Wedding Row

Here is my update on Wedding Row (Bent Creek), sorry the photo shows light and shade lines on the fabric it's becasue it was rolled up! I am finding this a nice easy stitch and am confident I can finish well in time for June!!

I also managed to stitch one chicken for the girl's Easter Cones. In fact since taking this photo I have stitched the green one too!! Just 2 more to do, then I have the fun of making the cones. I think they are very cute.

I have finished the rest of the baby card (well what I can until I know what she has) and I have now started Laura's birthday card, I am stitching a japanese lady picture as she pointed them out a while ago that she liked them. Photo next time!!

This week I am back on Family Tree, mind you I nearly made a big mistake!! I was about to stitch last night the next set of names in one of the boxes when I suddenly realised they were the wrong names.... I had missed a generation out!! So I need to chart the correct names now before I can stitch them.

The girl's parents evening went very well as we had hoped, nearly all their teachers praised their behaviour and their work. Stuart and I are very proud of how well they are doing. They should be in line for good grades in their GCSEs.

I have also been very lucky and won on a "giveaway" from Bev . I felt a bit of a fraud as it was quite a new blog for me to visit. It arrived today (sorry no photo yet) and it is a Lizzie Kate chart for March. It is the stamp/flip it range and it looks really nice. Trouble is now I don't just want to do March I want to do all the months! Then I could have a lovely frame on display that I change the picture in every month!! Add them to the wish list!!!!!!!!!!

So until next time, happy stitching........

Ginnie x

New baby card

Hope you have all had a good week. The girls had their school reports yesterday and we were very pleased with their progress, lots of nice comments and their English teacher predicts them both an A* when they take their GCSE this year (a year early!) We have parent's evening on Monday but I don't think we have much to worry about!!

Thanks for all your lovely comments about Henry, I think when it's finished I will definitely have it professionally framed and it will probably have to hang in the lounge somewhere to admire..... but I have said all along that it is for Laura as she is the "Tudors" fan! But I'll look after it until she has a house of her own!!!!

This week I have started Wedding Row, it is progressing well and I'm enjoying working on it. I'll take a photo tomorrow as I am still working on it tonight!

I have also spent a lot of time working on my new baby card for my cousin Steven and his wife. Their baby isn't due until mid May but I want to get it sorted early as it may arrive before then..... and I have 2 cards to stitch for the girl's birthday!!! They don't know if it's a boy or girl so I picked a neutral picture and will add the colour of the bow on the teddy in either blue or pink after it is born!! Hope you can see the picture emerging... it looked like a blob of greys and browns most of the week but now you can see the baby's head!! And of course the teddy!!

I also mounted all the "months" cards and have them ready to ship to the lady in the USA who bought them, I think she will be pleased but I hope she doesn't order anymore just yet!!

Tomorrow I must work on my Easter chickens to make my cones for Easter for the girls..... I didn't realise how close it was until the girls reminded me that they break up from school on Friday!!

Back to stitching then.....

Ginnie x

Henry in all his glory

I know how excited you all get to see Henry and his wives, so I thought I'd better get the update on today! So here he is; most of his top half is now complete, just a bit of red/gold at the bottom right. Then I have to finish his legs!! You can also see Anne of Cleves emerging on his arm with just a bit of body and face.

Thanks for all your concern about me not stitching anymore.... I don't think that would ever really happen.... I am obsessed. I just had a funny week but things have been going well this week so far, thank goodness.

I also managed to finish the Silver Wedding card last night. The design had half cross stitch around the edge of the outer purple border but I decided it looked just fine as it was so I missed that bit out.

I have now started my cousin's new baby card but not much to show yet. Otherwise I have started Wedding Row and stitched the word "Love".

Happy stitching
Ginnie x

Mother's Day

I didn't do anything special for Mother's Day but I still had a pleasant day. I had some lovely things off the girls, as Laura helps out at Brownies/Rainbows groups she had made a lovely plate for me. She had to write Mummy though because she used it to show the children what to do!! She also made the teapot card which had a teabag inside!! They then bought a lovely card, a lovely little cake (which I ate a slice of on my new plate) and a cute teddy that says number 1 mom!!

As Laura had to attend church that morning with the Brownie/Rainbow group I made the most of being able to get in her room and painted her door!! So no relaxing there!!

I was able to spend some time stitching in the afternoon though. There have been times over the last week when I began to think I need to retire from stitching.... I have made so many mistakes, not just stitching in the wrong place but even using completely the wrong colour!! But after lots of unpicking all is well and good!!

I finally finished the "months sampler" cards for my order off Ebay. Here are the last 7 of them, the first 2 were for March so they have been sent already. I just have to mount them now....... thank goodness. I can now concentrate on other cards that need doing over the next month, the girl's birthday, my cousin's baby and if I have chance a birthday card for my Aunt Jean.

I haven't taken a photo of Henry yet, I will do that in the morning when the light is better. I did manage to start Anne of Cleves dress, her bodice is in browns and golds.

This week I must start Wedding Row, I had been waiting to get one of the Gentle Arts threads as I want to use a mixture of these and DMC like I did with the other Bent Creek one. The colour I wanted was out of stock for ages at my local shop but I finally managed to get it last week. I also aim to finish Lizzie Kate's Housework, and the Silver Wedding card is nearly done so I will work on that too tonight.

Thank you as always for reading my blog, hope you all have a good week.
Ginnie x

Silver Wedding stitching

I have been busy working on the stitching piece for the Silver Wedding we have coming up next month. Here is the progress so far, I love the purple colours in it. There are 3 hearts to complete at the side then a border with half cross stitch. What's really great about it is there is no back stitch!!

I have also finished stitching up my biscornu and adding the cute ladybird button. These are hard to photo because you can't capture all the sides!! I also don't know what to do with it now it is complete.... what do other people do with theirs?

Lastly here are my 2 completed Mother's Day cards, I have decoupaged the one for my MIL and the cross stitched one is for my mom (last year they had styles the other way round). I have mounted them on quite small cards but they look nice. Just need to get to the shops on Saturday to buy a gift each.

I have been working on Henry also this week. I don't know why but every time I come back to Henry after a 3 week rest I always make a mistake on the first night and end up unpicking!! Doesn't happen with the other pieces in my rota. Luckily I have it sorted again now.... this week I am working on Henry's left side to complete his big jacket. If I'm lucky I'll start Anne of Cleeves too!!

Well that's all for today, I think I fancy a cup of tea before ER is on the telly and before I pick Henry back up again!

Ginnie x

Finally framed!

I finally got a bigger frame this weekend to get "Dusky Dreams" framed. I bought it off Ebay for a good price, I wish the frame had been a little darker to match the brown stitching, but I still like it! This was harder to frame as I had to keep it as square as possible.... I think it went ok. I have stood it on the fire place.

Otherwise I have worked on Country Idyll this week. I love working on this even though it has so many colours.... especially greens. But being on a small hand held frame it is easier to work on. I would have done more but I have had either a headache or stomach ache most of the weekend. You can see the top of the little old car emerging and the left of the cottage, showing the tree trunks, is complete.

Today Stuart has been out all day down in Kent for an American Football match, so the girls, mom and I went to the cinema to see The Young Victoria. I love history stuff and costume dramas.... and I loved this, I thought they all played really good parts.

Tomorrow I have booked the day off work and dad and I are going family history researching. It has been ages since we have actually been to a records office to search the old documents so I am really looking forward to it.

If I can get rid of this stupid headache tonight I will work on Pete and Lesley's Silver Wedding card that I started in the week.

Until next time... happy stitching

Ginnie x

The tree grows some more

I promised an update on "Family Tree" and here it is - I said I had rolled it up back to the top so I could do more of the names. I have stitched the 2 boxes with my great grandparents names in and a little of the tree, border and blue edge. It is getting there slowly, I am still enjoying working on it I just find the large frame hard work!!

Here is my spring cushion, not much to show yet. It is mainly a geometric type pattern with lovely bright colours. The design makes a heart shape but I will make a square cushion.

The wedding reception on Saturday night. It was held in a barn conversion function room at a hotel. It was a lovely room but a little full and therefore hard to get to the food and the bar... but we managed. I didn't take many photos but here is one of the happy couple having a first dance together! Me and the girls did lots of dancing.... well especially Laura she had a great time!! We also got to see baby Grace who was so pretty, she was fast asleep and is apparantly very good. Helen loved the Somebunny card I made, I have yet to hear if "I Do" was liked as they didn't open any presents on the night.

This week I my working on my Country Idyll again, I have been working on the car and the tree so far. I would also like to start my Silver Wedding card this week, I have found a design in an old issue of cross stitcher I just need to sort my fabric and threads.

Hope you all have a good week.

Ginnie x

A cute introduction.

After the upset in January for my parents of losing their little dog they have taken the plunge again and now have a new member of the family. Here is the little fella, this was taken by the dog's home he was in. Poor little thing was abandoned by his family, they moved out and left him in the house on his own. Luckily he was found and sent to a local rescue centre, he is very skinny and scruffy but adorable. He came to mom and dad's house on Wednesday and seems to be settling in well, they have called him Scamp... because he is!!!!! Today he has meet Marshall at our house and they got on fine. His coat and fur is so bad though he has to have a good cut next week..... so he'll be bald for a bit!!!

I have just one piece of stitching to show so far this week and I have to thank Lucy for her inspiration and initially Plum Street Samplers (think that was the name) for part of the chart. My daughters are BIG Twilight fans so I saw what Lucy had been stitching on her blog and decided to have a go at my own. So I studied the Twilight logo and charted the words, then stitched them with 1 and 2 strands of bright white DMC cotton on black fabric. I then made the apple logo slightly smaller and stitched that on the side. I have bought an eyelet kit (off ebay!!) and intend to make a tag/key ring for the girls. I am pleased with my first small attempt at creating my own chart, even if it was only charting letters! Only done this one so far...... will have to do another...... then of course all their friends may want one..... what have I let myself in for!!!

I have worked on my Family Tree and my spring cushion and will show you some photos of those after the weekend. I have also finished the bottom part of my biscornu and have just started to stitch it up.

Yesterday I had my new birthday phone delivered, along with a new bed for Becky. We have been dismantling her old one this afternoon and will be putting the new one together tomorrow. Tonight she gets to sleep on just her mattress!! Here is my phone, I really like it. It is a walkman too so need to get some music on it yet, but do have all my contacts on at least!!

Tonight we are off to Phil and Nicky's wedding reception, the girls and I have been to the hairdressers and I have just wrapped up "I Do". Looking forward to going out.... so no stitching tonight.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Ginnie x

A few updates

I did promise to update you with my stitching pictures from last week.

Here is the top part of my biscornu from World of Cross Stitching magazine 142. The photo doesn't show the lovely colours as well as it could do or the gold and cream beads!! Just started the bottom piece now that I aim to finish this week so I can assemble it at the weekend.

Then here is the piece I have stitched for my mom's Mother's Day card, this is from the Cross Stitch Card shop (Jan 09) the same one I got my Valentines design from. It was in anchor threads on the chart but I used DMC, they seem to be a good match.

I have completed another name box on my Family Tree and continued on my cushion. Tonight my friend Aly is coming to visit so I won't be stitching much. Tomorrow is Stitch Club again so the Lilliput Lane will be coming out!! This is progressing well for our SAL, will update with a photo on here soon!

Anyway I had better get ready for work although I am finding it hard to get motivated this morning!

Ginnie x

My Birthday

Thank you for all the Birthday Wishes, I had a lovely day. I was lucky enough to get a cup of tea and 2 bourbon biscuits in bed!! I spent most of the morning in my PJs and Dressing gown just relaxing and stitching. In the afternoon I went for a cup of tea and chocolate cake at my mom and dads, then last night we went out for a lovely meal.

Here is a photo of my presents. I have to wait for my phone because it was "out of stock" so will try again in the week. I also had lots of lovely cards, last count I had 20 and I think I have two more to come!!

This is me and the girls just before we went out. The blouse is new too, I bought it with the money my MIL gave me and I intend to wear it next week at the wedding reception too. Laura also has her new wedding outfit on, Becky was having a strop and decided to wear her jeans!!

Also managed to get hubbie to have a photo taken with me, he hates his picture being taken because he is conscious of his weight.... but I managed to persuade him!!

I have had a couple of small finishes, firstly the pink ornament for the "Stitching for a Cure" cause. I was determined to finish this by the weekend because I wanted to use my new sewing machine to stitch it together. Here it is with the backing fabric. Since taking the photo I have used my machine and it is complete...... picture next time. My machine was good but need to get an extention lead sorted to sew with it on my table... the lead wouldn't reach the plug!

I have also finished the little piece for my mom's Mother's Day card and the top part of the biscornu. I will show you those on my next posting.

Now I have my new sewing machine I seem to want to stitch things I can finish using it!! I have started the cushion I mentioned last time and I have seen another design I want to make into a cushion for Becky. In the latest Cross Stitcher magazine there are some "Easter Cones" they have some pretty coloured cross stitch chickens on a band that is then attached to a Cone shape that you have to machine stitch together then fill the cone with mini eggs!! So I want to attempt 2 of them for the girls for Easter.

Next week I am back working on My Family Tree, I have already wound the fabric back up to the top so I can continue with the names of my great grandparents.

Hope you have all had a good weekend.

Ginnie x