Unexpected

This week has taken on a slightly unexpected twist as I'm now having my second day at home with Iona. I'm loving having all the extra time with her, she's such fun to be with!

Anyway, I just popped in here to say that I've finished the stitching on my bluebird box.



I'm slowly getting round to the finishing. Slowly for 2 reasons, the first being that I want to stitch one or two sample ornaments for the after school club which will start a week today. My second reason for only getting round to the finishing slowly is that I think I'm going to have to do some blocking. I've never blocked anything in my life and it sounds way too scary! But at the moment, the stitched outline of the design does not quite match up with the outline of the card for the box (that was part of the finishing kit).


So I'll just have to block it into shape! Oh well, at least the box is stitched in DMCs and so it should at least be colour fast! But don't hold you breath if you're waiting to see the finished box. Maybe I'll just avoid the blocking issue completely for now and go and stitch the bluebird for the top!

Ups and downs

Things have been a bit rough at work since I went back in January. It came to a head a couple of weeks ago and as a result of that I have a meeting on Thursday. I don't know what's going to happen but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that things will change for the better.

Anyway, it's all got me rather jittery and depressed at the moment. I feel like I don't know where I'm going. I just focus on my two beautiful children and make the most of the time I have for my stitching.

So I've been having fun with my Bluebird box and am really surprised at how quickly I'm getting through it.


Progress has slowed this week as I really need to get organised for the after school club I'm going to be taking!

And I haven't shown you this.


A fifteen sided bircornu in felt - I just wanted to see how it worked out in felt.

And as you might have noticed, it's now settled that I'll be teaching an after school club at Alexander's school from the end of this month. We're going to make Christmas ornaments. I bought a book to put together some ideas.


A Cross Stitcher's Countdown to Christmas - I'm really glad I did get this book - there are so many designs in it I'd like to stitch!

There she goes!

Finally, over the weekend, Iona decided to walk on her own!


I'm so proud of my little girl! She was all ready to walk 6 weeks ago, but had a couple of little tumbles which knocked her confidence. But over the weekend, she's just taken off and it's really given her a confidence boost - she's becoming quite adventurous! And she's such a funny little sweetie!

My bluebird box is still coming on well, although it's almost strange to be concentrating so completely on cross stitch at the moment!


I really couldn't be bothered when I started those little buzzy bees - they're so small and fiddly to stitch! But after I'd finished them, I could see what a difference it made and am glad that I stitched them after all!

We had a wander around the allotment late yesterday afternoon - there are some really beautiful flowers on some of the plots! And as it was lovely and sunny, I took a few photos. (I had my camera as I'd been trying to get photos of Iona walking!)

12 stitches in September

In June and July, Gay Ann Rogers was challenging stitchers in her Shining Needle Society group to stitch 12 stitches a day on a project. Well, I may be a little late catching up with this one, but I started my 12 stitches a day at the beginning of September and I’m delighted with the progress I’ve been making.

The project I’ve resurrected for this is Medieval Town Mandala. Here’s where I started at the beginning of the month.


When Alexander goes to bed at night I have a little bit of time while he’s in the bathroom and getting changed when I’m rather just hanging around waiting for him. So, in this little time slot, I’m fitting in my 12 stitches.


I have changed the rules slightly, my goal is at least 12 stitches a day. 12 stitches minimum (Alexander permitting), but there have been days when I’ve been able to at least double the 12. And if I have a day when I’m just looking for a project to work on just to fill some time, the MTM gets a bit of attention then too.


I’m aiming to get this corner finished by the end of October – that’ll see me half way through part 5.