Merry Christmas!

Wishing you a wonderful Christmas spent with those you love....and (of course)some stitching!

Until next time..

Rhona

Stocking progress...and some new starts!

With Christmas day fast approaching, I'm desperately trying to find time to get in some sneaky, secret stitching....which really is not easy at all! Here's where I was last time I posted on my  Santa stocking secret stitching...

....and here's where I am now.....

There's still some hair to do along with some holly and berries to stitch and applique. I still have to embroider the name, attach the front of the stocking to the back and then make and attach the lining! All in  a week....I can see that I'll be burning the midnight oil to get this done in time and without the recipient seeing it!

So, while said person is around and I can't work on the stocking, I decided that maybe it was time to pull out this gorgeous kit that I got from my hubby a few Christmases ago......

......I absolutely love the design (and the fact that my hubby picked a cross stitch kit as a gift for me!), but I HATE stitching on black fabric.....which is why I have been putting it off for so long. Even with some white fabric on my lap so that I can see the holes in the aida, I still detest working on dark fabric......don't get me wrong, I love the finished result but I hate working with black or navy aida. So, with this in mind, I'm going to take it slow and only work on this design one night per week so that I don't end up having this project become a UFO.

So the other nights of the week (when I couldn't work on the stocking!) I have been working on this little kit...

This was one of those last minute grabs that I did in my local Wal-mart, so that I would have something to stitch when we were back in the UK for my father-in-laws funeral. As it happened, I didn't get time to stitch so have just started it. It's a cute little design with a sweet saying, which is probably too small to see on the photo, but it says 'Loved you yesterday, love you still. Always have, always will.' I wasn't too sure about buying it as I didn't love it, but it was the only one on the shelf that I would have stitched, the rest didn't appeal to me at all and I really wanted to have something to work on in the evenings while in the UK.  It was marked at $8 but when I got to the check-out it rang up as $3.50....what a deal! As you can see it's all blues, so i have a feeling that by the end of this design I'm going to be fed-up of stitching with blue threads!

I'm off to see if I can get a few stitches put in the Santa stocking before everyone else gets home from work.

Until next time....happy stitching!

Rhona

Jo's Advent Calendar blog hop....and an apology!

Again I'm having to start a blog post with an apology.  I had signed up for Jo's Advent calendar blog hop and then with everything that's been happening in the family and two trips back to the UK, I had completely forgotten all about it.  So, my deepest apologies to Jo for messing up her plans and to all the other participants and readers, my apologies to you too.

Sooooo........Jo's question was 'How do you spend boxing day?' Boxing day isn't something that's celebrated here in the US, but being true Brits, we confuse our American friends by talking about it and bemoaning the fact that you don't get another day off work! When we lived in the UK it was a day spent with my side of the family as we had spend Christmas day with my hubby's family.  Today, we spend Boxing day quietly, eating the left-overs from Christmas dinner and usually playing board games. I love the fact that my grown up children love to play board games. We often go for a long walk (which seems to be another typically British tradition!) and we are lucky enough to have a nature preserve very close to where we live, so if the weather is good and there isn't tons of snow, a good long walk is also something that we  typically do (it also means that you can then eat the last of the Christmas trifle guilt-free!) I also like to get some stitching done too....what's a day without stitching?

Since I don't have any pictures of our boxing day traditions, I thought I would just share some of my Christmas stitching from previous years (lots of pictures as I'm feeling guilty for missing my date!)....

....and now that I have seen some of these old pics, I really want to go and stitch some of these little gems again!

For more of the advent Blog-hop please visit Jo's blog here.....you might find some new blogging friends to follow!

So, apologies once again for throwing a spanner in the works for Jo's carefully laid out plans.  Wishing you all the joys of this wonderful season, no matter how you celebrate!

Until next time....happy stitching!

Rhona

Tis the season of ...seed beads!

I have seed beads everywhere! Luckily, I don't mind working with them....except when you drop the container with them in and they end up all over the floor!

So my first project with seed beads to show you, is a cute little Christmas card that I started stitching on my long flight back to the US....

 .... a cute little button, some fraying of the edges and the aforementioned seed beads....

...means one adorable Christmas card!

This was a little kit that came with the December issue of CrossStitcher magazine that I snagged while back in the UK. Oh my goodness.....I love the UK cross stitching magazines....and the prices of them compared to here in the US.

The next project uses not only seed beads but sequins too....got to get that Christmas sparkle! I haven't managed to get as much done on this Christmas stocking as I had hoped to......it's really hard to stitch a secret gift for someone who lives with you! 

Each piece has to be cut out, embroidered and then have the sequins and seed beads attached before being sewn onto the main part of the stocking. It's a very time consuming process.....

Some pieces have to be stuffed as you attach them so the end result is 3D.....

....don't you just love those hamster like cheeks?!!!!

The one thing that I have to do is buy another beading needle as the one that came with the kit is looking a bit worse for wear and is far from straight....I have a feeling that it won't last long! Keep your fingers crossed for me that the craft shop stocks those super skinny beading needles!

Until next time....happy stitching (and beading)!

Rhona

Late again!

First of all, I want to apologize for being late with the announcement of who won the giveaway. For those of you who are regular readers, I'm sure you'll understand how hectic things have been here and why I'm late posting.

Soooo......onto the news that you came here for! 

The winner of the chart is......RJ! You can check pout RJ's blog here - and I recommend you pay her a visit as her blog is wonderful!

So this wonderful chart by Veronique Enginger will be winging its way onto RJ, who I hope will enjoy stitching it as much as I did.

Congrats RJ....I'll be emailing you shortly.

Until next time....happy stitching!

Rhona

Christmas stitching

This post is being brought to you by the magic of the blogger 'schedule' button. Instead of cracking on with some Christmas stitching, which is what I was planning on doing, we are flying home for my father-in-laws funeral. I am so grateful that we were able to see him when we went back just a few weeks ago. Life is sad sometimes.

Anyhoo....onto the stitching...which is what you came here to see! This is what I have been working on.....

Looks a bit strange doesn't it? This was for an advent calendar idea that, sadly, won't be ready for the start of December. But since I'm an adult (and so are my kids!!!) it's no big deal that it won't be ready in time and we can continue with the idea as soon as I get back. 

Another Christmas stitching  project that I started was this......

I love these felt applique stockings!  Luckily, this one won't be needed till December 24th, so I'll have plenty time to complete it when we return to the US. All those sequins and seed beads that are involved means that it's not really a project to take with you when you travel....

Some of you may remember me stitching these before.......I think they should carry a health warning on the packet....they are addictive!  Here are some pics of the other stockings that I've made......

No doubt I'll be complaining of my fingers hurting with stitching all those sequins....which is, I'm sure, what happened when stitching those other stockings!

So all that's left for me to do is to grab something from my stash so that my fingers are busy while we are away..... a great reason to have a supply of unopened kits....even if they are just the freebies from the cross stitching magazines!

Remember there's still time to enter my giveaway....click here if you want to enter.

Until next time...happy stitching!

Rhona

Ta-Da!!!

Time for a drum roll.....here it is......

......the finished Etudes Aux Fraises.....

Doesn't it look gorgeous? 

....an old-fashioned botanical study in stitches....

I'm so happy with this finish and I'd like to spread the joy......sooooo......I'd like to pass on the chart the way Rahenna (check out her blog here) passed it on to me. If you'd like to stitch this beautiful design please leave a comment below saying that you'd like to stitch it. If there's more than one person who'd like to stitch it, I'll put the names in a hat and pull out a name. Last chance to add your name will be Sunday 3rd December 2017 and I'll announce the winner Monday 4th December 2017.


Until next time.....happy stitching!

Rhona

More on Metallics!

I have in fact finished Etudes aux Fraises, but the light today is awful and I can't get a good picture of the finished stitching, so I'll leave that for another day as I want you to see it in all it's glory!. 

Christmas stitching

One down, not sure how many to go on the Christmas stitching! I finished the little Christmas bunny that you saw in my last post. I had to unpick some of it as I ran out of one of the threads and couldn't match the colour. Luckily for me, I didn't have to unpick too much. Here's the finished bunny...

This came with a free pre-printed card in the kit but I'm not sure if I'll use that or make my own card....watch this space!!!

I'm still on a mission to finish off the Strawberry design....it feels like ages since I've done anything on it....and in truth, it is ages since I worked on it. Here's the few measly stitches that I managed to put in...

I think I might have to to hermit myself away one weekend and just get it finished in one sitting.

And in case you missed it, the British Craft Awards are here again! Please check out the different categories and vote for your favourites.....my blog is in the running for the Blog of the Year award.....how exciting is that?!

Click here  to go to the voting pages. 

Now that I'm all caught up on laundry and things after our trip back home, I can now get caught up on blog reading! Hope to visit you soon.

Until next time....happy stitching!

Rhona

Ooooh....exciting news!

It's that time of the year again!!!!  

 

So this little blog of mine is in the running for blog of the year in The British Crafts Awards for 2018.......how cool is that?!!!

So if you fancy voting for me (Please say you do!) head over to  http://www.britishcraftawards.com and click on the 'Cross Stitch' section. There are a few stitchy related questions,and then the all important question about the blogs ....please do check out the other blogs on the list too as they are all fabulous :) The whole thing takes less than a couple of minutes....and if you live in the UK you could win an amazon voucher!

Thanks for taking the time to read this....and hopefully voting for Tangled Threads!!!

Until next time....happy stitching!

Rhona

It's been an eventful two weeks!

Eventful....and not always as planned!

First of all, hubby and I had a quick trip to Canada. He had booked tickets to see a football game, which is not my scene at all! While he was at the football match, I was planning to check out the craft stores....two hours of uninterrupted craftiness and, depending on the end score, not having to hide what I bought :) Unfortunately the game was cancelled, but since we had already booked a hotel, we decided just to go anyway.

On our way we stopped by Niagara falls.....

 ...a bit wet, but a spectacular place to visit!

We didn't stay in Canada as long as planned, as we had to book a last minute flight over to the UK as a very close family member was really sick. We headed back to the US to pack and get everything ready for a flight home to the UK. I had intended writing a few blog posts and have them scheduled to appear while we were away. But for a second Sunday in a row, I spent the time in the ER, this time with my daughter! So, as you know, no posts were scheduled.

I did manage to pack some stitching to do while in the UK. I had this Lizzie Kate chart in my stash and it seemed an appropriate design to stitch for my daughter who got engaged while on holiday. Have you ever noticed that there are loads of wedding designs but nothing really for engagement? 

So all that needs to be done is  to have this famed or finished some how......and this time, there will be no procrastinating!

While in the UK, I hit the jackpot when it came to magazines...

Sooooo many craft magazines available.....I was in heaven....unfortunately the credit card was of a slightly different opinion :)

My hometown isn't as spectacular as Niagara falls....

 ....but the sun did shine a few days!

Our flight back to the US was cancelled at the last minute, so we basically spent two days at the airport, which, as you can imagine was no fun at all! I did tell you that nothing went as planned!

For our flight back to the US, I had an old World of Cross Stitching Xmas kit all ready to work on.....

A seven and a half hour flight is a great way to get started on your Xmas stitching! You may be wondering why there are two pieces of fabric stitched......the one on the left was the fabric that came with the kit, but it was awful to stitch on. Luckily I had popped in some spare fabric and was able to start again.....with my fingers firmly crossed that there will be enough threads to complete the design:) The flight was rather turbulent which made it rather tricky to stitch.....my needle kept missing the holes :)  I had hoped to have this completed on the flight, but  it didn't work out as planned....again!

So now, things are back to normal....well, at least I think they are....keep your fingers crossed for me! I'm looking forward to a long boring, uneventful week full of stitching time.

Until next time....happy stitching!

Rhona

Slow progress this week!

My weekend plan of doing nothing but stitching didn't happen. Instead of just stitching, my weekend comprised of some good things (shopping trip with my daughter) and some not so good things (having to take a good friend to A & E). 

So only a few hours have been spent on the strawberry design, so my hope of having all the cross stitching done didn't come to fruition. Here's where I'm at...

....sooooo close to having it completed....just that little gap in the middle of the design....

There's just a bit more of the leaf to do, a strawberry and some of the more stems....and of course, the back stitching!

I would like to think that I'll have all the cross stitching done by next post, but I don't want to jinx myself :)

Hope you're having a more productive time than I am!!!
Until next time....happy stitching!

Rhona