April Roundup and May Goals

April Roundup

April Stitching Goals
1. Have at least one finish (probably Coeur de Brodeuse) - Yes but it was Fa La La from Shepherd's Bush
2. 'Finish' an item from the list below - Yes two, the pinkeep and bourse are done
3. Work on Grandma's Thread Minder - A little
4. Work on The Big Zipper - lots of progress made - pretty much all done and ready for the next part
5. Work on Sleigh Ride - no due to leaving the chart in the UK

Projects Requiring Finishing
Redwork Bourse
Redwork Pinkeep
Eliza Jane's Needlekeep
Bird's of a Feather Accessories - Needlebook, Scissor Pocket and Fob

Stitching New Starts:
Fa La La
Red Santa

Stitching Finishes:
Fa La La

Books Read
Miracle at Speedy Motors - Alexander McCall Smith
Time Witches - Michael Molloy
Wild West Witches - Michael Molloy
Anne of Green Gables - L M Montgomery
Acting Up - Melissa Nathan

April Quilting Goals
1. Finish the first three Jungle quilts as they all need to be gifted this month - yes
2. Finish some of my other WIPs so I can start something new in May - yes, two finished

May Goals

May Stitching Goals
1. Work on Cirque des Cercles
2. Work on Grandma's Thread Minder
3. Work on Red Thread
4. Start Lavender Hearts (5 finishes start)
5. Start and Finish my Monthly small start (probably Bent Creek's Snowman)
6. Work on Sleigh Ride

May Quilting Goals
1. Finish a Christmas panel
2. Start a new quilt top
3. Work on Monkey Button's Quilt

May 17th Freehand quilting course

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. Be Attitudes Afghan
8. 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. Bent Creek - Red Threads
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. Noah's Sub*
25. Just Nan - Four Wishes
26. Stitchin'Spirations - Lost in a Blackwork Maze
27. Coeur de Brodeuse
28. Spring Lineup - The Trilogy
29. Red Santa

Some Finishes

So here's a bit of an early monthly roundup of pics as we're off to Greece on Wednesday morning. We should have internet access whilst there but it's probably going to be dial up so I certainly won't be uploading pictures!

So, one stitching goal was to properly finish at least one item, well I managed two my first pinkeep and my first bourse! Both from redwork stitching finishes:

Quilting wise I wanted to finish at least one project from my WIP pile and again, I managed two:

My Sew and Slash Course quilt (I finished it against advice with straight lines rather than zig-zagging with the flow of the top but it's just a play quilt for Lia)

My Moda Mini Quilt in a tin

I almost had a third finish but I've still got two sides of binding to do so that'll have to be done next month.

I have also completely finished the two Jungle quilts that will be coming to Greece (just as well really) and only have the binding to do on the third which I have two nights to do when we get back before heading off to a Christening where it will be gifted.

So here's some pics:

The full monty

The backing fabric

A closer look

The two quilts together

It occurred to me the other day that I always refer to these as the jungle quilts but the fabric is actually a range called Silly Safari. I think it's that some of the designs are called vines and I associate vines with jungle rather than safari. Either way it's animals right?

I haven't taken a pic of my Big Zipper WIP but I've made good progress on it and I'm taking that and Sleigh Ride to Greece (despite my need to start Happy Haunting!

Right on Target

We're now on countdown to our Greece trip as we leave a week on Wednesday.

I always try and clear down the fridge and freezer before we go away so I did an inventory yesterday and discovered we have exactly the right number of meals required. I'm not sure how it happens but it means I'm on target for cleaning the fridge freezer and oven on Sunday.

For some reason I'm always happier leaving for a holiday if I know that the house is clean and tidy before we go - I try to strip the beds, get all the washing done and hoover round at least - there's nothing spoils my post-holiday mood more than walking back into a mess.

I've also started the great gathering of items to pack. I was thinking we wouldn't be taking too much but not counting clothes we've already got:

• 3 large bags of Kettle Chips (you can't get them in Greece and SIL loves them)
• 3 boxes of biscuits for the in-laws
• 1 toy 'bath drum' for Lefty
• 1 Build a Bear outfit for the bear we sent Lefty when he was born
• 2 Quilts
• Michael Jackson CD for MIL
• 3 bags of Cadburys mini eggs
• 6 Crystal Whiskey glasses (wedding present)
• A breadmaker (also a wedding present)
• Car booster seat for Lia
• Wedding favours for SIL's party that she's ordered from Confetti for us to take over
  

And then there's a small case worth of toys!

Oh and I shouldn't forget my stitching. I have been wavering about taking Sleigh Ride because I know that next weekend I'll be getting Happy Haunting for my birthday and I really want to start it but I've decided that I will be good and take Sleigh Ride and The Big Zipper only. That way when I get back I can start Happy Haunting with less guilt LOL.

I'd really like to get Sleigh Ride finished this year but given I haven't stitched on it once yet I'm not sure how I'll manage it! It's quite a quick stitch (lots of half stitches) so I should really get my finger out - I think the problem is all the blues! Still, if I don't really have a choice of things to stitch in Greece then I'm bound to get on with some of it right?

I'm pretty much on target with my Quilting goals for this month too. I'm closer to getting all the jungle quilts finished (one's done, one needs binding and one needs quilting) and I've finished one of my other projects and just have two sides worth of binding to do to finish two other projects. The problem I have today is that my index finger is very sore from sewing bindings - I do have a leather thimble but I sew a lot slower when I'm wearing it. Still, a couple of nights of machining to get the third quilt done and I should be healed enough to be able to stitch the bindings without too much pain.

On a completely different subject, I don't normally comment on news but I'm rather sad to hear of the death of Mark Speight. I'm sure we all knew he was dead when he went missing last Monday but it's still terrible to get confirmation. Mark was one of the presenters of Smarteenies, a CBeebies programme that Lia adores, which is why I've spent quite a lot of time in the last couple of years watching him on TV and he was always good entertainment. It's a shocking waste of two lives and I applaud his family for emphasising that drugs killed him as surely as they killed his fiance.

Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

It was inevitable really. DH has wanted a Wii since they came out but I always found excuses. Not that I didn't want one you understand but I wasn't sure how much it would be used and it's a lot of money to spend on something that sits in a cupboard. We've had games consoles in the past where the novelty has worn off very quickly and I wanted to be sure that we would make good use of it.

Anyway a friend came to stay for the weekend and she brought her Wii and DH was totally smitten. Not only can he play games, he can surf the net and watch Greek TV channels on the TV rather than a laptop. Oh and one of the big selling points for me was that our old nintendo console games can also be played on it which means that some of the guilt mentioned in the last paragraph may ease LOL.

So this afternoon I went and got him his Wii and he's the happiest husband on the planet right now. Yes I spent almost the same amount as our weekend away in June will cost but it's back to that quality of life I was talking about in a previous post, the weather is still cold and wet so why wait till the summer to buy one when I'll be wanting him to help in the garden or we'll be going out and about. He'll get much more from it than just playing a few games so really how can I object.

Oh and, of course, I'll have some fun too ;)

Bad Mummy Day

Lia didn't want to go to nursery today. This meant the day started with whining which quickly moved up to tears and then finally screams. All before 8am.

The result being a snotty, tearful child being left at nursery and me sitting at work with a blinding headache and feeling like a bad Mum.

This isn't a play for sympathy, I know that by now she'll have totally forgotten her angst and she'll be enjoying herself and I've just taken some painkillers so the headache will go soon. The lingering 'bad mummy' feeling will probably stay for a lot of the day but when I pick up my happy child this evening that will go too.

It's just that some days start badly you know?

And no, I don't have any regrets about her attending nursery, I'd be a much worse Mummy if I was at home with her 24/7. I know that nursery is a subject that people have strong views about but it works for me and it works for Lia. I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times she's created like she did this morning about going, generally she loves it and she gets much more activities and company than she would if we were at home.

The time I have at home with her is more precious too which means we both benefit.

Anyway, the up side of today is that I've just posted two cheques, one for the balance due for our holiday in Devon at the end of June and one for the balance for the Stitchers Weekend GTG at the beginning of June, both of which I am looking forward to immensely.

I've also sent confirmation to the gardener that we'll accept his quote for clearing our mess, removing three tree stumps, levelling the lot and laying a lawn. All of which he says can be done next month so we'll have a proper garden for Lia to enjoy for the summer.

Okay, all of the above involves significant cost to us (as does the two week holiday in Greece this month and the boiler replacement) but I think the boost to our quality of life that the garden will provide plus the well needed breaks will do us all good. DH hasn't been home to Greece for a year and Lia and I haven't been since Christmas 2006 so it's a long overdue trip (mainly because of the house move last year and my SIL's ever moving wedding date).

We've not had a proper family holiday since Lia was born either (Greece doesn't count) so the Devon trip will be great fun for us all as we're staying on a farm that's about 20 mins from the sea so Lia will have a blast with the animals and the beach.

I have to say that I'm more excited about the garden than anything else though. I can't wait for it to be cleared and looking nice. If it all works out we should be able to order the wooden playhouse for Lia in time for her birthday too. We got the Grandparents to give money for christmas last year and they'll do the same for her birthday so we can buy her one of these.

I figure that it'll provide years of fun and a nice hidey hole for her to escape to. Oh and of course I can have fun furnishing it with curtains, quilted cushions etc.

Snow!

We woke up to this today:

I love snow - we don't get more than a few flakes that often and it rarely settles so I was more excited than Lia!

You can also see from the above pic how much clearing we've done from the end of the back garden

It didn't take long to start melting though so we had to get out quickly and make this guy

And then we came in and Dr Lia administered some drugs to stop us catching cold

And because I had the camera out I finally got round to taking some pics of my latest finishes and WIPs

Here's The Big Zipper (post frogging and partial restitching of the window in the house section)

And I treated myself to a small project just because I felt like somethig simple - Fa La La from Shepherd's Bush - and it stitched up very quickly in just two evenings

And here's The Cat's Whiskers' Alyssum Scissor Pocket made up

And finally for the stitching here's the small Daydreams Wedding Design for my SIL (I forgot to take a pic of it framed but I will). Be impressed I stitched in Greek! LOL

One last pic which is the quilt that I finished last month by finally getting the binding done

A New Song...

Lia's repertoire of songs has grown by one thanks to my Mother. It's an old Scottish song that she taught us when we were small and now Lia's started singing it (to the tune of 'She'll be coming round the mountain)

Oh ye cannae shove your Grannie aff a bus
No ye cannae shove your Grannie aff a bus
No ye cannae shove your Grannie
Cos she's your Mammie's Mammie
No ye cannae shove your Grannie aff a bus

Ye can shove your other Grannie aff a bus
Ye can shove your other Grannie aff a bus
Ye can shove your other Grannie
For she's your Daddy's Mammie
Ye can shove your other Grannie aff a bus

It's at time like this I'm glad my In-Laws don't speak English...