TUSAL

This is my ort jar as of today. I have squashed it down a bit so it looks like a birds nest, not the brightest idea I have had. Mainly blues and browns in there at the moment from my LHN and Vervaco's Temptation.

Speaking of Temptation. Here she is as of today. You can see where the lowest point of the chart will be so still a fair way to go. I am hoping probably by the end of May or possibly April will see her finished, fingers crossed.



Happy Mother's Day to those of us celebrating today. Hope you have all had a lovey day.

Until next time, happy stitching

Lesleyanne xxx

Progress!

I am really pleased with my progress this week on Vervaco Temptation. It started with IHSW (International Hermit and Stitch Weekend) and I managed to stitch on it most evenings which hasn't happened much just lately and I'm not sure why.

I do seem to spend a lot of time thinking about trying to decide how I want to stitch, one at a time, one at a time with a seperate project at the weekend etc etc. I'm sure it would just be better to stitch. I also spend too much time on Facebook and looking at peoples' blogs.

Until next time, happy stitching

Lesleyanne xxx

Wow!

It has been a glorious day weather wise and the postman is my very best friend today. Look what he brought me - a stitchers box from my adopted stitching sister, Angela. Isn't it absolutely stunning. I am so thrilled with it and will treasure it always.

Design: L*K Life's A Stitch

Fabric: 28ct Mushroom Monaco

Floss: CC / WDW / Gast / DMC

Finish : Stitchers Box

Inside of Box

The colours are a perfect choice for me, pink and blue are my favourite colours and match my living room too. The design is one of my favourites and I had always meant to stitch it for myself but hadn't got round to it.

Many many thanks Angela.

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

Back from the Framers / Tusal

I have been out into the garden today as the sun was shinning although it is still a bit chilly to take some photos.

First up is The Sampler Girl's At Home with Jane Austen which I picked up from the framers a couple of weeks ago. I am really pleased with how this turned out and it will be going on my bedroom wall shortly.



Next up is my orts jar for the March Tusal. It doesn't look much different from last month but is still made up mostly of Temptation and a few strands from Belle Pepper.



Finally, as it is my birthday on Monday I have been spending my birthday money. Yes I know I haven't actually got it yet but when I saw Sew and So had L*K Jingle All the way on their website my clicky finger had clicked before you could say Happy Birthday lol and there is no point in paying postage for just one chart so another couple of L*K landed in the basket. The snowman is for the December SAL with Sally and Chris. The birthday wishes is for my son who turns thirteen this year. He was moaning at Christmas that I had stitched a L*K First Christmas for his brother and not for him even though he has got a First Christmas ornament so thought I would stitch this for him.



The other two charts are from fellow stitchers who were selling on their charts after they had completed them.

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

TUSAL FEBRUARY!

It is time for me to show my Orts Jar for February. I am quite pleased with the amount of threads in there although they are all from one project, Temptation by Vervaco.



Thank you for your well wishes, I think I may be on the mend starting to feel a bit more like myself and wanting to stitch, always a good sign. I haven't made a lot of progress on Temptation this week so won't post a picture.

I have been making plans for my stitchy year - I have quite a few so you might want to skip this part but I like to put in writing so I can see how I do.

I have joined Sally, http://stitchingplace.blogspot.com/, and Lisa, http://lisasstitchingaddiction.blogspot.com/, in the Little House Needleworks SAL. Sally is stitching Be Merry Belle Pepper and Lisa is stitching Winter Band Sampler and then are going to swap and stitch the new design. I have both of these and although I was going to wait until later in the year temptation got too much and I asked to join in lol. I will start this coming Wednesday although Sally and Lisa started on 1 February. I have got all the threads and will be stitching Be Merry Belle Pepper first of all and then later on Winter Band Sampler.

I hope to stitch LHN Simple Joys and A Bee C Sampler this year hopefully after I finish Temptation as they are quite spring like in colours and will be framed and put on my bedroom wall as they are the right colours.

I am hoping that I will be able to join Sally and Chris, if they let me lol, for the 1st December SAL and am hoping to stitch Lizzie Kate's Snowman 10 chart.

I also found out recently that my nephew and his wife expecting a baby boy in June so will be stitching a sampler for them, as I have done for their daughter and my other nephew's two children. My other nephew's girlfriend, I have three nephews, is also expecting at the end of August and so another sampler will be stitched. I think I am going to be quite busy this year. I have chosen Vervaco's Sweet Dreams Baby.

I also hope to stitch a Vervaco Flapper Girl sometime this year as well.

I think this should see me through to the end of the year lol but you never know my plans may change.

If you got to the end of this post, you have done well. Thank you.

Until next time, happy stitching

Lesleyanne xxx