Season's Thank Yous

We had a quiet Christmas with MIL and her partner. I actually did quite a lot of stitching on a new piece that is just for me. It's growing fast so hopefully soon I'll be able to be HDing.

I had some wonderful gifts - huge thanks to all my friends, you all know me so well.

Santa left Philly's stocking on the hearth with her two final pressies - Vanilla Smirnoff and Armanti perfume

Philly's Stocking

I took part in Stitched with Love Exchanges Christmas Exchange and June was my partner. I had some lovely items in my parcel; Christmas serviettes which we used at dinner; Christmas tissues; Christmas plaque; thread;  fabric; chocolates; 'A very merry winter' chart and a gorgeous stitched cushion - thank you June.

My snowman loves my new cushion from June

 These are the gifts I sent to June; I stitched a bookmark for her. The exchange details said she likes snowmen and gingerbread men so I stitched both on it :) and tried to match all the gifts to those themes too.

Christmas Gifts for June

It's a busy time now at Needlecraft Haven - it's opening day for the Winter Exchange on 31st December and the birthday thread starts 1st January. There's also the Christmas Competition to draw and lots of activities starting in the New Year.

Wishing all my friends a very Happy New Year - hopefully 2013 will be good for everyone x x x x

Tree Festival and Ornaments

It's the annual Christmas Tree Festival at St Laurence's Church and this year my tree is called Family Tree. My regular readers will know I have made 22 ornaments this year - all family names. My mum made some photo ornaments on fabric and all together the tree looks like this.

 

Family Tree

 

Dad is right in the middle :)

The church looked amazing - Julie and her hubby came with us yesterday to see. My friend Maureen has been knitting again - she did two trees; Royal Tree (complete with the Auriana Bell Barge, and While Shepherd's Watched. She is a very talented lady.

 

Royal Tree

While Shepherd's Watched

 

The church looked and smelt so Christmasy - I added two stars to the Remembrance Tree - Nick's Dad as we do every year and this year my dad as well. 

Ron and Ron x x

On the stitching from I am busy doing Christmas gifts which I cannot for obvious reasons share. However I can share the ornaments from the Needlecraft Haven Ornament Exchange hosted by Christine.

From Me to Gillie

From Angie to Me

That's all for now - I hope your festive plans and preparations are going well. Thank you for calling by to share my news, please call by my other blog for some non-stitchy stuff.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

1st December - Christmas is coming. I am not sure how I feel about it really. Next week is Dad's birthday and Christmas itself is presenting a variety of feelings. I think it will be 'as it happens' 'one day at a time' for me. Huge hugs for friends who are also finding this time of year a bag of mixed feelings.

There is not a lot of stitching news as I have been stitching exchanges and gifts. I have posted the Ornament Exchange and Winter Exchange for Needlecraft Haven. The Ornament Opening Day is today I think but I am not opening my parcel until this evening. The Winter Opening Day is 31st December so when my parcel arrives I will have to keep it safe for a while.

I have also taken part in Stitched With Love Exchanges Christmas Exchange. It's the first time I have taken part and I did have a little panic moment but I have been reassured all is ok :) I will share the photos as soon as I can. It was fun to do as as well as stitching we included 6 gifts on 4 themes chosen by our partner. I loved shopping for specific things to match. I have my gifts here but again I am opening them later today.

Here is my progress on A Place We Call Home in the NH SAL in the Parlour with the lovely Barb. I didn't stitch this week as I am busy working on a secret Christmas project.

A Place We Call Home



And finally as it's another month end here is my orts jar - it is really full this year and this time I have kept the lid on for the photo, as you can see the orts nearly reach the top.

Orts - 30th November

Thank you for reading all my stitching news - it's tree decorating time at church on Wednesday so next time I will be able to show you my Family Tree. Take care and God bless xx xx

Parlour update

I did manage a few more stitches in The Parlour this week but Barb keeps it so cosy with the fire on and always has such yummy nibbles I did drop off again :(

Here's my progress:

LHN - A Place We Call Home

I have done lots of other stitching this week but I can't share as it is all pressie or exchange work. Sorry !!

My out and about news is here http://aimetus.blogspot.co.uk/ if you'd like to pop by for a read.

November and The Parlour

November has certainly brought dark cold nights but it is nice to be cosy inside stitching. That's what I tried to do on Wednesday in The Parlour with Barb and the girls from Needlecraft Haven. Unfortunately it was so warm and cosy I fell asleep :( I have since made progress with my 'A Place We Call Home'

A Place We Call Home

I have definitely been stitching more this year, my orts jar is very full so it is a blessing we are in November and there is just two months to go - they will be busy too as I have quite a few gifts and exchanges to get stitched.

Orts Jar 31st October

I have changed the mantle now as Halloween has passed and a new month has started. This time I have no real theme but things associated with our life at the moment.

November Mantle

 Partylite Shed with the Old Gardener

Partylite Station

Exchange gifts from Moll

The shed was a gift I gave Dad when I started doing the candles. He never lit it but it was on his mantle by his chair; the old gardener was an ornament from my Grandmothers house and both these are relevant because we are working hard on Dad's garden. The turf is arriving Friday and once that is laid we can work on the inside of the house over the winter.

The station is one of my favourite pieces; it fits with our walk last weekend with our friends (all the details are on my other blog Aimetu's) and Philly is train travelling to and from Uni both to home and to get to her volleyball games in Treforest.

The stitching pieces are a gorgeous needlecase and small pocket made for me by Moll. This was for an exchange a few years ago and for a while I kept these at the caravan but now they live in my stitching bowl.

Thank you for passing by to read my stitching and family news - you can read about our latest trip out on Aimetu's.

Spooky Time

Happy Halloween

 

You've already seen my gift to Philly but just in case her it is again.

Philly's spooky gift.

I sent this to her at uni and included this that I found in the attic.

 

Philly's cushion.

She made this in 2006 when she was just 12 - not sure how her uni friends have reacted but her main worry was the photo when I put it on Twitter hee hee

 

I also stitched a little something for Michael - I think he has hung it in his room.

 

Michael's gift.

Now I have my Dad's table next to my sofa I have a free mantle as before I would use it for my coffee cup. This annoyed me as I like things symmetrical and it made the mantle odd. Now I can put my ornaments out and have decided to keep it themed with the season.... so here is my Halloween/Autumn Mantle.

 

Halloween Mantle

The ornament top left is an autumn exchange (2006 or 2007) from Chris who used to run Aion. The centre piece is a box finish gift but I can't remember who from or when, maybe overseas exchange, the same for the autumn one.

 

My two pumpkins are Partylite houses from when I used to be a consultant. We have many of their ceramic houses so you'll be seeing more over the year. The two scarecrows are two ornaments I found in France and the two coasters at the back are again exchange gifts but I've forgotten when (part of the trouble of exchanging for over 10 years LOL)

 

Here's a close up of the my stitching gifts - if you recognise any please let me know

 

Autumn/Halloween gifts.

Finally I have blogged our weekend away in my other blog - it's something I have wanted to do for

 a while and so far so good. It's called Aimetu's - hope you enjoy it too.

Tree ornaments

Another blog from me already - I must admit I seem to have a BIG stitching mojo at the moment which is a good thing as I have so many things I want to do.

It's great to see stitching friends pop by to read my news and see my photos - please leave a comment if you do call in - every :) is lovely to see.

So my news is ..... I have finished ALL the tree ornaments for the Christmas Tree Festival at St Lawrence's. Here they all are:

22 ornaments for 'Family Tree'

I have also finished stitched a mini pillow for a very good friend - it's on its way with Mr Postie so should arrive soon - they have no idea it's coming so I will share as it will be a surprise when they realise it's for them :)

Surprise mini pillow

Finally I have to say you are in the company of a film star - yes really - and yes really me !! When we went to the Tesco Wine Fair in Manchester they had a W Factor stand where you were filmed talking about wine. My friend Colin and I gave it a go and we're on their video - can you spot us !!!!

Tesco W Factor

I'll be back soon with all my Halloween news and stitching - see you soon x x x