I am still here!!!

I am still here, and finding a little time to stitch - probably quite a bit of time really, I still stitch most days, but not as much as usual!! Term has just started at Uni, and I have acquired a master's course to run... so I'm a little busier than usual!

Anyway, when I have had chance to pick up some stitching, it has usually been Fantasy Triptych, and here is a photo of where I've got to:



I don't think I'll make my target of finishing all of the xs by the end of September - but I probably won't be that far off.

In other news - my friend Krista had her blessing in church this weekend - she got married in the Seychelles in August. She wore the garter in the Seychelles, but not in Balderton. So no throwing the garter to the men (which Heidi asked about) - to be honest it's not a big tradition in England, although I am sure I have been to a wedding where the garter was thrown. We do usually do the bouquet bit though... Anyway, here is a pic of the happy couple, Dave and Krista, with their niece Emily.



Finally, thank you for popping by my little corner of the internet - I rarely say it, but it makes me really happy to read the comment and see that people are following me!

Happy stitching x

Monday meltdown

Today was, well, one of THOSE days. I left work at 7pm, having achieved very little, and feeling totally p***ed off with the world.

I got home and checked the post, and received this wonderful scissor fob from Heidi:



Thank you Heidi, this completely changed my day from pretty depressing to delightful in 5 seconds flat!! It is absolutely gorgeous. And the little Singer sewing machine on the end is absolutely perfect - I have a lovely antique Singer sewing machine that Eddy bought me for Christmas one year:



It was to replace the sewing machine that I had from my Grandma when she died. It had been converted to electric - but sadly developed a fault and gave my sister a nasty electric shock, so my parents got rid of it. I'd always missed the machine, as it is the wonderful 1920s Tutankhamen version - which suits me well given I'm an archaeologist! Isn't the painting lovely:



So thank you Heidi for cheering me up after a bad day!! The fob is perfect - thank you!!

Fantasy Triptych Progress

I've not had a huge amount of stitching time, but when I have, I've picked up FT. I've finished the big trees in the background, and (since taking these photos earlier today), have started on the half stitch far background:





I've been making steady progress with weight watchers, and hit a major goal yesterday - I've now lost 3 stone 1lb (43 lbs). Yeah!!! Since I started back in January, I've lost 1.4lbs a week on average - sometimes more, sometimes less, or not at all. I've only put on weight twice - both after holidays - 3lbs after the 4-week long trip to the US at Easter, and 0.5lb after the weeks holiday last week. People are really beginning to notice the difference, and it's really nice seeing my old face reappear from the chubbiness I had before!!!

This weekend I'm having a long weekend - took tomorrow off work. I'm driving to Sheffield tomorrow for a new hair cut (admittedly a long way to go for a hair cut, but my hairdresser there is AMAZING, and I still go back after living in Leeds for 6 years!). Then on to Nottingham, where I'm meeting my mum for some retail therapy, followed by dinner out. I'm staying at the flat in Nottingham with Eddy overnight, then we are off to Birmingham again on Saturday - will see Paul and Margaret, have dinner out that night with good friends, then it's our niece's Christening on Sunday. Busy busy busy...

September goals

Well as usual as soon as the schools start to go back, the sun remembers it's actually not Autumn/Winter, and comes out to play. Which I'm happy about as I'm still off work :)

Not done a huge amount of stitching today - I went to weight watchers with Louise, unsurprisingly I put on 1/2 lb - not bad after all the food I ate over my weekend away. Lou came over for tea - Eddy cooked us two lovely veggie curries, with rice and naan bread. Afterwards we made a little lace. And I mean a LITTLE... too much giggling and chatting for serious progress!

Anyway, I popped on here to review my August goals, and set new ones. In August I aimed to:
1) finish Krista's garter - yes, and it arrived in time to get to the wedding!
2) work on Fantasy triptych - yes
3) finish Sunflower charms - yes
4) work on another WIP - did a little on Peacock Firescreen
5) stitch an ornament - yes, LHN's Winter Sampler

I also did a little quilting, knitted half a scarf and started Pooh and Eeyore.

In September I would like to:
1) Finish the xs on Fantasy Triptych
2) Work on Pooh and Eeyore
3) Stitch an ornament
4) Make good progress with my lace
5) Finish my scarf
6) work on another WIP

I'm starting to look towards the end of the year, and what I'd like to have finished... we'll see how that goes. I'm going to focus on one piece for the most part, with other stitching in there for a break. I'd like to finish FT and another WIP, maybe Wild Thyme Fairy, by the end of the year if I can.

Happy stitching everyone :)