Lily fairy!

I recently bought some professional face paints for my dd's birthday which is on Friday withe the intention of doing the kids faces myself instead of paying a small fortune to hire someone else to do it. So it's Wednesday and I thought, "Oooh I'd better have a practice". So with the help of a little book here's my attempt:



Not a bad effort hey? It took a while to get the colours and textures right but hopefully I'll be a lot quicker on Friday. I'll have eight girls to do! Hopefully they'll all be happy to have something similar and nothing too taxing!

Just thought I'd share that. I thought she looked too cute. xx

Lots of pics!

I have a fair bit of stitchery to share today. First up is this gorgeous ornie I recieved from Carol B from HOE2! It is the Sweetheart Tree ornie from this years Just Cross Stitch magazine. It is so pretty and on sparkly fabric too. I just love it. It is so me! Carol kindly sent me these two wonderful charts off my wishlist too and I am so happy to have Quaker Christmas finally!! Also she sent some pins in pretty colours. This was a wonderful surprise today. Thanks Carol.



Margie K got my ornie in the post last week too:

Here she is and I did include some extras too but I did not photograph them.



It is also from the Just Cross Stitch ornie edition magazine this year. I did rouched ribbon agding and backed it with some pretty white fabric.

I have been working hard on the Mirabilia Angel last week for the Let's Stitch weekly challenge and the Friday Night SAT. She is so lovely to work on with sparkly threads and pretty beads. I have to put on some white beads too as soon as I have finished the rest of her dress.



Also, last week, I got the fabric from Lauren at Sassy's fabric. This is what I will be doing the Needleprint Beatrix Potter SAL in. If you remember, she wasn't so sure my colour choice would work with the threads I had chosen so I went with her better judgement and here's the result and what a result!!!



This is Tan Marble 32 count jobelan with Victorian Motto threads in the Antique Wine set. Lauren also sent me quite a generous cut of the Creamy Cocoa (my original choice) to compare and I think she was right. The Creamy Cocoa is more orangey but I still love it!! I chose jobelan over linen this time as I wanted a smoother, more even, coloured fabric which Lauren said tended to happen with the jobelan. I can't wait to start this now. We are at about 60 members now and I will close it for membership once January 1st starts so if you want to join in the fun then now's the time to join.

Someone tagged me to tell you six random things about myself. I'm not tagging anyone back but feel free to do the same. It is interesting to find out a little bit about people I suppose. I'm a bit boring really. So here goes:

1. I can drive and passed my test first time which was a miracle as I had been in a bad BAD car accident two weeks beore my test where two people were killed instantly!!

2. I love chocolate sooo much and go through terrible withdrawal times when I don't have it.

3. I drink lots of de-caffeinated coffee.

4. I can sometimes be quite paraniod about people not liking me.

5. My perfect evening would be spent at home, stitching, with my DH and a DVD, some chocolate and perhaps a small glass of red wine.

6. I have recently had my hair dyed red but I wanted it redder than the hairdresser did it!

Thats it! Very boring me.

Thanks for reading. I appreciate every single comment!

Another post????

Goodness I have more stuff to share. What is going on?? Some months I don't hardly post but recently I have a lot to share. Perhaps something to do with DH being away??? Cats will play etc etc.. Or at least GET ON THE COMPUTER!!!

Okay firstly, I have a finish:


Yay! This is my Wiehenburg mystery Suzanne! It was a freebie on the Yahoo group but not there any more although there is another freebie being collected on there at the moment(Shhhhh!!)
Stitched on 32 count Natural belfast linen with DMC Variations 4210.

Next up:


This is another freebie as a sorry to someone. I don't think she reads my blog but I could be wrong. You can hardly see it in the picture but it is very pretty stitched on polstitches fabric with dragonfloss. I filled it with rice and lavender.

And lastly:





This is the Harvest time Exchange I sent to Leena. It is Autumn Song by Blackbird designs using the recommended fabric and threads. I stitched it over one and made it into a pinkeep. I gave it a rouched ribbon edge (my first) and used some fabric that Leena herself sent me during the last Harvest time exchange last year!! So all in all I am quite pleased with how it turned out and I believe Leena loves it too!

Have a good week everyone. xx

Harvest Exchange recieved!

I got the sweetest pinkeep through today from Becky in Oklahoma. It is for the Harvest Time Exchange on the SBBEB. I love it! Thank you Becky!



Hopefully mine will arrive at its destination soon as it was posted a week ago. xx

A gift and another fine tea (dinner)

Here is a gift I have made for someone. It is someone I promised a gift to a while ago. Someone will get this little giftie in the post in the next week or so. One of my blog readers. It could be you...





A Rose is a Rose - La D Da freebie
Finished as a mattress pincushion
32 count lavender mist belfast linen
Sampler threads and weeks dye works

And tonight's tea (or Dinner as the South like to call it!)....

Hotpot - my own recipe - with lashings of red cabbage. (No it's not prison food and it is actually really nice).



And finished with another winner from Becky's blog! Peach Cobbler!! I had to cook it a bit longer as it was still uncooked in the middle but then it was very scrum esp with cream!



These are doing wonders for warming me up as it is quite cold here in the North of England. The weather is utterly miserable as well. Rain and rain and more rain it seems.

Still ploughing away on the Vierlanden mystery quaker suzanne. I have half a page left!! I will hopefully get this finished tonight! Yay it is about time I had a Happy Dance for one of my larger projects. Also I have signed up for the Year long Prairie Schooler exchange which I am soo looking forward to. Right off to do some serious stitching and a little blog reading/catching up.

xx

Becky's Skillet Supper - Superb!!!

Browsing blogland the other day, I came across Becky Bee's Home blog where there were a few lovely looking recipes that I just had to try. So tonight I made her "Skillet Supper". I used the Doritos hot salsa and just used one jar and I had to add a littl emore water to it to stop it sticking but it was perfect! I never needed to add any additional flavourings to it as it had all the flavour wrapped up in the smoked sausage and the salsa. Here it is:



And here's the proof that it is indeed very good....



Tomorrow I will be trying the Peach Cobbler!! Yumm.. Yes indeed my diet has gone out the window!

As for stitching, I have been busy but a lot of them are gifts and exchanges so nothing to show as yet. Hopefully next week I'll have some pics to show.


ps edited to add: See Chiloes post for a free drawing - ends saturday.

A Ram, some Squirrels and a Mystery!

Okay, here's the ram!



We found him in our garden this morning and he was there all day! I phoned the police earlier this morning and they came and had a look and said they were trying to find the farmer but then left it here. It came running around the side of our neighbours garden as she has a little brook there. This is where I managed to get this picture of him. Apparently, two years ago they had a cow and a calf here (before we moved in). You'd think we lived on a farm but it is just an estate with houses on. We do have lots of fields and farms nearby though.

I have managed to do a fair bit on the Wiehenburg mystery sampler but I kept getting lots of knots in my thread for some reason and it got me thinking about where the term "frogging" came from. Someone must have made it up. If it was you, please own up! So I was thinking of perhaps a nicer term to call these dratted knots and I came up with "squirrels". Why? Well, to start with I was thinking of knots and that got me thinking of "nuts", which got me thinking of "squirrels", which got me thinking of "big bushy tails", which brought me back to my dratted knots that look like bushy tailed squirrels. Do you think I am mad or can you get the picture??? So if you hear me moaning about my squirrels in future, you'll know what I mean!

So, regardless of my "squirrels" here is my progress!



I emailed Lauren of Sassy's fabrics the other day as I had ordered some fabric from her for the Needleprint Beatrix Potter SAL. I chose Creamy Cocoa and I am using the Antique Wines collection of Victorian Motto threads. Anyway, after a little chit chat with Lauren, she has recommended I go with Tan Marble instead. She thinks it will look better with those colour threads. "Okay" I said. I so hope it is okay as some of you may remember that awful experience with a certain company where the fabric was unuseable (Yes I still have it). Speaking of the SAL, we have 52 members joined the blog already! I can't believe it! So many peeps. I am really looking forward to getting my fabric so I can do some floss tosses.

Righto off to put the children to bed and settle down with some nice stitching. Ahhhh....

Cake anyone?

Chocolate and cinnamon buns.

They're gorgeous!
What more can I say?

PIF Winners........

Lisa
Cathy

Chris

Tracy

Congratulations you four!! Thanks to all of you who entered. The reason I have picked four of you is that I have also won a pif on Jessie's blog so instead of reoffering I have picked an extra person. I think four will be my limit! Please remember to Pay it Forward by putting the same offer on your blog and spreading a little stitching cheer throughout the year! I have sent out emails except to Lisa as I can't find your email hun. Let me know your addresses and favourite colours and I'll get something stitched up for you inthe next 365 days! Hopefully they will get made up sooner than that! I already have some ideas that I want to stitch up for you guys.

I have just spent the best couple of days away in Wales ever!! Just went to visit some friends who live in a farmhouse on forty acres of land and we had the most blessed time there! Amazing. I wish I had taken some pics!

Sorry this is a short entry. I got a load of stitching to do!! Catch up with you all soon. Thanks for visiting. I appreciate all your lovely comments.

xx

PIF!!

I have been chosen to participate in Elisa's PIF (pay it forward) and I am so excited as she makes the most beautiful things!! So now I have to offer the same gesture on my blog.

*** This is how it works ***

If you would like to receive something handmade by me within the next 365 days, please comment on this post to say that you are interested. I will then ask my DD to draw 3 names out of a hat on Saturday 1st November (GMT). If you are one of the chosen three then in return, please post the same offer on your blog.

This is a simple and a lovely way of spreading joy in the stitching world. I hope that you will join in and possibly become one of my PIF members!

This PIF is open for everyone!

Now last time I did this I only got one person who responded, the lovely Stephanie who I spoiled rotten! Hopefully there will be a few more this time.

It's half term here in the UK so hope everyone has a good week and the weather gets better and that you all get some lovely stitching time in. xx

Some progress..

Alas my meet up with Tracy didn't end up happening last week as she got some very bad news on the morning of the day she was all set to travel. Hopefully she can re-arrange and we'll have a meet up before Christmas.

I have been working on some wips over on the Let's Stitch blog and have made a bit of progress. Here is my Wiehenburg Mystery quaker:



I love working on this! It is such an easy stitch and I just love this colour.

Also I worked on Polar Santa. I realise now why I hide this one away in the cupboard for moths on end:
1. It is on aida.
2. It is on NAVY aida.
3. There are loads of fractionals on it.
4. After I finish the stitching, I will have a truck load of french knots to do on it.
However, after plodding away on the Friday, here is what he looks like now:



Just working on his big sack of toys on his back.

Yesterday I got some post through that I'd ordered. It was some stuff for advent. Every year I have been saying to my dh that we need a more Christ centered Christmas as I hate it when it all gets so materialistic esp when I have a young dd who gets saturated by it all. Anyway I ended up with this book:


It is great! It is filled with so many heartwarming ideas. Things like decorating your home with images associated with the birth of Jesus and holding christmas brunches where family and friends can share in a time of fellowship and prayer over the advent season. There are several things I'd like to put into place and as I thought about it, I began hunting for a pattern of the name of Jesus that I could stitch and place in a central area. I came across this freebie:

His Name is Jesus

which I thought was amazing! So I am intending to stitch this in probably reds or greens for advent. I have also been rummaging through old magazines for a nice nativity scene that won't take too long to do.

I have signed up for another exchange; winter house and I am very tempted to sign up for the ABC one and the Blackbird Designs one too. So I may be very very busy over the next few months!! I also have dd's birthday end November to think about and ds' birthday is early Jan so a very busy time all round.

Hope you're having a good week,

xx

Elijah update 9 months

Wow Elijah turned 9 months yesterday so I thought I'd better take some footage and snap some pics before I forget. Here he is. He has just started to crawl and yes I think he is going to take after his dad (guitar man).



elijah movie 9months

And a couple of snaps...





xx

More biscornu pics

Here is the biscornu I made for Tracy in the mini exchange we did with Amanda and Sally. The theme was Autum Colours biscornu. I stitched this (Peripheria Nita's Lace) on 28 count black jobelan and used Dinky Dyes silk in Desert Sand. The colours reminded me of Bonfire Night here in the UK.





Some exciting news is that Tracy is coming to visit!! Yay! It's the first time we will meet together and I can't wait. She has been a really special internet chum and has blessed me in all sorts of ways. She has been having a bit of a rough time of things lately so feel free to go give her a cyber hug! Hopefully the visit will cheer her up.

Thanks for all the offers of wool! Any old wool, acrylic mix etc will do. I keep going back to the blanket and doing a bit more and I'm on my 4th square at the moment but need to do a lot more. I have been very busy working on the harvest time exchange for the sbebb and I have decided to do the pattern over 1 on 28 count fabric so it feels like it is taking a long time and not accomplishing much but I know I'll get there in the end. I also need to think about the Christmas ornie exchange too. Still waiting for the Just Cross stitch ornie mag to come through from Jayne's attic so I can choose a design. Still waiting.....

On another note, I am considering becoming a Slimming World consultant. I have been doing the plan for a long time on and off and the group I go to have been having a rough deal with a lack of a permanent consultant. Temp after temp after temp and it is such a shame as they are such a dedicated group. So I am thinking of training but I have to think of the logistics of it and how I can fit it in with family life. It may be the start of a new career!

Welcome to all new commentators on my blog! I am trying hard to keep up with blog reading and leave a message in most cases. The inspiration never ends and think I need to do a little giveaway soon to say Thank You to y'all so look out for it. Just let me get these exchanges over with esp the over 1 one!!

Right, off to stitch some more ... Have a good week everyone. xx

Biscornu exchange received and a request

I got the most gorgeous biscornu from Sally and the lovliest extras. It was a mini exchange with just four of us involved. The theme was "Autumn colours Biscornu" and this certainly sums up the lovely colours we see this time of year. Sally, you have done a superb job and I just love it!!! The fabric and threads are scrummy too and can't wait to put these to good use.





I sent mine off yesterday so hope to be able to show you what I stitched soon.

Okay now I am going to be really cheeky here and make a request. If you don't ask you don't get right???? So you know I am working on making a crochet granny blanket for my dd's bed and I am doing it in all sorts of weird colours (very seventies). Well, what I'd like to request is if anyone has any old, odd balls of wool that they are unlikely to use could you kindly pass them my way???? It is taking up a lot more wool than I thought and I am running low quite quickly. Like I said I will take any colour of any ball, any size etc. If you have any that you'd like to lovingly donate please email me for my address if you don't already have it.

Right, cheekiness over. Hope you all have a good weekend. I have enjoyed catching up on some blogs and esp some newbies too. Thanks for all your happy thoughts and comments. They are so appreciated as I am having a bit of a tough time of things at the moment. But that is another post for another day.

Hugsxx

Prairie Schooler exchange

My partner finally recieved her Prairie Schooler exchange I made her for the HOE blog. My partner was Sharon from Cross Stitch Happy. Here is what I made her:



I made her a matching scissor fob and holder and needlecase. It is from the book Needles and Pins and I enjoyed every stitch. I think Sharon liked it too to I can breathe a huge sigh of relief now.

Today I got my PS exchange through also. It is from Ulla. Thank you Ulla, it is very nice.



Here's a snap of my Mira Christmas Angel that I started this week. I have just ordered the beads and kreinik for it so they should come tomorrow. I am stitching this on 36 count and I am loving how it is turning out.



And just for fun, I thought I'd post some bath lights that I bought the other week! They change colour and float and are just the most relaxing thing!!



So, I have a mini biscornu exchange due out next week and I also need to make a start on the Harvest Time exchange and think about the Christmas ornie one. I have also been looking at fabrics for the Beatrix Potter SAL and Rachel from Willing Hands has kindly directed me to Sassy's Fabrics which look really stunning. I'll be thinking about that one over the weekend.

Have a happy stitching weekend,

xx

A bit of this and that

Oh I have been a terrible blogger of late not updating with pics! I really need to as it's the only organised system in my life for keeping memories together. I am really bad at that which reminds me I desperately need to get my dd and ds a big pair of boxes to keep all their achievements in as they are laying around all over the house. See I told you I was disorganised.

So first up, some holiday snaps - only a couple as my dh hasn't emailed me the ones he has taken with his camera but you can get the general idea. It was a lovely beach, weather was mixed, but lots of fun had by all.





Now, after reading in Artystitch's blog about them learning to do crochet and after wanting for years on end to be able to make my very own granny square like the ones my mum used to make, I decided to have a go. There are some fantastic links on You Tube and from this one I learned it in no time at all and look what I have made already:


I know the colours are horrid but the point is to use up all those gory balls of wool you have that you will never make anything with and turn it into a blanket. So this will be for my dd's bed hopefully if I can make it big enough. Or, I might do several of these squares and sew them together. The gorier the better.

Here's an update on my Wiehenburg sampler. It is coming along rather nicely and I am still loving this colour 4210:



And just for fun, here's the little Christmas design I thought I might do this year. It's a Mirabilia one from an old copy of The World of Cross Stitching.



I think she is so beautiful and would look lovely as a pinkeep.

I have just sent off my HOE Prairie Schooler exchange and I must say I am mighty proud of this one!! I can't wait for them to recieve it so I can show it off hehe!! I have also signed up for two more exchanges - even though I said I wouldn't - I just couldn't resist. The Harvest time one (if I'm not too late) as it is a stitched gift only one (no extras) and the Christmas ornie one. So that will keep me busy for a while as well.

I am slowly working my way through my blog list and also any newbies who have crossed my path but it is a mighty dangerous thing this blog reading. I always see another new pattern or another new finishing technique which goes on my to do list.

Happy stitching, xx

I'm back!

We have just spent a lovely week away on the South Coast of Wales right on the beach and it was lovely despite the weather not being the warmest! Will post a proper update soon with pics. If anyone is still interested in joining the Beatrix Potter stitchalong then please email me and I will send you an invite. I have had an email from Jaqueline Holdsworth the designer. If you can't get a copy of the chart then email me for details on how to get it.
Thanks,
xx

Biscornu recieved

Here is my biscornu that I made for Vonna for the SBEBB. It is the Victorian blackwork biscornu from the Gift of Stitching a few months ago. She has now got it through the post and so I am happy to reveal it. I enjoyed making it although I usually tend to have an aversion to backstitch. Somehow, this was different. I stitched black glass seed beads round the edges which I thought was a nice touch. These were the extras I sent along with it. Vonna said she was pleased with what I sent her.

I am currently working on another biscornu for a mini exchange I am running so no peeks. I have also finished the stitching on my prairie schooler exchange but need to do the finishing on it. I desperately want to get some of my projects finished and I am intending to work on them one by one if I have to in order to get some out of the way.

Thanks to everyone who has joined the BP SAL blog. I never thought it would be so popular. I think we will see some lovely examples of this design.

Just to let you know I will be offline at the end of the week for about a week so if you do want an invite for the blog then please be patient and know I haven't forgotton. I will get back to you.

Happy stitching in blogland. xx

Three things..

Just a quick one to show three things that may interest you.

I was on someone's blog (might have been Lisa's) and found this link to a 15 sided biscornu. How cool is this. If you're not into biscornu and whipstitching then don't bother to look but I think I will definitely try one of these sometime. It's in Russian with a translation which is a bit strange in parts but it has extremely good photos.

Secondly, take a look at Sharon's blog Cross Stitch Happy. She designs lots of freebies and this new one is amazing. In fact when I first saw it I thought "Just Nan" but it's not - it's her design and free for all. It is an amazing hummingbird scissor case and fob set. Go on - it's free.

Thirdly, I have set up a blog for the Needleprint Beatrix Potter Quaker SAL due to start January 09. Sadly, this pattern is now out of print. A short time ago Jaqueline Holdsworth from Needleprint decided to sell some of the patterns as PDF files which is how I was able to get a copy of it. I don't know if she is still selling them or not. You could always pop over to the Yahoo group and ask. If anyone wishes to join this blog just email me hazelhenry @ hotmail . com (omit spaces) and I will send you an invite. Please note: I have only just set up this blog and it is in it's early stages. Everyone welcome who is intending or has already started this wonderful piece.

I don't know why I don't read blogs more. Well I do know - it's time sadly, but everytime I do I get so inspired. I have a Mirabilia Christmas angel in a magazine somewhere which is very blue and sparkly and I have decided I want to stitch this one and make it into a pinkeep. Just need to rummage through my hundreds upon hundreds of mags to find it.

Happy stitching everyone.

Ps Barbara (Sanguine Stitcher) I can't seem to leave a message on your blog or contact you so please email me. xx

Knitting anyone??

I haven't blogged in ages. I have loads going on at the moment. Summer hols, exchanges, and other stuff going on in my head.

So, a couple of years ago I took up knitting. I decided that I wanted to learn how to follow a pattern and actually make something. So I did. Now, don't get me wrong, I am no serious knitter and some things just don't seem to turn out right but I'm happy to have a go. I found this pattern and thought I could make a sweet one for my dd.





We'll see what this turns out like....

Yesterday I got a lovely biscornu from Terry through the post with some lovely extras. She sent some threads and some pretty Mary Engelbright notelets. So sweet, Thanks Terry:



I am so resisting joining any more exchanges for a while as i want to get some baps finished and also want to think about starting on Christmas stitching. I was thinking of making some nice stitchy gifts for friends. It is sooo tempting though. There are two exchanges I want to join now - the mattress pincushion and the floss tag one. Oooh I have one day left to decide on the mattress pincushion.

I have sent my biscornu on to my partner so hope they get it soon.

If anyone is interested, Sally and I are going to be starting the Beatrix Potter in the new year and are going to do it as an SAL. I am thinking about setting up a blog for it if there are enough peeps interested. I am thinking about using the Victorian Motto threads that are shown on various people's blogs including Sally's and Vonna's. Here's a linkie to her ebay auctions if anyone wants to take a peek. I just adore the colours and think they would look perfect on the BP sampler.

Shop

So with that I will love and leave you all. Have a lovely restful rest of summer. xx

Pif and summer house exchange

Finally I can show you the pictures of the pif I made for Stephanie. It is a lavender filled heart from Tournicoton called Le Temps dun The.








And here are the extras I sent her as well. The pink wrapped things are candles and candle holders. And the red wrapped gift is a box of Thorntons chocs mmm.





I beleive she likes everything I sent. Phew!

And I got in the mail today, my Summer House from Maria (Lolo). It is very sweet and I love the rouched edging she has done. Does anyone know her blog or email so I can thank her personally? I can't seem to find it. She has sent me some lovely extra too including a pretty chart and buttons.




Joan has also recieved the extra charts I sent her too:



These were on her wishlist and took ages to get here.

So I am all spent up this month and I am resisting signing up for any more exchanges for a bit. Although I'd really like to do the mattress pincushion exchange :-( No I really need to save some money. It looks like my dh is going to have to go on the road again touring as the business just hasn't been performing recently. I am so not looking forward to living like a single mum to two kids!! I don't cope too well on my own with one let alone two. It looks like he could be starting this month and it may be running right into next year!

No more moaning. Here is an update of my wiehenburg sal. Part 1 and 2:



I am really enjoying this one. It's working up very quickly and a joy to do. I'm off to my friend Amanda's for a stitchy sess this evening so I'll take it along with me and also my biscornu for the biscornu exchange to finish up. I want to put some beads around it.

Desperately trying to keep up with blog reading but my list just keeps getting longer and longer!! I'm making it my aim to go through my list at least once a week and post comments.

Happy stitching.

xx