All the S's Stitching & Stash

Shepherds and Sheep,Sense and Sensibility .

Hello there all,

Now I have recovered from the jet lag, Florida even virtually is a bit far in a day lol.
Well another week gone, Martin is counting the weeks now ,days and hours too. I must admit it will be lovely to have him home ,wonder how he feels about wielding a paint brush and becoming the gardener to the lady of the house!!
I will have to make this quick as said man of the house will be home wanting his dinner, although it is a quickie tonight, oops better rephrase that. Made ham ,cheese and leek pie and so only has to be put in the oven and I have cheated with new herby potatoes and salad so nothing really much to be done now.
So onwards onto the stitchy progress as I promised Colleen and Sally an update on the journey.
Can you see the terminus in sight, I will have to do another one when this is finished I think.

I think the colours are so pretty on this.
I have another work in progress to show you -Sense and Sensibility -Jane Austen by The Sampler Girl and the more this grows the more I like it ,hopefully another HD soon.

I have also finished my birthday gift ,but that cannot be shown yet. Also did a little knitting and that has been posted and should be received very soon.
In the post this week I had a long awaited order from Sew and So, for the first time ever, and I have been dealing with them for years my order went astray, then they were out of stock of a couple of items so they held it until it was in again. I had just phoned them to say I still had not got it and she said it had been shipped out that day.This is my bits from them.

This little bird has been admired for the longest time , and when a birthday present was bought by my old school friend (yes she is as old as me and our school years were a very long time ago) I knew I had to get the Lark to be stitched for it. I will show you in due course.
Also in that order was

and will go with Summer I already have and Spring which I have just ordered and they both go with this

Julie you will be pleased to see N has been started and I also found this lonely little bat, I am glad there was only one as I do NOT like bats. This is my UFO and as I now have 3 more in the set to be doing I had better get a move on.

Also this week I have had an order from Thread Bear arrive and so more to stitch, I wonder if I have enough lifetime to do it all. I did give away one piece this week, my daughter Kate used to stitch before her life became so hectic, last Sunday she asked if I had anything in my retirement drawer (she jests of course) that she could do. So she took away the Autumn Celtic Angel to do with all the bits and bobs and a frame too.. Wonder how its going --she thought it may help her relax...it will until she gets a frog visit!!! I digress-
Here is the order from TB

Being an ex florist (can one be an "ex" florist) I just had to have this one.
Then there was this

Which I am going to stitch for Feb ornie on Needlecraft Haven -I know its soon March but it will just be a little late!!!!
Last but not least was this piece of fabric which I just loved as it is a black birdie design.

Even the black birdies came for a look.
So my little sweetie pies that is this weeks news.I have put in a couple of orders so more to show you at a later date. Now off this computer and to get dinner underway . Tonight I shall pick up a needle ,but what shall I stitch ,any ideas?


Happy stitching to you all take care and many hugs
n stuff
Barb x

On our way! bet you wish you had joined us now!!

Here is where Sally and I are off to tomorrow for our SAL at Colleens this week. All in the imagination of course ,but our Mondays have become the highlight of the week. This is Colleens home in sunny Florida. Sallys Emmanuel is really coming on so nicely and if you would like a look see then she is Stitchangelstreasures. Colleen is stitching SB checkered sheep and her blog is Threads in my Garden ,I really must get my head round this linky thing!
I will show you progress on The Journey later in the week.
I did think I would get some stitching done today but have had mil and dd and family over, so as they have just gone I am going to collapse and pick up the knitting needles.
Thankyou for your sweet comments for my birthday. Speaking of my birthday I did say I would share with you some sheep pics. Well one or two.
We were driving home and this was the view from the road, the sea is Lyme Bay,and the Chesil beach between Abbotsbury and Bridport.

However this is not really why Martin had to screech to a stop and leap out pursuing these guys.

Of course I was in the car singing Baa Baa black sheep!
Martin is really a star as it was cold and fine raining at the time. He probably knew I would sulk all the way home if I did not get a sheep fix picture lol.
So this weeks plans are hopefully get a birthday pressie done, post my baby parcel to Julie and her daughter. SB Tomorrow and ufo Autumn on Tuesday ,Wed S/S The Sampler Girl .Then hopefully I shall get the christmas ornie started I have not even done the challenge yet either argh!!
Off now to put the feet up ,thanks for commenting and replying to any questions I have asked on your blogs.
Hugs n stuff
Barb x

Come share with me

the kindness shown to me on my birthday . Thankyou so much for your good wishes , pressies and cards. It all meant so much .
Anyway without further ado I shall do this in alphabetical order I think as I really had some lovely bits and bobs.
Angi (no Blog)but member of NH) sent me a lovely pair of sheepie socks ,which I havent got a picture of as they are in the wash ,so that is a really good start isn't it. She did send me a handmade card though which I did take a pic of.

BarbaraBL (no Blog)but member of NH sent me some lovely french ribbon.

Christine - alchemy stitchcraft blog sent me this, Martin sitting reading the paper did not even look up when I opened this, he heard me say oh wow!, and the comment was I bet something has sheep on !! Oh dear is this becoming an obsession lol.

Colleen my SAL with SB on Mondays has said she is treating me to something from DSL and is coming direct from them- oooohhh another surprise.
As I am doing alphabetically
Jane a stitchy friend from Manchester sent me a Mary Kathryn gift voucher by e mail will share with you when I receive what I have chosen .
Next from my friend Julie-Julies Stitchknitter blog known as Oldbagpuss, were these delights ,don't you just love the card.


The little bag is so perfectly stitched ,the glove will help the arthritic hands, the wool is being fought over for a pair of socks (his or hers).The chocolate lambs probably won't last long!
next was

This was all from Karan-who really had gone to town. Karan was the very first person to speak to me on a forum and I like to think like all the other ladies on there and who have now joined NH that we have become friends.
Anyway she sent me a bareroots pattern thinking I would like it. I love it- and as Graeme ds had given me some pennies ,Martin said he would take me to the craft centre at Broadwindsor so I bought all the fabric for the bag and all sorts of other goodies.

So now all I have to do is make it !!!!!!!!!!!! Please everybody don't hold your breath,don't want anyones death on my conscience lol.
Hope you are still with this , I told you I have been spoilt.

Some of you may have seen this on Sallys blog,so you will know what is coming when I say my stitchy friend Sally sent this to me.

The back has a pocket for scissors and little hearts for threads .
Again beautifully stitched and finished, and it will be treasured with other things Sally has sent me - I have a special Sallys basket lol.
Next is from Tina (no BLog) although she should ,we keep nagging her. I loved this little fob so much I sent a pic of it to Tanya at The Sampler Girl and she put it on Facebook so how about that Tina.
Anyway here is what she sent me and then a pic of said fob on my Sense and Sensibility wip .


So haven't I just been so lucky.
I also had 29 birthday cards and 3 e cards. Just so blessed and overcome here.
I think I should show you what Martin got me ,I did fall in love with a mirror ,and I have to admit that he was pretty taken with it too. I should have got him to take a pic for you . It was in a gallery in Abbotsbury called Dansel , very nice wooden items made by very talented craftsmen,anyway this mirror was approx 3foot by 4 and it had the colouring of thelounge in the border which was red and browns and cream marquetry of like a medieval scene of a supper along the top and apple picking on the sides with a lady catching the apples at the bottom. ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS but the price of just under £2,000 was touch more than we could afford ! So I came away with this which is also fabulous but a tad less expensive.A photograph album for the ancestors !

I really had a wonderful day , then at teatime Kate dd arrived with her tribe singing Happy birthday with a cake ,Alfie being most upset as they had forgotten the candles,left them at home ,so Ihad to pretend . I just have to share with you the inside of the card they had all written on.

They gave me a bouquet of pink roses and Kate gave me vouchers to spend.
I did have lots of bits from friends and family in fact it was bit like the generation games conveyor belt ,just needed the set of saucepans lol.
Oh and I must share with you Ellas gift to me ,but it will not get eaten!

Oh my ! It goes on- the postman has just arrived -oh he is grumpy this one. I had ordered a couple of books for Martin for VDay and they arrived with some other things. I do suppose he had the other gifts this week but it is his job. Anyway he just knocked the door and when I opened it I was greeted with blimey you keep me busy here , I am like a donkey!! I was a little taken aback do you think he was joking.Anyway I may as well show you the things that have just arrived
first up from my Irish friend Anne- we have not been in contact so much recently but I think of her often and I know her dh has had some nasty health problems so I will just take a minute to say ,you really are a sweetie for remembering Anne and thankyou. This is what I received ,it smells of Lavender too,hmmmm lovely!

Then from Clare who is the owner of Needlecraft Haven this has arrived , I love the card Clare and the chart and thread is so pretty.

BIL in Australia card came today too.
Last but not least and not birthday is this that I ordered a month or so ago but was it not worth the wait.


Well my friends leave a comment for me if you would ,I do like to see a little note from you all. I need to know -if I have 96 followers (96) why do I only get at most 15 comments lol. However if you do then you are a star and thankyou
Now I feel like I am at the Oscars -I am going to say to each and everyone of you that made the 15th of February such a special day for me THANKYOU SO MUCH!!
I have a couple of pics to share with you ,I saw some sheep when we went to Broadwindsor and Martin was braveheart and went and took some pics for me (in the rain) so will show you next time as they are a little different.
No stitchy news this time will catch up soon, I think next Monday we are off to Colleens for the Sal so will perhaps post a piccie of her (posh)residence. Take care all and thanks for visiting me whilst I sit in this comfy chair.
Hugs n stuff
Barb.x

A finish and a couple of wips

Well hello and happy Valentines Day!
This is just a quick update really on my progress on The Journey. Tonight I have Sally and Colleen coming over (well virtually not really) and the Sal continues. Sally is going great guns on Emmanuels Song ,wonder if she sings along while she stitches -too busy talking I think lol. Colleens Checkered sheep too is looking lovely and I do hope she gets a sheep in there soon!! Take a look at her blog Threads in my garden to see where she is with it.
Here is my progress up to last week, I am hoping to get the basket of flowers done this week, that will take me back to floristry !!


These are clickable so you could take a closer look. I posted a pic from the time before progress so you can see I now have a shepherdess,she won't be very pleased I called her a shepherd! She also now standing on a flowery grass mound and that sheep had better not eat those flowers or it might get sick.
Wonder how much will get done tonight,this is really delicate and pretty,done with one thread of silk.
Thought you may like to see Sense and Sensibility progress too ,this is a Sal I am hosting over on Needlecraft Haven , Last count I think there were 7/8 of us. After a demolition job on the house I have rebuilt it and finished glazing and rendering, as some of you know I am not a lover of stitching houses. I do like words though and have started the sentiment . I was not sure of the colours, but somehow they do work together.

I also have been stitching a little gift but cannot show you that yet.
Talking of gifts here is the blankie all finished, it will be in the post sometime soon ,well in a couple of weeks or so I guess as I have to put something else in the parcel. It is no where near as neat as Julie mums knitting ,but it will do a turn and I absolutely needed to do it when I saw it.

I think I have just published this before I finished it argh!!!!!!!!
Again talking of gifts just look what I have got!!

Arent I the lucky one , I have a birthday (groan yes another one) but I have such generous ,kind, sweet , and well you know who you are ladies that have sent me some goodies to open tomorrow.
So perhaps I shall share those with you later in the week. I think maybe Colleen and Sally we shall crack open a bottle of bubbly tonight lol.
Take care all and I will catch up with you again later.
Hugs n stuff
Barb