Blooming June

The sun has been shining for the start of June – we had some beautiful days in Wales. Last week the evenings were lovely but today we’re back to grey June, come back sunshine please!

I have been stitching but as always just lately it’s more gifts – I have nearly finished the stitching so hopefully next week I’ll be able to have a ‘finishing’ time. I have already put together some of the framed gifts, some coasters, some books and some key rings – I think I have shared a few on here but I will have a ‘Gallery Blog’ soon with all the items.

I must get my camera out and take some proper photos too; due to being so busy I have been using my phone to take the photos. It’s good but sometimes the focus is out (there are a few like that on this blog, sorry). I am actually looking forward to taking photos or all the gifts using my camera as I do enjoy photography; something else I will soon have time for.

Anyway here is my Orts jar (a blurry one as my phone focused on the background – aarrrhhh). I should have added this to NeedlecraftHaven last week but as we all know times runs away. There isn’t really a definite colour this time, although I can see groups of colours where I have worked on a particular project.

Blury Orts Jar for May

My Drawn Thread for June will be very late, as will my July but by the summer I should be all caught up ready for next year. I haven’t changed my mantle either as it seemed a little pointless without the stitched piece. Next year I am going to spend a little longer on planning each mantle and if needs be go shopping !!

I have been gardening at Dad’s – I’ve now painted all the raised beds and half of the fence – it makes such a difference. The plumber is fitting the kitchen this week and then the electrician can finish off. Once they have both done we can start the actual decorating. It still looks like a big job but I think once it’s emptied of workman stuff it will look much better.

Dad's Garden

My Mum gave me two fuchsia and two tomato plants to grow on – I managed to find a Ruby proof place for them – for now at least.

I know those plants are here somewhere!

I am always one for a bargain and just lately the Co-op seem to have their flowers reduced quite often. I bought some roses and lilies the other week for just £2.50 and they lasted 10 days J I have also grabbed this love miniature rose for £2.50 (it came with a pot but I prefer this one that was my Grandmother’s via my Dad’s) and DH spotted theses lilies at M&S for just £4 including the pot.

Roses in Grandma's pot

 

M&S Lilies

That’s all my news for now – I am enjoying reading everyone’s blogs as we move slowly into summer, there’s some lovely work being done and so many great ideas.

Thank you for calling by to read my news and leaving a comment, it’s always nice to read them x x

Good start to June

We were at the caravan for the start of June and what beautiful weather we had too. We did some good walks with Ruby but I did manage a little stitching as well.

I finished this coaster - I've stitched it many times but I love this saying and the colours are so delicate.

and I finished a few more key rings - I had to buy a bigger size as Sew and So have stopped selling the square ones. I stitched over one and am really pleased with the finishes.

Friday 31st May was my Mum's birthday and we had a trip out to Hatton Country World - a great place and we were lucky enough to see the peacock in full glory - I've written about our trip to Wales in my lifestyle blog Aimetu's

Hatton Country World's magestic peacock

I will be very very late with this month's Drawn Thread calendar piece as I must get the other gifts finished and I have the Needlecraft Haven Bookmark Exchange to stitch by the end of June. In fact it may be I do June and July's after I finish work as I have so many meals, school show, theatre trips and other things going on.

I hope everyone is enjoying this glorious sun we have at the moment - thanks for calling by :-)

The Drawn Thread - May

I'm a little late this month but I have today finished my May piece from The Drawn Thread. I am actually finding the finishing a little easier but I still think they could be a bit neater.

They do look nice on our mantle which this month has a simple theme as it should be spring but there is nothing happening. I have my Partylite ceramic birdhouse a two candle holders - next month will have much more :)

I have completed two more pieces fro gifts but they are not finished yet so a photo will follow. I do have lots of stitching planned but it's all gifts so I can't really share much which makes my blog quite empty - I think my summer blogs will be overflowing with photos.

Thanks for calling by :)

Finishing frenzie

I have quite a few gift pieces to make through out this year - I'm not saying anymore (although some people know - they are surprises) but I have been stitching little bits making quite a pile. Anyway today I have had a finishing frenzy and completed some of the gifts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am so pleased how they have turned out - a few more to finish and other special items to stitch this year - 2013 is certainly busy.

 

I have nearly finished The Drawn Thread May so I should be able to share that later this week. Thank you to everyone who pops by to see my work.

 

Sunny Sunday

I'm sitting in the garden to write my blog today - it is glorious.

Yesterday we did a lot of work at Dad's. I cleaned the bathroom after the decorator and then rubbed down all the paintwork and sugar soaped it. I also rubbed down the paintwork in Dad's bedroom and sugar soaped that too. DH stripped out the kitchen !! We were both very achy last night and I think (know) I did too much :(
Today we popped to Dobbies garden centre and I bought two new hanging baskets, a large bowl planter filled with plants, two reduced mini bowls of plants and 6 herbs to plant in my herb pot. We have their membership card (thanks to Tesco vouchers) and every month have vouchers for a free coffee so we popped to the coffee shop - I was naughty as I succumbed to a cream doughnut, I haven't had one in over a year!!   

Here's my garden with the new bowl planters at the front - we've just got Dad's water feature out ready for the summer so my little garden is looking good. The pixie clematis is very late this year but it's green flowers are just about to burst open.

New planters

My orts jar for this year is growing well -probably because I am midst gift stitching and doing the monthly Drawn Thread pieces. Anyway here's my jar for April 30th

April 30th

Following the meet up last weekend I decided to buy a frame like Julie's - I have been meaning to for a while and finally got round to it. It's a R & R Craft lap frame from Sew and So and I love it - so did the girls in my stitch club at school when I showed them on Thursday. Here it is in action with my start on May - Drawn Thread (just two nights work as I can now stitch two handed )

May Drawn Thread on my new frame

That's about it for now - have a fabulous Bank Holiday, the sun looks like being around for much of it so enjoy !!

Needlecraft Haven Meet-Up

We had another fabulous day yesterday - this time we met at The Abbey in Nuneaton - having full, private use of their lounge all day :-) Being in the centre of town many members travelled by train, a new experience for Julie.

Needlecraft Members who came along were: Julie, Tina, Maggie, Lindsay, Ursh, Lynn, Jane, Rachael, Diane, Gill and myself.

We had a goody bag exchange on the theme of Afternoon Tea and to swap bags I made cupcakes and displayed them on my lovely stand. I put a raffle ticket under each cake and Julie put the corresponding numbers under a goody bag - everyone chose a cake and whatever number was underneath they had the matching numbered goody bag.Of course they ate the cake too :)

Here is the goody bag (well box actually) I put together and Rachael won

Afternoon Tea - won by Rachael

My number was on a blue gift bag - inside were some amazing gifts from Maggie including some homemade cookies that disappeared too quickly to be in this photo.

Goody Bag from Maggie

I don't drink tea but the beautiful ornament Maggie stitched has a perfect home - I have a set of coloured Royal Albert cups, saucers and side plates that were my Grandmother's. I remember them in a glass cabinet when I was a very young girl. They are in our display cabinet now and Maggie's ornament is the perfect addition. (I opened the glass doors to take the photo else all you would see would be my reflection hahaha)

Grandma's cups

We also did a mystery book exchange where we each wrapped a book we wanted to pass on and I put all the books in a bag - lucky dip time resulted in my picking a book I wanted to read. On a visit to Julie's recently she was telling my about this book, I was so intrigued I added it to my wish list. Amazingly I picked Julie's parcel and the book was inside.

For the first time we're doing an exchange for just the 'meet-up' members. We each filled in a little card then picked one anonymously. No-one knows who has whose card - we now need to stitch a personal bookmark for our partner using either the notes they put in the card or things we chatted about yesterday. I knew exactly what to stitch for my partner and have ordered the items already :)

All my other stitching is for gifts so I cannot share just yet, sorry but you  can pop over to my other blog Aimetu's and read about my recent wine adventures. Thanks for calling by - May wishes to everyone x x

Time flies in so many ways

edited with a bit more at the bottom:

April already and yes I have started my Drawn Thread piece. It's a little odd though as it's an Easter theme and for this year Easter was in March. It is a beautiful design and will of course be making an appearance for years to come when April will most likely be our Easter month.


April - The Drawn Thread

The Easter Exchange with Needlecraft Haven was great fun. This year we stitched an egg shaped ornament and an Easter card. My egg was just about egg shaped but I was pleased with how the card turned out. My Easter gifts travelled to Elaine's and my Easter gifts arrived from Christine who stitched a beautiful egg.


My card and egg for Elaine
 

My egg from Christine

My other stitching is still secret as it's more gifts. I'm not sure how many I'm stitching but it will be quite a few by the time I am finished. I seem to keep finding more designs that I think someone will like. I must get them all made up soon too. If you want to see I have shared them on Needlecraft Haven.

We had a lovely break at the caravan, and a little bit of a surprise/bonus with a Tesco wine order - all those details are on my other blog, please pop by.

Nick and me on our walk - yes it was breezy!

I have not done any stitching on my LHN A Place We Call Home on a Wednesday with Barb in The Parlour because of my school stitching but I will be back soon. I have heard that Miss Barb has a VIP visiting the Parlour next week - I wonder who?

That's all from me - hopefully soon I'll have April finished and on the mantle. The theme this month is not quite finished, I need to think about it a bit more but I'll let you all see when it's done :-)

edited:

I have now finished April and the mantle - I didn't want to do a new blog so soon so have added them on here.

April finished

April Mantle

The mantle theme this month is friendship as we have the Needlecraft Haven meet up at the end of the month. I used two mail art pieces from previous years and the fairy is a water gauge but she'll be staying inside. The centre piece is a candle for Dad - a year Thursday - along with the gorgeous pillow Barb stitched me at the time xx