Pinkeep

It makes me happy when a plan comes together so I am doing a little happy dance away to myself here as Carol received her pinkeep from me today and she loved it - phew!! Relief as Carols stitching and finishing is something to live up too as its so perfect, so I am glad she liked mine to her.

The design is EEF (Ewe& Eye& Friends) and its called a "miniature basket (2nd in series)", I stitched it on 40ct alabaster linen. The back of the pinkeep I used a padded soft chequered fabric, the same as I used for the Garden exchange I did with mum in August.

Well I have been busy starting on Christmas ornaments as well as having a fairly active social life at the moment, Hope everyone is having a great week, its almost the weekend - yippppeeee!

Pretty Pinkeep

I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have received some very lovely exchange pieces, and this one is no exception, its so delicate, elegant and stunning.
Carol and I decided a little while ago to stitch a private exchange and we picked pinkeeps as the finishing idea, yesterday the postman arrived with a bright yellow envelope from Carol, when I opened it, inside was the most delicately wrapped parcel all tied with gold ribbons and inside was this treasure.

Also inside was a selection of wonderful goodies, some fabric and silk fabric, threads, a pair of scissors (which are already in use), Carols amazing floss drops - (Yippeee, I have secretly coveted them from when I first saw them on her blog), a very pretty beaded scissor fob and some of Carols bead headed pins that she makes - I felt very very spoiled and it was a lovely exchange to receive - Thankyou again Carol, I hope that you will like my exchange for you as much and that this isn't going to be our last exchange.

Also Yesterday I received my JCS christmas ornie mag, I just found so many I want to do and have picked and started my first one for the SBEBB Christmas exchange.

Hope everyone is having a lazy Sunday, our clocks went back last night so the nights will draw in much quicker now, we have had the worst weather this weekend its been incredibly wet and windy, and next week we have sleet forecast - Yikes!!

For Yuko

I'm glad to say that my very belated birthday parcel toYuko has reached her and from her email to me she is really delighted with her gift.
The design is another of those lovely cakes from Brookes Books, it was such a pleasure to stitch this for my dear friend, I used DMC and then lots of pretty sparkling beads and pearl beads as embellishment, it really does sparkle in real life. Its stitched on 36ct white linen. I know that Pink is Yukos favourite colour but I also know that she loves blue too, so this is a hazy kind of blue. The hanger is voile ribbon and I managed to get almost the same shade as the cake is!

Spooky Sheep

Becky made a wish for a mattress pinkeep, and what with all the birthday excitement I never got to show you what I made and sent to her (she received it about a week ago now), the design is Shepherds Bush and its spooky sheep, I just loved stitching this, I didn't add the witches hat I stitched it instead, but I did add a star button instead, I did a double ribbon edge all around I had great fun with it.

We are off out to my MiL's tonight with the Marks side of the family for dinner a further Birthday celebration for me !!! Mark took me shopping today to my favourite dress shop in Penrith and has bought me some lovely new dressy up clothes, One outfit I will be wearing tomorrow night when we all go out to dinner.

Hope everyone has a great Weekend, I didn't get to the Post Office as I hoped today, but I will be going tomorrow so will post the Give aways then, I'll email you all when they have gone.

Birthday Surprises

What a truely wonderful day I had yesterday and I was spoiled rotten!!

My first surprise came when I was talking to Dawn (my SIL) on the phone I was wandering around outside, and you know when something catches your eye, well I turned and there was my dad standing at the back gate, it was such a shock (my parents as you may know live well over 200 miles away from us, then my mum appeared then Helen my sister with my nephew and niece, who got special permission to be off school for the day as it was my 50th, talk about shock when they appeared, It was soooooo lovely.

Mum came bearing cake which was carried by Amy and Kier brought me flowers.

Picture of said cake, with candle lit prior to cutting into it. Mum made and iced the cake and it was delicious!!

This is a picture of the wonderful flowers that they brought me, they are so pretty and are in our bedroom.

We all went out for lunch and I found out that this had been planned for at least 2 weeks and kept a secret, and what a wonderful secret it was too, it really made my day, apparantly everyone - family and friends - knew apart from me!

We then visited Fobbles which was wonderful as always then we went and visited our local garden centre (garden centre I hear you say, its autumn, what does she want to go there for?) - Well its full of Christmas and its beautiful and smells wonderful with the Christmas candles etc - which of course I had to buy, along with the trats I bought from Fobbles.

I also received a beautiful bouquet of flowers from my friend Gill.

These ones came from my friend Dizzy, so our home looks pretty with all these beautiful flowers. We went out to the pub for a drink in the evening after the family had left, and later the whole pub sang Happy Birthday to me, gosh was my face red, as it was full of the darts and dominoes team and the away team too, so you can imagine all these guys standing singing LOL!!

Yuko thoroughly spoiled me with a gift of one of her wonderful Tilda snails - so meet 'Mog' she is so cute she has wonderful soft rosey cheecks and her shell is just so stylish, 'Mog' and 'Rosie' bear have become firm friends. I also received some lovely tea, and a vase and a halloween hanging.

I also would like to thank again Chris for another surprise that came through the door yesterday, Chris sent me some choccies and Jeanette Douglas chart 'Awesome Appleseed needlebook' that has been on my wish list, I can't wait to start it.

Thankyou too to everyone for sending me the e-cards, emails and cards, I really appreciate your thoughtfulness and kindness. I really had a WONDERFUL Day, and apparantly its not all over yet, there are things afoot for the weekend!!

The final winner is:-

Loreta

http://loretablog.blogspot.com/

To all of you that entered my Giveaways, I wish I had more as I have really had a lot of fun doing this, I might just might (not promising though) do another later in the year when its my blog birthday if I have time to start stitching again for one.

Congratulations to all the winners over the past 5 days

Tina
Carol
Lisa
Loralynn
Loreta

and I really hope that you like what I'm sending to you, I will endeavour to get to the Post Office on or before the 17th and get them out to you, I will email you when I have sent them, if you could let me know when you receive I would be most grateful (I always worry you see that they don't reach their destination)

Thankyou too for your lovely Birthday Wishes thats really nice of you, I am really looking forward to tomorrow - the guys at work bought me a huge badge its about 8" round and made me wear it all day today, on it it says "look whose 50!" - So nice of them, they really shouldn't have bothered LOL!! Anyway I wore it all day and it raised a few eyebrows and invoked a lot of comments and laughter, I'm glad to say that no-one thought I was 50 they all thought I was much younger which is nice.

Giveaway Day 5 - CLOSED

Today is the last day of my 5 day Birthday/Thankyou Giveaway.

All you have to do is leave your name underneath todays gift comments - Sorry it has to be in the comments part for that days Giveaway so as to leave it open and honest for anyone to view who asked to be placed in the draw.
I also need to know how to contact you in case you are the winner! Please don't forget to leave me your name when you post in the comments.

I will draw the winning name tomorrow (usually between 15:30 - 16:30 GMT), so check back to see if you have won

This is open to everyone even if you don't blog, and wherever you might live.

I will snail mail all the gifts on or around the 17th October, so please when you enter let me know how to email you to get your snail mail address, cos if I can't contact you then I will have a re-draw on the 16th.

Todays little offering is a pinkeep, the design is called Amitie (Friends) and is by Windy Willows.
I have stitched this on 40ct white linen using DMC thread, the back is a pretty soft turquoise and white gingham check fabric, the edge is trimmed with a vintage braided ribbon in soft green and turquiose and I have used toning ball pins around the outside. The top middle pin is a flower.
I loved stitching this one and can see it in endless colourways and finishes. The colour on my picture is much brighter than it is in real life, its a lot softer when I look at it in my hand.

Well I hope everyone has enjoyed entering into the spirit of my birthday as much as I have enjoyed doing it, I am only sorry that this is the last one, but thats the lot!! Remember I'll be drawing this one tomorrow so check back to see if you have won.

Giveaway winners so far :~

Tina D

CarolG

Lisa

Loralynn

Day 4 WINNER

Loralynn

Well done to you!!!

Are you all ready for the next and final round???

Giveaway - Day 4 - closed

To help me celebrate my 50th birthday next week and by way of saying a BIG THANKYOU to you all for visiting my little piece of cyberspace over the past 3 years, I'm doing a DAILY giveaway for 5 days which started on the 9th October.

So until 13th October there will be a new gift posted every day. All you have to do is leave your name underneath that days gift comments - Sorry it has to be in the comments part for that days Giveaway so as to leave it open and honest for anyone to view who asked to be placed in the draw.
I also need to know how to contact you in case you are the winner! Please don't forget to leave me your name when you post in the comments.

I will draw the winning name on a DAILY basis, so check back to see if you have won and I will close that particular days and give another so you can enter again.

You can enter every day for a giveaway BUT ONLY 1 entry per gift please.

This is open to everyone even if you don't blog, and wherever you might live.

The final winners name will be drawn on the 14th October the day before my birthday.

I will snail mail all the gifts on or around the 17th October, so please when you enter let me know how to email you to get your snail mail address, cos if I can't contact you then I will have to re-draw.

This little ornamament is called Peaceful Valley and its by Homespun Elegance - I just loved this little design, its stitched on 28ct evenweave (colour unknown), I think out of them all this and tomorrows giveaways were my favourite to stitch and finish.... The threads are a mixture of GAST/WDW/DMC. The backing is the same as what I have stitched on and the trim around the edge is a cotton ribbon that you can see for the hanger.

Hope that you want to enter and I will draw the name of the winner for this one tomorrow evening.

Giveaway winners so far :~
Tina D
CarolG - Carol you need to contact me, to send me your details, if I don't hear from you I will have to re-draw this one again on the 16th
Lisa

Thankyou so much everyone for wanting to enter
Good Luck!!

Giveaway Day 3 - Winner is....

Lisa -

http://lisasstitchingaddiction.blogspot.com/

Congratulations Lisa!!

Hope you aren't all bored yet with the giveaways, just 2 more to go, don't give up if you've entered and not won yet, there are still 2 more chances.

Giveaway Day 3 - CLOSED

To help me celebrate my 50th birthday next week and by way of saying a BIG THANKYOU to you all for visiting my little piece of cyberspace over the past 3 years, I'm doing a DAILY giveaway for 5 days which started on the 9th October.

So until 13th October there will be a new gift posted every day. All you have to do is leave your name underneath that days gift comments - Sorry it has to be in the comments part for that days Giveaway so as to leave it open and honest for anyone to view who asked to be placed in the draw.
I also need to know how to contact you in case you are the winner!

I will draw the winning name on a DAILY basis, so check back to see if you have won and I will close that particular days and give another so you can enter again.

You can enter every day for a giveaway BUT ONLY 1 entry per gift please.

This is open to everyone even if you don't blog, and wherever you might live.

The final winners name will be drawn on the 14th October the day before my birthday.

I will snail mail all the gifts on or around the 17th October, so please when you enter let me know how to email you to get your snail mail address, cos if I can't contact you then I will have to re-draw.

Today for the giveaway is a wee pinkeep. The design is by Miniature D'Alphabets and the design is calle Coeur D'Ange. Its stitched on 36ct white linen using Vicki Clayton silk red. Its trimmed with vintage lace and I edged over the top of that with some deep red ribbon the back has a toning pretty red and white tiny floral fabric.

Hope that you want to enter and I will draw the name of the winner for this one tomorrow evening.

Congratulations to the winners so far Tina D & CarolG.
Thankyou so much everyone for wanting to enter
Good Luck!!

Day 2 Giveaway WINNER IS........

CAROLG

CarolG you need to contact me as you have left no contact details, my email is in my profile.

Thanks to all that entered wow there was lots of you and that was truely fantastic - thankyou so much, now try again for todays Givaway..............

Giveaway Day 2 - CLOSED

To help me celebrate my 50th birthday next week and by way of saying a BIG THANKYOU to you all for visiting my little piece of cyberspace over the past 3 years, I'm doing a DAILY giveaway for 5 days which started on the 9th October.

So until 13th October there will be a new gift posted every day. All you have to do is leave your name underneath that days gift comments and your contact details.

I will draw the winning name on a DAILY basis, so check back to see if you have won and I will close that particular days and give another so you can enter again.

You can enter every day for a giveaway BUT ONLY 1 entry per gift please.

This is open to everyone even if you don't blog, and wherever you might live.

The final winners name will be drawn on the 14th October the day before my birthday.

I will snail mail all the gifts on or around the 17th October, so please when you enter let me know how to email you to get your snail mail address, cos if I can't contact you then I will have to re-draw.

Today is a little scissor fob. The design is by EEF (Ewe&Eye&Friends)and its stitched using on cream 36 or 40ct linen (not sure which as it was in my oddment drawer). The back is a pretty toning fabric and its trimmed with cord.

Hope that you want to enter and I will draw the name of the winner for this one tomorrow evening.
Good Luck!!

Day 1 Giveaway WINNER is......

With thanks to RANDOM.ORG

We have a winner for yesterdays giveaway and it is TINA D

I'll be posting todays Giveaway in a few minutes - Thanks to all who entered for yesterdays, take a chance and enter for Day 2.

Giveaway Day 1 - CLOSED

To help me celebrate my 50th birthday next week and by way of saying a BIG THANKYOU to you all for visiting my little piece of cyberspace over the past 3 years, I'm doing a DAILY giveaway for the next 5 days.

So until 13th October there will be a new gift posted every day. All you have to do is leave your name underneath that days gift comments and your contact details.

I will draw the winning name on a DAILY basis, so check back to see if you have won and I will close that particular days and give another so you can enter again.

You can enter every day for a giveaway BUT ONLY 1 entry per gift please.

This is open to everyone, wherever you might live.

The final winners name will be drawn on the 14th October the day before my birthday.

I will snail mail all the gifts on or around the 17th October, so please when you enter let me know how to email you to get your snail mail address, cos if I can't contact you then I will have to re-draw.

Todays giveaway is a small pinkeep - nothing fancy, its monochromatic in black and antique white. The design is by Debbie Draper and I have stitched it with anchor black stranded cotton on 28ct linen. The edge is trimmed with black satin ribbon and the ribbon on top is black voile and the headed pins are made from swarkovski crystals (my first attempt at making them)

Hope that you want to enter and I will draw the name of the winner for this one tomorrow evening.
Good Luck!!

What can I say......

....... I am speechless for once Nela was my partner for the SBEBB Shepherds Bush Exchange and this pretty feminine package arrived at my home today.

My pictures just cannot do this justice at all I'm sorry to say, but I had a damn good try at showing you how wonderful it is, Nela has such wonderful inspirational ideas and puts them together so beautifully. If you look carefully you can see there are pretty jewelled butterflies and stars mixed amongst the stitching, Nela also made me a pretty matching scissor fob which again is full of flowers and butterflies. Amongst the stitching there are tiny stitched bees and of course sheep amongst the soft rolling hills like I have on my own doorstep - Thankyou so very much Nela - I have emailed you ((HUGS))

This really brightened up my day, although my cold is getting much better now and I can now hear things much clearer than before, everyone doesn't sound like thay are talking under water so much anymore - I couldn't get to the doctors I couldn't get an appointment so gave up trying, but I must admit today is the first day I have felt much better and don't feel like going to bed at 8pm LOL!! The guys at work reckon they are starting with it now and are all blaming me - bit unfair really I reckon as it was one of them that passed it onto me in the first place LOL!!

A floss fob

I considered myself very very lucky recently as Paula from Kelmscot designs surprised me with a wonderful, wonderful package and inside the package were her new MoP large rings, now I know that floss fobs tend to be made in a different way, but this just shouted out floss fob to me (and to my SIL Dawn - but thats another story for later on in this posting). So I stitched Nina's pretty little freebie added a pretty matching ribbon and used one of the rings and made the wee fob.
Also inside the package were the very pretty cancer ribbon scissors and although I haven't done the finishing up yet I have stitched Mary Kathryns charity Think pink design from last year over 1 and will be making it up into a scissor fob.

Thanks for all your good wishes regarding my rotten cold, I have gone back to work, but its sitting around my head and I look oh so attractive - NOT!! with my very red and scabby nose and my balance is a all out of sync and I tend to almost fall over if I move my head to fast as I think my ears have a minor infection I'll know more tomorrow as I will just have to go to the docs as I can't sit for long with this awful ear ache!

Oh and going back to the floss fob, Dawn now holds it in her possession and it comfortabley holds 6 skeins of thread around it and she's using it!!

Sajou sewing set

This little box no bigger than 3 3/4" (9.5cm) x 2 3/4"(7cm) holds a myriad of wonders, Can you guess whats inside, have you got one yourself? If you haven't then I would certainly try and snap one up as its lovely.

Its called the Sajou Miniature sewing set and I do believe its a limited edition set, its not often I break the bank to treat myself to something like this and I know its naughty , but still as some of you think along the same lines as me a little of what you fancy does you good!!!

Whats that I hear you say? Oh you want to see whats inside the little box, well here you are

Its got the teeniest pair of VERY useable scissors called 'monster' and they are made of course to the Sajou high quality and they are the first pair of Sajou's I own. There is a thimble, some sewing needles and a box of 4 assorted sized gold pins.