Mabel Figworthy 2016 SAL

Here is the first round of the Mystery SAL, Round in Circles. I'm actually up to date for once!

I have a cunning plan...

...Can you remember who used to say that?

I have decided that I need some kind of a goal to fail at this year. So the plan each month is...

Stitch the facebook JCS group monthly ornie. The reason for this is that I bought a twig/blossom tree last year for Christmas and despite how many ornies I have stitched/received over the years, it still looked bare-ish.  I'm sure that isn't a real word but I'm sure you know what I mean.  Another 12 would help with that!
Stitch the Mabel Figworthy 2015 SAL.. I started the last SAL in 2013 and have made it to April. These would be lovely stitched on one piece of fabric each and hung in the hallway. If I could get one stitched each month this year, then I could do the 2013 SAL next year and actually get them hung. I do enjoy learning all the new stitches for them.
Stitch 2 days of the 2015 istitch Advent SAL. Surely even I can manage two a month?  Then if I can REALLY over achieve and do 2 extra over the course of the year, it will be finished in time for Advent this year!
Each Sunday use the random generator to select one of my WIP/UFO list projects. This will then be my piece to work on for the week unless I am working on any of the above designs instead and then it can wait until the following week.

What do you think?  Is this manageable?  Can I do it?

Another finish

Wow! Second finish of the year! What is going on?

I joined a Facebook group and the plans are to stitch one ornie a month from the 2015 Christmas ornament issue of Just Cross Stitch magazine. Several polls were put up and everyone voted. This was the favourite one, so I started with that.

It is Blue Ribbon Designs 'Snowmates'.
The fabric is 28ct jobelan (I think) and is called chocolate milk.

Sweet Pea - Nora Corbett

Well...after finishing Vixen and the SAL piece, it was a case of what shall I stitch on next?  I have 3 tubs/boxes of WIP's/UFO's and so grabbed the first box to have a look through.  Sweet Pea caught my eye, so I pulled the threads and cracked on with her.

Here she is before I started working on her...

Sweet Pea Pixie - Nora Corbett

...and here is where I am up to now.

I have no idea why this photo is refusing to turn round the right way, but you get the idea!  I had the bright idea of doing the skin 1 over 1 which is taking FOREVER!

Finishes, finishes

Happy 2016 to you all.  

I hope that it is a fabulous year.

Vixen - Nora Corbett
Fabric - Icicle (Crafty Kitten)

I managed to finish Vixen yesterday as the treasures arrived from Sewandso.  However, I managed to send one of the treasures flying across the room and can't find it.  I will order another packet when I 'need' to order something else too.

Whilst I have been waiting for the treasures, I pulled out Mabel Figworthy's Song of the Weather.  I had stitch the kloster blocks for April but that was about it. Today, I have finished off the block.  I had to learn how to do bullion knots, Portuguese ladder stitch and Greek crosses to do it.  My Portuguese ladder stitches aren't brilliant and I keep thinking about ripping them out and doing them again.  I suspect by the time I reach December, I will have done so!

Mabel Figworthy's Fancies - Song of the Weather (2013 SAL)

I really liked the Greek crosses once I understood what on earth it was I had to do with them.  I am sure that mine will improve with practice but I am happy with them for this 'learner's piece'.

I have signed up for the 2016 SAL which is called Round in Circles. I am thinking that I will do it with the same threads and then both of them could hang in the hall next to each other.  The first design was released today and is a nice easy one to start off with.

Vixen

Rather than have a new start on Christmas Day as is traditional, I decided to revive an old Christmas Day start. This is Vixen by Nora Corbett which I started in 2013 - before and after! I only have the Whispa thread, beads and treasures to add. Could there be a finish before New Year?

(Sorry for the side on photo, I can't seem to change it on my phone.)

Vixen - Nora Corbett
Fabric - Crafty Kitten, Icicle

Merry Christmas

I can't believe I have been away from my blog for so long!  It was certainly never planned that way.

Well...

I hope you all have a wonderful day and receive all you need.

Archery again!

Well over the last few weeks, I have been all over the country at various archery competitions.  Some have gone better than others but the one thing they have in common is that I have thoroughly enjoyed them all.

I have even had a bit of success with them.  At one competition I was 9th but the highest scoring non West Midlands archer.  This meant I won the Open 1st place medal.  It felt a bit like a thanks for turning up prize though!  However, last week in Doncaster, I got 3rd place at the shoot I was attending.  It was a lovely club and there were only about 20 archers there, one of whom was an Olympian.  It was interesting watching him shoot and unsurprisingly he won the gents competition.

I don't have a competition for the next couple of weeks but after that I think I have at least one competition every weekend until the middle of October.

Passifloral and fantastic framers

Last month was Colin's parents 50th Wedding Anniversary and as you are probably aware, I decided to stitch them something.  The design I chose was Patricia Ann Designs 'Honeysuckle Courtyard'.  I did change some of the colours to make it more golden.

As you can see from the photo above, it turned out beautifully with a few tweaks to it.

I then sent it off to Israel to Rachel (Passifloral) (with my heart in my mouth, it has to be said) to have it laced and a handpainted mount added.  I gave Rachel a free rein with it, other than telling her it was a 50th wedding anniversary gift and what the design was called.  She painted it in record time for me and had it back within 2 weeks.  Rachel had asked if I wanted a sneak peek but I decided to wait until it arrived back home to see it in all its glory.  Oh my word!!! It was worth the wait!!!  LOOK!

So then, it was a case of finding somewhere that could make me a frame to fit and in a fairly quick time too!  I found Picture Frames Express.  They are utterly amazing!  I ordered what I thought I wanted but did mention that I wasn't entirely sure about the measurements and if I had got it right. This lovely man (Mark), spent most of the morning emailing me - in all honesty he muct have been tearing his hair out at my dithering!  He was brilliant!!  Once that was all sorted and confirmed, the order was here within 2 days.  The frame was absolutely perfect, good quality and just what I wanted. It was so well packaged that even Royal Mail couldn't have broken it.  I honestly cannot recommend them highly enough and will definitely be using them next time I need a frame.  

So once framed, it was sent off to its new home and I am happy to report was immediately (literally) put on the wall in pride of place where absolutely no-one is EVER going to be able to miss seeing it!

Giveaway winner - very belatedly!!!

The winner of the 'A Place we call home' as chosen by Rachael (who actually lifted her head out of her revision long enough to choose!) is....

KIM M

So Kim, if you could send me your address and I will pop it in the post to you ASAP.

I'm sorry for the delay, but I have been so busy with archery competitions, work, kids and sorting things out round here that I haven't been stitching, blogging or doing much more than checking facebook.