Friday 28 November 2008

Look what the Postman brought!

A couple of weeks ago I was thrilled to win a draw on Sharon(Daffycat)'s blog for a penguin floss tag (I love penguins). Well the parcel just arrived, and wow! A plethora of penguins! More penguins, in fact, than you can shake a stick at. Not only the lovely little floss tag (the pattern for that is on Sharon's blog by the way), but also a whole pack of coloured gaolor's rings, some penguin gift tags, a piece of penguin print cotton, an adorable penguin tin, and a penguin Christmas tree ornament.
I love penguins!
Just look!
I'm going to make myself a Christmas Stocking out of the fabric (it doesn't show too well in the picture but the print has lovely glittery snow effect patches). All the rest of the family have stockings that I've made for them, now its my turn! Did I happen to mention that I love penguins?
Thankyou Sharon, I'm overwhelmed.

Sunday 23 November 2008

Ornaments, ornaments, ornaments




I seem to have been stitching a lot of ornaments lately, anyone would think it was nearly Christmas or something! I can't show them all, as some are for exchanges and still en route, but here are a couple I can show. The octagonal one is for Clare's Ornament Tree. The design is by With My Needle and comes from an old (2002) JCS Ornament Issue.
The little 3D stable is for my friend. The design is a free one I found on this blog. The other two sides have the three Wise men and an angel on them.
Finally this beautiful Hardanger ornament is one I recieved in an exchange from Barbara (no blog that I'm aware of).
OK, off to watch the footy now!

Sunday 16 November 2008

Naomi's Birthday and I've been Tagged!

Yes, my baby girl is twelve today. Doesn't seem like 5 minutes! Here she is all dressed up for her party - she had 4 friends over for a movie marthon sleepover yesterday night. I don't know about her, but I'm exhausted!
Happy Birthday Sweetheart

I was tagged a few days ago by Mylene. Here are the rules:-

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know your entry is up.

Well, it has taken me days to come up with six things about me that are even remotely interesting but here goes:

1. I've had a wide range of jobs, including working in a police forensic science lab, pharmaceutical analysis, and teaching chemistry in schools.

2. And now I design needlework....go figure!

3. I have a thing about shoes. Who am I kidding, I LOVE shoes, they call to me and I am powerless to resist them. Look at this one. I can hear it now, whispering inside my head. "You're not in Kansas now, Dorothy"! And boots. Don't get me started on boots...

4. I'm a bit of a sci fi geek. I can name all the actors who've played The Doctor, I can tell you which ship made the Kessel run in less than twelve parsecs, and I like Picard better than Kirk. Make it so.

5. I love Shakespeare

6. And penguins. The feathery sort, not the sort covered in silver paper.

I'm not going to tag anyone specific with this, because I've already seen it on a lot of the blogs I visit, so if you are reading this and you fancy having a go. Tag! You're it!
Oh, and for the people who fancied sharing the hot chocolate in the previous post, you need to make your way to the Harbor Light tearooms in Boscastle.

Thursday 13 November 2008

Happy Dance Time!

I have a finish to share (as opposed to finishes I can't share because they are for exchanges, which is why this has been a quiet blog of late).

Here (drumroll please) is Blackbird Designs "Beyond My Heart".

I got the frame from these people . They've got a rinky dinky "upload your picture & try it out in all the frames" feature.

I'm really pleased with this one, even though Naomi said "Mum, that is the sappiest poem I've ever seen". Pah! What does she know? She isn't even twelve till Sunday! (Might not make it either if she keeps making comments like that.)

Anyone care to join me in a celebratory Hot Chocolate?

Sunday 2 November 2008

Autumn Exchange

It is reveal day for the Stitch and Stash Autumn Exchange. Here is the gift I recieved. A wooden box topped with the sweetest little Quaker Hedgehog, and filled with lovely autumn coloured threads and buttons. The colour isn't very clear in the photo, but the hedgehog is stitched in a variegated thread in lovely soft apricot shades.


Unfortunately I don't know who to thank yet as partners names haven't been revealed, but if you are reading this, Thankyou, it is beautiful.


And here is the exchange I sent to Jane (no blog as far as I know). I adapted one of the Little House Needleworks fruit pack designs, and made it into a pinkeep trimmed with some vintage braid. The original design said "Acorns" and was quite wintry looking, so I changed the text to "Autumn" and turned the snow into grass. I also replaced some of the stitched leaves with leaf buttons, and look! What a small world! I recieved some of the self same buttons in my gift so they are already replaced in my stash :)

Saturday 1 November 2008

Princesses of Darkness

Look at these spooky creatures!

This is how the girls went out last night...

...and this is Naomi's "Halloween Cat" Pumpkin, which won the village pumpkin competition