Sunday, October 18, 2009

Think Pink exchange received.

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

Think Pink exchange - oct 09

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

Tuesday, October 06, 2009

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:

DSC04918

Which I then turned into this:

Front:
DSC04920

Back:
DSC04921

(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:

Think Pink from Tracy Oct 09

DSC04916

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.

DSC04911

DSC04912

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

Sunday, September 27, 2009

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

Ruby - Loopy Lou designs Sept 09

DSC04903

DSC04907

DSC04908

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

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

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:

rest of package

Needlebook exchange for Jill sept09

DSC04864

DSC04861

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.

Needlebook received from Goldie Sept 09

DSC04889

DSC04888

Have a good week everyone. x

Friday, September 11, 2009

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.

DSC04871

DSC04875

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!

1st day in year 2 sept09

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.

RAK from Kathy Sept 09

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

51NEFGCM08L__SL500_AA240_ 41qXqm7L85L__SL500_AA240_

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.

Saturday, September 05, 2009

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:

finished this page Aug 26th 09

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

Cathy outside

PIF for Cathy aug 09

Cathy close up

Cathy close up

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!

Tuesday, September 01, 2009

BP and a lovely surprise!

First up here's my Beatrix Potter progress for August:

August update

August update

I am pleased as I am still ahead to finish this by the end of the year! I keep counting those motifs down. I am starting to run a littlw low on the darkest shade so I am going to be using that shade sparingly. I am feeling quite bad that I haven't put much into my Mary Wigham so I have decided that Mary will be my main focus next year! I need to get counting those motifs now.

I got a lovely parcel through the post today. Some time back, Paula Sibbald from Kelmscott Designs said she liked the Beatrix Potter SAL I set up and she'd like to contribute to the end of year giveaway drawing that I am going to do. She also said she'd liek to send me a littel something as well for setting it all up and running it etc although I said it was no hardship on my part lol. Today she sent through the package which contained two packets - one for the giveaway (I have posted on the blog) and one for me!!

DSC04826

I was amazed! She has practically sent me the same thing as the giveaway prize! This was a wonderful surprise and it really REALLY made my day. I have been ill now for 17 days now and although I am a lot better, I am still not 100%. So this really cheered me up. If you're interested in any of these wonderful stitcher's accessories, please take a look at Paula's site:

Kelmscott Designs

Life is taking its toll on me at the moment and time is of the essence. This is why I haven't been blogging a lot and I have been struggling to leave comments for all the blogs I read. Please know that I am reading and getting lots of inspiration from everyone. A big Thank You to everyone who takes time to read me and comment. You will never know how much those comments mean to me.

Here comes another month.

x

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Long time - no post!

Time is truly passing by quickly these days what with a little kitten to keep entertained and also two children during the summer holidays. However I have been stitchign and finishing and finally I posted out my pifs! I know Tracy has hers as I gave it her personally when she came to stay and I know Chris and Lisa have got theirs but I don't think Cathy has received hers yet as it has further to go so I'll post the pics here anyway. The designs are by Pelin Tezer and is the Alphabet Cherubs. I used a mixture of threads, DMC and Crescent Colours (I just love those threads) and a mixture of linens as well. The finishing I got the idea from the Freebie Gallery (Can't remember who did it to give proper credit).

First up is Lisa's pif:

outside

PIF for Lisa aug 09

close up

Lisa close up

Next is Chris':

PIF for Chris outside

Inside Chris

close up Chris

DSC04809

Next is Tracy's:

Pif for Tracy July 09

DSC04764

DSC04767

And Cathy, if you're reading then you may have guessed you might be getting something along the same lines but I won't spoil the surprise any more and hang off from posting till you have it ;-).

And the kitten..... hmmmmmm... she is the most adorable little kitten ever! She is liek a playful puppy one minute then a cute cuddly furball the next. We all adore her. Here's a few pics. More to come:

DSC04793

DSC04792

DSC04791

Oh and I'll just fit in this quickie that Dad sent me of I am Half Sick of Shadows:

Augustupdate

He's reached the other side! Yay!

Off to see it irl tomorrow as it's my brother's 50th birthday soon - not bad seeing as he was only supposed to live till ten! He is mentally and physically handicapped and I'll see him at mum and dad's tomorrow.

Till next time, happy stitching folks. xx