I am still here!

I apologise for being absent from my blog for much of December. I've been using the holiday season to spend time with family and friends, catch up on the school work and eat far too much of course! I hope you're all having a wonderful festive season and got everything you wanted for Christmas.
I have been stitching quite a lot and will be showing progress as well as a few finished pieces when I return in January. I'm hoping to start an Ornament a Month challenge like the ones I love reading about on fellow blogs. We'll see how that goes.

Happy New Year to everyone!

Little Steps

Yet another busy week of work - both school and my job. I haven't had much time for blogging or stitching which gets me down a little. I can't wait for the Christmas holidays for some time to relax but we've still got another week to go. I'm sure everything will be fine in the end, just got to battle through!
I did manage to finish my first Lizzie*Kate piece this past week, complete with miniature buttons!

I really enjoyed stitching this little beauty and will probably do it again in time for next time. I'm turning this into a pillow when I get a chance, and speaking of pillows, I've started preparing my Twilight pillows . . .

I do all the tacking etc. before Mum gets the sewing machine out to save time. It's an old Singer that used to belong to my grandmother, so I'm only allowed to use it when Mum's around, just in case :) What do you think is the best homemade gift? Home baked things are always good for me, particularly from a friend of mine who made me a special cake just because she thought I was looking a bit down. Thanks Georgina!
On a side note from stitching, my University application was sent off this week so I will hopefully be offered places soon by my chosen Unis. Exciting!
I hope you are all having a lovely (and more productive than me!) week and I'll check in soon.

Winter Stitching

Last week consisted of too much coursework and not enough stitching. Add another 18th Birthday celebration and I had a very busy week indeed. I managed to get in all my work though and I've got used to the routine of my new job. I have, as promised to myself made a start on Be Naughty . . .

I'm sorry about the quality of the picture, I'm not quite sure why it came out all blurry. I hope to finish this one very soon, so I can "finish" it in time for Christmas. Onto to further stitching news, I've been working well on The Foxes.

Maybe this piece is a little too Autumnal, but because of the girl's cosy hat, I think I will continue stitching on this through winter. It might have to take a back seat for the Christmas stitching though. Talking of Christmas stitching, I was very disappointed with my latest issue of CrossStitcher magazine. I was hoping that it would contain some nice card designs or ornament ideas but the ones they featured were so simple and basic - not what you'd expect from a Christmas issue. Luckily, the Internet has provided me with many freebies that I'm looking forward to stitching up soon.Do you have a favourite magazine around Christmas time that you just have to have?
The snow has just arrived in my village, but not too much. I expect it will become heavier in the next couple of days or so. Stay safe and keep warm!

Mysterious Fog . . .

Hello all, hope you're all settling into the colder season with plenty of warm woollies and cups of hot chocolate. These two things sum up my past week! Schoolwork has calmed down a little bit, only two more pieces of coursework to go. My first thing I have to share is the bizarre fog we had a couple of days ago.

Now, fog might not seem remarkable but this photo was taken at 4:30pm! This is the first time I've seen fog last for so long, does this happen much where you live?
Onto the stitching news, I ordered some new stash again. I do try and keep my spending to a minimum so I buy one lots of stash each month. This is November's batch and it was only a little one.

The Crescent Colours "Black Coffee" is going to be used to stitch one of the Britty Kitty designs that I got in my last stash enhancement. The others are DMC and will be used for the two Lizzie*Kate designs I also purchased. I'm starting on this one this evening . . .

Yep, I'm getting underway with my seasonal stitching, I think it might be my favourite thing to stitch. Thank you so much for your comments about what to stuff your pillows with. I have ordered some polyester stuffing that should arrive in the next week or so. I think it's great that a relatively new stitcher like me can have access to the wealth of knowledge from stitchers in blogland. So thanks again!
I'll be back with a new start and a progress pic on The Foxes, which I have been working on this past week. I hope you are all having a lovely week, plus it's Friday tomorrow! :)

Project Finishes

This past week was really manic for me, which is why I haven't got round to blogging at all. There's coursework due in and University applications to complete, as well as starting my job this weekend. I do enjoy all areas of my life, but sometimes they do get in the way of each other :) I have been making time for stitching though, it relaxes me after busy days. My Twilight stitching is all done, just need to get the sewing machine out and transform them into pillows . . .

Can I ask, what do you use to stuff your pillows/ornaments with? For my previous ones, I used cut up bits of wadding so they were soft to the touch, but I would like to use something harder this time, like for pin pillows. Any advice about what you use and where I could possibly get the same product would be much appreciated :)
In other stitchy news, look what I finished!

This only needed a bit more beading on it, so I finished it up one evening. I didn't really like the big red stars on the top band so I replaced them with the year instead. This was my first Mill Hill finish, and I did enjoy it, but I think I would like a break from beading now! Mum said she's going to find a frame for it so we can display it at Christmas.
Speaking of Christmas, is anyone else already excited? I love Christmas time, especially in our village. There's carol services and decorating the green, all sorts. My next stitching project is going to be something Christmas themed so that I can hold my very first giveaway for Christmas. Look out for it!
I hope you are all having/had a lovely weekend and keeping warm in the autumn weather.

Autumn Projects

Half term is over now and it's back at school. But it's not boring because we're having a fancy dress day tomorrow! To raise funds for the Christmas Fayre, younger school pupils are allowed to wear their own clothes but because we get to do that every day, we get to dress up. Our challenge for this day was to dress as something beginning with "C". My idea (and I hope I will be the only one) is to go dressed as a Christmas Tree! I've got my costume all ready and I'll see if I can get a decent pic to share with you all :)
Onto stitchy news, the Twilight project is nearly complete with only one and a half squares left to go. These are really simple designs so stitch up quite quickly. Then I will move onto to making them into pillows.



I was working quite a lot during half term on The Foxes which is starting to take shape. You might be able to see from the picture (they should be clickable) that the little toadstools are shimmering. You combine one strand of floss and one strand of glitter to make them sparkle. I've never used this technique before and I really like it. So here's where I'm at on The Foxes.

I start my new job next weekend, but this weekend I'm going to a fireworks display and then to a party. Homework will have to wait till Sunday!
I hope you're all having a lovely week,

Half Term Stitching

Half term has been lovely so far. I'm doing a little bit of school work each day (not enough really, but I am suppose to be relaxing :)) and spending the rest of the time doing fun things. Fright Night was brilliant. Especially all the big rides in the dark, particularly Rush and Nemesis. Click on the links to see videos to get what I mean :) I screamed the most on Rush, I thought I was going to fall into the sky!

On the stitching front, I have been working on The Foxes. This kit comes with a pale green aida, which I really like working on. The colours too are so bold, it's very hard to put down.

I am also continuing with my Twilight project and I'm now up to three and a bit squares, so I'm over half way. I'm making these into little pillows for my closest friends who all love Twilight.

In other stitchy relevant news, after seeing an ad in the latest CrossStitcher, I bought some magazines from a kind lady who lives just around the corner from me. They were very reasonable as I didn't have to pay p&p, so I came away with quite a few. I haven't got the room to store the whole magazines so I'm taking charts that I like and storing them into a big binder folder. I'm already on my second one of these from previous purchases of old magazines. Here's just a sample of what I got for my £5 note :)

I'm meeting up with friends tomorrow for a movie day with Ben &Jerry's ice cream. Yum! Then I've got a few more days to stitch, relax and hopefully get a bit more schoolwork done before I go back next Wednesday.
I hope you're all having a lovely week,

Stash!

My stash parcel arrived on Thursday, but I had a big Sixth Form party that night so it's taken me till now to post. I must first recommend Sew and So, it's a brilliant website with everything you could ever need. They have reasonable prices and the p&p was only £1! So, here's a picture of what I got . . .


1. The Foxes Kit, Bothy Threads
2. Chilly Paws & Love Cats Chart, Brittercup Designs
3. Be Naughty Chart with Buttons, Lizzie*Kate
4. Merry Friends Santa '03 Chart, Lizzie*Kate
5. 28 Count Jazlyn Mushroom - 19x27

I had been looking at the Bothy Threads kit for awhile as it keeps appearing in CrossStitcher. It's my eighteenth birthday present to myself for last month :) I really love Lizzie*Kate designs so I thought I'd buy some to make myself and that's why I got the evenweave too. The Britty Kitty charts are adorable and I will be starting those soon I think.
I've already put some stitches into The Foxes, but not enough for a photo. It's half term now, so I've got much more time to sit and stitch. This is good news, as I've got so many projects I want to do! I'm up to two squares on the Twilight project and I want to finish Snowmen soon too. So that's exactly how I'm going to spend my Saturday, and then it's off to Thorpe Park tomorrow for Fright Night. I'm really looking forward to going on all the big rollercoasters in the dark :)
I hope you all have a lovely weekend, whatever you are doing,

A Gift!

Two posts in one week is a record for me, let alone consecutive days! But I simply had to share what I received in the post today. I won the surprise giveaway on Daffycat's blog and won a needle minder and scissor fob made by the wonderful Sharon. This is what I saw when I opened the package - isn't it adorable paper?

And here's what I found when I ripped it open! I was so pleased to receive these as these are the first pieces of cross stitch that I own that I haven't made myself. Sharon also sent a pair of stainless steel scissors too, I can tell you right now that they will go to good use.

Thank you very much Sharon!
I've been doing a bit of stash enhancing this evening. I didn't spend any of my birthday money last month and in celebration of getting a new job, I decided to have a stash splurge. I have ordered lots of different things from Sew and So that should be arriving in the next day or two. I'll share as soon as it arrives!
Hope you're having a lovely week,

A New Project

I missed my Sunday post day because I got all wrapped up in my write-up about my play. It went brilliantly and all my teachers and friends were so complimentary about it. My parents were there too and they were very proud that I had managed to write and produce this one act play. But I am glad it's all over. It was very tiring being the director!
So now onto stitching. I'm afraid I haven't got as much to share as last time because of my busy schedule, but I have started on a new project. My three closest friends and I are all big Twilight fans. I haven't read the books myself but I have seen all three of the films with them. When I saw this freebie on Plum Street Samplers, I knew it would be perfect for them. I'm going to make each of them a pillow as an addition to their Christmas present, E is for Edward on one side and J is for Jacob on the other. Plus it gives me a chance to use the black aida I had in my stash. I have done one out of the six squares so far, and just started on the second one.



I have done a little bit more beading on Snowmen - one of them is now equipped with his scarf and hat! I'm hoping it won't be too long before this one is finished, but of course, I say that all the time :) Here's where I'm up to on Snowmen . . .

I think I'm going to start a new Halloween project soon, one with pumpkins of course so I can enter it in the Great Pumpkin Challenge. I found a freebie called Colourful Witch by Barbara Ana that is calling out to me at the moment. When I get the threads all organised, I'll make a start on it.
Other exciting news, I got a job! It's only a weekend thing in a local supermarket, but it's decent pay and close to where I live. What more could you ask for? That also means more for my stash fund :)
Have a wonderful week,

Lots to Share

Today's post is a fairly long one because I have been stitching up a storm recently. I think when I'm stressed, I tend to stitch more as it relaxes me in the evenings after the busy days. So, first up is the first pillow I have ever made using a cross stitched piece. Ta-daaah!



This little reindeer was stitched on aida as it was a freebie kit, but I think linen is better when making pillows. Ah well, I'll learn from my mistakes. The next pillow was stitched on linen and is the Lizzie*Kate freebie, Spooky Patch.

I stitched this using the DMC alternatives and the pillow wasn't quite perfect but that's because I'm very new to the sewing machine. They don't teach sewing at my school, isn't that stupid? My mum was very patient with me when I made these two today :) Both of the pillows were backed with material I bought recently and the Spooky Patch is being entered into the Pumpkin Challenge. That is why I think the Challenge is such a good idea because I never would have attempted making a pillow without the added incentive.
Next up is Boo Tree which is in the process of being made into a pinkeep, also being entered into the Pumpkin Challenge. I haven't got any cord at the moment so I will wait until I have all the materials and then put it together. Here is the finished stitched piece though, all laced up.

And the final thing I have to show in this week's post is my progress on Snowmen. Although it takes me quite a long time, I am liking the effect of beads and cross stitch together. I'm hoping this one will be finished in the next week or so.

I have just heard that I have won Daffycat's surprise giveaway! I'm so pleased as I very much admired the pieces and would never be able to make something like them myself. Thank you Sharon!

My play goes on stage in four days time. As soon as the curtain falls, then I will have a chance to breathe.

Have a wonderful week,

Beading and Boo

Hello all! I hope you're having a lovely autumn like me at the moment. Every thing's slightly damp and it's gone a bit colder but the leaves are so pretty, the conkers are out and it's finally time for hoodies and soup. Did I tell you I rather like autumn? :)
There's not been much beading this week, but the tree is certainly looking more green. I do want to get this one finished for this Christmas though, as well as a couple of others.

I have made a new start though. I'm taking part in BeckySC's Great Pumpkin Challenge and I'm planning to stitch up a few designs whenever I can and then finish them all sooner to the closing date. I have stitched one piece so far and this is my second. It was a freebie called Boo Tree by Rose Krizan.

Not much progress to show this week, and I'm not sure there will be much next Sunday either. My play is performed in less than two weeks time so I'm busy with collecting costume, arranging set and pestering actors to learn their lines. After that though, things should calm down a bit. I hope!
Have a wonderful week,

Top Beading Tip

I haven't posted in a week, which is a very long time for me. I have kept up with my blog reading, it's just that I didn't have time for any stitching! This week has been so busy with rehearsals, English coursework, University open days and my eighteenth birthday! I had a wonderful party with all my friends but I needed the next day to rest and recover :)
I have made some progress on my snowmen, with lots more beads going on . . .

I don't actually mind the beading, it's quite enjoyable. I read somewhere that if you haven't got a bead mat, an egg cup is the next best thing. I agree with this as it is easy to scoop the tiny beads out with your needle from the egg cup. I have finished my Lizzie*Kate Spooky Patch and will hopefully be finishing it into a pin pillow some time this week. I have picked out the design for my next pumpkin piece, just got to get the threads sorted.
I am working hard with schoolwork and studies, but I have allocated certain times in the week for stitching. I need them to keep me sane!
Have a wonderful week,