Thanks for all your good wishes. My mind was mushy too, JP, so decided that the only thing to do was to make something. Unfortunately at the moment I am focused on that which I should not be focused, Doreen. I should concentrate on the home front today, as we need a new rug. I was going to venture out to the sales but it's so cold, Dale ( for UK ) and snow is forecast. So I went online instead and purchased this one. On my plain terrcotta carpet I think it will be OK.
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Glad you got the book, Gill. Don't forget to join the free classes.

I am looking forward to some time to stitch, Gina but I was better before we started the festivities. Now it is officially 'twixtmas' - according to our local paper - and I am feeling rather lazy. Went for a huge walk this morning and haven't felt warm since!



We had a lovely Christmas and on Boxing Day (the proper one, not this bank holiday nonsense) we took the whole family to Frankie and Bennys. It was great and we all chose non Chrimo food, as you can see from youngest GC, shown here colliding with a plate of spag bol!
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I honestly think it wasn't much more expensive than buying in all the stuff and cooking it - although I did make two posh puddings and we had those at home afterwards.


Now, to business. I need help with an article I am writing on on-line learning for Workbox magazine. I want to include as much free stuff (on blogs etc) as poss, along with reasonably priced internet courses and the more expensive C&G options. Can you give me some ideas, please? I have a few give-aways of useful materials (I am cupboard clearing) for the best ones.

Just a quick blog to wish you the whatsits of the season. My brain has turned to mush in the frantic pre-Christmas attempt to remember everything. Now I can't remember anything - hence the title.

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I am back from a few days at Urchfont College in Wiltshire. A group of us meet up several times a year to explore new avenues of stitch and it is always such a great time. This time I didn't get much done as I was so tired, but the rest has done the trick and now I am raring to go. The food is always wonderful there but this time they excelled themselves and our Christmas dinner was truly delicious. We had a separate small dining room and played Christmas music on my iphone. It was great fun, especially the Health and Safety note in the crackers - a bit late after they'd been pulled. I left a little early as snow was forecast but no such luck, although it is bitterly cold here - for England!

Thanks to all those who commented or sent messages about the new Workshop on the Web format http://www.workshopontheweb.com/ Great to know that you're all so delighted with it.


I think that I have blogged about our charity party every year since I started blogging. It is really an ex C&G event and it began twenty-seven years ago when Yvonne Morton first started teaching the creative embroidery C&G course in a village hall near Christchurch, Dorset.


Sadly there is no longer a local C&G running but the party continues and my Beyond Stitch group are currently the ones organising it, in particular Maureen Beale. We choose a local charity (this year it was the Youth Cancer Trust who give young people with cancer fabulous holidays and a support group for when they go home), organise a speaker and traders and everyone who buys a ticket brings something fabulous to eat.


On Saturday we had Sue Chapman as a speaker and she was great. She brought along so much work for us to see. We also had the bag challenge competition and a mini exhibition of work from anyone who cared to bring a piece along. Where are the pics, you ask? The answer is that I forgot the ****** camera! I am hoping that someone else took some so you may yet get to see them. I am so cross as the work was excellent. If all else fails, I'll get Beyond Stitch to bring their bags in and show them to you then.


It really was a lovely day and we were all exhausted but we made lots of money for our good cause and had a really good time. The tickets are like gold dust as the hall only holds about sixty people and we think we'll lose the special atmosphere if we move. i reckon we could sell them on ebay!


Anyway here is a lovely pic for you. I treated myself to some Mulberry Silks threads as I am doing lots of hand stitching. The medium weight silk is lovely to use. Thye are all wrapped up in ribbons.
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I can understand why Jean Littlejohn used to run counsellimg classes for those who can't bear to open them - they look so pretty in the pack. Here's the website for those who lust after them, as I do, http://www.mulberrysilks-patriciawood.com/. Must go now - I can hear them calling!