First of all the good news!

Hello all this Bank Holiday Monday in the UK. I am hoping that those who have had to contend with "Irene" are keeping safe and not too much damage to property etc. Prayers and thoughts are with you.
Well I promised you good news first, this is Our grandson Jacks exam results, we are very proud grandparents and can tell you he got 8 A's, 2B's, and 1A*. He is however wondering if he will have to resit the Maths B to be able to do the academic course he wants -He was so close too, his Maths tutor said he was 3 points off. I think if he did not have girl trouble that week maybe,just maybe ,it would have made a difference.
He has to go to the college on the 6th September to see if he can appeal and still do the course with Maths included. He will be doing Chemistry, Physics and Biology so fairly "strong" subjects.Hopefully the girl situation won't be an issue now.
Nevertheless he did good, despite him being very unhappy when he first started at that school and being bullied.
I am hoping he will be popping in soon as we do have a little cheque for him.

This post will hopefully not be as long as usual( I can almost hear you breathing a sigh of relief). I have finished a couple of small bits ,firstly a little something to go in the Button Box, This was a design by Danybrod and going through my charts I knew I had to stitch it for the "box".




It looks like a may have an order for another box as Sue ddil saw it yesterday and fell in love with it. Hinting! I have my buttons in an old Sainsburys bag in the cupboard. Did I fall for it? well we shall wait and see ,have to find the right design.
The GSand E came down yesterday (I think it was the roast rib of beef we had for dinner that did it lol) so 6 for dinner . Mum in law came too , it was really yummy ,after dinner they all went for a walk and on getting home they had home made scones jam and cream and cheese scones for tea. So they went homewards ready to go back to work full and content. They have just got back from 2 weeks in Turkey and were lovely and brown Ella spent most of her time in the water apparently.

Now talking of baking I also finished this , I loved it as soon as I saw it and it was one of those ,I HAVE TO STITCH THAT NOW!!!


This is LHN design and stitched on Sassys fabric over 2 which came hard. Finished with a Lindt Bunny Bell that Julie sent me.
That is all I have finished for you this time , I have been having a little trouble with my eyes and headaches. I did and will be stitching with Sally and Colleen at Colleens tonight , and I will show you progress made until today. Cause I have not done tonights yet !!!

I think I may stitch this as a gift for mil , I can stitch her 5 childrens initials on it. Especially as the little description of why the design is called My Moms Garden is so fitting to my MIL. I know strictly she is not "My" mum, but Martin cannot stitch and the sentiment is so apt. Would you like me to tell you what Tina of Shepherds Bush wrote.

"My Mother loved her garden very much. Many of my fondest memories are of her working tirelessly out in the garden nuturing and cherishing each bloom.But I believe that if you had asked her which were her most prized blossoms,she would have said-her children.As much as she loved her dirt and roses,I think we were the garden she tended best of all .I have often wondered how she raised 5 of us in such seeming good humour and appeared to enjoy every day of it.I have bowed to her many times during my years as a parent. This is for you Mom."

Martins Mum has been like a mum to me too, she is still so interested in all things related to family,she tends her garden most days and I think this little note sums her up perfectly so I shall put the initials of her 5 children and the sheep that features in it will be to her from me,a psuedo daughter. So I hope she likes it when it is done.

Last week we went out shopping for a friends birthday present and did a tour of the galleries around Weymouth and I did get her a present. Martin saw me gazing at this felt bowl , I was fondling the fleece type wool around the top. I was amazed when he said to the lady we will have this too. So it is now sitting on the table , I put some homespun Portland fleece wool in it and added a couple of My mums old knitting needles as I felt as if it needed "finishing ". I love it.

How Lucky am I (well he had bought himself a new laptop,that morning).
Well my dears I am now off to play leftovers for dinner in the kitchen , Ollie did well with leftovers yesterday too as we cooked way too much. Hope to have another finish to show you next time but what into I just do not know.
Take care all and thanks for the comments , I love them all and its good to know out there are such super duper people.
Hugs n stuff
Barb.

My magnificent man........

and the flying machine!
Well folks last Sunday was up into the wide blue yonder for Martin.It was slightly overcast when we set off for North Devon for Martins experience trip in his Tiger Moth. Which was a retirement present from his bosses.
I won't bore you with loads of pics , but he is the one in the flying jacket. Ollie and I watched with trepidation from the car as they rose into the air and disappeared from view.
You can just about see him centre above the treeline.
45mins later I could hear an aircraft approaching and over the airfield .





They climbed to about 14OO feet, to be able to dive and loop the loop . Then the landing on Terra firma. He thoroughly enjoyed it , and unbeknown to him they had a camera mounted on the plane which takes a DVD of the whole thing.
After leaving we tootled on to Dartmoor which was quite a way and then Ollie had a walk and an icecream!

Well we all had an icecream as they are really good here. It is a have to when we come here. Also we had to have (or I did) a Dartmoor fix,can you guess what it was ?
We seek them here,we seek them there,they were in a hurry and I was not quick enough.

We had to stop in the road so they could go by and they were not going to stop for a photoshoot.

I think they then took pity on the sheepcrazed woman and let me take a pic.

Satisfied I agreed we could make our way home now ,and that was our day,it was a lovely day out once I had got him back safely to ground.
Anyway I expect you out there would like some stitchy news. I have stash ,oh I know I shouldn't but I did get his permission.
Do you want stash or pics first. Hmmmm , I think I will save the finish until last.
Well I did say I really wanted these new SB ones just so I can continue on a Monday with Sally and Colleen , I am expecting Sally to visit and Colleen if she can get a flight!! I started My Moms Garden(which I altered to My mums Garden), last Monday. Sally will be having a new start soon I am sure, as she is going great guns on her "Family",Sally gets so much accomplished so quickly we are all in awe. Colleen has had an accident and broken 3 ribs poor girl, she blamed it on Miss W ,no news about Miss Wrigley though,hope you did not fall on her! I reckon she had been at the wine bottle!!! Seriously get better soon Colleen. I think she is still managing to stitch though, no ribs needed Colleen in stitching ,just fingers lol.

Just visible is the start I made , the rest is the stash I had.
Also in the post this week were LHN baked goods ,which I need to do next I think.With it came the crows a plenty.

Still with me?
I also have been following Blissfullystitching blog, and Elizabeths progress. It is looking lovely and I thought as I have this chart, better get threads, especially since the amount goes down (if you did not know) from £18 TO £15 before paying duty,in November. Ridiculous isnt it.,that is if you are importing from the US.Anyway I ordered Vicci Claytons threads for this so another new start coming up.

This week I ordered the threads for the Needle Charmer. So I have all I need now famous last words.
My friend Michelle was offering this chart on her blog as she has stitched it , and lo an behold it was in the post this week.Thanks Michelle.


These are for another project I have in mind.I got them from The Patchwork Rabbit who is a lot cheaper for GAST ,WDW,and CC.
Ok of course an update on Mansfield Park by The Sampler Girl.

Now -ta-da!! The FINISH.


I finished this Blackbird Designs "Wild Lilies" and made it into a box top. The box was an old Twinings Tea Box, and I needed a box for my buttons. This is the inside.


The label on the lid reads Button Button who has the button.
So I am hope you enjoyed reading the weeks "doings",and hope you have a good week ahead too. Oh before I go- when I have left a comment on someones blog,I sometimes have an e mail saying new comment on whoevers blog-can someone tell me how to do it.In very simple terms please (I am a very simple person.)
So now thanks for the comments and hello to the new followers ,take care all and happy stitching
hugs n stuff
Barb

Pull up a chair,

and come sit with me a while , I will regale you with snippets of news and stitching finishes and "I have some" that will hopefully make you want to stitch too , so many seem to be missing a mojo lately. Just perhaps ,perhaps perhaps.

I am firstly going to show you my "Little packet"that Angela (no blog) sent me. We are very taken with Miss Austen and you can imagine my delight when this arrived for me.

From time to time we send a little "Jane" item and I now have to think of the return gift. I was thrilled to have the little needlebook ,it is just so sweet. Now I know Angela will not mind as she asked if anyone would like one or two or three or maybe even 4 then she is selling them. Her email is john.sweby@btinternet.com and she will be delighted to hear from you .
The thread winder apparently came from the US and has taken a while to get here,so meantime Angela put needle to thread and stitched the sillouette of Jane .I have hung it above my Jane dresser.

So a big thankyou Angela .
I also received my Summer Exchange parcel but cannot show you that just yet.
Now on to the stitching I have done,as you may remember I had mentioned that Julie had a birthday this is the piece I stitched for her.

This was taken from The Honeysuckle Manor book by Blackbird Designs , I changed the colour of the GAST silk and the backing fabric which I cannot show you was a new line from Thread Bear.
Julie loved it and I am so pleased. Seymore sent Miss Rose shopping with me to find a little present for Julie Mum and she chose a guardian angel pin , as she had been made to shop, he had to write the card. If you do not know about" Seemore and his family" they are my little family of Julies knitted bunnies ,who keep me on my toes stitching wise. In fact Seemore has been so good at his job making sure I stick to my UFOs along with Mr Stick (thats another reason to get stitching) that I have this to show you ,Whoo hoo !!!



This is Autumn, you hadn't guessed had you lol. It is a design by Cross eyed Cricket ,I stitched it over one one Sassys 28count fabby. I now have to do the other 3 to do!!!!
Another finish that was a quick one but when I saw it I could see it finished for Hallowe'en ,PrimitiveDesigns by Jennifer Taylor-Goss. Her blog is simplegoodesstitchedbyjennifer.blogspot.com if you like Primitive then you will like her home and blog.
This is Shadows of a Thousand years.

Again stitched on Sassys fabric over one then tea dyed and splashed with coffee.You do not need to adjust your eyes ,the blanket stitch I made crooked on purpose .Honest.
You know I sal with Sally and Colleen (I think Colleen is still with us) and this week yep another!! finish this is Sophies Pincushion a SB design. I keep looking at the new ones they have just brought out , hinting heavily to other half here, I think I am talking to his left deaf ear !!


I will be sending the chart on to Sally.The wording reads She tended her garden of gladness and fears,nurtured with love watered with tears.

SO have I inspired you to get your needle out and stitch.
I had a phone call from a friend who I do not see as often as I would like , she said she had to drop her hubby at a Victorian Fort near us and would I like to go with her to the Dorset Art and Craft Exhibition. Of course I jumped at the chance, it was a choice between that or going to see Cars 2. Well ok what would you have chosen, so Martin drew the short straw .
I took a few pics but surreptiously, but no cross stitch as they didn't have much that I considered worth taking pics of.In fact I was told I should put mine in. Oh no , not one for doing that , I dont mind you ladies seeing my efforts but not sure of exhibiting.So this is a quilt done by a man and it was incredible.

Entitled have you guessed yet. "Thats the way to do it"

This little barn that was a woodsmans shed , of course when Seymore saw it , he whispered he may like to move in.

He could see himself pushing the wheelbarrow and the apron hanging on the door is just his size.In fact it would be just perfect for him to escape to.
Only one more and taken for Martin, I will let you into a little secret about 13 years ago (oh dear ) better get Mr Stick out Julie. Martin started a boat and it is still awaiting finishing. Anyway I just had to take this one to show him that it CAN be done dear.

This Sunday he is up up and away in the Tiger Moth flight ,so look for some pics next time.
Well my dearies , hope you will be able to see exchange photos next time. I shall leave you as I begun with dear Jane, my last weeks progress on Mansfield Park.

As it is Jane night over at Needlecraft Haven I am now off to stitch.
Take care all and thankyou once again for the comments love them all.
hugs n stuff
Barb

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