The tour begins

I thought I would start my tour with my lounge, its so hard to take photos of it, I have struggled a little so that I could try and give you an overview, but it was difficult, I hope that you like the snippets that I show, otherwise you will all just have to come and visit and see it for real LOL!

Let me start with yet another cushion, remember me?!! I stitched this pretty EEF design a little while ago, and mum suggested finishing it as a cushion, and this is the finished result.

Next up is the view when you walk through to the lounge on the right hand side of the room. The footstool mum and I recovered together, we had fun doing it.

Would you like a view of the little vignette I did in the corner - yes? Ok here it comes

Next up more of my cushions that Mum and I made together, it was mums idea to add the MoP buttons to the sides of this cushion,

Transfer was a freebie on the web, fabric from IKEA.

The mantle view - Stocks from Marks & Spencer, candles from Melt, light from Ikea

The opposite side of the room, print is by Sue Fenlon - a wonderful artist who lives in Northumbria, I have another above the other sofa

A close up of the Love Pillow that Mum made for me, we saw these when browsing one day in a posh shop and they were £80 each, so mum said she would make me one.

View through the looking glass

I hope you enjoyed the look around my lounge, its very very different to what it was before as I had a gold suite and deep cushions and different mirror and artwork on the walls now I'm very happy with it as it feels like my space. Of course there are things I would still love to change - I would love to remove the carpet and have wood flooring put down, I would also love to change the fireplace and fire, but I can't do that, so this is my finish, I can't wait now for Christmas and to change the way it looks again LOL!

Forget Me Not - EEF

Well its finally finished and I am so sad about it as I really enjoyed stitching this lovely design. I said in a previous posting that it was called 'Remember Me' but its not when I re-looked at the chart packing its called 'Forget Me Not' - so I'm really sorry if I confused anyone out there in blogland.

I have stitched it on 36ct antique white linen using the recommended DMC threads. There were a few speciality stitches amongst it - Smyrna, eyelets, satin, rhodes and of course 1/1.

I hope you enjoy seeing this as much as I enjoyed stitching it - now to find the perfect frame for it.

Progress

Two posts in one day LOL!

Thought I would share some progress with you on both my Shepherds Bush 'Finch Song' and my other new start which is EEF 'Remember Me'

First up is 'Finch Song' I do really like the colours used in this design and the silk threads give it such lustre.

Of course I had to get that wee sheep finished , but as you can see overall I haven't made loads of progress.

Next up is 'Remember Me' by Ewe & Eye & Frieds (EEF), as those who know me know, EEF are one of my favourite designers of all time, and this is such a pretty design as always with EEF it hasn't disappointed me.

I just love the variety of different stitches used on most of these designs and this one has lots - satin stitch, Eyelet stitch, Rhodes, smyrnas and some 1/1 as well.

I'm stitching this on 36ct Antique white linen, using 1 strand of DMC, and I am using the recommended colours, as I just loved them.

Hope you are all having a great Sunday

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!!

Happy Mothers Day

This is the wee something I made for my mum for Mothers Day. Tomorrow is Mothers Day in the U.K. I feel quite safe showing it now as I know Mum won't be peeking via Helens computer at this time of the day.

The design is EEF's Flower Basket from the button magnet collection, its stitched on 32ct linen using a mixture of threads I had in my 'littles' box. Yes, it is a magnet and its about 2" in diameter, it was a really nice little piece to do and I hope that mum likes it too. She'll be able to pop it onto her fridge in her new kitchen. The outer edge is trimmed with narrow ric rac, I didn't take a pic of the sides but you can just make it out in this picture

THANKYOU SO MUCH for all your wonderful comments that you have all been leaving me, I really have been over-awed by them all, its so kind of you and I really appreciate them all.

I have been a little slow in getting round blogs myself again lately but I hope to try and catch up with you all soon,plus I owe some emails to my long suffering friends, which I will try and do tomorrow, its been very very manic at work, I was there again today, but I refused to go in tomorrow, I feel 6 full days is long enough it just makes me so very tired and unable to cope with my life, if I get that tired, and that will never do, will it.

I have been stitching away and have managed to finish my SIL's birthday gift, but not the finishing, I have also got a CEC spring/easter finish to show and I have almost finished another La D da, plus I have started last week Goode Huswifes 'seed for another', which will become part of my rotation - Yep you heard right I'm going to try a rotation - how far I get with this is another thing all the other times I thought I might try, have fell to the wayside, but I will try again, I haven't decided what else will be added as yet, apart from BBD's 'Spring Fling', so watch this space LOL!!

Petite Exemplaire No 2

As I am feeling distinctly springlike I made myself a little stitch and finish. Its 'Petite Exemplaire No2' by one of my very very favourite designers Ewe & Eye & Friends (EEF). I've stitched it on 40ct linen and made it into a wee thread palette using some Moda fabric that I had, the zingy green fabric was perfect for this wee design and I have trimmed it with some lace I bought when I was up in Scotland last November.

Hope everyone is having a good week so far and that your weather has made a turn for the better, today apart from a shower this morning its been blue skies and sunshine, though a very cold wind, not that I have seen much of it tucked away in my office, but it was nice standing in the sunshine waiting for Mark to pick me up at hometime.

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!

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!!

A tale to tell......

....as always in my life (and I know it will be the same for everyone, but as this is my blog, so its my life LOL!LOL) when it runs smoothly its wonderful and to be honest and fair I don't have many non smoothy type things happen, and as all people I have the usual illness and colds etc, BUT what I didn't expect was to go on a much much needed break to Tenerife for a week and the day after I get back end up in hospital at home with a suspected irritated pancreas - Now that really isn't fair is it??? Its not to much for to ask, to come back and feel rested and tanned not go away and feel a bit rotten and then get worser and worserer, having had 3 very overcast days in Tenerife 3 glorious ones too I must add and of course the company and holiday was great. Hospital, well thats not so great, I got out yesterday and spent the first proper night in my own bed - yippeee, I'm still fragile and I seem to have lost some weight somewhere - not that I am looking for it back again, no no - so if you find it you can keep it I don't want it back, I might loose some more along the way to recovery you never know!!

So not much on the stitchy front - my exchange arrived safe and sound to Edgar , and I was pleased to hear that he liked it very much - I liked it too, and now I want to stitch it for myself. The design is by Ewe & Eye & Friends (EEF) and is stitched using polstitches pearl thread for all those french knots and WDW/Gast for the grass all on 40ct lambswool linen (to keep with the sheep theme).

I also received mine from Valerie and my oh my its a real stunner, I'm charging up the camera so I can take pictures for you all to see - Mark, bless him has been run ragged this last week, with washing, hospital visiting and phone calls (I think we should have another holiday really) and never thought to charge up the camera, but I know when I opened Valeries parcel it really made my day, so when the pics are up at the weekend its'll make yours too.

Mums Birthday Gift

For mums birthday I stitched EEF 's 'Sweet Rememberence' but I just couldn't think on how to finish it for her, solution solved mum and I were shopping last Saturday and mum wernt into the cancer research charity shop and there on a shelve was this tray which was perfect for finishing Sweet Rememberence.



I have stitched it on 32ct evenweave which was a subtle hand dyed by Polstitches, I used DMC and GAST for the stitching.



More stitchy news I received a lovely tea time exchange from Carol which I will take pictures of tomorrow all being well I had hoped to get them done today but I was so busy I never got chance. I have also finished Katrinas PIF (I hope that you are sitting down Katrina if you are reading this, and I have also done a couple of presents too whilst I was at my parents

I had a great time over at my parents I stayed an extra day due to the weather. I had a wonderful evening with Helen we nattered and stitched and drank wine LOL! - well I drank wine, it was lovely and we had a few great shopping trips out too. I didn't get home until yesterday and today I took as leave from work and started Spring Cleaning - Upstairs is done - tomorrow will be downstairs.
Hope you all have a great weekend whatever you are doing - we are off to another 50th party tomnight so I had better get into the shower!

From Me to Carol

Carol , received her Valentine exchange from me and has let me know that she liked it very much. I wanted to stitch something for her that would have a take on the morbid verses that Carol has a fondness for, and I felt I accomplished that with this wee sweetie by EEF which I have finished as a small door knocker hanger. I have stitched it on hand-dyed fabric the colour is called Attic Treasures and its by Silkweaver, I love the aged look of this fabric and as I wanted the finish to look a bit old and worn it was the best choice. The thread colours are a mixture of DMC and GAST. I think I would like to do another like this.

Well I never picked my needles up yesterday, but I will today, I feel much better this morning, very breathless still, and slightly dizzy (whats new eh!), but I must admit I feel tons better than I did, I'm not rushing round doing much though and will sleep the afternoon away if my body tells me too - so don't worry mum, I'm not going to go into full spring clean mode - just yet!

Thankyou everyone for your good wishes - if I disappear for a couple of days its just I'm still not 100%, and will re-appear when I feel perkier

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.

A Pyramid

I was inspired by a gift that NatalieJo had been given and she gave us the pleasure of seeing on her Blog. Its a Pyramid.

Now this one is just a bit rough as I haven't quite perfected it all so forgive any glaring mistakes to it. The whole putting together involved a lot of swearing and gritted teeth and it was almost binned but dear ole Mark kept me calm and offered words of encouragment as did Helen when I rang her. I kept checking how it looked on NatalieJo's blog and sort of carried on from there.



Inside I placed an EEF design "Small sampler 6" (I think it was - I call it rose cottage but I know thats not the right name I've stitched it on 40ct lambswool linen and used almost all the recommended DMC for it. I really love this design. In fact I think EEF have to be my current favourites for this week LOL!!



I thought I would finish it as a small necessaire, so on one side I placed a scissor pocket for my scissors. On either side next to that I placed Mother of pearl Kelmscott thread rings which I sent to me from Barbara.



On the 4th and final side I have put pretty marking pins. The wings are made of pink silk shot through with gold it looks brighter the silk colour on the pics than IRL. The outer fabric is a MODA fabric I had thats a sift sage green and cream tiny check.
I have decided after a couple of days that I think I will do another one of these at some point and try to perfect my finish, but not just yet!!



I also have spoke to mum and she asked me to Thank everyone on their lovely comments about the pinkeep she made for me.
This weekend we are off over to visit mum and dad and Helen and her family, plus my brother and his wife and kidlets are coming up - its been my Dads 75th birthday this week so we are surprising him with a visit and taking Mum and Dad out for dinner - it will be great seeing everyone together.

....and join me in a cup of tea....

...notice a trend with titles going on here LOL!!! Here is the next PIF (Pay it forward) for someone (again I'm not saying whom). I sent the other off today - I never got to the P.O. yesterday, this one will be going out tomorrow.

The design is by EEF (Ewe&Eye&Friends) and is called a tiny teacup fob. I've stitched it 1/1 in 28ct evenweave (a piece of hand-dyed I found in my stash)using DMC thread and I've trimmed it using black ribbon.

I received 2 lovely RAK parcels today one from a friend called Carol whom I met on Jaynes Attic board and the other from our very own Becky - Thankyou so much ladies for the wonderful goodies I received (from Carol she sent me the whitmans vintage tin and from Becky a wonderful array of charts all garden or bee related). I've emailed you both privately - thankyou both again (hugs xx)

Alao I haven't forgotten that I said I would show you my stash haul but I'm still waiting for a few bits and bobs to arrive and when they do I will show you all then.

Thanks everyone for visiting me I really appreciate your time and comments - hugs to you all.

Destination - France............

.... and its arrived safe and sound. This is another of my tin exchanges - this time I was sending to Vivi. I was getting a little worred as this one has taken a little over a week to arrive on her doorstep, but luckily she mailed me today to say that it had arrived.
This time I have stitched an EEF (Ewe & Eye & Friends) design called teaching sampler this of course isn't the whole sampler its just part of it, I loved the colours that is in it I have used all DMC thread and its stitched on 40ct cream linen



I lined the inside with MODA fabric that I had, and padded the inside lid and the inside base as well as the lid top, on the outside I edged the tin with lace that I had in my stash and trimmed that with a narrow ribbon that matched the colours of the flowers (I pinched it off a dress I had - which was lucky really as I couldn't find any ribbon that colour in the shops) The base of the tin I covered in a matching hand dyed felt.

I'm really enjoyed stitching this for Vivi and fingers crossed I 'll receive mine soon - it seems to be stuck somewhere between here and France at the moment and poor Vivi is getting a bit worried - I reckon it'll arrive tomorrow!!

My tin exchanges have been great fun I have finished stitching the tops for my last 2 but I haven't put the tins finishing together yet, I might just do that this weekend, though I might stitch another couple of freebies this weekend then I've finished my challenge.
Whatever you decide to do this weekend I hope that you have a lovely time.

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!!)