Cross-stitch cafe 2010

Flat_Eric

grrr no stitching done. a morning tidying and doing housework seems to have turned into all day, but the tree is up, xmas music is on and Im hoping my mum will drop down a home made mince pie soon so hopefully that will put me back into the xmas mood (I am feeling very grumpy at the moment). I might even wrap some presents soon and then after tea sit down and stitch. I still can't make up my mind what to stitch though/what will be my xmas project.

just out of interest, I always start my stitching in the middle but do any of you start at the top ? or elsewhere where its more convenient for you ? and if you do this - how much aida should you leave for the border/to allow for framing ?

chickywiggle

Dorastar wrote: »

Well ds has done the typical toddler thing of being really poorly yesterday and being 120% today! He is eating, running around everywhere and is really good fun to be with.

Have re-arranged all our finances through the bank today so we are starting off on a virtually clean slate (apart from one smaller payment each month). Have also been out and bought our Christmas tree - dd wanted to bu one that had lost its top because she said it was specail but no-one would buy it (we only managed to leave it at the shop because we explained that it would be shredded and turned into mulch for other new trees to grow)

My olds have also been on the phone to say they move into their flat on wednesday and the house is already being gutted - have filled 1 skip andanother coming tomorrow. All flooring has gone, all electrical goods gone (including a small tv that you had to squint to see the picture clearly), new boiler , pump and fire needed cos they are full of water, and mum has got a kitchen brochure to choose her new kitchen from. The only thing they won't replace is the gas cooker cos it works but she reckons they might buy a new one anyway!
So looks like they will enjoy quite a silver lining from the cloud of the flood iyswim - but still wouldn't wish it on anyone

Am going to start my Michael Powell chapel over Christmas - and will probably still be doing it next Christmas!

ohh that christmas tree story is SOOO cute. I would love a real one for the smell but stuck with a fake one for now (probably wiseist option as DS keeps having to put the baubles back on that have magaically "fallen oss".

Could something not 'accidently' happen to the cooker during the refit?? you know how clumsy these men are when moving things in and out of houses and with the ice outside the back door it is sooo easy to slip and send it flying.

ERICS_MUM

Season's Greetings to everyone, I do hope you will get through it OK !

I'm back from 17 days in Florida now and feeling very down, going to try concentrating on some sewing to relax a bit. My brother and family and sister with her family (brother and sis don;t speak) are now trying to decide when they can "fit me and Mum (87) in" over Christmas.

So I bought some lovely presents for them and grown up kids while in Florida and I just don't feel inclined to even sort them, never mind wrap them. I usually go to town with ribbons, bows and pompoms but what's the point if I'm not going to see them? Presumably bro and sis will "pop" round at some stage after Xmas to collect all the pressies.

So I'm struggling with my depression, which had been a lot better this year. I feel ashamed to admit how bad I feel because there are so many people around with such terrible illnesses and mine might appear insignificant.

Sorry to moan.

Linda xx

23rdspiral

Flat_Eric wrote: »

What projects does everyone else have planned for xmas ??

humm, i hadnt thought of what to stitch actually OVER christmas week, just what needs doing before! humm.... i've a reindeer i bought last xmas that id totally forgotten about, no idea where it is though.

tellmeitsfriday wrote: »

I scrubbed it all off and it looks ok - I am just worried that there's something more sinister going on. !

probably not. is it an outside wall? other than in a kitchen /bathroom where it is acually damp, black mould usually grows because there's not enough fresh air going around behind something. if you can bleach it lightly and then not push the wardrobe all the way to the wall it would probably be better. we had the same issue with a drawer unit in the lounge and letting air circulate has really helped.

chickywiggle wrote: »

ahhh ........ 2 hours stitching, cuppa tea and "the hogfather" on dvd while DS naps.

sounds lovely.:)

ERICS_MUM wrote: »

So I'm struggling with my depression, which had been a lot better this year. I feel ashamed to admit how bad I feel because there are so many people around with such terrible illnesses and mine might appear insignificant.

Sorry to moan.

hello erics mum, i hope you enjoyed your holiday? am sorry to hear of more family politics. please dont feel ashamed. i was a mess last weekend, and people here really helped. i really mean that. it's good to share and realise you arent alone. thats something we all say but it's hard to remember when you're going through something. welcome back.:)

23rdspiral

Ruth_honey wrote: »

No-one else seems that bothered that christmas will never be the same again.

hey Ruth, i understand. i'm feeling totally the same. ok, so nan was too ill last xmas to really notice it, and we couldnt spend the day with her, and she died on the 29dec, but she was still there if you know what i mean.

i sat and cried and got to the maybe-bottom of why i'm so upset about the idea of xmas and having it again in this house without nan is certainly part of the problem. we should be moving next week but that wont happen now. getting it all out in the open helped. and my other half admitted the idea of unpacking all the decorations and then packing them up again was too exhausing. and getting a real tree was too.

so we went to wilkinsons and bought a 12quid 3 foot 'real' ish looking one. we wont have to move furniture, it doesnt even really need decorating as it has berries and cones on it. you know what? it's silly but i do feel a lot better. it's christmas but a bit different. and that will be the case across the board for me this year.

tellmeitsfriday

23rdspiral wrote: »

probably not. is it an outside wall? other than in a kitchen /bathroom where it is acually damp, black mould usually grows because there's not enough fresh air going around behind something. if you can bleach it lightly and then not push the wardrobe all the way to the wall it would probably be better. we had the same issue with a drawer unit in the lounge and letting air circulate has really helped.

It's an outside wall in my bedroom - but it has had the wardrobe squished right up against it.

I've thrown that away because all the back was black and mouldy too, and I couldn't be bothered to pop it in the wash! Naughty


Hope you all find a good compromise between mourning your losses and enjoying a break with who ever you want to

You don't have to go ott with decs and food and stress. I plan to watch some rubbish tv and have a nice week off

23rdspiral

hi girls, could i pick your brains please? my other half is inspired by my taking up xstitch and now wants to get his mum a kit now she's retired. he see's it as something for her to do whilst watching Corrie! we popped in a shop yesterday and he liked the kit below. but they didnt have it, it was a picture on a complimentary kit.

has anyone stitched from Lanarte range before? are the charts clear? it looks like there's no backstitching... can someone please confirm this for me?

basically, does this look like a good starting place for some one who likes flowers in bowls!? (it looks like a good price to me, is it?)

http://www.sewandso.co.uk/cgi-bin/find/db.cgi?db=zoom&do=search_results&Prod_Code=44207&ww=1

thanks, and thanks from my other half too

Ruth_honey

23rdspiral wrote: »

hi girls, could i pick your brains please? my other half is inspired by my taking up xstitch and now wants to get his mum a kit now she's retired. he see's it as something for her to do whilst watching Corrie! we popped in a shop yesterday and he liked the kit below. but they didnt have it, it was a picture on a complimentary kit.

has anyone stitched from Lanarte range before? are the charts clear? it looks like there's no backstitching... can someone please confirm this for me?

basically, does this look like a good starting place for some one who likes flowers in bowls!? (it looks like a good price to me, is it?)

http://www.sewandso.co.uk/cgi-bin/find/db.cgi?db=zoom&do=search_results&Prod_Code=44207&ww=1

thanks, and thanks from my other half too

Ooooor...how about a Corrie kit?
http://www.sewandso.co.uk/ran2931-0.html
The bookmark would be ideal to start off with.

23rdspiral

also, saw this and thought it might appeal to someone. i posted it yesterday but my computer crashed at the vital moment.

bad photo and the aieda has been used elsewhere, so this makes it a good value Bothy Threads Fairy's 1 to 10 'kit'. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BOTHY-THREADS-CROSS-STITCH-CHART-SORTED-THREADS-/300502460882?pt=UK_Crafts_CrossStitch_RL&hash=item45f757a9d2

Ruth_honey

23rdspiral wrote: »

hey Ruth, i understand. i'm feeling totally the same. ok, so nan was too ill last xmas to really notice it, and we couldnt spend the day with her, and she died on the 29dec, but she was still there if you know what i mean.

i sat and cried and got to the maybe-bottom of why i'm so upset about the idea of xmas and having it again in this house without nan is certainly part of the problem. we should be moving next week but that wont happen now. getting it all out in the open helped. and my other half admitted the idea of unpacking all the decorations and then packing them up again was too exhausing. and getting a real tree was too.

so we went to wilkinsons and bought a 12quid 3 foot 'real' ish looking one. we wont have to move furniture, it doesnt even really need decorating as it has berries and cones on it. you know what? it's silly but i do feel a lot better. it's christmas but a bit different. and that will be the case across the board for me this year.

Hugs to you too. Glad you're feeling better with your new tree. Sounds lovely. I can't be bothered this year. I'll put up my christmas cross stitch, though.
Has your move been delayed until after christmas now? It's a stressful time of year at it is, without moving house and everything else. It does you good to get it all out, though. Venting on here has helped-as do all the virtual hugs!

Anyone else watching X Factor tonight? My weekends will be so empty from now on...LOL!