Is it too early for Christmas?

I know, I know I have neglected my blog terribly of late, and halloween has now just finished - I've put the broomstick away and my little old familiar cat is now curled up asleep after her jaunt around on the said broomstick, so I was wondering whether it was too early yet for Christmas, but I thought 'what the heck' I'll start showing some of my Christmas finishes.

Tonights little effort is my tin I made at the workshop class I taught in the summer, its the class I taught the girls how to make a tin finish. So I had to stitch one myself and do a step by step with the finish.

The design is by Crossed Wing Collection, and is from the 1998 JCS Christmas Ornament magazine. I really loved stitching this one, the little mouse is 1/1 as is the writing, the rest is 1/2 on 32ct evenweave. I used some sparkly thread in amongst the little bauble to give it a little more punch.

Life is pretty good at the moment, I have had a couple of weekends over at my parents and been out with my brother which has been fun, I've been working hard as always it seems, but I have also been stitching and framing things. Last Saturday I did another patchwork course at Fobbles, and the second part of it will be early next year, this time I was well stretched out of my comfort zone for this course, but I did enjoy it and I will take some pictures of my progress. My other progress on my other quilt has stopped, my heart is still not in it, but I will get it finished I am very sure of that, but it might not be any time real soon.

My poor dad had a fall last week and has managed to get himself quite a few stitches in his head, he was walking one of the dogs when he tripped on the pavement and went a clatter, he had an overnight stay at hospital nd has hurt his knee a little and his hand, and do you know (my time to vent), not one person went over to him to ask if he was ok when he fell, he was very shook up and was bleeding profusely from his head injury (he takes wharfarin whcih makes you bleed more too), Bailey (the dog), led dad home as he was in a daze a bit, which is so good that the dog did that, but I hasten to add, Dad is doing OK he's a little stiff and sore and has had a bad head for a few days, bt otherwise he is fine.

Hope you all have a good week, and thankyou for your continued visits and your patience in waiting for me to update my blog, I really appreciate your comments and visits very much.

For Yuko

I was as always very very late sending dear Yuko her birthday gift, then I fretted that I had sent it to the wrong address, but now I know its arrived safey and that she is really happy with her gift.

I have stitched her a wee floss/scissor fob and pin cushion, both designs are by one of my very favourite designers EEF (Ewe and I and Friends. The fob is called 'Lovely'Lady ' fob, and I changed the colourways to suit for Yuko as I know how much she loves pink.The ring is one of the lovely large MoP rings from Kelmscott Designs and suited the fob perfectly I thought.

This wee pincushion is called 'Viney heart' and again I changed the colours and matched them with my colour choices for the fob.

The box I covered with the faded 'vintage' style rose fabric I had in my stash, and used the same fabric for the backing on the fob and the pincushion. Then I used a complemeting fabrics for the yoyos on the the box top. I used faded pink ric-rac and satin ribbon for the other trims on the box.

I have had a wonderful gift myself through the post from Melissa who was my partner for Stitching Bloggers Birthdays, I haven't taken a picture yet of it, as my camera was out of charge I had left it turned on in my handbag and so it now needs charging, I will take a picture tomorrow to show you all.
I had a lovely birthday with my family, it was very quiet but I had a wonderful family party, with balloons and banners and a big chocolate cake and trifle, we all had great fun and my young nephew and neice thought it was wonderful, and they had kept it all a secret from me.
Saturday my brother came up to see me especially and took the family out for dinner and then afterwards he and I went out to the pub for a few drinks and had a good laugh, which was just what I needed as I have been beginning to feel that I had lost my sense of fun somewhere along the way, but I think its back again now!!! LOL!!

I blame Avril ......

....yes its all her fault, instead of stitching, what am I doing - knitting, Av by the way is my friend and an avid knitter and crocheter and has her very own wool shop!!
The wool is called Opal and the colour is called wintermarchern, I love the varigated effect its knitting up to, in fact I have almost finished the scarf, its just a 1 ball scarf (100g ball).

Do you see my gorgeous knitting needles they are KnitPro Bamboo needles and they are just the right length and have the right feel to them when I'm knitting, they are very psychadelic!!

For Edgar

Edgar had a birthday and as always I am late in getting anyone anything to their actual birthdate. Edgar was my partner for the Stitching Bloggers birthdays, and I knew when it got closer to the date what I wanted to stitch for him

This is of course Blackbird designs and is taken from the lovely little book that they brought out earlier this year in conjunction with dear Niki, I stitched the little bag using my own choice of colours and then very carefully coffee splashed it to age it slightly, its stitched on 40ct linen, and then I made the strawberry - this is actually from the BD Loose Feathers chart 'Its Berry Time' and I used one of the colours (I forget the DMC number) that was in the bag to make it, and then the little pin cushion is also from the same book and is stitched on 32ct linen. The backing is a Moda fabric.

I added a wee black safety pin and 2 of my MoP buttons that I got from 'Duttons for Buttons' (Ooo how I love that shops name LOL!!)

Edgar likes it so I am happy about that, now to wait for the my next very late birthday gift to arrive at its destination, it had even further to go, so it may take a little longer.

I have been busy stitching a couple of Halloween ornies - yet to be finished finished and I have also made a good dent in my Christmas Ornamant stitching, but as yet now 'finishing' done. I have been really busy working most weekends, and next week I am having a long one away, at my parents as its my birthday then and I am going home for it - the first time in a very long time and I am looking forward to the break and seeing everyone.

I have also finished 'Autumn Bouquet' by Blackbird Designs and its going over with me as is a few of the other picture finishes I have shown over the last few months and I am getting them framed or at least I am hoping to find frames for them.

Hope you are all having a good week and an enjoyable weekend to come, I am at Fobbles on Saturday and then working on Sunday (just 1 day this weekend for a change). I hope too that the weather stays fine its been a glorious day today, but last weekend was horrendous with high winds and heavy heavy rain down pours, I thought it was never going to stop.

My Mums Garden

Don't be fooled by the title, I'm not showing pictures of my mums garden on this post - even though my mum has one of those beautiful big, elegant gardens I can only dream of, this my mums garden is by Shepherds Bush.

This was another quick stitch really, and I loved doing it, I have a plan in my head to do this again, but with different fabric and colour changes, for mum for Christmas (now I can say this here as mum hasn't a computer and doesn't get to see my blog very often)

Again this is destined for the bedroom, I really better get a move on and get some frames and finish them, then I can take pics and show you all how it looks!!

Well may your day be filled with lots of the above, and you may well be wondering why on earth I am at home instead of work, well its all to do with the incompatance of DHL delivering my new computer, which was supposed to arrive with a Saturday delivery (which I paid extra for), then I left a note on the door yesterday and my neighbour (no not the dishy one), who was going to sign for it actually came over and spoke to the delivery guy who wouldn't let her sign for it, so took it away again and apparantly its coming today, after I rang their automated service, now I want to talk to someone from DHL and 'vent my spleen' as they say, as I have had to lose a days wages because they can't do things right, but can I find a number to talk to someone - No sireeee, but I'll keep trying. Mesh who I got the damn computer from have refunded by saturday delivery payment and were very nice, so maybe just maybe later today I'll have a brand spanking new pc, and I can play Sims on it and Sim Society and Sim city - oh bliss, finally!!!

Cherry Heart

Another from Shepherds Bush and again destined for my bedroom, when I frame it, I have found the prettiest Mother of Pearl frame which I intend to use for this pretty.

I was really pleased with this pretty design, and I loved the ribbon which I think really finished it off, it really didn't look anything special without it, but it really lifted it all. The silk thread, fabric and silk ribbon and the small buttons are all part of the kit, the only additions I made was the use of the small beads within the buttons.

Hope that you are all having a great weekend - or at least whats left of it.Thanks so much for your continued visits and wonderful comments I really appreciate them.

Oh and before I forget I have changed my email address and hopefully let most know, but you can email me from blogger its in my profile and that goes to my new address.

Seasonal Exchange for Barbara

I was really delighted to hear that my very last Seasonal exchange had arrived to its destination today Barbara and I have been doing this for a whole year - this is the last one, and I have really really enjoyed it, finding something that Barbara would like has been real fun, and I am really sorry it has all come to an end.

Barbara was the blogger who encouraged me to start blogging, many many moons ago, and we have become good friends ever since.

For our last one I stitched for her 'Dutch Strawberries' by Goode Huswife, what with her living in The Netherlands and strawberries are very summer season. I so loved how Nina had finished her fobs a while ago, I copied the finishing style LOL!

I have stitched it on 40ct Creme Brulee and have done it 1 over 1 (petit point style - as I have been asked about 1/1 on 40ct before, I don't do full crosses my poor eyes just wouldn't be able to take it LOL) I have used the recommended DMC threads and I used satin ribbon for the fob top and a little for the floss tag part to hold the ring in place. The back has a toning MODA fabric which toned really well with the colours and I am really happy that Barbara liked my choice. The little fob is only about 3 - 3.5 inches long and about 2 inches wide, I had such fun doing it I want one for myself now.