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

Cracked it at last!

I have been trying to post honest, but blogger had other ideas ,so after dragging my feet I installed Google Chrome and it works.

The lurgy I have had is finally going, and I have a sort of voice again. So now I can catch up with all the Christmas (seems like forever ago now) and even some before Christmas news. Well Christmas was a non event here as New Year and I was so disapointed we could not see grandchildren open presents etc but my other half cooked us a Christmas dinner and it was lovely.

Before Christmas I finished Snow in love a little ornie from L.H.N. but I cannot show you cause guess who forgot to take a pic before putting it away. I did take one of this finish again before Christmas by Country Rustic Primitives. Just  loved how this turned out .

Some needlefelting books

Some wool for the felt making.

My attempt at a bag!

I think maybe the family think I have too much time on my hands as I had quite a lot of crafty things,something else new I have not tried before and notice what it is a picture of!

Now I have started a kit given by Graeme and family and oh I am really enjoying this ,it is so long since I did any fairisle knitting, but I saw this in a magazine and when I was asked what I would like this is what I chose.

I  thought I knew exactly the stitching that would accompany it , on a Wednesday in the parlour at Needlecraft Haven- I am going to be stitching this. As we started last Wednesday I can show you what I have achieved so far.

My other stitchery things have now been started (see list in sidebar) some I have done very little on but as it is my night with Sally and Colleen here is my start from last week.The Shepherds Bush needleroll Tiny Garden.

Please excuse wrinkly fabric ,hope to get more done tonight to show you next time. Colleen is doing a wonderful job on her Checkered Sheep. I thought I would start with some littles before maybe doing a biggie.

For christmas Karan sent me a Prairie Schooler chart I have wanted for a while D-E-F and also some Santa charts ,she also told me sew and so had a sale on ,bad Karan ,bad Karan, of course I had to get some of the others as well it would have been silly not to really.

The ones Karan sent me and the others I bought.

Before Christmas these arrived this was down to Hazel of Quietly Stitching as I had to go see as I had not heard of them before. So Christmas stitching will be in plenty this year !!!

I have started oneof the Santas but not done enough to show. I also have started the Big Red Hen that Michelle gifted me .So many new starts. 

I am going to go and see if Mr Stick and Julie will have me back on a Tuesday for a UFO I started last year Quaker Diamonds so we shall see progress I hope on that one.

I have also started Elizabeth by Carriage House Samplings ,she has a hand and an arm so is somewhat disembodied. 

So there you are a glimpse of what is to come.

I finished 46 items in 2011 and read 36 books. Wonder how this year will go. I am trying for a few more books and maybe 50 finishes but we will see maybe I am being a little optimistic here!!

Talking of books -here are a few I had from my daughter and crew.

I watched this series and was so pleased to get the book, she also got me this one.

What did I tell you about being busy!

I do hope you are still with me, I have a few ornies to show you that I had from stitchy friends. Julie espied the pineapple themed ornie from one of the church ladies and it hung on the tree.

So from left to right, A little ornie so beautifully stitched and finished from my Irish friend Anne. I asked her who the  designer was and she told me it was in the GOS a little while ago. The little blue one was from Barbara another friend who keeps in touch from time to time again stitched so beautifully and finished . The one on the right was the pineapple one. Would you like to see the backs?

I think that is all the stitching I have to show you . The weather here lately has been so windy and I have been really worried about damage that can occur when these high winds are occurring.However,we have stayed more or less intact, the garden and some of the fencing has taken a battering but on the whole not too bad, Where is the cold winter ,I still have geraniums blooming in the garden and I noticed when I took Ollie out at lunchtime there is a single marigold bravely  thinking it is summer. Violets have been out for ages.Just a couple of pics of the Camillia and the Vibernum

Well who needs a medal for staying with me thus far, I can tell you  that this blogger has nearly driven me nuts trying to get my head round how it all works now. PERSEVERANCE!!
Now be afraid ,be very afraid as here is a pic of me wearing the cowl that Heidi made and I won in her giveaway.

Sorry about that, but Heidi needed to see me wearing it. It has kept my poorly throat warm and I love it thanks Heidi.Notice the new specs and I think I need to get my hair cut!!
Take care all hope you have not been too bored.
Look forward to seeing your comments appear, thanks for taking a little minute to leave me a few words, they mean a lot. 
Hugs n stuff
Barb

A quick hello and new year wishes.

This is a very quick post as I am really in the grip of something nasty and yesterday Martin started too. Christmas was a non event(I think it may have been the gringe that stole it) with New Year following hard on its tail. We will make up for it later with family though, I have hung a big bell on the front door with unclean on it.
However ,I just needed to wish all the friends I have made through this blog thingy, (that I did not ever think I would come to get the hang of). Julie and Karan you do not know how much my life has been enriched by your nagging to "start"my own blog. Thanks.
Special thanks goes to all of you that leave comments (and some I know that have problems trying to leave them ) . I do love seeing a little note pop up.
For my SAL friends Sally , and Colleen with our Shepherds Bush nights long may they continue. Do we start tomorrow?
The Sampler Girl and Jane night over at the Parlour ,for all my maids thanks for continuing with me. Wednesday we start again.
I have sorted some bits out that I need to get stitched (well loads really)and I will let you know what soon. I also have some bits and bobs from stash so look for a giveaway.
No pics this time but do have some taken. A couple that were finished last year !!
So my dears thanks once again for the encouragement , friendship and I wish you more of the same for the new year.
Hugs n stuff Barb