TUSAL and photos

This is a photo heavy post; my first photo is my TUSAL - I am amazed at how it's grown this year. A definite signthat Ruby is calming down as last year I hardly did any stitching because she was always getting into mischief :)

TUSAL - 30th July

I have nearly finished my square on the JTHC RR I did with Hazel, Julie and Tina on Needlecraft Haven - I have run out of 869 but think there is one in my stash. I'm off to town today to look for the cushion for it so I may have a real HD later.

I did have two HDs because two of my colleagues at school retired at the end of term.I stitched them each a little gift.

Stitched for my favourite English teacher

Stitched for a great guy who has
now retired to France

That's all my stitching news for now - we've just had a lovely few days at the caravan with Nick's mum nad her partner. We did a couple of walks, Precipice Walk and the Mawddach Trail. here's a few photos including the blueberry picking at high altitude LOL

Precipice Walk - looking north

 

Precipice Walk - looking towards
 the coast

Me and MIL - watching our step

 

The View

Ruby helping with the Blueberry picking

The five of us on the Mawddach Trail - a flatter stroll

There are a couple of other photos in my album from our walk - Wales Summer 2011.

Finally here are Philly and my orchids. They flowered last year and we thought they'd died. I have fed them and watered them - just look now. Philly's is amazing, so full of flowers - mine has fewer flowers but the colour is gorgeous.

Philly's orchid

 

My orchid

Thanks for popping by - I hope you enjoyed my photo fest - I should really blog more often but there is never enough time - good job it's school holidays :)

Take care and enjoy the summer x x

Stitching news and my TUSAL

I finally have some stitching news to share :) so not much chat, just pictures :)

My part of Julie's RR

It was Julie's first RR and I really enjoyed stitching on her piece. You can see the final piece on her blog.

I have finished off the stitching from my other RR with Dusty, Jaclyn and Chris. I have made the coasters for the caravan - I love them, thanks everyone. I am going to make a few more when I get a chance.

My coasters

Oneof my students asked if I'd stitch something for his Grandma. I adapted a LHN design and we've mounted on the front of a photo album for her - hope she liked it.

Jaye's Grandma's gift

I have started a gift for a colleague who is retiring at the end of this academic year - he has three weeks to go :) It's 'Good Wine Good Friends' by Bobbie G Designs. This is how far I have got so far.

wip 020711

And finally here's my TUSAL for this month - it's growing amazingly fast this year :)

TUSAL

Lots of stitching news :) hopefully July will be a stitchathon as I do have a few bits to do :) Thanks for popping by x x

Fabulous Time

Oh it was sooooooooooooooo nice :) too much to say in detail so here's a brief view 

• Train to London + bottle of wine
• Upgrade at hotel as special occassion  
• Views over Canary Wharf  
• Vinoplois Tour on Saturday  
• Meals at Strada and Cafe Rouge

LES MISERABLES was brilliant and I got to give Alfie the gifts in person - had superb seats - and saw most of the cast at the stage door after the show :)

 

I am still on cloud nine - I've added a few photos to my album if you want a look

Here'e my favourtie photo - I wonder why LOL

Stitching news will resume soon - promise x x x

Getting excited

Ok can now start counting in public as I've been counting in my head for days (weeks really) .........it's 2 days until I go to London with DH for our wedding anniversary AND it's 93 hours until we see Alfie Boe, Matt Lucas, Hadley Fraser and the new cast in LES MISERABLES. And last night Iread the new orchestration has a recorder part which adds to the haunting sound - that's my instrument (dreaming of becoming a musician at Les Mis aaahhhhh)

Here are my Youtube clips (I haven't played properly for over 30 years LOL) Clip 1 Clip 2 - might just Tweet them and see if I get spotted LOL LOL LOL

I have stitched a gift for Alfie and Matt, and am hoping to make one each for the main cast over the next few weeks.

Coasters for Matt and Alfie

A couple of weeks ago we were at the caravan and took Ruby for a lovely walk across the fields to the Broadwalk. DH took some gorgeous photos;

View of Cader Idris

Ready to run!!

Our garden is looking good now the plants are in pots - I bought a new rose the other week. I have never seen one like it before, it's purple.

No other news for now but I'm sure I'll have lots to share after the weekend :) Thanks for visiting, take care x

Happy Dancing in many ways

I have a few happy dances to blog today :) only one stitching but the others are just as important.

Firstly DH and I had a fabulous weekend in Wales, with DD and BF but without Ruby which made life very relaxed. Saturday was my first HD as DH and I hired bicycles and did a 10 mile ride - a huge thing for me :) It was along a flat trail on an old disused railway line - for those who read my blog it was along the Mawddach where we've been walking Ruby on our last Welsh trips. We managed about half way and back - it was hard going as the wind was against us on the way; so much easier on the way back. I think we'd do it again and maybe hire bike for a day next time.

Before we went to Wales we finished the garden (although the fences need painting). DH put down all the slate and I now have my pots in place. I'm so pleased with it - and it's somuch easier to maintain and keep Ruby's paws clean (no more digging)

The slate is now under the bench and on the far right with my pots.

All slated with my pots.

and my final HD is I managed to finish my Mum's birthday pressie on time (just). We had a lovely day out today for her birthday and a family meal at the pub. They are off to France tomorrow for a week so it's all a bit busy. Here's the Q by Prairie Schooler finished and framed.

Q - Prairie Schooler

Tomorrow is 1st June so it's TUSAL time again - my jar is certainly filling up this year and we're only five months in. Saying that I am amazed that Needlecraft Haven is 5 months old - where did that go :)

TUSAL 1st June

Have a great June, it's the start of summer :0 thanks for sharing my HDs x x

Q, Cake Bake and Hardanger

I have been workingon Mum's Q and I think it will be finished on time, although I'm running out of 3799 and will have to pop to town Monday whichmeans paying 85p !!!!!!!! for a skein. I might just place an order on Sew and So for a few more bits instead but then I'd spend more than 85p LOL

Q - Praire Schooler

Yesterday was the MS Society national cake bake and I made a few goodies for staff at school. It was 50p a cake and I raised £65. Here's a list of goodies I took in:

Sponge Cake

Lemon Drizzle Cake

Tea Loaf

Rocky Road

Browies

Mince Pies

Gingerbread People

Rasin Cookies

Cornish Fairings

Marmite Bread

I also had these cakes donated by colleagues:

Carrot Cake

Flapjake

Apple Cake

Last year the event raised £250,000 nationally and hopefully our £65 will help to reach this again. Thanks to everyone who helped; I take no responsibility for decreased funds or increased waistlines :)

Today I am demonstrating hardanger at Higham Church at their craft day. This is to help raise funds for their toilet block (they have to use the pub at the moment LOL) I am selling my bookmarks which are on my charity blog and giving the profits to their funds. My bookmarks are on sale at Aimetu's Stitchery and any profit goes to MS SOciety and St Cadfan's Church - if youare interested inone please emailme aimetu.clare@hotmail.com There is also a cross stitch bookmark for sale.

Needlecraft Haven is growing strong. April's sweetie competition was won by Barbara. I decided to pick three winners for the posting competition and the winners were Sally, Ann and Angi. Well done ladies - here are Barbara's  and Sally's prizes (these are Babara's and Sally's pictures, I don't have any pictures of the others)  



Barbara's Prize

Sally's Prize

I had better go and get ready for my Hardanger Day - thanks for popping by x x

Fabulous Weekend and TUSAL

What an amazing time DH and I had at the caravan - we went up Thursday night so we could watch the wedding all day Friday.Andwhat a wedding it was :) everyone looked fabulous, Catherine was stuinning as was Philippa and I love seeing all the men in uniform.

Special moments for me were:
William and Harry going to church in a car like Catherine
William and Harry returning the salute and showing respect at the Cenotaph
Catherine's dress
Philippa's dress and how she looked after all those little ones
Prince Charles giving the Queen a peek on the cheek, and Philip doing likewise to Camila
William and Catherine having 'moments' together during service
William's salutes and Catherine's bowed head at cenotaph and accepting salutes
'Oh Wow' from Catherine when she walked on the balcony
The Kiss
The Car

I hope they enjoyed the day as much as DH and I did - we toasted them with a bottle of our favourite champagne as the walked out of the Abbey, and we enjoyed BBQ steak while they had their banquet LOL
A wonderful day, thank you Wills and Kate :)

I have done quite a lot of stitching over the weekend on Mum's Q (Prairie Schooler) - it's looking good


Q - Prairie Schooler

It's about time for TUSAL too so here is my jar - I was very good and brought all my orts back from Wales

TUSAL May

Just before we went we used our Tesco vouchers in their exchange promotion and paid just £10 for this gorgeous Bisto set for the garden

Bristro set

We had lovely weather inWales - but windy - I caught a lovely sunrise (looking behind the caravan) and a great sunset from the beach (which is only four caravan in front of us)

Sunrise

Sunset

So all in all a fab weekend, thanks for reading my blog, hugs to all x x x