Wednesday 11 December 2013

Friday Night with Friends and lots and lots of other stuff too....including more giveaways

Wow!  I think that this might be a long post, so hang onto your hats as off we go......

(Some cool giveaways at the end of the post so please feel free to scroll down, if you wish)

I am finally starting to feel a sense of normalcy again after the passing of my mother and the funeral.  I still cannot quite believe that she has gone and every now and then I have a little cry but I will get there.  I am just so grateful that she is no longer in pain and as I keep saying, so thankful for all the support of all of family and friends - both offline and online!  (Who would ever have thought that sort of statement would make sense when we were young?)

I received so many lovely cards, good wishes via messenger, FB, comments and lovely flowers and gifts!  Thank you all so much.

Here is a pic of my latest floral bouquet to arrive at my home from one of my ex-colleagues and friends who is now one of my authors, too. (These will feature again a bit later as they are the backdrop for my rather late TUSAL update)


So, I am getting back into my stitching routine, thank goodness.  This past Friday I was able to actually take part in Friday Night with Friends!  Yay!  I actually had a Finish! Double Yay!

I had a Happy Dance for my next fairy, The Ladybird Fairy for my Joan Elliott RR:


She actually pops a lot more in real life.

I still had some stitching time left in the evening so I moved onto a stitchery I have been doing off and on for a while but I am not sure that I have shown it to you before (actually I have - 22nd July is when I started it - you can read that post here, if you like).  It is called Troubled Waters and is part of the Bad Neighbourhood series  by Ink Circles.  I am using some wonderful Australian silk threads to stitch this piece.

Here are my latest progress pics:




Gorgeous colours, aren't they?

I finally got around to taking a photo of my TUSAL - this is two month's worth:

Train/Hospital TUSAL:



Home TUSAL:



This year's TUSAL in its entirety:


Not sure what I am going to do with my ORTs (I still have the last two or three years as I never quite know what to do with them).  What do you all do?


I finally got around to starting my Saturday SAL "Fall Welcome" by Diane Arthur.  It is a SAL I am doing with my very good SAL buddies Linda and Debbie.  They started a few week's ago but as I have been so distracted with everything else I have only just this weekend had a Saturday free to start!  Not much progress but at least it is something!



Then on Sunday night I actually got back to stitching some more on Santa's 12 Days of Christmas (PS) SAL, which I haven't touched in weeks.  This SAL is also with Debbie and Linda.

Before pic:


My latest progress (unfortunately there was a bit of frogging happening!):



Lastly another THREE Christmassy Giveaways:

 Caitlin from Naughts and Crosses is having a giveaway of one of her designs, it closes on Friday 13th December, please tell her I sent you.

This is the design I would choose if I am lucky enough to win!


and
Kim from Wisdom with Needle and Thread is giving away some gorgeous Sweetheart Tree Nutcracker patterns - I adore nutcrackers, see my last post for my nutcracker snow globe - so please tell Kim that I sent you.



Missy from Missyllaneous is having a fabulous giveaway of two lovely pairs of scissors for the winner plus a gift certificate for the winner's friend - how cool is that?


Please tell Missy that I sent you.

Well, that is all for now.

hugs,

18 comments:

Vickie said...

I am glad to know that you are healing Kaye. How is your father doing?
I use my ORTS for the birds in the spring. I place them out in the garden. They take the strings and make lovely nests. =)

Margaret said...

I love all of your stitching. The fairy is wonderful! Glad you are returning to your new normal. Hope your father is doing well.

Christine M said...

Sending you hugs, Kaye. xx

Catherine said...

Always fun to see what you are working on! All of my orts are in a glass ball canning jar. I will put some out in the spring for the birds to hopefully use in their nests.
Glad to know you doing well ~ hugs to you....hope your father is doing well too...

Barb said...

It does take some time to get normal back. I am still sending good thoughts and prayers to you and your father. You have some lovely stitching going on!

Anne said...

(HUGS) First to you Kaye. I can't imagine loosing my mom when I still need her so much. My heart goes out to you. I'm glad there is some normalcy coming back for you..a wee bit. Such lovely flowers from your friends. As for the orts, I don't have a clue of what to do with them. I may stuff a pillow with them instead of fiberfill. I've heard of people leaving them out for birds to use in their nests but since we live in an apartment, I wouldn't know where to put them. Beautiful stitching and great progress on your WIP's. I still have to order that Tudor chart to be a proper part of Tudor tuesdays!!

Pinnylea Creations said...

Pleased to read such a long post; you have been extremely busy. Pleased to read things are a little easier (you will always have times for a little cry no matter how much time passes - it's the price we pay for loving someone).
As ever your stitcheries are divine.
Take care my friend :)

Stitching Noni said...

I can't begin to imagine what you are going through after losing your Mum... but I can imagine how hard it is to keep going each day. And why not take time out for a cry; after all it doesn't hurt to have a cry when you feel the need! :o)
Love all your stitching - absolutely adore your new Sat SAL :o) How cute is that! Looking forward to seeing more of that one!
Hugs and more hugs, take care
xx

Shirlee said...

Many, many hugs to you my friend! I'm glad you're finding a bit of normalcy in your life now. Like Vickie, I'd like to know how your father is doing.

Sarah in Stitches said...

Wow, great stitching updates! So glad to hear that you are doing better. Big hugs!

Valma said...

lovely stitches as usual :)
I can't wait to see more of your new SAL
take care sweetie
lot's of love
xxxx

Emma/Itzy said...

I'm glad to hear things are getting back to normal now, and that the hurt is slowly easing.

Your stitching is looking wonderful, I look forward to seeing more progress :)

KERYN B said...

Take time to look after yourself and do whatever it is you need to do to not hurt so much. Sending an enormous hug.

Simply Victoria said...

Glad to hear that you are doing well. Give yourself time to grieve and remember.

Jo who can't think of a clever nickname said...

I'm pleased to hear things are slowly getting better nd that you can remember the good times.

I use my TUSAL ORTs to stuff ornies. They make such great stuffing that I have started shredding all the little offcuts of fabric to use as stuffing too. I do hate waste!

Ladybird Fairy looks lovely and the colours in the Bad Neighbourhood are vibrant.

Brigitte said...

So good to read that you are slowly getting back to normalcy. The feeling of loss will stay but it doesn't hurt that much after a while.

Great to see all your stitchy progress. The Joan Elliott RR looks so good and you have some nice progress on your WIPs.

SoCal Debbie said...

Troubled Waters looks like a fun design. I almost bought it last year.

Great job starting on Fall Welcome and making progress on Santa! Hurray!

Linda said...

Great starts on Fall Welcome and on Santa. I just won one of the Bad Neighborhood charts. It will be one of my Jan. starts. Congrats on finishing another great fairy.

Linda

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