Happy New Year.

Happy New Year to everyone. It is a beautiful day here - so nice to see the sunshine.

Here is my progress on my new sampler Elizabeth Mitchell.

I am so enjoying stitching this and I am so looking forward to seeing this hanging on my wall.

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I have finally got around to taking photos of my two aran cardigans which I finished in October and November last year (2012). I love the buttons on the top jacket which I bought in Cornwall whilst on holiday there. They are hand made and really finish off the jacket.

I think I need to brush up on my photography skills too!

I have a stash of lovely wool to knit but goodness knows when I will get around to doing any knitting now that I am so busy stitching.

I'd like to leave you with this link to Highland Cathedral. It reminds me so much of Scotland and is my favourite piece of music. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do - it always bring a tear to my eye.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRacaXCm0UE

All the best to you for 2013.

Grade 8 piano exam next year

CI have set myself a target of doing (and passing) my grade 8 piano exam next year before I am sixty. It has been my ambition since I was eight to do grade 8 piano. My first piano arrived on the back on the Co-op coal lorry on a Saturday afternoon. My dad was the Co-op coalman (and milkman) and one of his customers gave me my first piano and he used the Co-op lorry to bring it home - I wonder if he had permission to do that!!! I thought you might like to have a listen to the pieces I have chosen to play.

My exam will probably be in July next year. I had intended to do it this year but started playing the recorder instead. My DH just loves me playing the recorder (not!). I love it and have reached grade 3 standard in the last six months. Well it is easy - you only need to read one line of music!

The first is Scottish Legend by Amy Beach an American composer - being Scottish of course this music is so evocative of home. I do like playing works by female composers.

You may need to copy and paste  these into your browser.

Scottish legend

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mn2aB-u3_6g

Farewell Waltz
The second is Chopin Farewell Waltz. Such a sad piece in many ways as he wrote it after his future mother in law decided he was too unwell to marry her daughter.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mn2aB-u3_6g

Haydn Sonata

The third and last piece is the first movement of a Haydn sonata. I adore this piece by I am not sure I will be able to get it to sound like this lol!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4IyWe6BQbI

Cecile  Chaminade is my favourite female composer and I adore this piece - Automne. It is a diploma level piece and it is on my to learn list:

Automne

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2-_ZRi7HNg

I hope you enjoy listening to my grade 8 pieces and the piece by Chaminade.

I've finished Salley Morse

I am so pleased that I have completed my first sampler - Salley Morse. I have really enjoyed stitching her and looking forward to seeing her framed. Underneath Salley's name I put my initials and 2012.

I've started!

Nicola very kindly sent me Salley Morse to get my stitching started as Seventeen Sailors still hasn't arrived. Salley is beautiful and I am so looking forward to stitching her. The instructions say not to unpick mistakes - so that is very good news for a novice like me!

Well I am still waiting for Seventeen Sailors to arrive but it is giving me time to finish my aran jacket. I have one buttonband to finish and a sleeve so hopefully by the end of the week that will be done and I can start on my new project.

My other news is that my husband is going to give me Elizabeth Brain for Christmas.
http://www.scarlet-letter.com/samplers/brain.php

Now I know I really have bitten off more than I can chew!

I am still waiting to start my stitching project for Nicola's Scarlett Letter Year to arrive- do have a look at her blog.

http://scarletletteryear.blogspot.co.uk/

I have chosen to stitch the Seventeen Sailors which is going to be a huge challenge for me as I have only stitched one tiny little cross stitch before. I am more of a knitter than a stitcher.

http://www.scarlet-letter.com/samplers/seventeen.php

I would love to know the history behind this sampler and I am really looking forward to stitching it. I have asked for 14 count Aida for the linen as I don't think I am quite at the stage to tackle a 35 count linen.