A STITCH IN TIME

time spent well

2010-05-22T01:07:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone well i have been a busy bee As you can see above we had an all day craft day a few weeks back and we started making an angel doll which if liked can be tied to the top of

the tree.. we all managed to succeed in sewing her head up and body and some of us got the head attached to the body as well as making her bloomers legs and arms.. but finished them at home . we had a great laugh as one lady sewed her head on upside down another stuffed the bloomers to much and looked like she had water retention and one lady broke her leg because she forgot to sew the front of her shoe on .. lol all in all a wonderful day and i think she turned out so good i made another one and will make one on and off until a christmas fayre takes place then perhaps i will sell some for some charity or another..

The next item is this wonderful pillow.. the picture does not do it justice.. a friend from our craft club Mo passed away last year bless her and she was a wonderful person.. her husband gave a huge amount of craft stuff to our club and Denise our manager decided to ask for donations for anything we took which went to a charity. Well amongst the craft stuff i found this beautiful tapestry which she had delicately attached some wonderful beads and it looks stunning i stitched it to a pillow and it has pride of place in my front room.

And finally i have finished my dreaded cheetahs lol.. they look stunning and just have to get it framed which i think i will by the frame ect from eframers again and attach everyhting myself to save money liam is really pleased and i am surprised how quickly i finished it once i started it again two months ago. i think it is stunning and i am really pleased.

I am now subscribing to the art of crochet part magazine and have been practising crochet the last few months.. as i pay by direct debit i recieve four issues every month and recieve a ball or two or wool and some wonderful patterns sometimes i recieve free gifts and at the momment i am making a lovely evening silver scarf which i will finsih soon and post a picture in the near future.. each weekly issue provides you with a crochet pattern for a square to create a blanket eventually whilst learning new stitches.. and embroidery detail.. hopefully i will be creating some wonderful crochet pieces. Anyhow i think that is it. i am done .. i hope to catch up with you soon .. take care everyone and watch this space lol

God bless

tammiexx

2010-02-27T03:46:00.000-08:00

hiya all well here we go this is why i have been so busy my task this year is too finish all my ufos this year.. and i have a lot.. where i keep doing things for pressies for other people. Although i will still make things up for others for pressies for birthdays and thankyous but i have been working on this wonderful gorilla tapestry called peeping by dmc .. i brought it from a craft show last year i think started it had a cold and put it on hold and then started other things. But low and behold it was opened and i got it for a bargain price and then found recently that not enough threads were inclosed so i have just had to buy more at a very good price.

And whilst doing the tapestry in the evenings i had also realised that i had promised five year old Ethan a scooby doo jumper so i have nearly finished this as you can see i have done back front and one sleeve i am half way through the other sleeve and then its just sewing it up and and making the collar .. and i think it looks great .. lol

And on top of all this i have made several other things including a wonderful crochet bag that i gave to leighs nan for her birthday several squares at leat 25 towards a crocheted blanket and five of the above scarves that is being modeled by 2 and half year old dominic, theyare beautifully soft and silky made of the new pompom wool really easy to make and very long. so far i have made a white one for a friend as a gift and red one as a thankyou, a lilac one for mum for xmas and a black and grey one for my mum in law for xmas. so as you can see very time consuming .. and very enjoyable. i hope you are all well and will make a point this week of viewing all your blogs one morning so i can place some posts thankyou for stoping by and taking an interest ..

love to all and God bless

tammiexx

hiya again

2010-02-04T13:01:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone thankyou for your wonderful comments i am really really sorry .. just dont seem to get on the computer too often to post or read your wonderful posts.. very often. anyhow for those of you that are my friends and remain interested in my family and i here we go with an update of what is going on.

knitting is spurring me on .. at the mo.. i am now making a jumper for Ethan he is doing so well at school and all though he now loves ben 10 which for those of you who dont know its a cartoon lol.. he used to love scooby doo.. and still does on the odd occasion and i remember that i had brought the wool for it last year so i am finishing the front at the mo. As soon as the front is finished then i will post photos..

I also invested in a part magazine to teach me the stitches of crochet.. i was taught when i was young but never rememebered what the stitches that i could od was called and then i wanted modern patterns to make things.. i have cancelled my cross stitcher magazine subscription as i now have loads of these that i have kept and hundereds of patterns so i thought i would collect this.

the weather here is fairly cold but a few weeks ago we had a lot of snow .. but although we did suffer a little with shops not recieveing things and no buses running for a few days i count my blessings when hearing about hiati.. and pray for help for them and survival ect.. and i ask you to do so also.

ali is still doing well studying textiles and art at school and he is also taking guitar lessons again so very well done to him.. liam can play the recorder really well and now has decided to start taking flute lessons at school so i wish him all the best .. and ethan we were advised if we wanted him to learn the guitar we should start with a ukelele first so we have now brought one and i am teaching him even though i dont know how to play it myself lol.. but we have a good beginners book lol so lets hope he learns well.

anyhow i hope you are all well out there

and will definitely post some picts next time good luck wiht all your projects

all the best and God bless
tammiexx

dog had to go

2010-01-02T01:02:00.000-08:00

Well my dream of getting a dog was short lived ... i know that a dog is for life and not just for xmas but i do take good care of my animals.. but max decided that it was good fun to bite.. me .. anyhow although i was trying to take something off of him.. he drew blood and my thumb did swell.. i needed no hospital treatment as it was not really severe.. but i felt that i could no longer trust him with my younger sons so we rehomed him the tuesday before xmas and he now is owned by a couple with no children or other animals.. so hopefully he is okay .. we will get another dog but i th ink we will wait a few years.

i have been knitting quite a bit lately just cant seem to get in to stitching at the mo but then sometimes for some reason i stitch in the summer and knit in the winter.. dont know why. i also want to take up crochet.. so that could be somehting to look forward to doing.. i have just recently finished a pair of leg warmers but i am not sure if they have come out okay yet as they seem to wide for the leg .. so we will see.

i hope that you all have a great new year and that we can forgive and forget anyhting wrongs anyone may have done you.

love to all my friends

tammiexx

2009-12-12T05:21:00.000-08:00

hiya all wanted to tell you that i have recieved a parcel in the post for the last pif from jennifer from sweetpeastitches and my oh my what a wonderful box of treasures.. i dont know if i can remember them all but there were teabags and drinks .. pedicure set shopping bag.. notebook ribbons diary material in favourite colours.. soap notelets crossstitch kits and many more items plus a lovely stitched scissor keep with my intials on although i have now become t.v or mrs varty lol.. but it is just beautiful..

i do plan on getting back into all my crafts i seem to have had a break with church activities thriving and things at school ethan is doing really well in his reception year and is now doing the year one work instead of recption work .. ali is working toward gcse in textiles and art.. and liam is thriving in maths and woodwork.. so we are all succeding only prob is there is no time left.. and now with max ( yes we changed his name to max instead of rex) i am even busier then ever.. but he is keeping me fit.

Max has just had his second injection and is learning to sit stay and hopefully come when called (but he is like the boys and chooses to listen when he wants.. to .. lol) anyhow thats it for now i think i am making a xmas pressie for my secret santa gift for my craft club and hopefully i will post that on here when she has recieved it.. so happy xmas and love to everyone see you soon ..

tammie. xx

my new dog.

2009-11-27T13:25:00.001-08:00

my new doggy rex who is four months old and just had his first injection he is a cross alaskan malamute with a collie according to the prior owner but everyone thinks he is crossed with a german shepherd. he will get a little bigger but only a few inches .. and has already learnt bed and sit.. lol.. we got him monday after a two hour journey on buses and trains .. isnt he gorgeous..

well not much stitching been knitting pom pom scarfs for xmas and making a few charity items .. really need to get back to cheetahs but that can wait for mo with four boys and a puppy to sort out its gonna be hectic. lol

take care hope you are all okay ..

tammie.xx

2009-10-26T02:52:00.000-07:00

Well sorry folks for the delay in coming on here so much has happened .. And as you can see leigh and i got married at our local church saturday the 17th October and it was such a wonderful day.. the church was full with friends and family and our church friends set the buffet up and cleared up after everything the sun shone and beamed and everyone had a great day.. really wonderful day..and my boys were fantastic.

We recieved a lot of money argos vouchers and a lovely amount of cards and money.. so we have treated our selves to a new settee. A friend from craft club carol made this for us as a wedding gift and although the picture does not do it justice there is a beautfiul amount of white beads on it.. we also recieved a beautiful picture of our church hand painted ... a smoothie maker which leigh loves an assortment of picture frames a set of wedding cups.. towels chocolates biscuits oil burner ect and the list goes on.. i cannot believe how generous people have been.

And out of some of the money i have done something i have i longed to do since i was a teenager. I am now very proud to say i am sponsering a little girl called shirly who lives in columbia. she is only six years old this october and i Only pay £21 a month which provide her and her family with food medication education and anything else they need. http://www.compassionuk.org this website provides thousands of pictures that despartely need sponsering to help them lead better lives.. it works out as 70pence a day.. and they also teach them all about the bible and how God can help them. you recieve a small info pack about your child that you are sponsering.. a couple of forms that you can use to write to them a photo of the child and what you can and cannot send or write about and if in the future youwant to meet your child that can be arranged as well.

these children are in desparte need for help and support and i would ask you all to please just take a look at the website. thankyou so much ..

On another note not much stitching going on i used some lovley pompom wool to make a scarf for a friend which was really soft and lovley and unfortunately i forgot to take a photo.. i am also finishing off a rug that a friend was unable to finish so again many unfinished projects to do..

anyhow thankyou everyone for your well wishes and support

tammie.

finished tinterbell

2009-08-27T10:59:00.001-07:00

hiya as promised a couple of picts from dominics second birthday he loved every minute of it and recieved loads of wonderful gifts.. ethan joined in and helped him open his presents lol..

On another note i have finally finished tinkerbell she took longer then i expected and i will explain why in the next paragraph but mostly because it is summer hols and four boys takes a lot of occuping to keep them out of trouble and arguing with each other lol.. anyhow i think she is stunning and would love to stitch her again for my nieces as i think they would love her..I am now working on the dreaded cheetahs again lol .. i will eventually get them finished.. i promise..

Well now thats all done let me tell you whats been happening not sure if i sad but leigh brought an electric guitar from ebay a few months ago. Well liam by this time had taken up the recorder and was playing really well. then ali got his dad to get him a second hand electric guitar although he has already got an acoustic. Anyhow i treated myself to a real bargain of a violin off of ebay .. and have started learning to play that .. so we now have musicians in the family.. but as i am learning the violin.. ali cannont read music.. he knew i could and liam could. but leigh cannot either. at first leigh and ali were just mucking around on the guitar trying out different strings to see if they could play a melody.. lol but ali made a tune up that became rather annoying he was constantly playing it day in day out.. it was giving me a headache to say the least. ( are you with me so far) lol. anyhow just to get ali to play a different tune i picked his guitar book up and started to muck about with the strings on his acoustic. now i found i can play a lot of simple tunes and i know all the strings. lol.. ali has now started learning to read tabs and music symbols and so has leigh.. liam played his recorder at church with a man called norman .. and was really good. so i think you can say things have been very loud.

we took the kids to tides swimming pool you know with slides waves and bubbles lol.. it was really great fun but so tiring.. i was warn out and ethan slept till 8am today lol.. he was shattered. one and half weeks to go and they all go back to school. i think Dominic will be lost with out ethan as he follows him every where and copies what he says all the time. its going to be really strange and too quiet although i will most probably be busy with the schedule i keep . lol

Anyhow i also met up with an old school friend of mine after not seeing each other for 12yrs she now has five children and has been coming over every week.. and we actually met on facebook so ifyou want to find somebody i would recommend joining up .. its been fun having nine kids running around the place.. lol

so if you have any tips on how to play musical instruments.. such as guitar violin recorder .. then just let me know and if you have got any music books you no longer need we would be grateful.. we are also on the lookout for a half size acoustic as ali cannot play his because he is so diddy for his age that his acoustic swamps him lol..

thanks for reading

happy stitching ..

tammie

birthday package sent and recieved

2009-08-18T03:31:00.001-07:00

Hiya all i was really glad when Karol from rosebudstitching finally recieved my birthday package. i orginally sent her one in may to arrive for her birthday in june.. but unfortuanately its still missing so i made her the same item and then put together a second package.. which she now has said that she loves.. really glad she recieved it .. this is a door hanger that i made her the orginal one i made i stuffed with rice and then stuffing and wondering if this caused a problem to send.. not sure so this one i stuffed with stuffing. really loved the way this turned out and my mum now wants one..

i aslo sent her lots of goodies including a couple of charts a lavender chart set a hoop some band aida some snipers.. ect.. the list goes on.. hopefullyshe enjoyed all these little treasures.. and i hope it was worth the wait.

meanwhile today is dominics second birthday and so far he has recieved loads of pressies will post pictures in a few days as i would like to post one of his cake.. lol.. he has been so great watching him grow and now he is no more a baby love him but a toddler.. mmm my baby is grown up lol

as for stitching i having been working on tinkerbell for a friends grand daughter...its looking really good and has been quite quick to stitch if it wasnt for those bloomin frogs... lol.. had to unpick her skirt three times but hey its all good practice lol.. got itchy fingers to finish those cheetahs though..

as you can see i have done her legs the dress and i am now working on one arm done the smaller one.. she is going to look so great..

thankyou for stopping by .. happy stithcing

tammiexx

no picts just pleasure

2009-08-13T00:48:00.000-07:00

just thought i would say hiya.. leigh had a great birthday and recieved lots of money and a man united shirt from us.. lol.. says with the money he would like to get my engagement ring. so cant wait although thats if he does not change his mind and spend it on summit else.. i cooked a lovely meal of chilli jam( sweet chilli sauce) for a starter with doritos and breadsticks.. really nice as a starter and then for main course we had rack of lamb with a mint and lemon breadcrust on the top and minted boiled potatoes with peas .. and i made a gorgeous sauce with red wine redcurrant jelly and lemon juice really nice.. then for afterwards as leigh is always saying he loves lemon i made lemon ice cream with hot sweet lemon sauce and meringue.. although my meringues never come out like they do in the shop always browned slighly.. but was delicious.. really nice evening..

Dominics birthday is next week and i am really looking forward to that. he will be two bless him.. so sweet.. and today i am meeting up with a friend that i have not seen since liam was a baby most probably nine years and she is bringing her five children with her yikes lol really looking forward to it but nine kids lol.. great.

gonna make some buns now for later.. still working on the cheetahs but a friend asked me if i can stitch a tinkerbell that she got given for her granddaughters room so will be doing that..
take care now ..
happy stitching

tammie
ps just started reading a cool book by john mcarthur really good christian author.. its called successful christian parenting his take on parenting is great and there is no nonsense he says it as he sees it using biblical refs to back up his point of view great reading..

2009-08-05T06:54:00.000-07:00

hiya sorry i havent posted for absolutely ages.. just dont know where the time has gone.. seem to have been so busy andnow we are in full swing of summer holidays.. lots of things have happened.. holiday club at the church was a wonderful week we had a hundred children every day attend and i was running the creche where we had 3-9children each day .. it was great fun.. we also had a youth evening where 38 children attended and a family barbecue and presentation/mini service which was amazingly attended..

It was my birthday on the 25th of july and i recieved my sbbc package today.. above from nic

http://beebarfsblog.blogspot.com/ she send lovely charts one of blackwork and one with a religious quote.. a wonderful pin keep a pin cushion. some foldup scissors, so handdyed thread a magnet and a birthday card.. cant thankyou enough.. unfortunatley my sbbc partner still has not recieved her parcel i sent it at the beginning of may and her birthday was in middle of june and although i have been in contact with edgar with regards to this i am in the process of making something else and gathering another package to get sent to her but its taking longer then i thought because of the children being off school.. so if you know who you are and are reading this i really am truly sorry .

And finally i have finished my jumper it is gorgeous and soft but i do feel the collar thing doesnt hang as i would like so will have to sort that out.. well as i said am doing another sbbc gift as first did not arrive and after that i intend to work on my cheetahs again.. lol.. eventually..

my love to you all hope to be here a lot more in the future.. wont leave it so long next time..

tammiexx

2009-06-22T02:36:00.000-07:00

No stitching has been going i dont know if i have lost my limbo or whether its just tiredness.. my days are pretty full and by the time the evening is here i feel very tired. I have been knitting a little and will get back to the cheetahs at some point. watch this space.

On another note it was Liams twelfth birthday on monday and although we did not do much other then have a small birthday tea.. we took everyone to Howletts zoo.. it was a fab day but very tiring..Ethan thought the gorillias were hysterical and started a lot of people off laughing and Dominic just loved all the animals.. Ali was really helpful with all the children and pushing the pushchair and liam had a fab time and found a new interest in some precious stones which he spent someof his birthday money on.. lol.

so fun was had by all .. we then went to church on sunday and all the boys recieved a book at a prize giving ceremony.. Every child that attends recieved a book for just going to sunday club.. so thats all my news for now... thankyou for visiting.. and happy stitching..

tammie

2009-06-04T02:18:00.000-07:00

hiya margaret sent me some wonderful pictures of the rak i sent her.. as i forget to take any photos.. !! Forgot to turn the main photo round though but you can now get the idea of what i made for her and i am really glad at how it turned out.

And here is an update of my cheetahs i am now working on the one standing up this is done on 28 count evenweave... and i really love the way its turning out. Slow progress but i do intend to get this finished before i start anything else. lol.. watch this space ha ha ah

And last but not least you will remember from my last post you may remember i was going bargain hunting.. and these are my finds.. not much i know but i like them.. the two bowls cost just 20p each and the cushion pad was a £1 in a charity shop.. the china bowl i am using for my scraps of thread.. and the glass bowl is gorgeous with lovely gold strands in and little stars.. really pretty.. i think its for a small candle.. but i will find a different use for it at some point.

Today its house work and stitching.. and tomorrow toddler group and then my wonderful afternoon free to craft club.. yeah .. got to remember to pick up more paint as i am decorating Ali and liams room.. i must be mad lol..

Thanks for stopping by .. take care and happy stitching.

God bless

Tammie

2009-05-30T02:01:00.000-07:00

Hiya all just wanted to let you know that Yuko is having two giveaways one as a thankyou and one as a blogaversairy... the two items up above is up for grabs allyou have to do is leave a comment on both posts and post it on your blog. Yuko does beautiful work and is such an artist at detail and perfection. her work is truly inspirational so please take a look at her blog here..yuksbehappy.

Well its very sunny here.. the birds are very songful this morning. Dominic is reading his books lol, Ethan is completely bunged up with cold, but watching tv. And Ali and liam are coughing well but playing yugiho. Leigh is at work but will be home soon. He now has his jacket and trousers for the wedding .. he also picked up his wedding ring yesterday but it is too tight so i am taking it back and going to try my one on.. we will order the next size for leigh. I have my dress and my mum is making me a shoal knitting wise of course to go with it .. i have my shoes. just need the titbits. lol. all i have to do now is get all the kids sorted out lol.

I am now back to working on the cheetahs but only making slow progress will post some picts in a few days and i will also be starting to put together some bits for my giveaway so keep your eyes peeled.

off down the town this afternoon to have a browse round the charity shops see what bargains i can find lol.. hopefully some really good things to do with sitching not just books ...lol.

take care

happy stitching

tammie

god bless

knitting and giveaway.

2009-05-28T02:28:00.000-07:00

hiya all just nipped on to say that i have decided to enter http://istitchaholic.blogspot.com/ carol rs giveaway please take a look as she has some wonderful scissor fobs to give away and all you have to do is post a link on your own blog.

on another note i have been full of cold and fuzzy head so i picked up knitting needles and started a top which is really easy and really nice. Diversion again from the cheetahs lol. it is really soft and as i am not even a third of the way there. there is not much to show. but i have place a picture above of what it is going to look like .. hopefully when finished.

On another note i realised that my blogaversary has passed by without me doing a give away so in the next week or so i will sort something out and then we will see if any of you are interested in winning some goodies.

take care now

happy stitching.

tammie

another rak reaches destination

2009-05-25T07:39:00.001-07:00

hiya all another rak reached destination and again i do apologize i forgot to take photos of it ... so borrowed this off of http://margaretmyblog.blogspot.com/ who was the recipient... of my blackwork... this was a small part of the front of a stitching bag. I used magnetic buttons for the main pockets... and poppies for the blackwork to turn it into a pocket.. i also made two large pockets inside and put poppers on these so whereever she goes she can use it.. and i hear she absolutely adores it.

Next i just have to show you a waistcoat that my 14yr old son Ali made in textiles.. although he made this for his four year old brother Ethan on the advice that the pattern would fit ethan from his tutor.. it only just fits dominic his 21mthold brother instead.. as you can see he has used an Adam and eve theme the apple tree to the left and adam and eve supposedly to the left on the back we have the serpent.. i thought it was great.. its the first time he has ever made an item of clothing..so well done Ali.

i have been working on the cheetahs again although i had to have a break this weekend as i had flu like symptoms with terrible backache.. so Anyhow i managed to finsih the left hand corner i had been working on and now i have the head of the sitting up cheetah and a little bit of the background. i have found it easier this time to work on it its just it does not seem to progress very quickly.. when you look down at how much you have done sometimes it does not seem as if you have even put a dent in the stitches left to do. and now Ali is working out what picture he wants lol.. he would have left home by the time i finish his ....mmm

2009-05-19T13:40:00.000-07:00

hiya been busy busy busy made two raks one of which i sent to leila from stitches of life.. and i hear she loves the flowers and says it i will fit in home perfectly... so glad she recieved it. another rak on its way to somebody else.. and an sbbc gift is onits way to someone although i am having problems posting at the mo.

just recieved my wedding dress and it is stunning.. cant wait..i am now working on the dreaded cheetahs as i have promised to finish it for liam at some point this year. please bear with me i have quite a few things i would like to show you but this is only a quick post. so chat soon post soon and all that..

take care

happy stitching

God bless

tammie

2009-05-01T23:52:00.000-07:00

hiya all well still no stitching picts ive been a bit busy here and not had much time to stitch will get on with it tonight hopefully. Anyhow just thought i would let you know that i managed to get my cat trigger to the vets after several months of trying. he has been really poorly. my appointment was at 5.15pm but he had not been in all day and i went a hunt at 3:30 for him could not find him anywhere and then i found him under a bush in my garden lol.

I had to take him via bus which was fun as he miaowed all the way there. once the vet checked him over he said that he had to have a tooth out poor thing.. it was very loose and he could not close his mouth. so he was dribbling his saliva everywhere. i had to leave him overnight and pick him up today. but last night at 7pm i got a phone call to say that his op had gone great and he had recovered fantastically. but he had to pull two more teeth as they were really loose as well. bless him so now i have a toothless cat heavily dosed on painkillers (well i will do later)..

it will be good to have him home.

stil working on a rak so hopefully will finish that and be able to post two items off by the end of the week.

take care hope you are alright.

tammie

Busy busy busy

2009-04-27T00:01:00.000-07:00

Hiya all.. sorry been hectic here as usual. I have no new photos to show and was trying to wait till i did but then you would have all been wondering where i got to. So i thought a post with no picts was better then nothing at all.

I have been working on raks still and just finihsed one and working on another but not sure which is going to which as i have an sbbc gift to work on soon as well. so its just deciding who gets what. nearly finished all the raks so i will be pleased when i can get them done and then i can get on and finish liams cheetahs bless him i dont think he realised how long i would take to finish them.

Anyhow we are all well here and had a wonderful easter holiday. the services at our church were fantastic and it was my first easter there.. it was amazing as a lot of people walk from dover which is seven miles away just to come to our service with the guest speaker. we started at 3pm and stopped for tea at 5 with a wonderful buffet then carried on till 7:30 it was great.

As with the wedding getting nearer we have got our wedding rings on order and leighs suit. so hopefully they will all fit then its just me to sort out. i have no idea what dress to get or wear. all i know i want a nice wedding dress but not too long flouncy or bouncy.. i have actually been thinking about getting an ordinairy dress as i have looked at ebay and although the prices are brill and the dresses are gorgeous i keep getting outbid.

Notification of marriage is all paid for at the registry office its just the wait now. lol.. i said to leigh it would not matter if i turned up in jeans and jumper and he was in his man u top and trousers lol as long as we tied the knot.

anyhow i hope you are all well and take care
thankyou for your great comments look forward to hearing more
and no i am not cross stitching my own wedding dress lol

God bless
tammie

pifs and bloomin cat

2009-04-07T00:24:00.000-07:00

Well i finally sent a rak off to Helen from stitchery nook... i loved the way this turned out the tulips i was worried about as it required red threads and orange and i thought it a strange combination but after stitching it they turned out lovely.. this is the first hanger/cushion i have made so i was impressed although i will have to work on my sewing techniques... its really strange i think i am a good cross stitcher but stiching things into somethng becomes my downfall...i dont know why perhaps i am too impatient to see it finished.

my cat is in my bad books as i was supposed to take him to the vet for a check up as his breath is really smelly and he was not well for a few weeks he is eating and that now but i though he had a problem with his teeth.. i placed him in his carrier.. he was sat in it for an hour miaowing then it was time to catch the bus.. oh my gosh i get to five mins from the bus stop and then the front flap fell open and my cat scarpered for it... i managed to grab him again and then he escaped a second time so i had to cancel and the cat did no reappear until 5pm.. so now i have to go through it all again.

On another note i decided to paint/treat Ethan and dominics wooden play house it does need repairing as well. Anyhow they decided to help me lol i dont know if they were more of an hindrance then a help and the paint got everywhere especially on little dominic as he decided it was best to paint with the paint brush handle lol..

As regards to stitching i am really sorry but as i am still working on stitching raks or pifs i cannot show you nothing but i am halfway through stitching something that i know i must make myself.. one day lol

Carol - i have thought about knitting socks on a circular needle but as i am very new to knitting socks i decided to follow the pattern well i have given up for the time being but when i have caught up with myself i will attempt them again.. hope your hand is getting better..

As always thankyou for all your comments and i will leave you with my little Ethan who when leigh was watching the grand national just could not keep his eyes open.. he never falls asleep in the day but on saturday i think he was feeling off colour with a bit of a bunged up nose.. now i know i will be down with it during the week lol

anyhow take care all

thanks for reading

tammie.

happy stitching

and God bless.

another finished product

2009-03-29T07:54:00.000-07:00

Well hiya again folks been really hectic here as usual..lol but i love it really. I have started helping once to twice a week listening to the youngest class at our local primary school reading.. which i really love.. its brilliant seeing how they are progressing and one little boy even asked me if i could put his name down everytime i come in because he does not get a lot of chance at home. bless him.

With regards to the lovley jumper i made for leigh recently ( i may add that he insisted on the smallest size) it is too small for him.. i had to laugh and will try to get a picture of him in it lol.. it is about two inches too small on the arms and looks awfully tight on him. I tried it on and it fits me but again is slightly too tight.

I tried my hand at a supposedly easy sock pattern until i found out that it suggests you use five double pointed needles and as i have never used them before i was all fingers and thumbs... lol i did eventually makes so many mistakes that i have to realise when something has beaten me and this definitely did.. so i am going to look for a very basic sock pattern to see if i can achieve what i wanted in the first place.

I have just finished a lovely gift for somebody but as they sometimes read this i cannot post a pict on the blog yet.. so you will just have to wait.. lol

I am still going to church and it was brilliant today leigh decided to come with me and all the boys and to make even more special there was two couples who made a statement of faith and got baptised it was quite emotional.. very awe inspiring.

Easter will be here soon and i wanted to show you a gift my mother gave me that someone made at her request. it is gorgoeus. It is called a cross in a pocket and it came with a really small poem. which i will now repeat.

I was given a cross for my pocket

It was given with kindness and love

It was given to remind me

Of our dear saviour above.

Whenever I'm feeling lonely

I take my cross inmy hand

And feel there is someone beside me

just as the master planned

Its not of any value

its made of plastic and wool

its what its meant to symbolise

That makes my life so full

They gave our lord a wooden cross

That he bore upone his back

Not one to fit his pocket

But his faith they could not crack

so I ll carry my cross in my pocket

Because it came from a friend

Given with love and with kindness

it will help me right to the end.

Its stitched on very large plastic canvas with wool and i thought it was a lovely gift for me and of course i carry it in my pocket to remind me of the love in the world and the cross he had to bear. I just thought it was such a unique and great gift that if anybody wanted to copy the idea out there then go ahead as it would make a great little easter gift or even a stocking or small tree gift at xmas.. someone even suggested giving one for her grandaughters confirmation.

I hope you are all well out there

God bless

happy stitching.

tammie.

pif recieved

2009-03-16T00:21:00.001-07:00

I recieved a wonderful wonderful hanger yesterday throught the post. Teresa from http://sewmanythoughts.blogspot.com/ had asked me what my favourite colours was and i had emailed her saying that i loved lilacs... so she made a gift of morning glories.. the photo does not do it justice... the green thread she used matches the material she has used pefectly. i just loved recieving this gift thankyou very much teresa. i really do appreciate it.

I managed to look and catch up with some of you and have seen some wonderful stitching... hopefully i will be able to do some stitching myself soon i am trying to knit a pair of socks... i was fine until i got to the heel and have had to restart the heel three times: i am not one for giving up but maybe i need a break lol..

I also realised that i had not finished my raks and pifs so i am going to get them done in the next month or so so i do apologise to those that i have not sent anything too.

Well thats it for now catch up soon and thanks for all the wonderful comments you leave i love reading your feedback.

happy stitching

God bless

tammie

dates and jumper

2009-03-13T06:22:00.000-07:00

I forgot to mention that it will be October 17th the wedding date that is...lol

and i finally finished the dreaded jumper so here is a lovely picture of it. it has come out quite well... although it took me longer to do then i thought.. i amnow working on a pair of socks and then i saw a lovely pattern of a jumper i thought would suit myself so i have the wool to do that.. ethans jumper is on hold at the mo. cant wait to do some more stitching though really do miss it. but want to get the woolies done first.

take care

happy stitching.

yippeeee

2009-03-10T07:11:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to let all you wonderful friends out there that leave me great comments thankyou.. i know i have not been a regular blogger lately i just find at the momment there is not enough time in the day will try and catch up with you all soon. nearly finished leighs jumper just have his collar and stiching up to do as soon as it is done i will post a picture.

anyhow i have some major big news... here we go are you sitting down...lol

i am getting married on october 17 this year.. in my local church we have drawn up a rough draft of the service we want and we are looking forward to making this committment to each other.

leigh and i had discussed it last october to finally make our pledge to each other.. but we wanted to leave it till after xmas before discussing it further and last week we enquired with a registry office... but i had loads of people tell me to discuss it with my local pastor of the church i am a regular attender and last night he agreed so well obviously i am all of a flutter...

to top it all in november my dad will be sixty and we are having a party for him lol.... so its all go this year.. i cant wait..

anyhow i just wanted you all to hear the news

take care friends

happy stitching

i will catch up with you all soon.

No picts today

2009-02-19T08:50:00.001-08:00

Hiya all just wanted to update you that i am still working on Leighs jumper lol I have another three cms to go and i will be at the armholes on the front.. so fingers cross i should have that finished by next week then i can start on the arms.

I have just brought my wadding for the small quilt hanging that i brought at the last craft show i went ot..its just a nativity scene so all i need now is the backing material and i am going to make a start on that.. i am really looking forward to that .. after leighs jumper that is.

after i have completed them i need to finish the cheetahs as i think my liam has been waiting a long time for them.. and i have my hannah beeby to finish. In between those i have a scooby doo jumper to make for Ethan as he chose that and dinosaur pattern so at the momment i said i would do scooby first..lol

Then in between these i want to get in the routine of making some smalls for the monthly challenge which i have not done yet.. and some bookmarks as the boys are fascinated with them..

what a lot to be getting on with... how many days in a year?lol thats if i dont get side tracked then if i complete that lot there is some xmas items i want to make and whatever Ali decides he wants made.. plus i want to knit some socks and make some things for peoples birthdays..

does anybody else feel like there is not enough hours in the day yikes.. and summer hols are creeping up on me i am always so busy then when the children are off school not much time to stitch..

what is everyone else making and up to? have you all got a to do list? let me know then i wont feel so bad lol

god bless
happy stitching
love to all
tammie

2009-02-11T01:58:00.000-08:00

Yet again i do apologise for not being on here so long i will try to post once a week from now on. My life seems to be a roller coaster of one thing to another at the mo... i just don't have no time to spare,. if its not housework, the children need me and if i am not doing those things then i am at church or doing some study... and after all that i still try to use my little spare time to finish my UFOs which i have many. I hope you are all okay out there.. and are well. two weeks ago i pulled the muscle on my wall cavity and although i am fine now all my shoulder muscles still ache ( most probably due to carrying Dominic as he is really heavy), now the two little ones are suffering from colds.. and Dominic has had a funny tummy. Anyhow enough of illnesses .. above i have finally finished the back of Leigh's jumper and below i have made a start of the front. I may even get it finished by next winter lol.. i am pleased at how its turning out but i find knitting things for adults seem to get me bored so i have been stitching in between knitting this..

To the left is my dolphin that i have finished you cannot really see the full effect from this photo as it was worked on printed canvas and you highlight quite a few of the sections .. although the sky is supposed to be filled with french knots done in pearl filament ( like silver metallic thread) i am not great at french knots anyhow and the metallic thread has frayed very badly over the past few years (most prob the way i stored it) but i have left them out and i think its a good effect.. i just need tofind a frame for it.

I am now working on my gorilla tapestry which i intend to eventually make into a cushion.. and i am working on finishing one colour at a time so i have been working on the black areas first. its coming on really well but i only picked it up last night for the first time in months. he looks so cheeky and sneaky i thought it reminded me of my boys lol..

And below to the left is Ethan who is much better now and Dominic to the right who is as cheeky as ever and very funny to watch. Dominic is now 18mths old and Ethan is 4.

Well as for the neighbourhood project i was so eager to start and make it and i have collected numerous houses but i find i just want to finish my ufos first and not start something else so watch this space because as soon as i have some finished projects then i will start making it. i also have to do a birth sampler for dominic as all the others have one but i never got round to making doms..

Oh well thats all my news and i look forward to hearing from you all soon i will try and grab the computer off of leigh one evening and do a little catching up with all your blogs... i just dont get to go on here unless its during the day and then if i am on here too long the little ones start playing up lol oh well back to the grindstone

take care God bless

happy stitching

tammie

I have finished it

2009-01-16T01:08:00.000-08:00

Hiya all sorry its been so long. Been really busy of late. will try to be more regular on here ( if leigh can get off of facebook that is lol) Anyhow above is my latest achievement. I finished it finally just after the new year started but put 2008 on it as i wanted it to be my last project of the year. I am really pleased with how it has turned out and cannot wait to see it framed. I really enjoyed working on this and intend to get more from their collection.

I have not picked up any stitching since finishing this project as i have been making a jumper for leigh. He has never really shown interest in wearing a knitted jumper that i have made but decided that he liked this one so the knitting needles came out again and so did the purse. Anyhow there are two picts below my attempt at the pattern although i am only on the back at the mo.. and the actual pattern i am doing it from. so fingers cross it will look like that and not end up with three arms or something lol.

I am off to my craft group this afternoon after i have taken the two little ones to their toddler group. I have dug out my cross stitch of the dolphins which i will post a picture of next time. But its half finished i just get fed up with it as i have to work on printed aida and i am not keen on that as you dont see a lot of the stitching.

Last night i had to take Ali to a meeting at his school for options choices. He is now fourteen and has to decide what subjects to take although they have to take quite a lot of core subjects and then have there two choice options and yes you guessed it like mother like son lol.. he has chosen to do textiles and art. lol.. fingers crossed that he gets his choices as their is 160 pupils in his year and they have to sort it all out to see if they can give the majority of the pupils their choices without clashing with another choice. it was very nerve wracking for me as i now definitely feel old it has changed so much since i was at school.. i really sound ancient now lol.. And ali bless him didnt know what to say i think he was both bewildered and shocked that he is now deciding his future.

anyhow best go now.. before i do we hit a milestone or two this last week. Ethan finally come out of pull ups at night time and has had one accident out of three nights so praying for lots of dry nights.. lol and Dominic came out of a cot into Ethans bed as well. At the momment we are top and tailing them because we plan on getting them bunkbeds in the summer when we have paid for our cooker off of the catalogue lol

its all working really well

goodbye for now

happy stitching

and God bless

Tammie

xmas was great

2008-12-31T03:33:00.000-08:00

hiya all sorry its been so long we have had numerous xmas partys for the little ones and visits from family and friends plus a good number of plays and nativities.. so it has been rather hectic here. I am hoping that everyone has had a fantastic xmas as we did. As you can see father christmas visited us very wellthis year lol... we did have a lot of leighs family send pressies and then their were all of ours.

And Ethan loved his jumper that i made him it really suits him even if it is a little too big. Dominic also wore his suit and looked really cute although the trousers fit him well but the jumper i dont think will last for long and my nan loved her shawl although she said that now she felt old being given a shawl lol.

And then below is a jumper that i my mum knitted for dominic and ethan dominics has a stithed emblem of a zebra on it and ethan is just so nice and really stretchy.. but they loved them.

And yes dominic got a small bubble machine which is why the picture looks a bit funny lol.. he just stands there saying look.

Ethan and dominic was also given some weird looking fuzzy ball things and when they are banged they vibrate and make loads of noise which ethan was very intrigued with.

And last but not least it was Ethans birthday on the 30th dec so he turned four i cannot believe how quickly it has gone. He had gone on about his birthday tea for months telling me he wanted a pooh bear cake.. which we got him.. but even on xmas he asked if it was his birthday as i had told him it was after xmas.. long time bless him for him to wait.

We had been given dinosaur plates and cups with table mat that my mother had brought.. and all dominic did was go roar constantly... lol

And now some stitching, yes i finally managed to do some lol.. i am almost finished on this and i am really pleased as to the way its turning out. hopefully it will be finished in the next day or two as i only have the border to do.

well thats it for now i have two ton of photos from xmas and ethans birthday and will gradually put them on here over the next few weeks.. take care and happy new year. may all your stitches be blessed and plentiful.

tammie

happy stitching.

Busy Weeks and secret santa

2008-12-13T01:09:00.000-08:00

Hiya all so sorry that i have not been on here for a while but i have been so busy as we all can be at this time of year. To the left is a picture of a secret santa gift i made for a friend who goes to our craft club. I know its a secret gift but i think that only a few people read my blog from the craft group that it wont matter if i show you. I was really pleased about the way it turned out and did not finish it until thursday evening in fact i stayed up until 12:30am.. the night before the gift had to be given.. it was really great.

I really enjoyed making this and pondered on what to do as i just did not want to buy something i wanted to make something that she would treasure for a little while.. to be honest i am really proud of myself. sometimes i look at something i have made and think that i could not have possibly made that lol.

This week was Ethans first nativity play and he was a king/or wise man... we cheated as he wanted to make a crown hence the cardboard, sticky tape and glittery things came out with the tin foil.. he then wanted to wear his halloween cape and we grabbed some chocolate coins in gold foil for his gift (although i dont think he wanted to part with them for anything lol).

They sang little donkey, Mary was her name, the innkeeper song, and the obvious Twinkle Twinkle little star i think it all went well. A few little ones cried and did not want to do it but we were very proud. lol And of course when it was all over it was a case of lets have a straw throwing session..lol Ethan is in the brown trousers and brown and white shirt.. lol

Last night was our xmas dinner for our craft club.. on the whole it was really good. And quite a livley bunch... I ate a lovely pate with cranberries in and melba toast with salad mmmm, roast turkey sausage wrapped in bacon and stuffing with numerous vegetables.. it was delicious. And afterwards a gorgeous slab of chocolate fudge cake drizzled with chocolate sauce and fresh cream absolutely scrumptious.. lol ( is your mouth watering yet) we then ended with coffee and cream and a really nice little peppermint cream. it was a shame it ended so soon. we all opened our secret santa gifts and i recieved a lovley handbag mirror with a peacock cross stitch kit it looks great.. and hopefully ( when i get a spare minute) i will get it done next year. Although i have wrapped it up to reopen on xmas day lol.

Ive been tagged and mums home

2008-12-02T11:00:00.000-08:00

yeah thats right thankyou for all your wonderful wishes and prayers of support and get wells.. my mother is home and feeling a little better she still has a nasty chest infection and lots of bruises from injections but happy to be home.. so thankyou again.. yippee..

I have been tagged by http://margaretmyblog.blogspot.com/ and so she has asked me to do this so here it goes.. lol

Post the rules on your blog
Write 6 random things about yourself
Tag 6 people at the end of your post
Let each person they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog
Let the tagger know that your entry is posted on your blog

1) I go to Church every sunday, tuesday morning Bible study, and Christianity rediscovered every wednesday evening which i love.

2) I love my family very much and spend as much time with them as possible who knows how long i will be with them or vicea versa.

3) when noone is at home i love to sit and listen to worship music, or read a good book.

4) my favourite sweet is called Jelly tots.. yummy.

5) If i become depressed or downheartened about something all i have to do is look in the world there is always someone worst off then me.. and this makes me feel sad for them but happy for what i have.

6) When in the bath i like to sing my heart out normally evenescence, coldplay, whitney houston, or dido..

sorry did know what else to put.

http://blacksheepsite.blogspot.com/ Edgar

http://yuks-behappy.blogspot.com/ Yuko .

http://lelia-stitchesoflife.blogspot.com/ lelia

http://thetwistedstitcher.blogspot.com/ vonna

http://sweetpeastitching.blogspot.com/ jennifer

http://rosebudsstitching-karol.blogspot.com/ Karol

I think you are all good bloggers and i love all the work you do and i try to visit your blogs as regularly as i can. so well done and i hope you copy and paste this tag so you can pass it on to your friends.

Getting better

2008-11-29T00:44:00.000-08:00

I would love to take the time to thankyou all my friends for your get well wishes and prayers.. she is still in the hospital and getting better by the hour.. i heard yesterday that her stats ( if that sounds right is going up and her breathing is settling slowly. She has been able to eat and was even able to talk and laugh yesterday for a small while without any pain.. fingers cross she will be home today or tomorrow.

Above is a picture for the monthly challenge which was a needle case I used a lovely red and had downloaded a pattern off of the net.. then made my own version to put the year on the back..i think it has come out really well. i did want to get some red ribbon or something to edge it but forgot and have run out of time.

we are in the process of filling the applicaton for ethans school and wont hear until april 1st which one he has got apprently you have tpput three!! but i dont know what to choose..

my cold is still the same and i have no knitting or stitching to show as i have not picked much up the past few days. but will continue with ethans jumper and i have got to finish my secret santa gift for my craft club... ah so much to do and so little time lol

thank you for taking the time to read this and posting comments it means so much

tammie

happy stitching

finished dominics set

2008-11-26T03:41:00.001-08:00

Well sorry all been delayed on coming on the computer.. it has been very very busy... i have had very little time for stitching as i have been knittng as you can see above is dominics xmas set lol and below is the jumper i am making for Ethan hopefully if i finish it in time. This picture is of the back and it is a snake tail on the front you will have the main body and head.. i believe he will love it..although the pict hasnt come out very well but when i have finished the back i will take a better picture.

we have all had stinking colds here which isnt surprising considering it tried to snow on sunday... Alis birthday was on saturday i took him out for the day and we spent his birthday money on a plasma ball card trick set and a scientific flying thingy ma jig lol... i treated him to a lovely hot chocolate with marshmallows and cream which was his highlight ending in a birthday tea of pizza and cakes.. he had a wonderful fourteenth birthday.

we also had some wonderful news on saturday through the post as liam had his year seven tests in september and they have decided to move him from 7e to 7b so he was in a very low class and we had had problems with him being bullied.. the school kept saying they could not move him out of class and now has managed to move himself from second lowest to second highest away from the bullies and he is loving every minute of it.

Leighs dad Ian had a hernia operation on monday which went very well and he is now at home recooperating.. which is very good news.. and leighs mum Kathleen (they are divorced although friends) came for a flying visit yesterday afternoon and we are hoping that she has not taken our cold with her lol.. it was so nice to see her again she is a lovely lady. we had lots of discussions about ethan and where we are going to send him to school and i am now in the process of applying for a school called the charlton c of e school its a very good school with a really good ofsted report but it is based in Dover at least 7miles away,..fingers crossed he is allowed to go there as they only take thirty children but nearly 100 apply. Although as we are regular church goers that is Ethan and I he may get in on just that..

Now for the bad news my mum needed my help today i recieved a phonecall from her and she could barely speak all she said was help me... so luckly i live across the road so i grabbed the little ones and ran.. she was on all fours in agony.. we had to call an ambulance.. she has not been eating well for the last few days and has a bad cold. on top of the asthma and menieres disease its awful.. anyhow .. the ambulance took her off after giving her gas and air for the pain... apparently she went to the doctors last night and was prescribed antibiotics.. when talking to the doctor on call she was told they were causing the problem as they were too strong for her.. she has been suffering since 10pm last night.. with chronic sickness and diahorea.. dont know if i spelt that right.. lol anyhow poor thing i had to get dad home from work so he could attend her.. as i couldnt go with the little ones and dom is not well... and when i rang my dad after he arrived he was in tears love him which of course made me cry as i dont hear my dad cry very often..

hoping and praying that mum will be okay and this is all it is... awaiting phonecall from dad.. so fingers crossed for her..

and on top of that i have been busy going to church and bible study and trying to read my novels and books i have a huge collection..

so there you go very busy will most probably post on friday its craft club then and i will be looking around the school that ethan may attend next year.. i cant believe he will be four after xmas it goes so quickly..

take care everyone

God bless you all

happy stitching

tammieXXX

not well again..

2008-11-15T04:11:00.001-08:00

hiya all not much on the stitching front i am afraid last weekend i managed to stitch the needlebook for the monthly challenge although unfinished as i want to add something around the edge and i need to get some red felt for the middle inside.. for the needles i think it has generally come out quite well.. i have also been knitting a little but not a lot. i was diagnosed with low and behold tonsilitis on monday. I knew i was coming down with something as i had a sore throat from the wednesday before last. but i would not have guessed it was this.. then leigh went to the doctors with ethan on tuesday and they were diagnosed with a viral infection.. so leigh has been off work all week and ethan as been off playschool. Although ethan has been fine and you would never know that anything was wrong with him.

Anyway i shall hopefully be okay for this week although i have missed another albion craft group which i am really upset about. i have never missed two in a row before since it was opened almost two years ago. Well i am nearly set for christmas as i have got at least one pressie for each family member and most of them i have two for. i just have to finish two children off and my parents.. my mum always says she dont know what to buy for the children as they get so much brought through the year ( the older two when they see their dad) but i find it really difficult to find anything for them as they are always buying stuff. i am hoping that xmas is going to be more of a family do rather then pressies and more pressies as the fun seems to have gone out of it.. these days.

anyway bye for now will hopefully have more for you next time.

happy stitching

tammie

jumper finished and another win

2008-11-07T00:32:00.000-08:00

Well i have finished the jumper for dominics xmas present and just started on the trousers. I am really missing cross stitch at the mo but i know i have to make these pressies.. so cant wait to cross stitch again. cheetahs are still on hold. But i do like this jumper and i have tried it on him and it does fit. I dont think it will last very long but it will last this winter.. yeah. lol

on another note my friend took a parcel in for me and brought it round last night. I recognized the padded envelope so immediately tore it open and found the above three small packages inside. I have won a giveaway again with my cross stitcher magazine. I think that is at least four wins in the last five months. I cant believe it.. maybe i should buy a lottery ticket lol..

Well the boys are back at school.. although they dont enjoy it. Ethan is back at playschool and i am glad to say he does enjoy it. we are all back in our routines so hopefully i will be able to catch up with you all and read some of what you all have been up to as i just have not had the time lately. I still have to plan my neighbourhood for the rr.. and do a secret santa gift for someone in my craft club. as well as finish dominics trousers and a jumper for ethan i wonder if i can do it all.. ahhhh so little time so much to do.

thanks for reading and please do leave a comment as i do like reading them.

happy stitching

tammie

jumpers

2008-11-01T11:05:00.001-07:00

Hiya all sorry i have not been able to get on here all week half term and all.. really missed coming on here, thanks for all the wonderful comments i always appreciate what everyone thinks about what i am doing..love reading them..

above left is the front and right the back of a jumper i am making dominic for christmas.. so i am afraid there is no stitching photos. I was trying to stick to my rota but at the momment i just wanted to make him a jumper and trouser set for xmas. i am hoping it will fit him as this the largest size and he is growing so quickly.

Now for some halloween picts.. our local toddlers had a halloween party so i have quite a few picts to show.. lol My niece sasha who is 23mths and my Dominic in his pumpkin suit In this age group of fancy dress comp the little dracula won who is peeping round the corner of dominic.. lol and he looked really good.. lol

Next up is Ethan as well i think he is supposed to be dracula but wanted to wear his red wellies lol although they are not in the photo but a little boy not in the pict won this catergory as a really cute skeleton.

and above right is Ali in a clown mask he made holes in an old top and trousers and tried to become a zombie and liam is the one with the mask with lots of hair he actually won because the leader said he looked like her when she got up in the morning and standing next to him my nephew wearing a starwars outfit.. and last but not least my niece chloe dressed in her pumpkin dress.. with her cheeky grin.. well thats it.. so goodbye till next time..

thanks for looking in

happpy stitching

tammie

lhn giveaway winner and cheetahs are back

2008-10-24T02:02:00.000-07:00

hiya again

not so long a post today sorry the past few have been extremely long... hope i havent bored you all. Anyway left is a chart i won from Angela at the craft room it was a blogaversairy win so i feel very pleased to have won this and am happy to add it to my forever growing collection of charts.

And yes you heard right, cheetahs are back this week it was my rota for trying my hand at the cheetahs although i have not had much time to work on them they are coming along nicely and i have managed to get the hind leg started. it was really nice to pull these out again and see them.

I believe i am getting there slowly but surely.

And we have had problems this week as i took Ethan and dominic too a toddler group this week, on wednesday morning, we come home had dinner and done an activity and then he fell down hill with an illness. after chatting to a friend and ringing the doctor we have found he has Hand, foot and mouth disease. I really had not heard of this before.. although i had heard of the cattle version of foot and mouth. which is different. Ethan is fine in himself but his mouth is sore with blisters and he has a nice rash. as well as a cold. i cant believe another illness we also think that dominic had a mild dosage over the weekend as he was unwell.

anyhow thats it for now have a nice week. and happy stitching.

tammie.

Lhn and monthly challenge

2008-10-19T05:21:00.000-07:00

Well i seem to be getting on well with my Lhn as i took it to craft club on friday afternoon and did a little and then carried on yesterday.. I am really enjoying it and cant wait to see it finished. the colours are divine and really suit. At the momment i am having problems with sorting the photos out as if i take it too close the pictures are blurred and if i take it from a distance you cant really see the stitching but i am loving it. And it feels so easy to do.

And talking about craft club i had a great time and my lovley friend Audrey presented me with a gift of a lovley cross stitched picture of a little boy fishing he is gorgous and immediately went on my wall. I know she originally stitched this picture for somebody else but then they changed their minds about it so i ended up with it.. i can not stop looking at it and it encourages me.. i have now got in mind to stitch a little girl on a beach kit i brought a long while ago thats sat in my cupboard but i want to get some of my wip (works in progress) finished first otherwise i will have too many on the go.

I have now finished my monthly challenge and i am afraid with so much going on i decided to just fit my stitching in a keyring that i can use as a floss tag or keyring i also placed a picture in the other side and it was quite difficult to stitch as i worked this on 32ct evenweave so it ended it up quite small and it is supposed to be stitched on 14ct. But anyway i like it thats the main thing and i managed to complete another challenge yeah... lol

And last but not least my Albion craft club are having a christmas card competition and we are allowed to stitch knit or whatever a card A5 or smaller for this comp by the middle to end of november.. so i decided to make this one its quite cute but i know that my crafting colleagues would have put more time and effort in theirs so i am just happy to take part but i think its so so cute.. On another note although i have no picts Ali won two prizes of which were books from his school for Art and Citenzenship.. So we went to Dover town hall for a great Prize giving ceremony and the Olympic medal winner Danny Crates was there to do all the presenting. He is a great example of determination and strength. After being a professional rugby player, he then lost his arm in a car accident when doing a tour of australia in 1994. he then trained as a scoober diver and taught for 9mths afterwhich he worked in a sealife centre in great yarmouth.. cleaning tanks with 20sharks swimming around him.. afterwhich he decided to keep training for the olympics and para olympics. he became a gold medal winner in Athens 2004 and then carried on training for this year unfortuanately he had one illness after another so could not partake but is now looking forward to entering the olympics in London in 2012.

Very enjoyable evening. Ali made me proud and attained danny crates autograph as well.

Leigh also travelled to manchester to see man united play live. He left our house at 5.30 for a lift to dover with his friend yesterday morning. caught his coach in dover at 7.35am and then was off after one change in london he actually arrived in manchester at 5pm 30mins late to what was expected. The match was thoroughly enjoyable and manchester won against bolton 4 nil.. so great. leigh was seated in the goal area but unfortuantely all the goals was scored at the opposite end of the stadium in the second half. it was awesome according ot him. after the match, ( and no autographs as too many people was there) he had a four hour wait to catch the coach back. The coach left manchester at midnight and arrived in dover at 9.15 am afterwhich he had a hour and half walk home.. when arriving home leigh had a very sore throat from singing and shouting and looked very tired. but still buzzing from the event. lol

And last but not least a comparison of Ali this picture was taken when he was one.. lol does he not look adorable and a real gentlemen there. And the picture to the right he is 13 nearly fourteen in november. although his lovley hair has all been cut off. which i think is a real shame cos longer hair suited him more. anyhow he has changed a lot. next time i will do one picture comparison of liam he looks very mch like dominic without the tan.. lol..

happy stitching

tammie.

Picts and projects

2008-10-15T05:23:00.000-07:00

As promised a few more pictures from Ally Pally... which i thought were interesting works of art and from some very talented people.

Well on the stitching front i have been extremely busy but not actually finishing very much. I have however completed one project although i did not finish it very neatly i think it looks great and its not every ones cup of tea. Any how as i am now a regular church attender and i go to bible study i needed something to carry all my books in and pencils so i made this based on the idea of a friends who had brought hers. I am quite pleased with it.

Over the weekend, I decided to continue my Lhn which i believe is coming along nicely although i did frog and had to unpick five of the windows as i had miscounted by one stitch.. hahahhhh. so that took one whole evening to rectify. i hate it when that happens. Its coming along great. on sunday i worked on the above book bag.. and monday.. tuesday i started yet another project lol. Monthly challenge is something with a halloween theme and i found this adorable little picture in a book so decided that i could use it maybe for a pin keep or floss tag we shall see.

And this is my measley start lol dont say much does it. Anyhow i have a busy week this week i am at bible study tonight and tomorrow Ali has got a presentation evening the friday afternoon i have my craft club so i dont think i am going to get a lot done this week but the rota is doing well. will catch up at the weekend. lol

Well best go now thanks for reading take care

and happy stitching

tammie

Ali Paly

2008-10-11T11:02:00.001-07:00

Well i went to Alexander Palace (ali paly for short) and had a wonderful time. We left Dover at 9am and arrived at about 11.15am and there were thousands of people here to see the gorgeous art and craft exhibitions and stalls.. so many wonderful things on offer its times like these that you wish you were rich.. Above is one of the many pictures made of oddments of material..and as i love beaches i thought this was lovely. Its so amazing seeing all the wonderful things that people can make. Although there was a lot of people and it was very busy and noisey.

Left is a wonderful quilt they are just loved the colours go together perfectly. And below so fairies that i quite liked made up out of oddments of material you could buy the instructions but then you made them up i am not completely sure how they work but well they looked cute.

And below one of the many cross stitch stalls I think i will post more of the show photos next time as i will use my quota up.. I just loved all the stalls.. and browsing the others work.

I did treat myself, firstly to a quilt panel of a nativity scene which had to be ordered so i have to wait for a week for it to arrive and then i can show you.. and the second item i just fell in love with.. i really should have taken a photo of this stall as it was all little house needleworks but i did not have time as i had to go and found it difficult to tear myself away. Anyhow i brought a chart No.35.. called psalm 145. which i think is just right for me. And i have started it already. It uses weeks dye works.. but the lady only sold country colours and crescent colours handyed thread and she matched them up lovely. They do have a website which i have not tried yet but i shall give it to you in case you want to browse..http://www.hoffmandis.com/ and as always i have already started it so here is my efforts so far.. as i explained i am doing a rota so last week was for hannah next weeks smalls the third week will be cheetahs and the fourth week will be for wips or ufos or knitting. and the weekends whatever i fancy. same as week four really i think that sounds good and i will never get bored lols.

Well thats it for now so i say goodbye for now thanks for the wonderful comments and will show more next post.

happy stitching

tammie

Carol recieved rak

2008-10-09T05:41:00.000-07:00

well i ampleased to announce that carol recieved all the goodies i sent her in her rak i really fell in love with this book and its lovley sampler and bookmark that i made her and it was very difficult to part with it lol.. i stitched this on 28ct one over one.. and thought that a small bookmark would help her keep her place for the notes that she might write maybe list all her crossstitching antics.. lol

And i have a further update on hannah as i have been stitching her this week as i said before i am taking in turns or doing a rota. I have decided to do her in red and black to break up the colour.. so i am going to do the underlines in red and part of the patterns in red.. hopefully this will look okay and i cant remember if i said before but i am working her on 32ct one over one again.. i think i am getting the hang of the one over one thing.. lol

Well i would like to thankyou all for the comments you made about alis bag i showed him and he could not believe that i posted it on here.. and was extremely pleased to find that he had all these people from around the world praising him..

i have been fairly busy this week as i now have two bible studies to go to each week one on a wednesday evening and one on a tuesday morning plus toddlers on a monday wednesday and friday morning.. so i only have thursdays left for me and my mother normally comes around then.. therefore my stitching time has been pushed to the evenings now.. when i have the chance althought i am still very passionate about my hobby. Tomorrow we are off to ali paly so icant wait to spend spend spend i just hope my purse can cope.. i am hoping to get wool for some socks and jumpers material and aida for my neighbourhood rr and perhaps some small gifts for people but i am limited in my cash so we shall see.. i just love exploring all the stalls... hopefully will get some picts..

All the children are fine and doing well Ethan and dominic have both got injections next tuesday and ali has also got a presentation evening as he has won a award i am not sure for what but i will find that out next thursday..

take care for now.. next week working on monthly challenge.. hopefully

tammie

happy stitching.

Gifts all around

2008-10-04T01:55:00.000-07:00

Well suprises all the way this week. Firstly thankyou so very much for all your wonderful comments i really enjoy reading what you think about my work and what i am doing at the momment i really love the ideas and answers you come up with to my questions. Anyway Thankyou.

Now moving on i have recieved a number of things this week.. firstly too the left is a gorgeous bag that my eldest Ali made at school he knows i love lilac so his stitching was done in this colour and he also knows i love dolphins... I am so proud of him as he made this at school in his textile class and it is only his second time that he has used the sewing machine so i am really proud of him and thank him from the bottom of my heart.

Secondly in the post yesterday i was very shocked and surprised that i recieved a package through the post that said future publishing.. i was really worried because i knew i had not ordered anything and was completely confused but when i opened it there was a note to say that i had won a cross stitcher giveaway prize. I am a member of crossstitcher magazine and have it sent through the post once a month and sometimes i enter the comps online and the giveaways. Last month i was stunned to recieve two tickets to the Alexander palace craft show. and as my club goes every year this came in handy so next friday we are off to see if we can grab some bargains. Anyway this arrived in the post its called Circe from Vonnie and Hilda and its 15x18 inches and is worked on 18 ct. This is not my normal style of stitching but i do kind of like it.. so perhaps we will see her finished and framed next year (heres hoping) lol.

Well some stitching news finally, I managed to get some 32 count evenweave and have started my hannah beeby so this is the progress i made in three hrs last night at my craft club.. I really should have considered my thread choice I have decided that i am going to work the lettering in a normal black and then i might try a vintage red or vintage green.. we shall see this will definitely be a working progress for a number of months (if not years lol) but i am sure i will finish it (eventually)..

Now a picture of cheeky Dominic, my cold is slowly going but dominic is very bunged up love him, with his dad. And Ethan wanting to get on the act lol.

Iwas also very chuffed to find an email stating the name and address of the person that i am to send a birthday gift to from the http://birthdayblog-emiv.blogspot.com/ or sbbc as its better known.. i am so very very excited to be a member and really glad to have this opportunity i dont think there could be anything nicer then recieving a gift on your birthday of stitching goodies and bits and bobs..lol anything would be nice.

well thats all my news.. except for that leigh managed to get some man u tickets and we have booked his coach so in two weeks time he is going to manchester and i get the house to myself for one whole night (when the kids are in bed) to put some lovley old films and stitch to my hearts content..lol..

anyway best go

tammie

happy stitching

PIF recieved

2008-09-28T06:47:00.000-07:00

Iam so very glad to announce that deb from http://artisticneedle.blogspot.com/ has recieved the Pif i was quite worried as it may not have been to her taste but being new to all this i made a needle book out of various stitches i believe that the end result was very effective. I also sent some material, needles, and little bits. the pict does not show all as i added a few little bits before posting it. I thoroughly enjoyed making it and again another first for me. And I am actually pleased to show you something that i finally made as i do apologize for the lack of stitching goods been shown on my blog lately.

My cold has been driving me loopy but i have been doing all things i normally determined that i am not going to mope about it.. Although i could not stitch for a few days ( as my nose was constantly running) i was on the computer a lot sorting through old pictures... and info for my neighbourhood rr. I believe that i am going to attempt a tablecloth with my neighbourhood around the centre so that when it is over the table you will be able to see it facing you and then around the edging i may do a border with flowers..lol maybe do you think i am taking on more then i can chew? I wanted to underlay the whole thing with some silky material so the back is protected but dont know whether there is anything out there that i can put on the top to keep the stitching nice but still seen..? any ideas.

On another note.. i have started attending church again the last few weeks and at the momment Ethan is attending with me.. he was on stage for the first time in his life as a miller wearing an apron and holding a picture of a windmill for all to see with all the rest of his sunday club. I thoroughly enjoy going the people i attend church with are simply great. I also go to a thing on a wednesday which is called Christanity rediscovered and i seem to have found my faith again or perhaps it found me.. no matter i feel complete now and whole again.

I also wanted to know whether any of you have heard of facebook i am a member. You can search for people you know chat with them compete with them on high scores on simple word games to quizzes i find it fun here is the weblink if you are interested.http://www.facebook.com/login.php

I believe thats it for now and before go yes i have nearly finished my pifs and raks so hopefully just got to get a few bits and they will be sent off then i can get back to knitting and cheetahs..lol

Just been on the monthly challenge is anything halloween so really looking forward to this spooky item... watch this space lol..

ta ta for now

happy stitching

tammie

Cold cold go away

2008-09-23T15:11:00.000-07:00

Well as you can tell, yes, low and behold i am the lucky owner of one cold.. sore throat, stomach ache and runny nose.. the five men in my life have all taken it in turns to have this cold and i seem to be the last one to have recieved it.. arnt they nice.. i could not wish for a better gift.. i have managed to stitch a little yesterday but it was all i could do to walk ethan to school this morning and get home again.. as us ladies know when we are unwell the men still have to work and us women are left to get on with it.. today i could have spent all day in bed.. but obviously i had dominic to look after so that was no option even though i felt like i could sleep for a week.. anyhow i go to bed at 9;30pm and all i do is cough continuosly until 10;30pm so i decided that leigh he needs his sleep for work so i thought that i would put a film on the true movie channel and curl up on the settee... and guess what cough was back again since doing my blog i have not coughed. lol oh i am not moaning i expected to recieve this cold but i just find it amusing that everyone is asleep and did not want to go to bed i despartely wanted sleep and cant lol

anyway my worktable has been overtaken by trigger my cat he seems to have found another sun spot and keeps trying to pinch my table. he is so sweet. Well i have no work i can show as yet as i am still working on pressies and have managed to collect some freebie house charts from various places so thankyou to all who commented on my last post and for your genorisity its so nice that you are all so helpful to a newcomer and i feel so happy to be part of this stitching blog world..

I leave you with some great picts of Ethan and Dominic icing some buns they helped to make but as i was low on the icing sugar it was a little runnier then usual lol so hence the mess. lol

Thankyou again for all your lovley comments and visiting my blog please do keep leaving comments so i may come and visit you as i love reading what everyone is up to on my weekly catch up

God bless you all

Tammie

Happy stitching

PIfs and neighbourhood charts.

2008-09-19T10:55:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone sorry i havent been around just been very hectic lately.. above is a chart that i have brought off of ebay for my neighbourhood rr and below is another one.. I really like these little cottages and decided that my neighbourhood rr is not going to have a theme lol that doesnt make sense does it..

Let me explain, Originally i wanted to do old fashioned shops like an old fashioned high street but i have had problems trying to discover where i could get these from. i have looked on ebay and various other places that i normally shop on and they are either not the ones i have in my mind or they are too too expensive for me.. ( our money isnot stretching as far as it usually does for some reason) anyway so i decided that i would just like to join up houses and cottages that i like. Everyone dreams of their dream house or when i am sat on the bus i think to myself cor thats a nice house and i imagine where i would sleep in that building where would my sewing room be(as i have none now so i stitch in the front room.) ect... so i have decided it will be a bit of a mix up lol but i dont care it will be all mine..

I have got several other ideas and i need to start thinking about what fabric i am going to use and how much i will need.. but i just want to gather some more charts first and then i can work this one out i then want a real nice border and have some ideas on that i am also going to include some flowers plants or bushes and a tree or two.. and hopefully some small animals.. lol cor blimey i dont want much.

I posted my first pif today so that will be arriving soon.. i hope they like it.. will post a picture when i find out they have recived it. still working on a rak and then i think i will be done but i am still very busy knitting my prayer shawl for my nan and then i will get to work on designing my neighbourhood rr.

The other night i watched little women from 1949 and i thoroughly enjoyed it i have seen the 1994 version but loved it.. normally we watch the modern films and leigh likes to watch horrific horrors, murders ect.. he love it the more gore the better. i dont mind some of them but sometimes give me a good flick thats just pleasing to the eye .. and i will be happy. The latest film that we watched was called "the Eye" i was pleasantly surprised as i thoroughly enjoyed this film and it was very addictive as i could not take my eyes off of what was going to happen next.

I am still reading my next book the "Twenty Wishes" by Debbie Macomber she is really good and i just love the idea of creating a list of twenty wishes. they arnt goals or things that you have to they are mad things like owning a pair of cowboy boots to taking up knittng from scoober diving in the coral reef to buying a really posh and expensive car.. but this book sees the changes in the women as they make some of the wishes reality.. really enjoyable read. I have the next Harry potter book lined up the Deathly Hallows still waiting unread bless. I love reading the books and then we get the films when they come out and the kids and i watch them together on a family movie night ( every sunday). I just compare what was in the book and how it differs from the book..

Well i think thats almost it so thanks for stopping by and leaving comments as i really love reading them and seeing what you think on the points i rasie..

happy stitching

tammie.

Look at this.

2008-09-15T04:47:00.000-07:00

Well I am still busy with pifs and raks.. lol i will hopefully finish them soon and then be able to send them all off once i have got some bits and bobs to go with them. The above photo is off my scissor keep that i ordered off of yuko isnt it gorgeous sorry about the picture it has not come out very clearly for some reason.. but its lovley. I also won some evenweave in white off of ebay although i did not take a picture of it as i am sure you all know what evenweave looks like. lol.

i am now officially a memeber of the nieghbourhood project but now i need to get together some patterns and work out where i am going to put them and how much fabric i am going to need. i cant wait to get started. its going to be great.

i am suffering from lack of sleep at the mo as dominic has always slept really well from 6:30pm to between 5:30and 6:30 in the morn.. normally the latter. but the last three nights he has woke up anywhere between 1am and 3am and then i dont get him off again until 5ish.. he tends to stop crying immediately when i go in there but as soon as i leave he starts crying. he has just recieved his second top tooth and had a bit of a cold but he has been happy with. but its leaving us feeling very tired. Got him weighed today he is now 25mths old and weighs 25lbs and 12oz i could not believe lol... the health visitor said he is not really over weight.. so thats good news lol

Well not much news just to say hi and thanks for the great comments..

tammie

happy stitching.

No picts lots of stitches.

2008-09-12T12:39:00.000-07:00

Above is a picture of a caterpillar that liam found with some friends in a hedge somewhere... you know boys will be boys..lol as far as i can tell its just a normal caterpillar.. but i cannot find much info about him.. he is really long and fat with purple and white stripes.. on him.. really awsome looking if anyone has any info on it please let me know.

I am afraid to say no picts of stitching.. today.. i have been still completing pifs and raks.. on a slow going progress... i dont seem to be stitching quickly at the mo.. could be that i am busy at the mo catching up on cleaning and dominic and ethan have been a little snuffily today and yesterday.. ethan looks washed out bless him.. oh dominic started crawling everywhere last week and then up the stairs by friday and sunday pulling himself up against furniture.. he insists on using a fork and spoon to feed himself but dont like help which is putting us in a little bit of a stressful teatime area as he cant quite figure out that you cant stab beans and peas with a fork.

Anyway stitching front well i have finally decided to enlist on the neighbour hood project and already have ideas on what i am going to do.. hopefully if i am accepted as i havent recieved an email of invitation yet but as i only applied a few mins ago i am sure i will recieve something over the weekend.. i cant wait.

i have not picked up my cheetahs again for a while as i have so many little projects at the mo on the go i dont seem to have the time .. once i have finished a few of these smaller projects i will be quite happy to continue the bigger projects.. i have seen some brillant blogs today as i have been doing my catch up.. i love the tilda rabbit i saw and yukos tilda dolls that she recieved what a great pressie.. i am definitely going to look them up. There have beens some great smalls that i have seen and i am gaining so many ideas and many shops to experiment with i cannot wait to try them.. I have just ordered for yukos shop so i cannot wait to recieve a butterfly scissor keep which is absolutely gorgeous.

I am also waiting on some eveneweave so i can start on my hannah beeby.. lol ( when i have the time). My shawl i am knitting i have hit the half way mark so fingers crossed i might get that finished in the next week or two.. as i am alternating stitching and knitting at the mo.

Well i suppose that is all for now. I am going to have to search for some houses for my neighbourhood.. lol.. what have i got myself into..hahaha..

good luck to everyone involved thanks for reading..

tammie

happy stitching and happy blogging.

PIF RECEIVED WOW.MY 1ST ONE..

2008-09-06T10:47:00.000-07:00

Oh my gosh!! I recieved my post today and my dearest friend Margaret from http://margaretmyblog.blogspot.com/ She has been so friendly since i started blogging and i think she is new to all this as well.. but i opened my package that she did as a PIF and well i was actually overwhelmed and near to tears no word of a lie. As you can see she out did herself.. i had a lovely card with a gorgeous note in it.. thanking me for joining her PIF.. She notified me that she had sent me some gorgoeus chocolate passion fruit flavour and the other is blueberry flavour.. the sound fantastic... for the children but we are

all going to watch x factor and try some tonight.. two packs of needles size 26 and 28 petit then out came this needlecase she had made.. it is gorgeous my favourite colour lilac.. the pattern is gorgoeus she has used the pulled thread method (which i have never tried) i cant believe she had time to do all this.. and gorgeous pair of petit scissors with scissor keep with my intials attached to it.. I really want to know where she gets her materials from as they are so soft and the colour is lovley.. i love it and will treasure it always.. And what makes it even more special if that was not enough is that its my first stitched piece ever given to me from somebody else in all my life.. so margert huge THANKYOU THANKYOU THANKYOU...

STITCHING NOTES - This is my monthly challenge bobbin tag.. I quite like what i have done here and i used my raisin wine thread which is so soft and my buttons and scissors,..

Its funny that i was flipping through my mags and found a small chart which i slightly adapted with colour changes ect. the front says a stitch in time of course.. lol and the back says happiest stitching and no.. that is not a real needle i used a light grey and a metallic thread together. Although i am not sure if it should have said Happiest when stitching. instead...lol anyway i am pretty happy with it... and again another first for me..

And last and not least i have been working on a list of things i have to make before xmas no excuses so my first project is a Prayer Shawl for my Nan as i thought that it would keep her warm in the evenings when she reads or watching tele.. and its like having a great big hug from me. Its pretty simple to make and i think that is effective.

I would like to say thankyou to all my friends for reading my blog and commenting so that i know that i am not on my own..

tammie

happy stitching..

from one happy stitcher who is just about to eat some chocolate from New Zeland.

Reading and stitching

2008-09-04T01:32:00.000-07:00

Well i have been really tired lately and cant think why..lol could it be that the kids have gone back to school so now its early starts and rushes? or is it the winter blues, or could it be that i have too many stitching things that i want to do but not enough time to do them.. or it might just be that i am reading the book above called.. Wednesdays at four by Debbie Macomber and just cant put it down.. I aim to read for half an hour every night but that doesnt work as i start reading and before i know it it is 11:30pm and i can barely keep my eyes open. Anyway if anyone gets a chance to read this it is brill.. and based around a knitting club set in a shop called the old yarn. its really good. Does anyone know of a book about a stitching club though? Let me know as i would love to read about a stiching group. I have seen an american quilt and this book is based around knitting... but anything about stitching. A film a book. would really like that.

Anyway above is another picture of my progress on the cheetahs i have not really done a lot on it.. i enjoy doing it but sometimes it becomes more of a chore. I dont know why. perhaps i should go with the old saying of do what you want when you want but if i dont stick it out i dont think this would ever get done.. my resolution was to try and finish all unfinished projects but christmas is approaching fast.,,, i want to make a counting book out of cross stitch for dominic as a keep sake, i also would like to make a prayer shawl for my nan and a scissor pocket and matching scissor keep for my mum.. will i ever get anything i want done for myself.. lol.

so many things to do so little time to do them perhaps i could do with a time management course.. lol.. then i would have more time to stitch.. maybe i should give up sleep... lol that would save me 6 -8 hrs a day.. cor imagine what i could do in that time.

Oh thanks for all the lovely comments and i did check out the website anne that was a good idea. thanks. I have finished my skein tag or bobbin tag whatever its called.. not so sure about how i stitched it together as it looks a little bit messy.. i am finding it harder and harder to stitch my items together without making a complete and utter mess . The stitching is fine its just the making up...lol i am not sure if i am going to start again at the mo or just leave it at that. waiting for the rings to arrive and then will post a pict.. I am going to work on another pif or rak soon.. want to get them finished before xmas lol with everything else..

best go someone needs their bum changed.. sorry to much info..lol

happy stitching

tammie

oh am i the only one thinks this weather has been appalling and we have not had much of a summer. rain rain go away lol

2008-08-30T00:53:00.001-07:00

Above a baked alaska that i made a few weeks ago not sure if this is what it was supposed to look like but it was gorgeous. Ignore the cooker it needed cleaning lol.. Leigh was so surprised the icecream did not melt in the middle and a lot of people around here surprisingly has never heard of it before.. for those that dont know flan case filled with a pyramid of six scoops of vanilla flavoured ice cream.. then maderia cake and fruit we used cherries and raspberries.. then meringue bung in the oven for 10mins and voila.. lol really nice..

As promised my stash has arrived in bits.. this is a few samplers from ebay which i liked the look of god knows when i think i will fit it it lol But i really liked these. The Marion Thorpe is done in dark green and just looks fairly nice. And the my Michelle I thought was gorgeous.. its done using a variation of stitches. and is very very effective.

Below two samplers i brought as a real bargain.. i thought i would do the friend in need one for a special friend and the other for myself.. but i am not sure if i like working on printed fabric yet. I have always mainly worked on plain aida or evenweave.

And last but not least i needed a eyelet tool which i also brought off of ebay i am not sure if it is a decent tool or not as i have tried this and i am not sure if i like the effect that it leaves. Plus i am so scared of snipping into my work just leave these eyelets in. its almost like destroying.. it maybe i should try stitching around the hole instead i will see. Anyway the little basket i picked up at a bootfair for just 20p lol great bargain and i now use it for my silk threads that i recieved from https://hand-dyedfibers.com Who are a really great company and really helpful. I ordered rustic wine and some reds as i loved that colour and omg they are so soft and gorgeous to work with.. i love them... i did get advised though that i should use them rather then just sitting there stroking them.. And last but not least i ordered some lovley country buttons and scissor embellishments from http://www.debbiecripps.co.uk/ she serves a delicious mixture of threads, linen and a gorgeous mixture of embellishments from tools to sports.. i also ordered two silver scissors that are open and have a little more detail on them but have used them for a pif.

Yes you heard me i finally finished a pif so i cannot post it yet on here in fact i have not posted it yet as i need to get a few goodies to go with it. have not worked on my cheetah much latley as i also managed to complete next months challenge but hopefully will get back into the swing of things. I spent most of the last two days cleaning and bleaching my kitchen out. Most of yesterday was spent trying to get my gardening reigned in as i have not done hardly any lately..still got the back garden to finish though ahhh housework .. all kids back to school tuesday it is going to be so so quiet i am not sure if i am looking forward to normality though as i must admit i have loved having everyone home.. will be reading some of your posts later i try to do it at least once a week.. just to be nosy and see what everyone else is up to ..

bye for now and

dont forget

happy stitching

tammie

Cheetahs and chat.

2008-08-26T00:51:00.000-07:00

Hyia thanks to you all once again for you fantastic comments i really appreciate and its so lovely to know that you enjoy reading my blog i must be doing something right lol..

Well still have not recieved my stash but as soon as i do i will post a photo. have been working on those cheeky cheetahs recently and they are coming along slowly i am quite surprised at how much i have got done to be honest with you.. as i have been so tired and busy lately trying to catch up on the dreaded housework and sorting the kids out.. The two older ones are very excited about going back to school i know this wont last once they start but its nice to see them so eager.

I have just ordered myself an eyelet kit from ebay as i need it for this monthly challenge. Its a thread tag.. again i have never made one before but i have looked up the tutorial and have some ideas. i just love doing these nice little things .. makes a change from my normal stitching.I dont know about you but i like to have a little break sometimes. Also realised i have not made a start on the pifs or raks yet so will have to start soon.. i know we have a year to do them but once there done then i dont have to worry do i. Also got a few ideas for them but.. see what happens.

Well not really a lot of news.. oh i was watching a dvd that someone loaned me (i know i dont need it) but it was called cross stitching for beginners.. and although it was very cheaply made and a little boring... she had made a lovely counting book with pictures for a baby out of material cross stitched pictures and wadding in between. what a lovley idea.. think that could be a nice a little christmas pressie for dominic.. if i get the time lol.

thats it for now

tammie..

happy stitching

oh does anyone out there have they same problems as me with keeping their stiching neat at the back i am getting better but at the beginning of the cheetahs my back looks like a rug i am trying a little harder at keeping it neat but i know people where there backs look the same as their fronts just wondered.

2008-08-23T01:40:00.000-07:00

Hiya all i loved all the comments thank you.. keep them coming love hearing from you all. Now on to stitching news-i have picked up the cheetahs again and complete quarter of the right hand side from the middle then started the second quarter to the left last night. I find it easier to do it this way and finish small sections.. it gives me a goal and i seem to get a lot more done..I must admit the picture looks odd as the middle section looks like its not joined properly but i can assure you that this is the other leg of a sitting up cheetah so hopefully it will look a lot better when the bottom half is completed. so far this bit of stitching has taken me approx, two weeks i don't think that is bad going.

I have ordered some stash and a beautiful chart which i cannot wait to receive in the post.. i suppose i will have to be patient trouble its so hard i love receiving bits from eBay or shops through the post it feels like Xmas.. not that i need to order any more as my cupboard is brimming withs stuff.

Thought i better post a Pict of Dominic with his birthday cake from Monday as i realised that i have not done that yet.. he is so big now.. aw.

And last but not least i have just spent an absolute fortune on Ali and Liam's new school uniform as the secondary school has changed to blazers and shirts, tank tops, or jumpers with logos etc They also have to have ties. schools don't think about the expense parents have to go through when they decide to change uniforms but never mind. i can hardly believe these are my boys lol so handsome.

And last but not least i was looking Edgars website( http://blacksheepsite.blogspot.com/) and a few posts ago he was talking about SBBC the stitchers birthday blog club.. http://birthdayblog-emiv.blogspot.com/ it sounds really good and he is opening sign ups from the 29th august to the 26th of september.. i really want to go for this.. you see i have always wanted to sign up for exchanges but i know that i would let someone down or be late or summit as i am always busy with the kids or the stitching that i am doing at the mo. anyway i think it is a really good idea well done edgar.. lol definitely signing up for that one..

take care and happy stiching

tammie

oh as soon as i recieve my stash will post a pict.. lol

stitching and meanings

2008-08-20T03:26:00.000-07:00

i have just found a really great website. It all started i was watching a programme where people dig out their junk and sell it at auctions and someone had a gorgeous and huge sampler which was stitched in sept 1847 it was truly beautiful and sold for £290 which i think it should have gone for more but hey it was beautiful.. anyway they were looking into the symbols and their meanings from stitching and i found it really interesting so looked for a website.. I know a lot of you out there love stitching samplers so this website gives you a list of what the little pictures represent..http://www.exemplum.co.uk/motif.html so fantastic those of you that are really creative lol could create a sampler with the meanings you want in it or can now see what your stitching is really says.. its true... stitches talk.... lol more post in a few days had to let you in on this now

happy stitching
tammie.

Awards, comments and birthdays

2008-08-18T03:26:00.000-07:00

lisa from memyneedleandi has nominated me for the brillante weblog award. I am so appreciative for this and thank her wholeheartedly for all her comments on her blog. But i have decided it would be unfair to nominate only a few people as i read as many blogs as i can fit in once or twice a week. And all those that i manage to read i love. They are all unique as are the individuals that write them and i just cannot possibly choose. So i think all of you deserve the award. The stitching stories that i read are fantastic and the differences in stitching tastes is so varied. We all have one thing in common and that is we love to chat, show off our talents and stitch..i think the blogging world is a great place to escape to and again you all should have the award.

Helen from stitchery nook found this on rachels blog and i thought for fun i would take part.

I do wonder if there is anyone who reads but doesn’t post comments, I don’t mind as I do read some blogs but don’t comment as well. But it would be nice just to say hello and maybe come and read your blog as wellSo who reads my blog?

1. As a comment on this post, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn’t matter if you know me a little or a lot, anything you remember! And if we’ve never met in real life, leave me a comment of your favorite post I wrote and why it was your favorite.

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It’s actually really funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I’ll assume you’re playing the game and I’ll come to your blog and leave one about you.

3.Do you read my posts from a reader,blogroll or is this your first visit?Thank you

Dominics birthday is today and so far he has had numerous presents and cards.. as well as money and clothes. He still has a few more things to come and his birthday tea and cake this evening. I cannot believe he is one it has gone so very quickly and i am quite sad in one way as i know he will be my last baby boy. I dont want any more children but those of you that have children will understand they grow too quick and they are not little baby s for long. Its also quite exciting hearing say the odd word and seeing him attempt to crawl or walk. I cant believe that this time last year i was just about to bring him home for the first time to meet his brothers.
Stitching front i am on the cheetahs at the mo and have made progress but not enough to show but will be browsing this viki claytons website as i am hearing so much about it so i cannot wait to see what goodies she has got.

take care
tammie
happy stitching

.

Trips, B'days and stitches

2008-08-16T02:12:00.000-07:00

Well it was leighs birthday on monday and i had paid for him to be a member of his football club Manchester united for a year. Which means he gets discounts on tickets for matches and magazines with extra bits and bobs. I also brought him a football manager game for the computer from the boys and leighs mum had got him the new football te-shirt. Which is all he ever wears. lol. As you can tell leighs life revolves around football just as mine does around stitching. lol

We went to Wingham wildlife park on wednesday. (its cheaper then a zoo and easier to get to.) We all had a thoroughly enjoyable time but the weather was really weird. First it rained the it was really warm and sunny and it just kept swopping every half hour or so. We did not mind though as there are lots of aviarys and things to walk in. plus shelters so you can eat. I believe the best bit was the reptile house. twice a day they hold a chat there about reptiles and the guy passes a snake (which happened to be a royal python) The boys were in there element. And yes to the left Ethan is holding a tarantula. eek. they also got to hold a gecko as well. You could see iguanas lizards. geckos different snakes. praying mantis. and even a crocodile in his tank. We also saw lemurs, goats, lamas, peacocks, owls, wild cats, parrots, butterflys, donkeys, and pigs and much more. They have got a lovely park. It was well worth the bad weather and travelling.

We then spent thursday back in Canterbury shopping although we had been told about a exotic pet shop so we searched it out and low and behold small but long a fantastic well worth a visit exotic pet shop. There was ball pythons , lizards, Geckos, toads and frogs, and salvador water monitor that the pet shop had rescued..i think they do stunning work.
And finally we went on a trip on friday to deal outdoor paddling pool.. we were lucky that the weather was quite nice but the pool was freezing.. although everybody had fun.. we did a beach comb which everyone recieved treasure, a lovley bag of sweets. Then it was too the scout hut for a beautiful lunch of rolls salad fruit, and yoghurt and strawberries and cream. They also had a bouncy castle, small crazy golf and a mini golf course. the kids loved it. but i think after three days of going out it was nice to be home again.

On the stitching front, I have obviously been too tired to do anything other then sleep but i did manage to do a matching scissor keep for my scissor pocket for the monthly challenge. And i dont know if you remember but i was doing some cheetahs on 28ct evenweave and i have picked up again after a long break. i am a quarter of the way there. well i think i am finished at the momment my post is supremely long as we have done so much. Dominic turns one on monday so i will post some lovely birthday picts of his first.. birthday cant belive how hold he is. he now weighs 24lb 15oz.

finished sampler yipee

2008-08-11T03:20:00.000-07:00

Well as you can see with a lot of determination and hard work i have finished the sampler.. i am really proud of this and i cant wait to do it for dominic but i am going to work on some ufos first. As you can see the left photo is without the backstitch and the right with the backstitch. i think no matter which one you look at they are so realistic. i hope the young lady likes it as much as i do.

i still have to make a start on my scissor keeper for my monthly challenge, I have several ideas but I am unsure at the momment which one to choose. still we have plenty of time yet.

The kids are being great. The two older ones seem to be enjoying bickering with each other and i have now chosen to ignore it as when i intervene they just get worst. We went on a teddy bears picnic last thursday but the rain lashed it down for the first 30mins. We were stood in the middle of a field and i was really hoping that it would not rain for the full four hours i had to be there. It actually turned out really nice and there were bouncy castles.. sticker hunt disco painting and water play as well as a safety chip pan fire display for the kids.

Any way it is leigh s birthday today and although we are not doing anything special i am cooking him a nice steak dinner... tonight.. when the kids are in bed lol. this week he has got off work so we are going on some more trips.. yeahh

chat soon

happy stitching..

tammie

Progress and dinosaurs

2008-08-06T05:16:00.000-07:00

Hiya all thanks for the wonderful comments. I thought i would show you my progress on the baby sampler. The more i see it coming along the more i know i have to do this for me. lol. My friends daughter is on holiday for two weeks so i am hoping to get it finished before she gets home. I have a week and a half to complete it and do all the backstitching. yikes i need to get my skates on. There is nothing like setting a challenge is there?

On another note i found out that my monthly challenge is for a scissor keeper and i have just been given a chart from my mum for one so i will just see if i can fit this in as well.

On monday, Leigh and I had a brain wave and decided to take the boys to the london natural History Museum.. Although Ali is like me and worries too much about whether we will miss trains and such. we had a fairly good day. Liam had a strop once or twice but we were all fascinated and although we were there for nearly four hours we still did not get chance to see it all. The T rex was the main attraction as it moved with the heat of people and growled whilst opening its mouth.. the tail and head swished in all directions.. very life like. Ethan was fine until i picked him up for a closer look and then he cried as the dinosaur growled at the same time. lol. We all loved the earth section with a small japenese style shop and imitation earth quakes, cars crashed into walls.. and rocks, gravity ect. it was great but we were all exhausted. we had left the house at 8am and did not arrive at our door until 8.30pm and as the kids had never been to london via train or with us before it was exciting for them.

As for stitching well i am still trying to keep up with this in the evenings but obviously dont get chance to do anything during the day. Tomorrow we are going with the local toddler group on a teddy bears picnic. they have got some games arranged and stuff for the older kids to do as well so i am really hoping it stays nice despite the weather forecast stating that it is too rain hard.. aww.

On friday i have toddler group then in the evening my craft group which i cannot wait to escape to lol it is so refreshing to go somewhere where others enjoy your craft and you are not with children. I love them dearly but it is nice to have a little time of you own.

goodbye for now

happy stitching

tammie

Baby sampler and holidays

2008-08-03T05:25:00.001-07:00

Well the holidays are going fine amongst the boys. Although for myself i feel exhausted i am trying to stitch as much as i can and as you can see the baby sampler is coming along so hoping go get that finished within the next two weeks.

i dont seem to be able to get on the computer much leigh is playing a football manager game most evenings and during the day i am just too busy to be able to get on here even if it is available.

I cannot wait to see what the next monthly challenge is as i really enjoyed the scissor pocket.. i am learning so much stuff that i cannot believe i did not know already.

I am now reading the Kite runner by Kahled Hossein I have seen the film but i was brought this for my birthday so i thought that i would give it a go.

Well sorry this is short but sweet apart from going on a picnic and stitching the baby sampler i have not really had chance to do much else. sowill try to post some more news asap

happy stitching

Tammie

BIRTHDAYS AND VISITS

2008-07-27T10:10:00.000-07:00

HIYA and thanks for the great comments love hearing from u all. I have been unusually busy. On tuesday Leighs mum come down to stay until thursday so we had a great time but it was hectic because Liam had his last few days of primary school. Lots of tears.. bless them. We had a great time as all the kids leaving had done a memory book of their last year and wrote what they thought about the other kids leaving.. Liam was called a Readaholic and a maths genius. lol

On Friday was my birthday and i took the little ones and liam to toddler group Liam nipped up the local shop and then surprised me with a lovely vase of flowers.. which was also embarrassing as all the toddler group could see them set on the table. I then dropped the kids off home and as leigh was back i went off to my craft club where i managed to get some time to myself for a change to stitch.. Very rare thing to get time to do what you want on your birthday and i loved every minute of it. When i got home i was presented with some lovely gifts. Leigh had brought perfume from Ethan and a mother plaque from dominic. He had brought a lovley painting of a unicorn off of a neighbour who had painted it for me as i love fantasy stuff. And Leigh had managed to get my friend Beth and her husband to make me a pair of large knitting needles.. they are huge but i have had my eyes on these for a while they are really good to make rugs and blankets. I also recieved a dvd called the other boleyn sister.. so cant wait to watch that. Leighs mum had brought me a book called "the Kite runner" i have seen the film but i love reading so cant wait to start this one. and she had got me a new purse with ten pounds init. ( that will go with the rest of my birthday money for more stitching stash).

On sunday it was my mums birthday so i gave her a book with a hand stitched bookmark (forgot to take pict) and also gave the picture with the "God grant me serenity" poem on it. On the sitching front i have now finished my scissor pocket which i think is great although the material i got does not do it justice but i am happy with it.

I have also been stitching my baby baby sampler and getting there. i think i am halfway through now possibly. Oh and i thought i would let you know that i have finished reading "Meet on Platform 8"And have started reading a book Leigh picked up for me called The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler. meet on platform 8 was quite hard to get into and was not until i hit half way that i actually began to get in to it. It was about a married man who fell in love with someone else wanted to have an affair but realised he was in love with his wife. lots of ups and downs and laughterand tears. lol

Best go now

take care

and happy stitching

tammie

2008-07-21T00:24:00.000-07:00

Carol R has nominated me for the Kreativ Blogger award and as such i believe i am supposed to nominate five more so here goes.

Firstly the Rules:
1 The winner may put the logo on her blog.
2 Put a link to the person you got the award from.
3 Nominate 5 blogs.
4 Put links to the blogs.
5 Leave a message for your nominees.

http://blacksheepsite.blogspot.com/ Edgar

http://istitchaholic.blogspot.com/ Carol R

http://yuks-behappy.blogspot.com/ Yuko

http://stitchingranny.blogspot.com/ Helen

http://margaretmyblog.blogspot.com/ Margret

And on another note i have to let you all know who my pifs are and i will also notify those who will recieve an Rak.. as i need your address anyway so it would be lovely if you could send them to me via email please asap.. i have got 365 days to do it in so here goes the names..

Deb http://artisticneedle.blogspot.com/

Deirdre http://stitchingteacher.blogspot.com/

and as i only had two sign up awww lol for pifs this is the four Raks

Carol R http://istitchaholic.blogspot.com/

Margert http://margaretmyblog.blogspot.com/

Lelia http://lelia-stitchesoflife.blogspot.com/

Helen http://stitchingranny.blogspot.com/

hope this is okay with everyone and those that are chosen please email me with your addresses so as when i have your small items done i can send them.. Any colour preferences or themes please let me know and i will try my best.

Well today Ethan is going to a party for his playschool to say goodbye to some friends that leave for priamary school. The playschool does adjoin the school so he will still see them but its not the same when you are not with them all day. I feel quite sorry for him as all the children he plays with but one is going to big school and he is only 31/2 but looks older because he is quite tall. People keep asking me "i bet he is looking forward to school"and i have to reply that he has another year yet. lol. On the stitching front i have picked up the baby sampler again and although the progress is slow as it took a while to get into it after stitching little bits on my tapestry (quite a difference between wool and thread) i will post a picture in a few days when it looks like i have done some work on it.

anyway bye for now.

oh i forgot to tell you Ali and Liam have taken the teacher samplers in today to give to their favourite teachers. just in case they are not at school for some reason in the next few days.

happy stitching

tammie.

PIFs and chosen raks lol

2008-07-19T00:43:00.000-07:00

hiya all well i apologise for the last post my pictures of my tapestry have not been shown for some reason i dont get why i did the same as i always do. never mind .so here it is.. i think he looks great and you dont realise how much it really comes to life until you see some of your stitching. hopefully i might start on my baby sampler again tonight. i am still bunged up but the cough is going.. so i am able to concentrate a little more.

Next is the picture of my little Ethan trying to do a egg and spoon race in his sports day at his playschool he done really well and i liked the way noone was cheered because they came first ect they just took part and we cheered them all on he done really well.

And below is my liam dressed for a play called Olivia that he did as an year six play.. he is leaving primary school and it was a massive deal.. i was so proud and he looked so grown up next to his best friend leonie.. it brought tears to my eyes.

Now for the PIFs Deb from artistic needle and Deirdre from the stitching teacher signed up for the pifs if there is anyone else that wants to sign up please email i am going to look at the posts tonight and email all the people i have chosen for an rak. so that i can get an address. thankyou to deb and deirdre for signing i really appreciate it..

well i am off to liams last summer fete at primary school today so happy stitching. i hope the rain holds off.

tammie..

keep on stitching.

Pifs and Raks

2008-07-16T06:32:00.000-07:00

Firstly i understand that noone so far has signed up for a pif and i know and understand that at the momment everyone has got far too much on or have already done several and ran out of people so what i shall do is if noone or under six have signed for a pif the reaminder i will make into raks (random acts of kindness) i will write all that have posted comments in the past two weeks on any of my posts and then will draw on saturday six or the remainder to recieve an rak i will then inform them via email and will ask for addresses.

where i have been unwell i could not stitch the baby sampler or go down town for my material to finish the monthly challenge off. i was loosing track on my charts and lack of concentration and constantly putting the stitching down to blow my nose or cough was not nice. so i picked up my tapestry of my monkey which i absolutely love.. and started doing that. its looking good is fast to stitch and quick.

on another note.. liams sports day was brill he was first in one race and second in two others and also ran a race with ethan in the sibling race.. is was funny. i also attempted the mothers day race and it was great although i was most probably tenth or summit. coughing fits ensued aftewards..

take care

tammie

happy stitching

thanks fro the get well wishes

PIF

2008-07-12T01:22:00.000-07:00

Hiya i dont know if you are all busy doing pifs or if you just dont have the time but in my last post i was asking for comments if you would like to recieve a pif all you have to do is pif to three people that leave comments on your post. i have actually signed up for two without realising it one from margert on margrets my blog and one from jennifer from sweetpeas. i have never done this before and i am really excited but now i need six peole so please, please leave comments for a pif
thanks tammie

happy stitching

Stitchpink

2008-07-10T01:38:00.001-07:00

Hiya thanks for the great comments i still feel really rough just thought i would let you all know that http://stitchpink.blogspot.com/ is having a comp all you have to do is place a comment and you will be entered in a draw to win the abovc bag which i think is gorgeous. just visit the blog and have a look.. you dont have to have a blog an email address will do. the draw takes place on july 30th..

On another note i wrote thursday for liams sports day and its tomorrow still dont think they will do it though the field is too wet. oh well they set a reserve for the 21st we will see what happens.

On the stitching front did not stitch anything i just could not stop coughing and blowing my nose and i was going start getting myself into shape via a davina mcall dvd lol oh well that will have to wait what a shame lol

(Ethan above on slide) I have been selected on http://margaretmyblog.blogspot.com/ to recieve a pif which means that i have the fantastic opportunity to choose three people to recieve a pif. (pay it forward stitched item) . So you have all got until next friday the 18th july to leave comments on this blog. All that does will then be placed in a draw and i will get each of my three older boys to draw one out of a bag, box , or bucket lol those lucky three will recieve a stitched gift within the next 365 days but will also have to pay it forward to three more people.. lol have we all got that. Please bare with me as i have never done this before or exchanges so this is a first. And i thought i would explain it all so that those of you who dont know what this will now.. lol

glad i got that out anyway good luck and thanks again for the get well wishes and comments.. tammie.

above is dominic he is now 11mths next friday.

scissor pocket

2008-07-09T10:48:00.000-07:00

hello again..

just wanted to show you my start on my scissor pocket and i only started it two days ago when i finished the teaching sampler.. i am really proud of this.. i did not know what to do as i had no kits and have never done one before. I looked on ebay but could not see one i liked so i designed the outer edges myself and then took several charts of flowers and a butterfly from "Donna Koolers, 555 country cross-stitch Patterns" a book i thought i would never use. I have stitched on 28ct evenweave over one thread using two strands. i have used two beads for the antenna.

I am hoping to get some material that matches my design in my local craft shop on friday and i will use that to back it.. hopefully i will do the stitching justice.

I have got a serious runny nose and slight cough.. feel really rough and tired... this cold is awful and the weather is seriously daunting. one minute it is really hot for a week then this week its raining and windy all week.! Liam has an all day sports day on thursday!! at this rate, not looking good. He has got his taster day at secondary school tomorrow and i think he is nervous.. lol bless him.

anyway will be back soon

tammie

happy stitching

Teacher sampler two

2008-07-07T10:07:00.000-07:00

Hiya just a quick hello and to show off the second teacher sampler. As its for Alis teacher and he has requested blue border had to do pink hearts instead of blue so it looks different then the other one. The wicker fruit bowl is what i brought with the blue and brown box gorgeous isnt it. Anyway better go. Leigh is bathing the two little ones and i will be requested to feed dominic whilst he sorts ethan, thats what you call team work..

Think i have a cold coming so not sure how much stitching i am going to get done but as i cannot find any patterns i like for the scissor pocket on the monthly finishing challenge then i thought i would make one up lol

lets see how that turns out

happy stitching

tammie.

2008-07-06T06:51:00.000-07:00

I want to thank you all for your lovely comments its so nice to hear from fellow stitchers, and to hear what they think of your work.. above is my second teacher sampler with blue border i should finish this hopefully by tomorrow as it is really easy piece to do..

Anyway ali, liam and i decided to walk to the nearest bootfair which is about 1-2miles away from where i live.. the weather was cool and windy but the rain held off . When we arrived we thought that there was hardly anything there. but as i was looking around i found several wonderful things. And i had to share today with you a couple of my bargains.

Above is my mini chest of drawers and although i went to the stall i twice i thought it was out of my league in price as i did not have a lot i could spend. When i reluctantly asked the price the lady only wanted £2.00 for it.. oh my god i think i was a little quick and loud to say yes please. the drawers are small but very deep and it looks lovely on my cupboards.

Above is my little box i got this and a large dark brown wicker basket for 50p together lol the box is made from sturdy cardboard and the top is brown material which is padded the idea was to stitch something perhaps sepia in a oval shape possibly a flower or even some wording and then glue the stitched piece on the lid. A little bit of ribbon or cord and this will be gorgeous. I also picked up a wicker letter holder and four picture frame 2 10 by 8 and 2 a little smaller.. they were 50p for the lot. i brought the godfather book for leigh at a £1 and troy as well another book for 20p each.. i did come across a hoop, some stitchingmags(which i already had but they were charging 30p omg) and two cross stitch books but they were no good for me..

anyway liam decided to spend his saved up pocket money on a lovely golf bag with about 8 clubs tees, and golf balls. i dont know why as he has never been into golf but must be his newest fad. Ali only brought a pair of really cosy but brightly colour adidas moon shoes things.. we had fun and a lovely walk.

will post again when i finish teacher sampler and perhaps can get on with baby sampler and scissor pocket.

bye for now

2008-07-04T07:35:00.000-07:00

Hello again i know this is early for me as i normally post once a week but i just had to thank everyone for all your lovely comments and show you what arrived in the post this morning. As i am a subscriber of cross stitcher i decided for once to do a bit of stitching to see if i could beat the post and be the first to send a completed item out of the magazine which i did. And my prize unexpectedly popped through the post today. A lavender sachet, a bookmark and a small picture they look great and i will used them all..

on another note i thought i would let you know that i have started my second teacher sampler for alis teacher and i am going to work on the sepia baby very soon just until i have finished the sampler.. school finishes in three weeks..

The baby was charted by maria diaz and is called the new arrival or baby portrait.. it was printed in issue 144 of cross stitch collection which you can pick up at newsagents or whsmith.. although this particular chart was in may 2007 issue.

you could order it off of ebay sometimes they sell these magazines quite cheaply especially older ones.. for anyone that is after the chart... in future i will write what the chart is called and whether it was in a mag or who it was by hopefully this will help everyone a bit more..

take care

keep on stitching slim lol

tammie.

FINISHED SAMPLER

2008-07-01T04:16:00.000-07:00

hello again been really busy here as usual.. As you can see above i have finished the teachers sampler for liams teacher and i must say i think it looks great. and the frame only cost me £2.50 lol.. Anyway now i have to do another one for ali for his favourite teacher but as its for a male teacher i have been asked very nicely if i will do the edging in blue lol

I have also just started a baby sampler for my friends eighteen year old who has just had her first baby girl named acacia and was 5lb130z so tiny.. she was born on thursday 26th and is so adorable..although it does not look much yet i wanted to show you it.. originally i wanted to do this one for dominic and i still will as i have made all my boys samplers but that will be a project perhaps for the winter. below is a picture i have added of the finished product so you know how much more i have to do.. I have also enclosed a picture of the book that i have been reading recently its one of those that once you start you do not want to put it down. I thought at first i would not enjoy it as recently i have been reading the golden compass(northern lights.) which although i enjoyed i see as teenagers publications and they are fairly easy to read. but this story is based on reality although told by fictional characters and is set in the crisis of afghanistan. It follows two girls and the trials and tribulations of love through war and is a fantastic read i would recommend it to anyone as i really did not want to put it down and could not wait till the afternoon for when dominic went to sleep to be able to sit in the garden and read.

I also want to congratulate emille for winning the monthly challenge and look forward to attempting to make a scissor holder. And can i thank everyone that takes the time out to look at my blog i really appreciate and i update at least once a week so thanks again..

ronaldo and teacher sampler

2008-06-23T11:09:00.000-07:00

Hello all my weekly update i have put my dolphins onhold for the time being as i recieved my cross stitcher on friday the thirteenth and on the way to craft club i decided to buy the threads for the ronaldo above as my partner is a huge man u fan. i wanted to complete it for fathers day and started it the same day. i told my craft club i would have him finished by the sunday on fathersday but as all the stitching i had done at craft club i had stitched in the wrong colour. And had to start it all again. I finally finished it on thursday. and i must say i think its come out great.

My second achievement is a teacher sampler that i am doing for liams teacher as she has been brilliant in encouraging his literacy and maths with extra classes in phenomones and phonics.. and now liam has reached above expectations in his reading levels and maths.. And after doing this sampler i will be doing another one for Alis teacher who has encouraged him throughout his first three years at secondary school.. i thought i would post a picture of the finished product from the magazine so you get what i am doing.. my material is a little darker then stated but i still think it looks great.

thanks for looking

tammie.

2008-06-16T10:42:00.000-07:00

hiya all have no stitching picts today as my camera has run out of batteries. The picture above is of dominic he is almost ten months old and not interested in crawling yet as he lays on his belly and cries. He can go backwards or in a circle but does not like it.. Today he was wanting to walk everywhere holding my hands so i got the walker toy out that he got for xmas and we tried him with that. although he was really wobbily he loved it.. a few falls and a couple of bumps and tears but he still wanted to try again.. and i was not helping him for the majority of the time. they grow so quickly.

Liam had his eleventh birthday yesterday which was nice. It was just me and leigh and the boys. Everyone gave him money so he spent some on folders and inserts to put his pokemon cards in as he has thousands of them.. i took him to canterbury for the afternoon and leigh and i had no idea what to get him so he chose to go to build a bear and brought himself a monkey with a leather jacket trousers and te shirt.. he looks really cool and at the momment liam wants him to go everywhere.. i know it sounds babyish but he loves cuddly toys.. he tends to bring them to life.

on a stitching note.. i amdoing really well.. i did have a huge ambition as i recieved my cross stitcher on friday and went down the town for my craft group so i brought all the cross stitch materials to do the small ronaldo in the mag. i was hoping ot finish it for fathers day for leigh as he is a big man u fan.. but i was not feeling too great, it was busy what with liams birthday and all. and leigh did not go to bed early on friday and sat so i had no chance to secretly stitch him.. i have also brought the materials to do liams teacher a sampler before he finishes priamary this july as she has been brill for him..

hopefully will update this post with a few picts tomorrow if we get the camera sorted..

oh and i won a small prize in the cross stitcher for beating the post with a stitched scissor keeper needle holder and pin cushion. I was really chuffed but hopefully will recieve my prize pretty soon.. then i can show you all..

cant wait for next months challnege..

tammie

2008-06-09T13:15:00.000-07:00

Well hello again thanks for all your comments its really appreciated and i am glad that i am not talking to myself again lol thats the first sign of madness. Anyway, i have finished my lovely tin.. its gorgeous i absolutely love it there were some trial and errors.. as i did not have the right glue to fix the material on it so i had to use double sided tape.. that was fun..

The snail was taken by Jane Greenoffs the cross stitchers bible project book its really good. I also taught myself the four sided stitch (that i used around the tortoise not that it shows very well. But it looked really good.) that was in this book.. the gorgeous velvet material came from a baby doll dress that my mum brought for me when i was fourteen i absolutely loved the material and could not bare to part with it so i transformed the majority of it in to a bag. And i have used the leftovers for this tin. The snail is also enhanced by some gold metallic thread not that its very clear as my batteries were running out on my digital camera.. oh no....

And now although my stitching is unnoticeable, this is the weird but gorgeous dolphin that i am trying to finish. i started this at the beginning of last year but i really liked it but when it arrived through the door and i saw all the printed design.. i was in awe. it was so dark. plus you only stitch on certain areas whole cross stitches and half cross stitches.. but as this is my stitching unfinished projects year lol i am plodding on... And eventually i might get its only taken half the year.

Well its almost fathers day and i also have two birthdays as well lol. Liam will be eleven (god i feel old.) and my nephew is ten on fathers day.. so i believe there will be some celebrating. So happy birthday to my son and nephew and i also want to say a special happy fathers day to all those special dads.. especially for putting up with nagging wives lols (we only do it because we love you ) and the whinging crying kids lol.. i know i know creep but its just to understand sometimes what men have to go through.. my man goes to workfor 4.30 in the morning.. he dont get home until 3pm and thats after cycling approx. 4miles to work and 4miles back.. then he picks up ethan from playschool just because he wants to and sometimes he cooks tea. other days he looks after all the kids whilst i cook.. he always washes up after tea insisting thats his job. we take it in turns to put each of the youngest two to bed and read them their stories.. as well taking it in turns to bathe them.. and then he still finds time to play games, with the older ones in the evening or help with homework or just sit and chat.. so i am truly grateful for a wonderful partner and father as well as stepfather. and wish all those dads out there a wonderful fathers day we do appreciate you.. lol
god i am waffling so i am going now bye bye..

tammie happy stitching.

getting there

2008-06-07T09:59:00.000-07:00

Well hello again i am trying really hard to keep my tin topper small this month as i have a couple more unfinished projects i need to do. The tin top is done but i want to finish the inside off it is an old tobacco tin of my dads that is quite small in size actually.. I loved this tortoise design so used it . i believe it is simple but effective..

I am working on a small snail to go in the lid which i have used a variegated thread and some gold metallic thread for adding a little detail.. then i just have to add some lace or summit around the edge and do the inside.

Above is a picture of my archemelimolis if i have spelt that right i thought i would take one to see how it came out as the water drops look so pretty..

I just love this look on plants.. although i would much rather the summer hurry up... well i will write up again as soon as i have finished my tin and also post a picture of my dolphins that i am doing as its a weird as its only partly stitched and is colour printed on i dont like these but i do love the dolphins

well take care happy happy stitching

Yipeeeeeeee

2008-05-31T02:40:00.001-07:00

Well i finally finished the Newcastle upon tyne sampler yipeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Although someone has suggested that i put all the place names in their boxes but i am not sure. I am actally quite proud of it the colours blend really well. My favourites are the colours of the cranes, the angel of the north and the millenium bridge. I am really chuffed and i have finally decided that i am going to keep this one myself and frame it as originally it was going to be a pressie for leighs grandparents.

This picture to the right shows the writing which i quite like the little rhyme. A few stitchers at my Albion craft club commented on how close i was to finishing it yesterday and was amazed how far i had come with it. so thats another piece i have finished this year only two or three more to go the biggeys. yikes . may take me a while.

Well i looked on the monthly challenge website today and i could not believe how gorgeous all the biscornus are now we are to do a tin cover and perhaps inside as well. I thought this was a good idea. but dont know where to start. A friend of mine showed me some lovely magazines with some beautiful charts in. The magazine came from france and the detail was great. All the stitching was done the most traditional and lovliest red. So i am going to search the net for something similar. And i may try to cushion and line the inside of the tin. Have to get one first.

Well i thought i would show you a picture of my Verbascum.. this is the weirdest plant i have ever come across. I brought it in 1999 for 50p off of a stall. I never thought it would do this and only knew its name but nothing about it. Well i moved in 2000 to where i am now and planted it in my front garden. it just stayed as leaves small furry ones. the next year it started to flower. but i did not expect the long poles and the lovely little yellow flowers it produced it was taller the me then i was 5ft 5in. after that the next year nothing not even a leaf. I thought oh it must have died thats it.. so in 2003 my neighbour was really surprised to find furry leaves sprouting next to my fence but in her garden. 2004 it flowered. And was even taller and produced two poles. 2005 nothing. 2006 more leaves and flowered in my garden which was strange but it had moved. well 2007 the strangest of all i found leaves growing which i recognized as the verbascums on a patio right in the middle but next to the fence in my back garden.. It takes a large piece of space and this year 2008 its flowered four poles. and is looking more beautiful then ever, i have never had a plant like this before. And its pretty obvious it self seeds but only one plant. i just cant wait to see where it pops up next... lol

take care and good tin covering

2008-05-26T07:03:00.000-07:00

Hiya Well i am really proud to have finished my biscornu on time. The symbols were from cross stitch myth and magic by D & C but the outer border i adapted.. the buttons came from my local craft shop, I just liked the colouring and the look and thought they would look just right. And so they do.

The back was completely made up as i went. I wanted some beads on it so added some yellow ones and they looked like the centre of flowers so i decided to do sketchy flowers in backstitch around them. I think they are very effective. i used two varigated colours for the stitching and another for the backstitch. this was all done on 28cout eavenweave.. and one stitch over one thread which is why i took my time.

We have now got over my power cut escapade and i was happily stitching away on saturday evening. yesterday turned out to be really nice. But again i spent a lot of my time stitching or amusing the children. So now i will be turning my attentions to finishing the tyneside sampler which i hope to do within the next two weeks.

2008-05-24T10:29:00.000-07:00

Hello again.. i have been very busy this week.. I finally finished the chinese lady and symbols and brought a frame. Note i said a frame as the frame i brought does not have the right apertures because me being tammie forgot to take the measurements and thought that by looking at it it would fit properly. oops. they are too wide but it will do till i have more time to either get a new frame or sort this one out. lols

We had an event ful evening yesterday, after a wonderful toddler group and i had some one to one time down the town and at a local fair with ethan i settled down for stitching in my dressing gown i hasten to add. When liam came in crying. i basically ended up a few blocks away (still in dressing gown) because the kids had all decided to run accross the top of a hawthorn hedge that is about 7ft high. The only prob was yes you have guessed it one of liams friends had fallen through the hedge and landed his back on a large rock.. yikes the mum was out and my neighbour was keeping an eye on him. when i arrived i could see the lad was unwell and very shocked. ambulance was called and i was the "can you keep out of the way or stay back a little way please. let the paramedics through" as the kids hord round like a bunch of flies over a orange juice. Anyway after lots of cuddles of children of the area as they could have created a river with the amount they cried the lad was taken to hospital. Today i found out that they kept him in over night just to keep an eye and everything was fine apart from some thorns and stings. very eventful and hardly any stitching.

Above left is a picture of dominic enjoying a lunch of baked beans on toast and loving every second on it.. lol he reminds me of The tango man..lol and above right Ethan doing his sponsered bike ride which ended up with a lap of mum pushing him on his bike a lap of him trying to ride a scooter and two laps running which he enjoyed the most. the rest of the time he walked chatting to his friends. He raised £79.00 for his playschool so i am very proud.

And the grand finale.. my biscornu I have finished the front and now all i have to do is the back. This is fun as i have never attempted or even knew what a biscornu was. I have also taken the good luck symbols out of a book adapted the outside border and made it up as i go along. Although i feel it could have been better i am happy with it so far. just hoping it will be finished by the end of the month for the monthly challenge. so fingers crossed. I am also having fun as i started this update at 6:30pm and we had a power cut that occured between 6:45pm and 8:25pm so this must be the longest one i ve wrote.

Anway will blog again as soon as i have finished the biscornu.. so i can show it off lol

tyneside sampler

2008-05-19T04:28:00.001-07:00

Well sorry that i have not been on here a while been alittle under the weather. not sure what i had but believe i had a mild bug. nasty!!

Any how i have been working on my Tyneside sampler which i started last october and could not really get into. just one of them things i guess. I picked it up the other day and have done three mini picts and am on my fourth. Now i have three more picts to do before doing the writing and i will be well away.

Still have to do my biscornu and i have not really picked it up for a while so i think ibest work on it pretty soon..

I cannot believe the biscornus on the monthly challenge are so pretty . mine looks pretty plain compared to all the delicate stitching you have all done. the flowers look so delicate and fragile and the bead work is divine. please take a look on the monthly challenge blog.

not a lot to say other then the weather has changed and it is pretty nippy now again. At least i managed to get my garden done.

2008-05-13T13:25:00.001-07:00

Well here is an update of my biscornu.. three symbols done and one to go.. i am unsure as to what pattern i am going to do for the middle but i know that as soon i am finished with the symbols then i will know what pattern will suit..i dont know whether i am going to stitch the backing or use some nice coordinating material. but its getting there. i cannot remember whether i told you all what they all mean so here goes Hok- is supposed to bring wealth, Lok is for success, Siew brings a long and healthy life, and last but not least Sung brings double happiness. Lets hope it works lol

And of course with all this gorgeous weather i have obviously been gardening here is a picture of my Azaelea which i thought had died... and seems to be flourishing, It looks great amongst my blue grasses and archamelimolis. ( forgive me if i have not spelt these names right).

I have also been reading the amber spy glass which is the last in the trilogy of the golden compass ( northern lights).. i know these books are aimed at kids and teenagers but i have also read all the harry potters as i find all of these books so magical. the amber spyglass is really enjoyable and hard to put down so i am now concentrating on the kids, gardening and housework and when i get a spare minute stitching lol.. reading is just when i am in a cafe of stuck somewhere..

thats allfor now folks sorry there is not much on the stitching front hopefully i will have more for you next time.

getting there

2008-05-12T05:11:00.000-07:00

Well hello

this week has been busy. i have no recent photos for you as i just have not had time to take and download.. i am afraid.but thought this was a nice one from the woodland walk last week..

The council have decided in their wisdom that i am to have my porch knocked down as it is rotten and they did not have the money to maintain it these past ten years. so in our area they decided to pull them down if you leave them up they will let you maintain them and each year they will be inspected. If your porch is not up to sctatch they will billyou for the money it costs to pull it down.. as i cannot afford the amount to maintian i am not waiting for them to put a thin plastic porch top above my front door.

these things are plastic and when it rains they make a hell of a racket as you can guess i am thrilled. lol

on another note it has been hectic... friday ethan was ill with a tummy upset... i aslo went to my craft club in the afternoon.. which was lovely... and before hand brought some summer clothes for ethan and dominic. on saturday i spent most of the day down town as ali wanted to look for some books.. we would have gone to the park but again the council have pulled all that down to rebuild it.. i dont know why the old one was perfectly good.. so we went to a table fair where my friends was hoping to raise some money for charity which i really enjoyed..

And on sunday i decided to walk ali and liam to the nearest bootfair about two miles away (but it seemed like more) which was fun. it was very hot.. and we found loads of interesting stuff.. i was on the hunt for a decent bike for ethan and found one with helmet in all cost me £9.50.. i know i am not a skin flint but i just think they grow out of them too quickly.. ethan was thrilled with it... i also low and behold brought a few toys (not that they needed any more)..

so although knackered when i got home me and leigh took it in turns to try and teach ethan how to ride it only troulble is he has not got a clue how to pedal... that was fun.. Ali brought some moon shoes .. they are huge plastic things with giant elastic bands on them really weird and funny to watch him to try and walk in them.

Liam decided to buy loads of ornaments.. i think he told me he had brought 20 items for £15.00 then when we got home he was working out who was going to get what for birthdays lol love him..

anyway dominc in bed now so stitching is calling lol

tammie..

will post a picture of the moon shoes and ethans bike later

Bank hols picnic

2008-05-06T07:17:00.000-07:00

Hiya well on bank holiday we went for a picnic down the same woods from saturday we all had a great time, and even though leigh hates bugs he joined us.. we had a lovely stroll and a gorgeous picnic( above hence me eating a peach).

We came accross some friends (see below)who also joined with some food.

And as for stitching well i needed to do two small flowers at the bottom of the last symbol but ran out of thread.. i brought what the magazine stated and low and behold i went to finish it and the colour did not match so now i have to wait until friday when i go down town again to see if i can match the colour up. I dont know what has happened.

So i have started my biscornu and thought i would do a load of good luck symbols from my fantasy book as i have always liked them... i am using variegated dmc 111 colour as it seems to shine.. not sure how it will look but at least i am having a go for the monthly challenge.

I am working it on 28 count evenweave and i am using one strand over one thread to see how it comes out... so

keep watching you may see some trials and errors..

2008-05-03T08:30:00.000-07:00

Well hello again its a bright and sunny saturday so i thought i would take all the lads for a woodland walk down the edge of our village.. we have just been given a digital camera from my mum and took loads of picts of the kids climbing trees they have came out beautiful... As you can see on the main picture of this page... I thought it needed a change..

I dont know if its me or whether everyone goes through but i have suddenly reached an age where i am constantly looking for natural pictures of beauty. i am really fascinated of having some picts of the boys near plants and such.. Do you just reach an age where you appreciate nature more? Or is this another sign of madenss? ( i already talk to myself.)..

As you can see above the kids had fun not one argument which is a first and we were all worn out.. Ethan fell asleep for the first time in ages for an hour..and leigh was able to have some peace at home for the first time in years as he had the day off today.

Well as regards to stitching have not done any today yet but will be pulling all the stops out to finish my last symbol for my triology. And then the next battle is the biscornu which will be my first... not sure how its going to come out or what i am going to do but will be able to start tomorrow if time allows ...

farewell for now.. will post again monday evening if time allows

oh dont know about you but as soon as i am half way through something i cannot wait to start the next item..

2008-05-01T04:46:00.000-07:00

hyia thanks again for the comments. I just love picts so bare with me as i sometimes over do it .. above my partner Leigh and our youngest dominic he is so cheeky and is 8mths and 2 weeks. They grow up too fast...lol

Have not been doing a lot. Other then the usual house work, kids, to and fro on errands and of course over did it on the shopping. Now we have heaps of food and no money but at least we are well stocked up. Below is a recent pict of my 3 year old Ethan looking very serious...

And now i will bore you with my stitching escapade.. as you are aware i finished my chinese lady and now i have finished the love symbol which will go to the left of my lady and the happiness one i am working on will go to the right..

I think she will look great in a three aperture frame.. hopefully black frame that is. Well today have had my mum and 1yr old neice over which was fun we had a lovely chinwag and cuppa.. during this time my major haul of shopping came so kitchen was hectic.. then it was dinner dominic to bed now me on here and hopefully stitching if i can tear myself away ufortunately as the lady was a freebie from a mag i have run out of green for the stem of the flowers and i have yet to aquire the mill hill beeds that go on the flowers... as well as the frame ahhhh.

Tomorrow is just as busy as i have to take two little ones to toddlers in the morning, leigh suffers from a bad back so he has got physio at 11 and then if he is back home in time i am going to my abion stitching club so will be quite hectic.. not too mention the library books i have to take back.. I thought i would brag that liam my 11yr old in june, has just done a test and been told he has a reading age of 13yrs old yippee... when he was little he was so stubborn and found it very difficult to read.. after several years having extra help with reading and practicing at home he has flown with it... at the age of 8yrs old he had a reading age of 6and half... i am very proud of him..

bye for now

Chinese lady is finished...

2008-04-29T01:21:00.001-07:00

Well hello again..

Thanks for looking and taking an interest to my blog. I have finished my chinese lady and intend two two chinese symbols which i have also made a start on to go either side. Really liked this design and thought it would go well in my newly decorated bedroom, we have just painted the room burgundy with a red and burgundy border which has chinese symbols on it.. so this will fit in nicely... my room still has to be glossed so is not finished yet. I will most probably finish this project before i finish the bedroom.. oh well so many hours in a day lol.

The above picts are of my strawberry scissor keep which Carol R showed my craft group and i how to make.. using queen stitch and faggot stitch.. i really liked it although the picts arnt that great and dont really do it justice... you can still make out the beautiful stitches...

And I thought i would show you my hedgehog pin keep. Carol sent me a quaker hedgehog chart and i decided to make it into a hedgehog shape to keep the pins as his spikes... this was the first time i had made a tassle and the red really brings him alive...

Well i think thats it today will post again tomorrow or wednesday. mum coming round today to have her tuesday cuppa but all kids at school just me and dominic.. and of course more stitching...

Oh i am waiting to see if i have been admitted to the http://monthlyfinishingchallenge.blogspot.com/ site this month (may) it is a biscornu..

really sounds great.. gives you fresh ideas and something to complete, a goal.. really looking forward to it...

I have only just learnt what a biscornu is and how it is made this site is really good for explaining it...http://own-two-hands.livejournal.com/4186.html so have fun and take a look ..

Tammie..

2008-04-28T04:56:00.000-07:00

Not a brill picture of dominic but it will do.. this was taking a few months ago will do a more update pict a little bit later.. well been busy computing and visiting other blogs to see how your all doing... i did not realise there was so many blogs to do with sewing/stitching my god where have i been. I also feel a little loss. I have always been proud of my work and i call myself a cross sittcher but i seen works that i never knew exsisted. I feel like i am in the wrong circle.. i normally stitch on 14 count aida.. the picts stitch quick and they are fairly easy to do.. but everyone on here seem to be stitching on 28 or 32 count if not higher.

I could not believe it. i am still trying to find time to do the dreaded cheetahs and by the time everyone has gone to bed and i set it all up i only have an hour to an hour and a half and then its time for me to go to bed.

so i work on things that are small at the mo.. but looking at everyones scissor keepers and pin cushions and biscornus (if i have spelt that right)and needle rolls.. i am not sure how the last two are used or what their for although carol tells me that needle rolls you can stab the pins or needles in to themand they are stuffed... lol

Above Ethan with a birthday pressie. Thisis an older from dec 30 he turned three. He has actually started stitching a bob the builder tapestry on the very rare occasion he has successful done ten stitches in the past two months.. lol its just sometimes when i am stitching he wants to help.. so i brought his own..

Anyway took liam to doctors today so he could have a checkup on his excema and allergy. last month he was diagnosed with having mild allergic reactions from insect bites... as we live next to a corn field and we are in the middle of the countryside this was not good news. He was constantly scratching all the time. And his legs arms was covered in spots. anyway he was given creams bath oil and tablets... now its all calmed down he can come off the tablets and one of the creams yipee he is ten and hates all of this stuff..

well got to go dominic just gone for a sleep want to stitch a while before they all come piling in lol

tammie.

Rearranging

2008-04-27T06:28:00.001-07:00

Hyia all

Thanks for all the lovely comments, and a special thanks to carol for all the help she has been giving me to the blogging world. If it was not for her i would not have known it exsisted!

I have been rearranging and adding photos all morning so that my blog will look a little more interesting. I have included a picture above of my scissor keep, needle case and pin cusion to go with my free bag out of crosstitcher issue 200. i do subscribe to crossstitcher and have done since october last year. I decided i ought to as i have brought every issue for the past two years and odd ones here and there since 1994 when i first started. I especially love reading the letters of other readers and what they have been doing, which is why i love this idea.

Do you think we are a nation of nosy people? interested what others are doing and taking on board there ideas. lol.. Anyway i cross stitched the above stuff on monday and tuesday afternoon when the bab was asleep and in the evenings and then fixed it all up during the morning wednesday. I just thought it looked cool. And to have a whole set that all goes together well. thats a first for me i have loads of things that mismatch but thats just me.. i have such a varied taste.

For instance the dreaded tyneside sampler that is taking forever as i am just finding it boring and i dont know why. Its looking great but i have no enthusiasm for it.. different areas of newcastle where my partner is from.. its taking so long as i thought i would finish other projects so i dont have to do it. now i have made it my project for craft club as it is small enough to carry.

Do any of you have pieces that you have no enthusiasm post a comment to let us know .. what sort of thing s get you all bored to tears.? lol

well cross stitching and children beckons my time so i best go. Ethan wants a story and dominc had developed an attention cough lol

take care

tammie

2008-04-26T01:31:00.000-07:00

Hyia all

still having probs trying to sort out picts. But having been stitching hard. Doing my chinese lady freebie at the mo. When i went to the craft show in olympia there was a lady selling very large knitting needles but she was charging £16 per pair. she had some beautiful rugs on show that would fill a normal sized living room.. You knit using six to eight balls of ball and you can use any colours if you want. great for using them odds and ends.

Anyway i decided not to buy them as i thought my money was better on a small daylight lamp. (which i might hasten to add that i have been intending to get for the past couple of years). My friend Beth who attends our Albion craft club, came up with the idea of getting a broomstick cutting it in half, attaching two mdf pieces of wood to the end and pointing the other ends. She managed to make several rugs/blankets and loaned me her needles to see how i got on with them. I tried them out and although they take a bit of getting used to, they are really good. My partner, leigh said they look like cricket wicks! I managed to make a nice sized blanket thing that is hanging on my comp chair. my idea is to try and make a toilet rug and mat for the bathroom and then several large sized blankets for all the kids. leigh wants me to make a red, black and white one for our bed as they are manunited colours!!

Anyway what with knitting rugs, redecorating our bedroom, cross stitching, and housework my hands are very full at the momment. not to mention sorting all my boys out.. lol

I must admit i like to be kept busy but sometimes it would be nice to have the house to my self, put my music on or the true movie channel (which i am afraid i love) and stitch all day. I will have to suggest that leigh take all the lads out once a month or something.

Well the summer is coming its beautiful now so you can add gardening to my list now. and not as much time stitching as the boys always want me outside to build sandcastles in the sand pit, push them down the slide, or help to catch insects so they can inspect them. lol

What comes first family and fun
or stitching, knitting and then some.
why is my life so chaotic and busy?
maybe i am just too dizzy.
woe to have time to myself sometimes,
peace and quiet just me and the lines
of a chart and some threads
a piece of aida, not lead
to draw a lion, an elephant or giraffe
or to do housework my hands are rough.
Running around painting a room
moving stuff and sweeping with broom
laundry and ironing where does time go
i wish for freedom and time to flow.

But if i had it what would i do,
knit all day and and begin to sew,
and if noone was here who'd make me laugh
i could listen to music in the bath.
if it was quiet all the time
it might just blow my mind.
No, busy for me is just as good
im not lonely no one should.
i am happy just as i am
you could say i have a bang.
i have it all the kids and the house
i sew in the evening and when i rouse,
i here the sweet laughter of my boys
no i need some noise.

stitching is great and crafts i do
but they can wait till ive got my brood
into bed and then times mine
i can put one more stitch in time.

bye for now t

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh

2008-04-21T04:09:00.000-07:00

No picts today or for a while even though i have a really nice couple on my phone. where my comp crashed i lost all my stuff to download my picts from my phone as i dont own a digital camera yet. i would download the package but each time i do that it costs me a few quid and we are investing in a new comp which should be with us in the next two weeks so i am afraid you will have to grin and bear with me for a while. this is so annoying. our comp tower is a little bit old now and will be going into retirement to have a well earned rest. i think it needs it now it is seven years old and has stored a lifetimes worth of information. hence why the poor comp is crashing every couple of weeks so we should be all sorted in the next month fingers crossed.

i am still tirelessly working on the tyneside sampler which i find very boring at the momment but want to get it done. I have also done a little work on the huge cheetah project and i am now working on a chinese lady with symbols for happiness and luck either side that came in a mag as i want this for our bedroom which we have just redecorated. and will match perfectly.

the kids all doing well in between the bickering and its not fair, thats mine and i want it... lol

not really it is nice and quiet today as ethan is at playschool and all i have at home is dominic who is asleep so leigh and i are wondering what to do with ourselfs its too quiet...

more stitching

take care

tammie

2008-04-15T02:52:00.000-07:00

Sorry i have not been on here a while my computer crashed and took a while to sort evertyhing out.. above a gorgeous picture of spring. i would love a walk in this woods or perhaps a chair table and some stitching with a nice cool drink lol

i have been stitching loads and have recently finished a small picture of some poinsettas and an embroidery of some flowers. my first attempt at embroidery.

i am still stitching a small tyneside sampler which i am afraid to say i am finding a little boring i dont know why but i just dont seem to enjoy it. i also went to the craft show at olympia and spent a nice little nestegg on a daylight lamp and other bits.. my good buy was a load of aran wool which i have used and almost completed a nice chunky snuggly cardy. seem to be knitting a little at the mo.

the kids are all on half term and have been brill. we also had mum in law over for two days which was great. she gave me a lot of advice and showed me some great websites to download stuff to help with education skills for kids. Ethan is three but is learning his abc at the mo and we have worked on animals and where they live and recognizing numbers up to twenty as he can up to ten.

the eldest two have been reading and inventing their own games this last week so i really have not seen them unless they are hungry or eastenders is on lol

i actually dragged them all to the park for an hour yesterday just to get them out of the house and then the heavens opened and we all got soaked. dominc is now 20lb.140z hence my arms are continuously aching as he can only sit up and have not learnt how to walk or crawl yet although i dont think it will be long now. he also got his two bottom teeth last week so were off.

hope fully will sort out some picts to download so you can see my stitching

take care for now

tammie

2008-03-10T02:53:00.000-07:00

Not a pretty picture but this is what its like all over the uk. I feel for those that have no electricity at the momment. Yesterday we had no electric from 10.30 am until, 11.05 pm and it got me thinking. although we are lucky to have a gas cooker and kettle so we were fine, how those people managed before we had electricity.

there were a lot more people conversing and meeting up. They made there own entertainment and stitching was done by windows or candles. The amazing quality of some stuff was fantastic. I am just in awe. i have also just finished a flower embroidery and will take a photo next time i come sorry its been so long.

have fun and keep stitching.

2008-03-05T00:47:00.000-08:00

MY MASTER PIECE

Well i have finally finished the above. its a God grant me serenity Poem. My mum loves it and i was going to give it to her for mothersday but i could not get a frame anywhere to fit it.. so i ordered it off of the eframers from my list. it was not a bad price althought the price for postage and packaging nearly doubled it!!

It only took a month to do and that was because i was trying to finish other projects. it incorporates french knots, satin stitch, long and short stitch and seed stitch. i think it is gorgeous. Almost tempted to keep it myself. On eframers they let you tell them what size you want frame was, what colour and mount as well as the aperture size. you basically design it all your self and it took one week to come. i also ordered an adhesive board so it was easier to place your work on this then laced it at the back. the double mount and colour of the frame just finishes it nicely i am very pleased and now i am going to give it to my mum for her birthday in july. i know she will love it. It looks such a pieceful place to be.

But now i have to finish my other projects. cheetahs are still on hold as i dont see the point if ordering my skeins off of the net that i need as i only need two colours and our local shop have not got the ones i want in stock. So i am finishing an embroidery of flowers at the mo should be done in the next few days.

oh just a warning my partner leigh has just started taking lessons for two hours on a monday so beware on the road lol.

well the youngest of the bunch dominic is calling so better go.

good luck fellow stitchers. i just had a thought dont you think instead of a mothers day shoulnt we have a stitchers day where we can all stitch with no interruptions? lol

2008-03-02T03:11:00.000-08:00

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY TO ALL YOU MUMS

Well these are my four boys this morning after giving out mothers day presents, i had a lovley sausage sandwich in bed, an amazing 5 boxes of chocolate, and a fruit and nut bar, a necklace from liam and money from ali, ethan and dominic the two little ones gave me a cup saying i love mummy on, three small material covered notebooks which of course i will cross stitch some small motifs to go on the front, and a lovely card.

This is my mum left of the picture although her hair is short now and my nan which is her mum... the right. just thought as it was mothers day i might place a nice pict on here in honour of the wonderful things our mothers do for us.

My mum is always there when i need some female company and chat. if i need advice about the boys and just general advice about life. i must admit we have a good moan when the men in our life have been in funny moods lol.

Back to stitching i have started yet another project of some poinsettas which was a small free kit with a cross stitch magazine. i was able to stitch for an hour this morning in bed luxury and a rare treat. but i realized i am not actually cross stitching anything for me so i thought that i would do something for me for a change. selfish it may seem but at the end if the day i have hardly anything on my walls for me.

lol bye for now.

Unfinished business

2008-03-01T06:02:00.000-08:00

Well I have not kept to my new years resolution of finishing things before i start new ones... i have got 5-6 items all unfinished two are huge and there is two medium items one is an embrodery that i need to finished... and guess what? I did the unforgiveable and started a new project which i actually managed to finish in less then a month... I found the above picture in one of the cross stitch magazines.. and decided he was the spitting image of jaff who passed away in october. my older boys wanted a stitched keepsake on the wall of him but they wanted the dates there too. looks a bit morbid does nt it. its turned out well and very alike my jaff. the eyes tend to follow you.. spooky.

Anyway moving on i am attempting to try and get on with the second quater of my beloved cheetahs that now regrettably i promised to my 10 yr old. i had the foolish notion that i would stitch them a large item.. each for the bigger two. Liam chose cheetahs and Ali chose something large to do with Egypt. we put their names in a hat along with Ethans my 3yr old who had chose winnie the pooh. And low and behold Liams name was pulled out.. he is fascinated with dragons. not the cartoony type but the realistic ones. we have loads of charts as i had been collecting them. we went through them all but too no avail then he noticed my safari book and saw these two cheetahs well that was it he fell in love with them.. the deal is i will stitch it. when its framed it will hang in my living room but will belong to him. when he moves then he will take it with him but if ever he wants to get rid it will be back with me. The picture to the left is the chart out of the book this is what its supposed to look like lol... .... ;;; ...... and this is what my attempt looks like after one year!!!!!!

BRILL IS NT IT.... ITS AMAZING WHAT YOU CAN DO IN A YEAR ( SHE SAYS TO HERSELF SARCASTICALLY.) HOW DO YOU ACHIEVE MORE TIME DOES ANYONE KNOW THERE JUST DOES NOT SEEM TO BE ENOUGH HOURS IN THE DAY TO STICH ALL THE PIECES YOU WOULD LIKE TO STITCH... HOW CAN YOU ACHIEVE MORE TIME..

SCIENTISTS NEED TO INVENT A DOUBLE TIME MACHINE FOR STITCHERS THAT WAY WE WOULD ACHIEVE 24 HRS A DAY STITCHING WHILST STILL ACHIVING OUR HOUSEWORK CHORES AND KIDS.. ECT..

bye for now.