To bead or not to bead ...

now - that is the big question!

Until I went down with a streaming cold in the last couple of days, I was making good progress on Serena, the first of my four Just Nan angels.  She still needs wings, back stitching and beading though.  My question is this - on the basis that I have three more angels to stitch on this piece of linen, should I bead each angel as I complete her, or would I be better off waiting until I've done all four and then bead the whole lot at the same time?  Some advice would be very much appreciated as this is a whole new ball game to me.

Although I can't work on a complicated piece like Serena with a cold, I can work on Train.  I got another two blocks done this morning between loads of laundry, taking about 2.5 hours.  All being well, my next session on this will see me finish column 2 and start column 3.

 I've also made good progress on Bouquet 6.  The bottom of the piece is now complete.  It just needs flowers, leaves and back stitching.  With any luck, another couple of weeks should see this done and I can start work on Christmas ornaments for my nieces.  So I ought to start wading through my magazines now for suitable pieces.

I also had a successful Ebay session this week - specific old cross stitch magazines that I've been wanting for ages, two Teresa Wentzler charts, two Valerie Pfeiffer charts, a Just Nan chart with charms and a Design Works kit.  An array of interesting parcels should be arriving at work for me over the next week :-)  I'll hopefully be able to show you my haul in my next post.

What else?  I've had a lovely week off (apart from my cold) - lunch out with my sister and nieces when the schools were on strike, lie-ins when it was raining, both the new books I was after being in the shop rather than having to order them in, and also miracle of miracles, a 1.5lb weight loss despite coffee mornings, parties, lunch out etc.  The only drawback is that when I drag my cold-ridden self into work tomorrow, the chances are that I won't be able to see my desk for files and from past experience I may not even be able to sit on my chair without having to move some files first.

Right, I am going to dose myself, set my alarm clock and go to bed.  All the best to you and yours, and may the frog stay away from your stitching.