Blogger's back! Birthday stuff, craft book finds and finished things

Blogger didn't let me post yesterday or this morning, but it's finally let me in!  I'm still having to upload one photo, then save the post, go to a new screen and come back to edit the post to put in the next photo - so frustrating!

Anyway, without further ado, let me introduce you to the new love of my life, move over hubby!  This little baby was my birthday present from my wonderful mum and dad.  She's a Husqvarna Viking Emerald E116.  She's amazing!  I love her so much!

She doesn't have a name yet as I'm hoping one will suggest itself to me!  Mum also bought me some bobbins and made this gorgeous little bag to keep them in.

Look at that Herringbone stitch on the back!  She thinks she's not creative and has no talent?!?

Below are presents from my brother and husband.  I'm so excited about that calendar, I haven't opened it yet as I can't help thinking I should wait until 1st January, let's see how that goes! 

Hubby also bought me this ironing board and iron.  I had asked for them but took great delight in telling my family he'd bought me an iron for my birthday! So why would I want an iron??

Just look at the size of it!  Those are my embroidery scissors next to the iron for scale.  It's perfect for appliqué.

For my birthday day out we went to Scarthin Bookshop in Cromford, Derbyshire by Sir Richard Arkwright's mill.  It's an amazing book shop packed with old and new books on shelves which are everywhere, in little rooms, nooks and crannies, up the stair well.  I picked up these old craft books.

And the star of the show:

There is no date inside so I'm not sure how old it is, but looking inside, I'd guess thirties.  Check out these pages:

Perhaps not the modern definition of "lingerie"!

 I put my new mini iron to good use and did some appliqué for the alphabet chart I'm making for Rebecca.  I've decided though that it wont be done in time for Christmas if anyone else is getting a gift so will have to be a "just-because" present after Christmas.  I did "I":

And I started "H" which is now half embroidered.

I also finally finished my Forever Friends cross stitch.  I didn't enjoy it at all.  The threads were pale yellow and pale cream on a white background!  Nightmare...  I am happy with how it turned out.  This will be made into a little draw-string bag for my mother in law.  Is it drawer-string or draw-string?  Neither seems right.

I've also been working on the scarf which isn't that colour (neither is my living room floor yellow!)

It's now 110cm long!  I'm so bored of it, I hope it's over soon!

That's all for now.  I've got a busy weekend ahead so I don't know if I'll get much done, but I'm really starting to panic about Christmas, especially as it's my dad's birthday next week and my father-in-laws in 3 weeks and they're both really hard to buy/make for, I'd better get started...