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!

BP and a lovely surprise!

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





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!!



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

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:









Next is Chris':









Next is Tracy's:







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:







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



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

Stitching update

Sorry for not being a good blogger of late. You see, I have actually been doing some stitching and finishing as you will see. I can't seem to get the right balance between stitching time and blogging time. I either do one or the other. So this month has been a stitching month. ;-)

First up is my Lizzie*Kate "Dream" pinkeep that I stitched for the Lizzie*Kate exchange. I believe my partner liked it which is good. I love the fabric on the back and the pink ribbon. I stitched it on 28 count Wichelt "Buttermilk" linen and used Carries Creations threads. A delightful little stitch!







Here is my next little finish which is the Wisteria biscornu by Olga Teague. This was another delightful little stitch and again I used the 28 ct "buttermilk" linen. The Wichelt is very nice to work on - nice and stiff and keeps its shape well. I used the recommended threads ans also the mill hill beads. I also ordered some Swarovski Butterfly crystals for the centre. They are so sparkly - the picture just does not do this biscornu justice. I changed the back slightly and personalised it. Now, unfortunately I cannot use this for my "basket of biscornu" as it was a gift for Lily's teacher. I think she liked it.







Last weekend Tracy came to stay as my DH was working away in Japan. She came to keep me company and have a stitchy weekend. We had a lot of fun and after she left I felt inspired to do another HAED. I haven't done any HAEDs for a while. This is the letter "L" fairy by Selina Fenech which Tracy had bought me for Lily last Christmas. I am stitching this on 18 count and it's working up fast and beautiful. I love it. This is going to be my summer project and I am hoping to get it finished very very quickly so the race is on.



As I got back into the HAED, I noticed they were having a sale on and so I got my dd to have a look and see if there was anything she liked and she chose this one:



So I have got myself some more 25ct lugana and just need to do a thread check and as soon as I have finished the L fairy then I'll be starting this one for her too. Tracy also bought me a Rainbow mermaid too but that's another story!

Here's my BP update. Five and a bit motifs this month. Yay! I am well on track for finishing this by the end of the year! I will definitely work this system again next year for a project. It definitely works for me.





Oh and nearly forgot. Elisa nominated me for a friendship award! This is so sweet. Thank you petal!


And now I am supposed to nominate others for this award but that is way to difficult. So if you are reading my blog... if you are at all interested in my blog.... then you can consider yourself a friend and nab it for yourself. Go on, take it. I have nominated all my readers.;-)

Sorry if this post has been a bit photo heavy. I still have more stuff to share. Pifs being one as soon as I can get the other two finished!! Have fun next month. I get the kitten next Saturday so watch this space for cute kitten pics.xx