Gifts, A Challenge, and Upcycling Denims

I got two lovely gifts through the post this week. The first was this adorable little pocket from Jo, a prize from last year's Easter blog hop. It is just gorgeous, and as you can see, full of chocolate. Thank you Jo, it's just beautiful.

The second was an exchange gift from the Needlecraft Haven Easter exchange. We had to stitch an egg shaped ornament for this exchange, it was  anonymous so I don't yet know who to thank for this sweet little Easter Chick, but whoever you are, thank you anyway. It was accompanied by a really pretty beaded bracelet in spring colours, but that has already migrated upstairs to the jewellery box and missed the photo shoot. I can't show you the ornament I sent out as I forgot to take its picture. Perhaps I'll be able to add one later if the recipient posts one.

It is also reveal day for the Needlecraft Haven monthly challenge. This month we stitched Souvenir de France from Blackbird Designs.  I stitched mine on raw linen using a blue and beige overdyed floss from The Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe, and used some French chambray fabric to make it up into a cushion, then trimmed it with some gingham ribbon and a couple of vintage buttons.
The gallery of  other finishes is here.

Eloise picked up these rather sad denims in a charity shop and we've been working on customising them.

Here are the finished shorts, shorter than they were and decorated with a horror print fabric and ric rac,

and here's the back view.
The jacket is still a work in progress. Watch this space...