2008 Roundup

Number of WIPs on 01/01/08 - 27

Number of WIPS on 31/12/08 - 28

Number of new Stitching Starts in 2008 - 28

Number of Stitching Finishes in 2008 - 27

Number of Books read in 2008 - 65

Number of quilts finished in 2008 - 12

So I failed in my bid to reduce my wip list. Not only that I checked back to January and I only finished 3 projects from my wips, all my other finishes this year have been new starts.

So for 2009 I must do better and hopefully my rotation will give me time on new projects as well as allowing me to focus on getting current WIPs completed. If I stick to it I could have as many as 10 projects gone from my WIP list by the end of 2009. If I'm honest, I'd be happy with 5.

I also almost managed 100 blog posts this year - more than double last year - so I shall continue to try and increase the number of posts in 2009 so I can break the three figure barrier.

December Roundup

December Stitching Goals
1. Work on Sleigh Ride - yes
2. Work on Snowman Trio - yes
3. Complete and make up the Just Nan tins - completed but not made up
4. Complete the Sue Hawkins Thread Keeper - yes

Stitching New Starts:
Just Nan - Jingle tin and biscornu

Stitching Finishes:
Sue Hawkins Thread Keeper
Just Nan - Jingle Tin Topper
Just Nan - Biscornu

Books Read
Magyk - Angie Sage
Christmas Mystery - Jostein Gaardner

December Quilting Goals
1. Finish Christmas Quilt - yes
2. Finish baby quilt - yes
3. Finish Heart to Heart quilts - yes
4. Finish Christmas Panel - yes
5. Quilt bargello - quilted and finished
6. Make up Jungle quilt top - no
7. Sew some more of the flannel quilt blocks - yes

Other Quilting
Baby girl quilt - finished and gifted

Current Stitching WIP List

1. Dimensions - Sleigh Ride
2. Bothy Threads - Row of Christmas Fairies
3. Margaret Sherry - Santa's Journey Afghan
4. Stitchy Kitty - Snowman Trio

5. Shepherd's Bush - Happy Haunting
6. Glendon Place - Murky Manor
7. Just Nan - Scream House

8. Brightneedle - Garden Party
9. Millhouse Designs - Charlie is Born
10. The Trilogy - Spring Lineup
11. CCN - Joyful Summer

12. Tournicoton - Coeur de Brodeuse
13. The Cat's Whiskers - Birds of a Feather Dilly Bag
14. The Cat's Whiskers - Grandma's Thread Minder

15. Just Nan - Four Wishes
16. Michael Powell - Cottage Garden 2
17. Bent Creek - Snapperville Series

18. Shepherd's Bush - Be Attitudes Afghan
19. DMC - Wild Ones Alphabet
20. Ink Circles - Cirque de Cercles
21. Stitchin'Spirations - Getting Lost in a Blackwork Maze
22. Midsummer Night Designs - Heaven's Above
23. Teresa Wentzler - Tradewinds
24. Dragon Dreams - Dragon Virtues Afghan
25. Michael Powell - Handmade Houses 4
26. Bothy Threads - Cut Thru Fairy Hill
27. Stoney Creek - Noah's Sub
28. Dracolair - Dawn Awakening

Totally Spoiled

So it's back down to earth with a bump today as I'm back at work and Lia is back at nursery. DH is at home however (the git) and I imagine he'll spend most of the day playing Guitar Hero...

Christmas was a good one, my Sis and BIL are fantastic hosts and we had a lovely few days staying with them. Mum did okay, she even came to the Carol concert with us on Christmas Eve which she'd said she wouldn't attend. It's a lovely one, outside in Canterbury Town Centre, and the Archbishop of Canterbury attends every year. It certainly set up the Christmas mood.

Lia was totally spoiled. I can't believe how many toys she got - admittedly she got a lot of them from us but I didn't figure in just how many she'd get from other people too. On the whole she was really well behaved and her excitement levels weren't too bad. She did go to sleep on Christmas Eve under the covers though as she didn't want Santa to come in and scare her.

We were back home on Saturday (nightmare drive, it usually takes 1hr 45 mins and it took over 4!) so have had a bit of time to relax but I could have done with a bit more. I did intend to sort Lia's room out yesterday and clear out some old toys so there's room for the new ones but that didn't happen so I'll do it next weekend - this means that most of her gifts are still in bags in our bedroom.

She has one more gift to get - a dollshouse - I'd actually think about not bothering with it apart from the fact that several people bought her furniture to go in it LOL. Plus I know she'll love it.

I'm consoling myself with the fact that she won't be so spoilt with toys for her birthday as we're going to decorate her bedroom and change it from a babyish theme of jungle animals to a little girl's room and this will include new carpet, curtains, bed, etc so we'll get people to give contributions to that rather than buy her more toys.

As for me, I too was spoiled, I got my Behind the Gate full kit, a Mamma Mia DVD and some lovely earrings from DH (from Magpie Nest - check out the link if you like silver jewellery). I also got MASH Season 3 DVD, some great fabric, some Lizzie*Kate Flip-its (three of the Christmas ones and one of the general series) and three more of the SamSarah Baubles Charts with linen and buttons.

I hope you all had a great Christmas and that you were all spoiled too.

Quilts with legs...

As promised, here's piccies of the finished quilts (all clickable for larger versions)

Baby Boy quilt for my nephew



Little girl quilt for my great niece



And yet another quilt for Lia



I did manage to get the two sides of binding done yesterday so I could sew on the final two strips last night. I probably would have had a HD if I hadn't spent a couple of hours on the phone with a friend (much better use of time than sewing on binding!)

I also got a lot of the packing done - I didn't have to do quite as much as I thought as DH is home today so I left him with a list...

I possibly won't get a chance to post again before Christmas so Merry Christmas to you all and I hope you have a wonderful Festive Season however you celebrate.

Quilting Update

Well my fingers are suffering from multiple stab wounds and my wrist is a bit sore but I've made fantastic progress on achieving my quilting goals.

At the last update on the 14th I had:

1 completed quilt
1 completed quilt bar two sides of binding
2 with wadding and backing cut ready to layer
2 with wadding cut and backing needing sewing before layering

As of last night I now have:

4 completed quilts
1 with two sides of binding to be sewn on
1 with four sides of binding to be sewn on

Even I am stunned by how much I got done in the last week. I have the quilt that needs four sides of binding on with me at work today with the idea that I can get one side done in my lunch break and then hopefully the second one tonight so I can sew on the last two strips.

We're off to my family tomorrow evening so I can take the last two quilts with me and hopefully get them done while I'm away. I have to do a lot of packing tonight otherwise I think I'd finish another one, possibly both.

So to finish my quilting goals for the month I just need to:

1. Complete the binding on the last two quilts
2. Complete the Christmas panel (which will also come away with me for Christmas)
3. Sew together the Jungle Quilt top
4. Sew some more of the flannel blocks (although I have done some so technically this goal is complete, I'd just like to get them all done)

I shall also take Sleigh Ride with me over Christmas and the Jingle Biscornu as I'm getting stitching withdrawals!

We're back on Saturday morning so I'm hoping that next weekend I can get the Jungle and Flannel quilting bits done and then I'm set to start the New Year with some new projects with a clear conscience.

We had a lovely weekend - Friday we saw Santa and Lia, although very shy, seemed to enjoy it (although if you ask her she'll say the huge icecream she had was the best part of her day). We then had friends over on Saturday and Sunday and I cooked a Christmas lunch yesterday so now we're really starting to feel Christmassy.

Poor Lia had a nosebleed at 1am this morning so I'm a bit fuzzy headed today. She is at nursery but I've told them to call me if she has another and I'll be more than happy to leave work and take her home!

Oh and yes, there will be photos, I just finished too late last night to get any taken...

Stuck

I'm stuck in my job and I'm not enjoying it. There, I've said it so I can't ignore it any more.

I started this job seven years ago and it was great, lots of diversity, great people, plenty of projects etc. Then I had a baby, took six months off, and came back to a different place. I've thought about this a lot lately and my return from maternity really did mark the beginning of the end, almost like some people were just waiting for me to pop out number two.

Sure there have been organisational shakeups and other external factors but the truth is that I just never got back to a decent workload. I'll admit that at the beginning that was great - Lia was five months old when I returned to work and dealing with her and a job meant that if the job was a bit slack then it was easier to cope some days.

But now I'm bored. Totally and utterly. The project that was supposedly going to 'save my job' is still being worked on (an external contractor is doing the initial work and they've missed their deadline) so I'm at work with nothing to do. So I am bored. Really really bored.

Part of me wants to start looking for a new job but the truth is that the reasons for staying here are much more compelling than for going:

1. In the current economic climate it's much better to be at risk of redundancy from a job you have 7 years service in than one you have a few months service in

2. Lia's already stressy about going to nursery ('it's too young for me mummy!)' to move her now would be such a hassle only to have to do it again in a few months when she starts school

3. Maternity benefits, as in if I get pregnant then I'll get some if I stay where I am

4. We need two good salaries as we might have to subsidise Mum for a bit if her house sale doesn't go through after probate is sorted

5. We're still paying off the credit card and will be for most of 2009 as well

Weigh those issues up next to boredom and sticking with this job seems best for now. Unfortunately.

The problem is of course that boredom at work leads to lethargy at home and I have very little motivation to get out and do anything. You may think that's a strange comment given how I'm motoring through my quilting and stitching but it's actually doing something physical that I have a problem with and, whilst I haven't put any weight on, I feel like a lump that just sits around.

So I am determined to get out of this slump and spend 2009 working towards something better for me. The lack of work at work is also causing a slump in my skills being up to date so I intend to use the time I have with nothing to do to work on retraining my brain in preparation for getting a new job. In January Lia is going to start dancing lessons and I intend for us to go swimming as a family once a week as well. Come her birthday she'll get a bicycle so hopefully in the summer we can go out on our bikes - sure she's only small but I'm not exactly fit so she'll probably beat me!

I also want to get the garden into a state where she can play in it so that's more physical work in the spring. All of these things will hopefully kick start me into getting a bit more active. We have a Wii fit and I really enjoyed using it when we first got it but that's been gathering dust for a while so I shall dig it out again.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not depressed and I'm well aware that I have much to be thankful for - I have a great husband, a fantastic daughter and we have two good wages so can afford treats, holidays, etc but I just feel like I'm stuck someplace I don't want to be right now.

I've even come to the conclusion that I'd like to go down to part time hours and be home more with Lia but for now that's out of the question. DH's job is fine - it's a small company and they're doing well - but one never knows how things will go and we'd be hard pushed to live on just my full salary if anything did happen to his job. Plus I need to know my Mum is financially secure as well.

So I'll look at 2009 as the year to get moving, body and brain, and hopefully by the end of the year the recession will be heading towards an end, my Mum will be sorted, and we can look at our options.

Anyway, on to some less depressing things!

I've finished quilt number two and quilted number three so just have the binding to do on that one. Quilt four is going to be pinned tonight and hopefully I'll have three and four completed by the weekend.

We're off to see Santa in London this Friday which I am most excited about. Then on Saturday a friend is coming over and staying till Sunday when I'm going to do an early Christmas dinner for us and another couple. I'm still not really feeling festive but I'm sure I will be after the weekend. I'm working Monday and Tuesday but we'll be heading over to my family Tuesday night and I can't wait, if nothing else just because I get to cuddle Finlay again LOL.

Finishing quilt number three will mean that I've completed my Christmas gift shopping / making so it's just an evening of wrapping and we'll be all ready.

Lia's Christmas Message

December Goals Update

First a couple of pictures:

And here's a close up of the blocks - the dragonfly fabric is also the backing fabric:

This quilt wasn't actually included in my December Goals but it was 'commissioned' by a workmate for a baby girl (her partner's granddaughter) who arrived in the world at the beginning of this month. Because I used fabric from my stash she paid me with six metres of wadding which helps me with the rest of my quilting goals as I now have more than enough to finish my other quilts.

If you're mad enough to read my 'goals' posts (if you ignore them and who can blame you, they're long!) you may remember I had ambitious quilting plans for December.

These were:

1. Finish Christmas Quilt
2. Finish baby quilt
3. Finish Heart to Heart quilts
4. Finish Christmas Panel
5. Quilt bargello
6. Make up Jungle quilt top
7. Sew some more of the flannel quilt blocks

So, at the 1st December the 6 quilt tops I wanted finished this month were in the following state:

3 finished
1 needing three layers of border attached
1 cut but not sewn
1 not even planned

Today, roughly the middle of the month, I have:

1 completed quilt (the one not even planned)
1 completed quilt bar two sides of binding (the one that was just cut)
2 with wadding and backing cut ready to layer
2 with wadding cut and backing needing sewing before layering

I've done about 3/4 of the quilting and binding for the A-Z Christmas panel I want to finish (goal 4). Also, I've sewn together 10 more flannel quilt blocks (goal 7).

The only thing I haven't made any progress with is the sewing together of the last jungle quilt top but you never know, I'm doing well.

I've also managed a bit of stitching and have completed the Jingle tin topper and done a bit more of Sleigh Ride. I haven't stitched much though as evenings have been spent hand quilting or sewing binding. No doubt there'll be more quilts to show off before the weekend though.

Finally, if you've made it this far here's a treat for you, Lia has a fancy dress party next week and I have a friend who just started working at the Disney Store (and gets a great discount) so here's a Christmas Fairy just for you all:

My 2009 Rotation

So, since I mentioned it, I'd better post it (more incentive to stick with it for a start). The main idea is that I achieve the following:

1. Reduce my WIP list
2. Stitch some new things so I don't get bored
3. Focus of some of my larger WIPs

Project 1 will be either a Christmas or Halloween WIP, Project 2 is a small WIP, Project 3 is my monthly autoship SamSarah Bauble, Project 4 is a Lizzie*Kate Boo Club SAL, Project 5 is Bent Creek's Snapperbets and Project 6 is another large WIP from the pile.

So, I stitch one week each on projects 1 & 2, projects 3 & 4 & 6 get as long as they need and project 5 is given what is left of my stitching time that month. Just Nan tins are squeezed in as they arrive!


January
1. Happy Haunting
2. Joyful Summer
3. Alphabet Baubles A
4. Lizzie*Kate - Spooky
5. Grandma's Thread Minder
6. Snapperbet A&B

February
1. Sleigh Ride
2. Charlie is Born
3. Alphabet Baubles B
4. Lizzie*Kate - Treats
5. Cirque des Cercles
6. Snapperbet J&R

March
1. Scream House
2. Coeur de Brodeuse
3. Alphabet Baubles C
4. Lizzie*Kate - Black Cat
5. Grandma's Thread Minder
6. Snapperbet S&K

April
1. Sleigh Ride
2. Garden Party
3. Alphabet Baubles D
4. Lizzie*Kate - Spiders
5. Cirque des Cercles
6. Snapperbet C&D

May
1. Scream House
2. Spring Lineup
3. Alphabet Baubles E
4. Lizzie*Kate - Eek
5. Grandma's Thread Minder
6. Snapperbet L&T

June
1. Sleigh Ride
2. Tempest
3. Alphabet Baubles F
4. Lizzie*Kate - Creepy
5. Cirque des Cercles
6. Snapperbet U&V

July
1. Murky Manor
2. Four Wishes
3. Alphabet Baubles G
4. Lizzie*Kate - Pumpkin
5. Grandma's Thread Minder
6. Snapperbet M&E

August
1. Sleigh Ride
2. Birds of a Feather Dilly Bag
3. Alphabet Baubles H
4. Lizzie*Kate - Fright
5. Cirque des Cercles
6. Snapperbet F&N

September
1. Murky Manor
2. Snowman Trio
3. Alphabet Baubles I
4. Lizzie*Kate - Brew
5. Grandma's Thread Minder
6. Snapperbet W&X

October
1. Sleigh Ride
2. Row of Christmas Fairies
3. Alphabet Baubles J
4. Lizzie*Kate - Monster
5. Cirque des Cercles
6. Snapperbet G&O

November
1. Murky Manor
2. Handmade Houses 4
3. Alphabet Baubles K
4. Lizzie*Kate - Ghost
5. Grandma's Thread Minder
6. Snapperbet H&I

December
1. Sleigh Ride
2. Cottage Garden 2
3. Alphabet Baubles L
4. Lizzie*Kate - Halloween
5. Cirque des Cercles
6. Snapperbet P&Q&Y&Z

When the larger projects are completed I intend to swap in the following WIPs to take their place:

Heirloom Christmas
Wild Ones Alphabet
Noah's Sub
Be Attitudes Afghan

Getting Organised

Well the weekend was more fun than I could ever convey in a blog post. There were nine of us at the GTG and we spent most of the day hysterical with laughter. Plenty of food was eaten and cups of tea drunk and very little actual stitching was achieved.

It was just the tonic I needed and I want to thank all of those who attended for a completely silly day. Poor Lia may take longer to recover though - she spent a lot of the time telling us off for being 'too noisy'!

One of the things I mentioned to them all is that I've devised a strict stitching rotation for myself in 2009 and yes, this was one of the things that caused the most hilarity given they all know how bad I am at sticking to this kind of thing. However they should also all know that the more they tease me the more stubborn I'll get about sticking to it.

The thing is though I've completely failed to reduce my WIP list in 2008 - in fact unless a miracle happens this festive season I'll end the year with one more WIP than I started with. I've had lots of finishes (28) but most of those (25) were new starts rather than existing WIPs. I've never had a problem with the value of stash I have but I am starting to have a problem with the volume - I have so many projects, all of which I still love and intend to stitch so I need to work on reducing what I have.

This is also true of quilting and scrapbooking and whilst they aren't included in my rotation plan they are included in my general hopes for 2009. I want to get four scrapbooks finished and I want to use my quilting skills to make smaller items such as bags, table runners, etc as there's a limit to the amount of space we have to put large quilts.

I hadn't intended to post my rotation plan on this blog but I probably will now I've written about it. I do reserve the right to edit it though but only when a project is finished and I have to swap another project in. I will also take pictures of each piece before and after they're worked on so I can monitor my yearly progress.

So 2009 will be the year of stash consumption. Honestly it is. And if I stick to my plan I could have as many as 10 projects off my WIP list, progress on around 7 more, several quilting projects and four scrapbooks to show for it. Not to mention a warm fuzzy glow from being so good and reducing my stash.

Comments and stuff

I love getting comments (who doesn't) but I'm really bad at acknowledging them which isn't good.

So I just wanted to say thank you for all your recent comments, the kind thoughts are much appreciated and the nice comments about my projects are most generous and always make me smile.

Lisa - I have seen the Christmas Countdown design (linked to enable those who might not have seen it) and it's on my wish list. Luckily I don't love it as much as Behind the Gate so I'm not tempted to do anything rash.

I should confess though that I have made one more stash purchase, the Just Nan Jingle Tin. I didn't pre-order these so have had to wait until the one ONS in the UK who stocks them gets them delivered - consequently I've had to wait almost a month longer than if I'd ordered them from the US. Oh well, it's not like I didn't have anything to keep me busy!

They should be delivered tomorrow and I plan to start them right away so I can try and achieve my goal of getting them all made up by the end of the year. I've done all the stitching on the first three tins so I should have time.

I've not made the same mistake with next years tins, I've signed up for an autoship so I don't have to stalk the internet daily LOL.

I've been cracking on with my quilting. The baby quilt top is now all sewn up (sorry no pic, I finished late last night) and I've made progress on my christmas wall hanging panel too. I'm hoping to get two or three quilts layered and pinned in the next couple of days and one quilted so I can start sewing the dreaded binding on. That's my least favourite part because I always think about how much stitching I could get done in the time it takes.

The good news is that I should have both Christmas gift quilts finished by next week. I'm actually being really ambitious and have set my quilting goals this month as finishing four quilts, quilting but not necessarily binding a fifth, finishing my wall hanging panel and putting together a sixth quilt top!

Nothing like setting oneself a challenge...

I'm having a stitching GTG at mine this Saturday. There should be around nine of us getting together and a couple of people are staying over so I'm sure much chat and laughter and very little actual stitching will be on the cards. As such, I apologise in advance to any readers who are in the Berkshire area of the UK, if you hear a lot of women laughing so hard they can't breathe that'll be us...

Sleigh Ride WIP and some quilting

So here's how Sleigh Ride was when I picked it up:

And here it is now:

I'm really happy with my progress - and with how good this design looks viewed at a distance - stitching close up you don't see the subtleties.

Also, here's Lia's advent panel - there's a chocolate penny in each of those pockets!

And finally here's this years Christmas quilt top. It's a bit of a crap pic but I'll try and get a better one when the quilting is done (click for a bigger pic)

November Roundup and December Goals

November Roundup

November Stitching Goals
1. Finish the Just Nan Over the Top and In the Tin series - up to date but don't have the last tin yet
2. Work on Happy Haunting - no
3. Work on Scream House - no
4. Work on Murky Manor - a little
5. Make a Christmas Ornament - no

Stitching New Starts:
Sue Hawkins - Thread Keeper

Stitching Finishes:
Just Nan - Boo! Needlebook
Just Nan - Hop! Tin Topper
Just Nan - Hop! Needlecase
Bent Creek - Big Zipper

Other stitching:
Bent Creek - Big Zipper
CCN - Joyful Summer
Dimension - Sleigh Ride

Books Read
Run - Ann Patchett
Down River - John Hart
Class - Jane Beaton

November Quilting Goals
1. Quilt and finish my bargello quilt - no
2. Quilt and finish the two Heart to Heart quilts - no
3. Finish making up the blocks for the final Jungle Quilt - yes
4. Finish making up the blocks for the Heart to Heart flannel quilt - no
5. Finish the advent panel - yes
6. Finish the A-Z Christmas panel - no
7. Finish the Countdown to Christmas blocks - yes

Other Quilting
Quilters Friend Sewing Kit (cutting)
Christmas Quilt

December Goals

December Stitching Goals
1. Work on Sleigh Ride
2. Work on Snowman Trio
3. Complete and make up the Just Nan tins
4. Complete the Sue Hawkins Thread Keeper

December Quilting Goals
1. Finish Christmas Quilt
2. Finish baby quilt
3. Finish Heart to Heart quilts
4. Finish Christmas Panel
5. Quilt bargello
6. Make up Jungle quilt top
7. Sew some more of the flannel quilt block

Current Stitching WIP List

1. Dimensions - Sleigh Ride
2. Bothy Threads - Row of Christmas Fairies
3. Margaret Sherry - Santa's Journey Afghan
4. Stitchy Kitty - Snowman Trio

5. Shepherd's Bush - Happy Haunting
6. Glendon Place - Murky Manor
7. Just Nan - Scream House

8. Brightneedle - Garden Party
9. Millhouse Designs - Charlie is Born
10. The Trilogy - Spring Lineup
11. CCN - Joyful Summer

12. Tournicoton - Coeur de Brodeuse
13. The Cat's Whiskers - Birds of a Feather Dilly Bag
14. The Cat's Whiskers - Grandma's Thread Minder

15. Just Nan - Four Wishes
16. Michael Powell - Cottage Garden 2
17. Bent Creek - Snapperville Series

18. Shepherd's Bush - Be Attitudes Afghan
19. DMC - Wild Ones Alphabet
20. Ink Circles - Cirque de Cercles
21. Stitchin'Spirations - Getting Lost in a Blackwork Maze
22. Midsummer Night Designs - Heaven's Above
23. Teresa Wentzler - Tradewinds
24. Dragon Dreams - Dragon Virtues Afghan
25. Michael Powell - Handmade Houses 4
26. Bothy Threads - Cut Thru Fairy Hill
27. Stoney Creek - Noah's Sub
28. Dracolair - Dawn Awakening

Stash, stash, wonderful stash...

Okay so I've gone a bit mad re stash purchases in the last couple of weeks - call it retail therapy!

I discovered that Picture This Plus are going to start a Fabric of the Month Club next year so I've signed up for the brights (of course). Only a Fat Eighth each month but it'll be good to build up a stock of their colour range - I don't know why their fabrics appeal to me so much but they do and they're fabulous to stitch on. I'm currently waiting for a piece I ordered to do Victoria Sampler's Heirloom Christmas on and I'm also going to order a piece to stitch the new Lizzie*Kate Halloween Flip-its.

I also ordered Blue Ribbon Designs 'Behind the Gate' as my Christmas present from DH. Needlecraft Corner does a special package for the chart, linen and floss which is what I shall be getting (and no, I don't mind knowing what's coming from Santa, I get just as excited).

I've also ordered my own present from my Mum this year. Understandably she's finding the idea of Christmas a little difficult and isn't really inclined to be Christmas shopping. When Lia was born the whole family revised their Christmas purchasing and we all agreed to just buying presents for the children in the family rather than the adults (other than spouses and parents). This means that I only get presents for DH and my Mum plus Lia, Luisa and now Finlay. It makes much more sense as we don't have to scrabble around thinking about what we want or what we can buy adults who have more than enough junk.

For Mum this means she only has to do DH & I and my Bro & SIL plus seven kids (she has four step grandsons). She bought Lia's presents last time they visited us and I think the rest of them are all going to get money this year (two are too young to care and four are old enough to be pleased with cash LOL).

Anyway, back to my Christmas gift, I was looking for a particular quilting pattern when I came across these designs. I immediately forgot all about the quilt pattern I was looking for because Jacqueline de Jonge appears to design quilts just for me! I've ordered the patterns for The Colourful Quilt and Joy (see I said she designed just for me LOL). Unfortunately the fabric kits are way out of my price range but I'd actually rather use up fabric in my stash and supplement that if I don't have enough (unlikely!)

I've also ordered a couple more of the SamSarah Monthly Baubles designs - I've stitched two and have five more in my stash so I've got more than half. They're so cute and stitch up really quickly which is great. So that's my gifts from Mum.

I'm also taking part in a Secret Santa exchange on one of the boards I belong to so I've had a lot of fun buying things for my partner (and of course one or two bits have fallen into my stash too). Even better the gift I receive will be a parcel that I have no idea about.

I'm not going to even try and get on the Wagon again but I'm hoping to make my 2009 stash purchasing a bit more organised. As well as the FOTM club from Picture This Plus I have an automatic shipping on the SamSarah alphabet baubles (approx one a month), the Lizzie*Kate Halloween flip its (6 charts) and the second set of Just Nan Over the Top Tins (four in the year).

None of those are particularly expensive but having a couple of packages a month to look forward to should hopefully mean I don't get stash withdrawal. I'm also thinking that I might add my stash purchases for each month to my monthly roundup posts (I know they're long enough already LOL). It will hopefully make me think more if I see what I'm spending written down!

Oh and I followed a link from someone else's blog this morning (yes you Paula) and just had to get this. It is absolutely my last stash purchase of 2009, even though I adore this one too...

A Big Big Happy Dance

I finally finished Bent Creek's Big Zipper. To be fair, it's not my fault it's taken so long - they released the first part early last year and the last part a couple of weeks ago!

I'm pleased I finally finished this one as I didn't feel I could start another large Bent Creek design till it was done. I may well start Snapperbets in the New Year now.

A Christmassy Finish

I saw this at the NEC Festival of Quilts and fell in love with it. At the time I didn't think too much about the blanket stitching (which is just as well as I may not have bought it if I had)!

It's called 'Countdown to Christmas' (no surprises there!) and obviously is meant to start at 25 days but given I've only just finished it I thought this year I'd start counting early (and skip 33 days as I only have one 3 LOL). The frame comes apart so when we get to single figures I can take one part away - maybe next year I'll make another panel that could hang in its place (when I've recovered from the blanket stitching!)

So here's the whole thing:

Here's the rest of the numbers:

Here's a close up of the Santa panel (apologies for the flash, the buttons are all the same colour IRL):

And here's a close up of a number:

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas...

Happy News

Baby Finlay came into the world at 11.50pm on 13th November weighing in at 7lb 5oz. Mother and baby doing just fine.

Auntie Joy is over the moon and Lia is excited to go see her little cousin. Given we've only just come back home we won't be heading down to Kent again till next weekend so I'll have to contain my excitement for a whole week but at least that gives my Bro and SIL time to settle down a bit.

Mum was going to see her first Grandson this afternoon.

A Sad Time

It's been a long time between posts I know but I have a very good reason for that because my family have been having to deal with the sudden death of my Stepdad.

He had a massive heart attack on the morning of 28th October and, although the paramedics managed to get his heart beating again, he had been gone too long and all brain function had ceased. He passed away peacefully at 6.15pm on Wednesday 29th October aged 75.

It was a total shock as he hadn't been unwell - he survived a major heart attack 11 years ago but had been in good health since with a miriad of pills keeping his heart functioning. In fact he didn't know anything about it as he had got up, dressed, made his bed, folded his pjs, put his hearing aid in and was heading out of the bedroom to get breakfast when his heart just stopped. He wasn't a brave soldier by any means and if he'd felt even slightly unwell he would have woken my mother before doing any of the above.

He had been a part of our family for 16 years - both my brother and I were at University when Mum met him and we were both glad that Mum found a companion because it meant we could feel less guilty about moving on with our lives and leaving her at home alone. Over the years he became a very important part of our family, the person everyone would go to for advice and assistance and he was delighted when Lia was born as she was his first granddaughter after four grandsons (he had two daughters of his own). I always said that although he wasn't my father he was, without question, Lia's grandad and he certainly never differentiated between her and his 'real' grandsons.

His hobby was stamp collecting and really, most of us dismissed it as a boring hobby done by a quiet, kind of boring, man. On his retirement however he volunteered to work in the archives of the Royal Philatelic Society and spent the last 14 years organising and cataloguing them. He received the gift of Fellowship of the RPS, something that is only given out once a year at most (if they don't think anyone is worthy of the honour in a certain year they don't give it) and the Society held a 2 minute silence in his honour when they heard of his death.

A quiet and unassuming man he may have been but he was respected by all who met him. He was also a published writer of over 100 articles for various stamp magazines, even managing to have an article in all four current philatelic magazines in the same month earlier this year.

Obviously I've been spending time back home with my Mum and family - the funeral was Tuesday and went as well as these things can. I read the eulogy - I'd never done anything like that before but I felt that I could and that it would be nicer for one of the family to do it than a stranger.

I'm back at work now and trying to get back to some kind of normality. Poor Lia has been up and down for the last two weeks as she understands something has happened but, at 3, can't really grasp the events in full. She is telling everyone that 'Grandad is with the Andrials' and she knows that she can't see him now but I've told her she can talk to him on her toy phone and she seems okay with that.

I'm now going to focus on Christmas and making it magical for Lia. I love this time of year and adore decorating the house so I'm on a mission to clean and tidy thoroughly before the end of the month so the decorations can go up on 1st December. I'm also going to totally focus on Christmas projects between now and the end of the year so Sleigh Ride will finally get dusted off and worked on as well as a couple of other Christmassy WIPs and I ordered some fabric from Picture This Plus to stitch Heirloom Christmas on so I shall be starting that at some point.

My previous post about November Goals was posted in a hurry because I had it pre-written and needed to post something after my 'Great Weekend' post before I wrote about all of this so some of those goals might be missed. I have continued to stitch though (long evenings at my Mums) - it seems to be reading that has suffered the most as I just haven't been able to concentrate much.

And of course the silver lining in all of this is that my brother's wife is due to give birth any day. I felt so sorry for her as her due date was Tuesday, the day of the funeral, but Junior obviously felt it wasn't the time to come out and say hi so we're still waiting. The new baby (no we don't know what flavour it is) will certainly be a welcome distraction for us all.

October Roundup and November Goals

October Roundup

October Stitching Goals
1. Work on Happy Haunting - Nope
2. Work on Scream House - Nope
3. Work on one other WIP - yes Joyful Summer

Stitching New Starts:
Just Nan - Boo! Tin
Just Nan - Boo! Needlebook
SamSarah - January Baubles
SamSarah - February Baubles
Sue Hawkins Bookmarker
Just Nan - Hop! Tin
Just Nan - Hop! Scissor Fob
Glendon Place - Murky Manor

Stitching Finishes:
Just Nan Boo! Tin Topper
SamSarah - January Baubles
SamSarah - February Baubles

Books Read
Out of the Blue - Belinda Jones
Things I want my Daughters to Know - Elizabeth Noble
Mister Teacher - Jack Sheffield
This Year it will be Different - Maeve Binchey
Nation - Terry Pratchett
Gods in Alabama - Joshilyn Jackson

October Quilting Goals
1. Start baby quilt - sorted the material
2. Finish Heart to Heart quilt for gifting - nope but it's being gifted for Christmas now.
3. Start Christmas Quilt - sorted material

Other Quilting
Countdown to Christmas

November Goals

November Stitching Goals
1. Finish the Just Nan Over the Top and In the Tin series
2. Work on Happy Haunting
3. Work on Scream House
4. Work on Murky Manor
5. Make a Christmas Ornament

November Quilting Goals
1. Quilt and finish my bargello quilt
2. Quilt and finish the two Heart to Heart quilts
3. Finish making up the blocks for the final Jungle Quilt
4. Finish making up the blocks for the Heart to Heart flannel quilt
5. Finish the advent panel
6. Finish the A-Z Christmas panel
7. Finish the Countdown to Christmas blocks

Current Stitching WIP List

1. Michael Powell - Cottage Garden 2
2. Shepherd's Bush - Be Attitudes Afghan
3. Shepherd's Bush - Happy Haunting
4. DMC - Wild Ones Alphabet
5. Bent Creek - Snapperville Series
6. Just Nan - Four Wishes

7. Dimensions - Sleigh Ride
8. Ink Circles - Cirque de Cercles
9. The Cat's Whiskers - Birds of a Feather Dilly Bag
10. The Cat's Whiskers - Grandma's Thread Minder
11. Bent Creek - The Big Zipper

12. Stitchin'Spirations - Getting Lost in a Blackwork Maze
13. Bothy Threads - Row of Christmas Fairies
14. Margaret Sherry - Santa's Journey Afghan
15. Midsummer Night Designs - Heaven's Above
16. Teresa Wentzler - Tradewinds

17. Dragon Dreams - Dragon Virtues Afghan
18. Michael Powell - Handmade Houses 4
19. Bothy Threads - Cut Thru Fairy Hill
20. Stoney Creek - Noah's Sub
21. Dracolair - Dawn Awakening

22. Stitchy Kitty - Snowman Trio
23. Brightneedle - Garden Party
24. Millhouse Designs - Charlie is Born
25. Coeur de Brodeuse
26. The Trilogy - Spring Lineup
27. CCN - Joyful Summer
28. Just Nan - Scream House
29. Glendon Place - Murky Manor

A Lovely Weekend

As predicted we had a lovely weekend. Burn After Reading is a terrific film, the Coen Brothers are back to what they do best and I can finally forgive them for the horrific remake of Ladykillers LOL.

Spamalot was equally as enjoyable and I'm glad we got to see it before it closes. I have to say that, for me, the worst parts of the show were the scenes lifted directly from the film - I think because they were almost mimicry - but the new bits and the musical numbers more than made up for it. The comedy scenes weren't bad but I guess they were more of a reminder that it wasn't the actual Pythons we were seeing.

But all in all a good time was had, we had a lovely walk around London and a great meal at 'The Real Greek' in Covent Garden and a generally relaxing weekend.

A brief update on the crap stuff - MIL is getting better, and more importantly, seems a little more cheerful. We pick up our new car on Thursday so no more driving round in the bloody Audi. I know I shouldn't moan but it's huge - practically impossible to park and get out of because it's so wide and it's so long that it sticks out of parking spaces. I'll be so happy to get back in a Berlingo - you can't beat sliding back doors on a car when you have kids.

I'm still fighting with the insurance company re the valuation of our old car. The supporting evidence they provided was rubbish and I've told them so, I can't understand why they are finding it so difficult to understand. Anyway, that's going to go on for a while I'm sure but I'm not giving in to them - maybe they'll up the value just to get rid of me! My neck and wrist are still painful but I expected that, I'm sure it'll take a while to recover, but I can't moan because MIL is in much more pain and discomfort.

Crafting wise I've gotten things out for a couple of christmas projects and sorted the material for the baby quilt so I will make a start on those. I resent the shops starting christmas so early but I do like the 'at home' preparation of things like making Christmas puddings (I supply the whole family, including Greece!), thinking about gifts, etc. Christmas is my favourite time of year and this year Lia will have a stocking on her bed for the first time which will be fun. I also have to finish her 'advent calendar' which is a quilted panel with pockets to put treats in, I've done everything but the quilting bit so it shouldn't take long.

I'm also stitching on a lot of small things, I've started the February Baubles and am working on Just Nan's 'Hop!' Tin Top. I'm also still working on cataloguing my charts in a separate blog to keep me on top of my stash mountain.

One final update re my job, I can't remember exactly what the last update was but for now, I'm staying where I am as they have launched a huge project that they need my technical skills for. That's not saying the situation won't arise again next year but for now things are okay.

Some Good Stuff!

Okay, I'm not going to moan about the car any more. It's not 100% sorted but hey, life moves on right?

This weekend DH and I are going out not once, but twice! My parents are over to babysit so we're going to the cinema to see Burn After Reading on Friday night and then to London to see Spamalot on Saturday night. We've also got vouchers from one of the major supermarkets here in England that are enough to get us dinner both nights too. After the last three weeks I think we deserve some R&R.

Here's a pic of Sesame, our latest addition, she's a real feisty little thing, no being timid around the bigger girls, she was straight in there asserting her authority! I think DH was right, the three of them are much more animated and playful than Toast and Crumpet on their own.

On the stitching front I've completed the Just Nan Boo! tin and am working on the needlebook. I've also finished SamSarah's January Baubles:

It's as charted except I changed the colours a bit as two of the snowmen were charted as being stitched in 'Straw' which, quite frankly, made them look like they had been built from snow that little boys had been writing their names in first!

And finally here's my Just Nan Scream House WIP ( a bit wonky) which I'll be getting back to after I've completed the Boo! Needlebook:

The Long and Winding Road...

Okay, the next time some idiot hits my car and totals it I won't be so nice to them. What a total nightmare it is to try and sort things out!

I'm still in discussions with the Insurance company re the valuation of our dead car but I was advised by the company providing the courtesy car that I should accept the current valuation as an 'interim' payment because if I didn't the other party's insurers could claim I was delaying and stop funding the courtesy car.

I purchased a new car today for £1200 more than the insurers are offering us, that balance will have to go on a credit card as we don't have those funds available to us right now. DH then organised the interim payment from the insurance as we need it so we can pay for this car which will be ready to pick up next Thursday. I then phoned the courtesy car company to tell them to stop harassing me re the payment and to advise them we would need their car until next Friday.

I was then told that once we receive the interim payment we only have 7 days before we have to give them their car back. Really? Well guess what then, it doesn't matter when Royal Mail get that cheque to me this week, you'll get a call this Friday to say we've received it...

Still, we're finally moving forward which is the main thing. I'm so sick of all of this and how much effort it all takes to get sorted. Not to mention the phone calls - we're averaging around six phone calls a day at the moment. I wonder if I can bill the insurance company?

On a much lighter note, Toast and Crumpet have a new playmate. DH felt that three was a good number of guinea pigs to have (no I don't know why either) so on Saturday Sesame joined our household. I'll try and get her to sit still long enough to get a picture - she's a real live wire and, despite the pet shop telling us she might have some problems settling in, she now rules the roost!

Today's the day!

DH just phoned, he's boarding the plane now so in approx four hours I'll have him home. I can't begin to express how happy I am about that!

I've upped the fight with the insurance evaluators. A quick chat with my Insurance Company this morning confirmed that, while they won't actually buy me a car, the evaluators are obliged to find a car in my area for the money that they are offering me.

So I phoned the evaluators and explained that I wasn't happy with the sum they have offered and, as they weren't happy with the counter-sum I had stated, they needed to find me a car to the correct specifications in my area for the money they are offering.

I also then wrote it all in an email so I have documented evidence of the conversation. As I said in my last post I don't want more than I had but I want like for like. If they can find me a new car for the money that is offered then good but all I've had from them is a statement that they have found a like for like car 'somewhere' at the value of £2690 so they'll give me £2500 because the mileage on the one they found was lower.

It's absolutely the biggest rip off there is.

I've asked for proof of this alleged car and they haven't given it to me - despite saying he had the details on the screen in front of him he couldn't tell me the geographic location of the car. I can't be expected to travel the country to find a car or to pay for it to be delivered.

I'm not asking for anything unreasonable but I am now wondering who I can raise a complaint with about this because it's appalling that people are treated this way.

What a week!

Firstly an update on MIL, she's now home, she came out of hospital yesterday. It's going to be a long healing process and nobody knows how much use she will regain of the leg but she's much happier now she's out of hospital.

DH is much more relaxed now he knows she's home. He had to go and make a statement for the police this morning as there will be a trial. The car driver jumped a red light and hit the motorcyclist who in turn hit MIL (or at least the bike did). I understand he faces a jail term and also there will be a significant compensation claim.

DH is due home tomorrow afternoon and then back at work on Monday. He'll have a days rest at home alone on Thursday and then we'll spend the weekend together as a family working on getting life back to normal.

To top off my fantastic week I was driving to work on Thursday, stopped at a roundabout in a queue of traffic and the guy behind me failed to stop and smashed into the back of my car. Lia was scared but unhurt,I sustained minor whiplash and the car has been written off (he hit us hard!)

I'm now negotiating with the insurance who want to give me a lot less money than I will need to replace the car and we just cannot afford a shortfall at the moment. The last thing I want to do is empty our savings to replace the car so I shall fight them all the way.

It makes me really angry that my car was insured for £6,500 but they only want to give me £2,500. I paid premiums based on the first value but they will pay me what they say is the market value. I just don't understand it. Anyway we'll see what happens but I could really do without all of this right now.

On a lighter note, I had a lovely weekend, did some retail therapy and got some crafting done so it's not all bad. Oh and did I mention DH is home tomorrow? I'm so, so happy about that.

The kindness of friends

DH and his Mum were involved in an accident yesterday morning. They were stood on the side of a road waiting to cross when they heard an almighty bang, DH turned to see what it was and a car had smashed into a motorbike. The bike and it's rider were flying (separately) towards DH and his mother, the bike smashed into MIL and the rider into the ground on the other side of DH.

Amazingly DH was physically unharmed but MIL took the full force of the impact on her right leg, she was knocked to the ground and her leg sustained multiple fractures, DH said he thought it might have to be amputated at the scene it was so beaten up. As the biker was 'flying' DH heard his shout 'Oh God, I'm not wearing a helmet!' He's still alive but they don't hold out much hope of him recovering as he has multiple skull fractures.

I spent all day yesterday not knowing whether or not Lia and I would have to fly to Greece but thankfully MIL came through the surgery okay, they think they've managed to save her leg (although they don't know how much use she'll have) and other than that she hasn't got any other major injuries- she banged her head but it wasn't serious.

All things considered we feel it's better not to put Lia through the trip, hospital visits, Yia Yia in a scary leg brace, etc. We'll go out later on when she's further down the road to recovery. Also, as much as DH wants us with him we'd be two more things for him to worry about when he already has way too much to worry him.

I am relieved, I hate flying and I'm kinda hospital-phobic so it was my worst nightmare really but I can't wait for DH to be home as I just want to be with him. His flight home was tomorrow but he's going to stay till next Wednesday so she'll be home and a bit settled and he can leave knowing things are okay.

Friends have been amazing. Work friends have offered any support they can, one even made me cry because he offered to take us to the airport at any time we needed, another friend responded to my worry about what to do with the guinea pigs by looking up pet sitters and sending me the information, another has offered to come and keep me company this weekend and my Mum, Sister and Best Friend all offered to take Lia so I could go out on my own.

It's at times like these that little gestures mean so much. I'm way too independent for my own good most of the time but I do appreciate every offer, big and small as it's fantastic to know that people care.

September Roundup and October Goals

September Roundup

September Stitching Goals
1. Work on Happy Haunting - yes just a little
2. Work on Grandma's Thread Minder - no
3. Work on small WIPs in order to get some finishes - Garden Party, Charlie is Born, Coeur de Brodeuse, Spring Lineup, Sizzle - yes but just Sizzle
4. Work on Cirque des Cercles - no
5. Start Scream House - yes
6. Finish the Tyre Swing part of the Big Zipper - yes

Stitching New Starts:
Sue Hawkins pin cushion
Just Nan - Scream House

Stitching Finishes:
Bent Creek - Big Zipper Tyre Swing
Just Nan - Over the Top and In the Tin Sizzle (stitching only, still needs to be made up)
Sue Hawkins Pin Cushion (stitching only, still needs to be made up)

Books Read
East of the Sun - Julia Gregson
The Love of Her Life - Harriet Evans

September Quilting Goals
1. Finish the flannel quilt top - no
2. Attend the Mariner's Compass workshop - yes
3. Work on a christmas quilt top - no
4. Work on the baby quilt top - no
5. Make a smaller project - no

October Goals

October Stitching Goals
1. Work on Happy Haunting
2. Work on Scream House
3. Work on one other WIP

October Quilting Goals
1. Start baby quilt
2. Finish Heart to Heart quilt for gifting
3. Start Christmas Quilt

Current Stitching WIP List

1. Michael Powell - Cottage Garden 2
2. Shepherd's Bush - Be Attitudes Afghan
3. Shepherd's Bush - Happy Haunting
4. DMC - Wild Ones Alphabet
5. Bent Creek - Snapperville Series
6. Just Nan - Four Wishes

7. Dimensions - Sleigh Ride
8. Ink Circles - Cirque de Cercles
9. The Cat's Whiskers - Birds of a Feather Dilly Bag
10. The Cat's Whiskers - Grandma's Thread Minder
11. Bent Creek - The Big Zipper

12. Stitchin'Spirations - Getting Lost in a Blackwork Maze
13. Bothy Threads - Row of Christmas Fairies
14. Margaret Sherry - Santa's Journey Afghan
15. Midsummer Night Designs - Heaven's Above
16. Teresa Wentzler - Tradewinds

17. Dragon Dreams - Dragon Virtues Afghan
18. Michael Powell - Handmade Houses 4
19. Bothy Threads - Cut Thru Fairy Hill
20. Long Dog - St Germain
21. Stoney Creek - Noah's Sub
22. Dracolair - Dawn Awakening

23. Stitchy Kitty - Snowman Trio
24. Brightneedle - Garden Party
25. Millhouse Designs - Charlie is Born
26. Coeur de Brodeuse
27. The Trilogy - Spring Lineup
28. CCN - Joyful Summer
29. Just Nan - Scream House

*Sigh* I'm in love...

and it's with some fabric. Picture this Plus fabric to be precise.

A friend, L, was over keeping me company this weekend and she brought with her some PTP fabric she'd recently bought and it was gorgeous.

This morning I had a look at their website and all I can say is WOW! It's probably the best colour selection I've seen and the choice of fabric types is so comprehensive I wouldn't know where to start choosing. I don't actually have a huge stash of cross stitch fabric (probably the only thing I don't tend to go mad on) so I think that one or two of their fabrics might end up in my stash.

The problem is which one or two! First glance of the site my wish list now includes Aurora, Voodoo, Phoenix, Jazz, Midas, Monet, Jewel, Lava, Meditation, Phantom, Splash, Stellar, Tango and Whirlpool...

And then I have to pick a type of fabric and size - I tend to be a 28/32ct girl with Lugana, Belfast and Cashel the fabrics of choice so realistically I'll probably stick within my comfort zone and buy fat eighths or quarters.

I have actually put an order in with L to pick me up the PTP fabric for Murky Manor at Ally Pally in a couple of weeks (I'm not going this year, I'm being very good even if I have given L a small list) but that's for a specific design, I think that come the new year I'll treat myself to some fabrics just to have them on hand! I am also going to look through my charts and see if there's anything I think would look good on hand-dyed so I can actually better justify a purchase or two.

Still here...

So the PJ's of Power are holding their own, as are the Bra's of Destiny and the Clean Knickers of, well, of Your Mother's Nagging When You Were a Child, if I'm honest.

I've even been brave and dyed my hair despite the hidden dangers of being overcome by ammonia fumes whilst balanced over the bath semi-naked washing the stuff off.

It seems my twisted logic is working LOL.

One thing I haven't done though is stitch a lot. Weird. I figured I could spend whole evenings in front of the TV with guilt free stitching time but yesterday I didn't even pick up a needle. Today I will though but I'll be in bed early due to having been woken at 6.34am by a small voice saying 'Mummy I wee'd myself'...

By 8am I'd scrubbed her down, dressed her, given her breakfast (dry Shreddies due to an accident with a full bottle of milk last night but that's another story), stripped her bed, got the washing on, hoovered her room and then washed the carpet using our newly acquired VAX (bought for just this type of emergency).

Unfortunately being the lone parent I wasn't then able to crawl back into bed for a couple of hours, I had to be up and focus on being a responsible adult.

DH is having fun although he's sick, but that's okay because his Mama is taking care of him (good for her, here's hoping the snot is all cleared up before he gets back to me). He's had very little sleep in the last 72 hours - he arrived in Athens at 3.30am (our time) after a full day's work the day before then had approx four hours sleep last night before getting on a flight to North Greece at 5.30am this morning (3.30am our time). He's going to be a bundle of laughs at the wedding tomorrow!

I'm having fun too and have a weekend full of visitors to look forward to including my first meeting with a friends baby (2 months old) tomorrow lunch time. I'm also getting my hair cut tomorrow - the first time I've had to take Lia with me and get her to behave for 45 mins. I think I'll have to resort to bribery!

Have a good weekend everyone

The PJs of Power...

DH flew to Greece yesterday, he'll be gone for eight days. Despite my griping about trips to Greece I am sorry to be missing this one as he's gone over for a family wedding and will be going to North Greece for part of the trip (the wedding is in Alexandroupolis which is so far north east it's almost in Turkey)

It's DH's Godparents daughter that is getting married, she's also a not-so-close cousin (DH's Mum and Godfather are cousins) and I would love to meet that part of the family. I've met his Godparents twice now and they are lovely so I'm sorry not to be with him. However, I have no holiday left and we can't afford for me to take unpaid leave so he's gone on his own.

It does also mean that he can spend some quality time with his Dad and his Grandmother, both of whom are not in the best of health, without worrying about keeping Lia and I entertained. It also means that when it comes to planning next years trip to Greece I have a good argument for us spending a week in Kavala (DH's home town where we have a house) so we can make a trip to Alexandroupolis and visit his Godparents and extended family. We can spend our second week in Athens with family there but a week in Kavala will make it more of a holiday for Lia and I.

There is one major side effect of DH going away though and that's my irrational fear of something happening to me whilst he's gone and Lia being left in the house to fend for herself. It's mad I know - before Lia was around it never crossed my mind to worry about anything happening to me but now that little voice in my brain occaisionally pipes up with 'what if you fall down the stairs?'

Don't get me wrong, I'm not constantly dwelling on it to the extent that I see danger everywhere but I think it's the same part of my brain that, the minute the lights go out shouts 'ghost!' LOL (and yes, I sleep with the landing light on when DH isn't around).

However, I have discovered the 'Pj's of Power' cure. At the risk of TMI I'm a girl who doesn't usually bother with nightware as I tend to get too warm in bed. I do own PJ's though and they get worn when we have visitors (so anyone who stays at my house and reads this can be reassured) but I'm now wearing them at all appropriate times because that way nothing can happen to me.

Why you ask?

Well it's a bit like the argument that if you're going to fly somewhere you should take a bomb with you because statistically, the odds for there being two bombs being on the same plane are waaaaaaaay longer than there being one, and you're not going to detonate yours (I would hope) so you're actually much safer. Using this logic, whatever the odds are of me falling down the stairs and breaking my neck, they're a lot shorter if you factor in me being naked whilst falling because that would be much more embarassing and therefore much more likely.

See, total logic. And even if it isn't it's enough for my brain to be comforted which is all that matters...

When is a job not a job?

Answer? I have no idea.

It now looks like I am not going to be made redundant but I still don't have any official word either way. I have a meeting this Wednesday with my Boss and her Boss so I am presuming it'll confirm things one way or another.

Apparently the CIO wants to bring in a technology that I am the team expert in and what she wants usually happens which means I'm not going anywhere. But in these times who really knows what is going to happen from one day to the next.

All this waiting about is really annoying!

A New Look

Given I never got round to sorting out the last blog template properly I had been thinking I should find something ready made I could use. How fortuitous that I stumbled on a link to some fantastic blog templates!

I might tweak this one a bit but I love it (and there were half a dozen more on the above link that I loved too so I might play around with the look every now and again. Anyway I have to load up blogrolling again and tweak my widgets (oo-er!) but other than that I'm a happy bunny.

Oh and an update on the LNS story, they called back and informed me they'd still not received any of the kit in stock (I placed the order on 31st May, surely they might have mentioned it?) So I requested a refund and ordered the kit from Sew and So. It arrived this morning.

At least now I don't have to worry about what to get my Stepdad for Christmas.

Meow!

Last Saturday we went to Leed's Castle in Kent as there was a fundraising day for the Chicks Charity that included a kite flying world record attempt (the largest number of kites flying simultaneously). DH is a recent convert to the fun of kite flying so he was eager for us to join in.

The weather was good to us (although not that good for kite flying as there was very little wind) and we had a lovely time as Leed's Castle is one of the most beautiful castles in England. Whilst we were there Lia got her face painted (she insisted on a pink cat design)

It was really great but she decided about half an hour later she didn't want to be a cat and she rubbed most of it off leaving herself with black smudges - a very attractive look!

They have a large number of black swans at the Castle, descended from ones brought over from Australia so I told Lia that when they honked they were actually saying 'No worries Mate!' just like our Aussie cousins taught Lia to say when they were over last month. Cue Lia repeating this phrase to the bemused birds for the rest of the day and providing amusement for a group of Australian tourists.

The record attempt wasn't successful (472 kits flying but they needed over 600) but it was still a lovely day out and if you ever find yourself in the vicinity of Leed's Castle then do consider going as it's one of the best places I know to have a picnic on a sunny day (I'd definitely recommend taking your own food, like most places in England a couple of sandwiches costs the earth...)

On the Sunday it was my Sis and BIL's Anniversary party which was great - an opportunity to catch up with family we don't see very often and they seemed really happy with the sampler which is good.

This weekend we're just having a quiet time at home as DH is off to Greece on Wednesday for a week. The weather here today is glorious and here's hoping it stays that way for the whole weekend so we can enjoy it.

On an entirely different topic, thanks Jennifer for the link to the Stitcher's Report card. Unsurprisingly others seem to have had similar issues with the stores I mentioned and I shall make my complaints there too. On the bright side one of the parcels I was waiting for finally arrived today which is great. I've chased again about the book and have left a phone message at the LNS asking for someone to contact me with an update on my order.

Watch this space...

Customer Service

Or rather, the lack of Customer Service.

Why oh why is it so hard for some people who run or work for businesses to provide a decent level of customer service these days? Even just being polite can be beyond some of them.

I may have mentioned before that my family have a shop, a business we've been running successfully for 41 years now and assisting the customer and providing what they want has always been the number one priority because without customers you don't have a business.

I've currently got issues with three online sellers - one big ONS who never send out shipping notices and if you dare to ask if something has been shipped you are either ignored (which is currently happening to me) or you get a snotty email back informing you they don't have time to send shipping notices (happened to me in the past). I haven't bought from these people in a long time because of this issue but I pre-ordered something from them that I couldn't find anywhere else and I can't get any information from them as to whether or not it has been sent to me yet.

I also pre-ordered a small kit from another ONS back at the beginning of June (my Stepfather asked if I'd stitch it for him and I hoped to have it done for his birthday which was two weeks ago). My first enquiry as to the status of the order in July got a response saying they had no idea when the kit was going to be released but my last two have been ignored even though the kit is now available to order on their site. Again, I've had snotty responses from this ONS in the past but it was the only place I could locate the kit back in June.

And finally a book seller I purchased something from through Amazon sent a book that was not in 'new' condition (spine broken, pages turned down) despite advertising it as new. They were okay to replace the book (not happened yet after 10 days mind you) but implied that the damage done to the book had been caused by the post office! I guess some bored postman steamed open the envelope and read part of the book but didn't bother to finish it and sent it on to me.

I know that shops are busy but I've left more than enough time between email enquiries for them to respond. And so many of the online stores get it right I fail to understand how the few that don't can really justify their actions.

Rant now over for the day. I'll probably get home and find all three items on the doormat and I'll have to eat my words!

Finishes and WIPs

It's picture time again.

Here's my framed Lavender Hearts all ready to be gifted on Sunday

Here's my completed Goldwork kit

And here's the Mariner's Compass block I made at Saturday's class. I need to unpick the last seam and get some bulk out of the middle so it sits a bit flatter

And here's the status of the WIPs I've just got out to work on:

Wild One's Alphabet

Snapperville

Handmade Houses 4 (at least I think it's 4!)

Four Wishes (and yes, I am embarrassed to have done so little but I had to frog lots of the border and so put it to one side in disgust)

Cottage Garden 2

WIP Rotation

I'm bored with my stitching projects. Or at least I can hear some of the others calling to me from the WIP box which suggests it's time for a change.

I've dug out Snapperville, Four Wishes, Cottage Garden 2, Wild Ones Alphabet and Be Attitudes as WIPs that I'd like to work on. All of them are relatively new starts (I'll take some pics this week) and I'd like to get some work done on them - Wild Ones especially is huge so it'll take quite some time to finish, I'm only at the letter 'C'!

The Be Attitudes are a series from Shepherd's Bush and I'm doing them on an Afghan so now the days are getting colder I can pick it up again knowing it'll keep me warm. It's also good because I can have 12 mini finishes so that should keep me interested. I have more Michael Powell designs in my stash than any other designer so I need to get on and finish some - I have two MP WIPs currently so my ideal is that when I get my WIPs down to a more managable level I'll always have one of his designs on the go.

I've also had a look through my unstarted projects list and identified five projects I'd like to start soon - probably closer to the end of the year for the first one and then staggered starts over the first six months of next year as I'm finishing other projects. They are Bent Creek's Spring Snapperland, Victoria Sampler's Heirloom Christmas, Teresa Wentzler's Tempest, Glendon Place's Murky Manor and the Windswept Santa Tree Skirt.

I am not going to ignore my current focus WIPs, I'm still determined to get more of the small ones finished but I think it's time for a bit of a change. Realistically I think I can get Snowman Trio, Happy Haunting, Garden Party, Charlie is Born, Coeur de Brodeuse, Spring Lineup and Joyful Summer done before the end of the year as well as having some progress on larger WIPs.

Sleigh Ride, Cirque des Cercles, Grandma's Thread Minder, Birds of a Feather Dilly Bag and The Big Zipper will all be put away for a bit so I can regain my enthusiasm for them (and I can't work on Big Zipper until Bent Creek release the last parts anyway).

And of course there are all the other small projects that I slot in - I'm stitching some of the Sue Hawkins kits during my lunch breaks at work and doing the Just Nan tins (I've finished the stitching for Sizzle). I think I'm going to have to find some more hours in the day LOL.

I attended my last booked quilting course on Saturday for the Mariner's Compass block and had a great time. I managed to get my compass finished but because I was in a hurry to get the last seam done I didn't line up the two sides quite as well as I could have so I will need to unpick it and try again. Unfortunately I left my 1/4 inch foot at the quilting shop (I find it easier to use than the programmed 1/4 inch on the machine) so I can't do anything till I get that back next weekend.

I absolutely love the Mariner's compass block, it's one of the main reasons I wanted to quilt, so I'm so happy to have learned it now and am busy planning a quilt to include it.

As well as having a house guest for the weekend I've had (and still have) a horrible tickly cough that's been making sleep difficult so I've not taken any pics yet but I will tonight or tomorrow so I can show of what I've been working on.

My quilt class companion and I have identified three more courses we'd like to try (the teacher does 19 in all and we've done 8 of them in the last year) and the teacher is going to confirm some dates for them from Feb next year so we're having a mini break from the classes which is not such a bad thing, but we at least have some to look forward to next year.

A Post in which I confess to falling off the Wagon (again)

But it's not all my fault. The person who is supposed to be on the Wagon with me keeps tempting me and I'm too week to resist. So it's partly her fault.

It's also the fault of Just Nan for releasing limited editions. Cute limited editions.

Oh and it's also Lia's fault because I was never bothered about Halloween but now I have a child I'm thinking that it'll be nice to celebrate so I'm now looking at Halloween designs in a whole different light.

So when Just Nan released their Boo! Limited edition tin how could I help but fall in love with it, especially with the cute needlebook. Also, I know that I love JN's christmas designs so the final tin is bound to be instantly on my wish list and given they are a series of four I should really have them all right?

Then there's the Just Nan Halloween etui that's a Silver Needle Limited Edition (scroll down). I did confess this bump off the wagon a while ago but I'm trying to remind myself of just how badly I've fallen off the wagon recently.

So after those purchases I was determined to stay on the wagon but then the friend I mentioned above emailed me about a note on the Needlecraft Corner site re another Just Nan Halloween limited edtion (bottom of the page if you're interested). Said friend and I normally place joint orders at NC to save on postage and she asked me to add one of these to our JCS Ornament Edition order. And of course given she has one on order I have to order one for me too right...

Oh well, I'm sure I can manage to get back on the Wagon again - maybe trying for a week at a time might be a good idea LOL.

On another topic, I seem to have picked up a few new readers lately which is lovely and I'd like to thank everyone for the kind comments left about my finishes etc. It never fails to surprise me that people read my witterings and on a regular basis too.

Also, Lindsay nominated me for an 'I love your blog' award a little while back which I completely forgot to mention here so a big apology to Lindsay and a thank you as well. Given I nominated a few blogs a while back I'm not going to nominate a list this time but I will point you all towards a blog I was recommended recently - Spinster Stitcher - if you don't already read her blog give it a go as she does some fabulous work and it's also a fun read.

Finally, our guinea pigs are settling in nicely and have become indoor pets (DH's idea). If I'd have known this I'd have probably bought a more suitable inside cage rather than the huge hutch but it fits inside so we'll stick with it for now and maybe, once we litter train them, they can have more of a run inside and the hutch can be outside for the warmer months.

Oh and it seems likely that there'll be a slight renaming given Lia calls them 'Toast and Trumpet' most of the time LOL.

August Roundup and September Goals

August Roundup

August Stitching Goals
1. Finish Lavender Hearts - yes
2. Work on Cirque des Cercles - a teeny tiny bit
3. Work on Sleigh Ride - no
4. Work on Happy Haunting - yes
5. Work on one of my smaller WIPs and hopefully have a HD - yes, Red Santa

Stitching New Starts:
Sue Hawkins Bookmarker
Goldwork kits - Toledo
Big Zipper - Tyre Swing
Just Nan - In the Tin Sizzle

Stitching Finishes:
Sue Hawkins Bookmarker
Shepherd's Bush - Red Santa
Goldwork Kit - Toledo
Victoria Sampler - Lavender Hearts Sampler

Books Read
The Rain Before it Falls - Johnathan Coe
Diving into Light - Natasha Farrant
An Offer you can't Refuse - Jill Mansell
The Point of Rescue - Sophie Hannah

August Quilting Goals
1. Finish the jungle quilts so they can be gifted - yes
2. Work on Lia's flannel quilt - yes, all the cutting done and I've started making up the blocks
3. Make a bag - no
4. Make a Melly and Me Animal - no

September Goals

September Stitching Goals
1. Work on Happy Haunting
2. Work on Grandma's Thread Minder
3. Work on small WIPs in order to get some finishes - Garden Party, Charlie is Born, Coeur de Brodeuse, Spring Lineup, Sizzle
4. Work on Cirque des Cercles
5. Start Scream House
6. Finish the Tyre Swing part of the Big Zipper

September Quilting Goals
1. Finish the flannel quilt top
2. Attend the Mariner's Compass workshop
3. Work on a christmas quilt top
4. Work on the baby quilt top
5. Make a smaller project

Current Stitching WIP List
1. Stitchy Kitty - Snowman Trio
2. Stitchin'Spirations - Getting Lost in a Blackwork Maze
3. Bothy Threads - Row of Christmas Fairies
4. Dimensions - Sleigh Ride
5. Ink Circles - Cirque de Cercles
6. Michael Powell - Cottage Garden 2
7. Shepherd's Bush - Be Attitudes Afghan
8. Margaret Sherry - Santa's Journey Afghan
9. The Cat's Whiskers - Birds of a Feather Dilly Bag
10. The Cat's Whiskers - Grandma's Thread Minder
11. Bent Creek - The Big Zipper
12. Shepherd's Bush - Happy Haunting
13. Midsummer Night Designs - Heaven's Above
14. Teresa Wentzler - Tradewinds
15. Dragon Dreams - Dragon Virtues Afghan
16. Brightneedle - Garden Party
17. DMC - Wild Ones Alphabet
18. Michael Powell - Handmade Houses 4
19. Bothy Threads - Cut Thru Fairy Hill
20. Millhouse Designs - Charlie is Born
21. Dracolair - Dawn Awakening
22. Bent Creek - Snapperville Series
23. Long Dog - St Germain
24. Stoney Creek - Noah's Sub
25. Just Nan - Four Wishes
26. Coeur de Brodeuse
27. The Trilogy - Spring Lineup
28. CCN - Joyful Summer
29. Just Nan - Sizzle

Finishes and WIPs

I'm so happy because I finished Lavender Hearts Sampler last night and it's now at the framers, it'll be ready to pick up next week - a whole week before it's scheduled to be gifted. Not cutting it fine at all!

I've remained faithful to the charted colours and just changed the words 'Lavender Hearts' for my Sis and BIL's names and then included the dates of the two years at the top (it's for their 40th Wedding Anniversary if you hadn't worked it out)

It's a bit washed out, the colours are much richer IRL, but the light here is just awful for getting a good picture (and I'm crap with the camera).

I've never done pulled thread or hardanger before (nothing like jumping in at the deep end) and I really enjoyed it although wrapping all those bars was a bit tedious and some of my Dove's Eyes are a bit wonky LOL.

As usual I had lots of other things to take pics of so here's a couple more finishes:

Red Santa from Shepherd's Bush (minus his nose as I've lost the button so will have to replace it)

And Ho Ho Santa from the Silver Needle's Secret Needle Night, finished as a box (my first one!)

And finally some WIPs

Happy Haunting by Shepherd's Bush

Sorry about the line across the middle, I was too lazy to take it off the frame

Cirque des Cercles - see I am working on it!

A new start - CCN's Joyful Summer

I'm going to spend the weekend working on things for me - I have the latest part of The Big Zipper to do and I'm also going to do one of the Just Nan 'Over the Top and In the Tin' designs, 'Sizzle'.

Two new family members

I went shopping for a toaster at the weekend and came back with these guys...

In my defense, it's not my fault that the pet shop is right next door to the electrical goods shop. And I did remember to get the toaster as well.

They're two little girls and DH named them Toast (on the left) and Crumpet (on the right) as a reminder to me of my impulsive buy LOL.

Lia's totally in love with them and is very slowly learning how to behave around them, but she gets very excited when they let her stroke them and gets all loud and jumpy which scares them. Still, both Lia and the guinea pigs are settling down slowly so I'm sure it won't be long before they're happy for her to hold them.

Nothing much else is going on here. No news on the job front but I did have an official letter of job offer from the new place so that's all still happily on hold. DH is going home to Greece at the end of September for a week but I don't have enough holiday to join him so it'll be just me and the girls at home.

I'm not exactly being stretched at my current job right now (I'm practically invisible to some people) so that's giving me time to set up a stash inventory blog and organise my photos etc. It's something I've always meant to do but don't want to waste valuable crafting time doing so now I can do bits of it while at work it's great.

I've also got lots of stitching done this month - I've comleted a goldwork kit, finished the Shepherd's Bush Kit 'Red Santa', almost finished Lavender Hearts (I'm just finishing up the Hardanger Heart) and started on the latest part of The Big Zipper. I intend to take some pics this weekend once I've completed Lavender Hearts so I can post some pics with my monthly update.

The Best Laid Plans...

Well they've only gone and offered me the job!

They've bumped up the salary to match what I'm on and they've told me they're happy to wait as long as it takes. I guess that's super-flattering as they are obviously really keen for me to go there but now I'm in a bit of a situation as I'd talked myself out of the job LOL.

DH and I need to have a chat but I think what I'm decided on is that I'll accept the job as I'd be daft not to, wait till work give me the heave-ho and find out the timescales of that all going through and put my CV out to some agencies then.

I'm keener on this new job now I know that they'll match my salary but it's still a longer commute than I'm doing now so if I can find something else nearer to home I'll take it but this is a good backup plan. I know that they didn't interview anyone else for the position so I know that I'm not stringing them along at someone else's expense and I will take the job if I don't find something geographically better for me.

The main reason behind checking out what else is out there is that I don't want to disrupt Lia twice in a quite short space of time - this job is only an 18 month contract so I'll have to find her a nursery for a year before she starts school full time next September. If I get a job nearer to home she can start school now for half days and get used to that with nursery in the afternoons as I'd be close enough to go pick her up in my lunch break and move her from one to the other.

Gosh life can get complicated can't it!

I'm off to do some stitching now as it's all a bit too much...

Another fun weekend

To get the subject of the interview out of the way, it went okay but I'm not that inspired by the job or the commute. I haven't heard back from them yet which I would say means they aren't going to offer it to me but given I told them I didn't know when I'd be released from my current job and I wasn't prepared to go before redundancy I'm not surprised.

As for what's happening with my current job, this weeks meeting that was supposed to decide my fate has been cancelled and is unlikely to re-scheduled so the next one is the end of September (it's a monthy management meeting). TBH, now I've got this interview out of the way and don't want the job I'm much happier waiting - it's another months salary for a start!

I will, of course, share any news as and when I hear anything but there'll be no more job hunting for me until I know what's going on. DH and I are also going to have a chat about my options - I'm not ruling out a career change with less working hours so I can be home more with Lia when she starts school.

As for the weekend, Liz, a fellow stitcher (who is, in Lia's eyes, the official fourth member of the family now, it's always 'one for Mummy, one for Daddy, one for Lia and one for Liz') stayed over Friday to Sunday and we attended the Festival of Quilts at the NEC, my first quilting show.

It was quite a drive (an hour and a half each way) but definitely worth it. The quilts in the show were amazing and I spent lots of money on lovely stash, mainly patterns and books but a couple of small kits too.

We also met up with Lorchen, Allie, Karoline, Betty and Rosie (Karolines MIL and DD) and had a lovely gossipy lunch together (I also got lots of cuddles with Rosie which was great).

Yesterday we all went to see Kung Fu Panda which was lots of fun. Lia was pretty well behaved (she was a bit more restless than when we saw Wall-E but not even close to being badly behaved) and she seemed to enjoy it. We then had lunch out and then chilled out watching some Olympics in the afternoon.

This coming weekend is a Bank Holiday in the UK and my Best Mate and her family will be staying at ours. All fingers are crossed for a nice weekend as we'll be heading to the Portsmouth Kite Festival to meet up with other friends too.

I also keep forgetting to say but Lia's now completely nappy free - we kept them going for nighttime only for a while but I figured she only needed them because she had them (if you see what I mean) and I was right, nappy on and she uses it, no nappy on and she uses the toilet. In fact we're now woken not by Lia coming into our room but by her using the bathroom.

A Job Interview

Tomorrow

*Gulp*

It's been seven years since I attended an interview so I'm a little nervous!

I still haven't been told for sure if my job is going, the meeting that is supposed to result in that decision is next week, and I haven't really done anything about looking for another job until I know all the facts about what's happening here.

However I was chatting with a good friend not long after I found out there could be a problem and she pointed me towards a job vacancy where she works that is perfect for me. I'm a great believer in fate - the lady in question didn't know exactly what my skills were and when I told her she sent me the link to the vacancy, plus I hadn't even planned on telling her about the job issues, we were discussing something else entirely. Add to that the fact that the interviews were scheduled for this week, neatly tying into the timescale for things happening at my current place of work and I felt I had no choice but to apply.

Of course, I'm not counting on getting this job, that would just be too easy, but it is a good opportunity to get some interview experience again and it gets me out of the office for the afternoon.

I've only spoken to a couple of people here at work about what's going on as I don't want to sit in an office full of people feeling sorry for me, especially when I don't feel sorry for myself! Once I have confirmation of what is happening then I'll tell people the facts rather than the supposition. There is, of course, a slim chance that they might decide I should stay but given the people responsible for making the decision are conspicuous by their lack of communication with me over the last few weeks I think I can safely assume I'm off.

However, I have been told by HR that the redundancy entitlement is a months pay for every year I've worked here, tax free, so I'm not leaving before getting my hands on the cold hard cash! There is an official redundancy process that has to take place including job matching, potential re-training etc but given I'm in the only role in the NHS in Hampshire that currently matches my skills I can't see they'll have anything else to offer me. I can also refuse another role without effecting my redundancy pay as long as I have reasonable issues with it.

All in all, I'm still okay with the situation, what's hard is not knowing what is going on, how long it is all going to take, and where I'll be at the end of it all. However, given we can survive okay no matter what the outcome and DH is totally calm about it all I'm not getting too stressed. Work may be slow but that's just more time for surfing, I'm getting lots of stitching done and I'm off to the Festival of Quilts on Saturday for a last splurge before getting firmly onto the Wagon until my job issues are sorted...