Stitchy catch up

I finished this design back in 2014, it's under the heading of 12 square sampler, I did enjoy stitching it and I still love these designs, I am only planning to have 3 boxes here. I don't have the original, I gave it away to another blogger. I have left out a few tiny bits in these 2 boxes, I wanted the design to be crisp and not busy. 

Another design stitched in 2014 (a busy year for me), this is under the header of European cushion, again the colour drew me to this design, I still have the finished work and intend to make a cushion to go along with this on our bed. When I pulled the threads, I always choose colours by eye, I found the pale brown is the exact shade I am using on the design above. 

This centre section, is my all time favourite design,  I stitched it in 2012, it under the header of cross stitch patchwork sampler. I gave this finished work to a dear Spanish friends daughter, I intend to have to across the whole of this design, overlapping the other designs. I always knew I would re-stitch this beautiful design. 

This is my work so far, I am pleased with how it's growing, the side panels are the easiest, as I am following the design, the centre panel is the most enjoyable part of this design. The top line is level, my photo skills are not as good as my stitching. 

I am really enjoying this project, it's huge, but these uneventful days are long, so I fill my time stitching and watching the birds in our garden. Everything I am using is from my stash, I am keeping to the colours from the original designs, but choose them by eye from my drawers, in hope to use some of the huge amount of silks (floss). The only area I am being free on choice is with the middle sampler, these colours have to match the design and not clash with the design next it them. The designs were never made to be stitched in this way, parts of it are being decided as I stitch, I am enjoying the freedom of the central band. I need to add more red in this top section as there is loads of pinks and reds in a design I am using lower down. 

I am really enjoying using my Q snap frame again, it's lovely to see the whole of my work, my big wooden hoop is great for smaller projects, but it does crush the fabric and I would not ever want to have any stitched area in the holding section of the hoop. 

Nothing much is happening here, we are walking locally most days, we do get to see daughter, Will and George once a week, which for us is such a boost to our well being, we are also beginning to see more of our neighbours as we all get out a bit more, thankfully our weather has up to now helped. 

I'm not planning any jobs inside or outside, mainly because we have done all we want to, talking to our lovely neighbour who shares our drive, hubby is looking at huge wooden gates to be put across the drive just past our side door (main entrance), just to help make things private and ensure Pauline feels safe as she lives on her own. 

Add to the stash

A bit of retail therapy, but charity shop style

Just over a meter for £1.00

Perfect for my hexagons 

 My sister gifted me these 

She found the them on ebay as a huge job lots 

and passed me a meter of each colour

 Plus these fleecy baby blankets

Every colour than pale blue

 These bulbs are growing well,

not showing my hyacinth as it has not grown at all.

 We have had a quiet weekend at home, my sister and I popped to a local village with a craft/fabric shop, she required a zip and some thread, neither of which we could get. I was looking for fabrics for a baby cot quilt, which I could not find the shades I was searching for.
In the same village is a charity shop with a huge craft section, I love to poke about and some huge bargains can be found. My sister took home some great fabrics at bargain prices.
I have not a clue what I will use the fleecy baby blankets for, they are packed away as part of my fabric stash. The heavy dark cottons will be used for bags, and will work well with the lighter coloured heavy cottons already in my stash. I have added the £1 I spend on craft to my list.
I have started knitting the second baby jacket, this time in a dark blue, again I will knit the fronts and back together as one piece.  It is a simple design so it won't take long.
Our meal at our local pub was perfect, the food was wonderful, the service perfect, so The Cormorant at Portchester is now back on list of foodie pubs, and the plus it's in walking distance.
We popped to see youngest daughter this morning, who is about 2 weeks away from her due date, again she is blooming, it's just a matter of waiting to meet our youngest and 5th grandson, exciting times.
Hubby has ordered me 3 books from amazon, he gets free delivery, so they will be here tomorrow, all three are new to me authors, one is a recommendation from Amazon, using the history of books we have already purchased.
We watched the film, Girl on a Train, last night, it was as great as the book. I was a bit worried as the book is set in UK, and the film in USA, but the story line was quiet true to the book and a really good film.

Happy New Year

Finishes in 2014

Failed - Winter Watergarden, one day

Finally I am looking at threads and deciding what to stitch.

I have been very naughty and popped to Hobbycraft and purchased cutters for my Xpress machine, I managed to get a couple Christmas ones, these will enhance my card making. Plus the embossing for the whole card. 

On the plus side, I did look at all the half price Christmas decorations in the garden center next door and decided we did not require anything. I can not find anywhere with simple white tree lights on sale, oh well I will have to get them in December. 

I have recorded my weight this morning, 

not sure how I'm going to  lose and keep off the excess.

5th Finish of the year.

My sampler is finished, happy dance time here. I started this beginning of February, so almost 3 months of stitching.

 I love everything about this sampler, the design, the colours I used, 

the tiny blue stitches. I did change the top of the final box, the letters were jumbled and some missing and some in twice, not at all to my taste, 

so I added three hearts. 

 Tidy neat little boxes.

My favourite box has to be this one with the ship and the blue sea, 

can't tell you why, I just love it. 

 Most of this week has been about my shed, how sad a grown woman having so much fun, I love every time I enter I can smell cut wood, which I love. We have had heavy rain this week and the inside is dry, very pleasing.

I have planted items next to the fence, a Honeysuckle, with red flowers and a Fuchsia, there is also a white Jasmine here, so most of the fence will be covered. I also added stone around everywhere to make it look clean. I plonked my Twisted Willow in the tall pot just for now, but I'm loving it there, so I will plant it up. I will also plant the small daisy in front, just looking for a nice container.

No plans for the weekend, weather is not good, loads more rain. I will spend more time adding to my shed, making girly, I have solar lights for outside and some wind chimes, also I am sure some wooden hearts will find a way in.
Squirrels are back, they soon found ways to get past the higher wire fence, but the cats are not coming in, another small battle won. Just have to stop the flies and find a way to have windows open without fear of invading cats, we are on our own, no local authorities are interested, we are private houses and they don't want to know. It is very sad one woman can change so many lives.
I have done a few stitches on European Cushion, photo's next time and I am doing a quickie.

Shedtastic

Box 8 is finished, just box 12 to go, I am planning to have this finished by Wednesday, I managed to stitch  last night, once we were back at home. 

Sorry it's not the best of photo's.

 I have already done a bit of this last box, 

so the finish line is very close. 

 I went shopping with my sister on Saturday morning, and these followed me home, The Aquilegia is in my flower bed by the garage. The mace, in the green tub is in my herb garden, not used mace before but I do like the leaves. The Goji is in a large pot, in the greenhouse, this is very new for me. The daisy is waiting I will have to create an area for it to go in.

 Hubby and I spent most of the day in the garden, 1st job adding the wire fencing to stop the cats coming into our garden, then we built the shed, it fits this space behind the garage perfect, the roof was hard to fit, we really needed to be able to get along the sides, but hubby managed to get it together. I will start to sort my stuff and fill it this week. Already I am being teased because it will be a tidy shed.

 Later our daughters came for tea, we did not have a BBQ as promised, but had our food cooked inside and ate outside. Still plenty of time for football, Josh is getting very good. The garden is looking really good.

 Sam had fun with his cars, and playing golf on the decking. 

The green topped storage box has most of the spare garden furniture in, plus my large garden tools, so by next weekend every thing will be in my shed and it can be dismantled ready for Su and David to have in their garden. 

I have moved the strawberry pots down to catch the sunshine all day, in hope they will now start to grow. 

It has tried to rain this evening, but we have done every thing we wanted to do outside, the boys have gone home, they are back at  school tomorrow. I will stitch soon, and rest, hope your Easter break for fun and rewarding as ours.

It's a Good Friday

This stitching is coming along well, this was at the end of Wednesday night, I had two evenings of good stitching time. 

 At the end of last night, I did go out for a couple of hours, but was not sleepy when I got in, so I sat and stitched until past 12pm. I can see the finish line and am racing to get there.

 My shed arrived this morning, hubby has painted each panel twice, the ground is level with the slabs ready for installation, fingers crossed it will be done on Monday. It will fit this space and look perfect.

 I replanted this garden last September, and I am pleased to see plants coming back, this is a beauty. I love the rustic look of this wall, but hubby wants to paint it.

 Peony time, it has 8 buds at this point, another plant which was dug up and replanted, it was only out the ground for a few hours, so no harm has been done.

 Last night whilst out with both daughters, we popped to a few shops and Fliss treated her mum, the colours in this necklace are wonderful, I have loads of summer dresses and tops which will go well with this. I am a lucky mummy.

We have spent the morning in the garden, hubby painting, me just pottering, I have so little to do at this time, loads of seedlings growing, I hope to plant them next month, I just have to watch out for the slugs, they can eat every thing so very quickly.
Later we have a three hour drive to Somerset, tonight and tomorrow we will spend time with Martin and Leannna, my family. Sunday we will have time with Logan, mummy and daddy. We are giving Fliss a lift, she is visiting her dad and will come home with us on Sunday evening.
Monday will be a day at home, building a shed and then maybe our first BBQ of the year.
Su and David are home, they will feed the cats tomorrow and water all my plants.
I am not taking my stitching with me, it's a bit big, so I am taking my tatting stuff, I would love to master it properley.

Stitching, Almost there

I have found time to do some stitching, not too much, 

but I do hope to finish square 7 tonight, 

This is pure bliss

 My ORT's in their new jar, loving all the colours.

 I have completed under the tree, I wanted this to look neat, I have a Hosta growing in the chimenea, we stopped using it years ago, on the top is a pot saucer filled with water for a bird bath. In front is our herb garden and at the back our fruit garden.

 This is our one tulip, very pretty.

 The bluebells I transplanted are growing stronger, they look much better in this garden, I have cut back all the daffodils. I am now watching to see what is growing, I have loads in pots ready to fill gaps. It will take a couple of years to get this garden to how I want it.

 I received a plant catalogue yesterday from Sutton Seeds, they show the Cucamelons, which I am growing in my greenhouse, and now I want the Cocktail Kiwis, I will place my order for them to arrive next week. This summer we will have loads of different things to harvest.

Work has been good, very slow, but we have loads of catch up jobs getting done. I can then get an hour in the garden, picking up leaves from the tree, and sat in the sunshine. We do have to lay the paving slabs for the shed to stand on, but that is truly the last big job this year. Hubby has promised me a BBQ soon.
I have a long weekend for Easter, so just two days left at work, we are away from Friday evening until Sunday evening, visiting family, and the weather is promised to be good. Monday will be a day at home.
Paula, a water butt is a large sealed container which stands next to a building (garage) and the rain from the guttering collects inside, with a tap at the bottom to fill my watering can for the flowers.
Laura, I have as yet not finished your rug, I am being very slow, but I promise it will be in the post for early next week.

Here comes summer

Well not quiet, but Bluebells, I love them, these I have taken from the front garden to the back. This space is looking very good.

 Peony time, I already have 10 buds, 

I love this plant.

 Loads of promise in the greenhouse, 45 french Marigolds little plants all growing to perfection, my twisted willow, loads of new growth, and more flower seeds, many different flowers, probably to many for my little garden.

 These roses fell into my shopping basket, 

the orchid is lasting well. 

 Dave the bear has been closer to my stitching this week than me, he sit's waiting each day, I wish he could sew, think how much we would get done.

 I have done some work on box 12, 

the outer box is finished

 At lunch time I went for a walk, our local park was full of people enjoying the sunny afternoon, just inside the gate, the blue sea of Bluebells welcomed me, in the middle of the city, what more can you ask for.

This has been a challenging week for our family, one daughter so full of sorrow, brought on by a man who was a cheat and a liar, and another daughter whose world is coming together after her marriage broke down. As a mum who can only watch and support, it has been a hard week. Yesterday I had with both daughters, it is wonderful to see how they support and love each other, we did manage to have some laughter together.
Soon it will be the weekend, our garden calls, my shed will arrive next week, so we have to prepare the area, I also want to get some paint, we have decided to paint inside pink.