Confetti stitches, Getting ready to go away, and Writing one handed

This past week I have returned to my current work in progress of stitching the photo after taking a break from it due to the confetti stitches.  I absolutely detest this and for the thousand time over I really regret deciding to go so big on this project.  Why did I decide to go 20" x16" instead of the 10" x 6" offered I really don't know. 

I know that it will be worth it in the end....but the end seems to be so far away.  I did decide though, to leave the bottom corner until after I have completed the rest of the picture so I can put my initials and the date of completion which I like to do on all my pieces of work. 

Stitching so far



Its getting to the stage of totally random stitches of various colours




This is what I still have to do to complete the 4th page.....then get on with the remainder of the other 3 pages



On the cushion front, I have 3 more orders, 2 forthcoming babies, and a leaving cushion, one of which I will start when I return from our week away.  It gives me a break from those dreaded confetti stitches!!!   

Due to the half-term holiday and Queens Celebrations, commemorating her 60 years on the throne over here in England the motorhome is sitting outside our home at the minute, partly loaded up with clothes.  Getting the boys to ensure they have all their gear is a job in itself.   It always seems the boys here in the home don't think about wash bags, toothbrushes, toothpaste etc and then look at Steve and myself as though we should remember everything for them.  All they think about is making sure a football is in the vehicle, ready to kick around when we arrive at the camp site.  Is this just a male thing????  We also notice it on when the boys do something for us, Ben our son asked if we wanted both mine and Steve's car's washed...only trouble was he put so much soap into the water on Steve's car it was smeary and Steve had to rewash it again.....and my car was washed but in patches with dirt still on it so I had to rewash it the next day.  Ben did tell us he was going to charge us £5 per car.....needless to say whilst he was paid something....it wasn't the amount he was expecting.  Still at least he tried on both accounts.....to clean the car and make some money.

Ben working hard

Victoria has turned into Emelda Marcos ensuring that she is taking more shoes than everybody else put together, just incase they are needed.....which are never worn when we are staying at home.  The easiest person to pack for was the youngest child we have here with us, we took him out yesterday and kitted him out with a whole new wardrobe which he is looking forward to wearing when we collect him again tomorrow afternoon to come away with us.

Mine and Steve's priority, which is important, is ensuring his and Victoria's medication is packed, and then Steve ensures he only takes along the most basic of clothing needed.  As for me......I often take clothes to wear, and then end up not wearing them.  Although this time I have not gone too overboard.   Even Evie our dog has got all excited and has been trying to sneak into the motorhome at every opportunity I have gone into the motorhome to get the beds made up and take some items into there.  Her food is already in there but it will be remembering her lead, food and water bowls, etc.   She loves to lay in between the driver and passengers seats when we travel and that is where she sleeps at night.  The only downside to her being with us is that she snores loudly and often has to be told to be quiet.

However, before we go away, I still have so much to do, fix a buckle on a pair of shoes I purchased a couple of months ago, the leather covering over the metal buckle has come off and will need restitching.....and to get my nail vanish off after being treated by Steve a month ago to having my nails painted with Shellac.  If anybody else has had this done and whilst they do last well, even when being totally abused  abused with washing up, cleaning etc, getting the nail vanish off was not as easy as I thought.  So I am sitting here writing my blog one handed whilst the other hand is in a bowl of acetone polish remover as they have to soak for ten minutes before being scraped off with an orange stick.  Sometimes I think there needs to be more time in the day than the 24 hours we currently get.

Still looking not too bad after a month, except where my nails have grown

And finally after sitting with my hand in a bowl for 10 mins of remover and scraping the remains off with an orange stick

The remains of the polish

On that note, now my nails are done,  its time to get stitching on my shoes and tomorrow morning finish packing the motorhome so we can go away, and enjoy the extended bank holiday and enjoy the celebrations taking place over here for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.....and although I cannot guarantee much stitching to be done.....it will be coming with me for the odd relaxation opportunity.  To all those who will be taking advantage of celebrating and enjoying the bank holidays, have a great time too.