Make yourself comfy

and don't laugh at my birthday pic, Sam needed Nanny to put her badge on and have a picture taken -oh dear, so I gracefully! gave in and thanks Julie -all her fault as she sent the badge I have just typed loads of this in (will I ever learn) and then pressed something and deleted it arghhhhh!! Well I shall have to try and make it shorter and get it done and posted before the fingers get clicky happy. So first and foremost thankyou for the lovely comments for my birthday ,I was thoroughly spoilt and every day this week the postman has called. On Wednesday he offered to sing Happy Birthday to me but thought he might spoil the day. This morning he said "It's me again!". People will talk. Had a lovely day but try as I might I cannot walk very far and yes I did too much and suffered (still) for it. Martin was wondering if I would ever get back to the car as the going was slow to snail pace. I told him he could carry me but he passed on that one.!! We had walked so far as he needed me to go with him to buy me a new camera, the one I was using was his old one when digital cameras first came into being ,so it was in need of replacement. That got, we drove home and then I was treated to lunch at a pub opposite. I then thought pills and a sit down were the order of the day,not to be ,the grandchildren and Kate said they wanted to come over. So of course having young ones about we had to buy me a cake,so Mr Marks and Spencer provided us with an extremely chocolatey birthday cake. It was rather nice and the children had seconds.

I managed to get a couple of pics of Jack ,he is very aware of his braces so does not smile properly. I thought I had taken one of Sam but that finger must have been at work again and i deleted it.

  Kate wanted to know how I managed to get them all smiling at the camera.

Anyway it was lovely to see them but bliss when they had gone. Unfortunately did not see son Graeme as he had to work, he is having a really heavy workload time ,Ella went off to Guide camp on Sunday night,but Monday morning they had a phone call to pick her up as she had been sick all night. Sue went down with the cough and splutter lurgy on Monday which has turned into a severe chest infection with severe asthma. Then on Wed she had the sick bug Ella had had ,so all in all not a happy household. Just hope they are better next week as the girls are having a weekend and going up to Manchester to see the X factor tour. So that was my day apart from showing you my stitch related pressies. Martin got me a voucher for sew and so's(DONT SAY IT). the camera, and a Jane Austen leather journal. Also a Crime Scene DS game. First in the pile of all to show you are the contents of the large parcel from Miss Julie who sent me this wonderful cushion the colours are deep plum, mustard and green , the flowers are gorgeous and it is not sitting anywhere where anyone can lean on it . It sat on the sofa for the pic ,then it sits behind my needleroll basket .Also in the package was a card and a picture of Izzy Twinkle- She is a real star and twinkles out of the photo -that was from Julies daughter and I love it. Julie had put in a friendship magnet, the words of which are so lovely. Also the badge aforementioned! also a book of cute postcards Guess how much I love you. Overwhelmed feelings were not in it..

Well done Julie it is super duper! The magnet, badge and postcard book .

These are in no particular order ladies so please do not think I favour any of them above the others the are all simply fab-u-lous. Sally my sal partner on Mondays stitched me a beautiful needlecase in such pretty colours,it is always a delight to get a stitching from Sally.

Oh sheepies too ,thankyou Sally my needles will feel very honoured to sit in there. Again someone who knows my love of Sheep is my Irish friend Anne, who sent me this.

So beautifully stitched and inside was :-

Sorry folks had to stop mid flow as Graeme and Ella turned up(I think he wanted a piece of the cake it is still scrummy), he needed to give me pennies for my birthday(in case I needed stash) and a Boots gift card from Ella. Sue is still poorly so they left her home alone resting. Now to carry on and show you more.Are you envious I bet you are especially if you like sheep. My friend Christine made me this and I wore it all day (unlike the badge lol)

So clever Christine. Can you face another sheep -of course you can, this was sent by Lainey a complete suprise and no address or postmark to give it away.

I had to smile at the fabric that accompanied it.

In a little packet came this and some Thread Bear vouchers from Jane . OOOHH MORE STASH.

I am just awestruck with my stitchy bloggy friends generosity. From Karan I had this

I shall enjoy stitching this later in the year. From Tina I had

With some lovely pink stork scissors -have to make a fob for those I think Tina. I am looking forward to having October done for Hallowe'en.Well one can hope cannot one. Golly gosh will it never end. I had 30 cards, vouchers from some other stitchy friends Colleen and Barbara. I will be visiting some stitchy sites and share with you the things I bought . I have done a little stitching myself ,my friend and fellow Jane Austen fan Angela has a birthday the same day as me so I sent her a little something to say I was thinking of her I filled it with Lavender and fixed a Kelmscott needleminder to it.

Well have you stuck with me , and are you suitably a delicate shade of green? I hope when you have a birthday you will be as lucky as me and for all of you a big Thankyou very much from this very happy and grateful person. I have finished my snood ,although I now have to tackle another as Kate snaffled it and was wearing it today she said.Here it is earlier almost finished.

I added the 2 new balls of wool for MY snood for you to see it is called Spruce. I do not feel so inclined to knit today though, so perhaps I shall leave it a week or so before starting it. The little stitching I have done is on Merry Be. Shepherds Bush a finish looming this week I hope.

Talking of Shepherds Bush I had an order from The Nimble Thimble today ,2 of which I cannot tell you about, but the other one is Poor Robin pincushion kit. Sally and Colleen we shall be stitching SB on a monday night when we are in our dotage- no comments on that please I know I am almost there hee hee. The other thing I stitched on I can show you is Q.D. it does not grow very quickly and this is a big diamond to fill.

Something else I have stitched on is for the Spring Exchange on Needlecraft Haven so cannot tell you about that one for quite a while. So for this time that is me - enough you are saying ,thought you would never stop whittering on.I hope I have not forgotten to mention anything, if I have blame it on my age ,I shall never be this old again!!! Just even older! Take care all, thanks for commenting I just love to hear a word or two from you ,nice ones of course. The ladies that won the giveaway ,it should be with you very soon Cath, Ellen yours by the end of next week as you are a little further away. I am now off to grow another pair of arms so I can stitch all this stash I have. Hugs n stuff Barb x P.S.Sorry fooled you into thinking this would be shorter , going to get a job writing fairy stories lol.

A Happy Valentines Day to you and are you a winner

Congratulations ladies. Ellen for the mixed one and Cath for the sheepie one. As soon as I receive your addresses ladies they will be on their way to you. Thanks for taking part and I am sorry everyone couldn't have had a little something. This will be a stitch free post I think as I just wanted to let the winners know . I do have a couple of things to show you though as Martin and I decided to make some farmhouse pickle (from the Hairy Bikers Perfect Pies) book and here it is before it went into the back of the dark cupboard (will it ever be seen again) , it tasted ok before we put it in there, we have to do as we are told though and it says leave for a month. Note on calender so we do Not forget!

The daffodils are beginning to look a bit bedraggled oops should have checked before taking pic. However I did receive these this morning from the love of my life, my rock and soulmate .

Years of dethorning roses on Valentines in the florist we were heard to comment if he dares to send me any of these I will not be responsible for my actions- but you can imagine the awwww isn't he the best when they arrived today. Well tomorrow is the time for the beatles song to be sung, Will you still be sending me a Valentine ,birthday greetings ,bottle of wine -not mentioning the losing my hair bit ,as I have not got that problem.However I will be the age they sing about argh how did that happen.Do you think it will stop going round in my head too. Well I shall be back later in the week as I have some packages here to open and I shall have to share with you. I hope I can sleep tonight just so excited. Hugs n stuff Barb

A little bit of sunshine

I suddenly lost all I was doing so hope I have not published by mistake. Anyway these few daffodils add a touch of brightness to a winters day and although we have not had snow ,unlike many here in the UK it has been mighty cold. Due to the cold pain kicked in toward the end of last week so stitching had to be put on one side and the warm snuggly knitting was brought out to play. I now have this sitting on the sofa.

I think Graeme is impressed that it got finished, he knows what I am like with knitting. Anyway still on the subject of knitting , I was browsing (as you do) and saw that Rowan and Deramores have teamed up and are doing a Lazy Snood on Ravelry. So I ordered the 2 balls of Rowan wool on Friday last and downloaded the pattern. On Saturday I started it and here I am with it now.

The colour is called Fog and is a grey blue lilac colour very pretty. Still have a way to go with it yet. I am thinking this blog entry will not be very long as I have not much to show you this time.I did stitch last Tuesday on Quaker Diamonds and shall be out with the needle and thread tonight. This is how it is looking at the moment. I do not know why I put it away last year in the basket of unfulfilment.

When it is time for bed I do not want to put it down as I know it will be a week before it is picked up again. Last evening being Monday , I ventured up to Sallys (she has snow) and started the pincushion Merry Be by Shepherds Bush Here is the point I stopped.

So there you have it folks, but before I go I would like to thank those who took the time to enter the giveaway and leave a comment. I shall be choosing Winners on Tuesday next as it is Valentines Day. Hope you all keep well and if you want to enter and haven't leave a comment on the previous post. If I remember rightly and gosh my brain (what little I have ) is so fuddled these days, someone asked me who the designer of Simple Joys was - it is Shepherds Bush. Now off to put rice pudding in the oven (Ollies favourite) who may I add is STILL suffering with his feet, vet said last night he is stumped and would we consider sending him to a skin specialist in Hampshire> DEEP JOY. Take care hugs n stuff Barb

At last the long awaited...........

Lottery win?-no, Premium Bond win?-no , the Euro Millions win? -no. Sorry to disapoint you it is just a giveaway! As I did not do one on my 2nd blogaversary which is now 2 years and a bit .So despite keeping you in suspense I am now at last doing it. I have sorted through my stash and that is what you will win if you would like to. Ok first I shall need you to comment on this post I would like you to be a follower if poss but it is the comment that will count. Right here is what you will get.

This oneabove is a kit , fabric supplied is Aida but you could do it on linen.

Some sheepy designs and I think I may do these as an altogether sheep one so now you have 2 choices to win something. Then we have

So there you have it the sheep charts are a giveaway on their own and the other charts, kit, are together if you get my drift . Please say which you would like and I shall choose a winner on the 15th Feb as there may be happenings here on that day!! So now that is taken care of would you like to see the happenings of this week. First of all I must mention the family as G S &E came down on Sunday for a curry. Martin makes them from scratch and although he doesn't make them often ooohh they are yummy when he does. He grinds and roasts all the spices (house smells for days) and all the accompanying chutneys etc.When I said to Graeme dad was thinking of doing a curry ,the response was, We will be down!!! I have to say Martin does have a kitchen maid(me) when all the prep needs to be done and the washing up. He did a Balti this time so not too spicy for Ella ,who informed us that she would sooner have that than a roast dinner. Unfortunately Graeme had an asthma attack and really did not feel well so he laid on our bed for a while. He is just so tired and I think that contributed to it. He did not eat dessert ,which was Mango Fool ,which we had not done before but it was yummy and so easy. Sue took Graemes home for him to have the next day. He did not get it though as when she got home from work she said it was looking at her when she opened the fridge saying Eat me!!!!! So she did. So that was our Sunday.I did some knitting instead of stitching. Monday was the Shepherds Bush meeting at mine with Sally and Colleen. Oh dear I am afraid we had to give Colleen more than one glass of wine as she does not like flying over the ocean !!!!lol.Anyway I finished Simple Joys and we all had a very happy dance. Today I put it together along with something else .

The violets are from the garden they have been out for so long now. Talking of SB I got this from Sally this morning so this will be my new start next week as I just looove those dangly stockings.

Sorry about the photo I think I must have had my crooked head on when I took that. Tonight it is Quaker Diamonds and I shall show you progress on that one next week. Wednesday is Jane and The Sampler Girl night over at Needlecraft Haven and Whoo hoo today I stitched up my bag and I love it!!!!

I decided only to knit the front as I think I may have run out of wool if I chanced doing the back .So I found a piece of calico which was just the right size , made some cord type handles with my cording thingy and WHOO HOO there I have a new knitting bag . 2 finishes this week no wait there is one more , Thursday I think I frog more than I stitch on Elizabeth by seeing Barbi's progress on Margaret Mary (she has already done Elizabeth) I just had to order these two girlies. They came yesterday. Meet Molly and Margaret Mary- now I find there is another one-oh when will it ever end!! I am waiting a while before I succumb to that one.

Pardon?Oh the other finish well that was my first Prairie Schooler Santa , Karan sent me this one for Christmas along with a couple of other charts of theirs. I have 11 now so hope to do one a month . Anyway here is the little fella, measuring 2anda half inches by 3 complete.

I think he's been on the wine too as he is a bit blurred,no ,it's not me who has been on the wine! I think I was a bit close. I don't know what it is about these Santas they look so fierce! So another one of those to start on Friday. I have not decided which Sampler Girl design to stitch next so you will have to be patient to see which one is chosen . Stash I did get was the Winter design from Blackbird designs and also Christmas Garden. A couple of SB kits (which I cannot tell you about)and January and February wordplay by Country Stitches. I am now going to concentrate on what have instead of getting more. OR I will be needing another giveaway! So before I go thanks for the comments and also welcome to the new followers I shall soon have to have a catch up on blog reading I am getting very much behind, Hmmmmm I could comment on that statement but I won't. Hope you have enjoyed our little chat and don't forget to leave me a comment on this post only either for Sheep or Mixture. Take care all Hugs n stuff Barb

Mondays update on Tuesday!

Oh dear time slips away and my Monday update is now on Tuesday ,it could be worse it could be next week lol.Well how are you all my friends ,we are much improved here and I am writing this before I go find my cooking head and make a Hairy Bikers Chicken Ham and Leek pie. Not done it before but have had special request from other half .He has gone back to work (I know he is retired,but you cannot keep a good man down) it is only for a couple of days a week for a couple of months. It will help pay for my stitching obsession but don't let on will you.!! Well I said I would give you an update on the weeks progress ,some things well although I stitched I have not done lots,unlike Sally I have not got smoking needles. I do however have a finish to show you,I started this the first week of our SAL for this year Shepherds Bush with Sally and Colleen on a Monday night . Here is the Tiny Garden Roll .

This was lovely to stitch and last night I was rewarded with a new start . Simple joys pincushion .

This was last evenings progress at Colleens, the girls are virtually coming to me next week. I am hoping that I may finish or be close to finishing this one too.So maybe if I do a Tuesday update next week you will be able to see that one. Tonight it is UFO night with Miss Julie and Mr Stick and the Quaker Diamonds, I will not show you last weeks progress on this one as I need to do a little more before you can see I have been stitching on it. Wednesday last saw another new start but knitting not stitching, I am going to knit myself a bag for my knitting and to put Claras diary design by The Sampler Girl on the front. In the parlour last week I finished another line and maybe just maybe this may be a finish this week. Whoo hoo.

Thursday I worked and frogged on Elizabeth and so not a lot of progress on that one either, I have taken notice of Gabi though and ordered Margaret Mary and Molly from Traditional Stitches . Thanks for leaving that comment Gabi. Also thanks to Lainey who unfortunately offered the loan of them to me after I had ordered them as she has them . Aren't you stitchers the best. Friday saw me working on my Prairie Santa and if I could get my eyes to focus properly, he may be stitched quicker. Saturday /Sunday I finished the front of my Scandinavian cushion and started the back. So there we are another week done and dusted. Family news is I said I would try and get a photo of the boys when they came over the other evening.

Sam and Alfie bear , little angels! I still have not got pic of my tall Grandson Jack who will be 18 this year he never seems to be about when the camera is (must take after his grandmother). The other day walking home from school Sam was delighted to see near where they live, an Eddie Stobart lorry named Ellie May,(Nanny did not know they all have names) it was unloading at a garden centre ,so Kate was dragged up to inspect it and they had their picture taken on Kates phone with the driver. All sorts of questions were asked and the boys went home happy .

Last but not least a pic of my latest acquisition from Martin he saw this and thought of me , I like pooh bear and he thought I could use it for soup. So I have! Maybe a little stash if it arrives before next week you shall have a preview before it gets stitched !! So again thanks for all the comments etc next week I shall also be posting a giveaway I am keeping it for followers only I think or should I do just peeps that have commentated as I would like someone to have it who really leaves me a nice word or two . Anyway look out for what I decide next week. Take care all and hugs n stuff from me Barb,

The weeks progress

I have not been sitting twiddling my thumbs honest. So I thought I would try and do a weekly update. As you know Monday is Shepherds Bush night and here is last weeks progress with the Tiny Garden Roll  with Sally and Colleen ,we are off to Sallys tonight to sit by the fire in the comfy chair (that is if Colleen does not get there first). If you need to see where I was last week you will have to look at previous post.

It is really pretty.

Tuesday is UFO night and I have restarted work on my Quaker Diamonds by Rosewood Manor ,I am doing this on Sassys Fabric over one. I have taken a before and after pic for you on this one as it is a year since I put this in the box of abandonment,just did not think I had abandoned it for that long.

Wednesday is Parlour night over at Needlecraft Haven with TSG . This is Claras knitting design from Tanya at the Sampler Girl and today I noticed there is a nice free design on her blog put up today.  

Thursday and I have spent some time with Elizabeths arm , I was not sure if I liked it on the darker fabric ,or more to the point I think I cut the fabric too small so have now got 2 arms on different pieces of fabric lol.Whilst speaking of Elizabeth does anyone know of anywhere I could get the rest of the Carriage House Samplings girls as I think I may like to do the others too.

This is the first attempt and now the other one.

Friday is Christmas night and here is where I have got to on my Santa.

Looks a totally different red to the picture but I did use the colours suggested. So that was my stitching week and then it was the weekend. I have done a little more of my red and white knitting and only 16 more rows off finishing the front ,thankyou so much for your kind comments on this.

The back is plain so I will not be boring you with pics of that. I shall show you it all finished at some point in time. I also had a little play with needlefelting and here is someone I named Goldilocks. I still have to pluck up courage to do her face. I must admit it felt a bit weird needlefelting her as it was a bit like sticking pins in a voodoo doll, not that I ever have done that ,I just did not like it.

My other half Martin has been tinkering with the glass, before Christmas I asked him if he would make Jane of Buttons and Stitches a suncatcher of a lop eared bunny . He took it to his glass group to finish it off and held it up for the others to see and whoops!! he dropped it. Mind you there hangs a tale , mentioning the R word on Portland is considered to be ill luck. One of the ladies said to him, Well you should have known better to bring one of those onto the island. My dad wouldn't go fishing if the R word was mentioned ,you can say bunnies though.Anyway I digress, he kindly made me another one to send to Jane and if you go look at her blog you can see it hanging in her window. So that is the handiwork for this week. Yesterday ,Sunday, we went to Graeme our sons for an almost Christmas dinner (as we couldnt make it on the day) and to celebrate his birthday ,tell me how can I have a son who is 44 today. I did offer him a phonecall at 3.40 to wish him a Happy birthday but he declined . Anyway Caitlin our grandaughter (when she found out we were going asked her Uncle if she could come too)she gets on so well with Ella Graemes daughter. So we picked her up and drove to Graemes. We had a lovely time and meal ,they had made duck in a sour cherry sauce which was rather nice. Loads of veg and crackers as well. 3 desserts and then Martin Graeme Ella and Caitlin went for a walk in the woods at the back of Graemes. Oh almost forgot the one who needed a run in the forest Ollie went too.

Ella is on the left and Caitlin on the right.

Ollie loves going to Graemes ,he adores the forest and has lots of fuss and playtime.

Looks like he enjoyed it -yes? So that was my week and last night when we got home the dreaded cough started, I do hope it does not think it is coming back -I do not want it. So off now to prepare for an invasion, Kate has to go to Caitlins open evening an so they are all coming here for a fish and chip supper ,just hope I get some time for stitching with S&C . I will see if I can get the boys to sit still for a pic later. Take care all ,thankyou for your lovely notes and comments. Will try for an update next Monday. Hugs n stuff Barb.x