HAPPY NEW YEAR.

I just wanted to wish everyone that visits my blog a happy, healthy and joyous 2008. I hope that you all keep stitching and inspiring us all with your wonderful blogs and stitching.

I feel so lucky to be part of this wonderful community and have made many friends over this past year, and hopefully more in the forthcoming year.

Thankyou all so much for all your wonderful comments, visits, exchanges during 2007.

Throughout 2007 I have completed 32 exchanges, stitched on Our neighbourhood RR, stitched numerous gifts, 5 PIFs (I still owe one to Katrina but 12 months isn't up yet!!), and a few things for me. Next year will be less exchanges apart from private ones as SBEBB & Seasonal is closing down, so hopefully I will get back to Marks' Woodland Walk again as he keeps asking about it!

I've had 78359 visitors to my blog this year - WOWEEE!! It wasn't til I added them up I found that out - So a HUGE HUGE Thankyou for wanting to visit and for keeping coming back - it makes my blogging so much fun, knowing people want to visit me.

Next year I am also hoping to do some non cross stitchy things, but they are still sewing things on the whole, and of course I'll be stitching and finishing. I might do a couple of larger pieces, I've not decided yet, I'll see how the mood takes me. I want to complete a Huswife next year, and various other 'smalls' so who knows what next year will bring! Hopefully I might get to meet some fellow stitching bloggers so if you are ever in the Lake District call in for coffee, you will be so very welcome.

So here is to you all - I raise my glass with much love and BIG Hugs

Chocolate???

This chocolate box is what I gave my SIL Dawn as her Christmas gift.

After Valentines day, Dawn handed me the empty box - her husband had given her a wonderful box of chocolates you see, and she asked if I could do something with it LOL!!

So I thought for Christmas she could have the box back again filled with Chocolates, so at one of the craft shows I had been too, I got some chocolate candles and they really do smell of chocolate. and I stitched Dawns initial on the top usng 40ct abcedaire by R&R, The initial comes from a French alphabet by Rouge du Rhin and I stitched it using cream Kaalund silk thread and Vicky Clayton cranberry silk thread.

The outside is edged with trim and I added the wee beads along it.

A delight

Its always such a delight to receive a wonderful stitched gift from Yuko , as her work is so amazing. When just before Christmas a package arrived from Japan, I was so excited to open it. There inside was this wonderful red sack stuffed full, I was so taken aback when I saw everything that Yuko sent to me, I feel so spoiled and just don't know what I had done to deserve everything that she sent.
I found some tea from Japan and some other goodies, Yuko's wonderful tear drop coasters, and I can tell you that they are every bit as beautiful in real life as they are the pictures you see of them. I found fabric and special finishing bits, a wonderful rose scented sheep - (Yuko how did you know that Rose scents are my favourite?)

But most of all I found this........................


Isn't it lovely, so beautifully stitched and finished with soft green velvet, it really is lovely and I was very moved by it all. Thankyou so much again my dear friend.


This is the wee ornament I stitched for Yuko I thought I would add it here as I hadn't shown it yet. Its by CHS and stitched on 40ct vintage linen using VC silk thread and backed with silk fabric and a silk ribbon for hanging.

Christmas exchanges

Patti suggested that Angela and myself did a 3 way ornament exchange for Christmas we each made one for each other which I thought was a great idea.


This is the one I stitched for Angela above (as shown in a previous posting), well here below is the wonderful one that Angeal stitched for me, its beautifully stitched and finished and is a particular favourite of mine I do so love those birds.



For Patti I thought I would stitch her a strawberry, and the perfect choice for me to stitch was Blackbird Designs Quaker strawberry. Its stitched on 32ct Douglas Fir linen.



Patti stitched for me my very first Merry Cox ornament and its so beautful, I really love it. The trim Patti has used is so pretty and perfect for the colours that she so perfectly stitched it in.



I also got some nice goodies from both ladies, some stunning silk fabric and a silver dololly and the best fob which Patti said her husband made it matches my dovo scissors perfectly.



From Angela I received some hand-dyed silk mori and some hand dyed lace, which I will put to great use.



Thankyou so much ladies for such a great exchange and I really hope that we do another again, that would be really great.



We have had a quiet Christmas but non-the-less its been lovely, with nana not being physically with us Christmas Day was a bit different this year but of course thats only to be expected.

I had some lovely gifts, a few stitchy things, I also have a few stitching finishes to show that I made as gifts and of course Yuko's gift parcel to show, so hopefully that will be tomorrow. Hope everyone is enjpying the Christmas holidays and have had a wonderful Christmas, I appreciate all your good wishes and lovely comments that you have left me, you are all so very kind.

Merry Christmas

To you all, I won't be around much on the blogs until after Boxing Day so I wanted to take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy Peaceful Christmas

The Good and the Bad

I received the most wonderful bouquet of flowers today from my team at work as a leaving present and a gift voucher too, it was so totally unexpected, I was so touched by it, and I know I'm going to miss them all when I leave tomorrow. - I start my new job on the 7th January.

Its not usual for me to post bad news, but as I have said in previous posts that things aren't going well for us at the moment, without too much detail, Marks grandmother - Nana Hannah passed away last night its such a sad time for us at the moment.

Good news Annemarie received her ornie safe and sound. I sent An the wee EEF reindeer that you can see in an earlier post.

Also I recieved a wonderful, wonderful parcel today from Yuko, its full of stunningly lovely things. I haven't taken any pictures yet, but I hope too in the next couple of days and will show all. It was a real delight to open and was another thing that cheered my day.

Hope everyone isn't getting to stressed for Christmas and have finished all their shopping and wrapping.

Gifts to show

I have been very fortunate and received some lovely gifts.

Mum made me these lovely wee ornaments a little while ago and I kept meaning to photograph them and put them on my blog, I really loved them, Mum designed and made them herself. They say 'Peace', 'Love', 'joy' I am so lucky having such a talented mum.


My next special gift I received was from Dear Angela, she knows I have a fondness for Snails, and she knows my taste so well, I just love this cute fragile glass snail that arrived, he really is beautiful, he glitters in the light and he is so fragile, and a real heirloom ornament - Thankyou again my dear friend.



Next is one I have sent and I found out that it arrived at its destination, I enjoyed the quirkiness of this ornament design its by Tiens Donc! and decided it suited being finished as a triangle shape - I received the chart ages ago from a friend and thought it very quirky. I have stitched it on 40ct abcedarian blend using my own choice of thread colours. Finished as a flat ornament using a bell trim between the front and back. - I'm so happy that you liked it Barbara.

Some decorations pics

I promised to share a few pictures of our home Christmas decorations, so here you go!! Apologies if they seem a little dark but if you click on them they come up large and clear.


This is a wider picture of my garland - I love my garland and spent 3 hours wiring everything into it and prettying it up with glass baubles and snowflakes and flowers.


I manipulated the lights behind some ornaments especially this star it really looks like its glowing.


Here are a couple of close ups of my garland.




In the corner near the fireplace I have my lovely snowman lamp and my teeny weeny glass tree.


In the other corner stands a very shy snowman - can you see him peeking there?


This is the lounge windowsill with its nutcrackers - unfortunately this year my largest nutcracker which my friend bought me from Germany has lost half his moustache, I checked the box and just cannot find it, but he still wanted out - he isn't at all vain LOL!!


The next couple of pictures are of the kitchen, here Father Christmas welcomes you in.


This is a picture of the kitchen windowsill with its little tree and cheerful angel.

I hope you enjoyed my wee display, I know I have really enjoyed looking at everyones trees and homes. - You might wonder where our tree is, well we decided not to put one up this year buuuutttt we might change our mind before Christmas.

More ornaments

This one went out yesterday - it is of course another Prairie schooler, stitched on 32ct fabric using DMC.


This one is from the 2007 Christmas ornament magazine, this one is finished kind of like a flat ornament, I really like this one and will do it again for myself. Stitched on 32ct linen using DMC threads.

Some EEF winging their way....

..... to their new homes.


Design by EEF, stitched on 32ct natural linen 1/2 using DMC. Edged with a beaded trim. I just think he is so cute.

These are some of the ornaments I showed in my preview last month, I'm not saying where they are going as it will spoil the surprise. I just love EEF and I love how both of these ornaments are so far removed from each other in style. Tomorrow I'll share my house decorations pictures with you and some other ornaments that have gone on the move to new homes.


Design by EEF, stitched on 32ct cream linen 1/2, using DMC and GAST. Edged with a beaded trim.

Hope you all have a great weekend and are not getting too stressed getting ready for Christmas.

Christmas Ornie exchange to Gege

Now I do believe that my SBEBB Christmas Exchange partner has received her exchange from me, but she seems to be muddles on the board with whom she received from, seeing as there is no pic posted up yet of what she received, I'll go along with the fact I think it is from me - I know I sent to her anyway LOL!!)

The design is a Prairie Schooler, and I did enjoy stitching it. Gege said she liked Father Christmas and I thought PS as soon as I read that. I've stitched it on 32ct evenweave using the recommended DMC colours and trimmed him with bells and buttons.



Thankyou all so much for the great good wishes for my new job, I really appreciate them, I am looking forward to starting it at the beginning of January, I have put my notice in today where I currently work which was a bit sad as I will miss the team I work with.

I'm behind writing my cards and wrapping and sending my few gifts, but hopefully I'll have it done by the weekend. Hope everyone else is more organised than I am, its so unlike me!!LOL!!

Christmas Ornaments

I just love tiny ornaments so I decided to stitch a couple this year in fact I have stitched 3 of them.

All three are from Miniatures d'Alphabets and I have stitched them 1/1 using Vicky Clayton garnet silk thread on 32ct evenweave fabric. Each I have finished in a different small pillow way.

Noel des Jouets

Vive Noel

Nuit de Noel

LHN for Myrna

This is what I stitched for Myrna on the specific designer exchange, I chose to make a needlebook and use the 'apples' design, I was pleased with how it turned out as I wanted it to look countrified and rusticy - if you know what I mean. So I used gingham fabric and spotty fabric to line it which toned in well with the design colours and I also added the tiny wooden heart on the inner pocket and used a yellow gingham ribbon to close it with.




I have had some good news (for a change lately) and I was successful with my job interview and so I start my new role on January 7th so I was delighted as you can imagine, so as we were away over this weekend - we went to Durham to Marks sisters we all went out out for a lovely dinner last night. Whilst we were away I managed to get all my shopping finished except for one, and I also got my Christmas cards so tonight I will sit and start writing them.

I managed to sneak a lovely visit though only short to mums today and we exchanged presents so they are sitting now in the lounge in readiness for Christmas day I also saw Helen and the children which was great too.

I've to download some pics of my Christmas decorations later today or tomorrow so I'll post them up through the week, and hopefully I will have a couple more finishes and some pics of some the ornament previews you saw.

My ornie for Angela

Whilst Angela was here staying with me at the weekend I decided even though I was a tadge early that I would give her the ornament I had stitched for her. Angela, Patti and I had decided a couple of months ago to do a Christmas ornament exchange between the 3 of us. I have to send Pattis on the 15th so you won't see it yet.

This design is from the 1999 JCS Christmas ornament magazine and its by Little by Little Design Co. I've stitched it on 40ct Abcedarian blend linen.

Christmas Ornie exchange from Mindi

I received the post wonderful Christmas ornament and lots of wonderful goodies from Mindi. I have long been an admirer of Mindi's very very wonderful stitching and finishing and so feel really lucky that she sent to me for the ornament exchange, I really really am delighted with this ornament.
I feel very lucky to have received 2 beautiful exchanges in less than a week.


I would also like to THANK everyone who continues to stop by and who leave me comments, I really appreciate them and at this miserable time we are having here at the moment what with one thing and another I find them very uplifting ans warming - especially as of late I have not been blogging or commenting quite as much as normal.

I have had a really wonderful weekend too with Angela, we took her back this afternoon for her train, I was really sorry to see her go, and so wish she lived nearer, Angela is one of those warm wonderful ladies and I feel so honoured that she is my friend.

Autumn exchange and other things

Claudia has so spoiled me again with her incredible stitching and finishing. I feel an incredibley lucky lady to have been blessed with Claudia as my partner, her stitching and finishing are AWESOME!!


The design is by Kathy Barrick-Dieter, and is called Acorns and pins. Claudia has made it into a floss book for me, its so beautifully finished and I just love the lining fabric that she used.


Also in my stitching parcel was the most gorgeous acorn hornbook, which Claudia has personalised for me.


Look even the back of the floss book has the little acorns stitched on. I so love this Claudia and Thankyou so very much again for this beautiful exchange.



I have also been secret Santa'd, this wee thread parcel popped through my door on Friday, I haven't a clue who its from, but I think I have an idea and I think she lives in Holland?!? THANKYOU so much for this wee secret santa treat I feel so lucky to be a recipient.




I also want to mention that I'm sorry I have been a wee bit absent around the blogs lately and even updating my own, a lot has been going on in my life at the moment. One of the things is I went for an interview last Thursday for a new job, but I haven't heard anything yet! - so wish me luck!

Also my dear friend Angela is here this weekend staying with me and oh boy are we having fun, I am so delighting in her company and we are sharing a few laughs and tips - more about all of it later next week.