PARTY TIME

Lots of celebrations today as DD turns 18!

Those of you more observant will note that this post was published at 23.45pm and whilst DH, Tilly, Oscar and I sit cuddled up in the Study thinking of bedtime, the rest of the house has been taken over by many, many 18yr old girls, champagne glasses are clinking, the iPod docking station is blaring out Lady GaGa and 'Party Time' has just begun! (funny my 14yr old twin boys seem to want to be with the girls rather than Mummy & Daddy and seem only too keen to be Waiters for the night!)

DD ready for Party Time

Her Grandad bought her the pink roses behind her, they've been sprayed with silver glitter and almost look as pretty as she does!

Oh 18 seems a long time ago, so long I don't think I can even remember!

21 was different as that was the age I was married so who knows what the next 3 years will bring  her ~ well hopefully it's going to bring 3 years of Uni as she has now had acceptance offers from all her chosen Uni's ~ yes, you've guessed right . . . very proud Mum posting here and very happy to sit up until dawn breaks!

Now, I could be putting all this spare? time to good use but have I had a yucky week with my current WIP or what?  1 over 1 on 32~count is just not me despite a pair of glasses, a magnifying glass and a daylight lamp and still those rotten frogs kept marching right on in.

So last night I was more than happy to have completed the 4 small squares that needed this horrible size stitching, put it aside and take time to fall in love with it again!

Snow expected here tomorrow, not as bad as some parts of our Country have at the moment, but it will  be our first snowfall of 2012 ~ I am actually looking forward to it, I do love the Winter Wonderland it brings but the 1 fall is enough and if it can come and go by Monday morning that will be great!

Thanks for stopping by

HAPPY STITCHING

xxx

THE COUNTRY FEEL . . .

Happy Sunday afternoon everyone ~ hope your weekend is going well?

I can now show you what I was 'itching to finish' in my last post.

Lurking back in the depths of my craft cupboard was my first unfinished attempt at a patchwork wall hanging and this is the sorry state it had been left in . . .

I'm embarrassed to say I bought this to do back in 2005 and progressed with it really well so why it got hidden away I'm not sure?  I just had to finish making the binding strips for the edging, hand-sew them on and then add buttons to each heart SO two afternoons of stitching last week gave me my first patchwork Happy Dance!
(Am I allowed to add it to my Happy Dance list even though it's not Christmas or cross-stitch? ~ I think Yes, as it is a finish and was from my stash ~ oh please!!!)


DH is, at this very moment, staining some wooden dowelling for me so that I can add some tabs to the top and have it on display next to the fireplace ~ I love the country feel it gives!

'Country Heart' Wall Hanging made with homespun fabrics and finished with buttons

As I was in the mood for 'finishing' I let the sewing machine out for its monthly outing and got 'Such Delight' sewn up and finished . . .

Keeping with the country feel, I added gingham fabric, ric rac and added a cream star button ~ I'm pleased with this one and think it might have to stay out on display for the foreseeable future!

So full steam ahead ~ what's the next choice from the stash list?

'Snowy Morn' kit by Shepherds Bush

My stitching needle was smoking on this until last night!  The design is stitched 1 over 2 on 32-count~ fine except the star in the top left hand corner is stitched over ONE and boy did that cause chaos to my eyes with the added visit of the odd frog or two!

Midnight saw me complete that first star BUT there's one more to do in each corner yet so I'm thinking that my 'smoking needle' will be more like a wet firework tonight!

There's some other interesting stitches to this design too but I'm not brave enough to think ahead to those at the moment ~ one step, hurdle, mountain at a time!

Thanks for stopping by

HAPPY STITCHING

xxx

GIVEAWAY WINNER . . .

Before the big announcement I want to say a very big thank you to everyone who entered my giveaway and left such lovely sweet comments and also a big Hellooooooo to my new followers ~ I'm thrilled to have you join me xxx

OK, Tilly and Oscar time to to pick a winner . . .

amazing what effect a small piece of carrot hidden at the bottom has!

10

Sarah from http://kiwigetscrafty.blogspot.com/

Congratulations Sarah, I'm so happy the bunnies picked your name ~ as a newly wed I'm sure these pink goodies with lots of hearts will be very appropriate.

Let me know your address details and I'll get the package out to you as soon as I can.

It's a short post today, I'm itching to get something finished so I can come back and show you over the weekend???

Thanks for stopping by

HAPPY STITCHING

xxx

A GIVEAWAY OF LOVE . . .

OK, so although Christmas is here to stay on my blog for the whole of 2012, I think I'm still allowed to celebrate next month's day of romance and nearly 2 years of blogging?
 so my giveaway is one of love ........ of cross stitching!

This very pink package will include:

Bent Creek chart with snaps ~ February Glows

Fat Quarter of fabric ~ Sew in Love
14" square of 28-ct Permin Linen ~ Cherub Pink

1 skein Weeks Dye Works ~ Love

5 pink & white DMC threads

Pink Rocailles seed beads

Ric Rac

Reel of organdy ribbon

Heart ribbon
East of India 'With Love' ribbon

Bobble trim

'Bits & Bobs' Tin with 3 cross-stitch needles
6 silver 'made with love' charms

and

'Sewing Notions' by Simone de Jong stitched on 28ct linen with Antique Rose Simply Shaker sampler thread and finished into a pin pillow.  The chart allowed space for initials to be added but I've stitched the word 'sew' instead and added a scissor charm, heart button and, of course, pins!

If you would like to enter my Giveaway all you have to do is be/become a stalker follower and leave a comment on this post only.
The other loves of my life ~ Tilly & Oscar ~ will eat pick a name on Friday 27th January!

GOOD LUCK

Thanks for stopping by

HAPPY STITCHING

xxx