Hello April......

Hello happy smiley friends.....

I wanted a nice picture for the top of my post today so Han very kindly agreed! And whilst talking of Han.... Thank you so much all of you that popped over to her Instagram page to see what she likes to draw :)

Welł goodness!! It's April!! Where on earth has the last 4 months gone??

This Friday I thought I would take part in joining everyone all over the world stitching! It's really quite exciting knowing people are enjoying making, sewing, quilting, crafting the same time as me.

And if your new to my blog, thank you for popping in to see me! 

So what have I been up to? 

As you all know... Ha ha or may not know if your new to my blog! 

I am currently stitching an amazing design... Have you forgotten?

Its the stunning Miss Mary Ann Bournes 1791 sampler from the design studios of Hands Across The Sea Samplers designed by Nicola and Sandra.  As soon as I saw the design I knew I had to stitch it... Some of you that know me, know I am an impulsive person and if I really like something and it 'talks' to me saying stitch me, stitch me.... Then I just have to!!

Here is the design... Oh yes! It's rather large! The design size is 25 x 27 inches! 

It's not that clear so here is a photo of my chart booklet... 

Behind is the fabric I am stitching the design on, it's 36 count Edinburgh linen in sand. And for this design I thought I would be brave and try Silk threads!! Eeeeek!!

Here are the lovely AVAS silk threads, they are the ones recommended for the design.

After much thinking about how to store and use the silk threads I decided on this...

Storing them in little Floss -A-Way bags ....

And in each bag a piece of card with the key on, so I can see at a glance which one I need to use.

Now that I have had a chance using this system i think it's great! And silk threads are marvellous! I honestly thought I would not be able to get on with them... I thought they were hard to use, I thought I would snag and catch them on everything! But in reality they are so easy to use!! Oh, I will say one thing.... Don't make a mistake and try and unpick your stitches! Nope! A big no no! So I have to check and double check every stitch I make!! There was me thinking silk threads were only used by professional people... They are not so bad! And I am actually enjoying stitching with them! 

So I guess you want to see some stitching now?! Ha ha ... I starting this around 4 pm on Good Friday which was the 25 th March... So we are almost a week in now.

Here is my journey so far...

And that is where I am right now... I am hoping to finish this rather large motif over the weekend.  And then I have a dilemma, which direction shall I go? Maybe I shall ask your kind I put here? Up, down, left or right? If you would be so kind to leave a little comment saying the direction then I will add them all up and go in that direction!! How exciting!! It's out of my hands!! Ha ha 

Thank you so so much for popping in to see me, stitching crafting friends I shall continue with my stitching and post again an up date very soon :) I seriously hope your not all going to be sick of me posting about this gorgeous sampler? See I adore it and it has my 100 % attention right now!! 

Oooh something else rather interesting to share with you all quickly before I go... I have tried something new! And I like it!! What is is??

I tried it with a rye cracker... Ha ha just a little one! 

No I did not, could not! Eat all that! But so far it's ok! I am so happy I have a little variety in what I can eat now!  The cracker some may recognise?? It's from IKEA! Mmmmmmmm 

I leave you with a happy little drawing from Han... Ha ha she does make me laugh! Grumpy!! Ha ha 

Take care and remember to keep smiling :) 

Happy as the Easter bunny.....

Yes!! I am feeling as happy as the Easter bunny!!

Thank you all so so much for popping in to see me during the Easter blog hop....a lot of you did a lot of hopping!!

Are you all wondering why??

For starters I am managing a larger variety of foods now...yipppppppeeee!! Still very small quantities, it's slightly better though :)

Jon came up with the idea of using the little bowls we have from IKEA, they are very small but perfect for me! I only just manage half the bowl full of food at the moment, it's progress!!

Some of my yummy meals....

White rice with marrow fat peas.

White rice with chopped tinned tomatoes, little black pepper.

Broccoli, carrot, courgette, green pepper and white rice.

I liked it so much I ate it again! Ha ha 

These bowls of good are not eaten in one day.... I can just manage about two of these bowls in one day.  My stomach is still quite bloated and eating small amounts of food seems to work with the water I drink too. But I was so happy, had to tell you all!! 

On the stitching front I have been fairly busy too....

As you all know I am stitching Miss Mary Ann Bournes 1791 from the design studios of Hands Across The Sea Samplers.  It's a stunning design and stitching it just makes me smile heaps.  I am a real believer in stitching what makes you feel happy...oh and this certainly does!

I starting stitching good Friday afternoon...

Today I was stitching and had to stop, my eyes and nose were running, seems I have a head cold :(

This made me chuckle!!

And this pretty much sums up how I feel!!

I am going to dose myself up with night nurse (and English medicine for all of the above and has an added drowsy effect) and hope I feel better tomorrow.  Nothing will stop me stitching! Even if I just manage a few stitches....nothing will stop me!! 

Oh yes!! Before I forget.... My sweet daughter told me off yesterday!! Ha ha well it was my fault! When I made the Easter blog hop post I showed you all her wonderful Easter drawings... I loved them, as did many of you! But naughty naughty me forgot to add the link to her Instagram page so you could all (if you wanted to!) pop in and see her other pictures :). I know she would be thrilled if you did.... So I had better show you the link!!

http://instagram.com/nylontoast

Until I pop in again, take care and keep  smiling :)

Xx

Easter blog hop.....hop.....

Welcome happy smiley friends :)

Jo has organised another wonderful Easter Blog hop.... Yipppeeeee!! 

My Easter letter to share with you all is....

A cute bunny with the letter H so you know what you have to do now? 

                                HERE


Oooooh yes! Do you like the Easter drawings? Han designed them all special for my blog today! Thank you Han! For those that don't know who Han is, she is my daughter :)

I love this Easter one from her.....

So some Easter stitching....

I love this so much, I made it a few years back now and believe it or not, I keep it up all year as I think it  oozes happiness! 

And onto some other happy stitching,...

I am so so happy to show you all what I have finished, it's the marvellous Scarlet Letter design, Mary Gail !!! Yes!! I have finished it!! 

Front...

Back...

I absolutely loved every stitch of this, so much so that I am going to take this design further.  Now this is something I have never ever done before, so it's going to be a challenge! For those of you that know me, you know I love a challenge! I am going to have to do a lot of research to make sure what ever I add compliments the design and not over power it. It will be fun! But that will have to wait as I have something stunning to stitch first!! 

The stunning Miss Mary Ann Bournes 1791, from the studio of Hands Across The Sea Samplers..(go back one post for the link to visit them)  I am excited to say I will be starting her over Easter!! Stitching her on 36 count sand dune linen with AVAS silk threads :) 

So all that is left to say is.... Have a lovely happy hop hop hoppity smiley Easter :)

Xxx

It's here!!!

Eeeeeeeeeeeeek!!!!!

I am so so excited!! 

Why your wondering?

For some time I have been wanting to stitch something with meaning, with love.... Something to cherish and treasure, to pass down the family.  Something special.

Then, I found it!! 

A beautiful sampler that ticks all my boxes! It has bees! It has flowers, it has adorable animals, the colours are so fitting too.  I was actually speechless when I first looked at it, yes it took my breath away.  I think it's because I knew instantly it was what I had been searching for.

Your want to know what it is?

It's called 'Miss Mary Ann Bournes 1791' from the studios of Hands Across The Sea Samplers.  The design was designed by Nicola Parkman and it is stunning.

I think my stitching has been slowly moving towards samplers, I felt the pull towards them! Let me tell you everything about samplers fascinates me! I love to read the story behind the sewing, it's wonderful.  

So let me enlighten you all to a little back ground of the stunning sampler Miss Mary Ann Bournes 1791, the one I am going to stitch.

This is taken from the booklet with the chart...

Throughout the chart booklet the art work is stunning, I love the little bees inside.... Sneak preview...

It's all so beautiful, you can see a lot of thought has been taken to produce the booklet.

This project is going to be awesome as again I am challenging myself! I decided to stitch this beautiful design with AVAS silk threads! Eeeeek!! Let me tell you before they arrived I was petrified! It's a big step for me.. But I think the design needed silks, needs to look spectacular, so this is why I decided to use them.

I am going to stitch this design on 36 count sand dune linen with the lovely AVAS threads... As shown in my photo...

Now I understand samplers are not everyone's cup of tea, life would be boring if we all liked the exact same things! I was so excited about this I simply had to share it with you all!! What do you think??

I am waiting for some little zip lock bags I bought on Amazon to put the silk threads in.... Once I am all organized I will make a start!! 

Bet your all wondering what's going to happen to all my other 'little' projects? Well I will (promise) add a stitch here and there and continue to stitch them! 

So it's all happy happy smiles here!! 

Keep smiling till I next pop in! 

So excited!

Oh my!! 

Hello again! I bet you were not expecting to see me so soon?! Ha ha

Welł I have something REALLY REALLY exciting to share with you all!! Oh my!! I can hardly keep it in!! Oh but I will! Ha ha until at least Monday when something comes in the post!! Eeeeeek!!

Sorry but you will all have to wait until Monday, maybe Tuesday!? Depends which day it arrives on! Let me explain now, when it arrives it all I will be doing!! 

Eeeeeeeeek! I am so so excited.

Ha ha for fun you could guess what I am so excited about! Ha ha I doubt anyone will guess correctly! 

I will pop back once my surprise arrives in the post! Hee hee

BIG HAPPY SMILES!

Xx

Who took my energy??

Hello happy smiley friends, I have not really been up to much craft wise that is! I have been so very tired.  It seems someone has sucked all my energy from me!

Plodding on though....

I have tried to stitch but my concentration is really naff right now.  Saying that though, I have managed a few stitches here and there.

The wonderful SAL Joyful World (link in side bar) had to be stitched as the month of April was released! 

Here are the ones I have stitched so far...(hmmm sorry don't know how to turn it around sorry)

Also remember I asked a little while ago if I should stitch the grass mound on my Scarlet Letter design, Mary Gail.  Well after what seems days of deciding what green to use I finally made my mind up! I went with DMC 520.

I started...

And here is where I am right now....

I cannot get over how lovely it looks, I am pleased with my choice.  I have big plans for Mary Gail.... I have decided to expand on the stitching.  It's experimental but I want to add to the beautiful design, it's the first time I have ever done this so naturally I am a little nervous about it.  I will maybe show you all what I plan to do when I have stitched the grass mound.

I have also decided to stitch my fist ever Bothy Threads design 'Row of Cats' as a birthday gift for Caterina.... She loves everything to do with cats! So it's perfect!!

This one...

This design was actually given to me in a giveaway hosted by Mii Stitch I think hmmm a few years ago!  

Here is where I am with this adorable design...

One....

Then two....

Ha ha the cars are so cute! I just hope Caterina likes it! 

On the food front... My eating seems to of reduced even more.  Here is an example, this was given to me for lunch...

And all I managed to eat...

It's crazy actually how little I eat.  After speaking with a dear sweet friend about eating and it just simply stressing me out and making me sick.  I decided to change how I eat.  Now I am trailing eating very very small amounts every few hours... A quarter of toast, two mouthfuls of food.... And so far I am feeling ok.  Feeling sick still but progress as I am not being sick! 

Jon is waiting to talk to the doctor on Monday to discus things further as nothing seems to be moving and we have no clear plan as to what is actually being done either.  I cannot tell you all how frustrated and fed up I am of being so very ill... I simply want my life, independence and food back!! 

Ok so... I am going now, take care and happy smiles to you all :)

Oooh and have a lovely weekend!!

Xx