Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Biscornu recieved

Biscornu exchange August 08

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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

Sunday, August 24, 2008

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

Friday, August 22, 2008

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.

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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:

Biscornu exchange from Terry Aug 08

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

Wednesday, August 06, 2008

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.
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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.

My pif to Steph August 08

More extras to Steph

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.
Summer House exchange from Maria - August 08

back

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

gift for Joan for the Summer House exchange

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:

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

Monday, August 04, 2008

A new start

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Here's my new start. It's the Wiehenburg mystery sal Suzanne which I am so enjoying!! I'm stitching it on 32 count natural belfast linen with dmc variegated 4210. I love that colour and still not getting bored with it. This is a free design which you can get from the yahoo group but you have to join it.
Wiehenburg group

Thanks for all your comments on the cdc. I think I have to agree with the majority. I'm not game enough to just keep going in case it does actually turn out all right so I think I'll cut my losses now and unpick the beads and just do the same thread. I have seen some people make bookmarks with this design using just a part of the design. I think this would be an excellent way to experiment with it and use beads, metallics etc.. This is the second time I will have unpicked this as the first time was with a metallic that didnt look too good either.

I have just purchased some emery designs from Anita's Little stitches and some Threadworx threads and accessories packs. They should be fun to do.

Still waiting to hear from Stephanie to see if she has got my pif. Hmmmmm very anxiously waiting.

Have a good week. xx

Edited to add that I have heard from Stephanie and she has rec'd her pif and loves it so I'll do another blog post tomorrow.