Ornament Finish / New Start

I finished my ornament for my SALs with Angela and the Monthly Ornament SAL.  For February I chose LHN Gingerbread Cookie.  Sorry for the creases.  I did change the colours slightly.  I can't believe this little guy took me six evenings to stitch, more to do with me than the design.

LHN Gingerbread Cookie
Stitched on 28ct Mushroom Lugana using DMC threads

I have also had a new start, yeah like I need another one, but this is a "must" stitch even though I can't say I am thrilled by it.  It is the Chelsea Football Logo that I have promised to stitch for my husband.  Quite pleased with my progress on this.  I am stitching it on 16ct white fabric as when I started it on the 14ct it didn't look right.

This week I will be working on my Lizzie Kate Boo Club sal.

Until next time, happy stitching

Lesleyanne

Two Finishes / SAL Progress!

I want to start off by thanking you all for your kind birthday wishes. I have never had so many comments and am thrilled I have reached over 200 followers.

I stitched and finished Lizzie Kate's Peep last week and used the fabric in the background to make it into a pillow. The finishing is not great I had trouble with the corners but I am still quite pleased with it.

I also finished up Lizzie Kate's Sampling Easter the same way, this finish is a little better.

I thought I would show you a picture of them in my spring basket. I may stitch a couple more this year but haven't decided.

Finally my progress on LHN's The Tea Room. I am stitching this with Angela. I have to say I am loving it. I love the colours the design uses. I am stitching it on 14ct blue marble aida.

Talking of Angela, she has asked if I would like to stitch an ornament a month with her. I, of course agreed, and my March ornament will be LHN's All is Calm and I will show my finish at the end of the month.

Until next time, happy stithcing

Lesleyanne

House Built!

Sorry I didn't post last week but there was so little progress on my stitching it didn't seem worth it. I have managed to get a bit more stitching done this week so I can show you my progress on LHN Winter Band Sampler. I have managed to get the house built! I am loving stitching it.

Sorry for the terrible photo the weather is terrible today and I have had to take it inside.

I have made some progress on my Stitched With Love Exchange but obviously can't show that but am hoping to get it finished this week, fingers crossed.

I can show something that I have been secretly stitching and that is LHN Strawberries that I stitched for Jane as it was her birthday last week.

This was stitched on 28ct Mushroom Lugana using Crescent Colours and backed with the red gingham in the background.

I am pleased to say that Jane loved it as it has three of her favourite things, Bunnies, Strawberries and Gingham. This was another lovely stitch.

Thank you to everyone that takes the time to leave a comment, they really make my day.

Until next time, happy stitching

Lesleyanne xxx

Stitching Progress/Exchange!

I have stitched some more this week on my SAL with Sally and Angela. LHN's Winter Band Sampler. I am still loving this one. Really pleased to hear that Diane from LHN is going to do another year of ornaments, not that I have stitched any of this years yet lol.



When I wasn't stitching on my LHN I started a Lizzie Kate Baby Sampler for my cousin whose baby is due middle of November. I just need to stitch the name and date of birth when I know and I will then frame it.



I can, I hope, reveal what I received in the Stitched with Love exchange, from Lainey. Thank you Lainey. I love it all.



This is what I sent to Loretta, who I am pleased to say loved what I sent her.



Thank you for Lainey and Colleen for organising this exchange.

Until next time, happy stitching

Lesleyanne xx

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

Stitching Finishes & New Start!

These are the two finishes I promised to show last week. First up is LHN Simple Joys. I loved stitching this although I ran out of the colour Tigers Eyes, so left the border around Simple Joys off as the DMC equivalent just didn't look right. I finished this whilst I was on holiday. I must apologise as my border doesn't look straight only it is it is due to how tight I have the fabric on my hoop. I framed this myself and don't think it looks too bad. It is going in my bedroom.

Secondly is Lizzie Kate's Birthday Wishes. Another great piece to stitch. I have blanked the name and date off as it is for someone who might see my blog. I changed a couple of the colours as they were pink and it wasn't appropriate so changed them to reddish colours. I have to say I am really pleased with the end result as I don't usually change charted colours.



Heres my new start that I started on Tuesday of this week. I actually started on Monday but stitched a whole block in the wrong colour so started again on the Tuesday making sure I used the right thread for the right symbol lol.

In case you are wondering with any amount of luck it shold look like the picture below when I have finished. It is called Sweet Dreams Baby by Vervaco. I am stitching it in Pink and Blue as I have another family baby due in September which is hopefully, according to the scans, going to be a girl.

I was supposed to be taking part in ISHW (international stitch and hermit weekend) this weekend but my plans went to pot as my nephew's wife gave birth to my great nephew, Robert, so I went to visit them in hospital instead.

Until next time, happy stitching

Lesleyanne xxx

Progress!

I have been working on Vervaco Temptation this week and I am pleased with my progress - still a long way to go but getting there. This weekend was International Hermit and Stitch Weekend again and I worked on LHN's Simple Joys. I am REALLY pleased with my progress on this. I normally try to stay in on a Sunday but decided that as I am on holiday next week I would stitch on Saturday as well, the ironing can wait until during the week lol - priorities. This is a great stitch and am loving it. Thank you to all those that leave me comments - I do appreciate them and they quite often make me giggle, especially when you justify my new starts for me. Until next time happy stitching Lesleyanne xxx

Good, Bad and Just Because!

Good

I have been a good girl this week and sorted out my DMC threads, put them all on bobbins and in numerical order in my boxes.

Bad

I have been soooooooo bad, I have had two new starts and not touched Temptation, oops. But one of my new starts is a finish - yay. I absolutely loved stitching this one.

Lizzie Kate Limited Edition Spring Scissor Fob
Stitched on White 14ct Aida
using CC threads

Little House Needleworks

Simple Joys

This is going to be my weekend project. I have decided whilst I want to keep stitching on Temptation as I love stitching it I also need a bit of a break. So Monday to Friday I will stitch on Temptation and at the weekend I will continue on this, Little House Neeldeworks Simple Joys. The plan was to stitch an ornament but all the patterns I have I don't have all the necessary threads for so hence the DMC sort out. I most annoyed with myself to find that I obviously don't fill in the chart I have of DMC threads as I have three, yes three, of some of the threads, so as Simple Joys was all ready to go I started it lol.

Just Because

Kate of http://katesflossbox.blogspot.com/ very kindly sent me a christmas bauble for me to put my orts in at Christmas. I left a comment on her blog asking her where she brought hers so she sent me one, Just Because, as she put in her card. Thank you so much Kate. It was very kind of you. I was so thrilled because I now don't have to throw my orts away this year which I didn't like last year. She said the bauble looked sad empty and so has put two varigated threads and some ribbon in it. I have already some ideas for the thread and ribbon, so looking forward to using these. Thank you again.

We've had lovely weather here over the last few days and today I have been out in the garden stitching in the sunshine, bliss.

Until next time, happy stitching

Lesleyanne xxx

I'm so excited

and I just can't hide it. Sorry that song is in my head. The reason for my excitedness - I have been adopted by Angela at http://hookedonstitches.blogspot.com/. Pop over and have a look at the gorgeous stitching and finishing she does and I am going to be a lucky receipient throughout the year. How lucky am I. There is already something winging it away across the pond and I can't wait to see it lol.

I am also very pleased to show my first finish of 2011 - yes my first! Let me introudce you to Belle Pepper.

Stitched on 14ct Beige Marble Aida

Using Crescent Colours and DMC Threads

I worked on Belle last week to finish her off after I had done some spring cleaning so poor old Temptation has been left again although I did stitch on her last night and will today as part of the IHSW (International Hermit and Stitch Weekend) pop over to http://joysze.blogspot.com/ to see what its all about and who's in it as there is some lovely stitching going on.

Until next time, happy stitching

Lesleyanne xxx

Firstly, thank you all so much that left birthday wishes for me. I really do appreciate them.

I want to send a special thank you to Sally of http://stitchingplace.blogspot.com/ for the lovely L*K chart and embellishments she sent me for my birthday. I am taking this to mean that I can join her and Chris on 1st December SAL. Thank you Sally I was so thrilled when I opened this up.



Sally also received the chart below as part of a giveaway and she has passed it onto me to stitch and then I will then pass it onto Hazel when I have stitched it. Thank you again Sally I am looking forward to stitching this, my first ever Blackbird design.



I was also lucky enough to win a giveaway from Vicky at http://nswvml.blogspot.com/. This week I received the package below. Thank you Vicky. The picture does not do the fabric justice, it is gorgeous. I am looking forward to stitching this.



I think my postman may have earned his wages just coming to my house this week lol.

And finally, the only thing I have stitched on this week is LHN Belle Pepper. I don't know what happened this week but I haven't touched Temptation and my only excuse is that life got in the way as I have had the week off work and have been visiting family, shopping with my mum and sister and clearing out my wardrobe! Who knew I had sooooo many clothes lol.

I had planned to stitch "Christmas" instead of Belle Pepper right up until the minute I started when I realised I would only be able to have it on the wall at Christmas time so left it as Belle Pepper now it can be on the wall all year round.



Thank you again to everyone who visits and leaves comments it really does make my day.

Until next time, happy stitching

Lesleyanne xxx

House Built!

My LHN House that is. I have stitched on this an hour on Wednesday as part of my SAL with Sally and Lisa. A bit on Thursday, a bit on Friday, a bit on Saturdya and finally finished the brickwork today on Sunday. On Wednesday I shall work on the window frames lol and perhaps even the door. It's got to be a bit drafty at the moment.



I did get slightly sidetracked this week as a new magazine came out and I decided I wanted to have a go. It is called the Art of Knitting. I haven't knitted in about twenty years so needed a bit of a refresher. I didn't get far enough to show anything. I really need to practice my casting on lol.

I did stitch on Temptation's Vervaco this week and have nearly finished her back and will be soon stitching the shawl. My clever mum managed to take a piece of thread to a shop that sells DMC thread that I am nearly out of and managed to match it up for me. Little does she know I have another one lol. I daren't carry on in case I do run out although I might not it's a bit 50/50.

Heres my progress picture.



Thank you for all your answers to my questions. I decided to carry on with the hoops for now and hope that my stitches go back to normal after I washed and ironed it when it is finished. I have also decided to keep my threads on bobbins as I really don't feel like unwinding them as much as I detest winding them on lol.

I can't believe that I have got 103 followers. I am going to have a another giveaway later in the year to celebrate my blogaversary and my followers. I would like to thank you all for following my ramblings and a special thanks to those who leave comments they really do make day.

Until next time, happy stitching.

Lesleyanne xxx

Thank You / Questions / Progress!

There's a lot to get in this week.

Firstly, thank you to KarenV and Jennifer for their tutorials on a couple of finishing ideas I hope to try out sometime this year. Both emailed me with notes which I really really appreciate. Thank you ladies.

I would also like to thank Nia for my lovely stitching buddy below. Nia sent me this gorgeous doll who now resides next to my daylight lamp watching over me while I stitch and some ribbon which I forgot to take a photo of. Thank you Nia, you really shouldn't have but it was very much appreciated.



I wondered how fellow stitchers held their stitching. Do you use hoops, frames or q-snaps. I have noticed on my Vervaco piece that some of my stitches look flat I am thinking probably because they have been held between the two hoops. I am wondering if it would be better to use q-snaps - any advice you could give would be very much appreciated. I sit at the end of my sofa so couldn't use a floor standing frame. I also wondered how you stored your thread. I have been using bobbins but have quite a lot to still wind on and am really not that keen so again any ideas would be much appreciated. Many thanks.

Talking of my Vervaco - here she is as of today. I couldn't put her down yesterday, hence the reason my post is later than normal lol. My excuse is that it was International Hermit and Stitch day and I wanted as much progress as possible while I was in the zone.



Wednesday it was SAL time again with Sally and Lisa. It was hard to put Belle away again although I am not sure about the colour of her dress - it looks mucky to me lol even though I am using the colours called for.



I have also picked up my At Home with Jane Austen stitching from the framers but will show that next week.

Until next time, happy stitching

Lesleyanne xxx

Finally!

I have finished the curtain. This seemed to take forever to finish and my mojo took a bit of a dip whilst stitching it - not sure why but at least now I can get back to the main part of stitching lol.



I had a new start this week - it certainly saved my sanity lol. My SAL with Sally and Lisa, LHN Be Merry Belle Pepper. I enjoyed every moment of stitching this and found it really hard to put away on Wednesday evening.



A shorter post from me this week lol. Thank you to everyone who visits and takes the time to comment I really do appreciate it.

Until next time, happy stitching

Lesleyanne xxx

Finished!

Last night I put the last stitches into my LHN Ponsietta House. I am so pleased. It was a lovely stitch. I did mess up slightly but I will not worry too much lol. I have got a frame to put it in so might do that today.



Thank you to Sally and Chris for letting me join their SAL.

I would like to wish everyone a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR and to thank you all who read my ramblings and leave comments it is very much appreciated.

Merry Christmas

Lesleyanne xxx

I can't believe it!

What a lucky girl I am. I arrived home from work today to find a parcel in my letter box. No sender's name on the envelope just a number and postcode. I was a tad puzzled as I wasn't expecting anything. So I ripped open carefully the package and was stunned to find this gorgeous ornament and bunny cutter and a christmas card.



A close up of the ornament.



A close up of the backing fabric.



This lovely package came from Jane and Tilly of http://buttonsstitches.blogspot.com/. Thank you so very much it is really gorgeous and I am so thankful. Aren't stitchers the best!

To finish with a bit of progress of LHN Ponsietta House. I am really loving stitching this. Would have liked to have got more done but life is getting in the way a bit. I am hoping to get this complete for Christmas but I am not sure whether I will or not, fingers crossed. I would have normally have stitched on this yesterday but my eldest son had to go grading for his karate. I am pleased to say he is now a green belt and his mum is very proud of him especially as I have also had good parents evenings for both my boys in the last fortnight.



Hope you are all ready for Christmas and looking forward to the festive time ahead.

Until next time, happy stitching.

Lesleyanne xxx

New Start!

This is my new start, LHN Ponsietta House. I am stitching this as part of an SAL with Sally, Chris, Lisa, Hazel and Claire. I am loving stitching on this at the moment and plan to carry on with this for now. I think I am becoming a one at a time girl at the moment I hope you don't get too bored seeing the same project all the time.



Before my new start I carried on with Vervaco's Lady in Blue up until 2nd December. I had a bit of a nightmare with the hair. I stitched a section with the wrong colour, had to unpick it and then couldn't remember what I needed to stitch as I had coloured the chart in lol. I got there in the end although I think some of it maybe made up by myself.



I have received the threads from Lanarte for the Poppy and hope to finish this before carrying on with Blue Lady.

Until next time, happy stitching

Lesleyanne xxx

Don't Laugh!

at my feeble attempts to make cushions. The first one up is LHN's Frosty Flakes which I backed with the green checked fabric in the background. This was my first attempt and probably my best. Although I did struggle with using the sewing machine after I had put the stuffing in. I also discovered I am not very good at sewing in a straight line lol.



The next two are both Lizzie Kate designs that I have stitched this year. Again backed with the fabric in the background.



Now on to my sewing of the last few weeks Vervaco's Lady in Blue. I am loving this one apart from her hair where I had to frog quite a bit as I stitched a symbol in the wrong colour had to unpick it and then couldn't remember where I had stitched. I think it is almost as it should be. I am going to stitch on this again this week and then I am joining Sally, Chris, Lisa, Claire and Hazel in a LHN Sal starting December 1st and will be stitching Ponsietta House.



I am also stitching on LHN Peppermint Twist on a Sunday with Sally and Barb but I haven't taken a photo of this yet.

Thank you all who leave comments on my stitching, I really do appreciate it.

Until next time, happy stitching.

Lesleyanne xxx

Christmas Ornaments!

I finally finished finished Merry Skater today. Sorry it's the same old finish I hope you won't get bored of this finish by the end of the year. I sent the chart to Sally of http://stitchingplace.blogspot.com as it was on her wish list. Sally is going to stitch me something in exchange and as you will know Sally is a great stitcher and finisher and has said she knows just what she is going to stitch for me. I am sooooo excited lol.



This week I stitched two Prairie Schooler Freebies, 2007 and 2008. I have also finished these as ornament.



Both of these were stitched on 28ct Summer Khaki Linen, what else, using DMC Threads. If anyone could recommend a different neutral coloured linen I would be really pleased because I haven't a clue lol.




On Tuesday night I decided to join Stitch and Stash's UFO Night with my Dimensions Row of Love. It is not officially a UFO but I think it was on its way to becoming one and not sure why. I am quite pleased with my progress and plan to stitch on it every Tuesday so look out for more next week.



I am also stitching the monthly challenge piece on the Stitch and Stash forum. I am really enjoying this but won't be able to show it until reveal day at the end of October.

After stitching the challenge piece I am going to work some more on my Lanarte Poppy.

Last but by no means least, I won Little House Needleworks Anniversary giveaway. I could choose a chart from the latest releases and chose "Be Merry - Belle Pepper" and received it this week. I can't wait to stitch but not sure when yet lol.



Until next time, happy stitching.

Lesleyanne