Smalls SAL - January

Hi Everyone

This year I decided to join a few SAL's to help with me keeping up with my blog...

So this week it is the turn of the Smalls SAL hosted by Heather at Stitching Lotus. The basic premiss of the sal is that you stitch on something that you consider to be a small and show us the finished piece on the last Thursday of each month. (I know it's Sunday, shhhh!!)

In my little world of biscornu it seems quite funny for me not to have many smalls finishes as it's what I mainly stitch. I've actually done quite well this month and had 4 finishes, however one I can't share and the other two are what I would call medium ones (ooh went a bit Miranda then! Such fun!) Anyhoo, here is my little finish for the month. It's a mouseloft kit of dolphins that I stitched for my friend. 

Next month should be full of smalls as I plan to finish the RAK's I have outstanding and do a bit on Plum Street Samplers - 12 days of Christmas (yup, got behind in that too!)

It's 1st February tomorrow so I hope everyone has a great month and I'll be back soon with an update on my 2016 goals. 

WIPocalypse 2016

I hadn't planned to do WIPocalypse this year as I hadn't been particularly successful in the past, but feeling the need for a bit of structure to achieve my 2016 goals and also another SAL to help me blog regularly. WIPocalypse is hosted by Measi and each full moon we have to share the projects we want to finish or progress on.  Measi posts a question too - this is January's

Introduce yourself, your projects, and any goals you have for the year!
 

Ok, so quick intro - I'm Kerry, mum to Tom (10) and Lottie (5), married for 12 years to Andy, part time administrator for a small company which I love. I have a passion for cross stitch, blackwork , crochet (if only I was better at it), the colour green, motorsport, giraffes and creative prayer.
.

Most of my 2016 WIPs are in this post but there were 2 I'd forgotten. One was the RAKs that are due to be done by March I think. I've done one, started a second so that leaves 3 to do completely. The other was the granny square swap blanket that needs 2 more squares crocheted and then making up into a blanket. These are the squares so far

I crocheted the same square twice so I could keep one and mine are on the right. 

I have been making progress with the winter swap and I've finally finished the top of the biscornu. It's taken me forever. I'm planning on finding fabric and a chart for the bottom this afternoon. I know what I want it to be so its just a case of finding a chart the right size. Here's a sneaky peek of the corner. 

The blanket is progressing too. It's about 2/3 done now. Whilst I'm still doing the squares for it it is my bus project. I have two 15-20 journeys a day and a 20 minute wait at the school between when the bus gets in and end of school. (The joys of rural bus services) so it's not unusual to see me stitching or crocheting in the playground. 

Oh yes blanket progress pic...

As you can see there are lots of ends to sew in too. 

My last project is the Scandi heart. There has been a tiny bit of progress on it and it will be finished and framed by next Saturday as I'm meeting its recipient for coffee and cake. It's been a good 6 months in the UFO pile as I've not seen my friend for that long. I'm sure the older you get, the faster time passes. 

Anyhoo...before

And now...

And now it's time to get some actual stitching done whilst Lot watches the CBeebies panto's for the umpteenth time. 

A little bit of stash and a sneaky peek!

Hi everyone, 

I've had a lovely relaxing day off today and managed to have a little treat of some daytime stitching. 

I'm having one of those months where everything I'm making are surprises for others. Here's a sneaky peek at one of the stitched pieces. 

I had my last Christmas present today - hubby had ordered me some fabric from The Crafty Kitten and it arrived today. I've no projects in mind for them, so they'll live in the box until I can find the right project. They are both 28ct Jazlyn. Left is mystical mermaid and right is buttercup. 

I had some other bits of stash for Christmas and some lovely handmade bits too. 

I had some lovely cotton yarn from Steph, giraffe charms from my pen pal Lauren and fabric, threads and tin from hubby and the kids. Laura stitched me this lovely biscornu and also made me a cute crocheted tiny penguin and a folded fabric decoration too. 

Gifted gorgeousness is Friday and I've lots to share so until then...

Gifted gorgeousness - January edition

Morning folks.

I've not a huge amount to show for makes this year so far as I've been crafting for a swap, but I did a fair bit of making before Christmas as I did crafty advent calendars for Steph and Laura. Laura make me one a couple of years ago and it was so much fun I decided to return the favour and also make Steph one as she is always so generous. 

This is everything for Laura before I wrapped them all. I put in similar stuff for Steph too. The advent calendars were made up of craft supplies, chocolate and treats, Christmassy stuff like socks and also several hand made bits. The wrapped pile looked great! Each was labelled with the date to open. 

These were Laura's hand made bits above. I made earrings, a penguin brooch, fabric hanging decoration (Laura's was the owl one, Steph had a house). I stitched 2 of daffycat's reindeer for them (click here to check out all of them). . There were a couple of repeats from the Christmas travelling box - Laura had a biscobell and Steph a button tree and I also made a ball for Steph which was inspired by a conversation about satsuma's - as you do!  

It was my birthday a few weeks ago too and along with a Cath Kidston handbag and Paperchase vouchers from hubby, I had a lovely box of presents from Steph including these two beautiful stitches. 

I did make a little heart for my friend Ria for her birthday in October. 

I spent most of December making felties but I did make this little decoration for our friends daughter. It was a cover kit card design from Crazy I think. I did change the hair colour to match Alice's

I think I need to stop blogging now and actually make some stuff so I have something to show in February! 

Happy crafting friends x 

Felties and snowflakes galore

Just a quick post to show some of the numerous Felties I made before Christmas. I think over theChristmas period I made 49 felties with 15 alone being Christmas puddings. 

I made some new designs. 

Randomly my 5 year old came home from school saying she wanted to make paper snowflakes as they'd been told they could bring some in if they wanted. so I decided if we were going to do them then they would be good! Cue Pinterest for a tutorial and voilà 

I got a bit hooked and made a few more too. Lot took them to school and unbeknownst to me they were for the KS1 play. Here they are on the backdrop.

 

I think all but 2 are ones Lottie and I made! 

I think that is all my Christmas makes blogged about - well until gifted gorgeousness that is. Lol. 

Happy crafting 

2016 Goals

Hello all,
I didn't do too well with my 2015 goals - I did a bit on the quilt,  the Autumn swap, the blackwork star and one baby blanket, so with that less than stellar achievement behind me on to 2016...

I thought 2015 was a small list 2016 is even shorter.

WIP's

• Progress on the anchor sampler

• Finish Scandi heart

•  Winter swap - 2 stitches, crochet something and a couple of small bits - no pics as its a secret - Shhhhhhh!

• Blackwork four seasons sampler

• Plum Street Samplers - 12 days of Christmas 

• Hexagon quilt progress 

New starts 

• Blackwork Bird Song

• 1 birthday card a month - probably some prick and stitch ones

• 1 new feltie design a month - templates made, just making to do.

•  Fabric box

I'm hoping that is actually achievable, I've really had to be strict. I'll still be taking part in the travelling boxes and there are also birthdays too so with all that I might have a finish for me at the end too. 

2015 round up

Happy new year crafters

I intend to make this a very brief round up as I seem to be getting really good at long rambling posts that I start to write and don't actually post.

January 
I started work on leaving presents for my friend Caroline who worked for a different company in my office building.

February
Hubs and I visited the Malvern craft show and a stained glass workshop -we also brought several kits that are still not done!

 The travelling box also visited and this was my favourite make - a freebie from somewhere. 

March
The start of the four seasons sampler from Kincavel Krosses.

April
Snowflower diaries design stitched for Steph as an Easter gift.

May
Toadstool stitched for Lori's birthday from an old CrossStitcher mag.

June
Stitched for Laura's birthday - Dragon Dreams - A spot of tea.

July
Crochet - a blanket for my friends Daughter - finished frantically about 30 mins before we saw them! I'm super proud of this.

I also stitched a biscornu and enjoyed the tennis at Wimbledon again.

August
I started the Scandi Heart design - it's still not done. This is a fairly recent pic of it

September
I crafted for the Christmas travelling box - my favourite make was the biscobell.

October
Big Bang Theory quote stitched for Steph and a Ruby Wedding Anniversary sampler stitched for my In Laws.

November 
I made advent calendars for Laura and Steph. These are some of the makes

December  
Felties, Felties and more few more felties!!! 49 in total! 

As for totals - I've no idea as I didn't keep track at all. I didn't craft much until I finished the Internship in August - most of my makes were done in the last 4 months of 2015.

I've almost got my goals sorted too so I'll post that later this week.