Christmas is forever

I have finished work today for a 3 day holiday, so with the weekend I have 5 days off.... so I hope I get some good stitching time in that!

Last week Laura had her lower brace fitted and really suffered. She was in pain all night and I ended up keeping her at home on Wednesday just to catch up on her sleep. She is a lot better now and when her teeth are lovely it'll be all worth it.

We also went to look around King Edward's Sixth form college which is about 3 miles away. Laura loved it and really hopes she can get a place there to do A levels in History, Classical Civilisations, Pyschology and English Language. You need to be predicted high grades in your GCSEs which she is.... so fingers crossed. She is filling in the form this week but the closing date isn't until January and then the final decisions aren't made until March!! Mind you we'll need plenty of time to save some money as 2 of the courses involve trips to Madrid and Rome..... nice!

Becki has to wait until 10th Nov for a look around the college she wants to go to.

As for any stitching I only have one to show. This is the Lizzie Kate I mentioned on my last post, it is Christmas is Forever and I think I made good progress on it.

This week is Henry week again, plus small Christmas pieces inbetween. I am aiming to get another wife complete!!

Tomorrow we are going to order the girl's Prom dresses, hopefully. Then on Friday Stuart is off to Poland with the British American Youth Football Team to play a friendly game. He isn't back until Sunday so I have a couple of days just me and the girls. Hopefully we are going to Worcester for a day out on Friday, if it is dry!

Until next time.

Ginnie x

Christmas cards and an Advent calendar

I know my rota was to stitch on Family Tree and Ballerina and I have a little, well the ballerina more so than the tree! But Christmas is getting ever closer and the need to stitch Christmas stuff gets greater!

Here are 2 cards I have put together today. The first one is with the Santa I stitched a couple of weeks ago.

And the 2nd is a sweet Angel card that I stitched this week. I love the colours in this. You can't tell from the photo but she has gold thread outlining her wings.

But what took up more of my time this week was my sewing machine. Many years ago when the girls were very little I bought an Advent Calendar sewing kit.... but it never got stitched until now! I decided as the sewing machine is still sitting on my dining room table it was time to get it done. Here it is nearly complete. The bottom has to be slip stitched together and some tabs making, then it'll all be hung onto a piece of doweling. Each pocket was stitched on in a strip with a box pleat to help puff it out! I will fill the pockets with sweets for the girls and it'll save me buying those commercially made ones.

On Saturday there was a Prom Fayre at our local shopping centre. The girls were so excited looking at the dresses.... but they are so expensive. Luckily my mother in law has given us some cash to go towards the cost. During half term we are going to a couple of the shops to try on some of the ones they particularly liked and are hoping to put a deposit on two! It seems early but they take 3 months to come and if you're not early someone else may pick the dress you want and they won't sell the same dress to the same school.

Then this coming Thursday we have our first college Open Day. There is a Sixth Form College nearby that has a good reputation for A levels and Laura has decided she wants to go there. I know she has the ability but it is hard to get a place. I know Laura will be upset if she doesn't get in as they are the only local college to offer an A Level in Classical Studies, which is one of her choices. So we are going to look around then apply as soon as possible. The girls are both excited at the thought of moving onto college but very nervous too!

This week on the rota is "Christmas Stitching" urmmm I know that seems to have been last week too! I am having a new start - a Lizzie Kate one.... you'll have to tune in next week to see which one...... and my progress.

Have a good week.

Ginnie x

Sugar Plum Fairy and others

Thanks for all your well wishes for my cold, I am much better now infact it had gone by Thursday....thank goodness.

I have a few pictures to show today which include 2 Christmas finishes. Last year I bought the Sugar Plum Fairy kit by Mill Hill off Ebay, it was one of 6 based on the Nutcracker and I wish I had bought others because you can't get them in the UK. I spent all week on this because I was just hooked. Even though I broke my favourite long beading needle trying to fit 2 strands of cotton through the eye (instructions told me to) and even though some of the petite beads just didn't want to go through the beading needle provided..... I stuck with it because it is just so sweet. So here she is, the photo doesn't do her justice as you can't see the depth created by the beads.

Then just this evening I have finished my Carol Singer that I want to make into an ornament for mom and dad's tree. Again the photo doesn't really show the white glittery snowflakes and the snowy ground!

Last week was also Enchanted Mermaid week, as I was busy with the Fairy I didn't get so much done on this one. I worked on the top right hand corner..... another cherub now exists!

This week I have had to slot my Family Tree back in it's old place on the rota because I just haven't worked on it. So I will aim to get some done during daylight hours. Otherwise I have dug out the Ballerina I have been working on for Becky for a couple of years. I got very bored with this, especially stitching on the dark blue fabric. I also wasn't sure how much I liked the way it was turning out but I think it is one of those pictures that looks much better at a distance than close up. So I am going to aim to finish it by Christmas for her. Here she is so far and actually there isn't a huge amount left to do.

Hope everyone has a good week with lots of stitching time!!

Ginnie x

Henry's legs

Just a quick update to show off Henry and his newly acquired legs! I didn't spend much time stitching on Saturday so I was determined to get his legs all done last night. I worked until 11pm but I did it. In fact all of Jane Seymour is now complete as most of her dress hides behind Annes. And Henry just has a small piece on his jacket left to do.... then he'll be complete too!

I thought I'd had a bit of a cold last week, but that was only a sample..... today I have a lovely cold!! My head is splitting and my throat is sore, I am in work but can't wait to get home and go to sleep! Looks like I won't be stitching much tonight then, which is a shame as it's back to The Mermaid this week and I have also found a fabulous Santa picture in the new World of Cross Stitching I would love to do!

Hope everyone else is ok, seems a lot of colds etc about at the moment.

Ginnie x

Various !

Sorry I couldnt think of a title today!! So "various" will have to do!

I had a nice weekend but it was a little tiring having 2 dogs to look after both with differing needs. So I was glad to have the Monday off to recover and relax properly. Also noticed at the weekend that my fridge didn't seem very cold.... so turned the dial up, cleaned it etc but came to the conclusion on Monday that is was broke! It is a fridge freezer and the freezer part was still working! So we have moved that into the garage (as we were about to order another freezer to keep in there) and today I had a nice shiny new fridge freezer delivered. It is taller and wider than my old one so plenty of space for all the food we seem to buy weekly!!!

We have also all had colds this week, well Laura's was last week but she passed it onto me and Becki this week. I haven't been too bad just feeling a bit run down.

As for stitching here is what I have to show. I made the Rosie Rabbit into a cushion on Saturday. I found some grey checked material that was just right! I haven't made a cushion with a gathered edge for ages so I made a bit of a mess with the corners which had to be unpicked and stitched again. But the end result looks good and Olivia loved it too.

I have also been working on a Christmas piece to make into an ornament for mom and dad. It is a lady carol singer. I was hoping to finish it to show you today but it has taken longer than I thought and I still have a snowy ground and and snowflakes to add. So here's what I've done so far.

On Monday I made this other little Christmas ornament. It only has a simple bit of cross stitch on. I just need a charm or bit of holly etc to fix above the wording and it'll be done. I think I'll send this to my Aunt and Uncle in Dorset.

I have been working on Henry's legs..... which is boring as they are white and grey! I should get them done over the weekend.

Happy stitching

Ginnie x