AWOL

Things have been even more manic than usual of late here at the Casa Di Chaos, and poor little Blog has fallen by the wayside a bit.
We currently have my MIL living here on a temporary but indefinite basis while she is between houses, and have acquired a 2nd cat, as she can't take hers with her to her new place. This has rather put Spike's nose out of joint, though he is getting quite a bit of extra food out of it, as the phrase "Leave that, it's Billy's" apparently means nothing to him ;D

There has been a bit of a slump on the stitching front, but I do have a finish to show. this is my version of May's Monthly Challenge, the design this month was Cadeau pour les Amis Brodeuses from Sablaise and the album is here.

I did mine in cream and beige silk threads on vintage country mocha linen, and finished it as a pinkeep, with some mother of pearl thread rings and a scissor pocket on the back, and made a little matching scissor fob. This will be my gift for an upcoming exchange, but I'm pretty sure I'm safe showing it here.

We've been having a very pleasant burst of early Summer here. The beach was very crowded at the weekend.

But if you walk far enough you can still find a peaceful spot.

Fun Fabrics!

Following on from the last post about the wonderful new Mollie Makes magazine, I've been fabric shopping.

How amazing are these?
The fabulous retro kitchen mixer print and pattern are to make an apron for Naomi (she loves 50's kitsch), and the Paris street map print and B-feature horror movie print are to make skirts for Eloise (Its got a vampire on it, 'nuf said!)
Fabrics are from here and here, and I can thoroughly recommend both shops.

Lovely things in the post

I've had two wonderful pieces of post this week, plenty of the usual bills, bank statements and forms from HMRC too but the two nice ones more than made up for it.

First dear Barb sent me a package containing a Sampler Girl pattern "In the Kitchen with Jane Austen" that I have coveted for some time (yes, I know covetousness is a sin, but I'm weak) together with the most incredibly exquisite beaded amulet purse. How beautiful is that? I couldn't even begin to imagine making something like that. Thank you Barb, you are too kind, I feel thoroughly spoiled.

Second was this beauty that popped through the letter box yesterday. The inaugural copy of the new craft and lifestyle magazine Mollie Makes.

Well, that was Saturday gone! I love, love, love this magazine. So many fabulous crafty things, so much inspiration!

There aren't a lot of actual projects as such, but there is enough eye candy to induce a diabetic coma and more ideas and "jumping off points" than you could possibly imagine.

Here's a picture of the contents pages to give you an idea of what it's like. The girls have already put in their orders for a retro style pinny (Naomi, of course), and a bobble trim skirt and one of the too-adorable-for-words crocheted apple cosies (Eloise).  I'm not much with the crochet yet, but it looks pretty straightforward (famous last words).

Exchange and Blogoversary Gift and a Birthday Girl

In the last week both the bookmark that I was worried about from the Needlcraft Haven  Spring Bookmark exchange, and my Blogoversary draw gift have arrived safely with their recipients, so I can now show them on here.

My bookmark exchange partner was Maria (no blog as far as I know), and I stitched this for her, adapted from a L*K design.

My Blogoversary draw winner was Kate. I stitched a strawberry for Kate using a design from Katherine's blog, and made a corsage brooch from a lemon yellow zip, and also included some stash.

In other news my "baby" turned 17 last Friday. When did I get old enough to have a 17 year old?

Well, in point of fact I was getting on for old enough to have a 17 year old when I had said 17 year old, but thats beside the point ;D

Anway here she is. My big girl

Happy Easter, an exchange and a challenge

It is reveal day for the Monthly Challenge. This month we used a set of small Easter designs from Les Chroniques de Frimousse.  I combined two of the designs to make this ornament. The funky stripey ribbon was from a toiletry gift one of the girls got for Christmas! The album of finishes is here.

It is also reveal day for the Spring bookmark exchange on Needlecraft Haven. I recieved this stunning hardanger bookmark from Dusty. I can't show a picture of the one I sent out yet as I've not heard that it has been recieved. I'm getting a bit worried about it to be honest as it should've been there by now.

Anyway Happy Easter to you all!

I must down to the seas again

to the lonely sea and the sky

Cake!

This is the cake Naomi made me for Mother's Day. Diet? What diet?
Of course she also managed to dye my chopping board pink and blue, but you can't have everything.
The girls got me some Lush shower gel (Happy Hippy, do you think they are trying to tell me something?) wrapped in a scarf made from recycled Lush bottles too.
No stitchy updates this week, everything I'm working on is secret for now for one reason or another.
I have managed to crochet six whole squares for my blanket, but I'm not sure thats enough for a progress photo.
DH is in disgrace. He needed a needle or pin to unblock a jet on the boiler when I was at work and "Couldn't find any others"
Not, for example, in the large stuffed pincushion or magnetic hedgehog needle minder on my desk either side of the scissor frog.
No, he took the needle from my W.I.P.
He didn't just unthread it either. He got a pair of scissors from the scissor frog (do we remember where that was?) and snipped the thread off to get the needle!