Loads to show

Yay - Part 1 of my blackbird SAL is the first thing, what a great design we have picked this time to stitch its 'Garden of Life' I opted to stitch mine on 40ct cream linen using the recommended threads, its such a quick stitch so far and I'm really delighted with it, you can see more of our pictures here http://perso.bellapix.com/SALBLACKBIRD this time there are 21 of us in the SAL.


My next picture to show you or should I say the next 2 pictures to show you (and I apologise for the yellow tone, its just so dark here at the moment - I will edit and replace with better pictures when the lighting improves a bit) is the wonderful Quaker Exchange I received from Becky today, she has made me the most beautiful pinkeep and I was well and truely spoiled with some wonderful goodies too.

Front of pinkeep


Back of Pinkeep


Now whats next? - Ah yes I have completed my part on Rachaels Neighbourhood RR, I really hope that she likes it, I have adapted about 4 Elizabeth Designs charts to do this square and I really hope that she likes it as much as I liked stitching it.




I was away for part of last week getting my hair cut etc etc - I had an extra long weekend and stayed with my SIL and family - it was Kiers birthday and as a surprise we went Go-Karting - now bear in mind I can't drive a car, so with trepidation I sat in this very low Kart, when we set off (we had the track to ourselves, so there was just us 5 on it), the boys soon realised that Aunty Su was not going to be any competition - in fact the birthday boy shunted me out of the way once and I crashed once which wasn't so bad as Dawn who can drive she crashed twice. Well I couldn't manage the 30 laps of the track after about the 18th and my fastest lap (21seconds) I felt very nauseated and had to pull in to the pits, its to low to the ground for me and the diesel fumes and the bends soon took their toll. Still it was an experience I really had fun doing and at least I can say I did it and the boys were really proud that I managed it (I think they think I'm ancient), but I won't rush to have another go, course now the back/shoulders and forearms ache like mad LOL!!

Oh and guess what else I have started doing which I haven't done in a long time - knitting - more o show of that later in the week along with a couple of finishes I have done too.

My first 2007 project finished

This is the project I started that has grew and grew. The design is by Aux fils des Reves and I have wanted to stitch it for ages, but I didn't want to do it in the colours given in the kit, so I finally decided to stitch it using soi d'alger silk thread in soft pinks and blues and greens on 36ct linen fabric and I was happy with how it looked.



I already had a biscuit tin and I knew I wanted to finish it as a padded tin lid, but thats when my idea just sort of grew a bit. I lined the inside with co-ordinating material, the darker pink I received from Annemarie and the lighter one I already had in my stash. I then padded the inside of the lid using the darker fabric and made a pocket with the lighter colour and added some thread rings.



Then of course the tin was empty so using parts of the design I made a wee pin keeper and a small scissor fob, the pin keeper is edged with the same crochet white lace I had used for the tin top - I just had enough left to do it. I used small glass headed pins in pale pink and white around the pin keep. On the back of the wee fob I have stitched my initials.



So this is the finished project Atelier de Brodeuse by Aux fils des Reves

You know when.......

a project just seems to get bigger and bigger, well my forst finish of 2007 has gone that way. I was hoping to be finished with pictures to show, well half of it is finished and I'm really pleased with how it looks, but as I have decided to add extras its still growing, so there won't be any pictures of it til next week.

Also on the stitching front I have been stitching on Rachaels Neighbourhood RR and its looking pretty good if I say so myself, our next posting date is January 15th. I have also got all my bits and bobs together for our next Blackbird Designs SAL, this time we are doing Garden of Life. I am going to stitch it on 40ct soft cream linen and use the recommended threads. Both mum and Helen are part of this SAL too.

I have finished my Quaker exchange for SBEBB, I only have to sew it up, so nothing to show yet for that one, and I have finished my SBEBB smalls exchange and thats all sewn and finished, but again I can't show that one yet, those 2, both get sent this month.

I have also stitched both my SBEBB Valentines exchange and Jaynes Attic Valentines exchange and I am also moderator for both those exchanges, neither piece I want to part with, but of course I must, but will definitley be stitching them again for myself, they are both due to be posted on February 1st.

Now what else have I stitched over Christmas, I did make a start on 1 of the PIF's (Pay it Forwards), its stitched but not finished and I also can't decide which girl to send it too... decisions, decisions.

This afternoon when I got in from work I took down our decorations, the lounge always looks so bare doesn't it after they have gone.
I spoke to mum last night and passed on all the wonderful comments that you made about the box she did for me and she was delighted and said to say a BIG thankyou to you all. I wish I could get her a computer and get her learning to use it, but funds don't stretch that far, but Helen and I pass messages on and Helen lets her visit the blogs on hers, and of course she does when she visits me.

We also had some very sad news today Mums oldest dog Gemma (she was 15yrs - which is 105yr in doggy years) has had to be put to sleep this afternoon, she hasn't been well for a little while, so we are all really sad. Poor Gem, we will certainly all miss her as she was such a sweet wee bijon and had such a wonderful personality.

From my Mum

For Christmas mum had stitched for me this lovely box for my thread bobbins, it was a real surprise as I had no idea, and its really lovely.



She has stitched the design on pink evenweave fabric and added a wee silver heart as a door knocker - can you see? isn't it sweet.



The trees have small pearlescent beads in amongst them. It really is lovely and I love it very much and so now I will be filling it with threads.

I have completed my first stitching of 2007, I started it on New Years day and finished the stitching last night, hopefully I'll get the finishing done tonight and I will post it up tomorrow. My first 2007 project is by Au fils des Reves, but I have totally altered the look of it as I have changed all the thread colours!!

Thankyou too - I'm amazed by all the wonderful comments that you have all left me for 'French Heart' I really appreciate them and welcome too to new readers.

Final posting of 2006

Well this year is almost at an end and a new one about to start, I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone who stops by,

I've been terribly lazy this past week or so and have hardly turned the computer on, never mind blogged, but I have enjoyed the rest and have accomplished a few finishes and finishing, here is one I stitched quite a long time ago, this is what I strted with for the finishing - Can you guess what its going to be??



The design is called French Heart and its by Shepherds Bush it came as a kit and included the silk thread and the fabric (32ct) and included a wonderful little shoe.



I actually completed this design about 3 or 4 years ago, but could never decide whether I wanted to frame it or finish it as something, I didn't really want to make a cushion of it. So I looked in my finishing box of beads etc and found some heavy lace that I had and some beads and ribbon



and I finally came up with the idea of making it into a bag, which is now hanging from my mirror, I was quite pleased with how it has turned out.

.........to you all. I hope that everyone has a wonderful Christmas.

Thankyou for visiting me throughout the year I very much appreciate it.

I'll see you all again next week sometime

Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree

This year it was decided to put up the small tree (Marks choice), so here is a picture of it, I have tiny cross stitched ornaments, nutcrackers and glass santas on it as well as all the tiny china and glass ornaments I have.



The next picture is of my garland - I love my garland and I decorate it up every year.



Sitting in the middle of the fire below the garland is my prized German wooden santa smoker, which a friend brought me back from a weekend away, I just love him.



This is close-up of part of the garland the tin trees are new and I have one hanging on each side.



Here is a not too brilliant picture of my ornamanet tree, which I have placed in the lounge with the lovely ornaments that I have received and some I have stitched myself. It usually sits in my sewing room, with scissors and fobs hanging from it, as its quite delicate, but I wanted somewhere to hang the lovely ornaments I received this year as the small tree really is too small for them so I brought it down for Christmas

I've finally finished

Well I've finally finish - join me in a happy dance :-)
This is BD - When you see this remember me, I've stitched it on 30ct American chestnut R&R Linen and used the recommended thread colours too.- All GAST & WDW.
I was stitching this as part of a SAL and was supposed to have finished it in October, but other things took over and the ladies of the SAL have been cheering myself and Janice to conclusion - come on Janice you can do it!! The grass was an absolute pain to stitch - endless!! But I am pleased with the finished piece, now to frame it.

Final Christmas Exchange

I received in the post this morning a wonderful exchange as part of Renees stitching board it was from Catherine Michelle its really wonderful and I love him very much, its so wonderfully stitched and finished as a small cushion. Plus Catherine Michelle sent me some wonderful goodies too, some Mill Hill beads and trasures, Krienik thread and a doily to stitch. Thankyou so much.

I'm having real problems leaving comments on beta blogs at the moment, blogger just won't let me do it - I am visiting you all with beta blogs and I'm really sorry I haven't left comments, I keep trying, hopefully blogger will sort out the problem soon.

Well the weather has finally stopped raining and its bright today, it has rained solidly in Cumbria for 2 days now and rain on and off for a week before that, I think I am developing web feet and a duck bill we have had that much rain!!

For Myself

EDITED 18/12/06 - FRANCOISE HAS LET ME KNOW THAT THE CHART AND DESIGNER IS La Petite Brodeuse" BY d'Anagram Diffusion - Thankyou Francoise I appreciate that.
My friend Maria found this chart sent me it and it arrived last weekend, and you know when you get something and you just have to do it, well this is one of them, as soon as I saw her I had to stitch her. Does any-one know who the designer is?? we certainly don't and there is nothing on the chart giving any clues, its just literally a chart, so if anyone knows can you let me know. I've called her 'Molly' and as you can see she's got her stitching in her hands.

I have stitched her on 32ct vintage linen 1/2 using Vicky Clayton silk called Heartwood which is a wonderful reddish brown




I rushed round to the hobby shop this afternoon and I have framed and mounted her myself, the frame is avery, very dark red, almost black colour and I used a plain deep red mount, which I added some crochet lace all the way round, as when it was plain it didn't look right at all. I'm going to get Mark to put some hooks in the back to frame her and hopefully she will be hung on the wall tonight.

Last ornie this week

This is the last Christmas Ornament for this week - Its designed by Pat Rogers counted collection and was in the 1997 JCS Christmas ornie book. This is the first time I have finished an ornament this way and I'm not quite sure about it, I think I got it slightly skewiff!!! Its stitched on 32ct linen and I have added red silk ribbon to the hearts.

I have been stitching something lovely for myself this week, which I finally finished last night, I should have been working on BD - Remember me, but I will go back to it tonight and get some more done - its the grass on this its driving me mad!!! If I hadn't been in a SAL I don't think I would be finishing it.

Penultimate Ornie

This one is by Gentle Arts, and is called Bird and Berries. I used bright red mill hill seed beads for the berries instead of french knots, they stood out better I thought and I have finished it using 3 different colours of silk ribbon. Its quite dinky this one and I'm going to be sending it as a gift to a lovely friend.
Tomorrows ornie will be the last one I have made this year.

I've been asked about the SB newsletter, well I know if you go onto their website that their snail mail address is there and you send a dollar to that address with your details. For those outside the USA I really don't know what you do, I managed to get mine from ebay but I have only 3 or 4 of them.

How Husbands get out of shopping

My friend Angie sent me this today - I just had to share it its so funny!!!

Mr. and Mrs. Fenton are retired, Mrs. Fenton insists her husband go with her to Walmart, He prefers to get in and get out quickly, but Mrs.
Fenton loves to browse. HE must find a outlet for his boredom at
Walmart....SO after about 25 shopping trips...Here's a letter Walmart
sent to Mrs. Fenton:

Dear Mrs. Fenton,
Over the past six months, your husband has been causing quite a commotion in our store. We cannot tolerate this behavior and may ban both of you from our stores. We have documented all incidents on our video surveillance equipment.

All complaints against Mr. Fenton are listed below.

Things Mr. Bill Fenton has done while his SPOUSE was shopping in Walmart:

1. June 15: Took 24 boxes of condoms and randomly put them in people's carts when they weren't looking.
2. July 2: Set all the alarm clocks in House wares to go off at 5-minute intervals.
3. July 7: Made a trail of tomato juice on the floor leading to the restrooms.
4. July 19: Walked up to an employee and told her in an official tone, 'Code 3' in house wares..... and watched what happened.
5. August 4: Went to the Service Desk and asked to put a bag of M&M's on layaway.
6. September 14: Moved a 'CAUTION - WET FLOOR' sign to a carpeted area.
7. September 15: Set up a tent in the camping department and told other shoppers he'd invite them in if they'll bring pillows from the bedding department.
8. September 23: When a clerk asks if they can help him, he begins to cry and asks, 'Why can't you people just leave me alone?'
9. October 4: Looked right into the security camera; used it as a mirror, and picked his nose.
10. November 10: While handling guns in the hunting department, asked the clerk if he knows where the antidepressants are.
11. December 3: Darted around the store suspiciously loudly humming the "Mission Impossible" theme.
12. December 6: In the auto department, practiced his "Madonna look" using different size funnels.
13. December 18: Hid in a clothing rack and when people browse through, yelled "PICK ME!" "PICK ME!"
14. December 21: When an announcement came over the loud speaker, he assumed the fetal position and screams "NO ! NO! It's those voices again!!!!"

And last, but not least ....
15. December 23: Went into a fitting room, shut the door, waited awhile, then screamed very loudly, "There is no toilet paper in here!"

Regards,
Walmart

Christmas exchange Part 5

This is the last ornie I have exchanged this year, I stitched it for Karin I read on her blog that she liked sparkly things so I adapted the SB Freebie newsletter pattern so that it was more sparklier (which of course my photo doesn't show very well) and of course I changed the colours and the fabric colour and I'm pleased to say that she liked it. I'm still waiting for an ornie to arrive to me from someone so I am getting quite excited now!!

I was asked for the Jean Farish website for the freebie design of a couple of days ago, so here it is www.jeanfarish.com/

Thanks so much everyone for your comments I really do appreciate them and makes stitching worthwhile and I really appreciate them. - how did I ever cope before blogging?!!!

I'm awful slow at getting my cards and pressies posted as well, for some reason, but I am intending to get to the post office this week and send things on their merry way.

Another day, another ornament

Well here is another of my Christmas ornies, this one is a gift for a dear friend, I really enjoyed stitching this one. Its stitched on 28ct linen, the wee partridge is 2/1 tent stitch which has been tweeded to give the mottled effect. The design is by Hillside Samplings and is called Christmas 1996 - I call it partridge in a pear tree LOL!!!.

More ornaments

This one just has to be my favourite one I have stitched this year, originally it was going to be for an exchange, but I loved it so much I changed my mind and have kept it for myself, I intend to do all the wee birds from the JCS ornie issues. The design is by La-D-Da.

Christmas exchange Part 4

I received this lovely ornament from Chris and a wonderful Miladys needle pattern and some WDW thread as part of the SBEBB ornament exchange. Its really lovely and I just love Homespun Elegance designs - thankyou so much Chris.



This is a picture of the ornie I sent to Cathy for the same exchange. Its by Jean Farish from the 1998 JCS Christmas ornie book. I do believe that you can find the chart on Jean Farishes website as a freebie. This was one of the ornies I had put in my preview a couple of weeks ago.

We are off out to a 50th birthday bash tonight and I'm looking forward to dressing up in my glad rags and having a dance. It should be fun and hopefully I won't have a bad head in the morning when I start wrapping presents.

Christmas gift

My thanks to my friend Christine in France for this beautiful ornie that she has sent me, I really love it Christine - Thankyou.

Well my Christmas tree is now up - Mark wanted the smaller tree this year so its got miniature ornies on it as it stands about 2 foot high. The garland is on the mantlepiece and what a headache it gave me this year - it must have been because I was doing it last night and time was getting on and I was tired - I started at 5pm and finished at 10:20pm and that was just the lounge !!! The garland managed to fall off twice and I broke 3 glass ornies, which I was quite upset about but never mind it was my own fault. When I have come in from work tonight, Mark had turned the lights on and they look great. I wish the weather was so that we could put out the outside lights we are having gale force winds and rain!!

I have some exchange pics to show again, one I sent to SBEBB exchange and one I have received from Stitching Robins board, plus I'll take some pics of the tree and garland. So watch this space !!

Christmas exchange Part 3

Mum and I decided to do an ornie exchange between each other as mum doesn't have a computer so no blog, she thought that the ornie exchanges sounded wonderful. So as we are doing the NRR together mum has stitched me a house ornie, its really lovely and I love the bead trim around the edges, I also got lots of lovely little goodies with the parcel too.



This is the one that I sent mum its by Cherished stitches from the 2005 JCS Ornie book. I stitched it on 32ct gold linen using my own colour choices of threads and I finished the edges with some pretty velveteen fabric I had in my stash and with pins.

Christmas exchanges Part 2

Isn't it lovely !! This is the ornament I received from Ish who was sending to me on the ornie exchange at Jaynes Attic board, I think its really lovely and it was one that was on my tgo-do list of ornies I wanted to stitch for us at home, now I don't have too. Ish also sent me some house of embroidery threads and a Christmas chart by Au fil des Reves. I was really spoiled.

I have some more ornies to share through this week too, did you recognise yesterdays from the ornie preview I did a couple of weeks back?

Christmas exchanges

I was pleased to hear from Julie that my ornie had arrived to her safe and sound, It was an exchange I had organised on the Jaynes Attic board.

I stitched the newsletter freebie from SB = Be Jolly on 32ct linen, using my own colours of course. I added my own little choice of buttons too, a bell on his hat, and a wee gingerbread man button and buttons in red for the holly berries.

Hows everyones Christmas organising coming along, I have finished all my shopping for presents and I now have to wrap them up, I'm about a third of the way through the card writing and we are putting up the tree and decorations on Wednesday this week.

This weeks finishes

My thanks to Yuko for designing such a pretty freebie and to
Vero for providing such wonderful instructions for making a mattress pinkeep. This is the 1st mattress pinkeep I have made and I'm pretty pleased with the results, I stitched this using DMC 816 on 36ct natural linen, I was going to x-stitch it but it looked too heavy for the result I wanted so I stitched it 1/1 as petit point.




My next stitching finish is by With My Needle - Busy Bee Sewing case, as you can see I have still to add the bees (didn't have enough so will have to order some), and do all the finishing. I changed everything thread wise, I did stitch it on 32ct Amsterdam Blue 2/2 but all the threads are those wonderful Kaalund Yarns silk threads I bought at Jaynes Attic stall at the show I went to last month and I used a gloriana silk for the tree and the wee cat. The writing is done in Finch (wonderful colours), her dress and flowers are stitched in Poinsetta and Jacaranda, the grass is in Moss and the skeps are Silky Oak, these threads are wonderful to use and have such wonderful names - they were made for knitting very fine work, but divideed they are the same weight as stitching yarn.

THANKYOU

Thankyou to everyone for all your good wishes, I have shown Mark them all too and he sends his thanks.

I've been a terrible blogger just lately, I haven't been round and visited many blogs at all so please except my apologies, I have been busy stitching away and will soon have some finishes to show you.

I'm feeling much better than I was. I'm just left with a chesty cough and ear-ache, but apart from that I am feeling great.

Our weather here is awful, gale force winds and rain and oh so cold!!

Hope everyone else who has fallen to the dreaded 'bugs' are feeling better and a HAPPY THANKSGIVING' to my American readers. (((HUGS)))

Anniversary

Today is our anniversary - 11 wonderful years together, I had to kiss a lot of frogs til I found my prince and what a prince he is too. I feel very fortunate to call Mark my partner, he really is a wonderful man, loving, caring, funny, generous and just brilliant - he's my Mr Wonderful and he even knows how to do the ironing (in fact he DOES do all the ironing). - Love you loads Hun!!

On another note, my lovely 8 year old niece Amy has started her own blog, I have put her in my side bar as Amy if you would like to go and have a look at her wonderful sewing that she has done.

Stitching Bloggers question

Do you stitch Christmas ornaments? If so, how many do you stitch each year and for whom? If not, why not?

Oh what a great question for me this one is. I adore stitching Christmas ornaments and have stitched them now for many years, it makes me feel all Christmassy when I start. One year I stitched 2 a month all year, but it didn't make me feel Christmassy even though I had done so many, so now I usually start my ornament stitching in October, I tend to give them away as gifts to friends and family or exchanges and I keep very few to myself. On average I would say I stitch about a dozen ornaments per year and I try to finish them all differently and do different designs, I never do a repetition of the same design in the same year, although I may do a favourite one again another year.

Woodland Samplings

Edited 17/11/06 - to show a clearer picture.

I really apologise for the photo, I hate this time of year for photographing things, I think I need a daylight bulb in a lamp, then it wouldn't look all golden, I'll see whether the lighting is better at the weekend and take another pic.
Whilst I took 2 unscheduled days off this week due to the flu I decided to stitch myself something, so I chose LHN - Woodland Samplings which I received from Carol in my birthday gifts. It was a great stitch to do and so fast to stitch up too, I used all the recommended DMC and stitched it 1 over 2 on 32ct natural linen.


Patti asked me what a PIF is so hopefully this will explain (I pinched it from Carol - sorry)
The first five people to respond to this post (via the comments section) will get some form of "art" made by me. It will be a hand crafted item made from sewing, or of course stitching. I will try to make the item something special just for you. After you comment, please email me your snail mail address (susimac at btinternet dot com). I'm going with a personal deadline of 365 days. So, it will be a bit of a random surprise in the mail for you, but something you can look forward to. There is a catch, of course, the way this works is that if you sign up, you have to blog this as well and continue sharing.

So far I have 3 people who have joined my PIF. Any-one else want to play????

I went back to work on Wednesday, feeling a little better, tho the voice still hasn't returned fully I have a sort of squeaky croak, which makes the guys at work laugh anyway. This weekend I'm going to Carlisle to finish my Christmas shopping - I hope, and then we are out with friends on Saturday evening. I have started another 'me' project, and will reveal all, hopefully some time next week.

In the post the other day I received a lovely surprise package from Barbara inside was the most gorgeous handmade by Barbara primitiv sheep with a bright red bell fastened to his neck - he's really adorable and I will post a picture of the package when I can take better photo's in better lighting. Also she sent me some of the thread rings I had on my wish list and a wonderful pan holder which matches my kitchen perfectly (how did she know).

Christmas Ornie preview

Can you guess which ones I've stitched. Some are for exchanges and gifts.

Exchange from AnneS

In the post this morning I received the most gorgeous scissor fob from Anne
we were in the fob exchange from Renees board.



The stitching and finishing are exquisite, and Anne also sent me an array of goodies too, I was already spoiled with the fob and Anne spoiled me more with the goodies. Thankyou Anne I really love this fob.



On another note - I have joined the PIF from Barabras blog and so if you would like to receive a hand-made item from me during the next 12months, the first 5 people to email me with your name and address will receive something.

Also I would like to thank everyone for all the wonderful comments that you have left me, its really heartwarming to read them all and makes blogging for me so worthwhile, Thankyou so much.

I know I have been a wee bit quiet of latenot visiting blogs as I usually do or posting, I have been struggling with a sore throat and lethargy a bit, and I have also been busy finishing Christmas exchanges, ornaments and presents, I will be posting pictures real soon, I was going to try and do some today, but the lighting is poor and so I apologise for the clarity of the pics of Annes wonderful fob.

Scissor fob

I found out today - this is just a quick posting as I'm off away for the weekend in 10mins!! that Lynn (Singular Stitches) has received the fob I made for her in the fob exchange from Renees board.

This is a EEF design - Urn and flowers, stitched on 40ct Lakeside Linen (French Lilac), I really liked this one and must do one for myself. I trimmed it very simply with a homemade beaded tassel.

I'm glad that Lynn liked it.