Long overdue update!

My goodness me, what a long time since I posted an update on my blog.
Where has all the time gone?
I am not sure I can post all I have done since February but there have been concerts, a holiday and some lovely days out.

Last week my DH and I had a lovely day out in Bakewell, Derbyshire, inspired by Mouse and her travelling tales.
We went off to White Peak Embroidery and Heirs and Graces which are situated in Darley Dale. Both shops are well worth the visit and with a little teashop adjacent to the embroidery shop it made for a perfect day.
After spending some of my money replenishing my stash, we set off back to Bakewell where I just had to also visit Wye Needlecraft; well it would have been rude not to!
The day was finished with a nice meal in the Wheatsheaf Pub and a walk by the river.

Bakwell Goodies

 

I have been busy stitching the Round Robin that I am involved in, we are half way through now and I cannot wait to see what mine looks like when I get it back around November time.

I have started one of the Celtic ladies and also a beaded etui by Jane Greenoff; both are being stitched on linen, so slow progress!

My Little Sheep Virtues keep arriving, there are now 4 in the flock but I am still on the first one so need to make more of an effort with these. I think I am going to organise myself over the week in a rotation of stitching so I get to do a little on them all.

Today has been spent completing a RAK to be sent out very soon and a gift for my friend whom I am going to stay with next weekend in Mablethorpe.

Well I have enjoyed being back in blogg land and will try to update a little more regularly.

Melanie x

Productive week

Hi everyone, I hope you are all warm and well.

We had a return of the white stuff again on Wednesday and it snowed all day, but then the rain came along and washed it all away. Now we have lovely sunshine which makes it feel like spring is on its way. The tulips are coming up through the soil, I hope they flower well this year.

I started a little Lizzie Kate stitch last Sunday, Happy Hoppy Easter. This is going to be a surprise gift and it will be made up into a cushion with little pockets on the back to hold small stitching accessories. I will explain more once the gift has been posted out and received!

I had planned to make up Joy another LHN on Wednesday but didn't get round to it so my finishing pile is growing.

This weekend I have made a start on the Round Robin, the designs are so cute and a little different to what I would normally choose to stitch. It will be interesting to see how each of us finishes of the final piece.

I had signed up on the Autoship with Patchwork Rabbit for the LHN Little Sheep Virtues and the first one Hope arrived on Thursday. I just had to start stitching it today and I am using the recommended fabric which is 30 count, probably will save this for the daylight hours!

I spend as much time as I can catching up with lots of your blogs and continually being inspired by all the talented stitchers out there. I have a desire to improve the quality of my work and try new fabrics and new techniques.
In the week I joined the RAK group who always inspire me their talent who then share with others in acts of kindness. I hope I can bring a smile to someone's face by sharing my stitching stash and makes. I am planning to send something off in the near future.

I am always pleased to receive your comments and welcome new followers to my blog, it is nice to know that there are people out there interested in my ramblings.

I hope your week is pleasant, you get to spend some time stitching and you stay safe and warm.

Melanie x

Busy Week

Well what a busy week it has been.

I worked the early part of the week and had travel disruption on Tuesday due to the bad weather. I was very glad when the snow disappeared and hope it doesn't come back again very soon.

On Wednesday evening I went to see Les Miserables at the cinema with a friend and really enjoyed the film, I have seen it at the theatre and the film was just as good with the same amount of tears! I knew that I needed to go and see it again and on Friday got my wish; it was my day off and after going to see my DS and partner in their new house and a lovely lunch out with my DH we spent the afternoon in the cinema watching Les Miserables all over again. I hope Anne Hathaway does well tonight at the BAFTA'S she deserves to win.

My round robin was posted out on Monday and I received the next one for me to stitch on Friday. There is plenty of time as the next posting date is not till April so I will probably settle down next weekend to start my part of the stitching.

Yesterday I spent the day at the Creative Craft Show in Manchester, replenishing my stash.
Earlier in the week I had watched a recording of Jane Greenoff's show on the Create and Craft channel who had an acronym for describing our stitching stash purchases it was SABLE; stash acquisition beyond life expectancy. I thought this was very appropriate in my case as I have so much stuff however it did not deter me from buying more at the show and I came away with charts, charms, scissors, fabric, aida, linen and a wall hanging with pegs for bobbins. This purchase was not essential but very pretty and will look really nice on my workroom wall.
I made a great effort to buy some charts that were not Winter or Christmas related as I tend to go for those themes before anything else. I got a chart for Easter and a couple related to friends and friendship so have plans for some little stitching smalls in the near future.

Today I have finally finished "Joy" so now have 2 pieces that need making up and finishing. This is planned in for Wednesday on my next day off.

So not much stitching this week but had a fab week; good cry at the pictures, replenishing the stash and postie delivering nice packages what more could a girl want!


Enjoy your week

Melanie x

Weekend again already!

It doesn't seem a week ago since my last blog, the week seems to go so quickly.

I finished the stitching for the round robin yesterday and it is now all parcelled up ready to be posted tomorrow. I am quite excited at receiving my first one to stitch for someone else.

I have spent most evenings sorting out my threads as part of the workroom reorganisation. I have been winding bobbins and organising by number - not very exciting, and it seems to take forever.
I am sure I will realise the merits of doing it when I am searching for a thread I need to finish off a design. I would rather be stitching with the time taken to organise!!

I am still waiting for the LHN Sheep Virtue to arrive, I have all the threads ready to go as soon as it does. I now plan to finish off "Joy" before I start to stitch anything else and then I have 2 finishes to complete.

I am off to the Creative Craft show in Manchester next Saturday so my next blog may have pictures of my purchases as my stash will need a top up I am sure!

I am also off to the pictures on Wednesday with a friend to see Les Miserables. I have seen it at the theatre and the reviews of the film are all good so looking forward to that.

Enjoy your week whatever you are doing


Melanie x

Back home to the cold!

Well I couldn't stay in the Spanish sunshine forever and have arrived home to the cold weather with a vengeance.
This was the snowfall we had on Friday evening into Saturday morning.

Whilst I was on holiday I managed to get some stitching done on the Round Robin I have joined. There are 6 of us, so have decided to use one large piece of fabric. I divided it up into 5 inch squares and have started to stitch my square.

I can't show you any pictures of the stitching yet as I don't want to spoil the surprise of the designs just yet.

I have also signed up on the Autoship programme with Patchwork Rabbit for the LHN Little Sheep Virtues, really looking forward to receiving the first one.

I have spent the last 2 days reorganising my workroom. I have the small box room and need to keep on top of the space. I have far too much stash and am sure it will last me a lifetime, but I am off to the stitching show in Manchester in 2 weeks time so will need to make space! I never seem to get rid of anything just move it around to somewhere different.

Hope you are all keeping warm and enjoying your stitching.

Melanie x

Looking forward to the sunshine!

Morning everyone x

I have not been stitching over the last week as I have been busy packing for my holidays. Later today we go off to Spain for 10 days, escaping the cold temperatures here and hopefully going to some nice warm sunshine.
It will give me an opportunity to do some stitching whilst I am there and my new project is safely packed in the suitcase. I have been asked to join a Round Robin, this will be my first and I am really looking forward to joining in.
There are 6 of us altogether and I have decided to have just one piece of fabric, so whilst I am away I will divide it up and start to stitch my square.
I would have loved to have finished "Joy" whilst away but as it is on linen would need my magnifier lamp!

Hope you are all keeping warm wherever you are and have got back into your stitching now the holidays are over.

Melanie x

Stitching in 2012

Well I have had quite a good stitching year.

I started the year by finishing a Lizzie Kate design "Love keeps us Warm" and had it mounted and framed straight away, something I have not always done.

As you will know from my other posts I entered my first cross stitch exchange, produced some new needle cases and started a stitching blog!

I went on a number of sewing workshops during the year and went to the Harrogate Show in November to replenish my stash - not that it was needed.

I am finishing the year with two more Little House Needlework designs;"Baked Goods" is on the way to be finished and "Joy" needs a little more stitching.

I have lots of plans for the New Year including stitching all the new Little Sheep Virtues from LHN and join in more exchanges.
My New Year resolution has to be to try and use some of the stash I already have before buying more but don't hold out much hope!

My fingers are crossed for a giveaway of Ginghers Scissors over on missyyllanous.blogspot.co.uk to get the new year off to a good start. Already had the AA out today to my car and British Gas to mend the boiler after 2 days with no heat or hot water so that good start is needed.

Thank you for reading my blog and leaving encouraging comments. I get lots of inspiration from all the stitching blogs out there and I hope that in 2013 you may find something on mine that will inspire you.

Very best wishes for a Happy and Peaceful New Year

Melanie x