Pirates, Christmas and Plum Pudding!

It has been a hectic couple of weeks!  Work has been busy (as usual), but I've also been away for the weekend, so it feels like I've hardly had the chance to sit down recently...

Stitching-wise, I made a start on "Plum Pudding" by Glendon Place:

"Plum Pudding" by Glendon Place

However, I didn't have all the Dinky Dye threads, and one of the threads I bought from Nimble Thimble was the wrong colour!  I therefore put this away (temporarily), and started on "Santaberry Pudding" by Shepherd's Bush - a Christmas design:

"Santaberry Pudding" by Shepherd's Bush

These pictures show how the designs looked when I put them down...  I now have all the Dinky Dyes threads (thanks so much to Ursh), and will be back to working on Plum Pudding for a while.

My husband and I went to Hastings (South East coast of England) on Saturday, especially for the Pirate Day festivities on Sunday!  This involves people dressing up as Pirates, lots of drinking, a procession through the old town, and events such as barbecues and music.  The weather was glorious, with temperatures up to 32 degrees Celsius...We stayed until Monday, returning home on Monday afternoon.

Me (on the left) with my friend, Vickie at Hastings Pirate Day

Hastings from the top of East Cliff

I have signed up for a 10K race in 3 weeks' time!  I haven't run more than 6.5K as yet, but I know I'll manage it... I have 3 weeks in which to practice!  Running in the heat isn't for me, though, so I definitely won't be running in Rome whilst there in a couple of weeks!

Nimble Thimble and other stories...

Wow, it has been a while since I posted on here!  Life has got in the way of my stitching again, and I just haven't had the time to do anything substantial (as far as stitching is concerned!)

In the last few months, I have only stitched a coaster for an exchange, and a round robin piece for the Needlecraft Haven:

"Meadow Brown Butterfly" by Framecraft - Coaster design

"Welcome Summer" - Clare's RR for the NH RR

"Welcome Winter" - Clare's RR for the NH RR

My husband and I spent a weekend in Windermere last month.  It was for my birthday, but we actually went for the weekend after my birthday, due to running commitments (to be mentioned later).  It was a lovely, relaxing weekend, during which we walked up to Orrest Head to see the views, went on a boat ride on Lake Windermere, and visited the Motor Museum at Lakeside.

My running has exceeded all expectations!  I completed the Couch to 5K plan successfully, and managed to do two 5K runs on my birthday weekend (a celebratory run with the C25K group, and the Edgworth Reservoir Challenge), and I have since run the Race for Life in Blackburn, and the Color Run in Manchester. I am now volunteering with the new C25K group, and I am trying to increase my distance to 10K - I've entered three 10K races in September/October!  The weather has been too hot over the past week, so I haven't managed to run as much as I'd like, but I will get there!

I have been to Nimble Thimble in Oswestry today.  I had arranged a meet-up with some of the members of the Needlecraft Haven Yuku forum there, and we used a room over the shop.  The shop is a fantastic stash enhancing location - quite similar to the shop I visited in New Jersey, USA, a couple of years ago!  I bought some charts, fabric and threads for my daughters and myself:

Lots of food!

"Santaberry Pudding" - Shepherd's Bush and fabric (pattern came with buttons)

"Wouldn't Life be Great" - Lizzie Kate

"The Butterfly Garden" - The Drawn Thread (with specialist threads)

"Plum Pudding" - Glendon Place and fabric, some beads and Dinky Dyes threads

I have another busy week next week, as my husband and I are going to Hastings for the weekend (Pirate Day!).  I will post pics next week :-)

Happy Stitching!