Saturday 28 November 2020

November Smalls SAL

 


This month I do have a small to share as part of Mary's Smalls SAL. The SAL is all about small stitching, any little project you have stitched, it doesn't have to be fully finished.

Here's the full details about Small SAL 2020 - thank you Mary.


My small is Block 11 for the Stitching the Night Away SAL with Needlecraft Haven. I've really enjoyed stitching these different blocks and I'm already working on Block 12.

I have been stitching but this time of year everything is for Christmas gifting. I will be able to share some in December's Gifted Gorgeousness. I'm sorry Rachel I can't show in FF next month but hope to be more organised with my blog writing in 2021. 

Please follow my blog, if you don't already, because next week I can reveal all about St. Laurence's Christmas Tree Festival and our Bouquet of Flowers ..... I'm so excited. 

Health wise I am recovering slowly. I have no more treatments or doctor appointments until the spring which is such a good feeling. My strength is returning, I'm managing a 20 minute walk each day and hoping to extend it slowly. Some days I feel great, other days I'm quite low but of course stitching always helps. 

Stay safe everyone x x 

Sunday 15 November 2020

Gifted Gorgeousness November

 

It's the 15th of each month which means it's Gifted Gorgeousness time, the time each month when we share our latest gifts. These can be gifts given or received, or any item made using fabric, threads, buttons, ribbon, chart, backing fabric that has been gifted.

This great idea is hosted each month by the lovely Jo at Serendipitous Stitching,  if you visit her blog you'll find the links to everyone's Gifted Gorgeousness posts. 

This month my stitching is mainly gifts I have given to others. During the last year my friends at Needlecraft Haven have been so supportive, as has a lovely lady I worked with over 15 years ago and my very good friend who lives in America. 

My USA friend Cathy has sent a get well card every 6 weeks, they have been real 'cheer me up' cards, she is so thoughtful and kind. I wanted to stitch something for her and during one of our video chats (something we began this year despite being friends since the mid 1990s) she mentioned she liked roses. This Durene Jones design was perfect, it was lovely to stitch, I also included a rose scented candle in my gift parcel. 

Thank you Cathy, you have been such a help, you're so kind. 


Durene Jones was also the designer of the gift I stitched for Ann, a lovely lady who I worked with when I taught at college. Although her health has also not been good, she has messaged me every time I have had a treatment or an appointment. I know Ann loves foxes so this design was an obvious choice. I was a bit sneaky and managed to find out her favourite fragrance was vanilla so I popped a vanilla candle in her gift. 

Thank you Ann, it means so much to know you care, thank you for being there.


Our son had a special birthday at the end of October, I like to stitch him a gift for special occasions but it is hard to find ones he'd like. He plays Dungeons and Dragons and is  often the Dungeon Master so I stitched these dice for him. I can't believe he turned 30!


At the end of October I did a Halloween Exchange with Christine and Mary. We were stitching scissor fobs and I had to stitch for Christine but as there was only three of us I also stitched for Mary. I stitched their initials on either side to make personal spooky scissor fobs. You can read more about our exchange on my Happy Halloween post. 




As I said before the ladies at Needlecraft Haven have been so supportive during a very difficult year. We are a very small group now with Christine, Mary, Julie, Gill and myself being the main posters. Life has not been easy for any of us this year and of course Covid has caused additional problems. I wanted to stitch something for Julie and Gill as well, keeping the initials theme I made these autumnal scissor fobs. 

Thank you ladies, NH is such a special caring place thanks to you all.



Due to Covid and the first lockdown we could not send our Easter Exchange parcels. We did put photos on the forum but did not say who we had stitched them for. As restrictions eased we sent our parcels out to arrive for Halloween. I had a lovely spring ornament from Mary, I did hang it up with my Halloween decorations but it is safely away now for next spring.

This is the ornament I stitched for Julie, as soon as I saw the design it made me think of her and her lovely Hubby.

My final gift this month is a late birthday present from Dusty, it took quite a while for Postie to bring it over the ocean but it's always nice to extend a birthday. I love the Paris chart and beautiful scissors, the little kit will be another one I can do for scouts, thank you Dusty.



Dusty also sent some flowers for my church tree, unfortunately I didn't have time to finish them for this year but they will be used. I cannot say much just yet but due to restrictions the Tree Festival will be different this year. I have finished all those sent to me earlier and I have emailed everyone a photo of their finished flower. 

I'll be able to reveal what has happened to our Bouquet of Flowers later this month, it's very exciting. 

Sunday 1 November 2020

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween to you all. I hope you all stay safe but still have fun. Hubby and I had Ghoul-lash for dinner and spooky snacks for our usual Saturday quiz with friends via Messenger. As it was Halloween and our 30th quiz night (unbelievable) we all set questions on a given spooky theme... mine was food and drink.

This year's Halloween Exchange was just between myself, Christine and Mary, we had to stitch a scissor fob. I found a great Halloween alphabet which I used to stitch Christine's initials, one on each side, and included a witch treat. 



My exchange came from Mary, she stitched a beautiful scissor fob as well as an ornament that she used for the card too, very clever. Mary also sent some Halloween serviettes which wear great to use with dinner.




I put our Halloween things out, nothing scary really, more scarecrows and pumpkins than ghosts and ghouls. I lit my porcelain tealight holders, they always give a good flicker. We don't get any door knocking as we live in a quiet cul-de-sac with only one family with young children and I think they stayed in this year. 


I hope you all had a safe but fun Halloween with plenty of treats and no tricks.