Wednesday 27 August 2014

Day 5 in Portugal


It has been so hot here. 39degrees today. It's the hottest I've ever known it and we usually come every August. We didn't go round the pool until 3pm this afternoon as it was too hot to sit out. We did some food shopping this morning and bought the food for a BBQ tonight which filled the morning in then hung around the apartment this afternoon until it started to cool down a bit I I got a bit of stitching done. Here's my progress so far 


The only problem is the blue I've used to stitch the arch I've nearly ran out of and there's loads more to do in that colour. It didn't help that the length I brought only had 4 strands in and not 6 so that was a doh moment for me so I'm going to have to stitch round it with the rest of the colours the best I can. 



Tuesday 26 August 2014

Day 4 in Portugal.


So much for posting an update every day! I must admit I started this at home. I haven't done much stitching but I was awake at 4am on Sunday morning doing some and up at 7.30 this morning getting an hour or so in. I've just stopped and been outside for some breakfast and it is far too hot to comfortably sit out and I'm not ready for sunbathing yet. Despite using lots of mosquito repellent and after sun with mosquito repellent in I've been bitten. Fortunately just on the bottom of my legs and feet. Some years my whole body has been covered. 

 Anyway here's my stitching update
I think it's coming along nicely. The finished design is about 3 x 3 inches so it's not very difficult or needs a lot of concentration. There's just enough amount of block stitching and colour changes to stop it becoming too complicated and having to put too much effort in.

Hubby has just left for the airport to collect my son BFG as he's flying out today to join us. It's been funny just the 3 of us but admittedly much cheaper for meals out, I've spent less on shopping and there's still food in the fridge which will all change from today but I have missed him, so looking forward to seeing him. Don't know if I'll feel the same this time tomorrow when I'm removing empty milk cartons from the fridge, seeing how empty the fridge is and refereeing arguments between the 2 of them (yes even at their ages they still argue over who got the most/had the last etc) 

DDhas been nominated for the ice bucket challenge so she's doing it today and I know BFG will take great pleasure in pouring ice water over her but what he doesn't know is she's going to nominate him and he has to complete within 24 hours so she'll get her own back by doing the same to him. 

Thursday 21 August 2014

Kitted up and ready to go

Kitted this up ready for my holiday on Saturday 

I'm looking forward to starting these Tuscan Cats. I love stitching on holiday. I get up on a morning and have an hour or so before the rest of the family get up, something I never get chance to do at home. I'm hoping to put the first stitches in tonight just to get started. I can't decide which one to start first though. Hopefully I'll get the chance to post lots of updates. 

Saturday 16 August 2014

Middle of the nighter





Well here I am at 3.15 in the morning wide awake thanks to a swollen, painful knee. On the plus side it's surprising how much I can get done in the middle of the night. I can catch up on my soap operas and get some stitching done. 

I'm still working on the same 2 pieces. I had hoped to get them finished before we go on our holidays on 23 august which I know I won't but I am so enjoying doing them

The first one is a vase of flowers. The colours are stunning but I'm disappointed in myself for not allowing more material at the to and bottom of the piece I totally worked out the size wrong (maths was never my strong point)  I did want to display it by stretching it over a frame but I don't know if I have allowed enough material to do this. 

The second piece I'm working on is the sister piece to 'Keep Calm and Carry on' it will say Now Panic and Freak Out' which requires very little counting so it's perfect to work on after a long tiring day at work. 


Sunday 3 August 2014

A finish and a WIP

I finished this yesterday 

It's been easy to do. I started it on holiday in April and only got it finished yesterday but I seem to have lost my sticky bug and with the lovely warm weather we've been having we've been it and about more. I do have a sister project exactly the same but it says 'now panic and freak out'  I intend to start 'now panic' and work it along side my current WIP which is this

Again this is easy as it's block colours but it's done on 28 count even weave so sometimes on a night if I'm too tired I worked on the 'keep calm' I always have a couple of projects on the go at once. One a more complex and another a more easy one and I work on whichever one takes my fancy on the day. It's so hard thought not to look at the lovely new designs which are released and ones published in magazines and resist buying them or starting a new project but I'm determined to finish WIPS before starting a new project (famous last words)