Cross Stitching Mad

What have I been up to ?

2009-06-25T20:19:00.000-07:00

Well I have been working really hard. The Language centre where I work, has suffered from the economic crisis but has also benefited !
The French government have been helping companies out by paying for workers to go on training courses to help alleviate salary payments, so there was suddenly an uptake for English lessons. Needless to say some days I find myself working long hours. There are days when I am up at 6am and leave the house at 6:45am and I don't get home until 9:30pm in the evening.
My stitching has suffered alot, as I can't easily do it at work when I am not actually teaching, plus there is often alot of preparation to do for classes, so I tend to read a book because it is easier to pick up and put down. As a result I haven't stitched since February, but I have read 104 books ! ! Good job my other passion is reading and since I joined the online book group goodreads I have become obsessed LOL.
It's almost the summer holidays though and I will hopefully get back into stitching then.

Ok have to finish now as it's 5:30am and I am off to work in an hour's time !

We have concerts all weekend. Two weeks ago were the concerts of my husband's and my students. This weekend my husband, in his superior wisdom, has decided to do two concerts with an entirely different programme each night ! !

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Most recent photos of Harry at 6 months.

2009-06-25T20:16:00.000-07:00

Here is Harry at Grandma and Grandad's house, enjoying the sunshine !

Harry at 5 months on his first holiday !

2009-06-25T20:15:00.001-07:00

Well here are photos of Harry taken on his first holiday ! Also with his Dad.

Harry at 4 months.

2009-06-25T20:11:00.000-07:00

Another couple of update photos of Harry aged four months. Wow he is growing up so fast !

Harry with his Grandma who is just so happy to be able to spend time with him following major heart surgery just 3 months before he was born !

Harry at 3 months

2009-06-25T20:07:00.000-07:00

Here's a photo of Harry aged 3 months sent to me by my brother.

2009-06-25T20:05:00.000-07:00

Yet another finish on 5 February 2009. Another freebie design and stitched as a SAL with an online cross stitch group.

2009-06-25T20:03:00.000-07:00

A freebie design I stitched with an online cross stitch group. Completed 19 January 2009.

2009-06-25T20:00:00.000-07:00

John Clayton's Elegance range. This is Maria and she was an absolute delight to stitch. Completed on the 10 January 2009.

Trip to England

2009-06-25T19:55:00.000-07:00

Well at Christmas I had a trip to England to visit my family and to meet our latest addition to the family ! Harry is just absolutely adorable.

Here are a couple of photos of Harry at 6 weeks !

Harry and his dad !

Me and Harry !

Six months

2009-06-25T19:53:00.000-07:00

Wow I can't believe it's been six months since I last updated this Blog ! !
Where has time gone? Have I really been working this hard? The answer is most definitely yes.

Let me catch up on what's been happening !

Latest finish

2008-12-18T15:15:00.000-08:00

Well I finally stitched the "Miffy" bib for my nephew which has been sitting around since I finished the birth sampler. As I am going to be seeing him in 4 days time I thought I had better get on with it !

Here's a photo !

December 2nd section of Book of Ink Circles SAL

2008-12-07T12:22:00.000-08:00

Okay so now I am caught up on this SAL ! Yeah ! ! Now I just need to build up the enthusiasm to work on the outer frame.

I'm going to work on something else for a while though first.

Book of Ink Circles update !

2008-12-07T05:41:00.000-08:00

Well I am almost caught up on the internal sections of this mystery sal from Ink Circles.

I just have the December 2nd charts to stitch. Then I need to start working on the outside frame ! ! Here's the update so far.

How time flies ! !

2008-12-07T05:37:00.001-08:00

It seems only five minutes ago that my brother rang to say I had a nephew ! !

Now Harry is almost one month old and I get to see him for real in just 15 days and I can't wait.

Here's Harry at 26 days !

Beautiful cousins !

2008-12-07T05:34:00.001-08:00

My niece and her new cousin, my nephew Harry !

She's obviously very proud of him.

Latest finishes for christmas

2008-12-07T05:31:00.000-08:00

I decided to finish up some stitching and then make them into christmas cards.

It was fun.

It's finished ! !

2008-11-28T10:42:00.000-08:00

The birth sampler is finished and I am so happy with how it looks. Now to find a frame for it.

Can't wait until christmas to hand it over to my brother !

Almost finished !

2008-11-25T15:58:00.002-08:00

Well this birth sampler is almost finished. I just have the shading underneath the boots to do and then add the birth details. This is definitely going to be completed this weekend ! !

Birth Sampler update 23rd November

2008-11-23T15:06:00.000-08:00

Well as I was really ill with my endometriosis today I got to do lots of stitching and have now completed one bootie and most of the bow on the second one ! My hope to finish this by the end of next weekend is looking a little more hopeful ! It's taking a little time as it's stitched on 18ct aida.

Birth sampler

2008-11-23T12:03:00.000-08:00

Well I started this birth sampler for Harry last weekend and I am almost half done this weekend. I am going to try and get this completed by the end of next weekend ! Maybe I am setting myself a little too big a challenge but I would love to be able to get this framed before my trip home to the UK and meeting Harry for the first time ! Keep me in your thoughts that I can accomplish this, this week ! !

The first picture is what it should look like when completed !

Photo of my nephew

2008-11-16T08:41:00.000-08:00

Finally received a photo of my nephew today. This is the photo taken at the hospital just after his birth.

It's a boy ! !

2008-11-12T09:09:00.000-08:00

It's a boy ! ! !

Welcome to the world Harry !

Born at 3am UK time.

Weighing in at 6lbs 12oz !

Will upload a photo as soon as I receive one from my brother.

Faith Sampler SAL

2008-11-12T09:08:00.000-08:00

This was a SAL with a yahoo group and I was naughty and completed the whole thing 4 weeks early whilst waiting for news of the new addition to the family being born ! ! Completed 10th November 2008

Christmas Baubel

2008-11-12T09:05:00.000-08:00

Stitched on the evening of 8th November 2008. Black aida with red and green metallic threads by DMC

Using metallic threads.

2008-11-12T09:03:00.000-08:00

I came across a few designs using metallic threads so I chose two and stitched them one evening on the 2nd November 2008. First in a christmas tree stitched on red aida using DMC metallic silver thread. The second is a snowman stitched on black aida using DMC metallic red thread.

More christmas themed sitching.

2008-11-12T08:59:00.000-08:00

I discovered this wonderful chart and had to stitch it straight away. Gingerbread Cottage from Country Cottage Needleworks. Stitched on a silkweavers solo 28ct jobelan with Crescent colours and DMC threads. Completed 27th October 2008

It's birthday time !

2008-11-12T08:52:00.000-08:00

Mum celebrated her birthday in Intensive Care this year following a triple heart bypass surgery so I stitched her this strawberry card to cheer her up. Completed 23rd August 2008

Bang on the door design.

2008-11-12T08:50:00.000-08:00

Angelic from the DMC Bang on the door designs. Completed 1st August 2008.

Keeping with the disney theme

2008-11-12T08:49:00.001-08:00

Eeyore's Honey Bees. Completed 3rd July 2008.

Bookmark

2008-11-12T08:48:00.001-08:00

Pooh, tigger and eeyore bookmark finished 3rd July 2008.

Birthday gift for my friend's little boy !

2008-11-12T08:46:00.000-08:00

Stitched for Nathan. Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story.

Continuing with Christmas

2008-11-12T08:45:00.000-08:00

This is a free kit of Piglet stitched on the 1st June 2008

Early christmas stitching ! !

2008-11-12T08:44:00.001-08:00

I stitched this free kit of snoopy that I received with a magazine

Finished 1st June 2008

Finished 5th April 2008

2008-11-12T08:42:00.003-08:00

My first attempt at a biscornu.

Finished 30th March 2008

2008-11-12T08:40:00.001-08:00

Nature's Patchwork. Stitched on 28ct blue jobelan with DMC threads.

Finished 14th March 2008

2008-11-12T08:38:00.000-08:00

This was for Elaine for the bookmark exchange at CSRRMad yahoo group.

"A rose is a rose".

Finished 3rd February 2008

2008-11-12T08:36:00.000-08:00

This is the two storey saltbox house which I stitched for Kate's Neighbourhood RR.

1st finish in 2008

2008-11-12T08:32:00.000-08:00

This was the part I did on Meg's Calendar RR. It's Lizzie*Kate's March Block Flip-It.

Finally remembered my sign in details ! !

2008-11-12T08:30:00.000-08:00

Well it has been such a long time since I updated this blog. Since then my computer has crashed twice and it's taken me until today to remember my log-in details. Now I'm back LOL.

Haven't done too much stitching this year due to work commitments but I will upload those that I have stitched over the next couple of days.

Britty Kitty Design

2007-02-19T20:11:00.000-08:00

I stitched this on Sunday ! I used 14ct Antique White Aida and Weeks Dye Works threads. I am pleased with how it turned out, but undecided as of yet, how to finish it off. Any suggestions??

Husband's Birthday card completed

2007-02-19T20:03:00.000-08:00

Well here's how the birthday bear looked when it was made up into a card. My husband loved it ! !

Birthday card for DH

2007-02-13T09:27:00.000-08:00

Well two evenings later and I have completed my DH's birthday card. He loves bears and wolves, so I found this cute realife bear pattern and decided to stitch it for his birthday card.

It's a design from a UK cross stitching magasine "Quick and Easy Cross Stitch".

Here's a photo !

Johnny Depp - Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Carribean

2007-02-12T05:54:00.000-08:00

Well in just less than I week, I managed to stitch this for the son of my wonderful friend Kate in the USA . Her son enjoyed me sending daily updates of his gift and it will be going out in the mail to him tomorrow ! !

Penguins on Ice update

2007-02-09T10:24:00.000-08:00

Well I am a little in advance for this weeks update by 2 days LOL but I love these little chappies ! !

Valentine Card for my DH

2007-02-09T10:22:00.000-08:00

I stitched a nice red rose for my DH's Valentine Card this year !

I'm sure he will like it.

2007-02-09T10:19:00.000-08:00

Card stitched for a friend and children.

Valentine Exchange

2007-02-09T10:15:00.000-08:00

This is what I stitched for the Valentine Card and thread Exchange at CSRRMad.

I hope that Dawn likes it !

Penguins on Ice Update

2007-02-04T06:46:00.000-08:00

I finished another Penguin ! These little chappies sure are cute !

The one next week is itching to be stitched but I promised I would only do one a week lol !

A WIP with my friend Kate

2007-01-29T14:59:00.000-08:00

My friend Kate has the Penguins on Ice kit in her stash that she started a while ago so I came across the same kit. This week we decided to stitch a penguin a week ! Here is my update. I had already stitched one penguin so number two is the cute one with earmuffs ! !

UFO Friday update

2007-01-29T14:50:00.000-08:00

This is this weeks progress on my UFO of Tom Mouse !

I managed to get a little bit done this week.

UFO Friday @ CSRRMad

2007-01-29T14:45:00.000-08:00

Well it was UFO Friday on the 26th January 2007 and my chosen UFO to work on is Tom Mouse with Flowers, a kit by DMC. Here is a photo of the UFO before I started working on it ! Hope to get a little bit done on it.

Oops forgot one

2007-01-26T12:15:00.000-08:00

Ooops I forgot the RR square I completed a few days ago for an open theme aida rr which had a bird theme, so I chose this lovely American Goldfinch and butterfly design.

I stitched this for Sue in Canada.

Completed Mr Men & Little Miss Calendar

2007-01-26T12:05:00.000-08:00

Sorry I had to do this as two photos but you get the idea ! !

Mr Men and Little Miss Calendar update

2007-01-26T12:00:00.000-08:00

I've finally completed this project now. I finished the July square on 24th January 2007 !

I'll try and get a photo of the completed thing soon.

A new finish

2007-01-26T11:52:00.000-08:00

Well I completed one of the two squares that were left to do on my Calendar RR when it returned home. I decided to do the Mr Men & Little Miss Calendar by Bothy Threads. I did January when I originally sent it out and I completed the May square on 23rd January 2007 !

Here is a link to what the completed Calendar looks like. Photo on the right of the completed May square

http://www.sewandso.co.uk/cgi-bin/find/db.cgi db=zoom&uid=&Prod_Code=34371&ww=on&do=search_results

What a week !

2007-01-21T03:35:00.000-08:00

Well it's the weekend again. We have had an action packed week in our household. DH spent 4 days in hospital for tests and I didn't manage to do much stitching this week ! I only managed to finish a design for an RR at cross_stitch_roundrobin_mad yahoo group !

Here's a photo ! Isn't it cute ?!! The design in called "Cream of the crop" and is by Gloria and Pat from a book called Mary's Moo Moos ! !

Hopefully I will accomplish more this week.

Lizzie*Kate "Happy New Year"

2007-01-14T06:33:00.000-08:00

Here finally is a photo of the cross stitch project I completed on the 9th January 2007.

Calico Crossroads - Mini Kats - January - Happy New Year

2007-01-14T06:30:00.000-08:00

Here's a photo of the proect I finished on 8th January 2007

Heart in Hand Monthly Mania - February

2007-01-14T06:25:00.000-08:00

Here's a photo of my completed cross stitch project finished on 7th January 2007.

Well this isn't wonderful is it?

2007-01-13T09:27:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it's a week later already and I haven't updated this each day as I had intended !

(Note to self, must make more effort).

Well I have completed four more cross stitch projects since my last update and I am pleased with them.

I completed Lizzie*Kate's January Block Flip-It on the 7th January 2007. (See photo )

Next was Heart in Hand's February Monthly Mania also on the 7th January 2007. (photo to follow)

Calico Cats Mini Kats January Happy New Year was completed on the 8th January 2007 (photo to follow) and finally Lizzie*Kate's Happy New Year Snippet #S63 on the 9th January 2007 (photo to follow).

It's the weekend again

2007-01-06T00:50:00.000-08:00

Well it's Saturday again sigh ! Where does the week go. As soon as I finish teaching at 3pm today I am going to settle down for a comfortable weekend of stitching and reading.

I finally finished a Wedding Anniversary Sampler on Tuesday for my parents Ruby Wedding Anniversary and succeeded in completing it a whole month in advance ! !

I have so many WIPS and UFO's that I am going to sort through them all this weekend and make a list of the ones that I want to work on to get them finished.

I am currently reading my way through Robert B Parker's Spenser detective books and have read 3 so far this year and am halfway through the 4th.

May have another update later today on the WIPS and UFO's.