcher SAL as it's supposed to be finished this month and I haven't even started.

And today is the January update for the TUSAL - here's my jar.

I am loving my iPod touch - it means that every day I can pop online to check my favourite sites. It's really good for making notes, I now have a cleaning rota, a menu, a stitching log and a blog log.

Well best get back to my Travelling Stitcher, thanks for readingmy news, happy stitching everyone.

Snow Day x 2

Well we had the white stuff arrive Tuesday evening and school has been closed for two days - not sure about tomorrow yet either as the boiler isn't working properly. So I have been at home entertaining Ruby and DD who is also off as her school is closed.

I took some photos yesterday of the garden and Ruby playing - it's just as thick today.

and this is her enjoying her disc when we got home today from our walk- it's plastic disc which we fill with cream cheese and her homemade biscuits. She spends ages licking and playing with it to get the food out.

Yesterday I sorted out the Stitch and Stash Round Robin. There are six of us taking part; Dusty, Lynn, Jaclyn, Chris, Tina and me. I'm waiting for my charts to arrive but I did overlock my fabric so at least that's ready. I just need to mark out once the charts are here and I can be sure of the design sizes.

I did some laminating and then guilotining for school, it took ages but I'm very pleased with the resource. It is to help students learn compound and complex sentences in a visual way rather then just reading or writing about them.

And last night I finished the stitching on my second ornament for this year's tree - Symmetry. I do like it but I am not going to do any more in the metalic thread, it takes too long and is so annoying becuase the thread breaks or twists too much. I am going to use the same booklet (freebie from WOCS) but I will be changing the thread to DMC. DS has just got back from town with the felt I wanted so if I get time today I might finish them off :)

 My plans today are to do some work for school, play with Ruby, stitch (hopefully my Fa La La), and maybe do a bit of cooking. I hope everyone is warm and safe, happy stitching.

Stitching - hurrah

Well I think 2010 will be good if the last few weeks is anything to go by. We have changed Ruby's food to only natural ingredients so I cook meat and two veg for her every day BUT she is so much better and most evenings now settles down for a long sleep by 'mum'. She now comes to us for fuss and although she still barks a little it is nothing to like the first few months. All this means I CAN STITCH :) :) :)

I have just updated the 2010 Weekly SAL with my work on St George (Julie - I'm still working on it). It's a lovely SAL with loads of beautiful work - quite enabling so I better be careful.

Unfortunately the frog visited today too so although I have done all the red on the left I actually did it twice LOL. I hope he carries on with his own stitching and leaves mine alone in future.

I had a fantastic moment on Saturday. I have also joined the Little House Ornies SAL which is to stitch the ornaments from Little House Needleworks as they are released each month. I have ordered mine with Down Sunshine Lane and they post them out each month from US. The first ornament was Fa La La and it was released in November 2009. I watched the SAL blog with envy as everyone stitched theirs but mine didn't arrive - well Saturday it did, hurrah. I now have my copy and can get stitching. Well done Postie - 21st November to 2nd January - not so long long really, just a year apart LOL.

Back to work tomorrow - I've had a brilliant festive season, we've spent time with family and friends, been on a coupleof breat days out and had some quiet time at home.

Happy stitching to you all - I hope you have many HDs in 2010.

2010 is here :)

Happy New Year to you all - I hope 2010 will be a great year for everyone.

I have started an additional blog for my Symmetry ornaments for this year's tree at church -I wanted to keep the ornaments I do and others that are donated ina separate section so they can be appreciated all year round.

I have cleared out my TUSAL 2009 jar and emptied it ready for TUSAL 2010 - and there are now some orts in it from my ornament stitching. It's a beautiful bon bon jar I found in a charity shop in Wales,hopefully this year I can fill it LOL.

Look who came visiting early this morning - he has not been around for a long time - what a lovely start to 2010.

Happy stitching in 2010

** Time for stitching **

At last I have had time to just chill - and I have spent today sorting out my 2010 cross stitch projects - now that's what I call a good Boxing Day :)

So here are the things I'm doing next year:

St Lawrence's Tree Festival - my theme is 'symmetry'

I have decided to stitch ornaments they are vertically symmetrical (so if you put a mirror down the centre the image will be the same both sides. I have found some designs from World of Cross Stitching Xmas Cards booklet. I'm starting with the filigree designs and am using Maderia metallic thread 4022 & 4065. I'm using up my small bits of fabric and am using 28ct Quaker Cloth in white for my first few. I am doing this as part of the Christmas Design SAL

Travelling Stitcher

I have joined Chris' SAL and my chart pack arrived just before Chrismtas from Polstitches. I found some natural linen fabric in the attic stash which I think is 30ct (well it has too many holes for 28ct and not quite enough for 30ct) The floss came with the chart, it's Crescent Colours and I've used my floss ring for the first time to keep them tidy :)

Little House Needleworks SAL

I have also joined this SAL, you may have seem my first three ornaments although I have not finished them yet. I have not stitched Fa La La which is the first official ornament as my chart did not arrive from US. Hopefully it is in the Christmas post and will arrive soon. The next chart is on it's way so fingers crossed that arrives and I can get stitching. I have chosen 28ct Quaker Cloth in Natural to do these ornaments, hopefully I will have enough to do them all but if not then I'll just have to go shopping - won't that be a shame ;)

Stitch and Stash - 2010 Round Robin

I am organising this on the Stitch and Stash forum. There are 5 stitchers so far. I have decided to do another table topper and have spent a lovely afternoon browsing the internet for charts. I've decided on Lizzie Kate's Autumn, Spring, Summer and Winter Baskets, along with her Friends of all Seasons. I am using Zweigert 28ct Jubilee in Antique White and will be asking my fellow robins to use DMC floss. I have an idea of the layout but will make a final decision when the charts arrive.

My other project is the 2010 Weekly SAL on which I hope to finish my St George, and maybe the two Christmas designs I did not finish this year.

We had a lovely day yesterday with the family here for dinner, everyone loved their gifts and I was so lucky to have an iPod Touch from DH, DS and DD. They had even had the back engraved "Clare Hearnden - With Love Nick, Michael and Philippa x x " - it was such a special thing to do.
Thank you to all my friends for the lovely gifts, especially Julie, Karan and Brenda. I have loads of choccies which I will have to ration to keep on Slimming World - I lost another 1.5 pounds last week which means just 1 pound t go to my 2 stone - but I think Christmas will delay it a bit :)

Just a few photos to finish with - and to wish you all a very

HAPPY NEW YEAR

All of us at the bowling Christmas Eve

Ruby and her new toy

My chocolate cake and Michael's gingerbread house - yum yum.

Season's Greetings - God bless

Merry Christmas

to you all - I hope you all have a wonderful festive time.

I have not sent many cards this year but have instead added to my charity fund on Aimetu's Stitchery

We've had a wonderful Christmas Eve tea - homemade pizza and curly fries LOL and we are just off to Lakeside for a couple of games of bowling. Now Michael and Philippa are older we always go bowling Christmas Eve to start the festivities. Here's our Eve table; I'll take one tomorrow too - I love setting the table.

Tomorrow we have Dad, Mum and my step-dad here for dinner. All the gifts are ready and the food is waiting - I've even managed to cook Ruby some special biscuits.

I have also been stitching - I've done some work on Christmas Tidings which I am hoping to finish over the hols - although I also have to do some work on St George, plan my Round Robin, set up my Travelling Stitcher and sort out my ornament plans for next year's tree - it will be called Symmetry so all my ornaments will be virtically symmetrical :)

Have a wonderful festive time, love to you and your families, God bless.

Peaceful Sunday

I had a great day yesterday - we took dad to the church to see the trees and met Julie and her DH there too :) My mum and step dad were also there, as was my god-mother (dad's cousin) and another one of dad's cousins and her daughter. It was quite a family affair LOL. Julie always comes over - it's great to meet up and chat.

I have managed to do some of my Christmas Wishes stitching - first time in months LOL. But I have realised that it is stitching that gives me a headache in the morning - I think it is connected to my right shoulder and neck and is to do with the actual action of stitching. I am trying a hot wheat bag whilst I am stitching and am going to try some ibruprofen gel too. I'm seeing my specialist on Wednesday so will ask him if he has any ideas. I have thought this before and did at one time try to stitch left handed. I have joined 2010 Weekly SAL thanks to seeing it on Karan's blog. The UFO night on Stitch and Stash was really good but I couldn't always stitch on the nominated day so I thought this SAL would be better as it gives me a week to stitch - I'll be working on my St George.

Ruby is improving but it is very slow work. People who visit say she is getting better but there is still a way to go. I do however hear of other people's dogs and their habits which make Ruby seem like an angel LOL. So far she has ripped a stuffed reindeer and Friday she ate a bauble from the tree - glass one but DH said she crunched it up well. Yesterday she started eating the cotoneasta berries - I hope they are not posionous. I have baked her some doggie bisuits which look ok but I will not be eating them as they are tuna flavoured. All ingredients from my store cupboard with no colours or flavourings so she should be ok.

And what about Strictly I am so pleased for Chris - he certainly travelled the longest distance on the learning curve - a perfect pair - Congratulations Ola and Chris :)

So our perfect Sunday is hair cut day - our hairdresser is just doing dad then I'm the last one. Lunch is always at the pub in haircut Sunday - and then this afternoon is chillin' time - just a stroll with Ruby and then staying in nice and cosy :) I just need to wrap DH's pressies for tomorrow - birthday boy :)

Have a great weekend - I hope you are all sorted for Christmas, enjoy the festivities.

God bless, Merry Christmas to you all.