ABCs Finished!

I have finally finished Lizzie Kate's Halloween ABCs.  I was determined I wasn't going to post another progress picture it was going to be a finished picture.  It is stitched on 32ct Dirty Belfast Linen using recommended Crescent Colours and DMC threads.  I loved the colours of this one but don't like the linen, I really struggled with it sometimes.  I have managed to find a cheap black frame to put it in, although it is a bit of a tight squeeze but for 99p I am not going to worry too much lol.

Thank you for your comments on my last post, they are very much appreciated.  We had a lovely break away a bit chilly but otherwise okay except for the fact that I had a bad cold so didn't do as much as I would have liked but nonetheless it was nice to be away from home.

Until next time, happy stitching

Love Lesleyanne

Is it November yet?

I will be truly glad to see the back of October.  It has been one of those months.  After my husband having his appendix out rather suddenly I thought that that was as bad as October could get.  How wrong was I?  I was just getting ready to take my sons to school on Tuesday morning when I heard what I thought was a tap running in the bathroom.  I sent my youngest son upstairs to turn said tap off.  He came flying downing the stairs to tell me water was squirting out of the back of the sink, it had sprung a leak.  What we actually had was a burst water pipe.  I ran upstairs tried to get it to stop, hair dripping, glasses misting whilst my eldest son phoned my dad who came to the rescue to turn off the water.  The kitchen ceiling dripped for over an hour and the plumber came out and has now replaced my bathroom room and kitchen ceiling.  So all is well again but I will be glad to see the back of October.

I have managed to get a bit of stitching in amongst all the excitement but I have done a LOT of frogging too.  I decided to stitch on one of my long term wips, Lizzie Kate's Halloween ABCs.  I haven't quite got it finished but I am hoping to get it done by the end of next week although we are going away to the seaside for a few days so not sure how much stitching I will get in but it is definitely coming with me.  According to the weather forecast for the East of England coast I am going to need my umbrella and thermal underwear but I am really looking forward to blowing the cobwebs away.

I also hope to start my SAL with Angela next week too but will tell you more about that next week.

Until next time, happy stitching and to all my friends in the path of Hurricane Sandy be safe.

Love Lesleyanne

Tusal / Last Week's Stitching!

First up today is my Tusal since the last month. Orts are mainly from L*K ABC Halloween and my secret stitching.


Next up is my progress on L*K ABC Halloween. I have been really enjoying this one and quite sad that I have to put it away to concentrate on gift stitching. I am not sure if it will come out again this year or whether I will leave it until next Halloween lol.


Finally for today I had a new start, Little House Needleworks Winter Band Sampler. I am stitching this along with Sallyand Angela. I am really enjoying stitching this. We are stitching this on a Tuesday and Sunday. Luckily I remembered to take a photo before I started stitching last night.

Until next time, happy stitching

Lesleyanne

Two Finishes!

My first finish is for my great niece, Chloe Ann, who was born on Tuesday 30 August at 9.35 am weighing 6lb 8oz. It is the baby sampler from Cross Stitcher magazine made into a cushion by a work friend. I think it is beautiful, hopefully Mum and Dad will too. It will go over to Ireland with my Mum, Dad and my sister (Chloe's nan) who are going to visit next Friday and meet Chloe in the flesh so to speak.



My next finish is one part of the Noel Duo by Tra la la. I loved every minute of this and even though there are a couple of mistakes, I am really pleased with it. There should be green lines between each line of the alphabet but I didn't leave enough space so adapted slightly. I haven't quite decided how I am going to finish it yet but when I do I will show you. Favourite is a pinkeep but if you look at my effort below I am a bit nervous.



Next up is my progress for the L*K Lovers SAL Monday and Friday night. Again, I am loving this piece. Not sure it will be ready for this halloween though lol. Sorry for not ironing it first.



Next up is something I stitched a while ago and have now attempted to finish it into a pinkeep. There are no pins yet and I have still to work out how to do a bow for the top so if anybody knows where there is a tutorial I would be really grateful. I definitely need more practice as there is too much material either side even though I measured it.



If you have made it this far you have done really well. I just want to show off my new stitching shelf. My mum found this in the recycling centre and thought it was perfect for showing off my stitching. I have to say I am really pleased with it and for £3 I think it was a bargain to boot. It is showing off the stitching I have received as gifts from my stitching sister, Angela, and Sally. I need to get some stands for Life's a Beach and Pins and Needles but you get the idea.



Until next time, thank you for looking and commenting

Lesleyanne xxx

Tusal / New Start

This is my Tusal for this month.



Monday and Friday I stitched on my Lizzie*Kate Lovers SAL ABC Halloween. I am loving this one and the little ghost is just too cute.



I started stitching my exchange for the Rotating Designer Exchange
which obviously I can't show you. I have also signed up for the Fall into Halloween Exchange so not bad for a girl that has never done an exchange in her life lol. I also have plans to stitch a couple of gifts so will get onto that after these two are stitched up.

I have been wanting to stitch Christmas ornaments for the last little while so this weekend I gave in to my desire and stitched this design by Tra la la that I saw on Butterfly Wings blog and immediately fell in love. I would have finished this but I haven't got the green thread needed so will have to wait until I can get my husband to go to the chemist next to where he works. The next ornament will probably be a Little House Needleworks design, either Holly and Berries or Silent Night, haven't quite decided so please feel free to vote when you comment.



A special thank you to Joyze who told me how to insert a link, which you may have noticed in this post.

Until next time, happy stitching

Lesleyanne xxx

Building Fences!

On CCN A Bee C Sampler. I am not sure if you can see the white fences stitched on the cream aida or not but for International Hermit and Stitch Weekend
thats what I stitched and a tree.



I had the week off last week and spent it taking the boys out and about. We went to Chapel St Leonards for the day, visited friends and family, lunched out at lot and saw Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2 which according to my boys, and me, it was AWESOME.

Here is my progress for Friday's L*K SAL which was the first time I had any chance to stitch.



I did, in between outings etc, managed to finish my L*K Santa wants to know into a cube. I used Vonna's tutorial, http://tts-tutorials.blogspot.com/2008/04/cube-finish.html. I am quite pleased with the finish and one I may do again. As is normal with me there is room for improvement but have managed to hide the flaws at the back.



I am also stating for the record, I am going on a STASH DIET, on the wagon, whatever you want to call it lol. I have just placed an order with Down Sunshine Lane, for the JCS ornament magazines and the Lizzie Kate Snowman and the Santa and that is it until at least Christmas if not longer. I have ordered the JCS ornament magazines and haven't stitched the ones I want to stitch from last years so really need to crack on.

I would really like to know how to insert a link too. I click on the icon type in the url address but nothing seems to happen, not sure why, anybody know?

I also wondered if anybody else was having trouble getting into the Needlecraft Haven on Yuku. It keeps asking for my log in details and then won't log me in.

I think that's enough waffle from me for one day.

Until next time, happy stitching

Lesleyanne xxx

Progress & New Start!

My stitching week didn't go quite as planned last week. Unfortunately my diabetes seemed to knock me for six and left my absolutely shattered most evenings so I only stitched a little most nights, forcing myself to at least put a few stitches in.

Monday and Friday night is L*K Lovers SAL night. I carried on working on ABC Halloween.



Tuesday and Thursday evening I stitched on CCN A Bee C Sampler. I hate the material I am stitching this on. It is good old 16 ct aida but it is really rough.



Saturday morning after sitting at the computer for a small time I got up from the chair and hurt my back. Nothing too serious but I decided the best thing to do was to rest it as it was quite painful. So for all of Saturday and all of Sunday I stitched on my new start, Vervaco Pink Flapper with Red Rose. The frogs paid a little visit and I have done some unpicking but am really pleased with my progress but it is not something that will happen often. I have somelovely aida for this, I am not sure if you can see but it is has pink roses printed on it.



This is what it will hopefully look like when I finished it.



On Wednesday, as I had my partner's name in the Rotating Designer Exchange, I was looking through Prarie Schooler patterns trying to decide what to stitch. I think I have decided and will probably start stitching it sooner rather than later.

Until next time, happy stitching

Lesleyanne xxx

New Rotation!

I always said I would never stitch different designs on different days. I couldn't understand how stitchers ever made any progress. That was until I wanted to stitch everything and Lizzie Kate Lovers blog had an SAL. So I now have a new rotation. I couldn't stick to being a one at a time girl although I tried lol. I get bored easily and there are soooo many things I want to stitch. So Monday and Friday nights it is Lizzie Kate night. Here is my progress for last week. This is ABC Halloween that I received as part of my giveaway from Danielle. Danielle started it but didn't enjoy it. She stitched upto the moon and I have stitched from "b". I have to say I am really enjoying this.



Tuesday and Thursday nights are LHN/CCN designs. I started CCN A Bee C Sampler and this is how I have got on with this.



Saturday and Sundays are reserved for Vervaco or Lanarte. I did start a Vervaco I brought off the bay of evil. After stitching on it for two weekends and it bearing no resembleance to the chart I gave up. Lesson learnt! I will start a new one this weekend. I have a freebie chart from http://pauchok.ucoz.ru/ that I am thinking of doing next. I won't be stitching the black or using black aida. I am thinking of using sparkly fabric but haven't actually decided yet. Let me know what you think!



Wednesday night is exercise night so don't tend to get a lot of time to stitch especially when the boys are at school. So Wednesday is going to be my finishing day or putting threads on to bobbins day - you get the picture. While the boys are off school I am going to stitch on the baby samplers so will show a picture next week as the girl one is nearly finished except for the vital information which I will have once she is born.

I am quite excited as I have joined the Rotating Designer Exchange, http://rotatingdesignerexchange.blogspot.com/, that Angela, http://hookedonstitches.blogspot.com/, has organised. The first designer is Prarie Schooler and if you want to join you will have to sign up today as Angela is closing them later on today. I have never done an exchange before, it is a stitched piece only, so any hints and tips you have would be greatly received.

I am very late in saying thank you to Becs, Cath and Sarah for the stylist blogger award they have each given me. It is very much appreciated. I am taking the easy way out and giving it to all those that leave me a comment and I will try to think of seven things about me ready for my next post.

Thank you for reading my waffle and for those that leave comments know that I really appreciate them. If you have got to the end you've done well.

Until next time, happy stitching

Lesleyanne xxx