Surprise mail and keyrings

I'm lucky enough to have Daffycat as a floss mum and friend, a few weeks ago I sent her a request for some floss and a copy of the current JCS as it can be hard to find here in the UK. When I asked her she mentioned something about stitching something for me but me being me it went in one ear and out the other and I never gave it another thought until today.

The postman arrived this morning with a package for me and after scanning the barcode 3 times and wondering why it wasn't coming up with the panel for me to sign it dawned on him it was for tracking only, silly man but at least he had a laugh about it :)

When I saw who it was off I put the kettle on for a coffee so I could enjoy looking at the JCS but that plan went out the window when I opened it up and spotted the little pin pillow.

To make it even better Sharon had sent me some of her fantastic handmade pins and since it's far too pretty to only have a tiny corner of a pic here's a better one :)

Isn't it gorgeous

I'm guessing it's stuffed with Walnut shell as it's quite weighty for it's size.

Thank you so much Sharon for brightening the day up no end.

And now for the keyring bit.

Remember in yesterday's post I said I'd probably have them done today and ta-da here they are.

I nearly posted 2 pics one with both 'fronts' showing and one with both 'backs' showing then the penny dropped that I could do both at the same time.  Tell you some times if I had a brain I'd be dangerous!

Bead stash

I went to a bead fair at Haydock race course yesterday and a few things followed me home.

See that Union flag (it should only be called a Union Jack when flown from a ship btw) keyring at the top well probably tomorrow you'll see it finished along with the blank one beside it.

Once I started putting everything away I found another little bag with these in the somehow missed the first pic but since there's a dragon involved I had to share :)

Couple of updates

A few weeks ago I had done my hours on the projects I had active and wasn't really in the mood to start something new, something that's not unusal for me this year I'd much rather finish stuff off so I went had a root around in the drawer I keep my PHD's in and came up with Blue Ribbon's Winter Wingding.

Here's how it looked when I pulled it out and below is my progress.  This was last year's Birthday start.

And here's this weeks progress on Winter Wonderland

Henry has a new friend

Remember I finished Henry a few months ago well when Sheena saw him she fell in love and asked if I'd make her one.  Well with her 21st birthday fast approaching I couldn't say no really so she and Mel went off the the bead shop to pick a colour (Mel was paying for them, joint present off the 2 of us) and came back with two along with a request for a 21 on his tummy.

So after a couple of months work Oscar was completed this afternoon.  He was insistent quite early on what his name was and on Monday he'll get to meet Claude and Bruno (a beading friend made them and she has another waiting to be assembled, if I remember my camera I'll take a pic)

Quick updates

With the madness of last week I never got round to posting my progress on Winter Wonderland so here it 

And with visiting at the weekend I didn't make much progress on MW but that's ok

TUSAL time

Yes I know I'm a couple of days late but I do have a good reason :)

I did manage to take my pics before the madness of Thursday night/ Friday morning I just never got to post them so here they are now.

I have orts from Namaste, Mary Wigham, 4 Seasons Sampler, Halloween flip its, Winter Wingding and assorted beading threads.

I was at DBF's Wednesday night and for once remembered to take my camera with me, once again Scruffy posed with my jar :)

This one has orts in from the Peony, I love Wales, Rocking Horse, Stripy Heart and Snowman Stocking the middle 3 of which I have yet to post pics of!

Look who's arrived

Teejay my second Grandson made his entrance into the world at 6.15am today weighting a healthy 8lbs 3oz.

Mum and Baby are doing well

Yes your in the right place......

Just in case you thought you weren't with me posting a Halloween project :)

It's not for me so don't fall off your seat with shock at Halloween appearing on my blog (if your a new reader and wondering what I mean, I don't do Halloween at all can't stand it)

I'm stitching it as a model for Sparklies  Kate had asked someone else to stitch it for her knowing I don't like Halloween but for health reasons they weren't able to continue so I was called on.

You should all recognise it as Lizzie Kate's Halloween Flip It's.

Neither pic does the fabric justice it's much more pink IRL and I quite like it which for someone that doesn't do pink either is good going!

As it came to me

And after a couple of days working on it.

My plan is work on it for a day or so every week and that way I shouldn't have any trouble meeting the deadline.

Mary Wigham update

Just a quick post to share my weekend progress on MW.

I've got 5 1/2 motif to go inc. the name panel and all the initials which I left out on purpose while I decided what I was going to do about them and now I have :)

New Neighbours

I have some new and unusual neighbours for the week.

A circus arrived yesterday evening and within 30 minutes I saw the horses.

The camel was a surprise this morning, the zebra was a surprise this evening and when I went to take pics the buffalo was another surprise!!

An old finish finished

Way back in 2009 I finished LHN's Traveling Stitcher but wasn't able or fortunate enough to get the pouch to attach it to so I asked a friend if she could make me one.

While at Dove Farm a few weeks ago she gave it me back and I'm in love with it.

Ally you did a fantastic job, Thank you so much

I have 2 pockets in it, please excuse my bad attempt at showing them!

I've not decided what project I'll use it for if indeed I'll use it at all

Lastly here's my start on the Buttons and Beads kit I picked up on Saturday

Mary update and a happy dance

First is this week's progress on MW.  I stitched the yellow motif while watching the tennis on Sunday and although you can't really see it I almost finished a very pale motif between the yellow and brown one's.

And because I haven't shared one for a while here's an overall pic of her.

This is Peony in close up.

This was my project at DBF's for the last few months and I finished it a couple of weeks ago.

Please excuse the wrinkles, it's had a bath and I thought I'd got them all out when I pressed it but obviously not!

Peony in close up

Lanarte kit

Started 12 Feb

Finished 27 June

4 Seasons update

I spent last week working on my 4 Seasons Sampler and I'm still loving every stitch of it

I just have to do the floral band and then I'll be half done but that's a job for next month.

Boy was I glad to finish the beehive in the middle, it's done in Smyrna crosses and I was really fed up with them by the time I was done!

Yesterday I went down to The Nimble Thimble to meet up with friends from Needlecraft Haven and of course a little stash came home with me :)
I'll be starting the Buttons & Beads on Wednesday as a SAL with Ursh who claimed I twisted her arm to buy the kit but I never laid a finger on her, honest

6 month review of 2012 goals

I thought that since we've hit halfway in the year I'd do a review of how I'm getting on with my year long goals.

Finish a TW  Not looking good for this one, I haven't been working on one at all.  I did start on one every monday but wasn't feeling the love so haven't worked on it for months.  Of course I could cheat and start a new one that I can finish.
Finish Mary Wigham  Well on track with this one and will hopefully be finished this month

Stitch an ornament a month and finish it  I'm one behind with this but most of them are beaded not stitched but they still count in my book 

Stitch or bead at least 12 Dragons in honour of 2012 being the year of the Dragon  I've finished one and have another in progress and more planned so I should be OK

Keep up with the TUSAL  So far so good but I do keep forgetting to post the TUSAL jar I have at DBF's

Get my PHD number to below 25  Not sure if I've got them down at all so far but that will change as I finish projects towards the end of the year.

Updates

First my progress from the weekend on MW.

The end is in sight, fingers crossed I'll get her done this month

And I added another motif to Namaste last month, if I can keep at the same pace I'll be finished later in the year

June progress & July Goals

For June I said 

Start Mel's rose  Done

Get an ornament done  Done

Finish a beading project that's already started  Done, the Angel

For July I'd like to 

Get an ornament done

Finish Mary Wigham would be nice 

Work on Mel's rose

In June I stitched for 83 hours 22 minutes, had 1 new start and 2 Finishes and 1 day of no stitching.

Current PHD total = 32