Lists, lists, lists!

Phew! Got soooo much to do before the big 'C' word - ie Christmas!

My WIP stash is getting bigger by the day:

1. Autumn baby block blanket to finish knitting
2. Read book - The Terror by Dan Simmonds
3. Complete cross stitch Celtic Christmas
4. Finish patchwork baby quilt, made with Amy Butler fabrics, it's yummy!
5. Complete mini cross stitch kit
6. Complete handmade Christmas cards for everyone

May not seem like much but most of these are all big projects... toodle oo for now

Mr Russell...

Thought I'd post a piccie of our cheeky Jack Russell cross Beagle! He's 5 in December and a complete softy! Loves nothing better than snoozing as you can see here!

It's Halloween soon!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpvdAJYvofI

Celtic Christmas Cross Stitch Picture

I've been working on the above for a couple of years now... am on the metallic thread section which is taking me forever as can only do a few stitches at a time as the thread is prone to snapping. But oh my it is looking very pretty now... this is the kit I'm talking about if any of you are unfamiliar:

http://www.sewandso.co.uk/cgi-bin/find/db.cgi?db=zoom&do=search_results&Prod_Code=7280&ww=1

PS - this is a great online shop! very fast service and friendly too!

Request...

Does anyone of you lovely bloggers happen to have any size Bamboo knitting needles they are willing to trade in return for a surprise pressie? Am looking in particular for size 4mm needles? Much appreciated xx.

Autumn fun

Really loving this weather, time for cosying up next to the fire with a blanket and some stitching in front of me.. maybe even a cup of cocoa! It's the simple things in life that really make me happy!

Little girly took a few steps yesterday, whoopee! While I was holding onto her - but it won't be long before she takes those few magical steps on her own...

Baby blanket update - have completely 5 large squares of it now! The squares are about 10 x 10in. All in lovely autumny browns and orange colours.

ta ta for now, I hear baby cooing for my attention...

WHO Bread...

I'm just making WHO bread from Amanda Blake-Soule's recipe here... http://soulemama.typepad.com/soulemama/2008/02/who-bread.html

Sounds yummy, I love baking bread, although I have to admit I make it in the breadmaker!

Am currently reading a really gripping story called The Terror by Dan Simmons, it's a really big novel but very interesting. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Terror-Dan-Simmons/dp/0553818201/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255634129&sr=8-2

Sampler Complete!

Hello

Well I finished baby's birth sampler a couple of weeks ago... am soooo pleased with it!

Working on knitting up baby blanket that I started a while ago... hope to get that finished before her birthday in December.

Yesterday we had a nice day visiting my partner's grandad and parents. It was his grandad's 90th birthday last week so we gave him his present and cards, then we had a yummy curry for tea and settled down in front of tv watching Trueblood and knitting.

Today we visited my parents who have just come back from a trip abroad to LA! They absolutely loved it there, the people were so friendly and had a great time.

Well ta ta for now am settling down to do more knitting!

Sampler Update!

Very nearly finished it now! Am just on the final lettering ...

Really busy, manic day today, hope you all have a lovely weekend, we have plans to take the doggy out on Sunday - we always take him out every day at least once, but at weekends we go a bit further afield... he loves it...

Birth Sampler...

Am getting there with the sampler am now up to 'I' on the sampler (I started the alphabet backwards!!), hoping to complete it soon as it's getting a bit tedious now...

Going to pick the last of the blackberries in our garden today to freeze... can't wait for apple and blackberry crumbles etc in winter, yum!

The colours of the leaves on the trees are just turning now, beautiful oranges and reds... love this time of year, think it's my favourite... what's yours?

Anchor Birth Sampler

I'm working on a Anchor Cross Stitch Birth Sampler with alphabet and teddy bears on that I received for a Christmas pressie last year.. has anybody else done this design? I'm really enjoying doing it.

Birthday Crown

Hi folks!

Have just complete a felted birthday crown for my daughter's first birthday! (Her birthday isn't until December but I wanted to get ahead!) What do you all think of it? I'm personally so pleased, I got the template from Amanda Soule's book 'The Creative Family'. So love that book. Think am going to embroider a little star for each of her birthdays!

Lazy Sunny Sunday

What a great sunny day it's been today!  My OH has been out trimming the conifers and me and baby been playing together.   Took our doggy out for a nice little walk with OH's parents this morning... great day!

More trouser sewing and learning to knit!

Hello,

I've just been making 2 more pairs of trousers for little one!  Am sooo pleased with them, only takes an evening to make.

Have also learned how to knit!  I made a little cardigan for babe in white large yarn - merino and am keen to do more!  At the moment, I'm doing a baby blanket for her with scraps of yarn I have...

New Trousers for Baby

As mentioned in previous post... I customised my dad's old shirt into a pair of trousers for baby and they were very successful!  Am soooo excited want to carry on with making clothes for her now!  It seems such a waste to throw old clothes out when you can re-create them into something new and wonderful.

Am really trying to not be wasteful and think about everything I do. For example using cloth nappies instead of disposables - am using half and half at mo.. and making my own wet wipe solution (see internet for recipes) whilst using old flannels instead of wipes for baby.

Seed Sowing

Well I've been sowing a few seeds today... planted some rocket seeds, lettuce, tomato and basil.. can't wait to see the little seedlings appear.. it's a lovely warm day here today so that should set them off to a good start.

Have got a wonderful book ... The Creative Family, by Amanda Soule - she has a great blog... soulemama and it's got some great ideas for free, simple family time including games, music, nature walks right down to customising clothes for children etc.  I've been having a read and have now got the bug and want to make my little one some trousers customising from one of my dad's old shirts!  Will let you know how I get on!...

Wet Wednesday

Hello there, it was my birthday last Saturday and had a lovely day, had some visitors come round in the morning then we went to a garden centre and I bought some lovely eggs to decorate our little Easter tree with and a chilli plant!  We then went out shopping and I bought baby some clothes and we had a leisurely coffee and cake - it was wonderful!  In the evening we went out to a couple of pubs for some drinks and some much needed time with other half... all in all it was a great day... 

Easter Sunday was spent pottering around eating too much chocolate!

Today I've just been busy selling some baby clothes that little baby grown out of - already!  Time really does fly!  Other half is out walking the doggy.

Last night I bought some lovely vintage linen fabric with birdies on from ebay with my birthday money.. can't think quite what to do with it yet, but am sure I'll come up with something!

Stew in Spring!

I've just made some beef stew!  I know, I know! It's not quite the weather for it but we absolutely love it, it's soo easy to make and yummy!  we usually do double quantity cos it's nicer the next day isn't it... yum, yum...

Felt Stocking

Finished! Finally, yippee, spent a final 3 hours working on this last night and it's now complete!  It's a very early Christmas pressie for my daughter.  There was so much work gone into it including not having enough beads and thread left in kit! But we got there!

Spring has Sprung!

Well today has been a great day - was out in the garden pottering ... cleaned out a terracotta herb pot and put fresh compost in and sewed the seeds of basil and parsley, can't wait to see the little seedlings appear, it's always so satisfying isn't it?  So now in the garden we have rhubarb, cabbage, beetroot, rosemary and mint!

Just been on Attic24's blog and she has ordered 5 samples of stripey deckchair fabric which looks really bright and cheerful... so, inspired, I decided to have a look at the website she ordered it from and WOW! I couldn't resist so have done the same! would love to get some fabric to create some seat cushions for the garden (www.deckchairstripes.com)... have to see..

Baby has been rolling onto her side a lot today!  She really got the hang of it now, it's so lovely to watch her progress...

Ta ta for now..

Weekend

Well, we are having a lovely weekend!  Yesterday we went for a nice walk with my partner's parents round Elvaston Castle with the dogs .. baby was in her carrier and she loved it, lots of gurgly giggles from her!  So cute...

In the evening I did some more sewing of my felt christmas stocking - I will put some photos on soon - and a bit more of the birth sampler cross stitch project.

Also made an Easter card for baby and one for niece.

Sunday, today, we took dog out for walk in the morning, then went sat out for a couple of hours, was a gloriously sunny day, so relaxing.

Am going to spend a cosy evening sewing and watching tv...

ta ta

Long Time - No See...

Hello there, so sorry to not have blogged for ages and ages..  am making a conscious decision to do more of my own blogging cos every time I come on I'm busy following everybody else's and forget about my own!  Anyway enough rambling...

My beautiful little girl is now nearly 4 months old! Can't believe it, the time really does fly, she's nearly sitting up now and smiling lots.  Each day I notice some small change in her, it's amazing, I love being a mum!

The Christmas stocking I was working on is now very nearly finished just need to assemble it now and am currently working on a birth sampler for baby's room.

Spring seems to be here now, all the lovely flowers in the garden that are beginning to appear ... love the daffs and tulips ... am going to plant some vegetable seeds soon ... will let u know how I get on..

ta ta for now!