Another month, another challenge!

This month the challenge piece we chose at Needlecraft Haven was this one from Lynn at Happiness is Cross Stitching. The album is here. Only a couple of finishes so far this month, I think everyone has been too busy with holidays and summer activities.

I finished mine as an little ornament (I know, how boring am I?) to hang in my kitchen, and I couldn't resist turning my teapot and cup into blue and white Cornish Ware. Its backed with a blue and white striped fabric (natch), and I made a little hanger from some artfully rusted (ie acidentally left in the garden) wire and blue and white beads.

On the crafty front, I've been playing with my Cuttlebug and I've made some little vintage-inspired heart ornaments.

I'll leave you with a picture of Bill the foster-cat. Here we see him failing to grasp the concept of the cat flap...

Flowers and more flowers

The 2nd issue of the fabulous Mollie Makes magazine popped through my letterbox last week. I couldn't wait, and made up the cover kit, a gorgeous turquoise felt corsage, immediately.

It was so much fun that I rifled through my felt stash and made another in neutral colours, which I stitched  to a second hand straw handag I got from Ebay, together with a Paris themed patch of Japanese linen fabric. I added some vintage lace and buttons and an Eiffel tower charm too. My felt was a bit softer than the felt supplied in the kit, I think it gives this one a more sculptural quality. I'm quite pleased with how it came out, I'm thinking of making some more and selling them at the craft fairs.

The other flowers in this post are the real kind. June is the best month of the year in my garden.
How would you like to share a little early morning stroll "around the grounds" ?

This is Albertine, my favourite rambling rose doing exactly what it says on the tin, and ramblig all over the pergola.

The bell flowers have gone berserk and taken over the seaside garden.

The alpine strawberries are delicious. They never seem to actually make it to the table though ~ in fact I don't think the rest of the family even know there are strawberries there ;D

The tadpoles have turned into froglets and are sunning themselves by the pond. You have to be careful where you walk.

This is Dr Ruppel. He 's rather a handsome chap don't you think?

My Apothecary's Rose. I wish I could upload the scent for you, it's gorgeous.

I even get a better class of weeds in June!

Hope you enjoyed your virtual tour!

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!