This Week's Progress

Mon-Fri this week has been spend on my Eeyore Latch Hook Rug. I seem to have been working on this like forever, but can't actually remember when I started it. Everytime I pick this up the first time I work on it it really hurts my hand, wrist and arm, and I can't work out why, I suppose it's the way I hold the hooking tool. Anyway, I've been working out that if I can finish 20 rows each time I pull this out I can finish it by the end of June this year, and that means a free slot to put something else into! So to do 20 rows each time it means an average of 4 rows a night for the 5 nights I'm working on it. Mon went well and I did 5 rows, but because my arm etc hurt so much I only managed 2 Tue, but did 5 again Wed and then my 4 Thur and Fri so I've reached my target for myself and am a happy bunny. I was looking at my last wip pic of this last night and have made far more progress this time around than I realised which is good. So now it goes away for another three weeks, and I have to say I'm relieved lol.
It's back to my Chatelaine Lavender Garden Mandala for the weekend SAL with Julie and Sally, and I can't wait!!!

Don't Mention Wrapped Bars...

Jayne of Jayne's Attic released the final part of the hardanger SAL this morning and despite being enthralled with the Chatelaine Lavender Mandala Garden that Sally, Julie and I started yesterday as a SAL the idea of a happy dance was too much to pass up. Little did I realise that wrapped bars don't like me. It's the first time with any hardanger stitch that I've really got frustrated as they just seem so fiddly, and if I'm honest it upset me as I've loved everything I'd done so far. But I persevered and finished it in the end and I am actually pleased with it for a first attempt. As I went on I got used to them a bit and found ways to make it easier and neater, so maybe next time I'm unfortunate enough to have to do some it won't be as painful.
I spent Mon-Fri this last week working on my HAED Always Dreaming QS which was really great to get back to after so long. I managed to finish the first half page and start the next half and it felt really good to see some progress. Now I'm back to a rotation she will be getting some more attention next month so she won't be gone for long.
Now I'm off to try and do a little more on the mandala before bed. I'll post a pic as soon as I take one lol.

Wonderful Surprise

I received a wonderful package yesterday from Karen as part of the G For Green Exchange on Tranquil Stitches. She had managed to keep the secret very well and I was really surprised to find that she was my partner for this exchange.
She also included a little parcel for DD which included a pink sequined butterfly bag, hairclips and a beaded bracelet which I've not managed to photograph as she's taken them to grandma's to show them off lol. She's already eaten on of the chocs and tried to pinch the teddy but I've told her no way, he's mine lol!
Karen also included a gorgeous ornament she stitched for me which I've yet to decide where to display. Thanks so much Karen, I'm honoured that you were my partner for this exchange.
Stitching wise this week I'm working on my HAED QS Always Dreaming. With feeling ill I'm not making as much progress as I'd like, but it is growing, and hopefully with another couple of evening's work on it I'll have something worth showing.

What A Week

Well, it's ended up with the whole family being ill this week. After Erin being ill at the start of the week, DH started with the flu on Wednesday (it is actually the flu I admit, not man flu lol) and is still no better. He's going to have to give in and go to the doctors tomorrow as he can't carry on like this, it's made his asthma so much worse and can hardly breathe. And then I started on Friday night with the same as Erin I think, headache, achy, really tired, and hot and cold. Then to top it all off late Friday night Erin woke up screaming in pain and it turns out she has another ear infection, so DH had to take her yesterday to see the on call doctor to get her some antibiotics. I'll be glad when March is over if this is what it brings...
Despite all this though I've still managed to get a good bit of stitching in on and off, so am really pleased. I stitched part 2 of the Heirloom Embroideries Mystery during the week, then Fri and Sat I finished off the Easter Tuck for the Tranquil Stitches exchange and will be putting that in the post to it's new home tomorrow hopefully. I've taken a pic but can't show it til it's received. I also received my tuck from my partner Karen54 which is really cute. Erin keeps disappearing with it so have had to hang it out of reach lol.
Then today Jayne of Jayne's Attic released week 3 of the Hardanger SAL and as soon as I saw it I dropped everything else and did this week's part lol. Granted, there wasn't a lot to do this week, but for those whose first time it is at hardanger it's the cutting week, and I can remember back to the first time I did any and I was terrified, it took me ages! This time I didn't even flinch so I must be learning lol. There were also a few eyelets to stitch but I did those as well without any problems. I guess I'm getting used to doing hardanger!
So now it's back to something I've been looking forward to for ages, stitching on one of my HAED's!!!! I pulled Always Dreaming QS out late last night when I suddenly felt a bit brighter, to check everything was ready to go, and sort of got sucked in for half an hour lol.
Officially as it's Sun it's small stitching I should be working on, and next in line is the Lavender Mandala Sally, Julie and I are starting, but not til next weekend I think, so I just need to get it kitted up then that's ready to go, but it's not something I like doing with Erin around as she tends to get carried away with the thread colours lol and they end up everywhere.
SO, I think Always Dreaming might be getting some extra attention! Yay!!!
Thank you to everyone who reads my blog and those who comment as well. I sometimes think that I'm talking to myself lol, so it's great when I see that someone has left me a comment. I spend so many hours reading blogs, I just love them, although I do read a lot of them at lunchtimes at work and for some reason it won't let me post comments from the pc there. I keep meaning to update my list of favourite blogs, and I do keep adding the odd one when I can, but I read so many it's going to be a loonngg list hehe. Hugs to everyone.

My Baby Is Poorly

We went out for lunch yesterday and DD was fine, but then mid afternoon she started going downhill. She had a high temp, felt red hot to the touch, had a rash and said she felt sick and her head hurt. DH checked her over and couldn't find anything too wrong, so we decided it had to be a bug. So I didn't get anything done yesterday afternoon or evening and I ended up spending the night in her room with her as she kept waking up crying, so got very little sleep.
This morning she seemed a little brighter and as I don't get paid if I don't go to work DH and decided to try taking her to nursery and see what happened. She was in floods of tears as she didn't want to go, but I promised to ring at lunchtime and check on her, and told her teacher to ring if there was a problem
When I rang at 11.30 they said she was tearful but was eating a bit of lunch, but then they rang me at 2.30 to say she'd been asleep for 2 hours and had woken up really upset and her temp had gone up again.
So here I am home early. Didn't even make it home without her falling asleep in the car and now she's asleep again cuddled up to me on the sofa.
By the looks of things I'm not going to be going to work tomorrow, and there's lots of cuddling time going to be spent. If she'll let me stitch it won't be too bad, but I really need some sleep.....

My First Flat Fold!

I managed to finish Wordsworth on Friday night, although if it hadn't been a gift for a friend it would have probably ended up out of the window, as the backstitch was a complete nightmare to do, allover the place! lol I made it up into my first flat fold this morning and although it took me a while to do and I had to make adjustments as I went along, I am really really pleased with it for my first attempt and will definitely be making more. Again, I followed the instructions I'd found in someone's blog then did my own thing as I went along lol. I've taken loads of photos of it at different angles as this will be going to it's new home tomorrow, and I know I'll need to refer back to the pics when I do another one.
Last night I stitched part of the Hardanger SAL on Jayne's Attic and I just love this so far. The colours remind me of the fruit salad chews I used to have as a child, wonder what happened to them?
Next thing I need to do is kit up the Easter Tuck I'm stitching for the exchange on Tranquil Stitches, so I can take that to work to stitch in my lunchtimes next week, and then get it off to my exchange partner.
I'm also taking part in March's G Is For Green Exchange on TS and want to get the last few things for that this week and then get that sent off as well, then I'm up to date.
Which leads me onto my new attempt at a rotation which will start tomorrow lol. I've really been missing working on my HAED's lately and it's been made worse by Sally and Julie doing so well on their's, so I figured the only way to do it is to try a rotation again.
So I will work on my big projects Mon-Fri, one per week, and then small projects Sat & Sun.
The rotation will start off as follows, as per the weeks of the month:-
Week 2 - Mystery SAL
Week 3 - Always Dreaming QS HAED
Week 4 - Eeyore Latch Hook Rug
Sat and Sun will be the Hardanger SAL for now and the Easter Tuck if I don't get it finished during this next week, and the Chatelaine Sally, Julie and I are due to start soon.
Week 1 of the month will be Tomboy QS HAED which will come out the first week of April.
I have decided that much as I love the exchanges I'm taking part in I think I've taken on a bit much lately, so I'm not joining in anymore for another couple of months or so, so that I can get myself caught up and work on some long ignored wip's.
Off to kit up the Easter Tuck now!

Pics As Promised

Managed to get the Hardanger SAL Week 1 finished this afternoon. I really love the colours, it's Polstitches Fairy Footprints, so pretty. So that's that one done until Thursday I think.
Have also taken a pic of San Man's Take Time To Giggle that I finished last week, but still haven't managed to make up into a needlecase. I will get around to it, but no holding me to when lol.
Now I need to kit up the Easter Tuck I'm stitching for the exchange on Tranquil Stitches, so I can take it to work to stitch on in my lunchtimes, and then I can concentrate on Wordsworth on a night. The threads from Karen arrived yesterday so I've no exchange now, and it shouldn't take long, it's just not grabbing me lol.
Part 2 of the Mystery was emailed to everyone yesterday, so at some point I need to start that and then I've been talked into joining in a SAL of the Chatelaine Mini Lavendar Garden Mandala from an issue of the Gift Of Stitching mag with Sally and Julie. I was going to bow out with everything I've got to stitch this month, but I really do want to do one and the other things will get done eventually. The only thing that HAS to be done this month is the tuck, so will concentrate on that and the others will follow.

Busy Busy Busy

I managed to finish San Man's Take Time To Giggle last Sunday, but still haven't got around to taking a pic of it, will hopefully do it tomorrow. I want to make it into a needlecase but can't find any instructions that I can easily follow yet lol. This finishing challenged lady needs SIMPLE instructions with lots of pics hehe.
Now March is here things are crazy. I have the easter tuck to stitch for the TS exchange, part 2 of the Heirloom Embroideries Mystery is due out anytime and the Hardanger SAL at Jayne's Attic has started which is weekly for about 6 weeks. Plus I've ended up deciding to stitch a design for my boss at work, who has become a close friend. She is having a really hard time right now and always admires my stitching so I'm stitching Anchor Wordsworth's "Need A Friend" for her. Karen is kindly sending me the anchor floss that I'm missing so I can do it in the called for floss, and I'm hoping it won't take long. I haven't a clue how I'm going to finish it yet, but a flat fold is seeming like a possible idea.
So I started Wordsworth last night, and then the hardanger sal in my lunch hour at work. I think I'm going to try to finish the hardanger tonight then that's out of the way for the week, and then hopefully the floss for Wordsworth will arrive tomorrow and I will concentrate on that til it's finished.
After that it will be the easter tuck and then the mystery! lol
I'll hopefully post pics of Giggle and the hardanger wip tomorrow.