Holiday Stitching and Other Things

Got myself organised for sorting pictures out so I can now show you my holiday stitching and a few other things..... though not got the phone pics transferred yet, as DH hasn't yet extracted his digit and found the cable. :0)

First item stitched on holiday was the Hope piece. I started it in the wrong colour (should have been purple) but decided I preferred it this way round anyway and carried on, then did the Cure piece a few days later. Both still need some snowflake beading work added before they are fully completed but thought I'd still share:

Designs: Snowflakes For Cancer

Designer: Virginia Knutson of VeeandCo

Fabric: Count On Me Fabric, Aster

Threads: Carrie's Creations Boysenberry & Sassy

Finish: as Christmas ornies

Both of these were designed specifically for the Stitching for a Cure decorated Christmas Tree fundraiser in the USA that is being organised by Donna. I read about this fabulous fundraising effort after we lost Helen (DH's DSis) and my Dad to cancer and just had to do something to support this worthwhile cause. When these are fully finished I'll be posting them off, along with the Hope ornie I stitched earlier this year, to add to the tree........ and that will be another commitment completed. :0)

When those two quickies had had all the cross stitch completed I then pulled one of the small kits from out of the bag:

The kit had been lurking in the bottom of my stash box for years - I'd piked it up in the Tourist Centre in Dunoon, Scotland many years ago (early 1990's), when I joined my DBro and DSis for a few days, whilst they were up there on holiday. As you can see I didn't get a great deal done. Usually I love Celtic designs and find the zoomorphic ones particularly fascinating but, for some reason, it didn't grab my attention for long or get my enthusiasm going. :0( Maybe the fact that it's cross stitch on canvas may have something to do with it. Still, it'll get done eventually. :0)

Since coming home I've had the card making goodies out again, as it was Helen's birthday on the 5th. Here's the card I made for her:

I don't usually do decoupage but Mylene had sent me a beautiful book of decoupage designs for my birthday and when I saw this one I knew it was just right, as it went with Helen's gift perfectly. It sounds like Helen had a lovely day. :0)

A needle and Night Watchman came out for UFO Tuesday last week..... and also for Wednesday night..... but, try as I might, I just couldn't get that darned tree finished. Maybe those tricksy fairies were up to some mischief by adding some extra blocks in there? LOL This is where I left off:

Last night I felt enthused and got him out again and got the darned tree completed. Yay! Will leave the update for next time though. The bellydancing CD's have been dusted off in anticipation of this long awaited Happy Dance. LOL

Whilst I was away on my holidays Elisa very kindly gave me this cute award:

Thank you so much Elisa. :0) I am supposed to award this to eight of my favourite blogs/bloggers but I really can't pick out just eight from all the wonderful blogs I read - I hate leaving anyone out as I enjoy every one I read. So: if I read and comment on your blog then please consider this award as yours. :0)

This weekend was 50/50 busy and quiet. Saturday was the busy day: the freezer was a little low on meat (the Brigg Farmer's Market was on whilst we were away) and the veggies were non-existent (no veg box delivery until next Friday, for the same reason). So off to the Pink Pig we trotted. LOL We had dinner there (ham salad with a few chips for me (they didn't have any rice that day) then did our shopping: some cheeses for DH (he loves the Dambuster one); some salad stuff and veggies; various meats, including some lamb koftas for the fellas; a carob bar for me and some organic tinned produce. More little stamped hearts got added to our loyalty card. Whilst there I asked if there was another Psychic Night with Ian Lawman planned - nothing set yet, as Ian himself isn't very well at the moment, but they'll be organising one as soon as he's OK. Guess who'll be going to that. :0) After putting the perishables into the cool box in the back of the car, off we went to Uncle Henry's next. Here we got another mixed batch of goodies for the freezer and food cupboards and collected some more loyalty card stamps upon paying. Back home and a quick unload then DH shot off down the street for his hair appointment, then to get a few things from the shops down there, while I put everything away.

That evening we got ready and walked down the High Street to have a sit-in curry at the Gourmet, our favourite Indian restaurant....... a treat to try and counteract the bad case of post holiday blues I've had since returning home. We had planned on going to the Spiritualist Church afterwards, as I felt the time was right to visit it....... unfortunately the Universe decided otherwise: they were a little busy on the take-out side and DH would insist on having a starter so part way through the meal we realised we were running too late for the 7pm start. We took our time over the rest of it, allowing DH time for a bottle of Cobra beer and a good natter. Afterwards we had a wander round to the church (a few yards or so across the road and down a tenfoot) to check the times: useful, as the boards outside had days and times of other meetings they held that we didn't know about. A wander back home then where DS and a mate from LTC were just wondering how they were going to get into town, to which DH volunteered and also kindly offered to stay and have a half with them - apparently he'd been invited along for a drink but had omitted to mention it. Fine: off for a trawl of eBay then and if it got expensive he only had himself to blame..... only nothing took my fancy, no matter how many things I looked at. LOL

Sunday we all had a bit of a lie-in: the next door neighbours had had a BBQ that went on into the early hours....... and kept us awake into the early hours. The two chaps that live there are fine, it's the rather loud DD of one that is the problem, as the more she drinks the louder she gets. I can't decide if it's due to either a hearing problem or if she just likes the sound of her own voice.... though the latter is strongly suspected. DS went off to Cleethorpes for the day with his GF and some friends. DH and I pottered around doing a few odd jobs then, in the late afternoon, we grabbed some metal pegs and pegged out where we think the greenhouse should go and where the patio is going up to. This was to allow us to get an idea of sizing, as in how much room they'll take up, and so we can see what section of the border will be left for planting, with a view to deciding on the final shape of said border. It was quite useful, as it also gave us the chance to bounce various ideas off each other, talk everything through and make some more definite plans. The first thing that needs doing is moving an existing small path and flattening off the area that will be the greenhouse base - all we need now is some fine weather and lots of energy...... anyone got any to spare? LOL

Speaking of garden: at one point DH had been sat out there having a cuppa when he called me to come and have a look. Here's what he wanted me to see:


A dragonfly. Apparently it had been sat on the seed head of that plant for ages, wings outstretched and sunning itself. So I ran in and grabbed the digicam and took some pics. It seemed totally unbothered by the activity and blithely carried on sunning itself:


We hadn't seen one this sulphurous yellow colour before, the ones we've seen were either brown or blue. A few minutes later we turned round to do something and when we turned back it had gone. Another lovely moment that gave me a much needed mood lift. It's probably what prompted me to pick up NW for an extra session. :0)

Today has been my usual jobs day, though no visit from Alex: her and her family are currently on holiday down in Cornwall. Hope the weather is behaving itself for them and they have a good time. There was time for a little blog reading between jobs, so the full catch up is getting a bit closer - bear with me and I will be by soon. So now it's time to decide what project to get out of the bag, so am off while the stitchy mood is around.

Thank you to all for taking the time to stop by - hope you've enjoyed your visit and that you're all having a lovely week. :0)