Told You I'm Addicted lol

Managed to get DD and I out of going geocaching with DH today by suggesting a mummy daughter craft afternoon. DH should learn she's her mummy's daughter and LOVES crafts lol.
So DD has done lots of pics using different things, I've started the backstitch on Giggle and made up another pinkeep! This one is Waxing Moon's "You're My Sunshine" which I stitched last summer and yet again just went into the finished draw never to be seen again, until now! The background fabric is what I used to back the pinkeep.
I want to get Giggle finished next so that's another happy dance before Feb is out, because once March arrives I've got part 2 of the mystery, part 1 of the hardanger sal and my easter tuck will be arriving, so I think I'm going to be busy on those for a couple of weeks lol.
I've decided that I'm going to choose one project to take to the stitchy club with me twice a month, and that is going to be my oldest UFO, Dimensions School of Dolphins! I started this as my first big project probably about 10 years ago, but was in no way ready for it, so only did a couple of hours I think lol. I saw it stitched up in Hobbycraft and DH loves dolphins, so seemed like a perfect project. Anyway, thankfully he still loves those dolphins so I'm going to dig it out, sort it out and get started again. Once I get going with it I might even try to stitch on it more, maybe even every Tuesday for UFO night, or at least one night a week. Don't quote me on that though, don't want Julie setting her big stick on me lol.

Part 1 Finished!

Last night was my second time at my stitchy club and I really enjoyed it. I felt more at home and was able to talk to people more which was good.
Whilst I was there I managed to finish off Part 1 of the Heirloom Embroideries Mystery Huswif I'm doing as a SAL with Julie. The colours aren't what I would have chosen, but as I've stitched it they have grown on me and now Part 1 is finished I really like the way it is looking. Part 2 won't be released until sometime in March, so have put it away for now.
Now I don't know what to stitch on lol. My HAED's have been calling to me for a couple of weeks now, Always Dreaming QS especially, but my small project right now is San Man's Take Time To Giggle which I've had ongoing for ages and I'd really like to get it finished. I was thinking of getting Giggle finished and then moving onto a HAED, but Giggle is over 1 and taking longer than I expected, and by the time I finish it part 2 of the mystery might be out, or part 1 of the Beginners Hardanger SAL I've signed up for on Jayne's Attic lol, or the Easter Tuck I'm stitching for an exchange on Tranquil Stitches might have arrived haha! See my dilemma?!
And if I'm not careful I'll have spent so long trying to decide what to stitch I won't end up stitching anything!

I Finished My First Pinkeep!

It took longer than I'd hoped, but I finished my first pinkeep today! It's the LHN/CCN Bee Pinkeep which was in the January issue of the Gift Of Stitching Online Magazine. I loved this design as soon as I saw it, but being on the wagon I couldn't subscribe to the mag, until Julie did it for me for my Birthday!
Then JoAnn on TS started a SAL for it and I couldn't resist any longer.
I didn't follow the instructions in the mag exactly for making it up, as I'd read some others on someone's blog I think, and I'm REALLY happy with the result.
I will definitely be making more pinkeeps very soon, I just need to get more backing fabric, ribbon/cord and pins, and then I think I might have a new addiction lol.
I'm having a night off from stitching tonight, although I was going to work on one of my HAED's, then I will be making a start on Part 1 of the HE Mystery SAL!

Getting Carried Away

Due to far too much enabling from certain quarters lately, I'm getting very carried away with joining different SAL's and exchanges, but I must say I'm having fun lol.
First of all I've just been in a tuck exchange on the TS BB for Valentine's Day. I heard last week that my partner had received her tuck, and mine also arrived in the mail. I really love joining in the tuck exchanges, it's so nice to have something to brighten up the place, and they are quick to stitch as well. That's why I've just signed up for the next exchange, an Easter tuck this time, and I can't wait!
Julie also talked me into taking part in the Hardanger SAL that Jayne on the Jayne's Attic BB is running starting in March. The last one I did I really loved, but wasn't intending on joining in this one til Julie twisted my arm lol. So of course I in turn had to talk Karen into taking part, so it should be fun!
At the moment I'm also taking part in a SAL on TS which JoAnn started. It's the Bee Pinkeep from the Gift of Stitching Online Magazine, which I fell in love with as soon as I saw it. Julie was kind enough to gift me a subscription to the mag for my Birthday so when JoAnn mentioned a SAL I couldn't resist. It's stitching up nice and quickly, but Julie has already finished hers as her needle was smoking lol. I'm hoping to finish mine maybe tomorrow, think tonight might be a bit optimistic.
And then once I finish the pinkeep Julie and I are starting part 1 of the Heirloom Embroideries Mystery SAL. The first part arrived last week, but we both wanted to get the pinkeep finished first, and Julie has been kind enough to wait til I finish mine so we can both start the mystery together. The SAL is over 5 months and we are making a Huswife which is an old fashioned needleroll I believe. I'm very nervous because my sewing skills leave a lot to be desired, but I'm excited as well as I've got the bug for learning new things.
So, is this the same person who said at the beginning of the year that they were going to get some longstanding WIP's finished this year?! Well, after the last few weeks with being ill and my glasses breaking etc, I've decided life is too short and as long as I'm having fun then who cares!
Finally, before I forget AGAIN, shortly after my Birthday I received a handmade card with a skein of Vicki Clayton silk in it, but the card wasn't signed, it just said thinking of you. Now I couldn't for the life of me work out who it was from as I couldn't read the postmark, and I meant to mention it on here then. So if that was you will you please own up so I can thank you?

My 1st 2007 Happy Dance!

I've finally just had my first happy dance of 2007!!!! I never thought I'd get there after the last two or three weeks, but I did, and it's great to remember the buzz lol.
This is Waxing Moon's Simply Spring and was lovely to stitch with all the nice bright colours. I can't remember exactly when I started it, it was either 29th or 31st Dec 06, and should have been finished a lot quicker, but never mind, it's done now!
I also have Summer, Autumn and Christmas to do at some point, but think the next one will be a while off, as I've got so many other things I want to stitch next lol.
Alchemy Stitchcraft has released a gorgeous new design called Beachcomber which I have totally fallen in love with. When I was little and my mum and dad were still together we had a fish tank with tropical fish, and my dad got me a seahorse for it. I used to spend hours and hours watching that seahorse and to this day adore them. I have to stitch that biscornu... I can feel my wagon tipping ....

Catching Up

Thought I'd better do some catching up on what's been going on around here.
I still haven't got my new glasses, and it was two weeks yesterday.... I really miss them. But I have got my new contact lenses which are now my correct prescription and more comfortable than my old ones, so it has meant I've been able to do a little bit of stitching at least. I'm just hoping I get a phone call early next week to say the glasses are ready as I could really do when them right now.
The reason being that after hurting my back over a week ago and being in awful pain with it, that is almost better, but now I'm full of cold! And those of you that wear contact lenses will know that them and colds don't mix very well or they don't for me anyway.
So stitching wise there's not much to report. I've done a little bit more on Simply Spring, Tomboy QS and the Eeyore Rug, but that's it, nothing worth taking pics of.
So with everything that's gone on I've ended up in a bit of a state over my stitching, even considering getting rid of all my stash and giving up stitching totally, but I think I'm over that for now. But I have realised that I need to concentrate on just a couple of projects so I can see some progress on them, and I've GOT to get off this pc! lol
I found out today that the first part of the Heirloom Embroideries Mystery Sampler is going to be posted out on Monday, so I'll be starting that next week hopefully! SO, I've decided to try and see if I can finish Simply Spring before I start that. I haven't got a lot left to do, but considering the amount I've managed in the last two weeks it's not definite.
And I finally plucked up the courage to see if there is a stitching club near me, and there is! I rang them about a week ago, and I'm going to the first class on Tuesday night! I know it's daft but I'm really scared. I've wanted for so long to be able to actually meet up regularly with other stitchers, but now it's happening I'm really nervous. I don't know what sort of age group they are going to be, what sort of thing they take with them to stitch, what happens there or anything, but I'm determined to go lol. So watch this space....