IHSW & Some Finishes

Hello Everyone

I hope you all had a good week-end!  From the 16-18 March it was the International Hermit and Stitch Weekend.  I'm always pleased when this starts, as it gives me an incentive to get some stitching done.  I've been looking at my copy of the 2003 "Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornaments", and found a wonderful design by The Prairie Schooler, called "Herald Angels".  It fits in with the "Starry Night" designs she has already charted, and I have already stitch one of the "Wise Men", which can be found here.

Herald Angels by The Prairie Schooler.

My friend Janet sent me some cross stitch goodies that she spotted in a charity shop.  A magazine called "Cross Stitch Gifts", which I did not have in my collection and a couple of small kits.  I loved one of the kit's so much I started stitching it right away.  I used my own threads as not many remained in the kit.  I'm quite pleased with how it looks as a Christmas Card.   And here it is.  

Candleglow - Christmas Card

Close up of "Candleglow" by The Textile Heritage Collection,

Mothering Sunday

In the United Kingdom, Sunday was Mothering Sunday.  So it was lovely to see my daughter and she bought me a wonderful gift.  An Owl shaped cushion.  Something I have really wanted. 

Isn't he cute!

  It's always hard to judge the size by just a photograph.  He's just the right size at approximately 12" x 12" or 30.5cm x 30.5cm.

Until next time, Happy Stitching Everyone

Celtic Knot

I've finally finished my "Celtic Knot" by Textile Heritage.  I was pleasantly surprised how quickly it started to grow, once I had stitched the blue border lines around the design.  That was the tricky part, as it is so easy to stitch too many.  Once done, I sailed through everything else.  It was a great little kit to stitch on the train and stitch in the evenings.  And here it is mounted in the card provided.

Celtic Knot by Textile Heritage.

Hardanger Blog with Freebies and Tutorials

I thought I would share with you a blog I have found on Hardanger.  It's in Spanish but there is a translator you can use.  Here is the link http://carpacar.blogspot.com/.   Mamen has also just won the Nordic Needle Hardanger Embroidery Design Contest.  She gives tutorials and you can download her designs from her bog.  She is a very talented lady.  Well worth looking at.

Happy Stitching Everyone

The Georgian Garden

Here is another finish.  "The Georgian Garden" by the Textile Heritage Collection.  The photograph does not do it justice. This was a birthday present from my husband some time ago.  I think he will be pleased to see something he chose for me to stitch, actually done.

The Georgian Garden

In Georgian times the naturalistic garden became popular with wide lawns, trees, lakes, temples and bridges.  While this fashion could be given full scope in the grounds of a stately home, for the most modest garden weeping willows and planted tubs with citrus trees were an alternative.  Although in such gardens the peacock was a decorative, if noisy, addition, in earlier religious embroidery it was a symbol of the resurrection, due to the annual renewal of its gorgeous plumage.  The delicate pinks and blues of this design are particularly evocative of the Georgian era and the work of the architect and designer Robert Adam (1728-92).  His Temple of Victory in the gardens of Audley End House in Essex inspired the central feature of this kit.  The magnificent eighteenth century landscape park at Audley End was devised by 'Capability' Brown.  For further information about Audley End House and Gardens, which are now in the care of English Heritgae, and open to the public just click here.  [This information was taken from the kit.]

- ooOoo - 

Yesterday started out a bit dull, but we were promised some nice weather, or though a bit cold.  I went out with some friends into the countryside and visited the Ladybower Reservoir in the Derwent Valley.  Here are some pictures that I took.

Pheasant

Greylag Goose

Reflection in the water of trees

Bracket fungi

 

Views of the surrounding countryside at Ladybower in the Upper Derwent Valley.

Happy Stitching