Tenth Blogoversary Giveaway

Good morning all!

It's 9:22am on the 3rd March 2024 so it's Happy Tenth Blogoversary to me!!

I say it every year but, wow, in some ways I can't believe I'm still stitching and blogging, and fairly successfully even if I do say so myself! Thank you all for continuing to read, comment on and participate in my blog postings - I wouldn't do it without you!

Blogoversary time means it's time for my annual blogoversary giveaway. For the last few years I have asked you to guess the answer to a question, but this year I couldn't think of one!

So, this year, what I'm going to ask you to do is suggest three colours to stitch my next Snuffles in! They could be three threads of the same tone, or three completely different colours (one for the front legs, one for the back legs and darker tummy stripes, and one for the wings and lighter tummy stripes). Then, to avoid bias or subjectivity, I'll get my hubby (who has practically zero interest in my hobby but does like these dragons) pick the colour combination he likes best.

Here's a reminder of the ones I have stitched so far. Actually that's not true; I have stitched three for gifts - a lilac one and two which have never been shown - but I can't tell you what colours those two are!

Up for grabs, as usual, is an e-voucher for the store of your choice to the value of £10 (or local currency equivalent) or a RAK or suchlike for a similar value. I'm always open to suggestions from the winner.

All you have to do is:

1) be a follower of my blog via the followers thingy on the left
2) leave a comment on this post with your colour suggestions

Only one entry per person will be accepted.

Entries will close at 5am UK time on 10th March 2024, so you have just under a week to leave a comment. The winner will be announced at the end of the 10th March FFG SAL link-up post, so keep an eye out for that - it's up to you to contact me, otherwise you will lose out! I'll get the prize out once confirmation emails have been exchanged.

Good luck!
Rachel x

Ninth Blogoversary Giveaway

Good morning all!

It's 9:22am on the 3rd March 2023 so it's Happy Ninth Blogoversary to me!!

Wow! Is it really nine years?! I wasn't sure if I'd make it this far, but I'm still here, with the usual thank yous for your continued support and comments. Time really has flown but the friendships between those of us who remain hasn't waivered. What a lovely little community we are!

Blogoversary time means it's time for my annual blogoversary quiz giveaway. Up for grabs, as usual, is an e-voucher for the store of your choice to the value of £10 (or local currency equivalent) or a RAK or suchlike for a similar value. I'm always open to suggestions from the winner.

All you have to do is:
1) be a follower of my blog via the followers thingy on the left
2) leave a comment on this post with an answer to the following question...

Bearing in mind 16ct aida is my preferred fabric choice, out of 451 projects started how many do you think have been on evenweave?

The winner will be the one who guesses closest to the actual number (whether that be higher or lower). In the event of a tie I will offer the appropriate number of prizes.

Only one entry per person will be accepted.

Entries will close at 5am GMT on 10th March 2023, so you have just under a week to leave a comment. The answer (which I don't yet know myself!) and winner(s) will be announced at the end of the 10th March FFG SAL link-up post, so keep an eye out for that - it's up to you to contact me, otherwise you will lose out! I'll get the prize(s) out once confirmation emails have been exchanged.

Good luck guessing!
Rachel x

Eighth Blogoversary Giveaway!

Good morning all!

It's 9:22am on the 3rd March 2022 so it's Happy Eighth Blogoversary to me!!

Another year older, another year not necessarily wiser! And another year where I say thank you for sticking with me through the ups and downs and numerous excuses for being behind with blog reading, commenting and replying to emails. You really are a very friendly and patient bunch! THANK YOU!

Blogoversary time mean it's time for my annual blogoversary giveaway. Up for grabs, as usual, is an e-voucher for the store of your choice to the value of £10 (about US$13), or a RAK or suchlike for a similar value. I'm always open to suggestions from the winner.

All you have to do is:
1) be a follower of my blog via the followers thingy on the left
2) leave a comment on this post with an answer to the following question...

Including a number of time-consuming BAPs I am unlikely to finish, I currently have 88 WIPs as can be seen on the 'All My WIPs' tab. How many hours do you think I have calculated it would take me to finish them all?

I'll give you one hint... it's somewhere in the *gasp* five thousands!

The winner will be the one who guesses closest to the actual number (whether that be higher or lower). In the event of a tie I will offer the appropriate number of prizes.

Only one entry per person will be accepted.

Entries will close at 5am GMT on 10th March 2021, so you have just under a week to leave a comment. The answer and winner(s) will be announced at the end of the 10th March FFG SAL link-up post, so keep an eye out for that - it's up to you to contact me, otherwise you will lose out! I'll get the prize(s) out once confirmation emails have been exchanged.

Good luck guessing!
Rachel x

7th Blogoversary Giveaway

Good morning all!

It's 9:22am on the 3rd March 2021 and I'm singing 'Happy Seventh Blogoversary to me'!!

Can you believe it's been a year since I posted my last anniversary giveaway? How this year has flown, and not necessarily for the right reasons.

And it doesn't seem possible that I started this blog SEVEN YEARS AGO! Wow! I wonder if I thought back then I'd still be going strong seven years down the line? No reason to quit though. Many bloggers have dropped off the radar but, along with many of you, I'm not going anywhere!

Anyway, it's time for my annual blogoversary giveaway. Up for grabs, as usual, is a voucher for the store of your choice to the value of £10 (about US$13), or a RAK or suchlike for a similar value. I'm open to suggestions from the winner.

All you have to do is:
1) be a follower of my blog via the followers thingy on the left
2) leave a comment on this post with an answer to the following question in it...

As at the end of February 2021 I have finished 297 cross stitch projects. How many hours do you think it has taken me to stitch them all?

It's that easy!

Only one entry per person will be accepted.

The only hints I will give you is that all four digits are different and the second digit is the highest.

The winner will be the one who guesses closest to the actual number (whether that be higher or lower). In the event of a tie I will offer the appropriate number of prizes.

Entries will close at 5am GMT on 10th March 2021, so you have just under a week to leave a comment. The answer and winner(s) will be announced at the end of the 10th March FFG SAL link-up post, so keep an eye out for that - it's up to you to contact me, otherwise you will lose out! I'll get the prize(s) out once confirmation emails have been exchanged.

Good luck guessing!
Rachel x

6th Blogoversary Giveaway

Good morning everyone!

It's 9:22am on the 3rd March 2020 so I'm six years old today ! Happy blogoversary to me!!

Very few bloggers celebrate their blogoversary but I do, and every year I hold a giveaway to commemorate the day I joined all you wonderful bloggers out there.

Usually I ask you to leave a comment saying you would like to be entered into a draw to win a £10 (or local currency equivalent) voucher for your favourite cross stitch website. This year I be offering the same prize but with an added bit of fun.

This year, if you want to be entered, there are two requirements. You have to:
1) be a follower of my blog via the followers thingy on the left
2) leave a comment answering the following question...

How many cross stitch projects do you think I have started during my stitching lifetime (up to the end of February 2020).

It's that easy!

Only one entry per person will be accepted.

I will help you a little bit though - the total number .....
* includes ten projects which have been abandoned/purged/restarted
* does not include all the individual monarchs - they are counted as one project
* does include all the individual advent calendar days
* and is somewhere between 250 and 500.

The winner will be the person who guesses closest to the actual number (whether that be higher or lower). In the event of a tie I will offer two vouchers.

The draw will close at 5am GMT on 10th March 2020, so you have just under a week to leave a comment. The answer and winner(s) will be announced at the end of the 10th March FFG SAL link-up post, so keep an eye out for that - it's up to you to contact me, otherwise you will lose out! I'll get the voucher out once emails have been exchanged and your store selected.

Good luck guessing!
Rachel x

Link-up for Fully-Finished Gallery SAL March 2019 (and 5th Blogoversary winner)

Hello all!

Welcome back to the second month of the Fully-Finished Gallery SAL 2019. I'm going to sound like a broken record, but thank you again to all who took part and/or left comments in February. We had an amazing 70 FFOs from 22 participants. Let's see if March can be just as successful.

The aim of this SAL is to encourage all cross stitchers to fully-finish at least some of their completed cross stitch projects and proudly show them off via this gallery. These might be projects which have been gathering dust for weeks/months/years and/or projects which have recently been completed; it doesn't matter.

Whether you are a regular fully-finisher, an ad-hoc fully-finisher or a reluctant fully-finisher, you are all welcome. There is no need to sign up and no commitment required, just pop in when you have one or more fully-finished cross stitch projects to show.

If you are unsure of anything, the FFG SAL 2019 page at the top of my blog may help, or just ask.

Since the last link-up I had good intentions for delving into my Box of Shame but, alas, it was not to be so I have only two recent offerings for March:

 Green Sleeping Dragon
stitched last month for the February Smalls SAL

 March In Aquamarine

stitched this month for my Year Of Birthstones

Now over to you.

Given the impressiveness of last month's entries, I'm really looking forward to seeing which projects you have fully-finished since then. Quite a few stitchers have told me they've made notes of new techniques they'd like to try, which is really encouraging. Perhaps if you've been inspired by or incorporate a technique you've seen from someone else you could mention them or provide a link back?

Please link-up using the URL of your FFG SAL post and not the home page of your blog, adding a thumbnail of a finish and either your name or your blog name as the caption. The link-up will remain open for 10 days, closing at 6am UK time on 20th March.

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And please don't forget to follow other links and see what fellow fully-finishers have been up to; you never know, other projects may give you an idea for your next finish!

Once the link-up has closed I shall update the FFG SAL 2019 page with the number of entrants and entries.


But this post isn't finished yet...

The Make It and Knit and Stitch It 2019 shows were in my hometown a couple of weeks ago so how could I resist not going when the venue was within walking distance of my house?!

It was a fairly good show and I was a 'fairly' good girl! Stash-enhancing wise I only picked up one small chart and one small kit, but I did pick up quite a few ideas and relevant things for fully-finishing off projects (= weakness for fabric FQs!) The funny thing is I haven't started the majority of the projects I got these finishing ideas and goodies for!

There's one in particular that I want to share with you, which gave me an idea... how about trying to incorporate some sort of Featured Finishing Idea in this SAL? (or FFI because us cross stitchers need more acronyms!) It won't be every month and I'd like to try to show 'raw' ideas so that you can interpret them yourselves.

Here's the first Featured Finishing Idea:

Mobile arms by pinflair.co.uk - at the show these were available as just the arms or as a kit, using fabric to cover the 2mm greyboard to make a mobile (picture on the right is supplied with the arms as a finishing idea). But, with my cross stitch FFO head on, I immediately saw their potential for hanging lots of small cross stitch projects. Apart from projects, time and patience, the only other thing you would need is a hook in the ceiling:

Each project could be finished off with felt or backing fabric, or attached back to back to make double-sided ornies. The number and/or lengths of ribbon could be adjusted to accommodate less or more projects and, of course, the projects don't all have to be the same size or shape.

So many ideas have been swimming round my head for themes - Christmas, Halloween, seasons (or maybe one for each season), snowflakes, a particular colour, hearts, a monthly set, geometric designs... the list is endless! Or it could just be made up of various unrelated designs.

I'll be using mine next year for a set of Christmas ornies which, with a few adjustments, I'd like to make interchangeable too. In for a penny...

Any of you like this idea too?


And finally... the winner of my 5th Blogoversary giveaway.

Thank you for all your kind comments for my blogoversary. 14 of you asked to be entered so I loaded up the RNG and it chose entry number 4. Congratulations to...

Cathy, A Stitching Grandma!

Just leave a comment and I'll reply asking for the necessary details.


As for the FFG SAL, next month's link-up will go live at 6am GMT on 10th April. I hope to see you there!

Happy fully-finishing!
Rachel x

5th Blogoversary Giveaway

Good morning everyone!

It's 9:22am on the 3rd March 2019 so I'm five years old today ! Happy blogoversary to me!!

As I look back over the last year I have to say that 2018/2019 was really successful with me stitching lots, finishing more, joining in with a couple of SALs and even beginning to host a SAL of my own! I've recently found lots of new blogs and feel my own blog is getting stronger. I am so glad I did not quit 18 months ago when I was going through a bad blogging patch; think of all the stitching fun and virtual friendships I would have missed out on!

I very rarely have giveaways, so every year I like to celebrate my blogoversary by sending one lucky follower a gift. Up for grabs is the usual £10, or local currency equivalent, e-gift voucher for the store of your choice (eg 123stitch.com, sewandso.co.uk, etsy.com but the choice is entirely up to you). All you have to do to win is:

1) be a follower of my blog via the link on the left (email followers will not be included) and
2) leave a comment stating you would like to be entered into the draw.

It's that easy!

I will close the draw at 5am GMT on 10th March 2019, after which the Random Number Generator will choose a winner and I'll add the name to the bottom of the March FFG SAL link-up post, so keep an eye out for that. I'll get the voucher out once emails have been exchanged and your store selected.

Good luck!
Rachel x

Blogoversary Giveaway Winner

Good afternoon all!

Just a short post to announce the winner of my blogoversary giveaway this year.

Entries were:

(1) Linda,  (2) Faith,  (3) Marie,  (4) Pull the other thread,  (5) Katie,  (6) Preeti.

... so not many, which means each of you were in with a good chance of winning (I get less and less entrants each year, so pop back next year and you might be the only one!)

I programmed the RNG and the number it chose was... drum roll please...

2 - Faith

Congratulations, Faith! If you leave a comment I'll get back to you and see if we can sort out an e-voucher of some sort.

For those who didn't win, sorry :(  and better luck next year.

Take care,
Rachel x

4th Blogoversary Giveaway

Good morning everyone!

It's the 3rd March so I'm four years old today!! Happy blogoversary to me!

Another year gone by, another year older, and another giveaway for one lucky person!

I say this every year but I can't believe it's another year since I started this blog! I say this every year too but where has the time gone?!

Looking back I've had four very successful years of stitching. For once I won't bore you with statistics, but looking at the finished projects on my wall, all of my recently finished ornies and how many blog postings I've made indicates just how much I have achieved.

And I still have so much more to achieve if I carry on whipping my WIPs and avoiding too many new starts (for the next couple of years anyway!)

Since I rarely hold giveaways during the year I like to celebrate my blogoversary by rewarding one lucky follower with a gift. So, in true form, up for grabs is the usual £10, or local currency equivalent, e-gift voucher for the store of your choice. All you have to do to win is:

1) be a follower of my blog via the link on the left (email followers will not be included) and
2) leave a comment stating you would like to be entered into the draw

Simple!

You have one week until 9am GMT on 10th March 2017 to enter, after which a winner will be chosen by Random Number Generator and a post made. I'll get the voucher out to the winner once we've exchanged emails and your store has been selected.

Good luck!
Rachel x

Blogoversary Giveaway Winner

Good afternoon all!

Sorry, I was supposed to post this yesterday.....

Thank you to everybody who left comments wishing me a happy blogoversary. Not many people seem to celebrate their blogoversaries anymore so it's nice to be different.

There were only 10 entries in the giveaway this year, giving you all a better chance of winning.

I found a free RNG, punched in the numbers, pressed the magic button and up popped number 10.

.....to Tiffstitch!

Please email me (address on left hand side) and let me know which store you would like the voucher for and I'll see what I can do.

Thanks go to the rest of you for entering, and if you didn't win, better luck next year!

All the best,
Rachel x

3rd Blogoversary Giveaway

Good morning everyone!

It's the third of the third and I'm three years old today!! Happy blogoversary to me!

Goodness me, just where has the time gone?

I started this blog in order to keep track of the big projects I was stitching at the time, but during the past three years have basically ditched them all in favour of lots of smaller projects. I would not have predicted that back then. What a good/bad influence the blogosphere and all of you wonderful stitchers have been on me!

So, on to the point of this post. Each year I celebrate my blogoversary by rewarding one of my followers with a voucher. I was trying to think of something different to do this year but have decided to stick to the usual format as it's quick and easy!

Up for grabs is a £10, or local currency equivalent, e-gift voucher for the store of your choice. All you have to do to win is:

1) be a follower of my blog via the link on the left (email followers will not be included) and
2) leave a comment stating that you would like to be entered into the draw

It doesn't matter if you don't usually leave comments, as long as you're a follower you'll be entered if you wish.

Simple!

You have one week until 9am GMT on 10th March 2017 to enter, after which a winner will be chosen by Random Number Generator and a post made. I'll get the voucher out to the winner ASAP once we've exchanged emails and your store has been selected.

Good luck!
Rachel x

Blogoversary Giveaway Winner

Good morning everyone!

Thank you so much for all of your lovely comments regarding my second blogoversary. I too hope there will be many more to come!

Altogether 17 of you expressed a wish to be entered into my giveaway with 6 more saying they would like to be entered but already had too much stash - thank you for your honesty! The 17 were allocated a number.....

(1)Mrs Milky Bar Kid;   (2)Jacquie;   (3)Annie;   (4)Katie;   (5)Preeti;   (6)Jo;   (7)Cath;   (8)Keebles;   (9)Claire;   (10)Heather;   (11)Linda;   (12)Aubs;   (13)Diann;   (14)Thoeria;   (15)Angela;   (16)Tiff;   (17)Lindsay.

..... the Random Number Generator was programmed, the button pressed.....

15 - ANGELA from Hooked on Stitches

Well done Angela! You expressed an interest in purchasing a Mirabilia chart so have won a gift voucher for £10 / US$15 / local currency equivalent towards it (or something else if you have since changed your mind). Please get in contact either in the comment section or email me directly (address at top left) to claim your prize.

If you were unsuccessful, sorry, but please come back this time next year for another try!

TTFN
Rachel x

2nd Blogoversary Giveaway

Hello all!

I'm 2 years old today at the exact time this posting went live!

Happy blogoversary to me, Happy blogoversary to me,
Happy blogoversary Ten Hour Stitcher, Happy blogoversary to me!

Is it really two years since I first published my blog? It seems like only yesterday to me, although probably m-u-c-h longer to you due to my sometimes excessive ramblings!

I have had immense fun over the last couple of years as I've got to know you, even met some of you, and felt friendship across the miles with each and every comment. I've stitched much more than I would have ever thought possible, joined in with sensible and not-so-sensible challenges and been introduced to charts I would never have considered before blogging. Stitchy blogland really is a lovely place to be!

So what better way to celebrate my blogoversary than by having a giveaway?

Up for grabs is a gift voucher for £10 or US$15 (or local currency equivalent) for the shop of your choice (providing they do e-vouchers of course!)

All you have to do is:
1) be a follower of this blog via the members tag on the left,
2) leave a comment on this post saying that you would like to be entered,
3) give an indication of what you would purchase with the voucher (this will not influence the result; I just want to be nosey!)
4) out of courtesy confirm that you would actually use the purchase, not just buy something to simply enhance your stash.

The closing deadline is 9am (UK time) 10th March 2016, giving you one week to enter.

The winner will be chosen by Random Number Generator sometime during the morning of 10th March 2016. I will then publish the name and ask you to contact me with your chosen store so that I can sort out the voucher ASAP. Good luck everyone!

Love and hugs,
Rachel x

Blogoversary Giveaway Winners

Hello all!

Oh wow! You have left some amazing comments for my anniversary and giveaway. Thank you all so very very much. Starting the blog was probably one of the best things in my life and it's so comforting to know that you like reading my ramblings and seeing my work. You have been very generous in your praises and, as some of you have mentioned, I too hope there are many many more blogoversaries to come. Thank you all.

I was so overwhelmed with the generous comments that you left that I have decided to be generous too and give away 2 prizes!

All entrants and their corresponding numbers are as follows:

1  Pull the other thread
2  Preeti
3  Adatina
4  Annie
5  Miamina
6  Heather
7  Mii Stitch
8  Mrs. GraceWorks
9  Katie
10 Leigh
11 Elaine
12 homeschooljewelrymom
13 Tina
14 Sasha
15 Linda
16 Sarah L
17 Justine
18 Stitching Angel
19 Aubs Ogrady
20 Claire Sutherland
21 mlhummy
22 Elnel
23 Allison CB
24 Diann
25 Gill
26 Sarah
27 Michele T


Using the Random Number Generator, winner number 1 is:

Number 11 - Elaine

And winner number 2 is :

Number 10 - Leigh


Congratulations to the two of you and commiserations to everyone else. Nevermind, there's always next year!!!

If Elaine and Leigh could both send me an email with your preference of fabric, voucher or RAK I'll get back to you and see what we can sort out. Please ensure you include an email address as you're both no-reply bloggers.

Love and hugs,
Rachel x

1st Blogoversary Giveaway

Hello fellow bloggers and friends!

I'm back with a rather special posting, although I had to schedule this post as I'm on a school trip at the moment and can't be with you to celebrate!

Happy blogoversary to me! Happy blogoversary to me! Happy blogoversary crazy Rachel! Happy blogoversary to me!

Yes, at the exact time of this posting I will have been in the blogosphere for a whole year. In that time I have started numerous projects, finished a few, joined Stitch From Stash and A New Stitchy Start 2015, completed the insane DSDUCJFC 2015, enhanced my stash, gained many followers but, most importantly, made lots of friends. My blog wouldn't be what it is without fellow bloggers like you who read my waffle, leave lovely comments and pop over for a chat sometimes. So, as a thank you and, as seems traditional on blogoversaries, I'll have a giveaway!


I have on offer to the winner ONE of the following three options:

1) A cut of Autumn Woodland 32ct Belfast Linen pictured here which I am no longer using for Scarlet Macaw Preening (as I hate the linen!) Size of cut negotiable from the full 30" x 40" piece.

2) About £10 / US$16 (or local currency equivalent) gift card for an ONS of your choice (providing they do them of course!)

3) A RAKd pattern (or more) from, for example, HAED or Tilton Crafts or Paine Free Crafts again to the approximate (negotiable) value of £10 / US$16.


So, what do you have to do to win one of the above?

Easy. Just be a follower of my blog and leave a comment! You don't even have to choose which option you would like until your name has been drawn and I contact you for a decision, although you can mention it in your comment if you like.

You have one week from the time of this posting to leave a comment. There is a countdown timer on my blog indicating how long you have left. So, go on, do it now - you've got nothing to lose. The countdown has begun!

The winner will be picked by the Random Number Generator on the evening of 10th March (GMT). Good luck everybody!

Love and hugs
Rachel x