BP Happy dance!

Finally finished Beatrix Potter quaker sampler by Needleprint. I stitched it on 32ct jobelan Sassy's Tan Marble and used Victorian Motto sampler threads in antique wine colours.

The initails stand for me, my dh, my dd and my ds. The white bits are really effective and I am glad I did them as I wasn't sure about them.









I loved working on this this year and enjoyed being part of the SAL. Next year I am goin gto concentrate on Mary Wigham and see if I can get that one done in a year too.

Stitching up lots of christmas ornies for exchanges at the moment so can't show you what I have stitched just yet but hopefully soon. Also been working madly on that crochet blanket. I have done seven and a half squares and just need to do nine and then stitch them together. Also done a little more on the "L" fairy but not taken pics yet so that will be for another post.

Been thinking a lot about next year's stitching as well and what project I have lined up. Ideas include: Mary Wigham, Just Nan Snowfire, another HAED?? A Quaker Christmas and lots of smalls. I need to really think about this as I still have projects that need finishing like my Patchwork and Circque des Circque.

Happy stitching!

Think Pink exchange received.

Debbie (no blog) received my Think Pink exchange on the Stitcher's Showcase. Here's what I made her:



The pattern was a freebie from Romy in Austria found here. I stitched it using Carrie's Baby Pink and some DMC and I added some pink Delica beads to it as well.

Thanks for looking. Having a tough week this week so has to be short and sweet.

Happy stitching. xxx

Hardanger rocks!!

What a week I had last week with the boy child constantly being sick. It seemed to go on forever and I appreciate all your lovely, caring comments, happy thoughts and prayers. So thank you from the bottom of my heart.

It was touch and go on Friday as to whether I would get to go to my stitching weekend thingy as dh started getting very ill as well and I was all anxious about what to do. I felt bad about leaving him to it but in the end I went. Tracy arrived in good time at my house and we had a nice drive down to Nuneaton to the meet up with some girls from Jane's Attic. We got to the hotel which was lovely (and cheap!) and just decided to chill out there for the evening after having had such a long week. We stitched and chatted and ate cake yum!

The following day Lynn (organiser) and Vicky (India Grace Designs) taught me some hardanger. In particular, I wanted to learn woven bars and dove's eyes and finally after one or two mishaps I got the hang of it. I made this:



Which I then turned into this:

Front:


Back:


(and yes Chris - if you're reading - this is the fabric you gave me in my goody bag from the March meet up!)

I love it! I am so pleased to have this new stitch added to my bow strings. I have been getting excited looking at all the Victoria Sampler stuff that I might be able to do now and Loopy Lou stuff - I do have one ready to start.

Recently on the JA forum, there has been a lot of discussion about doing a Just Nan SAL. I have never done a JN design but was quite excited at the thought of doing one. Barb gifted me with Snowfire Christmas and even included the fabric and Perle thread! Here's what it looks like - so pretty. Can't wait to get started on it.

And while I have been about it, perusing all the JN band samplers, I came across this one. It's called "Nan's Garden".

I thought I'd stitch it for my mum whose name is Nan and who also has the most incredible garden.

So if anyone is interested in joining this SAL then pop over to Jane's Attic and put your name down!

Just Nan SAL

Oh and I nearly forgot, look at what Tracy brought with her when she came to mine:





I was her Think Pink partner on the Stitcher's Showcase! Isn't it wonderful! The finishing is so neat. Perfect and all by hand too. My exchange is parcelled and ready to send out tomorrow hopefully.

And last but not least, and just to show that I too can knit, a bit, and actually finish things, here's my lovely dd modelling the headband hat and scarf I made her. She is suppposed to wear her hair outside it but she prefers it in. The wool is Softie by Sirdar and the headband hat is a freebie from Ravelry and can be found here.





So that's it from me. I really need to get cracking on some exchanges and get BP finished before the end of the year. Not to mention all the Christmas ornies I wanna make. The new Just Cross Stitch ornie mag is wonderful! Have a lovely, crisp, autumn week! xx

A UFO Finish!!!

Just to show you that it is possible to finish those UFOs!!! Last year, early last year, I went to a Drawn Thread workshop with Lynda Bodkin of Loopy Lou designs where we learnt the basics of Drawn Thread work. A few of us went from the JA forum. I did the drawn thread bit and a bit of the spider web roses that day then promptly put it in it's bag and never took it out again. However, I was feeling rather inclined recently to get it out again and get it finished and it didn't take long either. I am so ashamed of myself for leaving this beauty for so long untouched but finally here it is in all its glory! It uses beads and metallics and treasures which are hard to see but it really is very pretty. The design is called Ruby and here are some pics. My basketweave leaves a lot to be desired :S









I have been busy on BP this month and I also have an exchange to send out so can't show those pics yet.

Had a terrible weekend of sickness bug with my baby son. He can't seem to keep anything down. Everytime I think he is better, he throws up again. We have ran out of towels and sheets so I have been busy washing like mad. Have phoned the doctor and they have said to just try and get liquids down him so we tried that but then he pukes all that up. Hmmm. Hopefully he'll be better by tomorrow.

Hope everyone else has had a better weekend than mine. I am going on a weekend stitching meetup next weekend and I am so badly in need of a break.

xx

Love of Needlework exchange

This is just a quickie post to show what I sent and received in the Love of Needlework exchange. This exchange required you to make a needlebook on the theme of needlework. Jill was my partner and this is what I sent her. It is taken from Little House Needleworks Travelling Stitcher and uses the given Crescent Colours threads. The first pic shows a couple of extras I included. Somethings from Jill's wishlist:









And today I got a lovely needlebook through from Goldie. She sent me this sweet needlebook with some needles and pins in and so many lovely extras. Goldie you really spoiled me. Thanks so much. I love the Old Willow silks and I know just what to use them for. I love it all.







Have a good week everyone. x

Oh cat!!!

Just wanted to share a couple of photos I have of Misty curled up on me. This cat is just like a new born baby! She is sooo cuddly and soft. Yes she is as soft as she looks. Did I mention she has learnt to fetch just like a dog? Really happy with this little one. Don't mind the rather tired looking pic of me - it was late in the evening.





Back to school for my dd and a deep breath of relief from me. Don't get me wrong, I love and adore my kids but six weeks over the summer with my dh away for half of it and myself quite ill for the rest of it, I am glad to get back to normal. So here she is on her first day in year 2. How she has grown!



I was so blessed today to get this great rak from Kathy. She wrote the kindest words in her note saying she hoped it would cheer me up and it did just that. The photo doesn't do it justice. It is so pretty and sparkly and as you can see it already has a home on my favourite gingher scissors. Thank you so much Kathy. I love it.



I was browsing a christian website last night when a couple of books caught my eye.



I'd be interested to hear from anyone who has read these books what you think of them. I have ordered them from Amazon but will take a couple of weeks at least to come.

Right, I am away to stitch and catch up on blogs. Have a good weekend everyone. x

Edited to say that Elisa is having a wonderful giveaway on her blog. Go check it out.

This and that.

Here's my Tiny Treasures "L" fairy update. I finished the first page on August 26th but not touched it since. Been too busy with BP and a needlebook exchange:



And Cathy let me know that she has recieved the pif I sent her:









Design - Cherub Alphabet
Designer - Pelin Tezer
Threads - Crescent Colours
Linen - 32 count belfast cream

Thanks for all your get well wishes. I am feeling a bit better although still sore in the mouth. Need to stop bantering!