Christmas Presents!!

Just thought I’d do a quick post to show everyone the sewing themed pressies I had for Christmas!! And particularly to say thank you to Deb for the lovely wool felt mat she sent me – this is (I think) Deb’s first venture into working with wool felt and, you know, I think she’s got the hang of it very well – thanks so much Deb, it’s lovely.

I also had two books I wanted. ‘Creative Tucks and Textures for Quilts and Embroidery’, which is a book that a friend of mine has. The book was originally published in 2004, but it has some lovely ideas in it. And secondly, a book that I’ve been itching to have for months – ‘William Morris in Applique’. I’m very keen to have a go at something from this book. Appliqué is a technique that I want to learn a lot more about: add to that the fact that I have admired the work of William Morris since I studied him through my craft/design ‘A’ level when I was at school, and it's the perfect combination as far as I’m concerned!!

I hope you all had a good Christmas and received lots of nice stuff too!!

So I was wrong!!!!

I'm really glad to say!!!

I've just received an email from Patti to say that I DID win her beautiful 'Mary Little' pinkeep - ain't I the lucky one?!! I think my luck is changing, so I'll carry on doing the lottery 'cause you never know!!

I've also received this lovely embroidered Christmas tree deco from Deb - thanks Deb, it's really lovely and it's going straight on to the tree!

And finally, now that Wendy has received it, I can show a little cross-stitch tree deco I made for her (Gingerbreadman of course!!)!

Bye for now!

I can't resist!!

..........another giveaway, even though I have as much luck with giveaways as I do with the National Lottery!!

No matter - "gotta be in it to win it" as they say!!

Pop over to Patti's blog to be in with a chance of winning this lovely little pinkeep! Pick me though please Patti - pretty please!!!

Cross-Stitch Needle Case

I’ve just finished my latest cross-stitch project ..... and it’s my first attempt at a needle case. It’s based on this ‘Bent Creek’ sampler

I liked the style of the alphabet and the vines, but I wanted to do it in nicer colours that would match the fabric I wanted to use, which is ‘Blackbird Design’ fabrics. This is at the construction stage

And this is the finished needle case - front and back!


I wanted it more oblong in shape rather than the square ‘Bent Creek’ design, so I extended the pattern and then added my initials.

Quite a nice finish, even if I say so myself!!

Nina's Giveaway!

I've just joined another giveaway - I've been meaning to do it for ages, but hadn't got around to it!! "Gotta be in it to win it" as they say!! Anyway, if you pop over to Nina's ‘Between Crosses’ blog here, you too can be in with a chance of winning, not only this beautiful stitched Christmas ornament, but other lovely goodies too. Nina does some really terrific work and it's worth having a good old gander back through some of her posts if you're not already a visiter to her blog.

Ginny & Ginger

Here’s my latest offering, which I can show as it has now been received by Wendy. 'Pumpkin Wendy' as we’ll affectionately call her!!!!! (See previous post). And of course, it's rag dolls!!

The idea for these cute Gingerbreads came ages ago after seeing something similar elsewhere on the internet, and I knew that one day I would have to make them!

This is Ginny!

And this Ginger!

Wendy adores Gingerbread men, and she has been feeling a bit low lately, so I thought a pair of Gingers would cheer her up and they appear to have done the trick!!

The candy canes were another ‘must do’ and they seem to go quite well with gingerbread men ...... although the ‘mica’ glitter sprinkled on them seems to be everywhere I look now; the floor, my worktable, me – I’ll probably still be seeing it at Easter!!!

Long tiring day at work anyhow, so be seeing ya later!!

Bye for now!

Pumpkins Galore!!!

How often do we read on each others blogs about the generosity of fellow stitchers/quilters eh?? Well Wendy is no exception!!

When I set out my Autumn/Halloween display the other week (see earlier post), my lovely friend Wendy said that I should have some fabric pumpkins to go on my display. I had been planning on trying to make some myself, but time had not allowed of course! However, as Wendy is a bit of a whizz at making them, she offered to send me some of her pumpkins. Now, I thought that meant one, or maybe two. HELLO, look what the postie bought this morning just as I was dragging myself out of bed ...........



seven, YES 7 gorgeous pumpkins all made by Wendy’s fair hand!!



Aren’t they just something? I love everything about them; the cinnamon sticks, the moss with the leaves and the variety of colours in the fabrics. There is one baby pumpkin, five little ones and one BIG one – they are fabulous. And in honour of their arrival, I am going to leave my Autumn/Halloween display out now until Christmas before putting them away. I’ve told Wendy that I think she should go into business as a pumpkin maker – don’t you agree!!?

THANK YOU WENDY – you are a lovely friend.

Giveaway!

I just found another cross-stitch giveaway over at Patti's blog here - don't enter though, cause I want to win!!! LOL

Oh, go on then!!!!

Malvern Autumn Quilt Festival

I planned to blog yesterday, but I was having technical problems (sounds as though I know what I’m doing!!! LOL). Either AOL or Blogger was playing up – dunno which, but it seems to be behaving again now!!.

I was like an excited child on Saturday morning as I headed off with my friend Pam to the Malvern Autumn Quilt Festival; filled with anticipation of what goodies and inspiration awaited us! And it didn’t fail us. Wendy had pre-warned me to be ready to be shoved around, which I was a bit, but I did as Wendy advised ... and shoved back!! So, we had a lovely day and came home rather tired, but I was pleased with my purchases. I’m not going to bore you with heaps of photos – just a few of my favourites of the exhibition quilts. Note the first one – it’s a copy of the ‘Dear Jane’ quilt in reds’ blues & whites – isn’t it exquisite?!!

And finally one of my stash!! Fabric (5 metres in total), buttons, a hanger and Kim Diehl’s latest book, which I’ve been hankering after for a while!!

Another Cross-stitch Giveaway

I've found another fabulous cross-stitch Giveaway over at Nina's blog - go check it out!!
I thought prehaps if I enter enough of them, I might just win one - I'm willing myself to win!!!

Giveaway!

There's a great Cross-stitch Giveaway over at Candi's blog - go and check it out .... maybe you shouldn't though, cause then you might win LOL!!!! Oh go on then, I can't be that selfish .... or can I????

Willa Witch

...... isn’t she cute?!! Witches you see don’t have to be scary – don’t you just want to cuddle little Willa? It’s been ages since I’ve made a rag doll and I’ve been bursting to make my sweet Halloween Witch – so here she is – what do you think?

And here is Willa sitting amongst my Autumn/Halloween display. This is the first time I’ve ever had a display like this, borne purely from inspiration from other ladies out there in cyberspace/blogland. And why not eh? Everyone decorates for Christmas without a second thought, so why not celebrate all seasons ........ bring it on!!!



Take care!

Autumn ... again!!

I love Autumn .... OK, so that’s not a secret!! But I’ve been itching to make a wall hanging/banner in celebration of this beautiful season. So, I found some clipart of a tree, designed the wall hanging around that and then took a trip to my LFS, where I bought just fat quarters of some lovely ‘Autumn’ colours ..... and this is what I’ve come up with. I’m reasonably pleased with it; although I’m sure I could come up with something much better one day when I’ve learned more sewing/stitching techniques to make use of all these lovely colours. To the left of the wall hanging, by the spider plant, is a beautiful stained glass leaf hanging ornament (Autumn colours, of course!), which I recently purchased through ‘Folksy’ from Amy McCarthy. She has a website where you can see her work, (I particularly like her ‘nautical’ pieces). This was bought to add to the ‘Autumn’ display I’m planning.

In this picture (if you look closely), I’ve highlighted the tree that can be seen in my neighbour’s garden, which shows just one of the glorious shades which I drool over at this time of year. I’ve watched this tree, day by day; go through every shade of Autumn ....... the jewels of nature you could say!!

Be back soon!!

A Great Giveaway!

Brenda at Pumpkin Patch Primitives is having another fabulous Giveaway at the moment. The VERY generous prize is a Fat Quarter Bundle of Red Rooster's Pumpkins & Spice Fabrics by Whimsicals – how cool is that??!!!

So, rush on over to her blog, and if you tell Brenda that I sent you AND you post about it on your own blog, then I will receive an extra entry, so go on, help me to win – go on, you know you want to!!!!

Autumn & a Cross-stitch

It’s been a while I know ..... another case of work just getting in the damn way of crafting! Anyway, I’ve finally finished another little cross-stitch. An Autumn themed sampler from a chart by ‘Bent Creek’. I ordered a frame for it yesterday, which should be ready by next weekend and then it’ll be complete.

Everywhere is changing colour into lovely shades of green, gold and red – so beautiful. Is there any better time of year – I don’t think you can beat it? I would certainly advise against driving too close to me at this time of the year, as I become so absorbed with the beauty of the changing landscape, I am quite likely to go slap bang into the car in front – so be warned!!

Anyway, I can’t stay on too long, as I’ve just been on the telephone to my cousin Bev in Australia (near the Gold Coast) for 1½ hours, so I’m a tad behind with everything, but, hey, what the heck, the house isn’t that dusty (I kid myself)!! However, I must do the ironing, otherwise I’ll not have anything to wear for work tomorrow – oops, sorry for using the four-letter work on a Sunday!!

Be seeing ya!

Giveaway!

Paulette is having a great ‘Giveaway’ over at her blog ‘Sweet P Quilting and Creations’. The giveaway is for a new Canadian magazine, together with fabric to make a lovely ‘Partridge in a Pear Tree wall hanging’ that appears in the magazine. Go check it out!