Winter House and RR

I received word that Cathy got the package i sent her for the SBEBB Winter House Exchange. I stitched her a CCN chart from JCS 2006 Christmas ornie magazine and finished it as a wee pillow. I sent her other goodies too but i don't have a photo, you can see those on Cathy's blog. Funnily enough, if you read my previous post, you will have seen that Jean stitched this design for me too :)I havent done anything on either of my SAL pieces this week (Cirque des Cercles and Dear Diary) because the little free time i had was spent trying to finish of Lizzy's RR to send on to Lesley tomorrow. I finished my square anyway....Here's the whole piece....Doesn't it look great? Lizzy wanted everyone to stitch a LHN Dear Diary chart. It was working on this RR that made me realise how great all the Dear Diary pieces would look together, hence the SAL with Laura and Vonna!

Had a busy weekend. On Friday night my mum and I went for dinner and then went to the cinema to see PS I love You. The film was okay, not as good as the book. Last night we were out at our friends house. Tonight is the usual sunday night girly get together which we havent had in a good few weeks now. Then its back to work tomorrow :(

Have a good week!

Winter House Exchange received

Just a quick post to show the winter house exchange piece i received from Jean this week. She stitched me this CCN design and finished it as a wee felt backed cushion. She also included fabric, 2 skeins of floss and ribbon. Thanks Jean, everything is so great!

Has everyone seen LHN's new January releases? Go here I love them both but particularly the schoolgirl lessons one.

I have been super busy this week at work. Hope to get caught up on all your blogs at the weekend! Hmmmm the weekend......one more day to go ;-)

Climbing

The climbing arena was great. The kids i work with had a blast. I was slightly worried when we got there and i had to sign something that said the centre wouldn't be responsible for death and then when the first activity seen my young people suspended from the ceiling, a long way off the groundand then seeing them climb this far but it was all fine! They're a great group who were rewarded with this trip for their volunteering in the community over the last two years. Im very proud of them.

I think all the worry wore me out because i was in bed at 9pm last night and sound asleep by 10pm. My new stitching start sums up my feelings

So true!! :-)

Rainy January

I hate January. We get rain, rain and more rain. Look at this - this was taken at 9am!! Where's the daylight i hear you cry?!! There isnt any at the moment....or so it seems Anyway, onto happier things. I thought i would show some progress pictures on my SAL pieces. First of all, here is my Cirque des Cercles progress for the Snowbirds SAL from the last 2 weeks

Week 8Week 9Page 1 is complete at last! Yeah!!

And here is my Dear Diary SAL piece that i am doing with Vonna and Laura

Week 2

Week 3 I don't get much time to stitch so im pleased with the progress i have made. Photos and blogging provide good motivation!

Unfortunately i am working this weekend. Tomorrow i am taking a group of young people away to Edinburgh to the international climbing centre. Apparently it's an old quarry thats been converted into a climbing/abseiling centre. Its a reward for their volunteering over the last 2 years and they picked where they wanted to go. Im sure they will all love it.

Have a good weekend

Birthday Club and Winter Quaker

I joined the Stitching Bloggers Birthday Club and must admit to be slightly panicked when i received someone with a January birthday!! However, all was fine and i managed to get something stitched, finished and sent to Wanda right on time! I read on her blog that she like LHN so i stitched this LHN freebie and finished it as a wee pincushion. I was glad to read that she liked it! I sent Wanda other goodies too which you can see on her blog. Go over and wish her a happy birthday!I received my SBEBB Winter Quaker exchange yesterday from Terry. She stitched me this gorgeous pinkeep (sorry about the horrible lighting, its so dull here through January its hard to get decent pictures)Isnt the backing fabric great?! She also and sent me all these lovely goodies tooThank-you so much Terry! I love everything you sent! Im glad the SBEBB is staying open although im trying not to take part in too many exchanges, i want to make good progress on my wips this year!

Have a good week everyone!

Winners!

Wow, i was not expecting the 50 comments i got for my blogiversary contest! Thanks everyone for entering. Its been fun having so many comments to read the last few days. I decided to pick 3 winners because there were so many entries. This will be instead of doing a PIF offer this year. However, when i drew names from a hat i picked 4 out by accident and didnt know who to put back so its now 4 winners LOL

Congratulations to:
Nicola

Staci

Juls

Michele

Staci, im not sure if you have a blog? Could you all email me your addresses please? My email is cherylthomas3000 at yahoo dot com Michele was one of the ladies i sent a PIF to last year and she commented that my blog was one of the first she started reading consistently which was really nice to hear so i am thrilled to stitch for her again!

I was a winner myself this week. Merci very kindly donated this kit to the Stitch Pink Blog and i was lucky enough to win it. I received everything needed to stitch and finish it! Thanks Merci for donating it and Kim for mailing it out!

I joined Tanya's yahoo group the other day which is The Jane Austen Stitching Group. Ive been enjoying the BBC's new adaptation of Sense and Sensibility recently. They've shown 2 out of 3 parts already. Any other UK folk been watching it? I love the film Sense and Sensibility with Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet. So, Tanya's group have inspired another new start for me this week. Yes, another new start! Ive started stitching "At home with Jane Austen" which you can see finished here but here's my startIm awaiting the result of the poll to see which Austen book we will be reading in February. Should be fun!

We are getting bashed with gale force winds and heavy rain at the moment. I noticed we have a few tiles off our roof. I couldnt get to work this morning as the roads are flooded and covered in debris and the trains are off. Im going to try and leave again in a few hours.

Blogiversary contest

My fabric arrived on Saturday for my Dear Diary SAL with Vonna and now Laura too and i had to start immediately!! Im using a 28 ct light mocha cashel linen and i really like it. I started with the Hannah Purington chart which is one of my favourites of the Dear Diary series. I'll put it away now until Tuesday which is SAL day!Today is my one year blogiversary! When i started this blog a year ago i had no idea what form it would take. I didnt even start it as a stitching blog really, that just kinda happened. As i look back i see that so many of you have been with me from the beginning! I was so surprised! Thank-you for your friendship and your kind words. Ive enjoyed getting to know you all. I always make an effort to visit the blogs of everyone who visits mine, as a result i have about 160 feeds in my google reader!

I have loved blogging in the last year. I have met so many nice people, have learnt so many new finishing techniques, learnt lots about other people and other countries, have spent too much money on stash after seeing pieces on your blogs and have been inspired to stitch more and been kept motivated by you all. Thank-you!

As a thank-you to all my blogging friends, i am going to have a give-away. You will receive something stitched and finished by me before my 2nd blogiversary! Please leave a comment on this post and i'll have a draw in a few days time. It doesn't matter if this is your first time visiting my blog or your 100th, anyone can enter!

Your stitching friend

Snowfall and WIPS

We had our first snow fall of 2008 yesterday. Not much compared with what some of you North Americans get but this suits me fine. Anymore than this and everything is a nightmare. Our country can't handle snow!My boss text me the other day to say that i could have today off and just start back on Monday! I was so happy! I though it was dumb starting back on a Friday anyway.

So here's some progress pics of some pieces i've been stitching recently. The first is Lizzy's RR and im stitching LHN's Mary Heaton (from the Dear Diary Series). It was stitching on this RR that made me decide to stitch all the Dear Diary Series for myself. And here is Cirque. I had a bit of a break from it just before Christmas so this is my week 7 progress. The end is nigh for page 1....maybe next week?
Check back soon for my blogiversary!

Happy New Year!

AULD LANG SYNE
Words adapated from a traditional song by Rabbie Burns (1759-96)

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And auld lang syne?

CHORUS:For auld lang syne, my dear,

For auld lang syne,

We'll tak a cup of kindness yet,

For auld lang syne!

And surely ye'll be your pint-stowp,

And surely I'll be mine,

And we'll tak a cup o kindness yet,

For auld lang syne!

We twa hae run about the braes,

And pou'd the gowans fine,

But we've wander'd monie a weary fit,

Sin auld lang syne.

We twa hae paidl'd in the burn

Frae morning sun till dine,

But seas between us braid hae roar'd

Sin auld lang syne.

And there's a hand my trusty fiere,

And gie's a hand o thine,

And we'll tak a right guid-willie waught,

For auld lang syne

Next year i will learn the words to Auld Land Syne so i can properly sing it at midnight! Happy New Year to everyone that reads my blog. I hope this year is a good one for you!

On New Years eve we ended up having about 15 friends over for a party. Had a great time! Lots of singstar/guitar hero and dancing! Us girlies even pulled out an old Spice Girls album to dance to at one point LOL Was fun. Lori, if you read this, i think we did a great "Vogue!" Unfortunately i didnt take any pictures of the evening.

My hols are nearly up and they have gone so quickly. I have two more days and then im back at work on Friday. DH went back today.

I have stitched but not as much as i thought. I've finished stitching all my exchange pieces but now need to "finish" them. Today im going to work on Lizzy's RR and maybe start season 7 of Gilmore Girls which my American friend got recently. Stitching plans for the new year include a new SAL with Vonna which im excited about! We're going to stitch LHN's Dear Diary series as a big sampler. We're going to stitch that on a Tuesday. Im just waiting for my fabric, i think Vonna started yesterday and i cant wait to see her progress! I'll obviously be carrying on with the Snowbirds SAL too for CdC. Maybe that'll be 2 big finishes for 2008?! We'll see!

Watch out for my blogiversary in 4 days time!

Happy New Year to all my blogging friends :-)