Sunday 16 June 2013

Stitching , STASH , Tusal and other stories :)

Hi every one ... you had better make yourself comfy its gonna be a long one ...lol .. Kettle is on as well as long cooling drinks available and the odd cookie or two as always ... better be quick though .....
ok where to start .... firstly the TUSAL I think ... i did take the photo on the right day ... thanks for the reminder folks but as I have to dive in when I can to get on the comp ... its a wee bit late ... but its early Sunday morning here and all's quiet (alll snoozing away inc Master Bentley) I have jumped on  whoop whoop .....
Last week I had some time off work so Wendy , Chris and I went to the Nimble Thimble on the Friday , we set off at 8.30 am and got back home at 10.00pm .... we had fabulous weather all day and the traffic down wasn't to bad either .... We arrived just after Chris from the Nimble had opened and she immediately got the Kettle on ... hmmmm do you think she knows me by now heheheheheh  and while we waited for the refreshing brew we all separated and  perused the wonderful selection of stash goodies with lots of oooo's and ahhhhh's and have we got this one etc etc etc ....
Chris (NT) had set up a table and parasol with it being glorious and we had our  picnic lunch there listening to the river tinkling by and the birds gently tweeting in the back ground ....I, as always took lots of photos and even got on one myself ...lol ....
After we had nibbled on our picnic we went back in and re looked just in case we had missed anything on the third time round hehehe .. I had gone down armed with a threads list and the rest just fell into the basket wanting to come home with me honest hahahahah......
From there we went to Whittington to the Castle Court Quilters and had a nice browse round there and came away with a few gorgeous fabrics :) Chris and I went to walk round the castle to look for the cygnets but they had gone up the river ... we did how ever see some baby moor hens ,coots and ducks.... we then sat out side the local pub "The Old Boot" until opening time and had a wonderful meal and pudding there ... in fact we sat chatting for a long time and didn't realize the time until we thought oooo we had better be getting off back home .... which we managed to do in a record 2 hours and no, I didn't speed in the mousemobile ... just the roads at that time were empty ... the views were spectacular but couldn't take any photos while driving ... not a good idea ..lol
Over the weekend I went to the garden center and got some nice new plants and also went to a Christening too which was lovely .....
Then on Monday, the intrepid explorers (Wendy Chris and I) went off again to Bakewell to the Wye Needlecraft and also to White Peak Embroidery shop and their patchwork shop too  ....  where we had another wonderful day with some more stash thrown in from all shops and a gorgeous lunch at the Lavender Tea Rooms ..... It wasn't as long a day as Friday so Wendy and Chris came back to the mouse house for a cuppa and to see all the lovely stitched goodies I have got off every one :) and also had a quick browse through my charts too ...lol
Phew .... right another drink ???? 
next is the stitching part .... I have finished Ladybugs and Bumblebees by CCN , I did alter it slightly as we spell travelling with two l's and added the word the to make it scan better  at least it does for me ...lol ... sooo hope you don't mind Nicky .... I finished DandyDreams by SilverCreek Samplers and love it ... I was trying it out in its frame yesterday and I am happy with the one I have chosen .... well it matches all the others phew .... Finished Gentle Stitches by LHN and just need to find the right sized tube to finish finish it .... almost finished The North Wind by LHN , just got a couple of snow flakes a wee bit of snow and the border to do and then that's done too .... worked on The Curly Q Sal I am doing with Sally and Lainey,started The Needleworkerby LHN as my Thursday Night stitching night piece ..... don't think I have done any more on Friendship Blooms ..lol but last night I got out Melicent Turner LHN and did work on her for a couple of hours ..... so have taken a before photo and after just to remind you of how much I hadn't done on her hehehehe .... and I also Blinged up some converse for some one at DH's work and they look really good if I say so myself .......
I have been out with Master Bentley more while I have been off and all the bluebells have gone and the floor is completely green infact you can't see the trees for the green ...lol and now the azalea's are out , huge bushes of purple flowers  which I haven't manage to get on camera as yet .... and more annoyingly I have come down with a cold and have lost my voice and now I really do squeak ...lol 
OK I shall be back in five just need to up load the photos to the computer ... have a browse through the new stash and trims .... but be warned I will frisk you on the way out hahahahahah ....
June Tusal with Henrietta mouse 



Ladybugs and Bumblebees by CCN 

view from the Nimble Thimble shop

looking the other way

towards the shop

can you guess where we are ..lol

L-R Wendy , mouse and Chris

simply gorgeous 

inside the Nimble Thimble

and again

and again

this is what we drove through to get to the Nimble Thimble

Whittington Castle built in the 11th C

at the back of the castle

baby moorhens 

homemade raspberry and white chocolate cheesecake

homemade ice cream and biscuit 

inside the pub

just love this ..lol



small stash haul from the Nimble Thimble

fabric from the Castle Quilters and threads from the Nimble
Bakewell :)

Trims from White Peak Embroidery books from Bakewell

Stash from Wye

going to the woods look :)

bit further with Curly Q

The Needleworker start

The North Wind progress

before stitching last night

after stitching last night

bumblebee surfina :)

Swan at Bakewell

 Gentle Stitches by Shakespeare Peddler finished :)

DandyDreams by Silvercreek Samplers Finished :)
and finally a wee bit of bling :)
Soooo * passes tissues round to wipe up the drool ... that's all folks ...lol, that lot should keep me going for a few months ..lol 
Hope you are all well and stitching lots too ... until next time Happy Stitching :) Love mouse xxxxxxx

43 comments:

Christine said...

Lovely stitching and a truly impressive haul of stash!

Marilyn said...

Oh, great stitching and pics.
I wish I lived closer to you, I would've tagged along. All the shops here have closed. :(
Great stash haul too!
Marilyn

Vickie said...

Oh what grand adventures. I love The Nimble Thimble. What a lovely area.

Catherine said...

Oh my, Mouse! This was a great post!!!! The scenery is just beautiful ~ I wish someday I could visit in person. Master Bentley is so handsome.

Peggy Lee said...

Well I don't know if I'm drooling because of the stash or the raspberry and white chocolate cheesecake!
OK...BOTH!!!

You certainly made a serious stash haul. Very impressive.

Love the scenery pictures. Looks like you had a great time!
~hugs

Joyce Clark Frank said...

What a great week. Lots of great stash and fun with friends. Love all your stitching. Hard to pick a one for a favorite as I like all of them. The scenery pictures of wonderful. Have a great week and hope you get over your cold soon.

Myra said...

You nabbed some lovely stash and looks like lots of fun with friends. Great finishes too - I have always loved that Dandy Dreams design, don't know why I haven't bought it yet though. So much stash, so little time - right? Have a great week!

Deborah said...

Your wips are beautiful! What a wonderful shop. Your new stash is fabulous and the dessert looked so yummy!

marly said...

What gorgeous landscape! Such a lovely shop and setting. Then there's the food goods that I'll dream about tonight. And the stash, threads and stitching! Great post. I going back to read again.

Shirlee said...

Mousie ... I loved hearing about your adventures & seeing all your photos! The Nimble Thimble looks like a wonderful place to spend some time ... & money ... lol! Like Marilyn, I also wish I lived closer to you & could have tagged along : )

butterfly said...

Great post mouse, I want to come and live by you now so I can go on an adventure with you and your girls.
Looks like you had so much fun.
Enjoy all your wonderful stash .

Master Bentley is so sweet sending him a hug from me.

CalamityJr said...

Wow! Great friends, great adventures, great stash - what more could a gal ask for?! oh, and great progress on your current stitches. It won't be long until we see some of the new charts in your rotation - yay!

stitchinpeanut said...

OMG... What an awesome week!!!!!! I feel tired just reading... But will admit some drooling did happen! Wow... What an awesome stash haul... Omg the fabrics... And the trims... And the charts... Fabrics... Trims... And charts ... OH MY! (Said like on OZ). Giggle! thank you for sharing your adventure with us! happy stitching!

Julie said...

Sounds like the perfectest .... Mm is that a word? ..... weekend, hoping to visit the NT myself soon, our planned trip for next month has had to be cancelled :-( maybe later in the year. You've certainly bought some wonderful things. Lovely to 'see' you Mouse and put a face to the writings. X

Anne said...

Oooooh! Thanks for passing the tissue to wipe the drool off Mouse darling!! What a fabulous post! That scenery around the Nimble Thimble is just so perfect!! What a fun trip you ladies had!! Love all your new stash, and wow you got a lot!! Great fabbies, charts, threads, oh la la!! Those little moorhens are so cute! Black and fluffy!! The raspberry/white choco cheesecake looks to die for! Wonderful WIP's you've got going on and big congrats on your finishes!! Those are great looking blingy converse shoes! I should myself some pink ones!! Big hugs to Master Bentley and to you!

PS, your TUSAL mouse is stirring the orts :D

Susan said...

Sounds and looks like you had a great trip. Great new stash. Congratulations on your beautiful finishes.

Jeanne said...

Oh my what a lovely stash haul!! I'm living in the wrong country...what a beautiful shop and countryside, so peaceful, I could sit there all day enjoying a cuppa as you say (but it would be Diet Coke hehe). Love your lady bugs finish, that's always been a favorite of mine. Enjoy all your new projects Mouse!

lynda said...

Great stitching...and look at all that new stash! Way to go!

Linda said...

Wow Mouse! Love all your new stash. Are you trying to catch up to me? lol Congrats on all the gorgeous finishes and great progress on the others. Loved the pics of your outings.

Linda

Carol said...

The Nimble Thimble looks like such a nice, cozy shop... And what a wonderful batch of new stash, Mouse--really envious of those goodies!

Oh, I've never seen (or even heard of a moorhen!)--very cute and such fluffy babies... Beautifully stitched projects and I had no idea that you spelled traveling with two l's!! The English way is probably correct since you invented the language :)

Cath said...

Crikey ,if that's a small stash haul , can't wait to see a big one! lol,
Lovely progress and finishes though , so you need more stuff to do . See, justified ! xxx

Beth said...

Looks like great trips Michelle - lovely places and super stash additions. Charming picture of Bentley too.

Jane said...

Love this post Mouse, lovely pics of scenery and sunshine and your stash! Must must must visit The Nimble Thimble ~ literally turned green this end ~ great choice of stash ~ enjoy xxx

Southpaw Stitcher said...

What a fun girls-day-out road trip! Fabulous scenery, great stash acquisitions, and that ice cream and biscuit--yum! Your stitching is gorgeous, as is Master Bentley. Can't wait to see all your newest goodies stitched!

Margaret said...

Wow wow wow! I wish I could have been along on that road trip! So much fun! Thanks for sharing pics with us. Nice stash! Nice stitching too! And I love the shoe bling -- I'm in love!

Vicky L said...

Your srash is wonderful. I love all of it. Your stitching is progressing along nicely. Lovely pictures! Such cute chickies!

Jackie said...

Oh Mouse!!! Why you have been such a busy one.
Love your stash hauls, WIP hauls, and the picture hauls too.
Lovely!

Lesleyanne said...

Lovely stitching and finishes. Gorgeous new stash. Great pictures from your day out.

Sally said...

Oh wow what wonderful pictures Mouse. Stitching, stash and gorgeous scenery! Fantastic finishes and very jealous of all your lovely new stash!

Kaisievic said...

Lots of lovely stitching and stash! Yes, I am drooling and drooling, thanks for taking me on your trips with you.

Barb said...

Oh dear just looked in the mirror and I am a delicate shade of green. Just to visit the Nimble Thimble is a dream, the stash is fabulous ,your stitching and view etc etc well words fail me . A wonderful post and thanks for the tea.Can you tell me does the quilting shop you got your stash from do mail order I love the birdie one.

The Inspired Stitcher said...

Okay Mouse, I just picked myself up from slipping on the drool! Love all that wonderful stash. I'm green that your stitch shop has such a nice view and will even make a cuppa for you. Very nice! I'm glad you had a good day out wiht the girls. Hugs!

Rhona said...

Drool, drool and even more drool! All that glorious stash and then a white chocolate raspberry cheesecake too....sounds like heaven!

Melanie said...

What a wonderful stash shop! I am very much inspired now and off to Derbyshire tommorow for the day to White Peak Embroidery and Heirs and Graces and of course will take time out in the Teashop. Thanks Mouse for planting the seed x

woolwoman said...

wonderful post - WOW what views around the Nimble Thimble - love the outside tables they have for their customers - so nice ! loved tagging along on your journey - hope there will be many more summer excursions. Cheers Melody

Parsley said...

Drool overload! Your shopping trip was FABULOUS!!! Enjoy everything and give Bentley a hug for me.

Maggee said...

You ALMOST made me go shopping online! I want Miss Peepers--she is adorable! I absolutely LOVE your posts! You take us shopping, sightseeing, plus you share all your stash hauls and stitches... what more can we ask from across the pond? I finished Dandy Dreams too! I just have a bit of stitching on it to finish-finish it and then I will post it this weekend. Can't believe there is still a castle standing from the 11th century! Cool! Take care now! Hugs!

Marie said...

I want to go on a road trip with you and the ladies in your mouse mobile! What beautiful pictures and such an awesome shop. Boy, when you shop for stash you REALLY shop for stash. I am drooling over it all, including that delicious looking food.

Master Bentley is adorable.

You did a fine job on those snazzy sneaks!

Dani - tkdchick said...

The nimble thimble is a pretty cool shop!

Brigitte said...

Oh mouse, what a wonderful post. I don't know what is better - a stitching get-together or a stashing get-together, lol. Both events are just fantastic, and it seems you made the best out of it, lol. Your new stash is a dream, and so is the Thimble Nimble shop. I think I could spend days there ...

Jo who can't think of a clever nickname said...

I am assuming you ticked the "no publicity" box following your recent lottery win?

I am so envious of all your lovely stash, and having the beautiful shops to buy it from. It really is a lovely part of the world.

Andrea said...

You do get about a bit! The Nimble Thimble looks a lovely shop. Great stash haul too.

ricketyjo said...

Wonderful photos!!! Looks like you had a great time and some lovely weather on your adventures!! I love Wye and Bakewell, I get to go and visit occasionally when I go see my family in Yorkshire.