ABC Exchange FROM Svenja

The postman called yesterday with a parcel for me, when I opened it there was a gorgeous ABC exchange from Svenja

Svenja has made me this lovely wind chime in the most perfect colours for me. I really love it and I had a big smile on my face all day, it now hanging up in my sewing room/spare bedroom and looks lovely.




Anne S asked me what CA Wells class Helen and I are doing in November, on the Saturday we are doing The Sailors Valentine and then on the Sunday we are doing the Peacock Sewing Case. I am so looking forward to doing these we are going to have a fun weekend together we don't often get to spend the weekend as just the two of us so this will be nice we've promised ourselves a visit to Liberty's on the Friday too whch I'm sure will involve spending lots of money LOL!!

Up to much lately??

As the question asks up to much lately? Well I thought I would show you what else I've been doing during and after my holiday.



This wee ornament is a real favourite of mine its by Homespun Elegance and I so love this silhouette I've used it numerous times now, this is about the only finish finish I've done these past couple of weeks.

The next is what I actually stitched over in Lanzarote its instantly recognisable, its Rose Sampler by LHN stitched on 32ct using the recommended colours - this is the design I'm going to use for the embellished bag tutorial I'm going to do in October - unless of course something else comes along and I think will be better.



Next is a Cross eyed Cricket from the leafelet 'Love and Inspiration stitched on 32ct using the recommended DMC This I'm going to finish as an ornie.



Following on from that is another Homespun Elegance design stitched on 28ct natural linen with slight colour changes......



.... and finally a wee design by L'R de Rien called Coeour aux Oiseaux, stitched 1/1 on Polstitches Autumn leaves fabric using the recommended DMC colours - I have a couple more of this style to do and then I will show you what I'm going to do for finishing it all.



Thanks to everyone that visits my blog and emails and leaves me comments I really appreciate it all and get quite overwhelmed that folks like my stitching and blog.

News to tell too, My sister Helen and I have been really fortunate to get booked on the CA Wells course in November in London and we are so excited about it.

Well hope everyone has a great weekend!! I'm stitching my garden exchange piece.

Neighbourhood RR

Our Neighbourhood RR is nearing its finish now and I have just finished stitching Annemaries which has been great fun for me. Annemarie wanted a slightly 'wacky' neighbourhood which I hope she likes my interpretation of. The house is by Brightneedle as is the tree, its from the lovely pattern 'I spy', if you look carefully you can see the wackiness in the designs of the house and tree, I really love this one. I of course changed the house colours totally. The wee goat at the front is from CHS - 'Hopeful', I have him chewing hay (my own addition). The dog I just made up as all the other bits and bobs on it, apart from the birds which I took from I spy as well.

As I said our NRR is nearing the end I only have Carols left to stitch and then I will send it home to her. Mum has mine at the moment and then it will be coming home to me.

I'll leave you a picture of Annemaries NRR so far. I'm sure that you'll agree with me that its looking good!

4 things about me!!

4 Things about me:

FOUR JOBS I HAVE DONE IN MY LIFE:
1. Saturday girl in Littlewoods
2. Nurse
3. School Matron/Housemistress
4. Technical Support Officer

FOUR MOVIES I HAVE WATCHED OVER AND OVER AGAIN:
1. Ghost
2. Under the Tuscan Sun
3. Bladerunner
4. Pirates of the Caribbean

FOUR PLACES I HAVE LIVED:
1. Gosport, Hampshire
2. Valletta, Malta
3. Billingham, Teesside
4. Cumbria

FOUR TV SHOWS I LOVE TO WATCH
1. CSI - Miami and Vegas
2. NCIS
3. Morse
4. Highlander

A FEW PLACES I HAVE BEEN ON VACATION:
1. London, England
2. Correlejo, Feurteventura
3. Golf de Sur - Tenerife
4. Peurta del Carmen - Lanzarote

FOUR OF MY FAVORITE FOODS
1. Lasagne
2. Thai red curry (My own)
3. Chilli - (Marks own)
4. Cream cheese and peanut butter sandwiches on white bread

FOUR PLACES I WOULD RATHER BE RIGHT NOW:
1. In bed
2. Somewhere hot sunny and quiet
3. Visiting family
4. Here

Love of needlework exchange

This is what a stitched and finished for Julianne in the SBEBB Love of needlework exchange. This was the forst time I did this finish. The front design was taken from casamia leafelt and the back of the design I made up myself.

It was quite a fiddle to do this finish and I struggled with it quite a bit but I'm pleased to know that Julianne loved it. I lined the inside with 2 different red and white cotton fabrics and the stitching is done on 32ct natural linen.

PIF from Wendy

Look at the PIF (Pay it Forward) I received from Wendy today. It was sitting on the doormat today when I got in from work, its so lovely, Wendy said it is called Quaker Tree by The Workbasket, I LOVE this wee deign its so beautifully stitched and finished. - Thankyou so much Wendy it has really brightened up my day!!

Now what else to tell, well our holiday was lovely - so relaxing and chilled, the sun was hot and we have all come back with a great tan, the apartment we were staying in was right by the pool so it was very handing on a morning at 9am for the sunbed rush LOL!! It rained tho' not by Cumbrian standards of rain it was only a couple of times for about 5mins, Dawn and I were sat in the jacuzzi and decided we wouldn't rush inside as we were already wet from sitting in there and we had had the jacuzzi pool to ourselves and were reluctant to give it up. But the rain was warm and very light, the lads got a bit wetter as they were playing golf at the time and the shower they had laster considerably longer and rained harder than ours LOL!! - We were of course very sympathetic to our spouses (NOT! lol!!) But the holiday as always wasn't long enough and we are back to normality this week and work!

I did get a little stitching done tho' I must admit not as much as normal, but I have still to wash it and take a picture. I also have a picture of the finish I sent to Julianne for the Love of needlework exchange as I know tht she received it whilst I was away, but I have been slow to put it on my blog but I will tomorrow.

Tin FOR Vonna

Ok, before I went off to Lanzarote I posted the tin I made for Vonna so that she received it before I came home again. I am really glad to say it arrived safely.

The design top is taken from Homespun Elegance ABC Friendship design, I again stitched the tin top on 40ct fabric.
I changed the style of the inside from what I have done on the other 2 tin exchanges and instead of lining it with just fabric I did a stitched inside and I took an element on the design and did the bird and flower and stitched a V for Vonna. The rest I lined with fabric and cotton ribbon.

FROM Cathy

Here is the wonderful exchange piece I received from Cathy in the Love of Needlework Exchange from SBEBB.



Isn't it just so pretty, I love the verse on it. Cathy said it was by Sweetheart Tree. The tiny, tiny beads decorating around the vine are so delicate.



Inside the needlebook Cathy has added some wonderful rose headed pins from France, I have coveted pins like these for oh so long and think they are wonderful and I love the fabric that lines the inside of the needlebook.



Thankyou so much Cathy - now to hide it from Mum until she goes home tomorrow otherwise I think it will be finding a place over in the North East.

For Sharon

The first exchange to show (FGBB) is the Biscornu I made for Sharon, I chose a Just Nan design and was really happy with the way its turned out,Sharon let me know that she loved it so I'm pleased about that as it was the first biscornu I have ever made and its certainly not going to be my last.

Quaker exchange TO Simone

Simone emailed me tonight to say that she has received the quaker exchange that I stitched for her and that she liked it.



I stitched 2 designs from A quaker pattern book by Ellen Chester (With My needle), as the spring quaker them was green and purple.



I stitched it 1/1 on 28ct Waterlily fabric using Vikkie Clayton silk thread. I decided to finish it as a flatfoldas I felt the design suited that finishing style.



Well my holidays are drawing ever nearer just 2 more sleeps and we will be there LOL!! My cold hasn't seemed to have budged an inch but its not going to spoil my holiday, so when I get back I should have loads to show as I will probably have received the SBEBB Love of stitching exchange and the FGBB Biscornu exchange, plus pics of what I sent to my recipients and of course what I stitched when I was on holiday, I've picked 2 projects to take with me, one is a LHN and the other CCN!!

Plus today in the post I received my wonderful stash order from Mary Kathryn which I will share on my return, but its all great stuff!!

Hope everyone has a great Easter weekend and I'll see you all when I get back!!