Camera Issues

Sorry no photos of works started or of Harry, I'm having a few camera issues at the moment, having hardly used my camera in 18 months its refusing to work properly or charge, so perhaps I need another.
While I'm on the subject of photos, now that Picnic has closed down any idea anyone as to where I can go to oomph up my pics when I finally take some?

Thanks all that have commented on my first posting of the year, Its really nice to know that I haven't been forgotten out here in stitchy blogland.

Now what am I stitching? I so wanted to show you how it was coming along, but without pics that's a hard to do, but I can tell you I'm stitching Beyond my Heart which is Loose Feathers pattern 32, of course by the wonderful Blackbird Designs. Stitching is slow going but hey whose in a rush, my speed has so slowed down for larger pieces (well maybe not larger pieces but definitely bigger than ornie size). Plus my work hours are longer than they used to be as I have a different job which I love, so my evening stitching is reduced by a good 3 hours, plus I am so into reading Debbie Macomber books - thanks to my sis and mum who have got me into them, I've almost finished reading the Cedar Cove series and I am currently on the 3rd novel of the Blossom Street series, such light reading but very enjoyable escapism.

So..................... as soon as I get the camera going I'll show pics.
Meantime if anyone can recommend a site like Picnic to make my pics look good, please do as I am so out of doing anything on the computer other than play games.

THANKYOU

Thankyou everyone so much for your lovely lovely words and support, you really are all so very lovely, thankyou too for the cards I have received at home as well, I honestly appreciate it all and so does my family - I have passed on your words to them to.

Its very strange not having dad about or speaking to him on the phone and I know how strange and upsetting it is to mum too after all he was her husband, but Mum is doing OK as we all are Helen my sister has been amazing with her living so close to mum she has beenand still is a terrific help and support for her. My brother and I have been doing as much as we can as well I had the weekend gone over with mum and saw everyone too, and I'm making plans for the bank holiday/Easter to spend with mum again.

My best friend and her son are taking life a day at a time at the moment but are gradually returning to normality, both are going back to work again tomorrow, which is good and luckily there appears no lasting scars on her face and around her eyes, which is a good thing.

Work is settled again for the time being - I hate not knowing if I am going to be out of work and it keeps happening at the moment I really could do without that worry!!

I've still not done much in the way of finishing work, but have stitched a couple more small things, I'm also working on Finch Song. I will hopefully have something to share by the weekend as long as everything goes OK in my distracted world.

Ooo and Harry says to say Hello to his fans, he has grown such a lot but is still as cute as a button, and his training is coming along well.
Hugs and grateful thanks to you all

 

Not been blogging or around much

As you may or may not have noticed but I haven't been around very much for a while, neither have I visited anyone very often at all. Its not that I haven't been thinking of you all or stitching or anything like that, but my family have had a bereavement and as this is primarily a stitching home blog, I thought it would be a little  depressing of me to keep you informed of our sadness, especially as there has been so much sadness in other parts of the world at the same time.

So as I have been feeling way to sad for a while as I knew that my dad was very ill to really feel like being upbeat and happy and wanting to show my stitching I haven't. But this week was my Dads funeral and after his illness it was good that he wasn't suffering anymore and as a family we were all there when he passed on which I for one am convinced that he knew we were all there.

My Dad was a wonderful 'gentleman' who had a lovely smile and a quiet word for those who would listen, he also had a wicked sense of humour, I will miss him very much but I do have many, many happy memories of my life with him and I loved him very very much.

I have also had work problems and my best friend and her son have been involved in a very tragic car accident this week - though neither of them have been seriously hurt - I'm telling you you wouldn't believe my life at the moment - it would so make a good soap opera - Eastenders and Corrie have nowt on my life at present LOL!!

Hopefully I will pull myself out of the doldrums and get back into blogging I can't promise that it will be soon but then again I can't say it won't be - it will be probably a little sporadic for the meantime.

Anyway I hope that everyone is fine and well, I have to let you know that Harry is doing well and has grown considerably
Hugs

 

Happy 2011

A little late I know, but I wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Year and all the best for what this year may hold for everyone - May it all be Good and Wonderful.
I'll be back tomorrow with my last finish of 2010, and I have already stitched my first for 2011, but not finished finished it LOL

 

Oh Wow

Thankyou everyone for yor lovely comments and the wonderful welcome back, I sure have missed you guys... I will reply to my emails this weekend. Thankyou too for the lovely compliments, I really appreciated them, Helen is the pretty one of us girls as she is such a petite little thing and very dark haired and slim, I'm the clod hopper LOL!! and the fair haired one (take after my mums side of the family)

Harry had his first night with me and seemed to settle OK, I was a little worried as he hasn't really eaten - he has had a little drink, so I contacted the girl I got him from - as I had worried mum syndrome - she said put him in his cage through the day with door open and give him a little chicken twice a day plus make suer his puppy dried food was there all the time, - he woofed (apologise for the pun) the chicken back, had  another drink and sniffed the biscuits - he had a cuddle from me til he dropped off to sleep and at the moment he is back on his bed in the cage, he slept all evening perchde on my shoulder its was so cute. He slept all night too in his bed in the cage beside me and was fine as well.

Tash knows he is here but is ignoring the whole business, just keeps smacking her lips (she does this when she is preturbed, but she is OK and I have made a big big fuss of her.

Will be showing some pics this next week of my other finish if I can manage to get it framed and also of course of Harry.

Til later

Hugs

 

So Sorry.........

.... to have worried quite a few of you, thankyou so much for the concerned emails and phone calls and comments on here, but I am OK - honestly!

I just seemed to lose interest in a lot of things in my life, I needed some time to myself and find what I think is me again (that is still an ongoing process LOL!). There has been such a lot of changes for me over the last 18 months what with  family changes and health issues, work status worries (still hanging in there at work by the fingernails) etc etc and I just think its all caught up with me in the end, without me realising it quick enough!

I don't have a lot of stitching to share with you as I don't seem to have done very much at all, stitching wise really, its been something I have been battling with in my mind for a while and so chose to take a break from that too.

But I want to share with you what I made for my lil' sis Helen for her birthday. Its stitched on natural linen using cream silk thread and framed in a Laura Ashley pearl frame - the silhouette reminded me very much of Helen and thought it was perfect for her.

I did pass my driving test on the 2nd attempt which was early August and I just LOVE driving. I drove over to mum and dads the 2nd weekend after I passed I was so proud of mysekf driving on my own to the opposite side of the country and made it in one piece. Mum and Dad was really proud of me too. Mum took my picture in her garden and as many of you haven't got a clue what I look like I thought I would share that with you too, if scarey sights upset you I suggest you scroll down a bit further and bypass that picture (I really hate my picture taken and I look like I am about to run off LOL!) Those that have met me will be able to see that I have grown my hair somewhat, gone very blonde and have lost 5 stone in weight (- hopefully Angela you will recognise me the next time we meet up)

Next up what to share -  Fobbles exhibition, that was a lovely weekend and I made a small collage of some of the exhibits so I could share them with you - sorry its not the normal fobbles exhibition posting that I would normally do, but I thought a little something was better than nothing at all. I really recommend that if you could ever attend one of them that you should go, its lovely to see all the work shown and it seems to be getting bigger and bigger every year.

What else - weeeeeelllll I think its one of the most important things that is happening in my life at the moment and certainly the most exciting - I would like to introduce you to Harry!! Harry is coming to live with me as from Friday 29th October when he will be 8 weeks old, he stands about 4" tall and is about 6" long at the moment - of course he will grow but he will always be very very small, especially as he is the runt of the litter and both his parents were runts too - Can any of you guess what he is?

There will of course be more updates about Harry and his progress and I do have some other bits and pieces to share with you - Meeting the truely wonderful Jeannette Douglas and doing her workshop, the lovely Lynette Anderson meeting, Harry, Knitting and even more knitting and a tiny bit more stitching, I think I have probably bored you all silly by now - that is if anyone is still visiting me?

Love and Hugs

 

I have been away.............

.... visiting Mum an Dad, and whilst I was there I couldn't resist taking some pictures of their early summer garden .... sigh..... its so beautiful, Mum has such a great eye for planting. The weather was lovely too whilst I was there so I managed to get some really great pictures, so without further ado and because its said that a picture paints a thousand words I won't twitter on anymore I will just show you!!

The 'sparrow' bath

The foxgloves are just finishing

Dad dapper in his hat

The new 'hot' area, all the planting is in 'hot, hot, hot' colours which will be out arund end July/August

Bailey wanted his photo taken too

Mum captured doing a little weeding around the rockery

Rusty bird

Morning Coffee corner

There is always something else to find

Looking down one side of the garden

Bonnie saying thankyou for visiting today - 'I hope you enjoyed your visit'

I have so many more I could share with you, but thought I ought to stop, I can always show some more if you would like?

An exchange received

I received today a wonderful exchange piece from  Ellen  I feel very lucky, this is from the Swap with Nina Round 4 - French Designer exchange. Mine hasn't been received yet by my swap partner, so I can't show that yet, but this one is stunning that Ellen has made for me.

Ellen tells me that the design is from Les Petites Croix de Christne and is a freebie. I didn't get just one pillow I got 2, the little pillow is made with the same fabric that Ellen used for the backing on the larger pillow. Aren't they just lovely!! I also received a wonderful array of goodies, fabric, needles, beads and buttons.

Many many Thanks Ellen for my exchange pieces, You are a very talented lady - please go and visit her blog, she has stitched and finished some wonderful things.

Hope that your weather is as wonderful as ours is here. I have Mum and Dad staying with me a for a week, and I am so enjoying it, Mum and I are starting a little SAL, that we hope to have finished by Thursday.
I'll leave you with this weeks flowers in my jug - mostly stolen roses from next doors garden (they do know that I have taken them LOL! and some peonies from my garden added too.

Rainy Sunday

After all the lovely weather we have had, its now raining, so I thought I would share with you some summer cottage sunshine, in the way of the flowers I bought on Friday.

A few white aliums, freesia and lysanthus and elephant grass, sitting in my creamy white jug on my mantle, they make me smile.

Hope you are having a good Sunday.

Many many Thanks.....

....to all who have contacted me either by leaving a comment here or by private email, text and phone, I also appreciate the friendship and support you have shown here, I would have emailed you all personally, but I am finding this all so very upsetting, You never would think that something like this could happen where you live, this is such a 'sleepy hollow' area with very little crime. West Cumbria has been hit very hard over the past few months, what with the floods at Cockermouth  and Workington and the death of the 'hero' policeman and also the tragic coach crash 10 days ago when the children were killed - today was the funeral of one of those children, it all seems so pointless and a waste of so many lives, today I have really questioned my faith, and I am not a particularly religious person, but I am sure that there must be a greater plan somewhere to account for all the horror and that something good must come out of this in the end, we are all tested in strange ways and I hope that the survivors of this mayhem find comfort in their faiths and love  -  I truely appreciate your thoughts for all those in my home area, its been such a long and tragic day, more so for so many who have really been touched by this as it was members of their families. Cumbrians are very resilient people I have found in the 26 years I have lived here, and they have such a strong bond with each other, especially around here.

I also really feel for the gunmans family, they will probably be finding this all the hardest to bear, and I truely hope they have no repercussions of all this. I really do wonder what can make a person flip..... to do something that is so out of character from what his neighbours and colleagues have said..... we will never know now why!

Utter Sadness

This has happened in my village and surrounding area today, I personally know at least 2 of the people who have been killed today of some of the names that have been released, I am so upset by it all.

Twelve people have been killed and at least 25 others are injured after a gunman carried out a series of shootings in Cumbria.


The suspected attacker, taxi driver Derrick Bird, shot dead two colleagues in Whitehaven, Cumbria, before driving his cab through the countryside as he opened fire on other victims.


Following a manhunt, police found his body 20 miles away in woods near the hamlet of Boot about three-and-a-half hours later.
Officers have found a gun in the area and said he had taken his own life.

They added there were 30 separate crime scenes in the investigation.

Watch the latest developments live on Sky Player

Following the Whitehaven attacks, Bird, 52, drove south along the coast, shooting at people, apparently at random.

The gunman drove through Egremont, Gosforth and Seascale before turning inland and ending up in Boot.


Two people are thought to have been killed in Egremont.

A woman in her 60s is believed to have been shot dead outside the home of resident Billy Boakes.

Another man is understood to have been killed on the old bridge in the town. Eyewitnesses reported seeing a victim lying in a pool of blood.

A man was reportedly shot dead in Gosforth. The victim was apparently in a field trimming hedges with his uncle when Bird apparently drove past, wound down a car window and blasted him.
The victim has been named locally as Gary Purdham, son of farmer John Purdham.
Gary Purdham is the brother of Rob Purdham, who is a Harlequins rugby league player, Sky sources say.

Two people were killed in Seascale, where local GPs were called to the scene, according to Sky sources.

I'm Back!!

Wow I can't believe its so long since I have posted or even been around the blogs, also I haven't even really been on the computer very much at all! Thankyou to all who have emailed me, rang me or posted a comment to me wondering where I am and if I'm OK!

As the saying goes : Keep Calm, Carry On!! and yes I have had to think about that wee saying on and off over the past few weeks, at times its been tumulteous, as it was the anniversary of 'the Break-up' which I struggled with and also it was 'his' birthday and the first without me being around 'him'. 'He' has been on holiday with his'chick' (I say the 'chick' word loosely as I would very much like to call her something very unprintable, un-writable etc LOL!) which I also struggled massively with. But.... then I thought about all the things I have achieved since he went and how my life is changing and what I have learnt and I gave myself a wee pat on the back and thought I have come on in myself quite a bit, what with learning to drive (not yet sat the practical test yet, but I have booked a date), I've bought a car, All that decorating and re-designing the house and losing weight, not that far off my target either now just another 28lbs to go, I am now lighter than I was in 1999!

The cushion above is what I made for 'Him' for his birthday, as the saying can also apply to how he has been feeling at times so I gather, so I hunted around the internet and found the freebie design and printed it off onto transfer paper and made the cushion. 'He' told me that he liked it so that was good!

The cushion behind it, is also one of new ones that I made a whole assortment of different ones with Mum when they were over for the weekend a couple of weeks ago now. These I will show soon.
I have had lots of visitors too, staying from a couple of nights to almost a week at a time, this is the first weekend in ages when I have had nobody here and its giving me the opportunity to blog etc.

I have taken lots of pics of the house and will show them soon and also I have been working incredibly hard on my garden, it might be only a little space but I had let it overgrow this past year and so have worked at it and its now full of plants and hopefully will look wonderful when they all flower. I even have a couple of tomato plants - courtesy of 'Him' and will have my own toms this year which I am looking forward too.

Great news to share

Just a very quick pop in, but I am so excited I had to share with you all

I PASSED my Theory driving test today - so thats part 1 over and done with and I can fully concentrate on my actual driving and get ready to do my Driving test next, I got really good marks too whch so surprised me as I thought I wasn't ready for this part of the UK driving test yet and I passed first time with it, with flying colours- fingers crossed that the next part I can do first time too LOL, though I still keep stalling at traffic lights I must have a lesson soon I hope that I can sail through without making any mistakes.

Also Nephew number 2 sits his actual driving test on Thursday so I hope that he passes first time with it as he passed his theory test first time too a couple of weeks ago now.

Happy Easter

I really hope everyone has a very Happy and Fun Easter. I know I will I'm off to visit my family and stay with my sister for a couple of days - It will be great fun.

Thankyou for all your kind comments and many of you asked about the 'Onion Club' well what that is , its literally what it sounds - its a club and we all grow VERY VERY BIG Onions and show them in September, I have a couple of postings on my blog ( http://susimac.blogspot.com/2007/09/well-i-never.html ) about the shows, the best position I managed to win has been 3rd, ( http://susimac.blogspot.com/2008/09/proud-moment.html ) that was brilliant - there are 30 of us in the club.

I haven't finished taking pics yet of all my changes to my home and I have still to do a couple of little things left to do, but when the weather picks up I will really like to show it all to you so thankyou for telling me that you won't be bored and that you would love to see it.

I'll be back next week with some finishes to show you, I have finished all the stitching now on Cage D'Eglantine, I have just the framing to do, and I have bought myself a frame for it, so that might be a next week show to you, and I have also finished my SIL Dawns birthday gift which I will be handing over to her next weekend too when she is here, so thats a finish for you to see too.

Meantime we have had had lots of sleet/snow/rain and wind yesterday and today, the wind kept me awake half the night howling around my bedroom windows, I hope it howls itself off tonight and forgets to return LOL! there is lots of snow up on the Cumbrian Fells that I can see on my way home from work and from my guest room window, I wish 'Spring would hurry up and get here'!!

..a little of this and a little of that...

As promised here is my progress on my latest stitching, as soon as I saw this chart I knew I had to have it, and as soon as it plopped onto the carpet through the letterbox I kneew I was going to start it - no exceptions for any other pieces I'm doing, this was the one!!

The design is by Martine Leonard and is called 'La Cage D'Eglantine' isn't it pretty so far.

Next up is a picture of the workshop I did at  Fobbles earlier this month...

We made needleboxes and it was great fun - Here are a few of the finishes taken from the top of them. THANKYOU Ladies for coming I really enjoyed teaching the class and I am looking forward very much to our next smalls workshop.

More on Fobbles later this post as it's some VERY VERY VERY Exciting news.

Next up is my stash acquisitions........

As you can see I have been treating myself, there is still some more to come, some MORE Blackbird Designs and some Homespun Elegance and some Shepherds Bush, I should be getting them early next week.

I bought 2 of  NatalieJo  beautiful designs and I am itching to start them too, her instructions for the finish are so lovely and clear and the charts are marvellous, I can't recommend them enough.

I also got myself the lovely Friendship Sweet Bag by Jeanette Douglas, its going to make the perfect gift for someone when I have stitched it.

Now talking of Jeanette Douglas, the very lady herself, will be teaching a workshop in Autumn 2010 at  Fobbles I do beleive there may be a couple of spare places left, so if you contact Bev or Edna at Fobbles they will be able to tell you.

ALSO

There is more..... Next May (2011)  Ellen Chester of With My Needle is coming to the UK and teaching at Fobbles as well  (again, contact Fobbles for all the details if you fancy coming, their address and phone number are on there) - See, I told you I had exciting news, not One but Two lovely designers coming up to my pretty part of Cumbria and I am going to both, I can't wait, I'm so excited, and I mean excited, if you knew me, you would know that I won't stop talking about it and get all giddy with it all LOL!

Thankyou for asking about my driving lessons, they are going well, slowly but steadily - I can now parallel park the car and my turns in the road (3 point turn) are excellent if I say so myself, I have finally mastered the art of not stalling at every junction (now just every other - No just kidding I haven't stalled for a while now LOL), and I am finally enjoying going around roundabouts, which if you knew where I live you cannot get anywhere in this county without going around at least 3 roundabouts to get anywhere.

Hope you all have a good weekend, its Mothering Sunday here in the UK tomorrow, so Happy Mothers Day to all you Mums and most especially Mine xx

Quick visit

Hello Everyone, No I haven't dropped off the face of the earth, but I have been so so busy. What with teaching a finishing class at Fobbles, Being away for a few days, decorating 2 rooms, work and driving lessons, I seem to have missed blogging out.

I have some new stash to show you, hopefully before the end of the week, and some stitching progress too.

Thankyou all for the wonderful, wonderful comments you left me for my EEF (previous post), WOW what can I say, they have really made my day, week, month, thankyou so so much.

Hope you are all well and stitching like mad, I will be visiting blogs again soon so I can see what you have all been up too, as soon as I am finished with the decorating.

Spring beauty

I was standing in the shower this morning admiring my beautiful spring flowers I had bought yesterday and I had arranged at the end of the bath, I thought I just would have to share them with you too, its such a beautiful day here today - bright, frosty and if you get in the sun a little bit warm

Hope that you are all having a great weekend, I have almost finished my EEF design and hopefully will be able to post it up tomorrow.

Valentine wishes

I received yesterday the most beautiful Valentine ornament from Shay from the 'Holiday Exchange' I feel really fortunate, as this is sooooo lovely, look at the beautiful stitching and finishing, and ooo that charm is gorgeous. Shay told me in her card that it is by Just Nan -  Thankyou very much Shay and also for the lovely extras that you have sent me.

I hope that you are all having a wonderful Valentines day and received lots of flowers and cards? Has DH or Partners spoiled you? I hope so.

I am  again really busy at work which has delayed any kind of posting from me this week, I can't believe its over a week since I posted, but never mind I'm sure you understand, I must have a visit around your blogs in a bit, I've missed seeing what you have all been getting up to and what lovelies you have created.

My driving is going really well, I am enjoying it - not ready yet though to take my test, but hopefully a few more lessons and I will be, so far I have had 6 lessons, and I can do a turn in the road and not hit the kerb!

Moi... Driving indeed

Yes you heard it here first, I have finally succumbed and had my first driving lesson tonight - yep tonight - in the dark- in the drizzling rain - 51 years of age and finally learning to drive (pat on the back puullease).

How did it go? I hear you ask - well it went ok, I'm in one piece, the car is in one piece and the instructor hasn't reached for the valium yet, I had a lot of fun, and drove along an A road to Egremont (YES an A road not  a B road or a country lane its a fully certified A road) and back, its a good 20 mins drive just one way and I also drove around a housing estate several times, I only stalled twice (both times at a junction, and I didn't kangaroo hop at all) can't wait for Friday when its my next lesson, mind you I have had to have 3 glasses of wine when I got in and a great lump of chocolate and my head is buzzing - just can't imagine sleeping at all LOL!!

Wish me luck for Friday!!

Happy New Year

A day early I know, but I wanted to take this opportunity to wish all my readers and commenters a Very Happy New Year.

Phew and what a year this has been for me and I hope that next year is MUCH MUCH better, I can't remember when I had such an awful year, but never mind, this year is almost over and a New and exciting one is about to begin.

Thankyou to my loyal readers for your support to me throughout this year, sometimes I don't know what I would have done without some of you and thankyou too for all the lovely comments that you have made about my stitching and finishing ..... You really don't know what they have meant to me. Without your encouragment and support I might have just stopped my stitching, especially over the last couple of months, my interest wained a little, but I think I am back with new plans and finishes in mind.

I always think that LIFE has a funny way of showing you the way forward and that its really one BIG adventure, I look forward to sharing lots of stitching, gardening and decorating projects with you in the coming months as I have a few things planned for my home and garden, some of which I have just about completed and will have to share with you.

So thankyou again for the time you spend with me here in blogland, I for one can't wait to see your lovely projects during next year.

Ooo and please come join the party - (post below) and add the link to your 2009 review it doesn't have to be in pictures, but it would be lovely to see or read what you have done and Mr Linky is free and easy to use to add you here - Thanks to Jane for being the first to join in and getting the party rolling.