Sorry, no finishes this time!!

I have been stitching, but I've no finishes to show you.  So, here are some WIPs for you to see.  I stitched them during the International Hermit & Stitch Weekend.  The first is a "Festive Cheerkat" by Heritage Crafts.  I'm hoping to finish it for a friends 50th Birthday card.

Festive Cheerkat by Heritage Crafts.

The second, is a freebie "Popcorn" design from 'The World of Cross Stitching'.  

This is going to be a card for a new baby.

"Popcorn" design

-ooOoo-

I've been away last week on holiday in Norfolk.  And as usual, my camera was by my side, ready to take anything of interest.  So I want to share with you some of the hundreds that I took.

Chaffinch singing in a tree.

Houghton Hall Deer Park

The Deer Park is the home to a herd of white fallow and smaller exotic groups of deer.

Until Next time, Happy Stitching Everyone

Hardanger Wedding Card

Hi Everyone

I've been very busy stitching.  A friend of mine has had a baby boy, so I'm stitching a "Popcorn" design with a heart in his hands.  Also another friend is due to have her 50th Birthday, so I'm stitching something special for her.  Then another friend has got married and I've finished stitching a card, which I can show you.  I hope they like it.

Wedding Card for Sam and Maria

And here's a close-up.

As I'm showing you some of my Hardanger cards, I thought I would show you a thank you card I send to my friend Mary Grace for the wonderful things she sent me at Easter.

Thank you card.

Close-up of detail.

I've got some more Hardanger Cards to do as I have yet another friend who's 50th Birthday is later on this year.  I wonder which design I will choose!!  Hope to show you some more finishes next week.

Until Next time, Happy Stitching Everyone

A Finish and a Week-End Away

Hi Everyone and Welcome to my new followers.  Time has flown and last Week-End I was away in London.  But first I want to share with you my finished piece called "Wish Upon A Star" by Andree Langhorn.  I received the kit from Mary Grace as a Christmas present.  It came from Cross Stitcher, from the December 2007 issue.  I stitched this while I was away in London and finished it off when I got back.  The kit had plenty of threads/floss, so I might stitch it again.

"Wish Upon A Star" by Andree Langhorn.

London

We went down on Friday and arrived in the afternoon.  The sun came out and we had blue sky with a few clouds.  At our hotel we were fortunate to have a room with a view of the Thames and Tower Bridge.  So we set out and explored our surroundings, taking lots of photo's as we went along.  Unfortunately, Saturday and Sunday were a bit of a wash out, as the rain came down, but we made the best of it by visiting the V&A and the British Museum.  We noticed quite a change in the temperature as  London was 14 degrees and when we got but home it was 5 degrees or though it felt like 0 degrees as it was so cold.  Winter has returned!!  It makes me wonder if we will ever get some nice hot sunny weather this year!!

As usual I want to share some of the photo's I've taken.  I'm going to try a new Photo Collage Maker and hope it will work.  Here's a link if you like it http://www.photocollage.net/.

Tower Bridge.

Tower Bridge, Tower of London and views all around.

Until Next time, Happy Stitching Everyone

IHSW Finishes

What a great week-end of stitching I've had.  I've have two finishes.  

First is a 50th Birthday Card for my friend Mel.  So I stitched her a Hardanger Card.  I got out my "Flowers with Hardanger" by Mary Hickmott, and chose to do a variation on one of her designs, using one of the motifs from a cushion.  In the Hardanger corners I did spider's web filling and diagonal dove's eye filling for the rest.  I used my own colours from my stash.  After making up the card I used some old lace and yellow ribbon to decorate the card.  I'm quite pleased with the finish.  I hope she likes it!

Hardanger Birthday Card.

Here's a close-up.

My next finish was "Toby Fox" from Cross Stitch Card Shop.  He was a free kit from the magazine.  He's one of the "Woodland Folk" by DMC.  As usual I forgot to read the instructions.  I should have used 1 strand of thread/floss, but I automatically used 2.  I did run out of thread/floss, but I had plenty of my own, so was able to finish him.

Woodland Folk - Toby Fox.

Until Next time, Happy Stitching Everyone

A finish and IHSW

It's been ages since I last posted.  But I do have a finish to show you.  And yes, it's another Christmas finish!

I just could not resist stitching this one.  It's called "Mine!" a design by Michelle M Lash of Brittercup Designs.  I've always wanted to stitch this kitty and I've got my eye on some more of her designs.

"Mine!" by Brittercup Designs.

- ooOoo -

I received a lovely Easter Card in the post from my friend Mary Grace in Malta.  It's a design by Ellen Maurer-Stroh of chicks and forget-me-nots in a wreath.  She also sent me some more of her wonderful crochet, a frame and some DMC threads/floss, which was a wonderful surprise.

 Ellen Maurer-Stroh design of chicks and forget-me-nots in a wreath.

 - ooOoo -

April's IHSW is this weekend??!!  (April 20th-22nd.)  Do come and join in the fun.  Just click here to put your name on the list.  It's a real incentive to get some stitching done over the week-end.

- ooOoo -

I've been out and about taking lots of photo's at Whirlow, although it did rain a bit.  But I thought you might enjoy these.

Raindrops on Tulips.

Blossom

Lambs and sheep.

Hens, Cockerels and a Turkey.

Spring Flowers.

Snoozing duck.

Pair of Mandarin Ducks.

Reflections in the pond.  Don't know what this plant is called.  Anyone know?

Until Next time, Happy Stitching Everyone

Some Finishes & Easter

Easter is just around the corner and Spring is here! 

Well, last week we were experiencing, very hot weather.  My husband went outside to cut the grass and do some gardening, and he had his shorts and lots of sun cream on.  Just a week later (4 April), we had Snow!!  We are back in our winter cloths once again.  

And you would have found me stitching away "Christmas Trees".  I know, it's rather early, but I do like to start early.  Here is what I have stitched so far.

JWB Designs

Top left: Star Tree. Top right: Joy, Love Peace Tree.  

Bottom left: Tiny Motif Tree.  Bottom right: Little Trees.

- ooOoo -

I've also had another Liebster Award from Stella at "Stella's Cross Stitch".  I received one from Lee at "Notes from Under the Mountain" already.  Thank you both so much for the Award. 
Here's the link to my Liebster Award, who I passed it onto and five facts about me.

- ooOoo-

I've just received the newsletter from the Kooler Design Studio.  This month's complimentary chart is
"Snow Family".  Just click on the picture below for the link page.

 
Kooler Design Studio - Free Charts

Snow Family

- ooOoo -

Good Friday

I also wanted to share with you a song/video from Friends and Heroes.  And get a feel for the real meaning of Easter.

Until Next time, Happy Stitching Everyone

A Finish and I've Won!

I've a new finish to show you.  It's Margaret Sherry's free Spring Card Kit from "Cross Stitch Crazy", 

issue 163.

Mouse with Kite by Margaret Sherry

I should have stitched the grass in 1 stand of thread, but I did not like how it looked, so stitched it in 2 stands instead.

Yes, I could not believe that I had won!  

I won the  "Zoo Babies Birth Record" Giveaway from the Kooler Design Studio. 

I've stitched other things from the Kooler Design Studio in the past, they have such lovely design.  

I also have quite a few of there book's and chart in my collection.

Here is the link to there free charts.

Here's one I stitched some years ago,

- ooOoo -


I've managed to get some lovely close ups of a robin which I thought you would like to see.

European Robin

Fortunately, I had my camera with me to get these pictures.

Until next time, Happy Stitching Everyone

Liebster Award!

The Liebster Award!

Imagine my surprise today to find a comment left by Lee of Notes from under the Mountain - Lee awarded my little blog a Liebster Blog Award!  Thank you so very much Lee!

If you aren't familiar with the Liebster, which means 'favorite' in German, it is a way for bloggers to help each other out by spreading the word about their blogs.

As part of the Liebster tradition it is passed along to 5 bloggers that have motivated and inspired you. To accept the award you must -

1. Link back to the person who gave it to you and thank them.
2. Post the award to your blog. 
3. Give the award to 5 bloggers with less than 200 followers that you appreciate and value. 
4. Leave a comment on the 5 blogs to let them know that they have been offered this award.
5. Share 5 random facts about yourself that people don't know about you. 


It is my pleasure to offer the Liebster blog award to these 5 blogs -

Jo from Boos Mummy
Pam from Crossroads of My Mind
Noni from Fireflies & Cats in the Garden
Thoeria from My Little Corner of Cyberspace 
Kerry from Ramblings of a Biscornu Addict 

Now, the five facts - 

1.   I sing in the church choir.
2.  I love the colour purple.
3.  I am not a very good speller - spell checks on computers were invented for people like me.
4.  I don't knit - or thou I could make a scarf, but it would take me too long.
5.  I don't garden - I leave that to my husband.

Thanks again Lee.






 

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

Little Dragon

I found this little chart in my stash and just had to stitch him. 
It's called "Christmas Surprise 2005"

 by Jennifer Ailman-Smith of Dragon Dreams. 
I think I might make him into a Christmas Card, 

or a Christmas Ornament.  I'm not sure which yet!

Dragon with Christmas Stocking.

- ooOoo -

Last Saturday, I went on a walk with my friends starting at
Wire Mill Dam.  

As usual I took lots of photo's, and here are just a few.

The birds are Chaffinch, Moorhen and Mallard Duck.

Ferns, Rookery, Daffodils, Ivy, Snowdrops, Lichen.

Until next time, Happy Stitching Everyone

A Finish and Some Stash

WHOOPEE!  I've finally finished stitching my OakHaven Owl SAL.

OakHaven 2011 Owl SAL

So, now that I have decided to make it into a cushion, I just had to go out and get some lovely new fabric for the back.  And yes, it's got lovely Owls on.  While I was there, I noticed lots of reductions, and I came out with more stash at great prices.  Here's a picture of what I got.

The down side is the shop won't be stocking DMC threads any more, which is a shame.

Until next time, Happy Stitching Everyone