It's been a while..........

I can hardly believe how long it's been since my last post! My family came from UK for the whole of August and the summer has seemed to fly past.
I didn't expect to get anything done at all while they were here but I found I did have a little time in the evenings to pick up my cross stitch and I have actually managed to get two older projects finished.
The first one, Winter Winds by the Prairie Schooler, was started last year



and the other, Beneath the Sunlit Sky by Blackbird Designs, was finished earlier today! It is stitched on 30 ct R & R Sea Fog linen using a mix of hand dyed threads by the Gentle Arts and Crescent Colours.



This piece will be framed but have a look here to see the wonderful table centre Heidi made from one of her Prairie Schooler stitched pieces. It's the blog entry from August 28th. I'd just love to do something similar with mine.
On to other things here's another dilly bag that I made from the same pattern I used once before only this time I did a Bronwyn Hayes stitchery design instead of using applique. I love this style of bag and have plans for a few more yet. One of the pictures shows the back of the bag and I couldn't decide which picture to use of the two that show the front so you get to see both.





I have another finished bag using the same fabrics but will save that to show next time.

In my last post I showed a scissor keeper and pincushion I had made for an exchange.
Here's the lovely scissor keeper and pincushion I received from Val in exchange.
Val used machine embroidery to embellish the scissor keeper and inside is a small pair of very sharp scissors that are just perfect for cutting out my applique pieces.
The scissors have a little key charm hanging from them and the pincushion has a stickpin again with a charm hanging from it. I just love this little set! What a fun exchange.




I don't know how many times I've entered blog giveaways with only one previous success but August 17th seems to have been my lucky day as I was notified of not one but two blog wins that day.
The first was from Judy in her drawing for a gorgeous fabric postcard. Have a look at this isn't it beautiful?
I love the 3 D effect of the fields


Judy also included some DMC threads, Thank you so much Judy those are always very welcome here and I will always treasure the lovely postcard.

My next win was on Marit's blog
where I was the lucky winner of her napkin box and two matching pot holders.
Marit is in Norway and does such lovely work. I feel very lucky to have something made by her. Thank you Marit :)



Finally I just can't resist showing a picture of my first ever Moda layer cake. Oooh how gorgeous is this? It's the Peace on Earth line and so lovely. I doubt I can ever bring myself to untie the ribbon but I love looking at it!
The great thing is I got this layer cake absolutely free for subscribing to the British quilting magazine Popular Patchwork. My friend Christine tells me this layer cake is $45 Canadian dollars. How could I resist such a bargain?




This has been another long post so if you're wtill with me thanks as always for visiting and for the lovely comments you leave. I hope you enjoy the picture show. They should all be clickable for a better view.

Until next time!

More Show and Tell

I have another mixed bag of things to share this time starting with cross stitch.
This is The Goode Huswife 1831 pincushion finished as a pinkeep
(Don't forget that all of the pictures are clickable for a better view.)



Here's the back of the pinkeep. I used some Moda Blackbird Designs fabric that Angela gave me which I think is a good match. Thanks Angela!



Next up is a drawstring bag and pincushion that I made for Hazel's birthday. As Hazel had been to Holland earlier this year I went with a Dutch theme for her.



I did stitchery on the front of the bag. The little pincushion is not stitched but was made using pre-printed fabric. I thought it turned out cute.

Still with the drawstring bags here's another one I did using my favourite pattern by Gail Pan




A few weeks ago I received my pincushion swap package from Tammy my partner in Linda's pincushion exchange. Tammy sent me not one, but two lovely pincushions along with a selection of DMC threads and some fabric. The bolster shape pincushion has three different dresses done in applique and the oversized square pincushion is a beach scene complete with a cute button in the shape of flipflops.
One of the fabrics Tammy used is an Amy Butler print and I just happen to have a small piece of it in my stash. I have plans to make myself a matching needlecase - when I can find the time!



I have a beautiful new mermaid in my collection! This one came from Sheila who lives about an hour away from me. She came over for the day and we had a lovely time talking all things to do with needle and thread.
Sheila goes to a stained glass class and she made this mermaid using a technique called fused glass. Do you see her mirror and comb? I don't think she can have been using them much judging by her wild hairdo LOL.
I placed the mermaid plaque over a piece of my Laurel Burch Ocean Song fabric and now she looks as though she's enjoying a frolic in the ocean.
Thanks so much for this lovely addition to my mermaid collection Sheila!



I have a bit of a fascination with pretty tins and boxes. Here's a picture of my latest aquisition. I think it will be perfect for storing my ever growing collection of buttons.



Finally a few beach pics for those of you that tell me you enjoy them.
As always, thanks for visiting and for your lovely comments. It wouldn't be half as much fun without you!

Blog Awards - thank you!

Just a quick post to thank Judy for the Brillante Weblog Premio 2008 Award





and Andrea, Dovil and Yuko for nominating me for the Kreativ Blogger Award.



When I first started blogging I wondered if anyone would bother to view my posts so I am feeling very honoured.
Looking at the number of blogs in my sidebar I realize that I have way more than just a few favourites! It would be difficult for me to select just a few to pass the awards onto not to mention that so many of you have already received them.
Therefore I'd like to award all the bloggers out there who takes the time to share their work for the enjoyment of us all.

Show and tell

I have quite a few pictures to share this time.
Starting with the pincushion I made for my partner in Linda's pincushion swap




I took a little stitchery design from Bronwyn Hayes Flowerbed Quilt book and tried to match it with some fabric from my stash. I haven't received my pincushion yet but I do know it's on the way so I'll be showing that next time.
You can see pics of all the fabulous pincushions that were given and received on Linda's blog.
Incidentally, Linda is planning her next swap so stay tuned to her blog as numbers will probably be limited to fifty and you don't want to miss out!

In my last post I showed you what I made for the Good Ole Summertime swap with members of a Yahoo group. Well this time I want you to see the gorgeous mini quilt I received from Heidi



Yes, it's a slice of watermelon! What a clever idea and this quilt is so beautifully done. I just wish you could see it up close and personal because it has little black buttons sprinkled over the luscious red print fabrics and Heidi has sewn the binding on in such a way that I can't even see the stitches!
Also included in the package was a cut of gorgeous navy print fabric and two DMC threads in colours that say Summertime to Heidi. She sent green for growth of the season and purple for the lavender in her garden.
Oh, and here's a picture of the reverse with the quilt label.




Other things I've made recently were this scissor case and pincushion for an exchange. I used Cinderberry Stitches Stitched Trilogy design for the scissor case and made a matching pincushion by using some of the same stitchery on a four patch block.



I'm sure the cross stitchers that read my blog are wondering where the cross stitch is so here's something I made as a thank you for Donna



The design is JBW French Country Rooster and I just added the personalization at the bottom.
I made another four patch pincushion using part of a cross stitch design by French designer Marjorie Massey of Passe Compose.
I also made a matching needlecase using a wonderful tutorial that you can find here




I hasten to add that these pictures were taken by Donna and I'm using them here with her permission. She takes wonderful photographs and these pictures are way better than anything I could have done.
Check out Donna's blog for more fabulous pictures of life on a sheep farm in Australia and all her gorgeous quilts and stitcheries as well.

Finally, for the friends that like to see the pictures we take when we are out and about a couple of pictures of Guadalest way up in the mountains and two of Albir which is about three quarters of an hour away by car.
The beach there is just pebbles but everyone was enjoying it just the same.










Until next time thanks for visiting and for all your lovely comments. I love to hear from you :)

Suddenly it's Summer!

I don't know where the times goes - one minute it was Christmas and now, suddenly it's Summer!
I recently took part in a Good Ole Summertime exchange with one of my Yahoo stitching groups.
My partner has received her package so now I can share what I made for her.
I always associate Summer with strawberries. The Wimbledon tennis championships = strawberries and cream! Happy hours spent in the strawberry fields picking pound after pound of strawberries and eating as many as went into the basket :)
I decided to go with a strawberry theme so here's what I made........



I had some very pretty strawberry print fabric in my stash (incidentally my partner gifted me this fabric one time LOL) so I made a thread tidy bag. For the pincushion part I took an element of the design from LHN Milady's Strawberries as it went so well with the fabric.




I also made a little scissor fob using a design by the Prairie Schooler. Just a reminder here that you can click on any of the pictures for a better view.



On to other things I can't remember the last time I made something for myself so I took one one of my older finishes and turned it into a pinkeep just for me.
The design is from Heart in Hand but I stitched it so long ago I don't remember much more than that it was a set of four seasonal designs. Here's the pinkeep front



and here's the back



Finally. I want to share a picture of the prettiest little pinkeep I received from my friend Angela. A few of the girls in our stitching group had a get together in Holland earlier this year. I had planned to go but some major renovations to our apartment took every spare penny and I decided against it.
Angela had stitched one of these little pinkeeps for each stitcher at the gathering and even though I wasn't there I was lucky enough to still get one along with some other goodies.
I have to tell you I didn't take this picture. I'm using it here with Angela's permission. I fell in love with the little bunnies and asked if there was a pattern as I would just love to make one but, sadly, they were purchased at a nursery garden gift shop.
So here's the front of the pinkeep.



and here's a view of the back. Isn't the little tulip print fabric pretty? I just love this pinkeep.



As always I would like to thank everyone who visits my blog for taking the time and for the lovely comments you leave here. Wishing you all a very happy Summer!

Until next time.

In the Pink (again)

Oh no, not more pink I hear you cry! For anyone that does not love pink you need to look away now :)
I made this tote bag from a pattern by Quilts Illustrated called Charm Party Tote.
The fabric (a charm pack of course) is Moda Quilt Pink 11.
The picture I took is a bit far away but you can click on it for a better view.




I took the bag out on location because the pink bushes below our apartment are so pretty at this time of year



Here's a close-up of the bag to let you see the little flower buttons that are sewn at the corners of the squares.



and there were squares left over so I just had to make a matching pincushion as I'm sure this will be used as a project bag. There are roomy pockets inside the bag - ideal for all those quilting bits and pieces.



I'm sorry there is no cross stitch content in this post. I do have one small finish, then there are finishes that can't be shown and various pieces that are half finished so hopefully next time.

As always, I would like to thank everyone who visits my blog and for your nice comments. I take pleasure in reading them all and would love to respond to each and every one but unless your email address is in your profile I'm not able to reply.

In the Pink

Just a short post today....I started taking pictures but the camera batteries were exhausted before I was halfway done so I'll save the other things I had to show for another time.
This is just a little set I've made using some pretty pink toile fabric that I fell in love with.
The drawstring bag pattern is by Gail Pan. I found a bead necklace on the market for just one Euro and pulled it apart to get the beads for the ribbon drawstring.
I also made a little scissor fob and a matching four patch pincushion. I just stitched a couple of the flowers from the embroidery design on the bag and I think it turned out nice. You can click on the pictures for a better view.



This pincushion is from Cinderberry Stitches pattern Stitched Trilogy



it was a bit hard to get the shape just so with this style of pincushion and I think I'd have preferred it if it had been a bit smaller but it was an enjoyable project to work on.

Sorry this is so short. I have lots of stuff in the works so will hopefully make up for it next time.

Finally, Pat is having a belated birthday giveaway draw.
Just pop over to Pat's blog and leave your comment for a chance to win. I have no idea what the prize is but, knowing Pat, it will be something very nice!