Liebster Award

Well - I feel like a bit of a cheat to be honest being awarded this - but my sister awarded it to me to try and encourage me back to my blog - the least I can do is give it a go right!  So an explanation about what its all about below (copied from Nicola's blog) 

Liebster is a German word meaning favourite, dearest or beloved.  The Liebster Blog Award is awarded by bloggers to other new bloggers who have fewer than 200 followers, to help spread the word about their blogs and to help them gain wider recognition.

The Liebster award comes with four conditions that each receipient must satisfy when accepting.

1. Choose 5 up-and-coming blogs with less than 200 followers to award the Liebster to.
2. Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.
3. Post the award on your blog.  List the bloggers you are giving the award to with links to their sites.  Leave comments on their blogs so they know about the award.
4. Share 5 random facts about yourself that people don't know about you.

Sorry - unable to choose 5 blogs to nominate - the blogs I get round to are all such a good read, and it would take me all of my stitching time to choose five of them!  

A massive thanks to Nicola from obsessivecrossstitcher for nominating me!!

Random facts about myself.......

1.  I have a degree in Environmental Health although do not use it as work in a hospital (possibly two facts there)

2.  I struggle to follow a recipe when cooking as like to change ingredients - and can never get it right  

3.  I don't like to waste time so try and fill every minute doing something, reading, knitting, sewing etc

4.  I love going to the theatre although don't go often enough

5.  Tea is my favourite drink

So there you have it!

I hope I have done this right!  

And just to finish I'd like to share a finish I had whilst I was taking a break from blogging - 

Little Meg

Linda Ravenscroft

Copyright HAED

stitched 2 over 1 25 count evenweave tent stitch.

Happy crafting everyone!

March Hare

I seem to have lost my stitching bug and haven't done any stitching for ages now, hence why no blog update. 
I been doing some knitting though and managed to get a finish (as well as about 15 new starts - really must start finishing things before I start new projects!)

And here he is......Alan Dart's March Hare

 This is the rear view - I just love his tail!

A friend gave me the magazine as she knew I loved these patterns so I promised that I'd make him for her.  Anyway, she's been off sick from work so I decided that I should get him finished and sent to her to cheer her up - well I think it worked as she loved him! 

His head isn't quite right on this photo as I hadn't stuffed his neck enough, but I re-stuffed it before giving him away and he looked super! 

I really want to find my stiching bug and some energy too as I seem to be so tired all the time just now. 

I have started Ice Wind the latest HAED SAL, but not enough progress to share, and I think the next page of Terra will be out soon so I could do with getting on with them. 

Oh and before I go - I have a little more news.......I passed my ACC exam which I was studying for leading up to March.  I am so happy to have passed it!  So all that hard work paid off, and it also means a little more money in my wages!  Woo Hoo!! 

anyway, thats all for now,

Happy crafting everyone!

Lou

x

Little Meg - Page 6 complete!

I have found it a real struggle getting pages 5 and 6 finished on Little Meg.  I finished page 4 in August last year, so maybe its because I haven't worked on her for such a long time.  One of my HAED 12 month goals was to finish this one, so hopefully I'll make it - only 2 full pages and 4 part pages to get her finshed, and I know my daughter would love it if I could get her finished for her for christmas!  Little Meg is a HAED QS and is by an artist called Linda Ravenscroft - I love her work!

And carrying on the christmas theme, I managed to get Alan Dart's Father Christmas knitted and made up ready for my sister's birthday present which I gave her yesterday although her birthday is today "Happy Birthday Nicola xxxx"  I know its a bit random to give her a knitted Father Christmas for her birthday in May - but hey - I'm sure it was a surprise.

Still been having the dreaded migraines but rested lots and manged to get back to work, so therefore able to get some craft time for me!

Thanks for looking!

Happy crafting

Lou

x

Terra progress Page 3 complete

This week is the HAED freebie SAL and I was taking part with Terra.  When this SAL started I couldn't decide which chart to choose so I asked my hubby to choose and he chose Terra.  I wasn't sure at first but now I love the colours and I love how she is turning out.

I also did some work on Little Meg and a little on Chesteron - but for this entry Terra is taking the lime light!

It's also sign up time for the 6 month SK SAL starting in June - half way through the year already?!? - and I wasn't going to participate as I'm itching to get back to Noah's Ark but then when I saw the choices I had to join in. 

Headaches have still been a problem this week, but the 2 migraines that I've had haven't been any where near as bad as usual so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my medication is working!  Also since I well and truly have my stitching bug right now the knitting needles haven't been used.....although my sister has just bought 2 new patterns which I'm also now itching to knit for her son, they are Postman Pat and Bob the Builder.

Happy crafting everyone

Lou

x

Chesterton Progress, Little Meg and Caterpillers

I've finished page 1 on Chesterton, one of the freebie SK given for participating in the freebie SK SAL.  I'm not a fan of cats, as I'm allergic, but a very good friend at work likes cats so I decided to stitch her this for her birthday, which was in March, so I'm a bit late!!  I've told her I'm making something for her but she doesn't know what yet!  I need to decide what I'm going to make it into once finished - Any suggestions??  Anyway here is my progress........

Every time I stitch a HAED I'm amazed at how the detail is kept within the stitching!  And I simply LOVE the eyes!  Maybe I'll be converted into a cat lover (pictures only) by the end of this stitching!! 

On completing Page 1 of Chesteron, I decided I'd have a change and was itching to get back to my HAED Noah's Ark by Barbara Brown http://heavenandearthdesigns.com/index.php?main_page=popup_image&pID=3038' (which i've completed almost 3 pages now) But asked my 5 year old what I should work on next, and she chose Little Meg by Linda Ravenscroft http://heavenandearthdesigns.com/index.php?main_page=popup_image&pID=5835'  Which I am stitching for her, so no surprises really that she chose that.  Here is my progress so far.......

And I must say that I'm glad she chose her as I'm really enjoying stitching her again.  I love that I have so many projects on the go as it gives such variety, I just wish I could visulise finishing them all, as some are so large and I have charts in my stash which I'm itching to start!  Determined not to start any more until I have a finish!  Will update my progress with Little Meg next week (that is if the dreaded headaches stay away and let me stitch to my heart's content!)

I've also been busy knitting for my first order.  I was asked whether I could make a caterpiller like 'The very hungry caterpiller' the children's story - well I'm not one to shy away from a challenge, and after finding a free pattern on the web, learning to knit with double pointed needles (with lots of thanks to my mum for teaching me) and figuring out how to crochet eyes, antanea and legs, then making 3 (as the first one didn't turn out quite right) here are the finished products (and I must say I'm very proud of them!)

As always many thanks for stopping by!

Lou

x

Holiday, knitting and stitching

It seems like such a long time since I've written, doesn't time fly!  We've had a little break away in Wales which was lovely!  I had challenged myself to knit the side of Alan Dart's Noah's ark as I had already done one side and it took me so long that I didn't want to start the next side - however after discovering that I could knit in the car, not only did the journey go quicked than usual, but I got the side I wanted to finish done and some other sections of the ark (not all in the car).
My cousin had asked me to knit some animals for her for some story sacks she uses with the children she childminds so I have started another chick in an egg for her.  She also wants an elephant and a caterpiller.  I found a pattern for caterpiller which uses double pointed needles, I found this technique of knitting really difficult so think I need a master class from my mum on how to use them (hopefully some time this weekend)
I also started knitting Alan Dart's March Hare and have added his pattern for chess pieces onto my todo list.  Why are there not more hours in the day!
My headache hasn't been as bad this week either so I have managed to make some progress on Chesterton.

I'm really pleased with this, and glad I seem to have my stitching bug back! 
Hopefully I'll get his head finished this week, as well as soom of the knitting I've got on the go.

Chicks finally finished!

I made it one of my goals to finish the easter chicks.  There wasn't a lot of work needed to finish them but I just couldn't motivate myself to finish them.  I finally got that motivation to get those chicks finished!!  Hooray!!

Here they are waiting to hatch

Here they are peeping out of their eggs

 And here is the first chick to jump out of its shell

I'm so pleased with these, although can't take all of the credit as my mum did the knitting, I just stitched them up.