More Life, A Finish, A Start & A Floss Toss

Last week things went a little crazy at home. I saw the surgeon about my operation on the Tuesday, and was then told that my operation would be on the Friday! In the end I'm glad I didn't have time to think about it because I was busy getting childcare organised for Erin etc. Friday came very quickly and I was surprisingly calm in the morning. The operation went well I'm told and I was allowed home later that day, although I was very spaced out from the anaesthetic and took to my bed for several hours. Friday night because I was still under the influence I had hardly any pain for the first time in months and it felt SO good. Unfortunately come Saturday morning the pain was about 10 times worse than it had been before the op. On looking into what I'd had done, it turns out that the steroid injections can take several days to start to have an effect, and this combined with the manipulation that was done had left me very bruised and inflamed. I spent Sat to Mon feeling extremely sorry for myself, but I'm relieved to say that the last three days things have improved a little each day, and today I'm about back to the pain I was in before the op. The expected results of this op can vary, unfortunately there's only a 33% chance this will be a good success. There's the same chance of it not working at all, and the same again of it being some help and me needing to have it done maybe another two or three times, so it's now a waiting game for the next 6 weeks or so before I go back to see the surgeon. I'm not a religious person but if anyone is and could spare a prayer or if anyone could just send some healing thoughts that this does start to work I'd really appreciate it.
Anyway, because I couldn't do much else over the weekend besides sit for about 10mins then pace the house again, I picked up my stitching and I had a happy dance on Sunday night (well, couldn't dance, just had to imagine it lol). I can honestly say if it hadn't of been for my stitching this last few days I would surely have been a lot worse and probably been a lot more frustrated than I was.

LHN Winter Band Sampler

2x2 on 28ct pale blue evenweave using called for DMC

I've also had a new start recently. I decided I needed something on an Easter/Spring theme, and although I know there's no chance it's going to get finished in time to display this Easter, I'm still loving every minute of it. I won this chart in a giveaway Bev had on her blog early last year I think it was, so it's about time I got around to stitching it, and once it's finished I'll be passing it on in a giveaway here, so watch this space.

Trilogy Easter Line Up
1x2 on 40ct Sand Newcastle Linen using mostly called for DMC

And finally here is my floss toss for another new start I have planned! Sally and I have both been having a rough time of it with various things this past few months and when we both fell in love with this design we decided it would be perfect for us to SAL together on, as it seems very apt.

I've chosen to use the recommended Flax Newcastle Linen although am going to use 40ct rather than 32ct, and have picked my own HDF silks. I've mainly chosen similar colours, except for the colour of the words which I decided I didn't want to do in a grey/brown. As I think this may end up in our bedroom when we eventually can afford to decorate it and it's going to be in magnolia, deep red and deep purple, I've changed the wording colour to a deep red, and the dark blue on the chart I've changed to a deep purple. I'm hoping this looks as good as I think it might when I get started, but if not I reserve the right to change them again as I go lol. I spoke with Sally earlier today and we've decided to make a start next Wed, 20th April, hopefully, so I should have a wip pic to show soon!
Well, that turned into a long post so I won't waffle anymore for today. I think I need to go back to posting shorter posts more regularly because I've been meaning to post for about a week now but kept putting it off because I had so much to say and didn't know where to start lol.
Til next time, hope you're all ok and happy stitching!

Gift Revealed, Gift Received, Life & Stitching Progress

The weekend before last I finally got my finger out and finished the giveaway prize that Jane won back in December! I sent it off on it's way to her last Wednesday and I had an email on Friday I think it was to say she had received it and loves it, thank goodness!The design is Needles & Pins by Raise The Roof, stitched on a 28ct Silkweaver Solo which is a mottled pale lilac, using various hand-dyed threads in some of Jane's favourite colours. I also included a mother of pearl thread holder, a skein of HDF silk, and an Aero Lamb (well it is spring now and everyone needs chocolate don't they?!). This is the first time I've tried a beaded edge finish and although I found it fiddly at first I was really pleased with the way it turned out, and will definitely do it again.
Postie brought me a gift last week as well which was so welcome. Ranae recently stitched Homespun Elegance's Holiest of Nights and I had commented on her blog asking what the design was called and who by as I immediately fell in love with it and wanted to add it to my wish list. Anyway, as she had been RAK'd the chart herself she was very sweet and offered to send the chart onto me! I'm not sure when I will get around to stitching it, but when I have I will be sure to pass on her generosity.After finishing the gift I didn't stitch for a few days as I was feeling a bit out of sorts. I still am actually, but figured that stitching usually relaxes me so I should get back to it. I've got my first consultant visit at the hospital tomorrow afternoon to see what they can do about my painful coccyx. From recent doctor visits and examinations it's thought that either it is fractured or there is an old fracture around which scar tissue as formed, which means that it hurts me to sit down in certain positions and is VERY painful to get from sitting to standing after being sat for any length of time. The plan is, if all goes well tomorrow, that I will be having an operation to manipulate the coccyx and break up the scar tissue, and then steroid injections to help it heal. I'm really scared about going to see the consultant tomorrow, although I know it needs doing. I just know that the examination is going to be very painful, I'm scared of hospitals so nervous of being there, and already getting terrified of when I have to have the operation itself.
Anyway, in an effort to try to forget my worries I've pulled LHN's Winter Band Sampler back out and put in some stitches the last couple of days, and have actually really enjoyed it, so I'm glad I did. I was going to pull something else out today to stitch on, but I think I'm actually going to keep going with this while I'm still enjoying it.
That's it for now I think, hope you all have a great week ahead. Thanks to everyone who reads my wafflings and especially to those who take the time to leave me a comment, they always give me a smile.

Garnet Progress

I've finished the front of my gift but can't show a pic so you're going to have to wait a bit longer I'm afraid. I'm hoping to get started on the back and then making it up soon, then it will be winging it's way to it's new home, hopefully in the next couple of weeks.
I can however show an updated pic of my HAED QS Garnet which I'm stitching using HDF silks. I'm so frustrated with the pics of this I keep taking, they make it look all blocky and like the colours are totally wrong, but in real life I'm loving it and it's really starting to take shape this week.No other stitching to show I'm afraid, but hope to be back soon!

P.S. Heather, the JBW Designs A Very Merry Spring is stitched using a Hand Dyed Fibers silk called Pastel Rainbow.

Better Photos Update

Last few posts have been done from my phone so the pics haven't been great.
Thought I'd take the chance today to get some pics with the proper camera of everything I've been working on recently and get them on here.
Here is HAED QS Alisha after the last 5hrs in rotation on her. Need to grid the rest of the page before I can stitch anymore, but really loving this at the moment and the colours.
Here is LHN's Winter Band Sampler after it's slot as well. Still not wild about this I'm afraid. I'm sure it's that it's because it's 2x2 on 28ct which I really don't enjoy much anymore after my 36/40ct addiction began lol, plus I think I've had my fill of xmas/winter stitching for now, but I'm going to persevere with it til it's finished.
This is my Nouveau Encore Designs Personalised Sampler. I decided to move down a page and work from right to left this time, and have most of the border finished on this page now.
And finally is my UFO slot! I'm stitching on this for 1hr in between my 5hrs each on all the other slots. It's HAED QS Garnet which I started way back early last year, and I'm stitching it in HDF silks which are lovely to work with. It will get another hour's attention after I finish my 5hrs on my new wip, then I will decide whether to keep it out, or choose another UFO to work on next round.
And talking of new wips, I started one last night which is to be a gift, so can't show any pics I'm afraid until it's stitched, finished, sent and received, but hopefully it won't be too long!
Thanks for looking!

Winter Band Sampler

Just a quick update. Realised I haven't updated in 2 weeks!
Here is my LHN Winter Band Sampler after just finishing it's slot in my rotation. I'm now just over the halfway point and will be moving down to the house next round.

Feels Like Spring!

The sun has been shining here today and I've seen a couple of crocuses peeking out in the garden so I'm really hoping spring is on the way.
I was close to finishing this cute design last night but my bed and book were calling so have just put the last half hour in and I now have another little happy dance!
Tonight is LHN SAL night with Sally & Lesleyanne so Winter Band Sampler will be coming out again, then I think my Personalised Sampler needs a bit of attention over the weekend.

Winter Band Sampler

Don't know what's been wrong with me this last week but my stitching mojo has been playing up again. I've wanted to stitch but just haven't seemed to have the energy to pick up that needle.
So on Friday I made myself sit down to watch one of my tv shows and picked up Winter Band Sampler and I really enjoyed it!
This is stitched 2x2 on 28ct pale blue fabric using all DMC although you can't really tell from the pic as it's really dull here today.
Hope to stitch later but not sure what on yet, maybe more on WBS but QS Alisha has been calling so you never know.