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,