Jolly snowman couple.

This week has been Christmas Rota week!!! And here is what I have been working on. I mentioned in the summer that Stuart's brother, Carl, got married in secret! So I was unable to do them any stitching beforehand. This design is in the latest Cross Stitch Card Shop magazine and I thought it was very appropriate. I think I may make it into an ornament instead of a card, seems more special then.

There are some other nice designs in the same magazine so I am doing a lady carol singer next and have treated myself to some sparkly lurex aida to stitch it on.

It has been a stressful few days so I have been glad of some simple stitching to help me relax. Firstly we had a VAT lady in work for 2 days looking at the books. It all went well but I was glad when she left. Then yesterday it was the funeral of a dear friend of the family, Mary, who died last week after quite a long illness. So I am glad that Friday has arrived and I can look forward to the weekend, especially as I have booked Monday off too.

Next week is Henry week again. I am going to go back to stitch on Henry himself and get his legs done..... so he'll be able to stand up at last!

Hope you all have a good weekend.

Ginnie x

Mermaid and Rabbit

Here is my late update of "Enchanting Mermaid" that I was working on last week. She is progressing well, all of the bottom right hand corner is complete now (except beads.)

Then today I finished Rosie Rabbit. She is such a cutie. I need to make it into a cushion now before next Saturday as Alex is coming for a "sleep over" so she can take it home on Sunday for her sister. I agreed to the girls having a sleep over as Stuart is away for the weekend, so it'll be all girls here!!! I am also looking after mom and dads dog next weekend as they are going back down to Dorset to visit my Auntie and Uncle again.

This week was "Family Tree" week again on the rota. But I was getting so fed up of it on its large frame that I finally sorted the base out again and fixed it all back together. It is much easier to work on now but I have to sit on one of the dining room chairs by the window. Here it is in it's new place. Because of this I am now going to change my rota and take "Family Tree" out. Instead I aim to work on it every week but only in the day light by the window, so that'll be a small amount of time in a morning before work and then at a weekend. I hope I still progress on it......... I aim too. That means week one slot is free....... so a new start is loaming!

I will take a closer photo on Sunday when I have worked a bit more on it!

Until next time.

Ginnie x

Framing success!

Hi everyone, what a lovely weekend we have had here in the Midlands, warm and sunny. Mom, me and Scamp the dog went a great walk yesterday afternoon along the canal from where we live to a place called Stourton. It took us just over an hour and it was so nice in the sunshine, the countryside and the peace and quiet. We even saw a heron fly out of the bull rushes. My legs ached a little today as I don't exercise much but we will definitely walk there again.

Today I framed my Country Idyll stitching ready for Christmas!!!! I bought a black frame and a cream and black mount and did it all by myself! I am very pleased with the result and I'm looking forward to seeing mom and dad's reaction to it at Christmas.

I have also worked a little more on Rosie the Rabbit, she now has a back and one paw! I want to get this finished by next week. I haven't got a cushion for it yet, I haven't seen one I like, so I think I may end up making one.

Lastly I stitched another small Christmas motif last week from the latest World of Cross Stitching magazine. I used my own colours and some variegated thread. I made it into the card this afternoon, it looks ok but I'm not sure if I really like it or not!!!

Anyway I am off for a soak in the bath now, I have spent hours catching up on ironing this morning and it has made my back ache..... so a nice relax in the warm water should help!!

Hope you all have a good week and I'll try to catch up on my blog reading over the week I seem to have been slacking!!

Ginnie x

Henry and Christmas

I had a "Christmas" moment on Saturday and decided to do a few small motifs for cards, nothing big. Therefore I managed to complete 2 over the weekend. The first one shows some pretty Christmas pressies and the second is Santa reading his list! I have decided to have a week in my rota for Christmas stitching, starting in a couple of weeks after I've worked on Family Tree again.

Now to Henry and as you can see he finally has the heads and tops of bodies of all 6 wives. Katherine of Aragon maybe his first wife but she is the last one for me to begin. She looks lovely in her green outfit. Now I have to fill in the rest of all their big dresses but I think I'll give Henry his legs next!

This week I have my mermaid to stitch on and I am also doing a little "baby girl" gift for a blogging and facebook friend!!!

Finally it was the first day back at school today for the girls. This will be their final year at secondary school (Year 11) as the schools in our area don't have 6th forms. So it was a bit sad today to think this is their final September in uniform photo! It doesn't seem five minutes since they started secondary school, they didn't get into their first choice school whereas nearly all their primary school friends did. It took a good term before they really settled but now they are happy and have never regreted not going to the other school, thank goodness. Lots of hard work ahead of them but I am sure they'll do well.

Happy stitching.

Ginnie x

Various WIPs

Not a very original title..... but here are a few photos of pieces I have been working on over the last week.

Here is my Family Tree, I have finally finished the cream colour in the back ground of the "Family" box and the central house is all complete. I have now started the right hand side, you can just see the little house and the first person emerging! Also Laura now has her name on here too! I keep thinking I am getting closer to finishing...... but then I look at the chart and realise there is still lots to do!!

Here is the beginnings of Rosie Rabbit for Olivia. It has such a cute expression but it is stitched in mainly 4 colours, so I only do little bits at a time!

I also started LHN - "My needle's work" I had this for Christmas last year with the proper threads so I thought I would make a start. I am using 32ct instead of 28ct so it will be a tiny bit smaller. I think I would like to mount it on a photo album when it is complete and I can keep photos of my stitching in there! Not much to show yet, this is the piece of stitching the lady in the design is holding!

Then lastly I finished another charity square. This one is for a themed quilt - Bugs in a bottle - so here is my spider!! Some little child will love this quilt when it is done with all those lovely creepie crawlies!!!

This week I am back to Henry and have already stitched Katherine of Aragon's head and headwear this week. She is the last of his wives to work on even though she was his actual first wife! I am looking forward to carrying on with it tonight.

Until next time.....

Ginnie x