Another Happy Dance

Wow, for once I'm really coming through with my stitching goals - I just put in the last few stitches in Assisi Knot Garden.



I'm off to London for the weekend to see my sister (and lots of museums I think), so I don't think I'll get lots of stitching done. The annoying thing is that Wild Fairy Light is on a frame, so I can't take it on the train with me. So I've dug out a few small pieces to take with me - and yes, that does include new starts! Maybe I'll get a few lengths into WFL before I leave, or when I get back on Sunday (but that will be around midnight). I really wanted to finish it in August...

A Happy week

Well, this week I have lots to be happy about!!

First, thank you to Lindsay (Caring Stitcher) for giving me this award:



It's the first time I've ever had a blog award, and it really made me smile! Thank you Lindsay!

I now need to nominate 7 blogs, here are the rules:

1. The winner can put the logo on their Blog.
2. Link the person you received your award from.
3. Nominate at least 7 other Blogs.
4. Put the links to those Blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message on the Blogs of those you've nominated.

It's taken me a while to think about who to nominate, especially as some of my favourite blogs already seem to have been awarded this! So, in no particular order, I nominate:

Michelle
Sara
Gio
Melissa
Shalini
Jack/Amanda

My other favourtie blog is Dani's - she inspied me to join needle and thread BB and to start a blog, so is definitely at the top of my list. She's already had this award twice now though....

I also have a happy dance to share with you:



It took me a while to finish, as I'd forgotten Amelie's birthweight! Helene, Guy and Amelie are in France, so they took a while to answer my text! I can't wait to give this to them when they return.

We had a great weekend last weekend, and started to crop our veggies:




Everything we ate over the weened had something home grown in - mostly onions, but Ed made a brilliant leek and mushroom tart, using our leeks, and I baked berry miuffins, with a combination of bought blueberries, bought blackberries, and grown blackberries. Yum! We also used our own herbs a lot. We don't have enough room to be self sufficient, but it's great fun growing, and more importantly eating, your own veggies!!

Stitching Olympics 2008

After setting my goals for August I read about the 2008 Stitching Olympics on the wagon - and decided it would be great fun to join in the fun! I'm entering 2 'events' - 'sprint', in which I complete as many projects as possible (and therefore meet my August goals) and 'rotation relay', making sure I work on EVERYTHING i have started. I'm doing quite well for me, but no where near as good as the competition!!

Anyway, I thought I'd share some progress pictures. I've already completed a full rotation, and am working through my second run, here is where I'm at for Wild Fairy Light, Fantasy Triptych and Assisi knot garden:




I'll save an update pic for Benjamin Bunny, as I think I'll finish him tonight...

Necessities Sampler Happy Dance

Well I've been really busy with work recently, so I've not had much opportunity to blog, but I have done a little stitching. I entered the 'Stitching Olympics' on the wagon, but I don't think I stand a chance of winning! It's a great incentive to get focussed with my stitching time.

I finished Little House Needleworks' Necessities Sampler over the weekend. I had to fudge a bit due to a counting error, but I think it looks OK.



Melissa - the Benjamin Bunny sampler was in a magazine - Cross Stitch Crazy I think. I've slightly adapted it for personalisation.

August goals & stitching update

Oooops, looks like I forgot to post goals for July on my blog. Luckily I did post them on Needle and Thread, so here's a recap:

July Goals

1) work on Assisi knot garden
2) work on wild fairy light
3) work on Benjamin Bunny Birth sampler birth
~I'd like to complete one of these pieces~

4) work on Fantasy Triptych on Mondays
5) Milanese lace on Thursdays

Well I worked on everything except Wild Fairy Light during July, but I didn't finish anything. But given I have quite a few pieces close to finishing, my goal for August is to try and finish as many pieces as possible! Those which are up for contention are:

1) Assisi knot garden
2) Benjamin Bunny
3) wild fairy light
4) Necessities sampler (I started this as part of the Little House Needleworks BB SAL)

On Mondays I'll work on FT, and on Thursdays I want to make progress with my lace.

I've already made progress with my finishing many projects goal. I finished this small piece which has been in my handbag as an emergency piece for months - I started it when we stayed with Phyllis sometime last year... I just can't remember why we stayed with her, or when that was!!



It's a Victoria and Albert/DMC kit, but I can't remember the name. I picked it up in a sale somewhere. It's for a pin cushion, but I've not decided if that's what I'll do with it. I'm not keen on the provided backing fabric, so I'll probably change it.

When I finsihed it I picked up Benjamin Bunny again. I've been working on it on and off for most of July. Here's a picture of where I'm up to:



Not far to go now - I expect a couple more good stitchy evenings and I'll be done. I need to figure out the wording though...