TOO CUTE FOR HALLOWEEN . . .

It's Halloween tomorrow night and due to my chaotic year so far, I've managed to stitch a BIG FAT NOTHING towards it!

In my last post I did mention that I was quite close to finishing a WIP but struggling rather .... well, being back in blogland again and hearing from so many of you must have spurred me on and

ABRACADABRA

(come on! it is nearly Halloween!)

let me show you . . .

DOBBY

I don't think there will be anyone out there who doesn't know who this little cheeky chap is but just in case (where have you been?) ~ he's the cute house-elf from Harry Potter and in our house we love him to bits!

He was stitched in just 10 shades of DMC on 18-count white Aida, I had thought about changing to a linen or evenweave but as the design was stitched edge to edge, it didn't seem worth it.  I started him back in September so I suppose not too long in completing but as you can see from the next picture, there is no definite parts of the design to stitch, it's just random patches of colour and quite often just 1 or 2 crosses of a shade in the middle of another colour!  It was only when I put it down each time at the end of 2 or 3 nights stitching that I could see any definition of the image!

Anyway, hope you like him ~ this is the only design I will have done in time for Halloween and although he's not the prettiest, he's just toooooooooooooooooo cute!

A little finishing to show too . . .

Christmas Patches ~ now a simple pillow and finished with the fabric shown in the background!

Have a fun Halloween everyone

Thanks for stopping by

HAPPY STITCHING

xxx

FEELS GOOD TO BE BACK!

Slightly longer than anticipated but

A BIG HELLO

 to everyone and it feels good to be back again!

I have to start with an update on my loved ones, you were all so kind with your support and prayers back in July and I'm so pleased to say both my dear dad and mother-in-law have come through their major ops and are making excellent progress, I can't tell you the relief we all feel, it's been an emotional roller-coaster ride for most of this year but at long last we can put these ordeals behind us and concentrate on brighter days!

So am I a happy bunny?

Well, as half of my heart now lies in Bournemouth, NO!

I've dreaded counting the days down on the calendar but the day finally came on 15th September and on that day we took DD to her new life at University ~ a horrible 104 miles and 2 hours drive away :(

I know, you've all done it, gone through it, felt it, BUT you have to admit it's the most emotional time ever and some 4 weeks later, I'm still struggling ~ thank goodness for SKYPE and without our video chats and all the gossip I don't know what I'd do?  But you have to stay strong don't you?  Keep smiling, keep encouraging them and remind them what a dreadful nag you are by asking if they're eating properly, cleaning their room and keeping the washing up to date!

If ever I needed a pick-me-up then Cath  http://stitchinchicken.blogspot.co.uk was the one to do it!

Look at this pretty little cushion that popped through the letterbox last week ~ a complete surprise and a lovely card with such kind words too.

Thank you Cath from the bottom of my heart ~ such perfect timing and as I've said to you I so appreciate your friendship and if you could move nearer that would be great!!!

I bet by now you're asking 'Well, what about some stitching progress?'

and I do actually have some, not a lot but will this do for now . . .

Christmas Patches finally completed ~ WOW! there's a whole lot of backstitching to this one but it's so worth it ~ it literally comes alive as you stitch.

  

I wondered if anyone would like the Leisure Arts booklet I stitched it from? 

It does have some smaller motifs too and are all so lovely and colourful.  The booklet is a bit shabby around the edges but perfectly fine for someone else to have the pleasure of using. I don't want anything for it and am happy to send worldwide. If you are interested, let me know in a comment below and should there be more than one person, I'll pick a name and let you know in my next post!

I did start another project straight after finishing Santa but have to admit I'm struggling a bit even though it's about 75% complete!  Other than that, I'm a bit of a failure this year and my 2012 Happy Dance list proves this!  I've also been completely out of touch with my blogging friends, I just haven't had the time to spare, but hopefully it's full steam ahead now and I look forward to catching up with you all soon ~ am I forgiven?

Thanks for stopping by

HAPPY STITCHING

xxx  

SADNESS, KINDNESS & VAMPIRES!

Thank you once again dear blogging friends for your get well wishes ~ they really do mean so much.  I wish I could post just happy news but my world has been turned upside down in the past week and sadness and worrying times seem to be the main ingredients of each day.

My dear MIL has been diagnosed with advanced breast cancer and at the age of 81 with so many health problems already we are anxiously awaiting Specialist's decision as to whether they feel they can safely operate or not, she has been told that chemo will not be an option available to her.

My dear Dad was diagnosed with an aneurysm last year which has had to be constantly monitored as they can only reach a certain size before they rupture and are fatal.  His scan last week showed he is now within 1mm of that danger and the Specialist has said he cannot operate as he would not survive the procedure.  Instead they are going to fit stents to help the blood flow to his heart and again we anxiously await the date for it to happen ~ it feels like we are sitting on time-bombs!

I feel devastated for both of them ~ they are very much loved parents/grandparents and the days that lie ahead of us are very frightening.  Please keep everything crossed that they can both get through this and brighter days are to come.

With my life in such turmoil you can imagine how thrilled I was when Mr. Postie dropped this little cutie through my letterbox . . .

My dear blogging friend Sally stitched this for me after reading about my continual chest infection in my last post (more of that in a mo), oh! I just love it.  Sally stitched this on 35-count coffee-stained linen with DMC threads, backed it with cream calico and edged it with a chenille trim ~ it's so sweet and everything ~ colours, coffee! and of course bunnies is so me!

It really brightened my day and has pride of place on the mantlepiece ~ thank you Sally so much for your kindness and for listening xxx

 So, now to my rotten chest infection which had still not improved last weekend so it was back to the Emergency Clinic and more stronger antibiotics prescribed, ones I had never taken before . . . . you can only take them standing up and you mustn't lie down for at least 30 mins afterwards and you cannot go out in the Sun whilst you're taken them ~ what's that all about?  I keep constant check in the mirror for any fangs and have stayed away from anything garlic, hmmm not much fun being a Vampire!!!

Of course the weather this week has been glorious Spring sunshine and I've really missed sitting out with the bunnies cross-stitching :(

I've also received news that I have to go into hospital shortly for a biopsy ~ I don't do hospitals, hate them, so although Diabetes normally means being put on a drip making a longer stay, I have opted for a local anaestethic so I can escape back home as soon as I possibly can!!!  

Progress ~ well there has been some when it comes to stitching ~ Christmas Patches is coming along nicely and is a real joy to stitch . . .

I can't make up my mind whether to stitch the teddy bear at the bottom right hand side, it's quite a jumble of patterns and colours and is quite hard to immediately determine what it actually is so I've started the border and will then begin the backstitching and make my mind up then ~ so far so good!

Well done, if you've stuck this post out to the end, I realise it's not a very joyful one but I know I have some very good blogging friends out there who will share both the sad and happy times with me.

HAPPY STITCHING

xxx

GOOD AND BAD PROGRESS

Well, let's get the 'bad' progress out of the way first . . .

Thank you to everyone who left me get well wishes on my last post, unfortunately silly me let the cold go on too long and put off going to the Docs so last weekend it turned into a nasty chest infection and being both asthmatic and diabetic this was not really good news!  I've been on antibiotics and steroids since and it seems to be a very slow and long process to getting well again.  I still don't have much voice to speak with and my breathing feels very hard work but I am actually dressed and up and about today and that feels like a BIG step in the right direction.

There is a funny side to it all though ~ with my voice as it is I can do a brilliant impression of Ron Weasley when his voice was breaking in The Chamber of Secrets and a lovely gift of beautiful flowers from DH and the kids made my breathing even worse so they had to go outside and I can only see them through the french doors in the Dining Room!!!

 I hate posting dreary, miserable news so let's crack on with some 'good' progress ~ Christmas Patches is stitching up a treat and I'm really, really enjoying it . . .

This has really been the only thing I've felt comfortable doing at the moment ~ I can wheeze in time with each stitch!  I have nearly finished Santa himself then it will be his sack of toys, a teddy bear at his feet, the lovely heart, berry and pine needle border and finally, did I mention? every bit of this design is back-stitched!  I don't mind back-stitching so I'm quite looking forward to seeing Santa coming to life!

Finally, here's a picture of Tilly impersonating me and how I feel most mornings . . .

Her little paw and nose was twitching like mad when I took this photo ~ I'm guessing Mr. McGregor's garden might be in her dreams!!!

Thanks for stopping by

HAPPY STITCHING

xxx

COME CLOSER . . .

Last Tuesday struck me down with the dreaded lurgy so with a lovely wheeze and hardly any voice at all, please come closer so I can whisper, try and shout out to you . . . .

HAPPY DANCE!

LHN 'Winter Band Sampler'

Weeks Dye Works 30~count Parchment Linen

DMC threads

Red Cardinals and Snowflakes

Not sure if I should have left a light on in one of these windows, after all there are 2 little bunnies sitting at the bottom needing the odd carrot or two!

I loved stitching this one :) although there are only 8 colours to the design, I think it pops when it's finished especially the white snowflakes!  I do have an idea of a finish which actually ~ hold your breath ~ may not be a pillow!!!

Sleep is minimal at the moment as that seems to be the time when the continual coughing takes hold, so I have made use of my extra hours and started my next project and I really dug down deep in the stash box for this one . . .

This gorgeous design uses 39 different colours for the 'patches'.  I love the fact that I can pick and choose which patch I fancy stitching next and so I'm hoping that with it being quite a large design this random method will stop me getting bored with it . . . hmm, famous last words!!!

Thanks for stopping by

HAPPY STITCHING

xxx