Lost in the post perhaps?

As you know a while ago, I stitched on the SBEBB Tea-time exchange and as yet I haven't heard whether or not my parcel has arrived at its desination, in fact no-one has heard from my partner at all so I do hope that she is OK as she hasn't updated her blog either, so its a bit of a worry if she's not OK. The exchange ended more than a couple of months ago now so I thought I would show you what I stitched for her.

The design is by Hillside Samplings,I changed the colours of the thread and omitted the tea bag charm as I didn't have one, but I still thought it looked cute anyway. Its finished as a pinkeep.

I do hope that she has received it and it didn't go astray.

I'm still on the mend and taking things very easy, my doctor won't let me go back to work just yet, so that makes more stitching time for me!!
Hope everyone has a great week.

From Valerie

Isn't it lovely? Didn't I tell you it was? I really loved this wee parcel when I opened it, Valerie has adapted a Homespun Elegance design and made me this wonderful wee stitchers pocket.

The inside has a stitchers pocket for placing scissors , the middle part has a needle place and on the right there is a place for my pins.

The back of the pocket finishes the alphabet and our initials are in the cormers. The wee fob that you can see Valerie made herself and matches the scissors that I found inside the pocket so perfectly and went along with the SBEBB exchange theme of Sheep.
Valerie also sent me such a lot of wonderful goodies too, some fabric, and ribbons, some chocolate sheep, and some ink stamps, I was really lucky to get Valerie as my partner and hopefully on an exchange again soon I might get to send too her.

Thankyou everyone for your lovely comments and Get Well wishes, I really appreciate them, I'm making a good recovery I feel at the moment, I'm just taking things easy and have picked up my sewing for a private exchange and I am really enjoyng my stitching. I have a couple more bits to show this week, so stay tuned.

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.

Holiday

See you in a couple of weeks

Welcome........

........by Brightneedle is my latest finish to show, I wanted to finish it as something simple, and a double ended small pillow was perfect and as I am in the mood for spring so I chose a fresh green fabric for the cushion ends and back. The lace that you can see here, is what Marks grandmother made 60 years ago, when she used to make her own lingerie, Marks mum thought I would like it when she was clearing nana's stuff out earlier this year, the lace is handmade using silk thread and I love it.

I've stitched this on 36ct white linen, using the recommended threads.

I have done all the finishing on my Here's to Ewe exchange and I am really delighted with how its turned out, so much so I don't want to part with it now LOL!! But I will of course as I stitched it for my partner specifically in mind!

Also on the exchange front I am getting a little anxious about the tea time exchange I sent, It was almost a month ago since it went on its journey and as yet no word about it all, I really hope it gets there soon - I think thats the one and only thing I dislike about exchanging is the not knowing it got there safely until your partner posts up about it or emails you.

Well I hope that everyone has a wonderful weekend, we are off to yet another Birthday party this time its Marks Uncle Alans 70th, it will a more quieter affair than the last one we went too (though only just), we are having dinner and few drinks and Dawn and family will be over again for this one too, this year must be a big year for nought birthdays anyone else having a year with a zero? I know I am later on, mine is the Big 50! (yikes)

As promised

Here is what I have stitched for my SIL Dawn for her forthcoming birthday next month - its still to frame yet, but I haven't found the perfect frame for it, but at least I have a few weeks to go until its the day.

The design is by Mary Beale from an OOP Chart from the Pocket Needlework No.2 (August 1989)and its called 'Remember Me'.

I have stitched it on 40ct cream linen using all the stated DMC colours, I was so pleased with how this has turned out and I really enjoyed stitching it, I personalised it with our initials and the year 2008.

I have been busy doing some finishing as I have stitched myself a wee MB piece which when I've finished it completely I'll have it too show, I've also finished a Brightneedle piece that I have had in my drawer forever it seems.

3 Little Pinkeeps .......

......all in a row. How far shall they wander? How far shall they roam?



All three pinkeeps are by Sajou. All are stitched over one. I have used Gumnuts silk thread for 2 of them and Vicky Clayton for one.

- Gumnuts silk thread, trimmed with crystal bead on the top and glass headed pins

- Gumnuts silk thread, trimmed with velvet ribbon

- Vicky Clayton silk thread, trimmed with tiny ric rac braid and glass headed pins

Hopefully they will reach their destinations soon. Hopefully much quicker than my tea time exchange, I haven't heard from my partner yet as to whether she has received/liked it yet and I sent it 3 weeks ago, I really hope that it hasn't gone astray.

I have the finishing to do today for my Heres to Ewe exchange and then that can be sent next week. I have also been stitching a few Mary Beale designs, I just love her designs and feel in a MB mood, a dear friend found some charts and kindly sent me them so as soon as I saw them I wanted to stitch them all LOL!! One I have done for my SIL for her birthday which will be coming up soon and it was just perfect for her, I just need to frame it and it'll be finished I will take photos but the weather isn't great today for light, so just watch this space they should appear on my blog this week.

What else?..... well I have totally finished the stitching on my seasonal spring exchange it sort of got a little bigger and bigger as I went along, and I am really happy with it now for the finishing.

Thanks to everyone who visits and to those who leave comments I so appreciate your visits.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter everyone. I hope that your weather is good too, we are due snow again, but at the moment its lovely and bright and crisp, though very cold, I am so wishing for sun and warmth as I am itching to get into the garden and allotment.I have managed a little stitching this weekend but not much really, we have been busy socialising which is fun.
Today Dawn (SIL) called in and gave me good chiropody session and my feet are looking great, all in readiness for our hols in 3 weeks, she says that she will do them again the day before we go and paint my toe nails all nice for me.- OOO it was bliss and I loved my foot massage.

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 :-(

Tea time Exchange from Carol

Carol sent me this lovely little needleroll for the tea time exchange, isn't it pretty? Aren't the charms so sweet I love the wee tea bag charm I haven't seen one like that before I really think my needlroll is lovely, Carol also sent me some nice goodies too - which you can see on her blog.

The design is by Lorri Birmingham and stitched on linen banding, as always as is anything from Carol its beautifully stitched and finished, Thankyou so much for this wonderful piece Carol.

Hopefully my offering will get to its destination soon and that my partner I'm sending too will like what I have done.


We had a wonderful time last night - boring though we are (it was supposed to be fancy dress and we forgot so didn't dress up as anything apart from as ourselves)but it was really great seeing some of the costumes folks had taken the time to do, we had an Elvis and a Wild Bill Hickcock, we had several dubious nuns and a few tarts - funny how the tarts were all men dressed in ladies clothing LOL!! there was a 60's groovy chick and a Julius Ceasar to name but a few, we finally crawled into bed at 3:30am, so I have only managed to spring clean the lounge, the kitchen will wait for another day as I really don't feel like doing it today, I think I'll go and do some finishing instead LOL!
We are supposed to be at a 40th party tonight but am not sure whether or not we will make that one, I don't think my body can stand it LOL!!
Grenae asked me from my last posting if EEF stands for Ewe&Eye&Friends - Yes Grenae it does.

Thanks to everyone for your comments I really appreciate them and everyone who visits.

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!

Mothers Day Gift

Last Sunday in the UK it was Mothers Day, and as always I'm late in giving my gift..... but I thought seeing as I was visiting mum and dad over this coming weekend I would take my gift with me when I went rather than post it.



As you can see I stitched mum a box top and accessories, the design on the lid is by LHN and is stitched on 28ct linen using DMC 815. Each accessory is also stitched with the same 28ct linen and the same DMC 815. The pinkeep is by miniatures d'alphabets and is called 'mon jardin'. The initial I found in my box of all sorts I think its french but haven't a clue by whom, both the pinkeep and the fob are stitched over one with one strand.



This is a view of the inside of the box which I padded and lined both the lid top and the base of the box. Also you can see the pinkeep and fob a little better. The tassel on the fob I made myself and added the beads. As I had the thread holder in my stash and I knew that mum liked them so I thought I would include it in the box for her.

So this is what I have been a busy with the past week or more, plus of course I have been doing some secret exchange things too which I can't show yet.


Mark has been busy decorating the bathroom over the last weekend and its looking good. No more nagging from me now for a while, I just need to find some flooring for there that I like now.
Last night we had a great fall of snow, now I know it won't be new and novel to most of you, but in the village its quite rare to get a good fall (well about a couple of inches) and especially to last all night and it did I was quite excited about it all Tash loves the snow and rolls about in it - crazy cat. Any how the snow has now gone, and hopefully we won't have anymore this week - yes I know I like it and get like a big child and excited but I have to travel over to mums on Friday with my gift.

A Trio of pretties

Whilst I've been ill, my dear friend Barbie sent me a wonderful surprise through the post, Barbie had started stitching this for me last year as a surprise but had an injury to her back and had to have an operation so never got them finished, well now that she is up and about again, she finished them and sent them to me, it was a total surprise and real pick me up that I needed.



Barbie told me that the design is called "Georgia's Hearts" by Anne Winslow with Butterfly Ranch Designs and that she changed the colours to what she thought was perfect for me - I love this wonderful surprise and not only did I get this, I found the wee scissors inside the tin and I also got some altoid tins too which is really brilliant.



We are both feeling much much better now and I went back to work last week, but was straight back to bed by 8pm as I was so tired, but this week I am feeling much like my normal self.

I'm off today as we had to take delivery of a new washing machine, my old one just didn't want to work for me anymore! So, I thought I would get a bit of cleaning done in the house and post on my blog, I'm now sick of cleaning the house and have started to look for distractions LOL!!

I owe Bithday wishes and belated cards and gifts to friends I will get them out some time I promise, I have finished my mums pressie but not the finishing, what I was going to do with it is no good it won't fit !!!! I am 3/4 way through my sheep exchange and have decided finally what I want to do for the tea exchange. I haven't really picked a needle up much I have not had any energy for it, but now I'm feeling better hopefully this week I will get lots done.

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

Valentins Exchange

WOW - I was speechless when this arrived through my letterbox from Cathy, not only did I receive my first ever piece of hardanger from Cathy she sent me 2 pieces and they are so delicate and pretty, I also received my first ever pair of gingher scissors too, it was a wonderful exchange parcel to receive and I am so delighted with it, Cathy's hardanger is a real treat I am in awe of hardanger creators and Cathy yours is beautiful and I love the colours that you picked for me. - thankyou so much.

Now I promised you a picture too of the wonderful gift I received from Paula, and I really apologise for being late in showing you any pictures, but this is what I wanted to show you. I felt so amazingly spoiled by Paula when this wonderful package arrived and I love every single one of them and will use them all. I just so love Paulas MoP designs and needle holders they are so lovely. When I first started blogging, Paula, Romy and myself did an ornament SAL together for a few months, and we are hoping that maybe again the 3 of us will pick back up again where we left off.



Thankyou to you all for good wishes about my health - no its not too great lately at all, but this time both Mark and I have gone under together and we have gastric flu, there's been talk of samples and tests and hospitals which is a sure way to get us both back on our feet ASAP lol!!, THough joking aside its been pretty rough few days and I am feeling slighlty better than I was, hence I'm actually up and sitting at the computer typing, and maybe just maybe I might get a few stitches done later today - I have not picked up my stitching now in over a week, I stitching something for mum for her birthday last Friday and so still haven't got it finished, I will endeavour to get it done and then I can start on my tea exchange piece and Katrinas PIF, which I am now so embarrasingly late with. I'm feeling a little weary now and my head is thumping so I'll go off and go have a lie down. Til tomorrow perhaps

My 10 nominees

Its very hard for me to choose 10 blogs as there are so many that I visit, even if I don't comment very much, and so I have found picking 10 is near impossible, so although I have 10 here this list could go on and on. I haven't placed the names in any particular order:

Yuko because your stitching and finishing are so amazing and I love the pictures that you have taken and I love your friendship.

Nicole as you always stitch such beautiful things and I love reading your blog and hearing about your life.

Ruth Rachael Always inspirational a blog that is always a joy to visit.

Susan Always interesting and again wonderful stitching and finishing.

Mary Kathryn I always look forward to visiting and to see your rocky mountain Wednesday pictures and your lovely works. Your blog is always so happy.

Deborah What a wonderful blog yo have its inspirational, intersting your writings are always a joy to read and often provoke me to think about things in a different manner.

Von A person who packs such a lot into her life, writes a wonderful blog and stitches and creates very beautiful things.

Vivi I just love your blog and all your finishes and your wonderful writings.

Nataliejo Pure inspration and a stunning blog - I feel so very lucky to have seen some of your wonderful stitching and creations in real life and to have met you.

Vonna for being Vonna, I wish we lived nearer to each other as I feel we could be such good friends

Now I could add so many more - Annemarie for her lovely work, her friendship and entertaining writings, Harmien cos she always makes me smile, Carol for her lovely finishes and her generosity to others, Barbara for her friendship and the fact that whatever life seems to throw at her she comes back bouncing, Becky for just being Becky and my friend, Cathy B for her wonderful stitching and hardanger finishes, and her interesting blog, Claudia Inspirational, beautiful and generous I'm so happy that we have become friends. Oh I could just continue on and on, so please I haven't missed anyone off deliberatly its just it would end up with me making this posting several pages long.
So this award goes out to everyone that shows us all their wonderful creations and wonderful writings.

Winter exchange

I heard today from Nicki that she has received the winter exchange I sent to her and I am so happy to hear that she loved it.



The design is by CCN and is Winter welcome, I stitched it on 40ct R&R 1/2, its trimmed with aqua and clear glass beads.

I also received an award today from Nicki - thankyou so much I was really chuffed when I saw it it was really nice of you and really perked up my day.

The Rules:
Give the award to 10 people whose blogs bring you happiness and inspiration and make you feel happy about blogland. Let them know by posting a comment on their blog so they can pass it on. Beware you may get the award several times.


Now, I will do my list of 10 tomorrow, but today I feel pretty lousy as I seem to have caught a virus and felt quite poorly for the past couple of days - so much so I haven't picked up a needle and stitched at all. I've been going to bed as soon as I get in from work and just sleeping and coughing, I haven't got the sniffles, just really painful joints and this horrid tickly cough and I ache everywhere including my head. So I haven't been around the computer much either.

I hope everyone has a great weekend and thankyou for all the lovely comments I have been receiving its so kind of you all.
Until tomorrow