Stitch from Stash March 2015

Month 3 of Mel's great Stitch from Stash - I love doing this although this year I will have to buy a few charts as they are specific ones I do hot have in my stash but more about that as the year progresses.

My budget carried forward from February is: £84.10

Month: March

Spent: £zero

Earned: £24 

My budget carried forward to April is: £133.10

It's nice to 'earn' money from stitching - it's just a shame it's virtual money. As I don't work I am extra careful with my hobby spending although Hubby is a darling I do try to use things I already have which is why I love Mel's SFS.

As always if you are a follower of my blog you may have seen a few of these photos before, sorry. Anyway here are my finishes that have 'earned' extra stash money. 

Gazette 94 free online design

This was January's Monthly Challenge set by Christine, one of Needlecraft Haven's lovely members. I was late in completing this so have claimed it this month. I earned £4 on this finish.

Luli free online design

And this was Christine's choice for our February Challenge - again I was late stitching so am claiming it this month. I haven't even started March's Challenge yet so that will be next month. I earned £2 on this finish.

At one of the Needlecraft Haven Meet Up's I received a lovely coaster kit in my goodie bag from Angi. It was Victorian Posy by Rainbow Gallery and Angi included a printout of the free chart, fabric and a coaster for finishing. Instead of using black (it was a blackwork project) I used DMC 122 variegated green. It turned out really well - there's a photo in my previous blog here. I earned £2 on this finish.

This year on Needlecraft Haven I decided to host a Four Season's SAL instead of as an exchange. There's three months to stitch the season, January, February and March was Spring. I decided to stitch Jardin Prive's freebie for spring - a beautiful tree and I'll be doing her other trees for the following seasons. I found a lovely frame in Asda, perfect size and square !! I earned £8 on this finish. 

Jardin Prive Spring

My final piece for Stitch from Stash is my November project from The Drawn Thread. I have finally stitched it so will now move onto December, the last in the series. I will then have October, November and December to make up and all my mantle pieces will be done. I earned £8 on this finish.

November - The Drawn Thread

So quite a productive month all told. I don't have many urgent projects to do now, I have Santa's Village to work on but I'm changing a bit of that so it's being a bit tricky at the moment. I have the challenges to catch up and do and I have not even started my 12 church pieces for the tree at Christmas, but nothing to worry about time wise which is a nice feeling. 

Away from stitching we have just opened our caravan for the season - this is probably the last year we will have it as now it is just Hubby and I we would like to spend our weekends (and money) on visiting new places. It's our 9th season at the caravan and we still love it but times change. It was a beautiful weekend,although I was unwell on Saturday we did manage a walk along the sea front with a pause for a hot chocolate whilst sitting and looking out to sea.

 

Champagne to celebrate opening up for 2015 

The beautiful Cambrian Coast

Sunny Sunday

I hope you've all had a great March in our Stitch from Stash 2015 challenge - thank you for calling by, happy stitching x x

Gifted Gorgeousness March 2015

It's month three of Jo's SAL, Gifted Gorgeousness. I'm really enjoying taking part, all the details are on her blog post here.

It was Mother's Day here in the UK yesterday - I hope everyone had a lovely day with those you love and you shared memories of Mum's who in the past loved you. Philly came home from Uni for the weekend and we had a buffet lunch for the Grandmas.

My first gift this month are these cakes for my Mum and MIL - it's the first time I used my alphabet cutter for the icing.

Mother's Day cakes

Stitching wise you may have seen these 'gifts' already - I find some parts of the SAL tricky because if I'm stitching a gift I can't share the progress and I like to post once I can as well as posting for GG15 - so quietness then double posting hahaha

Gift for Philly's 21st birthday

A kit gifted to my by Angi at a Needlecraft Haven Meet Up
Victorian Posy by Rainbow Gallery

Valentine's card for Deb (Sweet Feet Exchange)

 I stitched the hearts on perforated paper and backed them with felt, they are detachable from the card to make an ornament. It took Postie 4 weeks to deliver my parcel to Deb in USA, a little late for Valentine's Day, I'm just glad it arrived.

I was so lucky to win Gillie's Primitive Hare Gifted Giveaway - as soon as the chart arrives I'll be kitting it up and making a start - because it's a gift to me I will be able to share the progress - I'll probably add it as my Thursday stitching on my rotation plan - thanks Gillie x

Happy stitching everyone - thanks for calling by :)

Catch Up

I've been so busy stitching gifts that I had fallen behind with Needlecraft Haven's Monthly Christmas Challenge. NH member Christine chooses a freebie online design for us each month which we stitch and finish but keep secret. All photos are sent to Christine who opens a Gallery at the end of each month. Because I'm late I can reveal mine, although I have sent Christine the photos for the galleries too.

Challenge 1 from Gazette 94

Challenge 2 from Luli

And being as it's only 5th of March I may get this month's challenge stitched in time.

I have also finished a little freebie kit I was given - my memory is not good but I think it was in one of the goody bags at a Needlecraft Haven Meet Up - and I think the goody bag was from Angi.

It's a lovely design by Rainbow Gallery called Victorian Posy Blackwork. I used the 14ct ecru that was in the kit and DMC 122 which is a lovely variegated green. Although the chart said one strand because I used a colour instead of black I used two - I'm really pleased with it.

Victorian Posy by Rainbow Gallery

I've been working on my November The Drawn Thread and Santa's Village but more on those next time. I have been baking again - I made a batch of Welsh Cakes. It was so easy with my new mixer, so much so I'm going to try scones next :)

Welsh Cakes

Thanks for calling by, and for the lovely comments that have been left on my posts :)

St David's Day

The 1st March is St David's Day - the patron saint of Wales. His emblems are daffodils and leeks, so I have a jug of daffodils on the sideboard and we've leeks with dinner. Being a Welsh celebration most people have lamb but we're having chicken - although I might make a few Welsh Cakes after watching the rugby on tv.

St David's Day daffodils

and as it's a new month it's time to change my Drawn Thread mantle piece. I love having these to change each month, they are gorgeous designs.

The Drawn Thread - March

This morning Hubby and I took a walk around Bosworth Battle Field - I have felt unwell since Wednesday and the fresh air helped although now I'm having a sofa afternoon. I have a feeling my MS has flared up after all the excitement of our daughter's birthday, a few more days rest should have my arms and legs back to normal.

Bosworth Battle Field is where King Richard III lost his crown to Henry Tudor. King Richard's remains were discovered in Leicester a few years ago and this year he will have a reburial at Leicester Cathedral. The website has so much detail, in, there's lots happening - we are very excited as my step-dad Keith has been invited to be at the Cathedral on 26th March for the reburial - even more exciting as it's Keith's birthday. The burial procession is going all around the villages near us on Sunday 22nd March.

King Richard III - http://kingrichardinleicester.com

After 4 weeks my exchange gift to Deb in USA has finally arrived. This was for Needlecraft Haven Sweet Feet Valentine's Exchange. The exchange was to stitch a card, send a pair of socks with threads to match. I was so pleased with my card - I stitched the hearts on perforated paper and hung them in the card opening so Deb could detach them and use as an ornament. I was so sad when they hadn't arrived and was just about to stitch again when they were delivered.

My Valentine's card for Deb

Sweet Feet Valentine's Exchange for Deb

 Wishing you all a very happy St David's Day - spring is on it's way, thank you for calling by x x x