Good news,stitchy news and Sad news

Okay which first, let's do the sad ,then I can feel better with the good.
Sad news of my SIL she slipped away at 5 a.m on Sunday morning,it is a release for her and although her hubby of almost 40 years and their 2 girls and families are feeling very raw at the moment, I think in time they will realise she wouldn't have wanted anymore pain and even worse quality of life. They sang happy birthday to her last week on her 60th birthday but there wasn't any response. Gulp. Ok tissues away. We are now awaiting a funeral date they are not local so will mean a journey.


Now for the better news , I am going to try and keep this post short lol, as wrists and fingers are not behaving themselves at the moment.
I do not know how to link (or should I say Julie has told me how ) but haven't tried yet perhaps next time, but if you look at blogs I visit (some not listed yet lol) you will see Carols "I Stitch", well I was soooo pleased that my suggestion won, she asked for suggestions of names for her new design and here it is



Isn't that great, Carols work is perfection and I never dreamt for a minute that I would have my name on one of her charts see bottom pic at the bottom. Thankyou Carol for sending me my very own copy of the chart , you will see it here stitched at some point in time.

Now other stitchy pics for you to peek at are

This is one of the e patterns I got from Country Rustic Primitives. I stitched it on Osnaburg fabric from Threads and Patches it was £4.50 a metre which I thought CHEAP as chips lol.The designer suggested you wash it first and I am glad I did as it does shrink a little. I just cut a piece to allow for shrinkage and swished it round in some woollite in the bowl. Jenny also shared how to age it ,but as it is a bit slubby and I quite liked the colour I left that bit ,Maybe I will try on another one. I have used string (hairy) for the hanger and all in all I am pleased with it. This will be my first ornie on the monthly christmas ornie over at Stitch and Stashers.
Next is my LHN Fa-la-la finished I made it into a tag for the tree- now I have to start the next one.


I have done some progress on 4 Wishes but not a lot pic for you to see


I have also this week stitched on the Vine and Quaker Christmas so I have not been slacking.
No stash to show this week - I did buy a floss box ,not a posh one, just a tacky placky one ,but it does the job.I also bought some 36count Edinburgh Linen in case the Osnaburg didnt work.
I do have stash coming though and next week I may get to show it to you ,hee-hee.

Alfie enjoyed his birthday and has now got his Lego. He built a tower and started hitting it with his hammer, What, are you doing? asked Kate (dd), I am just making it level was the answer . yep if its not right hit it with a hammer !!!!



Well folks thats the news this week ,let's hope that now this year can start to get better.Now off to try to get my hands working so I can stitch. I did stagger round the block with Ollie which I couldnt do on Sunday.
Thanks for the comments , and some new ones too ,thanks so much for popping by and reading my wafflings.
Take care and I will speak again soon.
Barb

All things pink!

Well I am in the pink- just a quick post today ,as I am sure you cannot bear the photo any longer I know I can't. However, I must thankyou for all the polite comments you made lol.
The tulips are some of the flowers that Martin bought me on Saturday. I love shades of pink in flowers. I also love white flowers too. I have these in my bedroom, these red ones in the lounge and in the hall the pink alstroemeria.



I do not have any stitching for you as it is only a few days or seems like it,since I last rambled on.

I do have some! good news to share with you, my friend is out of hospital yay. Her husband stayed so hadn't got the messages till he came home with her. I had a message from her on the answer phone ,I have not spoken to her yet and as she is still recovering and I do not want to interrupt her "rest"time. She did say there had been complications so I will find out more when she feels up to phoning. I just felt so much relief when I heard her voice.
Still waiting for Sues diagnosis. SIL in a bad way and it is still touch and go she is in Intensive Care and has been for over a week. Spoke to BIL last night and he said he feels absolutely exhausted , I think if she does come through this it will still not be an easy life for either of them.The waiting game continues.

It is Alfies 3rd birthday on Wednesday , he said he would like some Lego bricks- blimey they are like gold dust- we had to order the bigger size box with 1,600 bricks in it direct from Lego . It won't be here for the day but Kate said he won't mind. Martin said she had to count them every week to make sure they had not lost any, You can if you like ,was the very short reply !!

Then we have Graemes birthday on Saturday next, I won't tell you how old he is ,but his sister Kate will be 40 this year and there is 2 years between them and he is older lol. A pic of them taken in the summer on Martins birthday.They will not be impressed I have shown you -well if I get mine on here it is only fair.

You will have to excuse them, Kate cannot be serious for long, and the table was full of curry things.


No stitchy pics this time I have been stitching a little on the Quaker and I actually did a bit on the vine last week too,so Julie will be pleased.
I have ordered some e charts from Country Rustic Primitives so I will be showing you those stitched at some point. Also ordered the new Sampler Girl Valentine Booklet,and the Emma project. I do like Jane Austen and her sayings.I am awaiting the new Blackbird Stockings too from Thread Bear. Just a few bits and pieces to keep me occupied!!!Will let you see when they arrive.

Thanks Sally for offer of Pine roll but that is one I have -and still to do.
Jane found your blog (at last)thankyou and have left you a comment .

Now for those of you who do not like my music choice I am not going to apologise cause I do -lol. I am trying to add more but it doesn't seem to want to play.IF you cannot stand it then turn down your volume and you wont hear it.

The lark arising I first heard at a funeral and this will seem a strange thing to say but it was at a crematorium and I do not like those places at the best of times but this one well was lovely- we went in to Cello music which was a bit dirge like. Then after the first hymn ,they played this piece of music and the bit in it where the lark is soaring and singing really made me feel that her spirit had been uplifted too. Then we came out to the theme from a Victorian Cottage Garden as she was a gentle person and loved her garden and flowers. I am afraid I have been to many funerals over the years (getting on myself now!) but I have never forgotten this piece of music and how it affected me. Hope i haven't distressed anyone talking about funerals.
Crikey I started off all flowery and light and ended up all gloomy and heavy you really wanted to read that didn't you .

I am gradually adding peoples blogs that I visit to my side bar. Also books etc ,I have just been trying to read a book by Susannah Gregory if any one knows her or likes her ,it is called the Devils Disciples and I cannot get into it.If any of you want it Let me know and I will get in touch with you.Have a look on Amazon to see what it is about.

I will end with a pic for you of my "special"bears I seem to get one every Christmas from either a family member or my old school friend they are the Harrods(see name dropping here)Christmas bears- Kate and I used to love to go to Harrods at Christmas and dream!! Every year we would buy a carrier bag and a pencil as that was all we could afford lol.Anyway here are they on my bed.


I expect by now you are all bored to tears so till next time when I may be allowed to ramble some more
take greatly care and keep muchly warm
hugs Barb

A happy New Year and a little catch up from me

I hate having my photo taken so make the most of this it probably will not happen again. Martin "got me" so for those of you who know me, now you know me some more lol.
This is just really a quick update , blimey what a start to the New Year , Martin had choking session on Sunday dinner and ended up having to make a 999 call. That was scary. SIL is very ill in hospital that also happened on Sunday,Liver and Kidney failure ,she was not expected to pull through. So every-time the phone rings we think its the call. She is due to have her 60Th birthday in a weeks time.
They do not live close so no chance to go visit. Her girls are beside themselves as is Martins brother.
No news from friends husband still,despite leaving messages, no news on Sue either.
Thankyou so much for your good wishes for them it means a lot.

I have a little stitching to share with you
my last ornie of 2009 was this one that Julie did on Stitch and Stash and I had to do it too. I ferreted through my mags till I found it and lo and behold here it is. I finished it in a hurry so don't look too close.


Taken from the 2003 JCS mag.

Then I stitched this Blackbird design stocking "Winter Carnation" for Karen for her birthday. Filled it with Lavender and added some bits and pieces, I know she had some other stitchy bits from other friends and she said in her e mail to me that she thought we were trying to get her back into stitching. Do so hope it worked.


I am currently SAL with Yoyo on her Christmas design - I have chosen Quaker Christmas and here is my progress so far.

I have also started on Stitch and Stash Just Nan SAL 4 wishes but not really enough to show any progress. But I will.


I have finished the LHN SAL ORNIE but not "finished" it into anything yet here it is over 1 on Sassys Celery.

Not altogether happy with the faces but they will do. I have just heard postie come to the door and he has brought me the next ornie to do (will I ever catch up) a pic for you.


It was Sam's 8th birthday on Sunday (not all bad things happened last Sunday) Kate made him an army cake ! she had little toy (plastic) soldiers on it , when the Alfie had finished helping she said it looked like a battlefield!!lol. We gave Ella a Nigella Lawson cookery book for Christmas as a little extra , Graeme and Sue came down to see Sam on Sunday and Ella had made a fabulous looking cake from it,called Malteser cake, it has Horlicks in it. The icing was very sweet though. I don't suppose it took the tribe long to demolish it.
Well folks those of you who have to work -you poor things- but I have done my bit honest- I am now going to get the vine out and stitch on it ,so I may get a star from Mr Stick instead of a prod.
Take care all and hopefully I will have good news for you next time.
Thankyou for your comments,I do read them and Jane I still haven't found your blog!
For those of you with poorly folk ,and that are generally under the weather thoughts are with you.
Bye for now.Oh forgot Ollie is fine ,he disappeared whilst out with Martin this morning - he thought he would go for a walk with 2 labs and a greyhound instead. I will change the background and the Header next time ,did mean to do it now but stitching is calling.
hugs Barb.