July Theme-a-licious and 1st August WIPocalypse

First of all a big welcome to all my new followers and a big thank you to everyone who comments.  I do try to reply to comments via email but not everyone has an address provided.  So if I done't respond, hopefully it isn't just me being ignorant, it's because I can't.

Well.......I've had a bit of a finishing frenzy over the last week.  I thought I would get some of my WIP's ermm that would probably be UFO's if I'm truthful.

First up is a Country Companions design from DMC which I think is called It Never Rains...  This may well be my oldest UFO.  I started this in our old house and as we've been here for 10 years, that makes it pretty old!  Anyway IT IS DONE!

It Never Rains...   DMC
finished 23rd July 2012

Next is a Mouseloft penguin.  Now seriously, who could EVER leave a Mouseloft kit as a UFO?  It's no bigger than 2" square.  Honestly!  Anyway it is done and will probably be made into a tree ornie.

Mouseloft Penguin
finished 23rd July 2012

Another long standing UFO but not as bad as the Country Companions one.  This is a little blackwork owl from X-calibre designs.  This was the first one I bought to learn how to do blackwork.  I believe that if you do it properly the back looks like the back...a bit like hardanger I suppose.  I obviously didn't do it properly as the back looks nothing like the front.  Thankfully the front looks ok though!!

Blackwork Owl - X-calibre
finished 25th July 2012

And finally, well for finishes at least, is this little anniversary card.  The writing was red but I thought I would change it so I can use it for Colin's mum and dad's wedding anniversary, which is obviously their golden one...hehe.  Again it was one of those pieces that should NEVER have been a UFO as it just wasn't big enough.

Anniversary card
unknown designer

I then used the random generator to choose my next WIP to work on.  It landed on this one.  I spent a little bit of time working on it but it is 18ct aida which is definitely NOT my favourite fabric to work on.  I am going to leave it out and put 1 strand a day in it to keep it ticking over.

Garden Tools
Fleur de Lis

I have been working on She Sells Seashells as well and hope that will be my next finish.  Watching the Olympics at the same time is not a good idea.  I am doing nearly as much frogging as stitching.


Other news....

********I PASSED********

I got my Open University module exam result on Tuesday.  I got a Grade 2 pass.  As the OU had already admitted that one of the questions was 'unusually difficult' and were 'standardising' the results, I knew it wasn't my imagination that it was a hard exam.  Now I am trying to decide whether or not to continue my degree or not.  I worked really hard with studying and revising for my last module and felt that the exam didn't allow me to show my knowledge.  There were many students who put in a complaint about the exam so it's good that the OU listened and investigated but it left me really demoralised.

That's it for now...Happy Stitching!!

Theme-a-licious update for June

Well this month I have stitched predominately on Helen and Kev's wedding sampler. It is finished but I am not going to post a picture until after they have received it. It's only fair that they get to see it before everyone else does!! I cannot possibly think of a story to tie this one into the theme so it will just have to be a 'fail'.

I also stitched on Luke's cushion - it has grass in it and some animals eat grass - that's my theory and I'm sticking to it!!

I finished part one of ATWi80S and have to say it looks absolutely awesome! Not a word I use often but it does!!

I managed to make a start on Cinderella which my aunt asked my mum to ask me if I would stitch it for my cousin! Nothing like going around the houses to get something done is there?

I have also made some progress on Two Little Love Birds (Love Thy Threads) which is coming on a treat. It is a lovely easy stitch and it is so nice to have a decent size chart to stitch from without first having to blow it up to work out what the symbols are.

On a non stitching front, the exam didn't go as well as I thought it had - well at least I don't think it has.  I have to wait until 3rd August to get my result.  I have lodged a complaint with the OU regarding the paper along with many other candidates.  32% of the mark came down to knowing 4 pages of the course materials.   I was revising a full lever arch file, 3 books, 2 DVD's and the UNCRC. Fingers crossed I have done better than I think...but I doubt it!

Nearly missed it!

Today is Guy Fawkes night, bonfire night or fireworks night depending on your age!  We have a small box of fireworks in our garden each year.  Nothing too mad.  Watching the sky around us, I hate to think how much some people must spend....perhaps I'm getting old!

I have been busy trying to get my assignment written today as I'm still not happy with it.  I need to get a move on though as it is due in next Friday.  So unfortunately I haven't managed to take any photos to show.  Maybe tomorrow?

Still stitching!

I know I haven't posted for ages but I have still been stitching a bit.

Once the children go back to school in September I have far less time to stitch what with being back at work, running the children to and from activities etc.  This year I am having a lunch break at work which I have always managed to avoid so far.  The downside is that I now work til 4 instead of 3.30 but I can generally have 30 minutes uninterrupted stitching at lunchtime, if I am lucky!

I have signed up for a new module with the Open University which started a couple of weeks ago.  So far I am enjoying it but there is an exam at the end of it so that could change...lol.  It is 'Working with children, young people and families'.  After that there will only be another 2 modules and I will have a degree!  Sadly that is still 2 and a half years away because of start dates for them.  I could do 2 modules at the same time but I don't think I could cope with the work and still have a life!

Amanda is trying to get Tiny Treasures Too up and running again and organised a Christmas ornament exchange for us.  This is the exchange piece I stitched for Miche'le (Hoki Quilts) but she hasn't received it yet.  I'm getting a bit worried as I posted it on 27th September but I suppose it does have a way to go!

Joyeux Noel ornament from here
stitched with recommended threads
exchange piece for Tiny Treasure Too

This is the ornament I received from Melissa which is gorgeous.  The photo really doesn't do it justice.  She said that it was the first time she had made cording and has done a smashing job of it.  I really wouldn't have known.  Thank you Melissa.

Ornament received from Melissa
Tiny Treasures Too Exchange

I originally stitched something completely different for Miche'le.  I saw these charts in a cross stitch magazine and made a back to back ornament for her.  However, when I stitched the two sides together I wasn't happy with my making up so decided not to send it to her.  I didn't want to bin it so made it up into a little Christmas scissor keep for myself instead.  It's not the best thing I have ever made but it will do!

Below is one of the Fat Flakes Snowman - Pam's RR piece.  I have these to stitch in my stash (one day, when I get round to them...hehe) and had forgotten how cute they were.  I really enjoyed stitching him and will be looking forward to seeing the finished RR in a few months time. 

Fat Flakes - Jeanette Crews Designs
Pam's RR
Recommended threads (DMC)

Not quite a year....but close!

Hi everyone/anyone

I was abducted by aliens and have only just managed to get back to planet Earth...er no...that's not it.  Ermmm no, I'm afraid I don't have a good excuse really. I just was too busy to stitch and because I wasn't stitching, I didn't blog either.  Quite a lot has happened over the last year.

I have completed E111 with the Open University and am just waiting for the results of my final assignment.  After that I will be having a break from studying - basically because I can't afford another £770 for the next module at this moment in time.  I'm loving my job and will be doing only special needs in September.  I won't be helping in class unless the Year 6 teacher needs me particularly.  The only downside is that I have lost 'my' room and will be working in whatever space I can find around school.

Like many people Colin (DH) is up for redundancy or redeployment at the moment.  Neither of these are a good prospect as his job would relocate to Preston instead of central Manchester.  He has to make a decision by Monday as to what he wants to do. Apart from that, he's fine.

Rachael has completed her first year at High School.  She has thoroughly enjoyed Year 7 and has made fantastic progress. She had an awards ceremony last Monday and got the RE attitude to learning award as well as a trophy for 100% attendance.  Out of approximately 500 pupils there were only 10 that got their 100% award.  The teachers and staff at school have been amazing with her diabetes and have really kept an eye on her to ensure everything is ok whilst giving her independence.  If there is anything out of the ordinary, they always ring unlike Primary school who expected her to get on with it and didn't support her in any way, shape or form.

Luke has had a great year at school too with a real turn around in his attitude and progress. He has had an amazing teacher who has only just qualified but is dedicated to making a difference.  His school report was straight A's and behaviour rated as excellent (highest possible).  This was something I never thought I would see on Luke's report!  He has been involved with loads of sports this year and made the swim team at school.  His football team have done well and made the cup final - they lost.  Luke has been an ever present on the A team this year though and won Most Improved Player of the Year award.

A couple of weeks ago, I was sorting my stash and being brutally honest with whether I would ever stitch things although probably still not as honest as I could have been!  I found a couple of charts that I had forgotten I had and decided to see if I could pull the threads for them.  I stitched up "Stressed..." in a couple of nights and then got the other one out and did that.  On Monday I decided I wanted to stitch a little something for Luke's teacher to say thanks.  As they broke up Wednesday I had to hurry but managed it.  Luke said she was delighted with it.

I really won't be leaving it so long to blog next time!  Thanks for still reading if you have!

Arghh......it's over 2 months!!

Oh Crikey.........2 months!!!!

I haven't done hardly any stitching at all with doing my autism course. It is proving to be a bit more demanding that any of the other courses I have done. I suspect that is because I haven't got any previous knowledge of the subject to draw on. It is a very interesting course though and I would recommend it to anyone.

Lindsay sent me a gorgeous PIF a while ago. It is a cute little biscornu. Thank you Lindsay and sorry it took me so long to let you know. She also sent me some lovely threads to go with it. The batteries are flat in the camera so I will have to get some new ones to post a pic.

As for stitching goals this year, I really failed miserably with them! I have revised them for 2010. I kept the ones that I haven't managed to do and would like to stitch an ornament a month again (think I managed 6 this year in the end).

I WILL NOT START ANYTHING NEW UNTIL I HAVE FINISHED AT LEAST 6 THINGS.

Anything that is a WIP/UFO currently is fair game to be worked on during the year.

I will not buy any new stash other than magazines this year but I would like a piece of fabric for a halloween project so hopefully someone (Colin are you reading this?) will get me that for my birthday.

Not much has happened really in the 2 months I haven't posted.

• I started my new job which is challenging but enjoyable.
• Rachael became a junior playleader at school and helps at dinnertime to keep the younger children amused and happy.
• Rachael is training as a peer mediator at school so she can help children with minor counselling issues at playtimes etc.
• Luke was voted onto the school council to represent his class (25 votes to 7 as he keeps telling me!)
• I passed my last OU course which I was pleased about and was only a few marks off getting a distinction which would have been nice.
• Rachael performed in her first recorder concert which was brilliant and we all really enjoyed it.

If you have made it this far feel free to give yourself a pat on the back! I will try to post more regularly in 2010 - perhaps that should be one of my goals too!!

***** HAPPY NEW YEAR *****

Fantastic News!!

I had a job interview today........and.........I GOT IT!!!!!

I start on 2nd November as a teaching assistant working one to one supporting a lad who is one exclusion away from permanent exclusion. Should be a challenge!

I go in next week to thrash out my exact hours, role and whatnot before starting. I'm quite excited.

On a not so positive note...I can't do any stitching at the minute because the bulb has gone in my lamp. My eyesight these days is not good enough to stitch on anything other than 14 count aida in the dark and gloomy evenings so no stitching til I get another bulb!

I finally posted off my final assignment for my last OU course. Now I just have to wait until the end of December for the result. In a couple of weeks the next course starts which is Understanding the Autistic Spectrum. Should be interesting and relates to work this time.

Autumn exchange arrived

Lisa posted that her autumn exchange has arrived so I can post a pic of it now - thank you for letting me steal the pic Lisa. I finished as a pin keep. It was the first time I had made one and as it was so easy I think I will be making more of them now. Unfortunately I just couldn't make a bow that looked half way decent so it ended up without one. If anyone knows of a "complete idiot's guide to making a bow" please let me know where it is!!

I have finished the exchange piece for the halloween exchange and that will be on it's way to its new owner tomorrow. Once it's received I will post a pic.

Luke was substitute for his team yesterday. They were playing one of the better teams in the league and he came on just before half time. Unfortunately about 5 minutes after half time he gifted the opposition a goal for them to go 2-1 up. He was determined to make up for his error and then played a cracking 15 minutes of really good football and one of his team mates scored to make the final score 2-2. It was actually a really fair result as both teams played really well and neither deserved to lose.

I have signed up for another Open University course which will start in November. This time I am going for Understanding the Autistic Spectrum which although covering just about every issue surrounding the various conditions also covers education so should be helpful with job hunting too.

Hey....Remember me??

Wow........it's been so long since I last posted that when I went to sign in an error message came up with "who the h*** are you?"................lol.

I'm not sure why I haven't blogged other than life getting in the way. I had to finish my Volcanoes assignment for my OU course and that took up more time than I anticipated. We have been clearing up the garden, getting it nice for the summer. We had Rachael's birthday on Easter Sunday which was great and she was thrilled to bits to get a laptop. It seems to have been a hard year for choosing presents as she is kind of coming to the end of toys but not quite into gadgets and other teenie things. Oh and I started another OU course too, must be a glutton for punishment! This time it is called You and Your money: Personal finance in context. It looks more interesting than it sounds.

My really big news though is that I have got a place at Manchester Metropolitan University in September for my Foundation Degree. It will be a lot of money and a lot of hard work but hopefully it will be worth it in the long run!

I haven't been stitching much lately either for the same reasons I haven't been blogging. I need to get cracking on a design I am doing for someone who is leaving work this July. I seem to have lost my mojo though.........if you find it let me know!!

Open University

I must be mad! I have signed up for another OU course. I was going to wait until I got the result of my maths course before worrying about another but this sounded interesting and was starting next week so I took the plunge!! I don't find out the result of the maths course until about 12th December which still feels ages away yet.

So much to do and no time!!

I don't know where the time is going to at the moment. There is so much going on in my life that I haven't posted here for ages.

WORK - my contract at school finishes at the end of July so I have had to reapply for a job as a teaching assistant again. It will be for 30 hours instead of 15 hours this time hopefully. I found out today that I was shortlisted and my interview will be next Wednesday. My hubby said about going in to school smart that day but I don't think there is much point. After all I am there at the moment and they either know what I am like by now or they don't!!

CHILDREN - Rachael is enjoying being on her insulin pump still although for about the last week or so we have had realy erratic readings due to her having a cold. One minute she is sky high and the next she is mega low. It feels a bit like being on a roller coaster at the moment!

Luke is just plodding along as always. He seems to have become super sensible since he turned 7, will it last?

CROSS STITCHING - has rather taken a back seat lately what with filling in application forms for my job. They are rather long winded forms that take about 2 or 3 evenings to complete satisfactorily. I have only stitched the last 2 nights as it was about 3 and a half weeks since I had picked up my needle! I managed to complete part 4 of "How does your garden grow?" so that was good.

That is it for stitching this month though! I didn't even join in the crossstitchcrazy stitchathon this month.
OPEN UNIVERSITY - I started my course at the beginning of June. I am doing "Starting with Maths" which is one of the Openings courses which are designed to ease you into that level of study. I am finding it quite easy and have nearly finished my first assignment. There are 2 Tutor marked assignments and an end of course assignment to pass the course. It should take 20 weeks to complete but I am hoping to have it finished a bit quicker than that.