We're all going on a summer (?) holiday

Droskyn Castle, Perranporth Beach

When I say 'all' I mean me and Craig, and Kate and Matty (her b/f). Dene is having the week off work to look after Mollie and Ian is at college. We're leaving here at about 3am tomorrow morning and travelling down to Cornwall to stay at a Haven caravan park in Perranporth. We've been here before when we were staying in Devon a few years ago, and we went for a bit of a drive, passing through Perranporth on the way back. It was such a lovely place so when we had the chance to go here again we jumped at it.

Arch Rock, Perranporth Beach

On the way to Cornwall tomorrow we'll be stopping off to see Kathy for a couple of hours, for a pee break and a cuppa. LOL. It's Guy and Mark's 7th birthday tomorrow so I need to drop their birthday cards off. Unfortunately we won't see them as they'll be at school - like good little boys. I'll be sure to take lots of photos while we're away and see if I get any as good as these that I've nicked off the Perranporth site.

Mistletoe Chart

This has now been spoken for and will be winging its way to LisaS very soon. I may have some more charts to get rid of soon so please come back and check.

Forgot to say...

Now that I'm finished with the Loopylou Mistletoe chart, it's up for grabs. I've done the beading on it and am just waiting for the snowflake charm to be delivered before I take it to get it framed. If you want it please get in touch with me. Preferably with your address...LOL.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DENE!

Dene is 21 today! And he's gone off to work moaning and groaning that he shouldn't have to work on his birthday. All he does is sit on his bum all day in an office. It's not exactly strenuous. Hope he has a good day anyway.

To Make You Smile

My friend Lynn sent me this in an email and I just had to share it with you all...hope you laugh as much as I did.

• Women over 50 don't have babies because they would put them down and forget where they left them.
• One of life's mysteries is how a 2-pound box of chocolates can make a woman gain 5lbs.
• My mind not only wanders, it sometimes leaves completely.
• The best way to forget your troubles is to wear tight shoes.
• The nice part about living in a small town is that when you don't know what you are doing, someone else does.
• The older you get, the tougher it is to lose weight because by then, your body and your fat are really good friends.
• Just when I was getting used to yesterday, along came today.
• Sometimes I think I understand everything, and then I regain consciousness.
• I gave up jogging for my health when my thighs kept rubbing together and setting fire to my knickers.
• Every 7 minutes of everyday, someone in an aerobics class pulls a hamstring.
• Amazing! You hang something in your closet for a while and it shrinks 2 sizes!
• Skinny people irritate me! Especially when they say things like..."You know, sometimes I forget to eat!" .....Now... I've forgotten my address, my mothers’ maiden name and my keys. But I have never forgotten to eat. You have to be a special kind of stupid to forget to eat.
• A friend of mine confused her Valium with her birth control pills... She has 14 kids but doesn't really care.
• My body is not all that communicative but I heard from it the other day after I said "Body, how would you like to go to the six o'clock class of vigorous toning?" Clear as a bell my body said "Listen witch.....do it and die."
• The trouble with some women is that they get all excited about nothing and then they marry him.
• I read this article that said the typical symptoms of stress are: eating too much; impulse buying and driving too fast. Are they kidding? That's my idea of a perfect day!

Full head of hair

Passione Ricamo - Autumn Fairy Spirit

My Autumn Fairy Spirit now has a full head of hair and half of her wings...maybe I should give her some Red Bull...gives you wings. PMSL! I watch waaaaaay too many TV ads.

Don't you just hate it when...

...you spill beads all over the floor? Dark burgundy beads on a green carpet with a thickish pile. The beads you need to put on something you're working on right that minute. This happened to me this afternoon while I was stiching on AFS (pic below). The whole box of bloody beads. I was down on my hands and knees trying to find them and put them back, and not having much success. I ended up yelling for Kate to come and give me a hand - Craig and Dene were out doing the weekly shopping - and she managed to get me quite a few. The rest will have to go in the hoover next time the floor is done in here. The air was blue in here I can tell you!

More Progress

Passione Ricamo - Autumn Fairy Spirit

Sorry if this is getting boring but I've made even more progress on this since the last photo. I've been working on it most of today and have done some more beading on it too. Be prepared for more progress pics over the next week as I'll be stitching on her every day this week before I have a week off while we go to Cornwall. I'm only planning on taking small stuff to stitch while we're away...if I get any done at all. We're hoping the weather is going to be nice so we don't have to spend too much time in the caravan.

Does anyone know if there are any decent stitchy/patchwork shops in Cornwall?

Autumn Fairy Spirit Progress

Autumn Fairy Spirit - Passione Ricamo

As you know I'm stitching this Passione Ricamo design for Jayne. This is the progress so far. Obviously there's more lower down but it's around the frame.

Small Finishes

Small designs from Le Repertoire des Frises - Valerie Lejeune

At the beginning of the week I stitched this small designs from the Valerie Lejeune book, Repertoire des Frises (I think that's what it's called...it's buried at the minute and can't see the title!) and today I made them up into scissor fobs. These were another first for me as I'd only ever made beaded ones before now. Could do with a bit more practice but I think these turned out ok.

Another Needleroll

4 My Boys - Ain't He Sweet Needleroll

You may recognise this design from a couple of months ago. I finished stitching 4 My Boys - Ain't He Sweet back in January and it's just been languishing in my "Finished" drawer ever since. Today I decided to make up another needleroll seeing as the last one was such a success. The recipient, Andrea, loved it. I bought an assortment of coloured ribbons yesterday and had been going to use a white one to match in with the white snowman, till I realised there was a gorgeous teal coloured one there too which matches perfectly with the snowman's hat and the writing.

About Me

I spotted this on another blog and decided to filch it. I've made bold the things I've done and added comments in italics to some of them.

1. Bought everyone in the bar a drink.
2. Swam with dolphins.
3. Climbed a mountain.
4. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive.
5. Been inside the Great Pyramid.
6. Held a tarantula.
7. Taken a candlelit bath with .
8. Said "I love you" and meant it.
9. Hugged a tree again. When I was younger.
10. Bungee jumped.
11. Visited Paris. Late '90's with second husband. Left the kids at home and we also went to Eurodisney to pee them off. LOL.
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea.
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise.
14. Seen the Northern Lights.
15. Gone to a huge sports game.
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa.
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables. Yep
18. Touched an iceberg.
19. Slept under the stars.
20. Changed a baby's diaper. Hell yes!
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon.
22. Watched a meteor shower.
23. Gotten drunk on champagne.
24. Given more than you can afford to charity.
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope.
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment. At the dentist.
27. Had a food fight.
28. Bet on a winning horse. Gotta love the Grand National.
29. Asked out a stranger. Of course.
30. Had a snowball fight. When I was MUCH younger, hate the snow now.
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can. Just for the hell of it.
32. Held a lamb. Lived in the country for a while.
33. Seen a total eclipse. About 5 years ago.
34. Ridden a roller coaster. Space Mountain at Eurodisney.
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking.
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment. Every day I'm with Craig.
39. Had two hard drives for your computer. And the rest.
40. Visited all the counties in the UK.
41. Taken care of someone who was shit faced. New Year 1983 - 1st future hubby and his best friend.
42. Had amazing friends. Few and far between but yes...and still have a few.
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country. Italy 1980 on a school trip.
44. Watched wild whales.
45. Stolen a sign.
46. Backpacked in Europe.
47. Taken a road-trip and have a story for every one. Last summer, alone, visiting stitchy friends down south.
48. Gone rock climbing. When I was younger, skinnier and a helluva lot fitter.
49. Midnight walk on the beach.
50. Gone sky diving.
51. Visited Ireland. Last year for our wedding anniversary we went to Belfast.
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love.
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them.
54. Visited Japan.
55. Milked a cow.
56. Alphabetized your CDs. Doesn't everyone? DVD's too.
57. Pretended to be a superhero.
58. Sung karaoke.
59. Lounged around in bed all day.
60. Posed nude in front of strangers.
61. Gone scuba diving.
62. Kissed in the rain. Yup!
63. Played in the mud.
64. Played in the rain.

65. Gone to a drive-in theater. Don't have them in this country.

66. Visited the Great Wall of China.

67. Started a business.

68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken.

69. Toured ancient sites.

70. Taken a martial arts class. Judo when I was 11...broke my collar bone in first class.

71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight.

72. Gotten married. Three times...I like wedding cake, what can I say!

73. Been in a movie.

74. Crashed a party.

75. Gotten divorced. Twice.

76. Gone without food for 5 days.

77. Made cookies/biscuits from scratch.

78. Won first prize in a costume contest. Florence Nightingale.

79. Ridden a gondola in Venice.

80. Gotten a tattoo. I have two, a unicorn's head on one shoulder blade, Pegasus on the other one.

81. Rafted a river.

82. Been on television news programs as an expert.

83. Got flowers for no reason. Craig buys me flowers all the time.

84. Performed on stage. School plays.

85. Been to Las Vegas.

86. Recorded music.

87. Eaten shark.

88. Eaten fugu (pufferfish).

89. Had a one-night stand.

90. Gone to Thailand.

91. Bought a house. First husband and I bought a house when we got married but it was repossessed.

92. Been in a combat zone.

93. Buried one/both of your parents.

94. Been on a cruise ship.

95. Spoken more than one language fluently.

96. Performed in Rocky Horror Picture Show.

97. Raised children. Three - Dene is almost 21, Kate is 19, Ian is almost 18.

98. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour.

99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country.

100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over. 1999 from Northumberland to Nottingham. And back again in 2004!

101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge.

102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking. Embarrasses the hell out of my kids.

103. Had plastic surgery.

104. Survived an accident that you shouldn't have survived.

105. Wrote articles for a large publication.

106. Lost over 100 pounds. I WISH!

107. Held someone while they were having a flashback.

108. Piloted an airplane.

109. Petted a stingray.

110. Broken someone's heart. Second husband.

111.Ridden a bike. Did my paper round on my bike.

112. Won money on a T.V. game show.

113. Broken a bone. Collarbone while I was doing Judo.

114. Gone on an African photo safari.

115. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced.

116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol.

117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild.

118. Ridden a horse. Does a donkey count?

119. Had surgery. Gallbladder, 3 Caesarian Sections, Mastectomy, Carpal Tunnel Release.

120. Had a snake as a pet. Just as a husband.

121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon.

122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours.

123. Visited more foreign countries than UK counties.

124. Visited all 7 continents.

125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days.

126. Eaten kangaroo meat.

127. Eaten sushi.

128. Had your picture in the newspaper.

129. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about.

130. Gone back to school.

131. Parasailed.

132. Petted a cockroach.

133. Eaten fried green tomatoes.

134. Read The Iliad and The Odyssey.

135. Selected one important author who you missed in school, and read. Quite a few.

136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating.

137. Skipped all your school reunions. So far I've managed to miss them all.

138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language.

139. Been elected to public office.

140. Written your own computer language.

141. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream.

142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care.

143. Built your own PC from parts. Well I helped.

144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you.

145. Had a market stall.

146. Dyed your hair. Can't remember what colour my hair SHOULD be.

147. Been a DJ.

148. Shaved your head. Was shaved before it all fell out from chemotherapy.

149. Caused a car accident. No road markings...that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

150. Saved someone's life.

Needleroll Filling

For enquiring minds who wanted to know - that'll be you then Heather! LOL! - the needleroll is filled with ordinary toy stuffing, or fibrefill as some people call it. I bought a huge bag of it a couple of months ago from Dainty Supplies in Washington.

Oh bugger!

There's a bloody huge fly buzzing around the sitting room. Can't squirt fly spray cos of Mollie so now it's gonna get on my wick all night...and Mollie's. They do her head in as she can never catch them. LOL!

Needleroll HD

I'm in a needleroll exchange on International & UK Robins and was cacking myself a bit as I'd never made one before. I set about stitching a new design, but then decided to look in my finished drawer to see if there was anything suitable in there that I could make into a needleroll. Lo and behold I found this Bent Creek design called Sign Of Spring that I think I finished in February that was perfect.

I hunted on the Focus on Finishing blog (it's in my list on the right hand side) for instructions and started off doing the first lot, but they were mighty complicated so I used the second lot instead, after unpicking the seam I'd already done. Two hours later I had the finished product which I'm really rather proud of. Think I might have to make some more of these.

Stash Alert

WOOHOO!!! I finally received the threads from the US today for White Nights In St Petersburg today. I decided to get up after the postie virtually pounded the door off the hinges and see what he'd brought me. I was all ready to have a serious fondle of the enclosed threads till I realised that Cindy from ECC had put them all in individual flossaway bags on a metal ring. I suppose it means I couldn't drool all over them, but even so...LOL. I guess I'll just have to get a move on and get the material put on the frame and make a start then I'll be able to have a proper fondle. There are lots of sparklies on this Chatelaine, not just the threads but Delica beads too (which I received a while ago). It could be a while before you see any pics though as I do have other stuff to do too.

Robin HD

I did this for Colly's RR for Aion Friends on one of the message boards I visit. Have managed to get it finished just in time for the mailing date. The theme for the RR was nature in the British Isles and it took me ages to think of something different. I've trawled through all my charts, books etc, but couldn't find anything. In the end I got Kathy to look through her WOCS mags and she found me this cute little robin, which I know Colly loves.

Ralph

I don't have any stitching updates for you, though I should have a photo to post tomorrow, so I thought I'd let you have this joke that someone sent me instead. Sorry if it offends but I thought it was hilarious. LOL.

When Ralph first noticed that his penis was growing larger and staying erect longer, he was delighted, as was his wife. But after several weeks, his penis had grown to nearly twenty inches. Ralph became quite concerned. He was having problems dressing, and even walking. So he and his wife went to see a prominent urologist. After an initial examination, the doctor explained to the couple that, though rare, Ralph's condition could be fixed through corrective surgery.

"How long will Ralph be on crutches?" the wife asked anxiously.

"Crutches? Why would he need crutches?" responded the surprised doctor.

"Well," said the wife coldly, "you're gonna lengthen his legs, aren't you???"

Loopylou HD

Well...after working on it all weekend, and learning a new stitch at 3.30am this morning, I have finally finished Mistletoe. The photo doesn't really do it justice, as there are sparkly threads in there that the photo doesn't pick up on. It just needs beads on and a charm in the middle bit and then it'll be totally done. I have zillions of beads but no MH 42010...isn't that just typical? I don't think I'll be anywhere near Jayne's either before I go on holiday to see if she has any. Although, I have just remembered that Kate's Kloths sells Mill Hill beads and she is closer, so might have to have trip to her shop to see if she has some. Even better idea...I'll send Craig.

Still Alive

Karen, you'll be pleased to know that Mollie has survived.

I have relabelled all my DMC thread boxes and am waiting for some nice, kind person to finish taking them upstairs for me. I've sorted out all my hard copy charts and have picked a few out for near future starts. Am going to try and kit them up ready.

Kate has gone to Scarborough today with her boyfriend Matty. And his Mam. Don't think she was too chuffed about Isabel going. LOL. It's a lovely day here today so hopefully it's as nice in East Yorkshire as it is here.

I took my Mam shopping at some ungodly hour this morning. She likes to be in and out of Morrisons before the old biddies get in there, clogging up the aisles. I keep telling her that she's an old biddy too, but she won't have it, bless her. LOL. Since I came back I've been working on Mistletoe and have finished the flowers in section 1, as well as all the cutting. I've made a start on the wrapping, but I was getting bored so I'm having a break.

Stash Spring Clean

My lads and husband just love it when I decide to have a stash sort out. This happens about four times a year...I make them carry all my stash downstairs so I can sort through it all, get rid of some things, decide what can go in the "must start soon" pile etc etc.

Tonight I've been sorting through my DMC threads, and have relabelled all the drawers that they're kept in. Some of the drawers have been taken back upstairs and put back in place, but the rest will have to wait till tomorrow now. Tomorrow I'll sort through my fabrics and the rest of my threads, and probably my beads too. I have LOTS of beads. I might also kit up some stuff I want to make a start on in the near future and find a new crate to put those in, as opposed to the crate that my current WIP's are in. Does that sound confusing? Hmmm...probably, but I don't really care. LOL.

Tonight, everything else will be left downstairs, so I hope Mollie doesn't decide to chew anything, otherwise I might have to kill her, or pull all her teeth out.

Ozark Sampler Part 3 (March)

The third part of this was late arriving as Mary's husband forgot to post them. Sounds a bit like my husband LOL. Anyway, I've spent the last couple of days stitching the outer border and although I wasn't too sure of it at first, and thinking I might lose the will to live with all that solid stitching, I've decided I quite like it after all. It's a nice bright colour and really sets it off.

What to stitch next...? Oh, I know...Mistletoe. Will post a piccie later.

Another finish - #21

Not that I'm counting or anything (Liar, liar, pants on fire!) LOL.

This is the SAL that was done on Jayne's Stitch & Stash message board, for beginners of hardanger. I'm not exactly a novice but I do enjoy doing these little designs. This has been stitched on 28 count evenweave - can't remember the colour or anything - with Finca perle and Carrie's Creations stranded cotton in a similar colour. I do like the way this has turned out but I think if I do it again I will use #12 perle in the corners rather than #8 as it looks a bit bulky. Just my opinion of course.

Once this was finished I went to work on this month's part of the Ozark Sampler SAL. I'm almost to the top of the right hand side outside border. When I first saw this I thought, oh god no, talk about losing the will to live! The colour of the thread is gorgeous, and now that it's being stitched up it's looking quite nice, but we will have to see when the other parts come out. Will post a pic when I've finished the border.

Model Stitching

I've been taken on as a model stitcher for both Jayne and Jo of Polstitches, and this is what I've been working on for Jayne. It's a Passione Ricamo designed called Autumn Fairy Spirit. I've never done a PR before and I'm quite enjoying working on this one. It might inspire me to start one of my own one of these days.

I still need to take a photo of the new Loopylou I started, but I keep forgetting as it's not in plain view. I will get there one of these days. I promise.

I had the car at the garage first thing this morning, for an MOT. Kate made me get up early as she wanted to drop some keys off at work for the vending machine, as there was a board meeting. However, she later got a text from one of her colleagues to say the meeting wasn't today after all, so I could have had another half hour in bed! Anyway, the car passed its MOT once it had a new headlight bulb put in, so now I just have to wait a bit longer for my new car. 33 days to go.