Gifted Gorgeousness - April

It's Gifted Gorgeousness time - on the 15th of each month we share our latest gifts. Any gift given or received and any item made using fabric, threads, buttons, ribbon, chart, backing fabric that has been gifted is also allowed in our GG posts. 

This great idea is hosted each month by the lovely Jo at Serendipitous Stitching,  if you visit her blog you'll find the links to everyone's Gifted Gorgeousness posts. 

Thank you so much for all the offers to stitch a flower for my church tree. When I put up my 'Could you help me make a bouquet' post I did not expect such a response. Although initially because of my diagnosis of breast cancer, with all of our lives becoming very different due to this awful virus I think the bouquet of flowers will be very special for us all.

Thank you Julie for this beautiful poppy, the first flower to arrive. It's lovely and perfect for the tree, thank you for your kindness.

Julie's poppy

Thank you Gill for your two flowers, a real surprise when I opened your envelope. A different poppy and a super sunflower, I think just the flower heads are so striking, thank you for your kindness.

Gill's poppy

Gill's sunflower

As well as sending two flowers Gill also sent a cute handmade card and  a stunning bookmark. It's such an intricate design, I love the way it develops as the stitching progresses up the bookmark. I am reading a little more than usual, I only tend to read on holiday, so I'll be making good use of my beautiful surprise gift.

Gill's card and gorgeous bookmark

My next gift is not stitching but I have to share. Last May I didn't have any stitching for my Gifted Gorgeousness May post but I had been baking as Hubby and I did a surprise 80th birthday for my Mum. Long story ... but ... we were taking Mum and Keith out for a meal in March as a joint Mother's Day/his birthday gift. However we couldn't go because of the virus restrictions and neither could we go shopping for gifts. I had no idea what to do when I suddenly had the thought of a jigsaw!

They both enjoy jigsaws but I wanted to make it a personal gift so I looked back at the photos from the Afternoon Tea and found one of both of them. I used an online service to have it made into a jigsaw for them ... they loved it. When I spoke to Mum yesterday she said they used the ribbon in the middle (it had a balloon floating from it higher than the photo) as a centre line, she did Keith's photo and he did her photo. They will do it again sometime in the future and do themselves so still a new puzzle. Although an alternative it turned out to be a great gift!

Mum and Keith's jigsaw

Mum has just sent me a photo of it finished.

Jigsaw completed 

My final piece for GG this month is stitching, it's my Easter ornament for Needlecraft Haven's Easter Exchange (you may have seen it in my previous post for Easter). This year we went hi-tech and had a virtual exchange as it is difficult for us to get to a Post Office just now. We all stitched our ornament and on Easter Sunday we posted a photo on the forum but did not say who our ornament is for.

Later this year when restrictions are lifted we'll be making up our exchange parcels and sending to our partners. It will be such a surprise to see which of the beautiful ornaments we received, they are all so lovely.

I chose a Jardin Prive design for my ornament, as soon as I saw it I knew it was just what I was looking for. I found some lovely lace edging in my stash and although it took ages to stitch onto the ornament I love the effect it gives.

Easter bunnies

Lace edging

I usually have a few gifts on the go, little things for friend's birthdays but this year with not going out (we have been completely at home for over four weeks now) I have not made so many. It doesn't seem to be a year for special birthdays either but I do have a wedding anniversary piece to do and our good friends will be grandparents in a few months (I don't start baby stitching until the little one is here).

I do hope everyone is doing ok and having whatever support they need through these unusual and challenging times .... stay well, stay safe x x