PIF for Jessie

Jes emailed me today to say that she received my PIF that I sent to her.

I was starting to get a little nervous that it wasn't going to get there as I sent it at the same time as Edgards, but I am happy to say that it has arrived and that Jes really likes it.

The design is Shepherds Bush - 'A Rosey Fob' and I do believe it is now Out of Print.
Its stitched on 32ct linen and I used DMC threads. I made the tassle myself and added crystal beads to the top and the bottom. The little button in the centre is a MoP I bought from York lasat year at Duttons for Buttons (I just love that shop name LOL!)

My PIF has arrived to......

.....Dear Edgar. I have just had an email from him, to tell me that it had arrived safe and sound and that he really liked it.

I chose to stitch one of Niky's wonderful designs, this one is called Lilac Basket. Its stitched on 32ct linen using DMC threads, after stitching I tea-dyed it all, including the perle cotton for the blanket stitch edging and for the centre X and also the backing fabric which I hoped would give it a more aged look. I was really pleased with the outcome especially as I had changed it as alway by adding the X and the blanket stitch, as I liked the look of that finish when I stitched something for my friend Barb a while ago and was loathe to part with it, but I knew I had stitched it for Edgar and so behaved myself and sent it off for him.



I seem to be having a few problems visiting some blogs - anyone else experiencing any, I can't get to Vonnas or Yuko's to name just a couple, they just throw me out, "is it something I said??" LOL!! - No I know its not, and I am sorry girls that I haven't been a visiting and leaving comments, I'll just have to email you instead!!

This weekend is Fobbles craft exhibition, it starts on Friday through to Saturday, I am really looking forward to it and Bev asked me to take pics so watch this space next week as I will have pictures LOL!!

Have a good week everyone, I'll post pics up later in the week of SB' Sail Away as its all finished - now to find the perfect frame for that one.

PIF from Staci

Last year I signed up for a PIF on Staci's blog and found myself in the lucky position of actually getting chosen to receive some of Staci's wonderful stitching.

Staci has sent me a wonderful floss fob tag and I just so LOVE it. The picture above is the front side can you se the wonderful little berries and musical notes

This is the back side of it, with the lovely house with its rose adornment - how did Staci know I love roses. The scissors and initial tag, were also from Staci. Thankyou so much again to both Barbara and Staci, these wonderful finishes arrived to me on some of my very low days and so they really brightened them up very much.

Today I have sent off my final 2 PIF's to Edgar and Jessie, hopefully they will arrive in the next week or so to their destinations and hopefully they will like what I chose to stitch for them.

A Missing PIF

This is the oher PIF that I sent at the same time as Laura's, which is about 3 weeks ago nearly I still don't know whether its arrived for Cathy or not, I hope that it hasn't got lost!!

Again its Mes petits coeurs I by Au Fil des Reves but this time I made different modifications and of course I've used Antique red hand dyed thread. Its stitched on 32ct white linen and the top is a red satin ribbon bow and the button is a little chequered one I had in my stash, the backing fabric is a small red and white gingham check that matched the thread perfectly......

Hope that you are all having a good weekend, My SIL Dawn and I have just had a wee trip to Fobbles this morning and got Dawn stocked up with a few things we are now going to do a SAL together in the near future of Shepherds Bush 'Family Sampler' as Dawn bought it this morning and I have been wanting to start mine for ages. I bought myself a headband magnifier today its really cool and I can see 1/1 on 40ct really easily instead of straining my eyes. I look a bit of a noggin with this green band stuck on my head but hey! does it matter, it just might start in a new fashion trend LOL!! I also treated myself to some lovely shot silk fabric.

A PIF has been sent

I am really hoping that my PIF to Laura has arrived safe and sound, Laura has been poorly and so MIA for a while so I hope that this has cheered her up a little.

Its a modified take on Mes petits coeurs I by Au Fil des Reves I have added a couple of speciality stitches to the design and stitched it as a monochrome in an overdyed hazy pink that I had in my thread box of unknown threads! The button is one I got from Duttons for Buttons in York and is MoP, the backing fabric is a small gingham check in hazy pink and white. The fabric is 32ct white linen and the ribbon hanger is some satin ribbon I had that matched perfectly.

I was really pleased with the resulting finish and hope that Laura likes it too, I also sent another PIF at the same time but that has a wee bit more of a journey to travel,and so can't show it yet cos I don't want to spoil the surprise and I know that the recipient looks at my blog occasionally, so now I have 2 PIFs left to do.

I haven't ordered the chart in the post below yet, but will do I think, if Mary Kathryn has it after I get paid, plus of course I will want the threads and some more fabric, I'll let you know when I get it!!

PIF from Dovile

I signed up on Doviles blog for a PIF a couple of months ago, and to my wonderment, this came to my door the other day, its really really pretty, and beautifully lined and full of laces and ribbons, beads and thread, I feel very fortunate to own some of Doviles stitching as I am quite in awe of her lovely stitching and finishing. Thankyou again Dovile.

***Edited to add a Picture of the inside after Carol requested me too LOL***

Talking of PIF's I have started stitching mine, though very slowly, and I won't be sending out until after the New Year, but I've started LOL!!

Have you got your Christmas tree up yet?? Have you started shopping for Christmas??, My tree is up and decorated 2/3 's of my cards are written, half the presents are bought, but nothing is wrapped yet, but hopefully they will be done by the end of tommorrow, I'll post some pics through the week, of my decorations and tree.

We didn't get the snow that was forecast :-(( all we got was sleet and lots of rain! I keep doing a snow dance in the back garden, but its not working.

Hope you all have a great weekend

My 4 PIF members

Thankyou so much for all who wanted to join my PIF, I wish I could do something for you all, I've drawn the names and the 4 people who will receive a PIF from me in the next 365 days are:

Laura
Cathy
Jessie
Edgar

My email is in my blog profile so please if you wouldn't mind contacting me with your details (as I'm unsure how to get hold of you to tell you that your name is drawn) so I have them ready when I've completed your PIF's. I'll need your name and snail mail details.
Don't forget to post on your blog the PIF details you can stitch for as many as you like but a minimum of 2.


On another note I had to take the day off today cos we were getting a new fridge freezer which has arrived all safe and sound and looks wondeful and is so quiet, we went shopping as soon as Mark came home from work so we could fill it LOL!!

This weekend is the Onion show, Saturday is the big day - lets hope I beat Mark (again!!)

Do you want to join my PIF?

I joined up for a PIF on both Staci and Doviles' blog but hadn't posted on mine as yet so here goes

The rules are as follows: * If you would like to receive crafting gift made by me within 365 days please leave comment on this post to say that you are interested, the first 4 people I draw the names for on Wednesday 17th September (Presuming I get more than 4 people that is) will be my PIF members* In return you post the same offer on your own blog. And the chain goes on... :)
I hope there will be someone who will sign up for my PIF member! :)

I feel really Lucky......

... to have received such a wonderful PIF from Cindy , I didn't get one PIF I received 2. Cindy made me a gorgeous beaded fob with the most beautiful pimk glass beads and a butterfly charm and I found out from her that she had made it herself - I think she is going to post a tutorial soon on how to make them its really lovely.


The second fob to show that Cindy made is a beautifully stitched one by The Sweetheart Tree and its called Cherry Blossoms fob, its so lovely, I love the colours and the pretty beaded edged its really lovely.

I took close up pictures of both the front and the back of the fob, and you can see a closer look at all those wonderful Algerian Eyelet stitches and the pretty coloured thread that Cindy used.


Thankyou again Cindy for both of these wonderful fobs.

I am still busy stitching the Elizabethan pocket I'm 3/4 of the way through it now and I really love it, it seems to have taken me longer than normal to stitch this small project and I can't figure out why, but I am really happy with the way its turning out.

I started my new job yesterday and everyone is so nice - I think I am going to enjoy working with them, I'm the only female amongst 8 men, but they seem to be a good bunch.

1 - 2 - 3 - 4.............

Look what I got it in the post yesterday from Barbara Isn't it brilliant, I had forgotten all about that I had signed up with Barbara for a PIF from her (I couldn't remember who I started up the agreement with - typical me).
I love this t-towel its so cute and Barbara knows that one of my favourite things is sheep, I think its such a happy design and far to nice to use, so I have it hanging in my sewing/spare room, I just want to get a proper hanger for it now. Thankyou so much Barbara I really really love it. p.s. Barb - Mark loves it too he said it was a happy design.

Valerie has stitched a and finished a wonderful pyramid, it too like mine was her first one - its really really lovely, well worth a visit to see, Valerie does some beautiful finishes and looking at her wonderful tape measure cases she is inspiring me to do one now, but I must get my secrets finished first, all will be revealed at a later date I promise.

.......We can wander round my garden......

.....And look at my flowers....

Here is my last PIF of this week, I still have 2 more to stitch and finish and then they'll all be done. I wonder if any of my PIF ladies have guessed which one is theirs yet??LOL!!



This little Pinkeep is by Shepherds Bush - My Garden, stitched using 32ct fabric and the recommended DMC threads its such a sweet design to stitch.

....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.

C'mon over to my house

I've been doing some finishes this past few days and this is one I have done for a PIF - Can't say who its going to as it'll spoil the surprise.
The design is by Homespun Elegance small samplers and its stitched on 28ct natural linen. I've finished it as a pinkeep. It'll be going out in the post on Monday evening so those that I owe PIF's too still watch your letterbox for an arrival soon.

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.