Winter exchange

Yay, my parcels are starting to arrive, this ornie is what I stitched and finished for Barbara for our winter seasonal exchange, I asked Barb in Sept/Oct if she wanted a winter exchange or a Christmas one, she said that she really didn't mind which I chose, so I was really pleased as I love doing Christmas ornies and as I had earmarked this out to stitch for her as I thought it was to her taste.

The design is by Carriage House Samplings and I have stitched it on 2 different coloured 40ct fabrics using DMC, the back fabric tones with the trailing vine around the ornies and is a MODA fabric. I used a little bit of lace and MoP tiny buttons for decoration and honestly they really are tiny, along side some Sajou dafety pins (I didn't have any rusty ones) and a leather hanging strap. Its supposed to look all lopesided and not straight corners and edges, as its a bit prim, it was hard to do for me as I like my corners even, but I overcame the urge to make them straight and pointy.

Thanks for the emails asking about how I'm feeling, my voice has returned now though some days its a bit of a croak, but the cold is still hanging in there along with the wheeze and the cough. Good news though I finished work today until 5th January - Yippppeee!! Loads of stitching to be done including my last stitchery of the year which is always for Mark, which I have been planning.

From Barbara

I had a good mail day today and found an envelope from Barbara waiting for me on the door mat, Barbara is my partner in the Seasonal exchange that Becky runs - though I do believe that this is the last round as the exchange board is closing, so it was a great joy that I found this wonderful ornament that Barb had stitched for me the design is by Sisters and Best Friends and its so cute - Thankyou again Barb my parcel will be on its way as soon as I can get to the P.O.

You might wonder about the tree in the post below - well its my tree for this year, I changed my colour scheme from my normal pinks and golds, to reds and creamy white and green, I'll be posting more pics over the next week or so of my decs in the house and close ups of the tree.

.... and yes I'm off work again today - and yes its another heavy cold, my 3rd in 7 weeks .... can't breathe and can't smell ( mind you, I don't think that I smell (much) LOL!!), can't taste, watery eyes, sneezing, sore throat, blocked sinuses ........ have I whinged enough yet??!!??? ..... YEP You got it I'm feeling really sorry for myself!!

Winter Exchange from Claudia

What a delight!! When I opened my parcel from Claudia I found the most wonderful exchange piece, Claudia had made me a workstation, its as lovely IRL as it is here in the pictures, I love it. The design is of course by LHN and its stitched and finished as is anything that is received from Claudia - STUNNINGLY beautifully. I also received some wonderful goodies too, some beautiful checked Graziano linen, some linen threads, the cutest easter candle. - Thankyou so much my dear friend I will be so sad when our exchange comes to an end.

What else on the stitchy front - I have almost finished my seasonal Spring exchange and have really enjoyed stitching what I have done for Nicki, I hope that she will like it too - I can't show and tell just yet.
I'm looking forward to this Easter weekend, we have Marks sister and family over although they aren't staying with us we have planned lots of socialising and the onion club has a function night on Sunday we are having a 'race night'. The weather is supposed to be very wet and windy too :-(