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.

Specific Designer exchange (LHN) - FROM Cathy

Haven't I been spoiled - isn't it lovely. I have been in awe of Cathy's beautiful work for a long time and I felt I was extremely lucky to receive this from her.



The finishing and stitching is just exquisite and I love the way she has personalised the back of the fob. I also received some wonderful goodies including the pair of scissors you can see which have been on my wish list forever. Cathy has trimmed the edges with tiny black beads and has used gorgeous black silk ribbon for the scissor holder part and for the tassel bottom.



Thanks once again Cathy- I really appreciate this wonderful fob.

Friendship

This weekend I received a wonderful surprise through the post from Barbara, it weas so unexpected and I was so excited when I saw Barbaras name on the envelope - I just couldn't imagine what it could be and wondered if Barbara had my name for the SBEBB Specific designer exchange - but No, not at all, inside the package was this delightful PS ornie stitched 1/1. Barbara knows I love tiny ornaments as I put them on my tiny tree and this is so perfect and I feel so spoiled by her thoughtfulness, as really she should be resting. The ornament is really so very tiny about the size of a british 50pence coin, its lovely.

Thankyou so much again my dear friend for your kindness and thoughtfulness.

I received my Specific designer exchange too, pictures of that one tomorrow.

London Weekend/C.A.Wells workshop

Well what can I say about my weekend in London?

Helen and I arrived in London Friday t-time with special THANKS to my BIL for driving us all the way down there and then driving himself all the way back home again in the same day it took us 5 hours to get down so you can imagine it will take the same to get home.

We stayed in a lovely hotel near Old Street tube called the Hoxton its an ultra cool and trendy place and verrry nice. We had a bit of a wander around that evening and grabbed something to eat and then just crashed.

Saturday morning was our first destination day for the finishing class, we arrived at the venue all excited. CA is such a lovely, lovely lady it was such a pleasure to be in her company. We met some really nice ladies and what was most exciting was meeting Nataliejo, the 3 of us arrived together at the venue and it was a real pleasure to be in Natalie's company, and the 3 of us sat in row together. As you know Natalies stitching is exquisite and she had brought a few things to show Helen and I which we had seen on her blog and oh boy are they delicious.

I have 99% finished all my stitching on my Saturday project which was Sailors Valentine, and seeing everyone elses pieces that had finished waas great as we are all individual even though we were all following the same design, CA Wells is so patient when answering questions and showing us techniques, I felt I had learnt something new on Saturday to take my finishing to a different dimension. Some ladies had finished their valentines and others hadn't Penelope, Lorraine and Paola had really individualised their pieces and they looked so wonderful.

After the course on Saturday had finished Hlen and I said Good-bye to Natalie and wandered down to Covent Garden.

Sunday was our next finishing class this time for Peacocks needlecase, this, neither Helen or myself had started to stitch but we weren't the only ones, and some ladies were at both classes like us and sat stitching their pieces as they hadn't finished yet. Some had completed their stitching such as Caroline, Debbie, Allie to name but a couple - and 2 of them I knew through the blogging circle already so it was wonderful to meet them in real life as it was to meet Paola and Lorraine and Penelope. The Sunday class was much smaller than the Saturday class and CA really got across to us the finishing technique for this lovely piece, I so enjoyed listening and learning.

CA is so informative, and is such a wonderful lady she is so very interesting and chatty it was lovely.

Many thanks to Susan Albury and her sister Sara for arranging these classes and the great venue and our lunches and of course to CA for such a wonderful learning experience.
I want to say thanks to to my wee sister Helen for putting up with my diabolical snoring all weekend I really enjoyed our special time together - it doesn't happen often enough!! and thanks too my BIL for driving us there and picking us back up again on Sunday and driving back home in that horrendous weather, we had snow as we were driving home!!

I will have pictures soon of my Sailors Valentine when I have finished putting it together but it won't be for a few more weeks yet - probably nearer to Christmas. I haven't even started my peacock yet but will be doing so in the New Year so you will have to wait a bit longer to see that one.

Seasonal exchange - Autumn

As you know I'm a member of a small group called seasonal exchanges - our next season was Autumn. My partner is Nicki. This is the 2nd exchange I have stitched for her. Its by Blackbird Designs - Pumpkin Blossom. I have finished it how it was suggested by the designers into a needlebook.

The fabric I used to stitch it is called Autumn Leaves and I'm almost positive its by Sugar Maple Fabrics (I lost the label). I used the recommeded threads and some Mill Hill beads.



Its closed using some copper silk ribbon I found in my stash, and the fabric lining the inside is by Blackbird Designs which I bought at the Newcastle Metro stitch show last year.




I just want to thank Yuko and Patti for awarding me my very first smile awards I was really chuffed when I found out I had been given them - thankyou so much ladies - Hugs!! EDITED TO ADD: I also want to thank Lesley and Sally both of whom also awarded me Smile awards I am so sorry ladies that I missed you and I really am grateful for them.

I'm off to London in the next couple of days for the CA Wells workshops which are being held over the weekend, I am so looking forward to them. I have stitched my Saturday class but not the Sunday one. I have been having a bit of trouble with my eyes of late seeing 1/1 even using my magnifier. But not to worry I'm sure I'll get there in the end LOL!!

Sneak preview

Here is a quick preview of the ornies I have been stitching and finishing of late. Some are exchanges and some are for gifts. Can you guess at all any of them?