I'm spoiled

My mum has spoiled me - look at what has arrived for me through the post its lovely, I love it. Mum knows how much I like redwork and love my cat Tash so she has made me this lovely pinkeep with a picture of a cat on and Tasha written down the side. It was a complete surprise as I didn't know that mum had stitched me anything as she has been busy with our neighbourhood RR.
Cor aren't I a lucky girl Thanks mum xxxx

Please go and Look......

at what my wonderful 8yr old neice Amy has been sewing and finishing lately - she's just updated her blog today.
OOO I'm so proud of her.

Its wonderful

I want to show you the wonderful tin I received from Becky - isn't it lovely! Its so beautifully stitched and finished, and when Becky told me that she had done this tin for me on her blog I was quite dumbstruck as I didn't know what I had done to deserve one of Beckys wonderful finishes.

Thankyou so much my friend for this wonderful RAK Its sitting in my sewing room and on Monday it will come to work wth me so I can show the girls and I'll be keeping it in my sight so it doesn't disappear.



Inside the tim Becky had put lots of cute buttons and she also made me some of her wonderful marking pins. - Thankyou once again dear friend I love it.

I have been very very lucky this week with the beautiful exchanges and RAK's that have arrived - thankyou so much everyone.

Exchange TO Claire

My partner on the Jaynes attic stitching exchange was Claire and I really couldn't decide what to stitch for her, so I finally decided on this:



Partly because I have seemed to 'know' Claire for ages I think its because we have been on Jaynes board together for so long LOL!!

I stitched it on 32ct linen and used my Heavenly Hues threads for it.


It again was a nice one to stitch and I have finished it as a mattress pinkeep, Clare let me know today that it had arrived to her safely and that she liked it - which I am pleased about.


Wow thankyou so much everyone for all the wonderful comments you have been leaving me and for all your visits - do you know on Tuesday I think it was I had 300 and odd visits off folks - WOW!! thats simply amazing and I really do appreciate it. I'm behind again myself for blog reading but I promise to catch up soon.

I received today the simply beee autiful tin from Becky, it looked lovely on Beckys pictures but even more wonderful IRL. I'll be posting pics up tomorrow of it as we are installing a watering system in the back garden at the moment and Mark keeps shouting me to help, so until tomorrow in my post packed week (((HUGS))) to you all.

Exchange FROM Julie

I feel very fortunate to be involved with so many exchanges, no more so than when I got home from work today my smalls exchange from Jaynes Attic board had arrived and my mystery partner had been Julie.

Isn't it lovely so perfectly stitched and finished. Julie told me it is a design by Elizabeths designs and I LOVE it, Thankyou again Julie, its so pretty.

Garden exchange TO Cathy

I was really nervous when Mark drew my name to send to Cathy in the SBEBB Garden exchange as Cathy's work is so exquisite. so I thought about what I would like to stitch for her. I chose to stitch Homespun Elegance 'Plant Kindness' its such a lovely wee design and I love doing hearts.



It has a variety of other stitches on it so its a fun one to stitch.
I used DMC thread and syitched it on some lovely 32ct evenweave I received from my friend Jayne, she hand dyes the fabric herself and this is such a soft natural colour.

I was pleased to hear today that Cathy loved it and the wee glass snail I sent along with it, the one in the picture is my glass snail - Cathy's is a different colour.

A gift for Barbara

It was Barbaras (Mainely stitching) birthday last week and as always I'm always late for these occasions. Tonight Barb let me know her gift had arrived

Barb and I met through Cyberstitchers many moons ago and became friends if it wasn't for Barbara I wouldn't be blogging as she introduced me and encouraged me into the world of blogging nearly 2 years ago now.

I know how much Barb loves Blackbird Designs so I stitched her the little fob from the latest book. I changed the colours and used my Heavenly colours I had in my stash and some ric rac I had too, was used for the edging.

Couldn't wait

so I have stitched the first pin cushion that is in the collection in Gift of stitching mag.

This one is the assisi pincushion, I've stitched it on 32ct oyster silweaver laguna using 'rustic red' dragonfloss (does that look red to you - no - nor me so thats why I used it!
The pink fabric at the back is what I'm using as a co-ordinating fabric. It was a great stitch to do and I have started on another one in the collection, this time using the pink fabric.

I did finish my quaker exchange piece but not the finishing.

Thanks for all your lovely comments I really so appreciate them.

Julianne asked me which camera I have - its a new one I got it the day of the wedding pictures and its a Sony cybershot 8.1 mega pixel, and I love it.

Another pinkeep

I decided to make myself a mattress pinkeep, as I didn't join in the matress pinkeep exchange and this is the design I've done its a freebie by The Workbasket, its stitched 1/1 on 32ct evenweave I had fun doing this one and its another to add to my collection. I've copied sister Helen again for my style of photo, but I think I prefer my normal way of doing them on my blog, somehow they look odd on mine, maybe cos Helens blog is much more 'girly' than mine LOL!!

Talking of 'girly' anyone been watching Ch4 Big Brother this year? I'm addicted already have a long list of the ones I dislike and a shorter list of the ones I like LOL!!!!

This months 'Gift of Stitching' wow isn't it lovely, I can't wait to start on those pinkeeps, I will be as soon as I've finished stitching my SBEBB Summer Quaker Exchange which will hopefully be done by tomorrow.

Garden Exchange FROM Andrea

The postman arrived today and there was a parcel when I got home from work, its was my SBEBB Garden exchange from Andrea. When I opened it I felt so spoiled Andrea had stitched me Lorri Birminghams 'Who plants a garden' as a pinkeep to add to my collection. I so love this wee design. Its so beautifully stitched and finished and I am so delighted with it - I just don't know what to say!! Andrea also spoiled me with an array of goodies too, there was some fabric and a finishing form, some 32ct laguna and some lovely threads and a bookmark.

Stash

I promised you a picture of some of the stash I have bought, well I forgot to do it and now I've remembered its not all here as I am still waiting for some to arrive, and also I had put some away and forgotten where (just typical of me), I didn't add the 40ct fabric and some threads I bought to this picture neither are a couple of LHN charts including the sampler lady.

Truely Thine heart

It was my SIL, Dawns birthday the other week, but as I knew she was coming over here to Cumbria this weekend I thought I would wait to give her her gift. I've stitched Blackbird Designs - Truely thine heart. Dawn loves hearts and strong colours she is not a pastel kinda girl so I've stitched this on some 32ct hand-dyed fabric I had using the recommended WDW/GAST and finished it very simply as a heart.

.......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.

Weddings and Birthdays

Yesterday we went to a wedding evening 'do' our friends Gill and JB's daughter Rachel got married to Michael yesterday at Gretna Green. As half the family (Michael) were from Scotland and the other half (Rachel) is from Cumbria - you can imagine what a truely lively evening was had. Rachel wanted her whole day very simple and with the minimum amount of fuss and bother.


There was a few reels danced along with a lot of riotus laughter.


Not only was it the wedding do with the minimum amount of fuss, we even had pie and peas for our supper which was so good! as JB was informing us all!



JB and Toddy who are our local baritone and tenor amongst the local community gave us a couple of songs -


one for the Cumbrian side where Toddy sang - 'These are our mountains' which always makes me feel proud to live in the beautiful area that I do as we are surrounded by fells, hills and lakes. Then the pair of them sang 'Flower of Scotland'which of course led to a resounding follow up by everyone of 'You take the High road and I'll take the low road'.

Now the birthday part - yesterday was Marks birthday and of course being such a wonderful man that he is, was presented with a birthday cake by the bride



- which for all I knew this was happening Mark didn't so he got a bit of a shock. Buuuut not as big as the shock he got later - Stella came to party!!!


Unbeknown to her guests for part of the evenings entertainment Rachael hired a drag act to join us all and what a great entertainer Stella was.

'She' of course had to give Mark a massive kiss as it was his birthday LOL!!!


and then proceeded to sing 'Happy Birthday' to him in the style of Marilyn Monroe, it was so funny to watch it all unfold and Mark took it all in good part as I knew he would and thoroughly enjoyed himself.

Clematis

As many may know I LOVE my garden, so today when I got in from work I thought I would show you some pictures of the clematis that are currently flowering, now its a bit rainy and dull here in Cumbria today, and Pleeeease don't ask me the names of the clematis as I couldn't tell you as I pick them for their colour and shape, but I do know that Snow Queen and Mile a minute and Nelly Moser are there.

ABC exchange to Wendy

Here is what I stitched and sent to Wendy for this exchange.
The design is a freebie from Indigo Rose which has been in my stash forever and I have always fancied stitching it. Its called 'A gift for you'.
I have stitched it on Polstitches 32ct Hot potato evenweave and ued the recommended DMC threads for it. I felt it leant itself to a wee bag type hanging so thats how I finished it and I made the wee tassels and added beads to them to finish it off.
It was a fun one to do.

I know I'll be asked, but I really can't remember where this freebie came from maybe it will be on the Indigo website still - if anyone has any idea let me know.

Pinkeep from Isa

Isn't it lovely!! This was what the postmas delivered to me today - much much better than stash deliveries. I really love it. Its called Petite Pause by Tournicoton and was stitched by Isabelle for me in the SBEBB Pinkeep exchange. Have you seen those wonderful pins around the outside and the lovely stitching and finishing.

Isabelle also added some wonderful goodies which will get used in the near future. Thankyou again dear Isabelle.
(if you click on the pictures they will come up much bigger)

Pinkeep exchange

Andrea was my recipient partner for the SBEBB pinkeep exchange. I gave it a lot of thought what I was going to stitch for her and decided as we are both UKers and its the time of year for daisy's to be popping up through the lawn and on grass verges I would stitch a design from De fil en Aguille magazine which I have had for quite a while now. I just loved the colours of this design and didn't change a thing, its stitched with DMC and I have done it on 28ct pearl evenweave. Its edged in some pretty braid I found in my stash and of course the obligatory pins. The fabric thats on the back of the pinkeep is what you can see in the background and its from Laura Ashley.



I didn't realise it was so long between my blog postings also I have been a bit slow answering comments and making comments on blogs - I do apologise for being so behind and I really do appreciate everyone that visits me and leaves me a comment. I have been so busy since we got back from holiday - I started a new job which is much more busier than the one before plus I have been stitching a lot, I have done some exchanges and so of course I can't show them (apart from this one) I'm still waiting for the ABC exchange I sent to arrive at its destination. I have 2 other exchanges to get done - I have stitched my SBEBB Garden exchange but not done the finishing and I have started on a couple more PIF's.

I've decided after these next 2 exchanges - apart from Angela's (a very dear friend of mine) of which on her exchange I have only the finishing to do, I'm not going to do any others until the back end of the year - I would like to do a few pieces for myself and I want to concentrate on my CA Wells pieces and get them finished - even though we haven't got our kits yet LOL!! ......... and as you saw in a previous post I have few for finishing! Plus I need to stitch Carols NRR and finish my Blackbird SAL with Eva (I am so far behind on that now)

I'm still waiting for my biscornu to arrive from where it coming from my poor partner is stitching me another in case it doesn't arrive - it seems to be taking a very long time - but I'm not giving up hope just yet :-))

On another note my dellightful niece has updated her blog you can find her in my sidebar under Amy, she has been busy sewing on the sewing machine and has made some very delightful things.

Plus also I have been buying stash - yes stash, me on a self imposed stash ban I've splurged and when the final things arrive I will show you what I have been getting - some very delightful treats I can tell you.