A Finish and Battle Medieval Fayre

I finished 'Muriel' which is part of the witches trilogy by Mill Hill. I really enjoyed stitching it.

Just the stitching.

With the backstitch on.

Beaded.

Cut out and ready to hang!

Battle Medieval Fayre.

Last Monday was a Bank Holiday here in the UK and Section 5 drummed at Battle Medieval Fayre. We had a really lovely time.

It's great as we can wear medieval costume instead of our normal stuff.

It was also my first outing as a bass player instead of playing a rack tom. I came home with lots of bruises on my legs where the drum is so big.

Me!

Megan, Keith and I. Yes, I am really short!

Me, Connie (our banner holder) and Janie.

Me looking so serious!

Me being more serious :)

Me, my partner Colin and Janie.

Section 5 group photo.

Stitching Update

I finished another section of Castles in the Air by Papillon Creations.  It is half of part 7 done.

Close up of finished part.

Overall.

I purchased three Mill Hill kits from sewandso. Two were half price and one had 10% off, bargain! 

I have started one of them:

I always think they look weird without the beads and backstitching on lol.

I have dug out one of my HAED's (Heaven and Earth Designs) out, The Green Man. This is what he looks like before I start stitching on him again:

And what he will look like when completed:

I am thinking of either purchasing another HAED chart or kitting up a Mystic Stitch chart that I have. I am very undecided which to do!

I have only recently taken up stitching again and before that, Yahoo stitching groups were very active but now most of them seem to have died a death and not many people post. I'm not sure why this is? Has Facebook killed the groups or people not stitching anymore? It is such a shame too. I also have noticed that not many stitchers blog or comment on blogs either. Again, such a shame as lots of inspiration and encouragement lost.  I am thankful for the groups that I do belong to that do have people that post be it sporadic on one or two of them. I miss doing exchanges as well. Oh well, I guess times change huh.

To those who do read or comment on my blog, I really do appreciate it xxx

Bookmark Finished

I finished my bookmark by Vervaco. I am pleased how it turned out. It looks so much better stitched than the photo on the front of the kit.

I am currently stitching on my Castle in the Air and another Mill Hill design.

Unwell

Yesterday I woke up to a terrible bout of hay fever. By the evening I was unwell with heat exhaustion. Quite scary stuff especially the heart palpitations. On the previous Sunday,  I got sunburnt and didn't know that it can take up to forty eight hours for heat exhaustion to show. It's quite amazing how unwell it makes you feel. It's my own fault as I didn't use sunscreen.  Lesson learnt!

I have finished my butterfly bookmark by Vervaco and will post a picture when I feel better.

Conservation Work

I started my first day on my conservation course in which I will get a John Muir Award. The John Muir Trust is the leading conservation charity in the UK. More info can be found here:

www.johnmuirtrust.org 

I am helping to conserve a meadow, with adjoining woodland and a swanary. I am also learning wood whittling among other things which is really enjoyable. I was also given a journal to fill in too.

The images are not brilliant as they were taken with my phone.

More Jack in the Green Photos

A few more photos have surfaced from the Jack in the Green weekend. Social media is wonderful as I would of never have got to have seen these photos taken from various groups on Facebook.

Me and Angela.

Me and Ricky prior to the drum off.

Drumming outside The Albion.

Adrian and me.

The drum off, doing my bit with Tombstone Pete on Flying Scotsman.

Silly larks in The Stag after JITG.

In the JITG procession.

Colin and I prior to the drum off.

The last two are Bev and myself entertaining the crowd at the drum off.

Lovely memories of a wonderful weekend :)

Rumtopf AKA Rum Pot

I started my rumtopf jar today.

For my first layer I have used strawberries, raspberries and plums. My next layer in a couple of weeks will be peaches and pears. I have used a 3 litre jar so I should get a good quantity when it's ready in a few months time.

I didn't weigh the fruit but so far I have used a whole bottle of white rum (70cl) and half a pound of sugar.

A Long Weekend and Stitching Update

We had a lovely long weekend here in the UK as Monday was a bank holiday. I am shattered as I was out on the Sunday and Monday performing with Section 5 :)

I have two stitching updates. First my Vervaco bookmark.

I really like how this one is turning out. It is very pretty and looks so much better than the photo on the packaging it came in.

Secondly my Castles in the Air by Papillion Creations.

It's not a brilliant photo so the colours don't show as bright as they should. The part I have stitched since starting again is the green diamond bit. I will take some close ups soon and post them here in my blog.

Every May Bank Holiday at the beginning of May, Hastings celebrates Jack in the Green. The whole town heaves for the weekend. 

Me waiting for the procession to start.

Getting ready to drum up Croft Road which is a horrendously steep road!

The tall man is my partner Colin.

Myself, Ray and Jules.

Section 5 Drummers in the procession.

My fella Colin.

This one was taken on the Sunday. We are heading off to our annual drum off with other groups.

The drum off at Butlers Gap.

Me, Jackie, Bev and Sam.

In the procession.

I had just the most amazing time. I ache so much today and  my head feels a little delicate. I am not a big drinker and I consumed quite a lot over the last couple of days.  Mainly neat spirits from my friends hip flasks!

A Finish!

I haven't stitched in goodness knows how long and last night I picked up a small Mill Hill kit and then completed it today. It's called Plaid Pumkin. It supposed to be a brooch but I made it into an ornament instead by hot glueing some ribbon to the back.

Finished cross stitches

Completed  cross stitch and beading

Cut out

 Assembled and finished :)

Colin went into town today and came back with a couple of colouring books which were going cheap in The Works :)

September Already

I can't believe how quick the year has gone by! September already. The summer here has been rather a wash out. Apparently we had the heaviest amount of rainfall in August since records began :(

I have changed the name of my blog to reflect me and the things I love to do which is all sorts of crafts. Cross stitching is taking a back seat at the moment as I can't see to do it until I sort out some new glasses as my eyesight has changed.........guess its an age thing lol.

I have recently taken up adult colouring. It really does help with anxiety and is very therapeutic.

Colin and I are still drumming. It's our only form of socialising and we still enjoy it.