Plenty of progress

A week into 2015 and my rotation is going really well. I've stitched on all my pieces and will have another finish in a day or two but as it's a gift you will have to have a peek later. I have been able to share it on Needlecraft Haven as the recipient is not a member hee hee

I can however share this gift I made earlier in January for my stitching friend Gill's birthday. It's a simple but effective beaded scissor fob and I hope to do more beading this year as well as my stitching.

Beaded scissor fob

My weekend stitching is UFO time with Julie and Mr Stick (our Needlecraft Haven task masters who help us all finish those left behind project) I'm working on Drawn Thread October and did not have a lot of time this weekend as it's also gift stitching time. However my October house now has a roof and there is a black cat residing.

The Drawn Thread - October

Last Wednesday I was in the Parlour with Miss Barb and the other ladies working on LHN, CCN or Sampler Girl designs. There is some lovely work being done, I am using the Parlour to do my tablecloth as it's going to be a long job and the Parlour ladies certainly make it a cosy friendly evening's stitching.

Santa's Sleighworks - CCN

My tree at church next Christmas will be on the theme of Joy to the World. I did include a photo of my main ornament in my last post and I have now started my first ornament. It's from Just Cross Stitch - a page from a magazine I had saved in my stash.



Joy ornament

I have also started the Monthly Christmas Challenge that Christine chooses every month - this month's a actually a New Year ornament, it's lovely.

Later this week is the blog posting time for Gifted Gorgeousness, I will post on the 15th but there will not be much to say as like I said earlier because items are gifts they are not sharable when working on them hee hee

Have a lovely week, thank you for calling by Aimetu's Stitching - I do have another blog about my travels and other things if you'd like an extra read - Aimetu's our latest trip was to Portsmouth. 

A New Year, a new rotation and a first finish !!

Happy New Year everyone - I hope 2015 has started well for you and continues to be a happy & healthy one.

I have reassessed my stitching and my goals for 2015, there are a few special things to be done, exchanges and SALs, never mind things I see and fancy doing for me. The later part of 2014 saw my rotation plans slide away; I have set up a new rotation for 2015 - here's hoping I can do better this year.

Saturday and Sunday - gifts if time is short or UFO which is not my Drawn Thread October, November and December

Monday - finishing day or stitching as the weekend

Tuesday - ornament for church tree

Wednesday - Santa's village in the Parlour with Miss Barb

Thursday - monthly challenge or ornament for church

Friday - whatever is urgent or takes my fancy 

 

 

I'll be stitching with Julie and Mr Stick at Needlecraft Haven to do my UFO. My church theme for next year is 'Joy to the World', last Christmas Mary gave me the Lizzie Kate chart - the ornament I stitched will be be top of my tree and I'll be doing lots of other ornaments one the 'Joy' theme. The ornament is actually filled with my 2013 orts, but more about orts later.

 

 

Christine is doing the Monthly Christmas Ornament again on Needlecraft Haven so my Thursday night will be keeping up with this SAL. There is a lot happening on NH - it's such a lovely forum to host as everyone is so friendly. I'm organising a Four Season's SAL this year (instead of the exchanges we did the last two years)

Back to orts for a moment - I collect my orts firstly in my little pot in my stitch box but then in my beautiful bonbon jar. At the end of the year I stitch and ornament and fill it with the orts, as I said Joy to the World was stuffed with my 2013 orts. This year I have stitched LHN Baked Goods and used my 2014 orts - so I now have another ornament for our tree and an empty bonbon jar ready to be filled with 2015 orts.

Baked goods is also the start of my Stitch from Stash 2015 - the chart was a gift last year from Barb the fabric and threads from my stash, and the backing fabric and cord is also from my stash. All told a great start and because the chart was a gift I think I can also include it in Gifted Gorgeousness.

So a great start for my stitching year - and I have picked up one of my old hobbies but I can't share yet as it's a gift. Just my reading to catch up with.

Wishing you and your families a very happy & healthy 2015

Thank you to all my friends

I've had a lovely Christmas with friends and family - thank you everyone x x 

Here's all our festive fun in pictures :)

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

I hope you've all had a good Christmas

with your loved ones - Merry Christmas x x x

 

Wishing you and your families a very Happy New Year !!



Merry Christmas

It's Christmas Eve and I think we're done. I have a few things to finish off in the kitchen but all the gifts are wrapped and have been delivered or are waiting under the tree for tomorrow.

I have no photos to share in this post - I just want to wish you all a wonderful time with loved ones present, and cherished memories of loved ones passed, so here's something from us to you (click for link)

Merry Christmas  

Stitch from Stash 2014 - December.... the final !!

I cannot believe it's the final posting for Stitch from Stash 2014 - a HUGE thank you to Mel for all her hard work in organising and running this fun online challenge ..... and for doing it all again next year !!

I have managed to have a zero spend for half the year - I didn't spend anything until May but seemed to spend more in the following months, although most things were for gifts, exchanges or meet up goody bags.

So here is my final month of 2014's report:

Charts

• Jardin Prive - Friendship
• Monthly Challenge - Ancsanaplo - Winter
• Monthly Challenge - Pigna di Natale - Christmas Pine Cone
• CCN - Santa's Sleighworks

Fabric

• 32ct white evenweave
• 14ct sage green aida

Thread

• DMC as chart requires

Finishing

• Green Merry Christmas Ribbon
• Red Season's Greeting Ribbon
• Christmas bells backing fabric
• stuffing

Additions to Stash

• Two Lizzie Kate charts (gifts to be stitched in 2015 so cannot say which)
• 32ct Permin Linen Lambswool

Total spend £20.66

 

I am so looking forward to 2015, although I need to re-read the rules as a few things have changed. My stash boxes are no longer in the attic so I will be able to get finishing items, threads and fabrics much easier. I think my stitching has increased since I brought them down too as I know I put off finishing before because of having to go up the ladder.

 

I have finished November and December's monthly challenge on Needlecraft Haven but I can only share November's and I have started work on my Santa's Village table cloth again which I stitch every Wednesday in The Parlour on Needlecraft Haven.

 

November Monthly Challenge

Santa's Sleighworks

I have three exciting projects for 2015 - all special gifts so I cannot share on my blog until they are received. I have already bought the charts (that's my spending this month) and am going to start one today because I'm so excited about it)

My total spend in 2014 was .........  £105.40 which is less than £10 a month - I'm quite proud of my small spending amount and I'm sure Hubby is pleased too :)

10 days until Christmas

We've had The Round Table (charity collection) round tonight with Santa on his sleigh all lit up, music playing. His visit every year makes the start of Christmas for me - I just love to see him on his sleigh.

Our decorations have been up a while - earlier than ever before. I have finished shopping and wrapping - earlier than ever before too hee hee. Our tree this year is in the lounge ad we can again safely put gifts underneath it. I have my usual snowmen on the mantle and mistletoe in our hall, visitors you have been warned.

Our tree filled with ornaments 

Our Christmas mantle

'I saw Mummy kissing Santa Claus'

I have some cooking to do but nothing much until nearer Christmas Day - we will be 8 for Christmas Dinner but we're out on Boxing Day so I don't need to do party stuff.

I have finished my monthly challenge from Needlecraft Haven ... for November !! A little late but I have also finished the one for December but I can't share that one just yet.

November Christmas Ornament

and I have finally been stitching on my Santa Village table cloth - I knew it had been a while but when I check it was early September when I last did any work on it. My rotation has completely stopped and consequently my stitching has been very slow. I definitely stitch more when using a rotation plan. Here's my progress on CCN Santa's Sleighworks.

Sleigh progress

I hope all your festive plans are going well - remember though it is just one day and gifts are given for love/friendship not value or cost. Take time to enjoy getting everything ready, there's nothing better than a coffee break surrounded by wrapping, ribbon and tinsel.

Merry Christmas everyone x x

Christmas is coming !!

It's December 1st so Christmas is coming and I have started to put a few things around the house; namely our advent lights, count down board, Santa's Workshop and Gingerbread House candle holders, advent calendar and advent candle.

Scandinavian advent candle 

December mantle with advent calendar & candle

Count down

We've also received our first few Christmas cards so I have put up one of our Santa card holders - by Christmas we have usually filled the two we have.

Santa card holder

Needlecraft Haven has turned festive with a whole section just for Christmas and today is Opening Day for the Ornament Exchange. I received a lovely ornament and card signed by my ' secret stitcher' as Christine will reveal who sent to who once all the ornaments have been received. I have no idea who sent mine but it's gorgeous - thank you secret stitcher.

Christmas Ornament Exchange

I'm sure mine has arrived but I'm not saying with who or where and I can't share a photo just yet.

Saturday was the Grande Finale in our 100 Wine Challenge for scouts - I will be blogging on Aimetu's later this week but I wanted to share a photo of the gorgeous gifts we received as a 'thank you' - a real surprised which really touched me.

A beautiful bouquet

Great wine man

I hope you are all beginning to be in the festive mood and not just weighed down with shopping, wrapping and baking. It's a time to be enjoyed not exhausted.

Thanks for calling by and reading my Advent news :)