Tuesday 7 January 2014

Welcome RR, Exchange and a SAL

My 2014 is off to a great stitching start - Needlecraft Haven is very busy with some activities nearing posting time, many are in stitching time and sign ups are open for other activities. I do enjoy hosting NH - it's members are so lovely.

Firstly I have two Happy Dances and it's only 7th January :-) At the Nuneaton Meet Up in the autumn the Meet Up exchange was launched. Everyone who wanted to join in wrote a few details about themselves in a card - we all picked a card and had to stitch a ornament with a saying on for them. My ornament is finished and has been posted. Mine is for ....... and the saying is ....... (revealed next blog)

My second Happy Dance is for the Monthly Christmas Challenge on Needlecraft Haven. This is not run by me but a great forum member Christine. This year the monthly SAL and monthly Christmas ornament SAL have been combined. Christine shares a freebie chart each month which we stitch, finish and send her a photo. At the end of the month the gallery is opened showing all our various finishes using the same design. Mine is done but again you'll need to wait a while for the photo.

I do have a photo to share - I have decided to join in Mel's Stitch from Stash this year. It means all my projects (unless for an RR or particular gift) have to be stitched and finished from my stash. There is an allowance of $25 a month but I am hoping not to use this.

For me this challenge is perfect as now I have retired I don't like asking Hubby for stitching money (although he'd happily pay hee hee) and I have so much stash in the attic. This will make me use up many of my bits, especially for finishing. This is the stash I selected for my first two finishes of the year.

All from my stash
This year I am also taking part in the Needlecraft Haven Welcome RR - there are 5 of us in the group; Ursh, Lynn, Dusty and Gillie. My design is quite simple and relatively small but it's something I have wanted stitched for ages. It's actually two designs that I will be making into a hanging - one for summer and one for winter (as the clocks change)


Creative Moments Winter and Summer Welcome Banner
The chart was given to me over 5 years ago and I have kitted it up from my stash so still on track for the Stitch from Stash challenge.

Two other things I am hoping to do in 2014 is read more books, a mixture of physical books and ebooks, and do more cooking/baking. This is also off to a great start as yesterday I finished reading my first 2014 book and Sunday I baked a fabulous pudding to use up some Christmas left overs.

This is one of the free books on Amazon
Panetone and marmalade pudding with orange
coulis and sweetened yogurt
A New Year can feel very strange, lots of new plans made and promises made - it's easy to put pressure on ourselves to keep these promises up or think that if the year starts badly then the whole year will be this way. In reality it is just another sunrise/sunset day - it is only humans that have put a number and significance to it - new starts, good and bad days can happen anytime ....

.... so my wish to you all is to love everyday with friends and family doing whatever you enjoy, whatever the date.

7 comments:

  1. Happy New Year. Look forward to seeing your finishes and RR.

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  2. I also joined Mel's Stitch from Stash group and I think I will have fun going through my old charts and magazines and find things I want to stitch this year.

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  3. Oh Clare, I'm blushing! Got your finish pic OK, you are the first this month
    The panetone pudding looks marvellous

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  4. Happy New Year Clare and you do a marvellous job with NH ,I like the cover on the book I just may have to go have a look see. Not that I have not got enough books to see me through until next year lol. Look forward to seeing your stitch from stash stitching. I have a collection of bits and keep saying no more.
    We are feeling the ravages down here but so far we are dry and unharmed.
    Hope you are too.

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  5. I'm looking forward to you revealing your exchange and challenge. Lovely pudding...yummy!

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  6. Looking forward to seeing all the RR's on NH, and I will be joining in with the monthly ornaments this time, although i might not get them all finished in the month, that bit seems to take me more time than stitching, lol.
    Good luck with the stitch from stash this year, sounds like a good idea (especially as we can allow ourselves some spending money, lol)

    Hope you are feeling a little better at last
    Hugs xx

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  7. Happy New Year - sounds like you have your year off to a good start with finishes.
    I have joined the Stitch from Stash group too and I'm quite looking forward to the challenge.

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