Well didn't get much stitching done over the weekend, but did some more organising of my DMC threads, placed the missing ones that i've found so far on my wishlist at an online store, along with some beads and kreinik thread that i need to start Cinderella.

This morning/afternoon i started getting the fabric ready, much as i would love to use a hand dyed fabric, and i fully understand why they are priced the way they are, unfortunately finances just wont allow it, i'm going to do all three as a set for my granddaughter.  I decided on a 28ct Joblean in Lilac. Spent a few hours getting some grid lines in, but kept counting wrong lol.  Was doing 6 on top and 4 underneath as per instructions that came with the easy grid thread, but kept forgetting how many which was on top and which was underneath. Hopefully it will all be worth it, when i come to start stitching.

This evening at my daughter's i did some more on Dreams Come True, and quickly realised why it had become a UFO, lots of colour changes. Now find i'm not liking it quite as much as when i started it in Jan 2011, as it is on aida and i've found i now prefer evenweave lol, but am enjoying it enough to put it into a rotation that i'm starting to get some work done on all those that i started in Jan 2011 and never got out again. Another 'problem' i'm having is that on all my WIP's i've started railroading and have to remember to stop myself on all those old starts, it's almost as hard to remember not to, as it was to remember to on the new starts lol.

Am not putting any pics up today, will do i big photo shoot of all that i've done over the week at the weekend. Use a phone to take the pics, but always have trouble trying to download them to the comp, can take up to an hour, so will just do the once a week photo update.

Thanks to everybody who takes the time to read my ramblings and to those of you who leave comments, i do read them.

Take care and happy stitching till next time x

Better Late Than Never

Hi all

Have finally managed to squeeze some time in to update the blog a bit.

Finally found out how to add pages yeah.

So have posted some old photos of where i'm starting most of the WIPocalypse 2012, need to get some more pictures taken tomorrow for the updates.  Most haven't changed, haven't even come out of the box since the dates i've put on the photo's, but am determined to find time to do some stitching on them, as well as on new starts.

Am thinking about having two rotations running, one with WIP's and one with new starts. Over the weekend i'm looking to start the Joan Elliot, Cinderella that was in a magazine at the beginning of the year, just can't remember which one, but sure i listed it in my 2012 Crazy Challenge Starts, but had to drop out of the challenge, so none of them have been started.

Am also trying to get the stash organised for the Papillon 2012 SAL, Around The World In 80 Stitches, and also Papillon SAL 2010 Castles In The Air. A future (how far in the future, i don't know) is a Chatelaine, Fairy Tale Castle, so once i have the chart will be looking to get that kitted up.

Some pics of what i have been working on this year.

A Card For A Friend's Birthday

A Biscornu I Stitched For An Exchange on Friendly Stitchers

A Biscornu I Stitched For An Exchange On UK Cross Stitch

A Biscornu I Received In The UK Cross Stitch Exchange

Dawn Of Spring SAL on Friendly Stitchers

Joan Elliot, Petite Christmas Angel with Wreath,  stitching  (a bit late) for Polstitchers SAL

Well that's it for now, will take some updated photos tomorrow (light permitting) and get them posted asap.

Got my blogging mojo back, so watch this space

First Posting Of 2012

Hi all

Sorry this if this blog is looking a bit messy, am trying to get some information on here that i should have put up a while ago, but heyho that's me at the minute, better late than never.

I know i've been promising photo's for a while, well that's my next 'job' but will definitely not be today, have some more info to add, then it will be teatime, then off to friend's (where hopefully i'll get some stitching done, not done any today) for the evening.

I've posted information on WIPocalypse (never know how to spell that lol), Crazy January Challenge 2012 and the TUSAL 2012.

Over the coming weeks, alright as you all know me, months i maybe shouting for some help coz i'm thinking after looking around at all YOUR blogs that it needs livening up a bit, well a change anyway its been like this now for 12 mths.

Somewhere over the last few days i've seen a weightloss ticker on someone's blog (on blogger) where i copied the link, have been and created one but can't paste it back in blogger keeps telling me that it has illegal elements/code or something like that.  If you have this ticker or know how to get it on here please will you message me.  I'm so sorry i can't remember which one, but i got sent to your blog from either Crazy January Challenge Group or Friendly Stitchers Group (and if i could remember how to put it so that you could click on the names and then go i would have done.

Well i'm off to cook my jacket spuds am on a Filling & Healthy Day today, and this morning's first weigh in for 2012 (and the last one was 16 Dec 2011) i've put on 1lb, so i'm pretty pleased lol.  Hope all who are on a get healthy/losing weight regime have had the results they were expecting after Christmas Break and get the results they want this year.

Am going now, coz i've just found something that has to be done before i get up and go in the kitchen, a craft mag has arrived and it more than likely is a cross stitch one, if not it's Craft Seller, still needs a browse through before i move.

Take care all and may you all have a better 2012 than they did 2011

Teejay x

On My Travels

On my travels around the internet world of crafting i (as you do) end up checking out the following blog and was lucky enough to enter a lovely giveaway.

So please if you not already a follower then please check out To Stitch Or Not To Stitch here
http://44mamawsfinishedcrossstitchitems.blogspot.com/

and check out the Christmas Giveaway

take care all

till next time


hugs


Teejay

Just Updating To Let You Know That

I'm just signed up for the 2012 TUSAL

If you want to join me or find out more about it visit  http://itsdaffycat.blogspot.com/2011/11/totally-useless-stitch-long.html

Hopefully will have some updated pics up at the weekend.

Take care all

hugs

Teejay

Weeellllllllllllll It's Been a LonnnnnnnnnnnnggggggggggggggggggTimea

But unfortunately bad things have got in the way.  But hopefully they're all over now and i can move on and 2012 will be a better year for all of us, whether 2011 was disastrous or brilliant.

Lost interest for a good 6 months in all crafting activities, so that's one reason for not updating blog, as nothing really to post of any interest.

Have got my cross stitching mojo back will was on holiday, had a wonderful two weeks away in caravan, but was tinged with the realisation that when we got back i would have to make arrangements to sell it.  It was a lovely little thing (only a two berth but plenty of room for the four of us) but was an 80's model so very heavy to manoeuvre into place (and not worth the expense of a mover fitting).  Unfortunately we can back home to a very nasty surprise (which i wish to forget so wont go into details), before we had got the van on the drive, then found out that the two of us couldn't manage to push it on to the drive (the first time i reversed a caravan (or trailer for that matter) was second week of holiday, so there was no way i could use the car to get it on the drive.. So definitely a nail the got to sell it coffin.  Luckily a very helpful neighbour was passing in his car and got out to help.  Long story short, the following night at my daughter's, she put it on to a couple of websites (not auction ones) so i would get what i asked, a week later and after several viewings the van was gone.  Took a while when driving up to the house to stop thinking that someone had stolen it lol.

We have been looking for a camper van/motor home as we still want to get out and about, Tony says we'd possibly get away more as it would be easier to get ready and off than with the van, so I'm looking for one that is gonna be comfortable sitting crafting in, with room for his relaxation items, the TV and DVD lol.

I'm signing up again for the Crazy January Challenge 2012, and have just signed up for the WIPocalypse SAL as well, so will be spending some time getting things sorted for those.

Have almost finished on of my 2011 challenges, while away in van, but as I'd forgot to take my bright light, couldn't do the back stitch and the 'fluffy' white Lana i think its called, so that has now gone in my UFO box for the weekly UFO day on Friendly Stitcher's, along with a freebie Christmas card that is awaiting its back stitch.

Hopefully I'll be keeping this updated a bit more often than i have this last months.  Will put some progress pics up later, when can find a clear space in which to take the pics.

So long, and thanks to anybody who has popped back to read this.

Teejay

UFO Day At Friendly Stitchers

So i stitched on the tiger cub, but am not happy with it, will be glad when it's finished, like the subject just not the stitching of it.  It did cross my mind to put it away and find something else, but then realised i'd never get it out again, so i'll plod on with it.

It's the colours all shades of dark grey, and a few browns, and as yet i can't 'see' the picture building up. Will post progress photos on Sunday.

After a couple of hours on the Friendly Stitchers UFO i thought i'd picked one with colours in, only to find i was still working on 16ct cream aida, with white thread, so i still couldn't 'see' what i was doing, but then moved on to light blue, followed by bright red and now i'm back to white.

I did wonder how everybody else decided how to stitch their projects, when one thread of colour runs out, do you reach for another length of the same colour, change colour or put it away for the day?

You know me always asking questions, well i 'm going back to the Dutch Girl Teddy.

Take care

Teejay


Enjoy what you're stitching (or put it away for another day)

What A Lovely Afternoon

(i'll start again as i've just managed to delete all i'd just typed lol)

at the Mouse House, where i met mouse and Gillie, two of the Mods on the brilliant group Friendly Stitchers.  It was a very informative, fun and an exciting afternoon.  Many thanks to Mouse, who gallantly reverse stitched my HAED Legacy Empress, which i'd managed to make a hash of, and equal thanks to Gillie for overlocking/serging my fabric for me. Thanks girls.

The outcome of which, in a unanimous decision is that this project is a little (or maybe way too) advanced for me at the moment.  So i've put it away for now.  I knew that there was a reason why i started 16 projects for the Crazy 15 Challenge lol.

Since i've got back home i've done some more stitching on the 'Ladies Who Lunch, Winter Warmer', really enjoying it, but will move on to something else tomorrow.  Have decided to put progress pics up every Sunday.  Then you wont all get bored, and hopefully that way there will be enough progress to show up.

Well as some of you will know, tomorrow on Friendly Stitchers its UFO day, so will be working on the tiger cub as well as a 15 project.  What will you be working on?

Take care all

Teejay

So Much To Stitch

But not enough time lol, just think about it we're nearer the end of January than the beginning, where is time going lol.

Well not done a lot of stitching today, first i had to go and have a new patient check over at the Drs, really lost faith in the last lot, this practice seems to have a lot more going so i hope they have bedside manners lol.

Then after that it was round the corner to a friend's to take her to well, yesterday's phone call was for Ikea at Manchester (her husband, like mine wont drive certain places or should i say will only drive to a very few places, still never mind more time out and about for the two of us, usually involves some sort of shopping, usually craft) but when i got there what she wanted, was according to the website, back in at Leeds, so we decided to go to Manchester via Leeds.  They had them in Leeds so we didn't get to Manchester, but then i spent a couple of hours at hers and it was getting on by the time i got home to find out that i need to go to corner shop.  So after that little walk and having tea i wasn't quite in the mood for a lot of stitching.

So i went to my stitching box and then, horror of horrors, couldn't decide what to stitch.  Managed to narrow it done to doing a kit (all threads in bag) as opposed to doing something from a chart, as threads are in boxes.  But which kit, picked up the daffodils but just as i was about to start thought better of it as there are a lot of greens of very similar shade, and that was too much like hard work, even though i do have a daylight lamp.  So finally decided to stitch on the 'Ladies Who Lunch'.  So got a few more colours in there.

Then husband pipes up with 'suppose you want to take pics of that now', to which i replied (quite calmly) not at the moment, which got the response 'i'm gonna start charging you' lol.  Coz i have to use his phone, as the camera isn't working and i can't find the stuff required to get photo's off my phone onto the computer lol.  I was going to get a new phone, but decided threads were of more use to me and therefore, more important lol.  Maybe next month i'll get a new phone lol.


I think the idea tomorrow afternoon, is tea, stash fondling and maybe even some stitching as i've been invited to the Mouse House, to meet mouse and Gillie.  But at the moment my intentions are to do some stitching tomorrow night, i might even be showing/helping with husband's cousin if she decides to come over.

Well no pics tonight,

so will say goodnight

take care

happy stitching and enjoy what you're doing (or put it away till later)

Teejay

Just A Quick Update

Before you start reading this, i suggest a big mug of something nice, warm and comforting, maybe a couple of choccie biscuits or whatever takes your fancy, as it has turned out to be a very long post.

Well today i've been working on the Bothy Threads, Christmas Fairies.  Started it last Monday while visiting my daughter and grandaughter.  Although she is only 3 she is taking a bit of an interest in what nannan is doing with the cross stitch.  Others i've either started or worked on while there, she has never seen completed, so thought this time, will do this one every Monday so that she can see it progress.

Unfortunately tonight i forgot to take my prescription craft glasses so had to try and manage with my prescription everyday glass which are photochromatic so are not as clear as craft glasses, and as mentioned previously the light is not really good enough for cross stitching.  But i've done a bit, unfortunately no pics of progress at the moment.

I am actually writing this blog while at said daughter's, watching 'One Born Every Minute'.  Am hopefully (still not that confident with this bit lol) going to post the photo's i took earlier of the starts that i've not posted earlier and progress on my UFO, for Friendly Stitchers. Also going to repost the others starts so that you can see them all in one post,

1) Bothy Threads, A Dictionary Of Robins, 14ct Aida, White

2) Bothy Threads, Ladies Who Lunch, Winter Warmer, 14ct Aida, White Glitter

3) Bothy Threads, Row Of Christmas Fairies, 16ct Aida, Light Blue

4) Royal White Tiger, 28ct Brittany, Ice Blue

5) First Of The Smalls, Free Cover Card Kit

6) Chief Red Cloud, 14ct Aida, White

7) 9802, Dreamcatcher, 14ct Aida

8) Butternut Road, Earthdancer, 14 ct Aida, Light Brown

9) Eeyore's Autumn Leaves

10) Giraffes & Elephants, 16ct Aida, Ecru

11) Daffodils

12) Cherished Teddies, Dutch Girl

13) Northern Lights, 14ct Aida, Black

14) HAED Freebie, Legacy Empress, 1 over 1 on 25ct Lugana,White

15) Apache Marriage Blessing

16) 9443, Dreams Come True

And last but not least my UFO, that i can't remember where i got it from, when i started it or why lol.

, Tiger Cub

As I think i've mentioned before i'm a counted cross stitch stitcher who can't count lol, i seem to have 16 starts, but never mind, it's a round number and i have another project to start on evenweave, Christmas Green, so just got to work out what colours i have in variegated that will go, so that i can match the plain up and then i can start (but as it's me, i have to find the very safe place that i've put my variegated threads lol.


Sorry it's been a long one, thanks to all who read and comment.


Take care



Teejay