Have you missed me???

We have both been poorly sick what with tummy bugs and heavy colds - I won't elaborate - you get the picture!!! But we are both feeling a bit better now.

I haven't much to show you as a lot of what I've completed lately are secrets but I can show you that I have completed the next stage of the Blackbird GoL SAL. This is such a great piece to stitch and I am really enjoying it. I love this birs it really has texture and gives the piece some texture and depth.



I received Annemarie NRR from mum (Veronica) and I am now planning what I'm going to stitch on it, I have always known the house I want to do so I'll be starting that soon.

I'm sending away 2 of my tin exchanges this week and so hopefully sometime next week I will have some pictures of them to show you.
We received our names of our parthers on the FGBB Biscornu exchange and I have already starting stitiching my biscornu, the way its shaping I don't think I'll want to part with it LOL!!!

A pinkeep

Its a friends birthday real soon and I wanted to stitch her a little something as she is a lovely friend to me, so I chose to stitch this pinkeep by Fancy Work from the chart 'A pair of pinkeeps' this one is the Victorian one, its stitched on 32ct white linen and I used my silk threads by Kaalund. I'm going to pop this in the post today so that hopefully it will get to its destination in time.

New Build - new neighbourhood

It was Barbaras turn to get a house built on her neighbourhood, and for me this time I found it surprisingly easier to think what to stitch for her.

The house is by the 'Irish Hare' and taken from the chart Love thy neighbour. I of course changed all of the house colours to tone in with Barbs neighbourhood. The tree and squirrel are an adaption from Sheepish Designs 'Betsy' The fence and birdhouse is from Prairie Schooler 'A prairie village II' The flowers/butterfly are my own as I wanted them to kinda tone in with Barbs as I wanted to link our gardens together. The wee bird, I shamelessly copied from Barbara so that he followed on from her little chubby birds.

If you would like to see how her full neighbourhood is progressing (2 blank spaces waiting for their homes - Carol next to build) then pop over to our neighbourhood blog. There is also progress on there of the other neighbourhoods.

Needlework smalls exchange FROM Nancy

Nancy was drawn to send to me on SBEBB which I thought was great as I had sent to her (even though we didn't know we had each other - if you know what I mean), anyway she stitched me this gorgeous needlebook I just love it and its so beautifully finished and stitched, unfortunately the day is very dull here and my photos I don't feel does it justice.



On the reverse of the 'book' Nancy stitched our initials. - Thankyou so much Nancy I really love it.

Part 2 completed

I've completed Part 2 of the SAL for Garden of Life, - this wee house is so sweet and I love the colours that was used for it the bricks look old and warm, I'll be starting Part 3 in the next couple of days. If you would like to see everyones progress on this delightful design please visit our album that Eva set up - SAL Album

I've almost completed Barbaras Neighbourhood, and I was feeling very inspired with this one and I hope that she likes what I have stitched - pictures tomorrow.

I received my needlework smalls exchange and I received from Nancy, my camera is charging up at the moment, but hopefully before today is out I will have pictures of what she has sent - its really lovely.

You scored as Albus Dumbledore. You are very wise, observant, and analyctical. You have a very "well-organized" mind, which makes you function in a calm and fair manner. Though you get angered easily, its rare of you to ever act our of temper. You are constantly seeing the good in people and are naturally forgiving because of it. You're easy to please and a great person to learn from. Albus Dumbledore 84% Sirius Black 69% Luna Lovegood 69% Neville Longbottom 63% Hermione Granger 56% Remus Lupin 56% Harry Potter 53% Lord Voldemort 47% Severus Snape 47% Ron Weasley 44% Oliver Wood 41% Bellatrix Lestrange 38% Percy Weasley 16% Draco Malfoy 13% Harry Potter Character Combatibility Test created with QuizFarm.com

My stitching small exchange to Nancy

I heard from Nancy that she had received my SBEBB Stitching smalls exchange and that she liked it - which I'm glad. I had wanted to stitch for the longest time, carnations by Prairie schooler and after visiting Nancys' blog I could see that she liked PS so I was pleased. This chart is an old freebie. I reckoned the design shouted 'pinkeep, pinkeep' so thats what I did, I stitched it on 32ct pearl evenweave using all the rich recommended colours for it and I have backed it using a dark but faded green. When I was in Durham the last time I found a market stall that sold the really large headed glass pins and those were what I used for around the edge.



I always worry that folks won't like what I have stitched for them, but saying that I have signed up for 2 more exchanges lol!!! So this year I'm yet to be exchanging in the Our Love of Needlework, Spring Quaker, ABC Exchange, Needlework Smalls (Pinkeep), Garden theme and Biscornu, the Garden theme I'm moderating again.
Plus I have my PIF's and I am doing my Neighbourhood RR, and the Blackbird GoL SAL, I'm doing a SAL with KarenV when I get back from Holiday in April we are going to do BRD- Sealed with a kiss and I'm really looking forward to doing that one.
Plus on top of that I have some private exchanges I'm doing, I'm doing one with Chris and then I have my 4 tin exchanges - all of which are now stitched, I just need to do the tins all pretty and then I'm ready to start sending them out. So I can't share pics of them just yet but will be able to soon. I don't think I've missed anything out - all the exchanges are well staggered for me - Oh yes, I have missed out FGBB SAL's I'm moderator for Shepherds Bush SAL and we are in the process of seeing how many people would like to join in on a SAL and also I'm moderating the freebie challenge and for March I've set the challenge of 4 freebies to be stitched in the month - so come over and visit us, you don't need to be a blogger to join and its a friendly international board.

Hope everyone has a great weekend and if you've snow - Pleeease send some to Cumbria.

My Valentine exchange to Chris

target="_blank>Chris let me know today that the exchange I sent for Valentines Day has arrived safe and sound.

As Chris had told me that it was her wedding anniversary on Valentines day
I really wanted to stitch something very romantic, my inspiration came from target="_blank>VeroM's blog, a friend of hers had sent her a lovely pillow and I just loved the way it had been finished, so I'm truthful to say I stole the finishing idea and adapted it for myself.

The design is a Blackbird Designs one and its called 'Fond Hearts', but as usual I changed the colours, I didn't want the colours that were stated on the chart so I changed them to my own choice and used Linen thread from DMC. Its stitched on Pearl evenweave (32ct).

I just love the verse on this design:

'When two Fond Hearts unite
The yoke is easy,
The burden light'

Valentine Exchange from Patti

Patti sent me this wonderful parcel which I received today - Isn't it wonderful, she made this delightful and beautifully stitched and finished scissor fob with scissors attached in a pale pink leather holder - I have never seen any holders like that before.


I was absolutley delighted with it. The exchange was the Valentines exchange from SBEBB. It really brightened up my day as I'm not having the best of weeks so far, so now its bound to look up don't you think with all those wonderful goodies which were all beautifully wrapped in heart tissue paper (which I will try and re-cycle.



What else has been happening on the stitching front? - Well I have almost completed Part 2 of the Garden of Life SAL I will pos
t pictures before the end of the week for that. I have completed 3 of the tin toppers for the tin exchanges I just will have one more to do and then I can make up the tins and decorate the insides. One PIF has been stitched, but not made up yet and I'm still trying to decide who to send it to.

Hope everyone is having a good stitchy week?

Exchange Goodies

I was very fortunate on Saturday to receive my Valentine exchange from the JABB Valentine exchange, I was partnered to Sandra and she sent me a beautiful fob and some threads and a treasure, I love the fob and gifts- Thankyou Sandra.


This exchange was a great one with a really wonderful bunch of ladies.


Becky invited me to join her Friends Gather Bulletin Board (FGBB)which you can join even if you aren't a blogger which is marvellous and what a great board its going to be, there are all sorts of parts to it not just for exchanges but chat about various different designers and help and enthusiasm for stitching things well worth a vist I would say.

Exchanges & Birthdays

Yesterday was my mums birthday, she was 21 again or maybe not cos what age will that make me? - Amy told her she was going backwards now in age and promptly knocked her 2 years off - don't you just love 8 year olds LOL!! I stitched a wee fob as part of her birthday gift. The fob is by Shepherds Bush and called in my garden. Its stitched on 40ct white linen and for the writing I used WDW Iris the rest is the recommended colours.



On the back of the fob instead of the date I personalised it with her initials. Mum said that she loved it, so I'm pleased.



My next stitching piece is an exchange piece for the Valentine Exchange on Jaynes Attic and I heard yesterday that my partner Chris has received it. The design is by Ewe & Eye & Friends, I stitched it on pink 32ct evenweave I had in my stash, using the recommended colours I really enjoyed stitching this and I finished it as a flat fold (which was my very first one and very nerve racking to make up and hard to do when you've got both your fingers and toes crossed all at the same time LOL!!)