Sad times :-(

I haven't posted for a while, though I've done a bit more on Mrs Duck and started knitting a couple of dog jumpers to sell for the rescue.

I've been very sad recently because I lost my lovely puss-cat, Toffee. He was knocked down a month ago, though thankfully I didn't see him. He was a 12-year old kitten - still running around, jumping over his pal Pepsi (who's feeling very lonely) and only accepting cuddles on his terms. I just hope that the end was quick and as painless as possible.

 

Love you, Toffs.

TUSAL

I've forgotten to post my TUSAL progress for the last couple of months, for some reason remembered today, which is the proper posting day - yay!

Nice to see a few different colours now that the Spanish Sampler is finished :-)

I haven't stitched much at all recently - a little more on Mrs Duck and I'll finish a card tonight, but the Olympics meant no stitching at all for two weeks!

I've just finished nominating five of my favourite books for World Book Night 2013. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Pie Society is in the Top 100 so has a chance of being chosen, which I'd love, especially if I get to be a giver next year. They made a bit of a hash of it in 2011 so I didn't apply last year but I definitely will for next year.

Not much stitching done

but there is a little bit of progress on my WiPocalypse piece:

I want to at least finish the umbrella and the face by next month - we'll see how I go :-)

Mr Duck is now Mrs Duck

with those eyelashes, it has to be female :-) I'm hoping to finish this before starting on the piece for my friend Jackie's Mum. Lots of block stitching so it shouldn't take too long... famous last words...

So pleased...

... with my completed Spanish sampler. This no longer available freebie from Lady Periphaeria - http://periphaeria.com/tales/ - was a pleasure to stitch and I'm so glad that I stuck to one colour. I'd love it if I had the time to stitch it three more times in complementary colours but I know that's not going to happen!

So, back to the duck in rain now to try and get that finished as well. I've also got Jackie's Mum's design to start but think I'll concentrate on Mr Duck first. This is the last photo I have of him but I have done quite a bit more since:

Late again

but getting closer and closer to the end!

I won!

Not a brilliant picture but this is my Beatrix Potter Quaker sampler showing off its two first prizes and a cup from the St Clears YFC show. It won 1st in the Cross Stitch - Open class and was also the Best Craftwork Exhibit! Whooppee!

OK, so the St Clears show isn't the largest in the country (or even the county!) but I was born and bred in St Clears so it's my "home" show and I was chuffed to bits to win :-)

Two weeks late

but still within the cut-off date. I hadn't really realised that I'm more than half way through the final part of the sampler. Hopefully my June update will be a photo of the complete design :-)

Where have you gone, stitching mojo?

I've hardly stitched anything in May or even through most of April, sadly. I even forgot to post on WiPocalypse day which I'm really mad about. I have, though finished (and sold today on eBay!) a sudoku card which I'm really pleased with:

Also remembered to take a photo for TUSAL - not much more than last time, obviously, but at least it's growing a little :-)

Hopefully the rest of May (and the rest of the year!) will be a bit more fruitful...



April WiPocalypse

Yay, part 9 finished - on to the last part :-)

March WiPocalypse

Yay, another section finished and the next already a third done:

February TUSAL

Not much more to show from last month, I'm afraid but I'm still chipping away on the Spanish Sampler and the Duck in the Rain. I've been knitting more than anything recently and will take a photo when I've finished the crib for Cuddles.

TUSAL is being managed by Daffycat and her blog is well worth a read at any time: http://itsdaffycat.blogspot.com/

February WiPocalypse

Not much to show on the Duck in the Rain so I'm only posting an update on the Spanish Sampler.

Quick update

A little bit more stitched on part 8 of the Spanish Sampler. I've enjoyed this section the least - other sections flowed easily when being stitched but this one seems to be all stops and starts. Not much more to go, though...

TUSAL 2012

My first TUSAL post of the year and not very much to show:

Hopefully I'll have stitched a lot more by the next new moon!

Here's the link to Daffycat's blog, which is always worth a read even if you're not taking part in the TUSAL :-) http://itsdaffycat.blogspot.com/

WiPocalypse 1

Typical that I miss posting on the proper day right at the beginning of the SAL! Anyway, here are the duck in rain and the Spanish sampler (part 8) which are the only two designs I'm working on at the moment.

Happy 2012!

Well, didn't 2011 go quickly?! Christmas flew as well (as usual) and it's back to work tomorrow so no more late nights, late mornings, afternoon stitching or chocolate. I've been very bad with the choccies the last few weeks so my one and only resolution is to not eat any more...

I'll start with an end - this is the culmination of my 2011 TUSAL.

I didn't keep up with posting every full moon but I'm going to try my best this year.

I also did quite a lot of stitching on the Spanish Sampler and finished part 7 on New Year's Eve, so quite pleased with that:

Finally, my stitching list for the WiPocalypse. Not much different to last year and doesn't include any knitting but it'll keep me busy for a while!

1. Spanish Sampler (Periphaeria free 2008 project) (large)
2. Cards/bookmarks to sell for Many Tears Animal Rescue
3. Juggy Bug 2008 Year Sampler (medium)
4. Brushstroke butterfly (http://www.cyberstitchers.com/) (smallish)
5. Duck in rain (medium)
6. Cameo Silk hardanger by Judy Dixon (medium)
7. A Garden in Blue by The Design Connection (medium)
8. Spots of Fun by Debbie Draper (11 stitches in - a long way to go!) (medium)
9. Spanish Rouge by Sampler Cove (1 line stitched!) (extra large!!)
10. Un-named freebie hardanger piece, cutting to be done (small)
11. A Walk on the Beach by Dimensions (smallish)
12. Cottage by Janlynn (small)
13. Blue Waters by Heritage Stitchcraft (medium, but it's got those stupid side-ways half stitches)
14. Hardanger Diamond by Suzanne Parnell (small)
15. Musical Comfort by Janlynn (medium)
16. "B" design for friend's Mum (medium)

I'm going to finish the Spanish Sampler, work on the duck in the rain then start on the B design for Jackie's Mum... that's the plan, anyway :-)