Harrogate 2012 and scrumptious goodies whoop photos :)

Hi every one :) hope this finds you all well and fortified with a very large cuppa ... there is some yummies for you all too ... you will need to top up quite a bit as methinks this will be an epic post again heheheheh.
mmmmm Harrogate ... well the much waited for, long weekend arrived in style , the sun shone all the way there , the journey was uneventful if you ignore the sat nav taking me off at the wrong junction , taking me round in circles to get back on exactly where I came off at hahahahahah .... I found the hotel fairly easily as we were staying in different accommodation this year and parked up , let them know I had arrived and pootled down into the Halls for a wonderful stash enhancement experience. I had got there well before every one else sooooo I had a head start and by the time I met up with Frances I had a lighter purse but heavier bag than when I started ...lol.
I took my famous travelling stitcher bag with me which it excellent for all goodies bought and got quite a few comments on it ... some by folks saying I recognise that bag and its owner  hehehe....
Frances and I took a well deserved cuppa break and took stock of goodies bought and were to go next and I became her personal shopper for a wee while and apparently I infected her with enableristis ..lol  she just had to buy a few things that I had bought tooo!!!
The rest of the girls arrived through out the day and Niina and Jana(who bobbed over from Finland as you do )  were totally impressed with the show and all its delights ....In fact I am still not sure who exactly got the most stash ;0)
Friday night was full of giggles as we went to Weatherspoons and tried to translate Steak and kidney pudding and mushy peas (not together I hasten to add!) We went back to the apartment and were treated to some gorgeous Finnish tea's and chocolate and tried some salty liqurice which was actually nice :) Niina and Janna made us all a knitted ornament  for our trees in blues and white so we had something to remember them by ... not that we would forget them ...lol .
Saturday dawned bright and early and after having a hearty breakfast which was very scrummy and ooodles of cups of tea .... we all went our separate ways around the show after arranging to meet up for lunch of the world famous mouse's bacon butties  ;)  We had carrot cake for afters yummmmmm 
That night we all did a show and tell of all our stash ... and ooooo's and ahhhhs and  where did you get and must have thats were heard through out the night.
Sunday arrived all too soon and we had to say good bye to Niina and Janna as they were going back to Finland and wanted to have a look around Harrogate before they left. Maureen and Ally headed back up north which left myself Sandra and Shelley to brave the show once more and have a last look and go and see the workshops downs stairs ...and more stash was bought ..lol Sandra and I had a competition to see who could by the most Sparklies fabric and I let her win this year hahahahah .... (photo of stall later on )
eeee the kettle is back on ... top up any one ????
all too soon it was time to come home and I was back to the mouse house in a blink of a whisker , being fussed by Master Bentley ....
My stash haul photo was taken on the bed in the hotel ... don't think I really got enough do you ????
I have yet to unpack them and get the goodies into the correct chart folders along with the fabric etc ... It has taken me all week to recover .... remind me next year to take a couple of days off after ..lol 
on to the scrumptious goodies .....
The postie has been working over time at the mouse house and I have received all the parcels I knew were on the way. I received the most gorgeous and beautifully finished Christmas ornament from Andrea  by one of my favourite designers LHN:) and her card was simply perfect too ....  
The charts I won from Heather arrived followed by a wee RAK from another Heather  of a gorgeous "bitty mouse" pattern and a note book with the night before Christmas mouse on the front asleep in a tea pot heheheeh..... Then the threads I won from Beth arrived the day after and they are just lovely , I have plans for some of them already :) and finally my Christmas present from DJ arrived with a wee note to open up before as it can be used before the big day ... She has stitched me the loveliest santa ..over one... in a stocking frame and she also got me a gorgeous wee ornament from cut paper of a lady stitching in a bevelled glass frame :) and another journal the same as above and some nail files .... seems to be a theme going on here with every one ....lol ....I feel soo blessed by everyone :) 
sooo I suppose you want to see some photos ???? ohhh go on then ...lol .... any one for a refill while I get them sorted ???
things that make you go HHHHHMMMMMMM ... I unfortunately cannot show you any photos as apparently I now have to buy extra storage space !!!!! soooo if you would like to see the stash photos etc I could email them to you or if someone knows a way round this problem any help much appreciated :)
off to go and sulk :(
take care and happy stitching until next time  love mouse xxxxx

stitching on metal (landrover door)

SPARKLIES

SPARKLIES

view of the halls

and another view 

I walked round all of these PHEW

Bed of STASH :)

mouse and Niina stitching :)

west end embroidery 

heheh I get everywhere 

BOOO nice to see you all again :)

don't ask me how but I have managed it .... thanks for advice ... tried to change size of photos but couldn't figure out ...  love mouse xxxx

COOO its tusal time and some thing to show :)

 Hi every one :) cooo these TUSALs fair come round quick ...lol ...Kettle has just boiled and the cups are ready .... I have some choccie biccies for every one :)
well where can I start mmmmm when I last squeaked to you I had a brain wave .... not often that happens heheh but it worked sooo I have been busy sewing away on my machine making some little presents for folks ... and they are sewww pretty even if I say so my self ... in fact I love them that much I made my self one heheheh ....

 you can tell how busy I have been by the threads in the Tusal Jar modelled by my wee sewing machine :)

November TUSAL

My lovely postie has been bringing me lots of goodies too :) first of all my Halloween exchange ornament from the Friendly Stitchers finally made it across the pond ... my partner was Shaunterria and she stitched me spooky :) I can show you what I sent her now too ....

My name was then pulled out of Junes hat and a gorgeous wee Christmas ornament was sent to the mouse house ... June stitched the LHN design over one .... you can see how small and perfect it is as Master Bentley decided to enjoy the vanilla scent that it smells of just as I was taking a picture ...lol, in the package was a lovely stitched card of a field mouse and a book mark with a mouse on it too ... seems to be a theme here hahahahah ... she has also sent a Christmas card but I am waiting  a wee while until I open it :)

I was also picked to win a Christmas ornament from Andrea  and that should be turning up any day at the mouse house too :)

I got some charts from the bay of evil ..lol but haven't taken a photo of them DOH !!! I won BBD's small token and I have some others on their way too :)

and I have just found out today that I won Heathers blog give away .... whoop whoop :) six wonderful LHN charts that I don't have and want to stitch ....

and on top of that  there is something on its way to the mouse house via another Heather  apparently she saw something while out shopping and it said it had to be sent to me ... soooo I am rather giddy and hopping up and down waiting for the deliverys heheheh.... Of course I will show you all once they arrive ;0)

Work has been very very busy again with another induction taking place this week as we are expanding very nicely :) but I am counting down the days until next Friday as that is ...... HARROGATE  whoop whoop ... its the annual Knitting and Stitching show held in the International Halls ... there are a few of us meeting up and staying as usual for the weekend and quite frankly I can't wait .... I am going to count up my pennies from the running away fund heheheh and going to do my small list ;) of things that I require /want / need etc etc etc ....and I am taking the camera and hope to record a few photos for you all to drool over :)

I think I need another brew after all this ..... care to join ?? I shall get the photos I can show you 

spooky from Shaunterria 

Master Bentley approves June ..lol

showing you all my cute side heheheh

all the goodies from June

Boo Mansion by Blue Ribbon Designs stitched by me 

the back of the ornament 

look carefully you can see it is made of rulers

I forgot to show you the ornament hanger I bought the other week ... I thought it was sooo cute and just perfect for hanging my ornaments on ,,, it is made out of rulers :) and I just had to have it :)

I think that this is all my news she says having a good old think .... apart from having my 6 weekly stabs in the back (acupuncture ..lol) just in time so that I should be able to "run" hahahah round Harrogate ....

hope every one is as well as can be expected ... take care one and all and happy stitching / crafting ... squeak to you all soon :) love mouse xxxxxxx

ps have put comment moderation on as been having a few spam comments :(

Stitching and Finishes and other tall stories :)

Hi every one :) cooo sorry its been so long since the last post ... the kettle has just boiled and there are lots of cake bars and sweeties to share .... 
Well I have been stitching and finishing .... I have managed to get both of my exchanges one for Kate  and one for my secret partner  from "stitched with love blog" done  today ... so I am a wee happy mouse .... all they need now is wrapping and sending and I am three weeks early whoop whoop ...lol ... well they will have to wait until the official posting time as I have Harrogate to go to before then .. just in case there is something to pop in with them ....  sorry girls ...lol
I have stitched up the "stitchers heart" but not added the rick rack yet ....finally made up "Fa la la " by LHN into a wee cushion ... made up an ornie for a friend ;) and got 3.5 motifs done of the casting a spell by BBD ... didn't make it done in time but got a great start for next year heheheheh.
I must have a wee brag here ... well not often I do this ...lol but Hazel from the Friendly Stitchers  entered her Dawn of Spring in to her local WI competition and came first with a gold star .... the picture is on our home page .. click on the link and it should take you there ... congratulations to Hazel for her gorgeous rendition of it and for getting the top prize with it too :)
The weather here at the mouse house has steadily got colder and the leaves have all turned to gorgeous copper hues , DD and I took Master Bentley to the woods yesterday as it was a nice morning and took advantage and got a few photos of Bentley in the woods ... can you believe that he is one tomorrow ... managed to get some cute action shots of him playing in the leaves .....
I have been busy sorting out my charts and threads and fabbie ready for the wee list I want to get from Harrogate ...(only three weeks away now whoop whoop) and having noticed I have grown in numbers of followers ... waves small paw at you all ... hope you are enjoying the cuppa and cake ... when I get back I think I shall have a wee give away  as a thank you :) so please keep an eye out for the grand announcement ...lol
talking of which Heather is having a wee giveaway too ...and also if you want to join in the fun Nancy at the Victorian Motto Shop is having a big giveaway all through December ....apparently if you mention me I will get ten more entries .... well having bought some of her threads and goodies I know how nice they are and wouldn't mind having some more ... soooo if you don't mind ;0)...lol 
I had a brain wave the other day .... yes really I did... and decided what I was going to make for Christmas presents for folks .... sooo today I have had a wee play and voilà the brain wave worked sooo I am one happy mouse and it also means I can send more gifts out than if I stitched them this time .... 
hmmmmm what else has happened .... ohhh yeah we had a wee Halloween party with DD1's friends sooo I will show you some of the decorations that went up .... 
other than that is has been very busy at work as we have had two inductions back to back and another one starting next week .... hence why the lack of posts .... at least now my obligations have been done so I can spend some time chilling and going through my stash pile :)
ok I think I have waffled enough heheheh ,.... kettle has gone back on while I show you the photos :)

Stitchers heart by LHN

and the back

casting a spell BBD so far

Master Bentley 

Having fun in the woods

spot the dog hahahahah

gorgeous colours 

in the day light , see the eyeball cake ??

fireplace decked out

indian jones in the temple of doom (aka the bathroom !!)

yes we really did have black loo roll 

before lit 

and after :)

fa la la by LHN finally made up :)

soooo there you go folks .... another post is done and dusted .... hope every one is safe from those storms that have been over the other side of the pond , been sending thoughts your way that you have got through it with minimal damage ,
take care until next time and happy stitching :) love mouse xxxxxx