Some pictures - at last!

Spooky Row by Bent Creek - stitched on 28ct Chocolate Country French Linen
Taken out to try and fix my blog settings

Heffalump - free kit from Cross Stitch Crazy - I picked up the magazine yesterday and thought he was just so cute, that I'd stitch him straight away, rather than putting the magazine away and forgetting about it (my usual way of doing things LOL) - I'll make him into a little hanging pillow and put him on the girls dresser - Charlotte loves him :)


and a WIP of America by Little House Needleworks, this will be another one for ebay - I love the chart, but obviously I'm not American so it really wouldn't suit a wall here ;)


and in stitching updates - I haven't worked on Celtic Summer this week - I thought I'd be finished America and was going to stitch on CS for a day once I had ... but I'm still going on it. I should finish it over the next couple of days, then I've got a RR to stitch (a small one) ... then I'm thinking I might dedicate the whole week to Celtic Summer next week ... I'm giving myself a "vacation" - I'm hoping to have all important soccer/cricket stuff out of the way, it's school holidays, and most of all I'm tired and feeling burt out. So I'm planning a week with "just" kids stuff and my stitching ... oh, and deep cleaning DS1's bedroom - he is skiing for the week, so I'm going to get stuck in while he is away!

Righty righty ... need to get in the shower and get moving, I have a list of things to do, plus the grocery shopping - all before 11.15am when my sister drops off her two boys while she goes to work.

Ohhhh I've forgotten to do my show-off post about shooting ... I'll do that later!

Trophies, Fudge, Budget Birthday, Biking, ... Insanity!

Still no pictures, later, I promise! I've finished Spooky Row ... just got to get my act together and take a photo ... I'm now stitching Little House of Needlework's America ... also to sell, it's funny, I love this design (love most of her designs ... including the new one!) ... but I'm not American - so I'll enjoy stitching it anyway! LOL

Now on to the title ...

Trophy

I won a trophy yesterday! Well, okay David AND I won a trophy. We had our Junior Soccer Prizegiving yesterday, three sessions ... and with all our tribe, we have children at every session - makes for a long day. Sadly, none of our kids picked up prizes - they have four, Sportsperson, Player's Player, Most Improved and Player of the Year. As always, it DOES make me sad that our kids, like David and I, are "ghosts" ... they do a LOT of work, but are never the stars - kwim? But that is also life ;) . Okay - to the point, each year they give out a trophy to the most valued contributor to the club for the season ... the President is standing up there saying how they're giving it to a Mr and Mrs this year for all the work they do, the Mr has won it before, but not the Mrs ... and I'm sitting there thinking gosh I wonder who that is and they call out our names, I can admit to being VERY genuinely surprised. A lot of the stuff I do is the admin work that I get paid for, so I always feel that the true volunteers should get the accolades ... but then again, when I think about it properly, DH and I do do a lot of work besides that :)

Fudge

I made 30 containers of fudge yesterday for the BBQ our 10th Grade team is having to raise funds for their tournament away in a couple of weeks ... I'm all fudged out - but it worked! Now hopefully it wil sell too :)

Budget Birthday

Because funds are rather low right now, I had to use a wee bit of imagination for DH's birthday on Friday ... so I made him a cake and made up a collage of photos for him. DH is a HUGE Birmhingham Football Club supporter, so I went on the internet, found the logo for the club ... and ta-da!

By no mean's perfect, I'm definitely not an expert cake decorator (and Charlotte helped ;)) ... but DH was impressed, as were the kids. I was at work Friday night when he got home, but the kids got him to call 5mins before he arrived, got the cake out, put candles on, turned off the lights and surprised him with a big Happy Birthday and popping streamers as he walked in the door - got to love those kiddoes of mine, sometimes! LOL

We also did him a family portrait, he is always making little digs about how he'd like a good family picture on his desk, especially including me (because I hide from the camera) ... so this is what I did for him -


He loves it - reckons it's probably the most "natural" looking photos of his family he's got LOL!

and Biking

As you can see by my ticker, it hasn't moved for a couple of months ... in fact I should change it and put the pounds I've put back on :(

I was talking to a friend yesterday who mentioned that at Bookclub on Friday night another friend had mentioned they are trying to find a fourth person to do the Lake Taupo biking relay, and they mentioned my name. I came home thinking about it, thought I should just ring and DO IT ... and as I was thinking it, Fiona rang me to ask about it - so hey, must be fated, right? It is a 40km ride, and two months away, so I need to get back on my bike and start training ... not sure what I've got myself into though! LOL I have biked 40km - a few months ago I was riding 22km a couple of days a week and did that circuit twice a couple of times ... but here it is FLAT ... biggggg difference ... I'll have to find somewhere with hills and do some training. I'm really hoping with a good goal I'll get back into eating properly too and lose the weight I've put back on, plus some, before the summer.

I think that is all ... get an idea that I've been busy this week? It's school holidays for two weeks now ... I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to them! I'm planning on working pretty hard at getting some cricket (like setting up the account system) and soccer stuff out of the way and then spending the second week not doing any work at all (except the absolutely essentials that always pop up). Stitchingwise - I plan on finishing America, then working on Celtic Summer on Tuesday, then some RR's.

Time for a shower ... then typing in 150 cricket registrations :) (lucky DH is running the BBQ!)

No stitching pictures

I haven't had a very successful stitching week this week. I stitched a little bit on my Celtic Lady on Tuesday, but only got some of her hair done, so I won't bother taking a picture - Tuesday was just wayyyyy too busy, I stitched while I caught up on a couple of Desperate Housewife episodes in the afternoon, but then I had a McDonald's fundraiser to help at (for Cameron's soccer team) and straight from there to Levin for a cricket meeting, DH was away, again, so between all that I had to get kids home and semi-organised ready for biggest brother to get to bed, the rest of the week hasn't got much better!

Work is really busy right now - it's a bit sad that that has been my little bit of "quiet and space", and suddenly that's not happening either! LOL ... I don't mind too much, I quite enjoy it when it's busy - but my stitching is suffering ;)

I've also had a cold all week, so between soccer meeting Monday night, cricket meeting Tuesday night, preparing the accounts, correspondence etc for both of them, and then of course the work I always have after a meeting, not being particularly well, all the usual kids stuff ... needless to say I am hanging out big time for the school holidays to start next week! Life should be slightly quieter, maybe.

I have been stitching Spooky Row - and am nearly finished it, hopefully I'll have a happy dance picture tomorrow :)

Today is DH's birthday - Happy Birthday DH! ... I'm going to try and make a cake that looks like the Birmingham City Football Club's logo this morning, to surprise him - I don't think it will be "too" hard, but I could be fooling myself!

If it turns out okay, I'll take a photo ;)

Oh! and how could I forget ... I *had* to do an on-line stash order (hmmm nearly two weeks ago now) ... I ordered a birth sampler kit I've promised to do for an on-line friend, wedding sampler chart that I'm going to do for my sister who is getting married in February ... and of course I couldn't *just* order those, so I ordered Mermaids of the Deep and the goodies to go with it as well ... I can't wait to start this one, I'm hoping Carol and Katrina will let me join in with their SAL :) ... although, I haven't heard anything back about my order yet, but it is noted that the birth sampler takes 5-6 weeks to order in ... so I'm picking I might have to wait for a while longer *pount*.

TGIF!

Dancing Sunflowers

Yay! A happy dance :) - The Drawn Thread - Sunflower Sampler, stitched on 32ct Lugana - Ivory. I still have to put some black beads on - I tried using the normal size, but they really have to be petite ones, so I need to buy those, take off the big ones I tried, put on the petite ones and then it is *really* finished. I left out the signature row, because I plan on selling it. It will be hard to give away, but its all in the aid of sending a couple of the kids to sports camps, that will be very good for them :)

Here it is!



I've got another busy week, in fact the next four weeks are going to be busy ... I'd much rather be at home stitching *sigh*. I have meetings tonight and tomorrow night. A McDonald's fundraiser tomorrow night, so I'll be rushing from that to the cricket meeting, and just to make things more frantic DH is away again tomorrow night, and Thursday night. Thursday night is my work night so it means lots of organising to make sure kids get to the right places at the right time and get picked up and taken home. I hate asking people to ferry my kids around, but it has to be done - hopefully I can repay the favours.

The next few weeks I'm working Tuesday nights as overtime, so I can see my Celtic Summer Lady suffering slightly!

We've also got the last few weeks of shooting - club cards to catch up on before the end of season and a couple of small rep/champs things.

All I can say is roll on summer ... when life *should* get a bit quieter!

Meanwhile I'm stitching Bent Creek's Halloween Row this week - hopefully it will be a pretty quick stitch too.

Carol (and others :)) - the reason I'm only stitching CS on the Tuesday is that I really have to do some stitching for ebay to raise some money ... I still stitch things that I like and plan to do for myself one day, partly because then if they don't sell I don't mind keeping them LOL, and also I just love stitching, I'm definitely a "process" person ... so as long as I'm stitching things I like, I still enjoy stitching them - even though I'm a bit sad to let them go.

Okay, Monday morning ... time to get the show on the road for the week!

Quick Celtic Summer Update

Very quick ... it's time to get the house and kids organised to go to school!

I'm having such a hard time "only" doing this on Tuesdays, I'd quite happily pick it up and stitch it for a couple of weeks! Although I can see the confetti stitches of the ornament "thingees" on the sides becoming very boring ... I will make sure I keep doing them as i go.

Anyway - here's a picture, this is a much better one than the other day - it shows the true colour a lot better.



Back to the sunflowers today ... hopefully I'll have a happy dance for those tomorrow :)

Sunflowers and Sun

I started stitching The Drawn Thread's Sunflower Sampler on Friday ... after I'd finished Setting Sail. It is stitched on 32ct Ivory Lugana ... I'm actually planning on selling it on ebay, so I'm going to leave the charms off and use them when I stitch it for myself, one day :)

Here is a progress picture -



Today is Tuesday though ... which means Celtic Lady SAL day for me! I've been itching to pick this up again all week. DH is away tonight, so once the kiddoes are all asleep in bed I'll have a few hours lovely quiet to stitch as long as I like ... not that DH is noisy or stops me, but there is something nice about being alone and doing what I want ;)

and SUN! Wow! as Kath said in her blog ... we have had gorgeous weather for the last couple of weeks ... in fact I could have taken the same picture as she did on Sunday afternoon - we took the girls down to the estuary and then walked along to where Kath took her photo - they loved the sand and sea ... it always seems a new adventure at the beginning of summer, Charlotte especially loves the freedom of being able to run, get mucky, get wet and just "be" down at the beach. If this beginning of Spring is anything to go by we are going to have one gorgeous, long, hot summer :)

I've started getting up at 6.00am and going for my walk then (well, started - I've done TWO days LOL) ... it is lovely then too - just light and nice crisp air :) ... it also feels good to have it done with at the beginning of the day and knowing I've got the rest of the day to work or whatever.

Otherwise, not a whole lot else to report ... I need to get off this particular chair and go sit in my stitching chair. I might take the kids down for a quick walk along the beach later :) Well, the girls anyway - those boys have got to that horrible age where the beach is boooorrrrring ... more fool them!

Happy, happy, happy Dance!

Elsa Williams - Setting Sail kit, using 14ct Aida. This is for VERY good friends of ours, Jim bought it in America, Deb gave it to me to secretly stitch. His birthday is November 14th, so she'll have plenty of time to get it framed to give to him. I am SO pleased to have this obligation stitching over with ... I can now just enjoy my own things for a while (well, until I order the birth sampler kit I've promised to do for another friend ...).

I think I'm going to start DT's Sunflower Bellpull next - and maybe a couple of other little things. I need to work out a good rotation in my head - definitely Celtic Summer on a Tuesday, I just need to decide what nights to do another couple of specific projects.

Another board I'm on has been very quiet lately, one of the ladies suggested that we share everything, including our childrens' bruises ... well, Charlotte obviously read it and understood it, and obeyed! LOL



This is the result of being told forever not to swing on the towel rails above the bath (this child of course, swings on everything - truth be known she was probably practicing re-grips ;)) ... anyway, she seems to understand why we kept on telling her not to, and why we kept saying she MIGHT hurt herself. It doesn't seem to sore today - just looks horrible.

and just in case you think I only take pictures of our littlest child, here is Josh at his first flute performance. He did SO well, he just started this year, has never read music before, whereas most of the other kids did some beginning stuff the year or two before and were that little step ahead ... but he was one of the three who did a duet (duet, with three?) at the end ... we're very proud of him :) He is our "unsporty" child - which must be hard in a household that seems to be sports crazy - but we seem to have found his own little niche away from all that :)



... and now, I've really got to go do some housework!

Riverstone it is!

Hmmmm do I, you? recall me saying something about not starting Celtic Summer until I'd finished a certain Setting Sail kit? ... but what can you do? A lovely, relaxing, fun weekend with stitchie friends, all that enabling ... of course I had to start it!

Here is a picture of it so far -



Thank you for all your votes! When I first put the pictures up I was really set on the Silkweavers Serendipty - but after another look and advice from wonderful ladies, I decided on the Riverstone - and I'm so pleased I did - it is looking wonderful :)

I swear solemnly that I am not going to pick it up again until next Tuesday (Tuesdays will be my SAL day for this), by then I should have Setting Sail all finished!

Stitching Retreat

We had so much fun! Katrina has written a good update on her blog, with some pictures - I of course, forgot my camera! LOL ... it was very nice to get together with like friends ... and as for enabling, Katrina did her fair share too! LOL Kath did a wonderful job of organising everything - she's such a clever thing, her little ort bags are a BIG hit!

I didn't stay over at the house - I came later after work on Friday night, and came after lunch on Saturday - after the morning soccer games, went and slept at home on Saturday night and was up bright and early to do the french braiding for Rhiannon's gym competition - DH took her, but there was no way he was going to attempt the french braids - wonder why? LOL

Pat, Kath and I all remembered our veils (maybe Wendy just had more sense?) and we put them on to surprise Katrina ... gosh I haven't laughed so hard in ages - you would have thought we'd had several glasses of wine!

I found this picture on the camera when I downloaded Celtic Summer ... DH must have taken it Saturday afternoon before the Nursery Grade soccer - here is wee Charlotte all kitted out in her Arsenal gear :)



Happy stitching everyone!