September Smalls SAL

 

I'm late, I'm late .... apologises Mary and all my fellow Smalls SAL bloggers. My days are all mixed up with my change of appointments, early week feels like the weekend and vica versa. 

You can see everyone's small stitching over on Mary's blog and the September check in. 

I have managed to complete my Lizzie Kate September Flip It, just three to go and I can start making up the set. 

I have also completed Block 9 of the Stitching the Night Away SAL with Needlecraft Haven. Again just three to go and I can start making those up too. 

I think October will be a mass finishing month as I have all my beautiful flowers to do too. I have stitched a yellow rose this month, this is my favourite not just because of the design and colour but because it makes me think of my Dad, he loved roses especially yellow ones. 

Thanks for popping by, I'll be catching up with everyone's news later today or tomorrow, happy stitching. 

Gifted Gorgeousness- September

It's Gifted Gorgeousness time - on the 15th of each month we share our latest gifts. Any gift given or received and any item made using fabric, threads, buttons, ribbon, chart, backing fabric that has been gifted is also allowed in our GG posts. 

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

My gifts this month are some more beautiful flowers I have received from friends - thank you Jane, DJ, Nadine, Carol, Jo and Christine. Everyone is so kind to stitch and send to me, I am hoping to practice how to finish them soon. I have an idea and if it looks ok I can order enough material to do them all. 

My family and friends made my birthday a super time, despite how life is just now. We are still caked out, as you can see in my Birthday Thank You post we had quite a variety of goodies at our Afternoon Tea. 

I also received these beautiful stitched cards and brooch for my birthday, thank you Christine, Mary and Gill. I am already thinking what to do with the cards. 

I have a gift I have given this month, I did share it on my Fully Finished Gallery post but here it is again. It's a Durene Jones design I made into a card for my friend's birthday. 

Thank you for all the beautiful flowers you have been sending, I am quite overwhelmed and really appreciate every one. Happy stitching and stay safe x 

Birthday thank you

Thursday was a day I was not really looking forward to ... I was very pleased to turn another year as it's been quite a challenge getting here but having chemo is not the nicest birthday treat.  However ignoring the time at the hospital my birthday has been lovely thanks to my super family and caring friends. 

Earlier in the week I received these beautiful gladioli from Julie, she sent them early so they bloomed for my birthday .... and they did - thank you Julie.

I received so many lovely cards and gifts including a beautiful scarf from my friend Brenda in Canada and a gorgeous new rose gold bracelet from Hubby. Our son gave me a wine book that I have been wanting - Oz Clarke English Wine. 

I was a bit confused when I opened the book as the inside page was upside down and I did wonder if it was a PR trick but soon realised the book was bound upside down by mistake. He has had it replaced but I do get to keep the original which is nice as it's so quirky.

Two of my stitching friends  sent me a stitched card, both are absolutely gorgeous and I am already thinking what I can do with them - thank you Gill, thank you Mary.

Jo and Christine included flowers for my church tree with their cards, I'll be including them in my GG post in a few days. Here's a clue to Christine's flower as she made me a matching brooch - thank you Christine. 

I was resting on the sofa when back home when I could hear singing .... my super Hubby and son came into the lounge with a chocolate birthday cake complete with lit candles singing 'happy birthday' - it really made me smile, what a lovely treat! 

Our daughter who lives in Cardiff had video called earlier in the day and said to watch for Postie. The day was getting on and nothing had arrived, I was getting so concerned as we were video calling again late evening and I was worried about saying nothing had come and her being upset. 

Our friends popped round for a coffee in the garden, it was quite mild even if getting dark. A delivery came, more flowers, this time from my SIL. I was getting more and more worried when I heard the back gate open and there was our daughter and her partner .... no Postie delivery they came themselves, what a surprise!

Because of the restrictions we all have at the moment and my extra precautions they stayed at a nearby hotel instead of here with us. Yesterday my lovely family laid on a delicious Afternoon Tea in the garden, I really didn't expect us to all be together for my birthday this year, what a lovely few days - thank you Nick, Michael, Philippa and Michael. 

These are the important things in life; family times, friendships and kindness. I am so very lucky to have such a lovely family and such caring friends - thank you everyone, for help over the last difficult months and for making my birthday another special day! 

Fully Finished in September

Fully Finished Gallery hosted by Rachel and is a chance for us to share our completed projects. I haven't had any for the last few months but I do have something to share for September. 

As you know I host Needlecraft Haven, an online forum where members share their crafting. It's such a lovely group of members, there is some superb work too. Each season Christine sets a challenge for us all to stitch, one for Christmas and one for any occasion. 

The Winter Challenge was a cat design by Durene Jones  I stitched it for my friend who loves cats. It's her birthday tomorrow, the day after mine, so I'll wait a day until I post on social media but she won't see it here. 

My other finishes are not stitching but are crafting. It's hard to do anything just now but I am trying to use bits and bobs up. Hubby kindly fetched my card making boxes out of the attic and over the last few weeks I have recycled a few bits. 

The Christmas cards are old ones I have chopped about and the birthday cards are some press out decoupage pages I had. I have used up old cards and envelopes too. It's something I can sit at the table to do or do watching tv when my strength isn't good. 

Yes it is my birthday today, I'm actually very happy to have reached another year although this year celebrations will be a little quiet. I will be at the hospital most of the day having my sixth chemotherapy treatment. 

I love September and I love celebrating, we've had some great times in the past, you can read about some of the recent highlights in my other blog Aimetu's - wine, food and travel. I'm sure I'll be celebrating again soon, in the meantime I'll enjoy my coffee and biscuits. 

Let the People Choose - September

 

The first Saturday of the month is Jo's of Serendipitous Stitching  blog sharing time for Let the People Choose . I'm really enjoying looking at past projects to find related work, this month is Geometric.  

I am currently working on a Geometric project with the members of Needlecraft Haven. We are doing Stitching the Night Away's SAL from 2019, stitching a block per month. This is my work so far, I have nearly finished Block 9 (I haven't pressed it yet) 

A couple of my blocks were stitched left handed at the time my right arm was mending, it is nice to stitch normally again. I have stitched them on one piece of fabric and have decided what to do with the finished piece but for now that's a secret. 

My other Geometric project for this post is Mabel Figworthy's Mystery SAL I did a few years ago. I enjoy doing hardanger and it was great fun to learn a few more stitches. There are 12 designs but I can only find photos of 9, I think I'm missing a few early ones. 

I loved seeing them all on the line drying. They are now in my stash as a wip to be finished, I need to use the sewing machine but just now that's a little bit adventurous. I am hoping to use it by the end of the year and this SAL can be finally completed. 

Thanks Jo for another great blog theme, thank you everyone for calling by. 

August - Smalls SAL

I love Mary's great blog sharing idea, this is my first year taking part and as the months have progressed so have I.

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.

This last month I have not been in blogland very much, apologises to all my friends. I now have my chemotherapy weekly and life seems to be in a bit of a haze. Last week my blood count was low so I have a week of rest and no treatment, it's so nice to feel a bit normal. I'm hoping to catch up on everyone's news soon. 

I have been stitching a lot more as my arm is now useable. I have been discharged from the fracture doctor as my bones have healed but I have lots of physio to do as I cannot yet lift it above the horizontal, good job stitching is a lap activity hee hee. 

I have caught up with my Lizzie Kate Monthly Flip Its, in fact I have finished September too. 

I have also managed to catch up with the Stitching the Night Away SAL with the lovely members of Needlecraft Haven. They have been a lifeline over recent times, a very special group of ladies.

I've been looking through my craft boxes and trying to use up a few bits. I have already made a couple of Christmas gifts and have ideas for a few more as well as thank you / birthday gifts. They are all smalls so I'll have plenty to share in future SAL posts although of course not until they have been given. 

I have received some beautiful flowers for my bouquet, thank you Jane, DJ and Nadine your flowers are lovely. I'll be sharing them in next month's Gifted Gorgeousness and once finished I'll post in Rachel's Fully Finished Gallery. 

Thank you for visiting today, I'll call by your blogs later when it's coffee time. 

Gifted Gorgeousness in August

It's Gifted Gorgeousness time, a time when we post about :-

• any chart, kit, thread, fabric or finishing item received as a gift
• any chart, kit, thread, fabric or finishing item won in a giveaway or competition 
• any chart, kit, thread, fabric or finishing item purchased using a voucher received as a gift or won in a giveaway or competition 
• any chart, kit, thread, fabric or finishing item you have gifted to someone else

This super blogging idea, which happens on the 15th of each month, is hosted by Jo at Serendipitous Stitching - thank you Jo 😘

Since my chemotherapy restarted at the end of July I have not been stitching much, reading any books or visiting blogland. I really enjoyed Jo's Summer Blog Hop but I just can't concentrate to do much at all. 

My GG is small but special. This flower is for my bouquet and was sent by my lovely friend Cathy who lives in Ohio. We've been friends for over 20 years regularly exchanging emails but it wasn't until lockdown that we actually spoke in person using video calls. 

Cathy has sent a get well, keep smiling or thinking of you every few weeks since my diagnosis last December and in her latest card was this lovely thistle - thank you do much Cathy.

I will try to visit everyone's Gifted Gorgeousness posts but please accept my apologises if I'm a little late or don't make it at all.