Pumpkins for Cathey

Like these pumpkins, life isn't perfect.  We all have times that leave marks on us, whether physically, mentally or emotionally.  Cathey is going through a tough time at the moment which is hard for her but just as hard for her lovely family.

Cathey, you have been so brave, strong and courageous and this is just a little demonstration of my regard for you and the battle you face.  I keep you and your family in my thoughts and prayers constantly.

With love

Sharon x x x x x

Great giveaway

Just thought I would let you know about this giveaway.  Go and have a look HERE

Tudor Tuesday SAL

Here is my progress on Henry VIII for the Tudor Tuesday SAL.  There is a facebook group hosted by Kaye HERE so come and join us if you have a Tudor design to get stitched.

DMC - Henry VIII Sampler

Here is a link to Kaye's blog so you can find out all about the SAL.

Tonight I think I will work on...hmmm...don't know.  I will have to root through the box and see what I fancy.

Positive Thinking SAL and a Stable

Here is the finished part 1 of the Positive Thinking SAL.  As I have told several people, I think this is the first time ever I have been up to date with a SAL.  I am doing this with the recommended Nina's Threads and having never used them before, I think I'm in love!  They give great coverage and feel soft and silky to use.

And some more progress was made on my Stable as last night was our Bothy Threads SAL.  If you want to, feel free to come and join our facebook SAL group where you can work on any design so long as it's a Cut Thru one.  Here's the link https://www.facebook.com/groups/143307482517635/ .  There are some fantastic designs being worked on and even if you don't want to join, it is well worth a look.

Lovely stitchy post/mail

 I got some lovely stitchy post today.  A few weeks ago I 'discovered' an unknown to me Nora Corbett design from the Cross Stitch and Needlework 2010 Keepsake Calendar - Snow Queen.  A facebook friend very kindly sorted me out with a copy of it and it arrived today!!!!

Just in case you're like me and have obviously been on Mars for the last 3 or 4 years, here is a photo of Snow Queen.  Now I am trying not to start it, but I keep thinking that if I got my backside into gear I could finish it by Christmas...

I have done a little stitching on something I haven't stitched on for a while.  I miscounted the fabric count on this when I started and it has about an inch on the right hand side and slightly more on the left.  I still don't know what I will do when I finish it.  Still how long I have been stitching it, I don't think I need to worry about finishing it just yet.  I plan on working on it at least once a week to get it finished.  It really shouldn't take too long :)

More stitching? What's going on?

Well having submitted the assignment and not having any studying to do for 2 weeks means lots of stitching!!!!  So first up is a bit of progress on Cut Thru Stable.  I did the light brown on the stable door.

Bothy Threads - Cut Thru Stable

And I succumbed to the latest SAL.  The world and his wife seems to be doing this one so I am not going to post the details.  If however you have been on Mars for the last couple of weeks and haven't heard about it, let me know and I will tell you about it.  There is a facebook group if anyone wants to join in. https://www.facebook.com/groups/579447708764063/  I am determined that I am going to keep up with this SAL - I'm doing rubbish with all the others :(

A stitchy update

As promised, although a day later than anticipated, a stitchy update.

But first...thank you to everyone who responded to Rachael's worries.  She read all of the comments and I have told her they will be printed off for her to read when she feels down.  I thought of putting them over her bed but will draw the line at that.  I took her to the hairdresser and we had a chat about how she felt about her hair.  The hairdresser cut it into a style that should be easier for her to manage and took loads of the weight out of it.  Even wavy/curly it is easy to see that it is a lot lighter.  Rachael is pleased with it and that is the main thing.

In the few minutes I have had in between writing my research proposal for my penultimate OU course, I have managed a little stitching.

So...there has been a bit of progress on Drac in the Box with most of of the head being stitched, all of the tombstone and some of the bat and moon.  Sorry for the really blurry photo but I am sure you get the idea!

My wired bat arrived which was a special order from Sewandso.co.uk so I will be ready to go when the stitching is finished.

There has been a little bit more progress on Cinderella and I am now down to the bottom of her dress.

 I ordered a couple of pieces of fabric from The Crafty Kitten which arrived a couple of weeks ago.  They look really pretty in real life with lovely delicate mottling to them.

As a weightloss incentive Colin is treating me to 'something' each time I go down into the next stone bracket. This time I chose Nora's Summer Faerie and some fabric.  I have to say that the fabric looks much nicer in reality and not nearly as 'blobby' as it looks here.

My final new purchase is some stick on thimbles to try.  Sometimes when stitching in hand I end up feeling like my pin cushion so thought it might be worth giving these a go.

And that is it for now.  In a couple of days my assignment will be completely finished and I will have 2 weeks of nothing but stitching before the next one begins!

New toy

As I'm going to be running the new school library is being set up I have been given a new toy.  The library will use an iPad to check out books and all books will be scanned into the system via Micro Librarian.  When I told the head that I had never used an iPad she got me one to take home and play with so that I get to know what to do with it.  So this is my first ever post using an iPad. I am wondering if it will turn out ok.  It feels very different to using a laptop and never having had a smart phone is not helping either!

Guess what? Tomorrow there will be a stitching related post from me...

Favour to ask - non stitchy!

It's a bit of a personal one this and nothing to do with stitching.  My daughter Rachael is 14 and she has been letting slip about her poor self image.  She thinks she is ugly, her hair looks like a bush, no one would ever go out with her etc.  I've told her how beautiful I think she is ("You have to say that, you're my mum!") and that she has a figure many women would be jealous of. She reckons she's a size 12-14 and I think she's an 8-10 from how clothes fit her (that's a UK8-10 or 12-14.  I think it's 4-6 or 8-10 in US sizes).

So what I am asking for is a comment on the photos below with a TRUTHFUL comment as to what you think of her. Apart from normal teenage spots etc, I think she is great!  What she doesn't seem to get is that I wouldn't tell her that if I didn't think it.  I've never been one for telling them that they are something they are not as I don't think it does them any favours in life.

She does however, need to stand up properly instead of keep slouching!!  So here is a full length photo, a closer shot and a backside one.