Advent Exchange Parcels

Above - Advent parcels from Wendy

Below - Advent parcels from Kathy

WOOHOO! Only two more sleeps before I can start opening my advent parcels. I received from Wendy a couple of weeks ago and they've been sitting on top of the scanner ever since, tormenting me, begging me to open them. But I've been strong and haven't succumbed. I think they're annoying Kate more than me to be honest. LOL. This morning, I received two parcels from Kathy, with numbers 1 - 13 in them. She's sending the rest tomorrow so I should get the rest on Saturday or the beginning of next week. Oh boy, I'm going to enjoy opening all these little pressies. I know what No 5 is from Kathy cos I can see through the wrapping (big bar of Dairy Milk choccy!). It's broken at one end - well I had to have a good feel of them all didn't I - and it should really be opened and eaten or it'll go off, but Kathy won't let me. What a meanie! I have however told her that she shouldn't encourage my chocolate addiction when she knows I'm a diabetic. ROFL. Oh what the hell, you only live once.

To answer Anita

Anita, that top design is by Carol Tinson/Heirloom Embroideries and is called Jayne. It should have satin stitched hearts around the outside but I was losing the will to live by the time I got to that bit so I just left it where it was. The threads I used were Dragon Pearls from Polstitches Designs, possibly the colour Angel Wing. Hope this helps.

Three small finishes

Since I got back from my mini break on Wednesday afternoon (which I haven't actually mentioned before so you lot don't know what I'm talking about LOL), I have started and finished these three small designs. I'm going to get the sewing machine out over the weekend and make them up into needlecases to put on my sale website, seeing as the half dozen I had left were sold last weekend at the Nuneaton GTG. I think I may need to have a trip to Hobbycraft first though as I need some felt for the 'pages'. Oh joy! I hate HC at the weekend, I wonder if Craig fancies a drive over there later on today. Unless I go after I've met Mick, seeing as I'll be halfway there...and it would save my petrol.

I'm not up to much today. I finished off the hardanger design (the one at the top) about half an hour ago, and have selected which design I'm going to do next, but I'm going to wait till I get back from meeting Mick for my lunch. Kate is coming with me today. She's meeting Matt this afternoon and is a bit skint, so I said she could come with me to the pub, I'd buy her a drink and a sandwich, then she could get the bus from there to the city centre, which will be cheaper than getting the bus from Blyth.

Advent Exchange Parcel

I'm taking part in an advent exchange on the Tranquil Stitches board and yesterday my parcel arrived. YIPPEE! I had to open it to find out who it's from (thanks Wendy!) and now I can't wait till 1st December so I can start opening the presents inside it. Kathy and I are also doing an exchange between us two. All of her parcels have now been sent and I'm just waiting for her to send me mine. *Rubbing hands together with glee!*

I've suggested on A Craft Natter that we do an Advent Exchange next year as they're so much fun, and I offered to organise it too, so hopefully that will happen and I'll get LOADS of extra pressies. LOL.

Yesterday was the bi-annual get together in Nuneaton. Usually it's the ladies from the Aion board, but as that doesn't exist anymore and most of us are on A Crafty Natter now we still manage to meet up. The usual crowd was there, plus some new faces, and even Craig managed to make it this time too. We had a great day, lots of chat, a bit of stitching, a goody bag, lots of lovely finished things on display, and I even made some money from selling the things on my web site. Of course, I had to spend some of it as there was some lovely stuff there that other people were selling too.

It's bloody cold here today. It's wet and miserable and I'm freezing. It doesn't help that the gas has run out so I can't put the heating on till Craig goes out and get some credit on the card. Nor does it help that Mollie comes in and out and leaves the doors open. I wish someone would train her to close them. Mind you, sometimes Craig and the kids are just as bad.

Another HD for today

Another finish for today. This is a Glory Bee freebie. I didn't use any of the recommended threads, but something similar I hope. Thanks for looking. I'll be getting the sewing machine out after tea to finish all my latest finishes off.

Sunshine in my day

I started this at about 8am this morning and finished it just over three hours later. It would have been finished sooner, but I keep being sidetracked by message boards and people chatting to me on MSN. I think this was a freebie from Six Strand Sweets, and I used all SSS threads but changed a couple of the colours so they would show up better on the pale blue material. I'm now halfway through something else and should have it finished by late this afternoon.

Quaker Hedgehog

Finished this today, it's Quaker Hedgehog and was a freebie from The Workbasket. It's stitched on a Dyeing 4 U fabric and according to the label is called Ocean Fog. Well actually, it's hard to tell which line the tick is on and it could be Ocean Waves, but I would have thought that would be blue. So I'll go with Fog. The thread, I think, is a Sugared Almonds one, but I have no idea of the colour cos it conveniently doesn't have a label on it. This is so cute, and I'll probably do it a few more times in different colours.

Hmmm...let me think....

N O !

Quick, hide the socks!

Kate has finally fallen out with her dad down in Hull and is coming home on Saturday, which means I'll have to hide all my socks. She's a right bugger for nicking mine and not returning them. Yes I've missed not having her around, but I haven't missed the sock thief. LOL.

Craig and I have been to the Metro Centre this afternoon. First off I spent an obscene amount of money on new make-up. I haven't had a splurge like that on me for years. I don't wear make-up very often, but I've decided I'm going to start wearing it a bit more, when I go out, so as my last lot was bought over ten years ago I thought I'd better get some more. After our visit to the Estee Lauder counter in Boots we did some C'mas shopping. There's only about 41 days left till the day so I decided I should start getting some pressies in. I now have all of Mam's, part of Dene's, all of Craig's, all of Kate's, part of Ian's, all of Kathy's and the twins' (just need to wrap and mail those ones), part of my brother Kevin's, and naff all for my dad cos he's an awkward old git. LOL.

We also bought Kate's birthday present on our way home. I was going to just give her money but seeing as she's coming home she can have a proper present. I can't say what she's getting though cos she sometimes reads this. :oP

And now we're shattered. Craig has gone for a bath to try and ease his bad back, and when he comes out I'll be going in, once the water has heated up again.

WELCOME HOME LYNN!

Welcome home Lynn. I'm glad the op went well and you're back in your own house recovering. Make sure you don't overdo things and get better soon.

I finished this yesterday afternoon. I haven't decided what to make it into yet, either a needlecase or a pinkeep (I've done something for the back too, just the border and one of the corner motifs). It's a Papillon Creations freebie called Tiny Little Quaker, and it's stitched on dark red material, sorry no idea of what it actually is, with a Sugared Almond thread called Pastel Hue.

Another one framed

I collected this from the framers this afternoon. It's an Elizabeth's Designs, called erm....oh bugger, can't remember...Blue Sky Sampler!! Had to look in my folders to see what it was called. My memory is getting worse. This is a really naff photo but you get the idea. It's now hanging on the wall, and soon the Loopylou Mistletoe that I did months ago will be on the wall too. Craig's busy putting the hooks in to put some string on it. I hated that last framer I used, he wouldn't put cord on it, or even put the hooks on. The framer in Blyth may cost more, but at least he cords it all up and even puts little cushion pads on the bottom corners. I'm easy pleased.

• Edited to add the photo...cos I forgot!

Looky what I got!

OH WOW!!! Look what I got in the mail yesterday! I was the recipient of a PIF gift from Goldie. Aren't they absolutely gorgeous? This little pouch, inscribed 'Friends' has lots of beautiful delicate flowers and beads on it, and the scissor fob carries on the theme, it has pastel beads around the edges, has a tiny little heart charm where the ribbon is and has my initial on the reverse. I love it, love it, love it. Thanks Goldie!

I'm going to have a busy day today. I have to go to the BP garage in Bedlington at some point to do a mystery shopper assignment, gotta collect something from the framers - if it's ready - another mystery shopper thing at KFC (YUMMY!!!) and Ian has a job interview this afternoon at a new Irish pub that's opening up in Newcastle city centre. I'm supposed to be going to a Housing vacant property group meeting today, but I'm still loaded with cold and can't stop coughing, so I think apart from the necessary stuff I have to do, I'll be staying close to home where it's warm.

Apparently some parts of the UK are under a flood alert, but I don't think we are. Craig and I took Mollie down to the beach last night at about 7pm, and boy was it cold. We were ok walking one way along the promenade but when we turned around and started coming back to the car it was ruddy freezing and the wind was cutting through us like a knife. I didn't take us long to get back to the car, I can tell you. As soon as we got back in the house I went in the bath to get thawed out. I won't be doing that again in a hurry. LOL.

Happy Dancing

I finished this at stitch club on Monday night. I still don't like it so here's what I'm gonna do. If anyone would like it - it would make a perfect nursery picture - then leave your name in the comments section and I'll draw a name out of the hat on Sunday. I also have the charts available if anyone would like those. The first person to yell for those can have 'em. I should say that for those who want the finished thing, the colours are much more delicate in real life.

Had to share this

A woman in her fifties is at home, unclothed, happily jumping on her bed and squealing with delight. Her husband watches her for a while and asks,

'Do you have any idea how ridiculous you look? What's the matter with you?'

The woman continues to bounce on the bed and says,

'I don't care what you think. I just came from having a mammogram, and the doctor says that not only am I healthy, but I have the breasts of an 18 year-old.'

The husband replies,

'What did he say about your 55-year old ass?'

'Your name never came up,' she replied.