Here Kitty Kitty...

Hey guys!

Hope you all had a good weekend, it's been none stop rain here in Scotland so have been enjoying a rather quiet pyjama and Downton Abbey catch up sort of day :)

Also got some more Christmas shopping done online today - I think I only have about 4 more presents to get and I am done.

As suspected this week not a whole load of stitching got done courtesy of the Fallout 4 release, along with a number of other boring things which got in the way of my stitching time.

But, more work did get done on Row of Cats - this guys seems to be taking longer than the others, I'm not sure if it's the colours or what, but I am getting there. Just his face left now.

This week some new stash also arrived, a new DMC floss box, my first is overflowing now so one was needed, along with a new pair of scissors (you can never have enough) and all the floss I need for three projects I intend to start in the new year. Most is DMC along with one Weeks Dye Works and a Classic Colourworks, which I have never used before so it will be interesting to try that out!

I probably won't get an opportunity to update next weekend (we are visiting family) but I should be able to update the Monday or Tuesday after, me and David are both off work for a week so fingers crossed I should get some good stitchy time!

After that we are almost in December - eek! I'm getting giddy for Christmas already!

Emma xo

Every Stitch Counts Right?

Evening all!

I hope you have all had a nice weekend and ready for the week ahead (I am SO looking forward to my week off work in a couple of weeks time).

This week was a funny old week for me, I have just been out of sorts completely, went off the rails on slimming world, was late home from work a couple of nights, early in bed some other nights and the weekends weather has just been horrible here - the street lights were on at 2 in the afternoon here today!

All this meant this week hasn't seen the greatest amount of progress, but I did still manage to work on Lily during the week and Row of Cats today.

Here is Lily as of now, I am still way ahead on the HAED group challenge for 100 stitches a week this month so that's fine.

Here is how Row of Cats is looking tonight - you can't really see the white stitches on this picture but they are there along with the dark grey/brown ones!

So I will continue to work on Row of Cats until this kitty is done - fingers crossed that should only be another evening or so.

Although I will hold my hands up now and openly say I am not promising any great stitchy progress this coming week. Fallout 4 is released this week so there is every chance I will be spending a lot of my evenings playing that instead of stitching but that's ok!

This week I have also started to get some new year projects organised with ordering some threads and fabric - when those arrive I will share pictures!

Have a great week everyone

Emma xo

Boris joins the Cat Party!

Happy Sunday Everyone!

I hope you have all had a pleasant weekend? Mine has been pretty relaxed, we went out for some shopping and a meal yesterday then today I have just stitched away and watching the Bob Ross marathon on Twitch - love it!

So, as expected the next cat didn't take very long at all. After coming home yesterday evening I sat down and managed to complete all the cross stitch in the cat, then today stitched up the bowl then added the back stitch to both the cat and bowl.

I think this little guy is so cute!

So as last week this will now go away until next weekend when the next cat will be stitched - so far this rotation seems to be working out well for me.

In other news I won £50 on the national lottery! Woo! So of course that has been very wisely spent on stitching stash :)

First I picked up this PDF chart from Etsy;

It's a super geeky Fallout pattern which I plan on stitching up for me and David for our wedding. I still can't decide on what fabric to use though - I don't want anything too bright.

Next I got a few more charts I've had my eye on for a while;

This is To Have and To Hold by Country Cottage Needleworks.

Again, this is for mine and David's wedding - I know why the heck do we need two wedding pieces?! But I plan on the Fallout one been for our computer/geek room while this one will probably hang in the hall or living room.

Next was At The Met by Mirabilia. I've loved this one since I first saw it. No idea when I will stitch it though!

Lastly was A Little Luck from Lizzie*Kate. I think this is a fun little stitch and I plan on stitching this one in March for St Paddy's Day, fingers crossed this shouldn't take me too long.

I've also bought some hand dyed fabric from Crafty Kitten as she has had a sale on, but I will share that with you once it arrives.

Plan for the week? To continue on Lily!

Until next time!

Emma xo

Row of Cats - Third Cat Complete!

Good evening all!

I hope your Mondays weren't too painful.

Just a quick update from me tonight, I sat down after dinner and carried on working on Row of Cats by Bothy Threads and I managed to get the third cat complete! :D

As Katie described him once the back stitch on this "orange clump" (Haha) was complete he really came to life, I think he is sweet little chap and kind of reminds me of my own cat Charlie.

So, this one will go away now until the weekend and I am going to pick up one of my other wips to work on through the week - as yet I'm not sure which but we shall see!

Until next time!

Emma xo

Row of Cats and New Stash!

Good evening all

I hope you are all well and had a pleasant/productive weekend! It sure seems strange tonight how dark it is already - this clock changing business always messes me up!

Anyway, after my finish which I showed in my last post I had a look through my stash and thought about what I would like to work on next. I decided no new start, and instead to work on some Wips in the hope of getting one or two finished before the new year.

Here is how Row of Cats by Bothy Threads looked the last time you saw it.

It's been a long time since I've touched this but I've figured if I just aim to stitch one cat a week then I will get this complete by years end. So I started working on it on Saturday afternoon while rewatching House on Netflix and here is where I am now :)

I'm pleased, of all the cats in the pattern this is probably the one with the most colour changes but he stitched up pretty quick none the less.

Fingers crossed just a couple more evenings and I should have all the crosses in and the back stitch done - this is one project I back stitch as I go as each cat feels like a little finish :)

In other news I got some stash this week! I picked up the Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornament magazine for this year, in the UK it's sometimes a bit of a pain to get hold of but I got mine from Patchwork Rabbit.

I have to say there doesn't seem to be as many in this years which jump out at me and scream "STITCH ME!" but thats ok, still a few that I will get done at some point - I am still stitching things from the 2012 magazine!

Is anyone elses Bloglovin' messed up? My feed hasn't updated since yesterday but I see on blogger news feed people have definitely updated? I've tried logging in and out again but still no luck.

Once my cat is complete I will be back to share that and what else I plan on working on each week.

Until next time!

Emma xo

What a strange week!

Well this week certainly didn't pan out like I thought it would!

Tuesday morning I was woken by excruciating pain in my upper stomach, I'm talking me on my hand and knees screaming in agony! So after ringing the NHS line and been told it would be an hour before a nurse rang back we decided to make our way to the hospital.

After lots of tests and xrays they determined it was gallstones! Ouch. So I haven't been back to work since as they said I needed to rest and David, along with two of my bosses, told me to take the rest of the week off. I just have to wait for some more test results to come back and visit my doctor next week.

It could of just been a one off but if it starts happening on a regular basis I may need surgery to remove it. Eek!

Between that, and a couple of meals out here and there over the weekend I only lost 1/2lb this week, but I'll take that. A loss is a loss!

The only good news I have is because I have been cooped up at home with my feet up it has meant I got some stitching done.

First I stitched my small for the small sal, sorry but you will have to wait to see it though!

Next I carried on with Row Of Cats and I'm pleased to say the second cat is now complete, along with both of their toys too!

I've since pulled out Mini The Black again, and I've done some stitches other than DMC 310! Woohoo! But don't get too excited, it has only been browns and greys haha! I think I am going to continue working on it this weekend and I will post a photo after that :)

Have a great weekend everyone!

Emma xo

IHSW Round up!

Good evening!

This weekend has been pretty productive, however I can't actually show you much of what I have been working on, not yet anyway!

First up I added the finish finish to my small for the monthly Small Sal hosted by Stitching Lotus, so now that is all ready and waiting for the check in post on Wednesday.

After that I finished stitching and added the finish to an exchange piece, and as I know the recipient reads this blog I can't show you that either!

Finally, something I can show you (hooray!) I continued to work on Row of Cats, I am really enjoying working on this project, and the current cat I am stitching is stitched with Lana thread so once she is finished she will look all fluffy :)

I also added two balls of wool, which at the moment don't look like much as they need the back stitch adding.

In other news I lost another 1lb this week making my total 13lbs since joining Slimming World and 26lbs overall, so I just need to shift two more lbs to get my 1 and 2 stone!

I will be back this week for my Small Sal post, Stitch from Stash and then Saturday is 1st of March (can you believe it?!) So that means both YOTA and TUSAL time again.

Also on Saturday I am going to see Michael Bublé with some friends, so I am looking forward to that too :)

Finally, if you haven't already don't forget to enter my Giveaway which you can find here, or click the logo below.

Until next time!

Emma xo

Sunday Round Up - plus another Crazy Jan Finish!

Good afternoon!

I hope you have all had a pleasant weekend and those to the south of the UK and Ireland are coping in the battering storm that seems to be going on the moment - here further north we have had some wind and rain but nothing too bad.

This week has been a pretty good week stitching wise, I worked on some secret stitches at the start of the work which I can't show you at the moment, sorry, but once I can I will :)

Then I continued to work on Row of Cats by Bothy Threads, and today I added the backstitch to my first cat Chester. I think he looks great!

Then, once that was complete I pulled out one of my Crazy January Challenge pieces and managed to complete that too! This is the Tropical Bookmark which came free with Cross Stitcher issue 269.

I just love the bright colours in this and it's another of the 15 done! Hooray!

In other news the slimming is still going well, I lost another 3 1/2lbs this week, so since joining Slimming World two weeks ago I have lost 10lbs! Added to the weight I lost on my own last year I am now 23lbs lighter. I'm very pleased but still a long way to yet :)

I will be back tomorrow with another post as it is Turtle Trot time, I haven't managed to work on all ten projects but the ones I have I think I have made good progress, so I am happy.

Until tomorrow!

Emma xo

New Start! Oops!

Hello!

I hope you have all had a pleasant weekend? Mine has been pretty relaxing, made even better with the knowledge I have tomorrow off work too :D

Today I decided on a new start, this one has been niggling away at me recently so I figured as it is one of my Turtle Trot pieces then it is ok to start it!

This is Row of Cats by Bothy Threads, and was a birthday gift for my 26th Birthday (over a year ago!)

This is what it should eventually look like...

And this is the start I made today :) I'm hoping this is one of the ones I can actually complete this year, even if I only complete one cat a month then it should be done!

I started in the middle so Chester is the first cat I am stitching up, just a little more on his body then I will make a start on his head. I can't decide if to back stitch each cat as I go or save it all for the end...we shall see!

Now its almost time for me to put my feet up and watch the Superbowl! I'm hoping I don't sleep too late tomorrow and have chance to go out for a run during the day.

Until next time!

Emma xo