FFO, WIPocalypse and Smalls for July

I just haven't been online, no real reason, time just seems to be running away but I'm not actually busy ... I do apologise for not blog visiting, I noticed there's lots of Olympic stitching happening so I must pop by to read all your news. 

Here's my very late FFO post, my slightly late WIPocalypse post and my on time Smalls post - hee hee

I am up to Day 6 with my 12 Days of Christmas SAL. It feels weird to be half way through the year. It is easier to stitch the beads on now the light is bright, why did I use invisable thead! I'm doing this SAL with the members of Needlecraft Haven and Jo's Group on Facebook. 

I'm also doing Jo's JCS SAL on Facebook. I'm a bit out of sync but I have finished Ursula Michael Designs My Friendly Gnome which was the choice for May.

At Needlecraft Haven we have seasonal challenges. Each season there is a Christmas themed design and a general design to stitch. I have stitched the spring challenge Belle Parole from La Comtesse but stitched the words individually instead of the main tree.

I found the fabric in my stash, lovely gold flecks and it did stitch up well but finishing was a bit tricky. I found the fabric so soft and it unravelled very easily making turning and closing a challenge. 

These were my WIPocalypse plans for July along with how I did: 

• 12 Days of Christmas - Seven Swans-a-swimming - kitted up
• JCS ornament SAL - My Big Toe Designs Merry Christmas - kitted up
• JCS ornament SAL - Carolyn Manning Designs - Caroling Friends -kitted up
• A wedding gift - finished
• A birthday gift - finished 
• Summer Challenges with Needlecraft Haven - one completed, one kitted up 

Not bad really as my focus was the two gifts, especially the wedding gift which I can share in September. The birthday gift can be shown next month. 

Here's my August plans (is it really August!):

• 12 Days of Christmas - Seven Swans-a-swimming
• 12 Days of Christmas - Eight Maids-a-milking
• JCS ornament SAL - My Big Toe Designs - Merry Christmas
• JCS ornament SAL - Carolyn Manning Designs - Caroling Friends
• JCS ornament SAL  - Lisa LeAnn Designs - O Christmas Tree 
• Summer Exchange with Needlecraft Haven
• Summer Challenge with Needlecraft Haven 

As I have said before I'm going to look at my stitching calendar for 2022 in August/September to try to have a difference from just Christmas stitching. There are Christmas SALs I will still do but I need more variety. I might even set myself a finishing challenge .... oh! 

Looking at my post I did complete quite a bit this month, the wedding gift took a while. Hopefully next month I'll be posting on time. Thank you for visiting, it's lovely to read our comments. I'll leave you with a few photos from last weekend when our daughter and boyfriend came to stay, first time in 2021, we had such a lovely time. 

Gifted Gorgeousness in July

Oh my I'm way off my stitching plans, my reading plans too and I have no reason why, I just seem to be slow at everything including blogging and other online stuff. However nothing is a necessity and my life is not ruled by the internet so it will be what it is hee hee

That said I have one GG to share. I made this earlier in the year for my friend's special birthday. She lives in the USA and shares her birthday with Independence Day, however Mr Postie delayed my parcel so it has only just arrived. 

The design is Tulip Heart by Make Stuff Be Happy, a freebie design that was the Winter Challenge on Needlecraft Haven. I slightly changed the layout and made it into a tissue pouch, my very first attempt. 

I am a day late for Gifted Gorgeousness as it is the 15th of each month. It is still good to 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. 

Although I have no more stitching gifts you might like to pop over to my other blog Aimetu's- wine, food and travel. Our son gifted us for Christmas a gin making day which we did last Saturday and our daughter and partner, also for Christmas, adopted us a vine . I've put the links to each post as the caption to the photos ... two great gifts from our great, now grown up, children. 

Bond Street Distillery - our gin making day

White Castle Vineyard - our adopted vine