Exchanges and gifts!

No, you're not seeing double! I really did stitch this pinkeep and scissor fob set twice. The first set went to Hazel in UK who was my exchange partner in a Valentine's Day exchange. The second set went to my friend Angela, also in UK, whose birthday is today. Happy birthday Angela!
The pinkeep design is from the series A Year in Stitches by Shepherds Bush. The little fob is A Rosey Year also by Shepherds Bush. The picture will show at its best if you click on it for a better view.


I didn't have enough of the lavender linen to back both fobs so one is backed in cream silk to match the backing fabric I used on both pinkeeps.

Next I want to share some pictures of what I received from Hazel in the Valentine's exchange.
The first picture shows a beautiful heart shaped pinkeep stitched on palest green linen. It has a little ceramic button in the shape of a flower pot and the edge is trimmed with pink ric rak braid.
Once again be sure to click on the picture for a better view.

Here's a picture of the back of the pinkeep. Hazel stitched our names and the date - such a nice touch.


Also in the package was a pretty little coaster stitched in shades of pink, a gorgeous handmade card with a beaded heart, chocolate hearts, white ribbon with red hearts on it and some heart shaped buttons.


Do you see the little heart shaped ornament hanging from one of the flowers in the vase? Hazel made that as well from sequins and beads - so pretty!

Still on the subject of gifts here's a pinkeep I stitched for Heidi's birthday

As the design was French I used a pretty red toile fabric for the backing

Finally, I received a wonderful surprise from Bren who sent me the most gorgeous vintage half apron I have ever seen. Made from pink ginham fabric and fully lined with organza fabric it's all hand embroidered in a technique known as "chicken scratch"

If you want to learn more about the technique go here
Bren told me this apron would not have been worn to do housework. The sheer organza panel would have shown off the dress the hostess would have been wearing underneath.
I'm absolutely thrilled to have this apron. Thank you so much Bren :)

A Redwork Apron

Here are a few pictures of my latest apron finish.
I used Judie Rothermel fabric from the Classic Black Collection 1870-1890 and stitched a cute redwork design on both pockets. I used DMC 498 for the stitchery and a pattern taken from one of the Aussie quilting and stitchery magazines that I love so much.

Here is a close up of the stitchery I did on both pockets and then trimmed with ric rak braid.



I had a few scraps leftover so did a matching potholder.

This is a close up of the label I stitched for the inside.


The apron was supposed to be for yet another exchange (the third) that has gone wrong. Thankfully I found out before I sent it so now it will go instead to a friend whose husband has been critically ill. She loves aprons and has been through a very rough time for the past few months.
It's such a beautiful day here today that I took the camera out with me while walking.
This picture was taken on my way down to the beach

and two more taken while walking at the waters edge.


Finally I just want to thank everyone who visits my blog for the nice comments that are always such fun to read.
I hope you are all having a beautiful day no matter where you are!

My first quilty finish!

I have to admit I'm not a quilter by any stretch of the imagination but we all have to start somewhere and this table runner is the first thing I've actually completely finished.
I finished the top at least a year ago and finally got round to putting on the binding a couple of weeks ago.
The fabrics are Thimbleberries and the pattern I used was one of the free ones from the Fat Quarter Shop.
I thought that finishing this table runner would be good practice for when I tackle the quilt top that is next up for finishing.
I'm cringing a little bit to think that there will be some expert quilters viewing this but I know how kind and supportive you all are :)

Christine does it again..........

A few posts ago I showed a fabric postcard of a beautiful mermaid that I received from Christine
Now I didn't think anything could top that mermaid but just look at the two I received in a belated birthday package earlier this week!
The first one is finished as a flat fold ornament. Stitched on gorgeous Silkweaver hand dyed fabric this is a very voluptuous mermaid taken from a design in one of the older Jill Oxton Australian cross stitch magazines.
The mermaid is adorned with gold thread and beads about her person and on her arm is a bracelet of pearl beads. Just to look at her face makes me smile :)
Christine has finished the piece so beautifully with ribbon all entwined with a pearl bead trim. Be sure to click on the picture to enlarge it for a close up of the detail.

The second mermaid is in miniature! This little treasure is so tiny that it almost got thrown away with the wrapping paper! I don't think Christine would ever have forgiven me if that had happened as she tells me this little mermaid was three years in the making - hardly surprising given the size of it and how hard it must have been on the eyes.
It is just the cutest thing ever, finished into a tiny stocking with a little hanger that has two fishie beads hanging from it.

Along with these lovely mermaids came treasure! Three pieces of Laurel Burch mermaid themed fabric and three pieces of Thimbleberries fabric.
A gorgeous Crabapple Hill snowman stitchery pattern pack all kitted out with fabric, ric rak and the cutest red bobble trim. If all that were not more than enough there was also a Sublime Stitching transfer pack with ocean/mermaid theme and tone on tone fabric with a shell design.


Christine, I'll never be able to thank you enough for your kindness and the thought that you put into these gifts. I'm truly blessed to have such a special friend.

Little Things Mean a Lot

I love to stitch little things these days and have quite a few pictures that I haven't shown yet of the things I stitched/received before Christmas .
Some of them you may have seen on the blogs of the people that received them but hopefully they are worth a second look.
First up is Just Nan's Lady Scarlett's Christmas finished as a pinkeep


Next is Country Cottage Needleworks Peace from one of the JCS Christmas ornament special issue. I finished this as a pinkeep as well


Next up are two small finishes from Au Fil des Reves finished into yet more pinkeeps and one from Mary Garry's Sewing Cabin finished as a small fob

Next another little fob - this one taken from The Prairie Schooler's Garden Alphabet leaflet.

Here is my first attempt at finishing a biscornu. The design is the Spring Flowers freebie from Debbie Draper Designs. I stitched it on antique white linen with Vikki Clayton's Garnet silk thread.


This is the front and back views of Shepherd's Bush Love fob.


This little heart shaped pinkeep was stitched for me by my friend Brigitte in Germany isn't it pretty?


and another lovely gift is this pretty biscornu stitched for me by Rebecca

Stitched by me this is a little LHN design from one of the JCS ornament specials finished as a pinkeep.


Here's a close-up of the stitchery I did on the pincushion part of a bit bag for Angela. The design is taken from Bronwyn Hayes Flowerbed Quilt book

A quilted bag I made from a stithery pattern by Hatched and Patched

I hope you enjoyed the picture show!

A tale of two aprons.

I love aprons! Somehow just wearing one makes me feel like the virtuous little housewife I'm not.
I recently took part in an exchange on Rhonda Jean's blog and enjoyed making an apron for my partner.
Sadly, I never did hear from my partner if she liked the apron I made and I didn't receive one from her either.
Here's a picture of the apron I made and a close up of the little stitchery label I did inside.
I used Thimbleberries prints for both the main and contrast fabrics.


On a happier note my lovely friend Christie in Kentucky sent me the most gorgeous apron "just because" along with lots of other little goodies.
As well as the apron was a FQ of Hoffman fabric specially designed for the Heart of Kentucky shop hop in Oct.07 The fabric is in gorgeous shades of aqua printed with horses and Christie had also hand painted the most adorable little wooden horse that just makes me smile.
Other goodies were a keepsake needle card, a tin of quilting girl mints, envelope seals, two skeins of variegated thread from Puerto Rico, and a gorgeous scented candle that made everything smell of red velvet cake mmmmmm



Christie personalised the inside of the apron with a lovely message (if you want to read it click the picture for a better view) and the front of the apron is all stitched with decorative machine stitches around all the edges and the contrasting pocket.
It's absolutely my favourite apron and makes me feel capable of any culinary masterpiece while wearing it! Thank you so much Christie for being such a lovely friend.

More gifts received.

I mentioned in my last post that I still had a lot of pictures to share.
First I want to show you the mail art envelope I received from my friend Angela in UK.
It is stitched using one of my very favourite mermaid designs in gorgeous hand dyed threads with just a touch of sparkle for the mermaid crowns.
The back of the envelope has two of the cutest chubby mermaid buttons and has a wonderful verse all stitched over one thread. The envelope is lined with gorgeous Laurel Burch mermaid print fabric.
Tucked inside were three hand dyed threads, a sweet little handbag mirror and the most beautiful flat fold ornament.
The top of the flatfold is adorned with two shades of sheer organza ribbon and uses the same Laurel Burch mermaid fabric as the envelope.
Don't forget to click on any of the pictures for a better view.

Another thing I want to show is the quilted table runner and banner I received from Christine
I only wish you could see the gorgeous fabrics these are made from because they are all sparkly and give the impression of frost. I told Christine she had sent me a little bit of her Canadian winter!
I don't know if you can see them but there are hot fix crystals at each end of the runner and the banner is also embellished with snowflakes done in silver threads and more crystals. The banner is attached to the cutest wire hanger in the shape of a snowflake.
I think Christine's pictures are probably better than mine and if you want to see more just pop over to her blog.
I'm still enjoying using these for the month of January even though I'm not likely to see any snow other than on the tops of the mountains off in the far distance.