The Birthday Stitch Surprise Round-Up!

I have been so looking forward to writing this post! I have completed my year of monthly packages and I've put all of the pictures in one place. So, let's have a recap :)

January's parcel went out to Mouse at Tales of a Stitching Mouse.



February's package was destined to Fiona over at My Stitching Corner.

March's parcel was to Lesleyanne at Lesleyanne's Life of Stitches.

April was Catherine at Bramblewood Stitches.

May went to Pokemon fan Emma over at EveningEmma.

June wasn't a birthday gift, just a parcel for Terri at DixieSampler.

July's parcel went to Teresa at Teresa's Heartfelt Stitches.

August's parcel was for Peggy Lee at Kentucky Sampler.

My month! September's parcel went to Cath at The Stitchin' Chicken.

October's gift was sent to Elisa at Old Ragged Threads.

And last, but no means least, we have Lynn's parcel that was meant to be for November, but silly old me was so late that it turned into a Valentine's themed parcel for February instead! Thank you for waiting for patiently Lynn! 

I have had the best time putting all of these parcels together and receiving such lovely thank you notes in return. It's been a joy to bring just a little bit of happiness into each person's day. I hope my packages has made each of you lovely ladies smile :)
I'm not repeating The Birthday Stitch Surprise this year, but I will be doing a series of giveaways. The first two I have in mind are Easter and my third blogaversary! Look out for those :)
I've got more posts lined up, including a great progress shot on Venusaur, I don't think it will be too long until it's finished :) My mum is visiting tomorrow and I can't wait. I haven't seen her since before Christmas so it's going to be so wonderful to spend lots of time with her :)

Best wishes to all,
 

Life

I only managed one post for November and that makes me sad.
Life got very hectic very quickly. I was constantly handing in assignments (ongoing), working at Cath Kidston through the Christmas rush (ongoing) and trying to get all my Christmas things in order (ongoing!)
Now that I'm a grown up, things take a lot more organising. It was touch and go whether I was going to be able to see my parents at all before Christmas. I'm happy to say I've secured three days off where I can travel to Glastonbury and spend some time with them :)
It feels awful to moan. I really should put things in perspective. I love my blog and everyone involved in this community, but my degree is my life. When it gets to the point where I haven't been able to see Lawrence due to work commitments, you know it's too busy! My deadline date is mid-December so I should hopefully be a bit more active in blog world after that :)

I have been stitching most evenings. If I didn't have my needlework, I think I would have gone mad! Mississippi Riverboat is coming along nicely, as you can see.



I've put in a few stitches in my giant Farmhouse project, but nothing worthy of a photo. I'm thinking I will restart my efforts on that one after Christmas. It takes a bit of time to set up when I want to stitch that piece, but with Riverboat, it's just a case of grab and go.

Lynn, I must offer my sincere apologies. I am terribly late with your parcel. I am in the process of putting it together and my aim is to have it arrive before Christmas. I'm so sorry for the delay.

Also, this is an official call-out for Cindy. Cindy won my Birthday Stitch Surprise for December, but I haven't received an email from her about where to send it. Cindy, if you're out there, please send me a quick email with your address!

I've got an hour now before heading out to work (again!) so I'm going to indulge in blog reading, with a lovely mug of tea by my side :) I bet I will see some lovely Christmas stitching going on.

Best wishes to all,
 

Birthday Giving

I've had two heartwarming emails this week, from two lovely women expressing their thanks for their Birthday Stitch Surprise parcels. This really is a selfish act for me, I really get a buzz out of sending gifts. I like to think of my little parcels making someone smile, it makes me feel all warm :)

The first email was from Peggy Lee from Kentucky Sampler who was August's recipient. I consider Peggy Lee to be a true blogging friend who is so kind and thoughtful. It was a joy putting this parcel together. As it was just after my holiday, Peggy Lee's package contained a couple of bits from France, as well as patriotic ribbon celebrating the jubilee. I suppose the theme for this one was summer :)



August's parcel contained two DMCs, a button tin, a length of soldier ribbon, a length of red ric rac, a postcard from France and a small bar of soap from France. I'm delighted to say that my parcel made Peggy Lee very happy indeed, and I couldn't be more overjoyed about that.

September's prize winner was a lot more closer to home. Cath from The Stitchin' Chicken was my victim this month and I'm glad to report she was chuffed with her package too, even if her daughter did run off with the sweeties! My thoughts on the theme were a cross between autumn colours and sewing bits.

Cath's parcel contained a pair of scissors, one DMC, a decorative button, a length of autumnal ribbon, sewing motif stickers, some Love Heart sweeties and chart - Heart in Hand Are you my mother?

Thank you both for taking part in my modest giveaway. I haven't got many parcels left to send now. I've already got ideas for a big Christmas giveaway at the end of November :) Stay tuned for that!

Two Decades

That's how old I am now :) Some days I think I haven't done much with my twenty years. Then other times, I think I'm doing pretty well. Studying a course I love at Uni, spending lots of time with my lovely family and I've met the love of my life already. I really am a very lucky girl :)

My luck continued a couple of days after my birthday when a lovely parcel popped through my letterbox. Mouse was kind enough to send me my own Birthday Stitch Parcel! Isn't this card so perfect? Mouse must know how fond I am of pretty tea sets :)



The parcel was wrapped with care and contained lots of lovely goodies. 

Hand-dyed fabric, tea cup backing fabric and a new pair of scissors, all in girlish hues of pink and purple - I love it all! Thank you so much Mouse for thinking of me, your parcel was very much appreciated.

The issues of last month meant I got behind with sending out my birthday parcels. But I have two wrapped and ready to be sent off in the post tomorrow. Cath from The Stitchin Chicken and Elisa from Old Ragged Threads are my next two victims for September and October :)

Gosh, it's getting close to having to think about Christmas stitching. I definitely want to do a big giveaway this year. I love the festive period and want to share my joy with you all :)

I'll be back with a stitching update soon!
 

Pretty in Pink

Thank you all so much for the truly wonderful comments you left on my latest post. It really made me feel proud of myself :) I cannot wait to get started on catching up with all of your blogs. I plan on making a start tonight. I did the morning shift today so I've got all evening to relax and read blogs. Ah, bliss.

I thought I'd show you what I sent to Teresa just before I headed off to France. I know Teresa's favourite colour is pink, so that was my starting point for this parcel.
I sent two lengths of ribbon, a DMC thread, two sachets of tea, a card and a small kit. I'm pleased to report that Teresa liked the parcel and could find use for all of it :)



I really should have been more prepared for August's Birthday Stitch Surprise Parcel. Peggy Lee, I'm sorry I'm so late! It will be on it's way very shortly, I promise :)

Just thought I'd share my favourite souvenir that I bought in France. Mostly, my money went on ice creams, postcards and maybe a cheeky bottle of wine or two ;)
But when I spotted this in a trinket shop, it booked a place in my suitcase immediately. Isn't it cute?

I plan on using this tin to store mini cross stitch projects. Maybe when I'm working on a card design perhaps?

I have a day off tomorrow, and since Lawrence is away at Reading Festival, I have decided to dedicate the whole day to craft. I plan on finishing up some cross stitch pieces that have been hiding away for too long. I'd like to do some scrapbooking too, plus the mending on a couple of bags that need tending too. Ooh, it's going to be such a lovely day! I'll be sure to post about my efforts :)
I have a new start to share with you soon too. I like that it all goes quiet on my blog for awhile and then a whole load of posts come at once! I do hope you're enjoying them, I really love typing them :)

Best wishes,

June's Parcel

Good evening everyone! Am I the only girlfriend who has reverted to a football widow during the current Euro Tournament? I thought I'd take the time to catch up with some lovely blog reading, rather than spending the night yelling tactics at the screen. Love you honey!

So, I got word from Terri that June's Birthday Stitch Surprise parcel has arrived safely. This was actually an Un-Birthday gift, as no one with a true June birthday entered at the very start! I'm so glad the parcel was a success nonetheless :) Here's a picture of what I sent . . .



My theme this time was patriotic, as I know Terri is very proud of her country. Red, white and blue Duchess floss, alongside two cuts of lace from a local craft market and a length of floral fabric, featuring my thematic colours. And a handmade card too, I've really got back into making them lately.
Thank you Terri for being a good sport and getting involved with an Un-Birthday gift :) I do believe Teresa is next up, but patience will be key again I'm afraid. I move back to Winchester the weekend before that date and I'm also working too. I've also got to attempt to purchase furniture and organise my new room at the same time. July looks just as packed as June!

I had a wonderful time at Summer Ball. I haven't got a picture of me and Lawrence yet as they are still on his mum's camera, but I couldn't resist showing off my dress :) This is me and my friend Emma posing for the photo - I'm on the right :)

EDITED: Sorry, having a bit of technical difficulty with the photos. We may have to wait a bit longer before I can finally reveal my dress :) Sorry!

It was a really wonderful night. I was so proud of Lawrie, doing his bit as Head Boy and handing out the awards of the evening. I did love being by his side :)

I've got a couple more days of work before I head off on the train to go and see the new house in Glastonbury. I'm not sure what to expect but I am looking forward to seeing my parents.

I hope you all have a wonderful start to the week!

Best wishes,

Bekca

Speed Stitching

Phew! Things have got crazy again!
I'm now at home. I was suppose to be moving into a summer let at Winchester but after the terrible organisation and poor support, there was no way I was staying put. But now that I've got my job, it does mean that I will be commuting to Winchester every so often. That's not bad at all, it's good to be home with my family :)

I just realised that I haven't shared what was in my latest Birthday Stitch Surprise parcel. It was Emma's turn and I know Emma likes two things in particular. Pokemon and purple. So here's what I sent . . .



A length of purple dotty ribbon, a skien of purple Anchor thread, some purple fabric, a selection of Pokemon cards and an Eevee (Pokemon) figurine. I'm pleased to say Emma was delighted with her whole package. It feels so good to give doesn't it? :)
I know Terri is next on my list, but what with everything changing and new lately, I'm afraid it might be a bit of a wait. Please bear with me Terri, I promise to get a parcel out to you as soon as possible!

And in other news, I've still been stitching up a storm on my BAP. I've completed Lesli's favourite bit, the lovely duck pond, stitched in gorgeous blue tones. 

I've got the other side of the garden to complete, along with the stable, but I think I'm going to focus on the roof  next and get the house totally finished.

I started another new project recently. It's LHN's Schoolgirl Lessons. It's the perfect size to take outside to enjoy the glorious weather we've been having lately.
I hope it's lovely where ever you are :)
Best wishes,
 

The Knitting Lion?

It's been so lovely catching up with everyone's blogs over the past couple of days. I haven't managed to leave a comment on every single post, but I have tried to leave a note on the most recent one. Thank you all so much for your encouraging comments on my last post. I have been replying by posting on the commentator's blog, but is this the best way to do it do you think? I would love to hear what you think about replying to comments and how it should be done.

I received an email a couple of days ago from the lovely Catherine letting me know that her Birthday Stitch Surprise Parcel had arrived safely. I'm so pleased that Catherine loved her gift. Here's what I sent . . .

A card, a cut of floral fabric, a length of lace, a Lil' Britters chart, a pack of needles and a card :)

Emma is next on the list, I've already started collecting bits and pieces :)

And so to the title of this post. I have wanted to learn to knit for a long time. My grandmother tried, but I needed more practise than the one afternoon we had. My needles languished in a bottom drawer, but thanks to The Big Tidy, I've found them and a big small of gorgeous blue wool.

The thing is, I don't know how to knit. So, I went to my local WH Smiths and bought a knitting magazine. 

At £4.99 ($8.09), it was pretty steep for a magazine and a real treat for a student like me. But it came with a separate magazine filled with simple projects like hats, egg cosies and scarves. Perfect for this novice knitter!

I was hoping there would be instructions at the back about the basics of knitting. There was a two page spread about casting on, knit stitch and purl stitch - and that was it! Nothing about how to add different colours or the different types of wool. I was quite disappointed that this magazine didn't really help beginners.

However, I will not be deterred. I taught myself to cross stitch and I can jolly well teach myself to knit. I'm going to search on youtube for tutorial videos on knitting. I'm also going to look on the websites of the knitting magazines to see if they have a beginner's section on there. I really would love to learn this craft.

I have one big question for any experienced knitters out there. How much freedom do you have with knitting? Do you have to have the right wool and the right needles or the project won't turn out right? With cross stitch, I know I can mix up the colours and the fabric and it will still look pretty good. Is that the same with knitting, or is it more a stick to the book craft? Any help would be very much appreciated :)

That's all for today, I hope you're enjoying a wonderful weekend,

 

March Gift Sent

Good morning everyone!

I'm just about to get myself ready for a lovely day out with my best friend. She's coming down to Winchester for a spot of shopping and we're going to my favourite restaurant, Buddy's, the American Diner themed restaurant! They do the best burgers ever.

But before all that, I thought I'd post about Lesleyanne's Birthday Stitch Surprise gift that I know has arrived safe and sound. No stitched piece in this one as I already stitched up something for Lesleyanne for a previous exchange. I didn't think she'd want two botched, misshapen cross stitched pieces from me cluttering up her home! Instead, I opted to send out a small parcel of goodies that I hoped would be useful.

In her email, Lesleyanne told me she liked Christmas best of all. Here's what I came up with . . .

I sent my friend a cut of gingham fabric, two lengths of ric rac, some metallic DMC threads, a pack of button and two Malteaser Bunnies. I know the bunnies aren't that festive, but I thought Lesleyanne's two boys might appreciate them!

I just had to get a close up pic of these gorgeous buttons, I was so happy when I found these. I hope Lesleyanne can find use for them, or if not, aren't they just pretty to look at? :)

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Mine is going to be busy, but I get to see all my favourite people and that cannot be bad :)

Best wishes to all,

February Gift Sent

Hello everyone!

I recently heard from the lovely Fiona that she has received her Birthday Stitch Surprise Parcel. I'm very pleased to report that she loved it! I'm trying to suit my recipiant's taste and Fiona said she liked the colour blue, so I came up with this . . .

Fiona's package included a piece of blue aida, a metre of blue polka dot ribbon, a pack of needles, a DMC thread, and a stitched pin pillow by yours truly :)

The pin pillow is Lizzie Kate's Tea for Two stitched on 32ct Fairy Dust Linen using DMC threads. I was quite pleased with the finish of this one, and I'm really glad Fiona likes it too :)

I'm afraid my next parcel is going to arrive shortly after Lesleyanne's actual birthday, but I do hope she doesn't mind.

Best wishes to all!

Snowy Stitching

Brrrrr! It's so cold out in Winchester today! I had a few errands to run in town today, but now I'm very glad to be home with a hot cup of tea nearby.

I'm very pleased to say I've finished this month's stitched piece for the Birthday Stitch Surprise - ahead of schedule :) I know I say it quite a lot, but I do love putting these parcels together. I'm already thinking ahead to March, that's you Lesleyanne!

Obviously, I can't show you that stitching, but I can show you my progress on Gingerbread House. I started this late last year and would really love to get it finished soon. I can hear other projects calling my name and it's getting harder to resist them.

I've only really got the wording, two borders and a few more snowflakes to do. I hope to get it all stitched up within a week or so. I thought it might seem strange, stitching on a wintry design after Christmas. But the freezing weather we're having makes it appropriate really.

Don't forget there's still time to enter my giveaway here. It closes next Wednesday :)

I'm heading home this weekend for a meal out with my extended family. I haven't seen some of my aunties, uncles and cousins since Christmas 2010 so I'm really looking forward to it. And tomorrow evening, I'm heading out to the theatre to see my friend perform in a play. I can't wait for that either. As for tonight, I've got a bit of cooking to do to stock up my freezer, then it's all about the stitching :)

What are you up to tonight/over the weekend? Here's hoping it's something fun!

Best wishes,

Time to Stitch

Hello everyone! Yesterday I finished off my big written drama assessment for this semester, and boy, am I pleased that's over with! The work itself wasn't too hard and I enjoyed the plays we were studying, it's just finding constant motivation is hard work. But now it's done and dusted and I can resume my normal stitching schedule. Yay!

About a week ago now, I posted off my first Birthday Stitch Surprise parcel for Mouse. I can happily report that the package arrived safely and was liked by Mouse, so I can now share what I sent . . .

Some pins, some needles, some ribbon, some fabric, some tea and a Margaret Sherry Mouse ornament, stitched on 32ct Vintage Beige Linen with recommended DMC threads.

Now I can't wait to sort out and send the next one! Fiona is my next victim  participant :)

I have been meaning for days to post the recipe, but I worry that it's going to seem so very basic. I really experiment with my cooking and just add whatever suits. But I have the recipe here for four people, but you can just do what I did and half it for just two of you. I cooked mine in a slow cooker, but I'm sure you could use a casserole dish in a low-heat oven, around 160C

Pork and Cider Casserole

Ingredients:

One small onion, chopped.

One cooking apple, cut into cubes.

4 steaks of loin pork.

1 tbsp of plain flour.

400ml of medium dry cider (I used Thatchers)

Half a teaspoon of dried thyme.

1tsp of dried sage.

Salt and Pepper

1) Cut the pork into bite sized pieces.

2) Heat some oil in a pan and gently fry the pork until it is browned on all sides. Transfer to your casserole dish/slow cooker bowl.

3) Add the onions and the apple to the pan and fry for around three minutes. Stir in the flour and then gradually add the cider.

4) Bring to the boil, stirring continuously, and then take off the heat and add the herbs and seasoning.

5) Transfer this mixture to the dish/bowl with the pork and mix together well. Place in a low-heat oven for 6 - 7 hours, or a low setting on the slow cooker for the same amount of time.

So there you have it, my first ever recipe! It's best served with boiled potatoes or crusty bread because there is a lot of lovely gravy. I'd love to hear if any of you out there try this recipe, maybe you could send me a photo?

I've got time now to settle to my stitching before heading out to Creative Non-Fiction. It was snowing this morning in Winchester, just little flakes mind. I'm going to need my woollen hat when I venture out later on!

Best wishes,

The Big Stash Haul

Oh goodness, how time flies. It's been a very busy time since I last posted and I thought I'd catch you up on everything.

First of, I have reached 100 followers!! Thank you so much to each and every one of you for reading about this student and her craft. This blog means a lot to me and I can't believe it's attracted so many readers. I am so very grateful. I will be holding a tiny giveaway very soon, so look out for it!

Since I last posted, I finished working at Sainsbury's, celebrated my mum's birthday and returned to Uni. Yes I'm back at Winchester and very pleased to be here. I really appreciate the freedom of getting to do what I want when I want, although it was lovely being at home. I've got stuck in with my studies already, getting six books out of the library this morning for future projects. I love it!

The title tells of stash, and what a stash it is :) The day before coming back to Uni, my big 123stitch.com order arrived. This was my Christmas treat to myself, and I beamed at everything I received. I can't wait to get started on it all. 

I treated myself to six new charts; Touch of the Wilderness, by Brittercup Designs/Tea Crazy, by Lizzie Kate/The Tea Room, by Country Cottage Needleworks/Schoolgirl Lesson, by Little House Needleworks/Always and Forever, by Little House Needleworks/Autumn Sampler, by Lizzie Kate.

That should certainly keep me busy for awhile!

I also got some bits for scrapbooking too. I did a fair bit of scrapping over the holidays, but forgot to take any photos. Silly me. I love stickers, and couldn't resist these ones as they were all reduced.

I also got two large cuts of fabric (32ct Belfast in Fairy Dust and Light Mocha) and a whole bunch of DMC threads for future starts. I also bought a Sampler Thread in Dark Chocolate, which is also for a future project - stay tuned!

I'm having a ball with the Birthday Stitch Surprise. It's been so lovely putting a parcel together for Mouse, I really hope she likes it. My next recipient is Fiona. If you could send me a quick email of likes and dislikes Fiona, I would really appreciate it! :) I'm glad I chose to do this giveaway, it's really fun.

I'm on top of my reading already, so I am spending the evening with a big mug of hot chocolate and reading all what you've been up to. I can't wait! I'm sorry I've been absent from blogging lately, but I'm sure it's the same for all of you that family come first over the holidays. I'm back now and ready to stitch!

Best wishes,

Drumroll Please . . .

Hello everyone! I must apologise for the delay in revealing the recipients of the Birthday Stitch Surprise. I thought I'd have time to post on Friday morning, but what with packing and my final lecture, time ran away from me. I'm here now to announce the winners!
So, I took the names from each month and did separate little draws to find the winner of that particular month. Then, all of those who were unfortunately not picked in their first draw went into a second one for the months I had no names for, June and November. July, October and Decembers winners got the prize by default as they were lucky enough to have no others with the same birthday month.
I hope this all makes sense!
I did the drawing the old fashioned way, cut up pieces of paper and a bowl.

 


Don't worry if you can't see the above picture clearly, here is the definite list of the winners:

January - Michelle from Tales of a Stitching Mouse

February - Fiona from My Stitching Corner

March – Lesleyanne from Lesleyanne's Life of Stitches

April – Catherine from Bramblewood Stitches

May – Emma from EveningEmma

June – (separate drawing) Terri from DixieSampler

July – Teresa from Teresa's Heartfelt Stitches

August – Peggy Lee from Kentucky Sampler

September – Cath from The Stitchin' Chicken

October – Elisa from Old Ragged Threads

November (separate drawing) – Lynn from Kearnel's Korner

December – Cindy from Clear Skies After the Storm

I hope Terri and Lynn are still happy to receive a parcel even though it is not in their birthday month. I thought a separate drawing would be the best and fairest way to make sure a parcel is sent out every month.
If you ladies could all send me an email to stitchinglion@hotmail.co.uk just outlining a few likes and dislikes, that would help me enormously. And don't forget your mailing addresses too!
Thank you so much to everyone who entered my little contest. I have reserved the names of those who unfortunately didn't win this time, but I'll know who to head to first for RAKs and such :)
So it will be Michelle who will receive her birthday parcel first. I can't wait to start putting it together!

In other news, my first weekend back at home has been great. I had a lovely meal with my family when I got back on Friday night, and then last night, I was taken out to dinner by my boyfriend's family. And I'm going out to eat tonight with my girl friends. Phew! You can tell it's Christmas time LOL
Best wishes to all,