Fully Finished in December

 

Rachel, Ten Hour Stitcher, has hosted Fully Finished Objects for us throughout 2021. It's a great way for us to show and tell about the crafty items we have completely finished each month.

Huge thanks Rachel, your FFO prompt each month has really helped me finish my projects instead of them still in my project folders.

I have many finishes this month but I can only share one as all the others are for gifts. This time of year it's so hard keeping secrets under wraps, it will be January before many items can be seen.

My FFO is my heart for Topsy Turvy SAL in October. I loved trying something new, it too me a while to decide and find something for the centre but I'm so pleased with how it turned out. It is for me and will add to my Valentines ornaments that I having on my tree each February

I hope you have all had a super FFO year. I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas.

Christmas Tree Festival 2021

They're up, the trees at church are up and church will be open every weekend up to Christmas. It's been a huge relief to everyone involved, especially with last year's festival being cancelled.

There are restrictions visiting; a one way system, some trees further apart, hand sanitiser and masks. The church looks amazing and seems to have an extra calming, comforting feel about it, I can't wait to visit Saturday and see it fully finished. 

If you live near Nuneaton a visit to Ansley Church Christmas Tree Festival 2021 will certainly put you in the festive mood. 

The exciting news is the 'Bouquet of Flowers' is in church and is stunning, thank you everyone. 

If you don't know about this beautiful Bouquet here are the links to my previous posts that will explain the tree's concept and how it progressed to the beautiful tree in church this year.

Could you help me make a bouquet?

Bouquet of Flowers St Laurence's

I was very surprised to have been allocated such a prominent position in church, a lovely touch with the flowers being stitched by so many people. I printed a little background story to the tree and a list of where the flowers were sent from and attached it to the bucket base. The flower ribbon was made by my Mum.

My photo doesn't really show the full list very well so here it is: 

Australia   -   Cambridgeshire   -   Canada   -    Connecticut   -   Cornwall   -    Devon

France   -   Germany   -   India   -    Leicestershire   -    Maryland   -    New York State

Ohio   -   Pennsylvania   -    Spain   -    Suffolk   -    Surrey   -    Virginia   -    Warwickshire

Thank you so much to everyone who stitched and sent a flower, I must say I was overwhelmed by everyone's kindness. I found 2020 an extremely difficult time in so many ways and receiving each flower gave me hope and a feeling of not being alone .... words don't seem enough, thank you from the bottom of my heart. 

Many of the trees were up, there were just a few to be finished. These two caught my eye and the far wall is complete with the giant baubles hung up high. It's quite an amazing sight. 

Christmas is certainly coming, I wish you all joy, peace and time with your loved ones. 

Topsy Turvy November - Spring

This month's TT SAL is all about Spring. I have spent a lovely time looking through all stash and online for my spring design. I did find some lovely freebie designs which I shared in my GG November post and on Facebook in the Topsy Turvy Group.

So what did I choose ... nothing. I had no inspiration at all. I only stitch things with a known outcome ... an exchange, a gift, something for our home, and I just couldn't find the right thing or right purpose.

That was until I found a UFO in my box. In 2010 I did a Round Robin with members of Needlecraft Haven. I cannot find any details about it as the forum we used is no longer available, I might still have the card I sent with my piece so I'll go hunting later.

Anyway, my piece was a tablecloth on the theme of seasons. It's beautiful stitching using Lizzie Kate's design and of course includes spring. So how am I using it in this month's Topsy Turvy, well it isn't finished, sadly it has just sat in my box. 

I have planned out my hardanger edging and made a start. This will be my work for TT SAL this month and December, but I'm not sure how much I will get finished. I hope I keep the enthusiasm and it will be on our table sometime in 2022, as you can see it's been folded up quite a while!

Gifted Gorgeousness in November

 

The 15th of each month means it's Gifted Gorgeousness time. These can be gifts given or received, or any item made using fabric, threads, buttons, ribbon, chart, backing fabric that has been gifted.

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.

I only have one item to share this month as many of my current gifts are for Christmas so it will be January before I can share.

October was Needlecraft Haven's Halloween Exchange, this year we had to stitch a bookmark. My stitching was for Christine and although posted on the 23rd it did not arrive in time for Opening Day on 31st October, in fact it is still with Postie.

I received a super bookmark from Justine, very effective stitching. Justine also included a book, a lovely treat. 

Susan Hill also wrote The Woman in Black and The Man in the Future. The spooks must have been working as it was also on UK tv as a drama on Halloween night although we didn't watch it.

Thank you Justine for my lovely Halloween Exchange. 

Fully Finished in November

 

Rachel, Ten Hour Stitcher, hosts Fully Finished Objects for us to show and tell about the crafty items we have completely finished. Thanks Rachel, your FFO prompt each month really helps me finish my projects instead of them still in my project folders.

I'm late posting this month, I had drafted my post before we went away but didn't have time to actually post it.

My first finish is an ornament for JCS Stitch Along on Facebook. This fun monthly SAl using the Just Cross Stitch Ornament Magazine is hosted by Jo, I'm always behind and not sure I have done all the months, this was for June.

My other two finishes are for my 12 Days of Christmas, again a group on Facebook hosted by Jo but also with the ladies at Needlecraft Haven. I can't believe we have just two months to go although I haven't even started the eleventh days yet. 

My two series are by Plum Street Samplers and Jardin Prive.

As we start November

 

It's November, blimey how did that happen. I cannot believe we have just 2 months left of 2021, what a strange year. 

My WIPocalypse plans have not always been on plan each month but it has been a good way to keep an eye on what I'm doing, and when. Here's my October plans and how I did:

• Valentine's design for TT SAL - stitched but not finished 
• 12 Days of Christmas - Ten Lords a Leaping (PSS and JP designs) - both finished 
• JCS ornament SAL - My Big Toe Designs - Merry Christmas - finished
• JCS ornament SAL  - Lisa LeAnn Designs - O Christmas Tree - not started
• JCS ornament SAL - The Little Stitcher - St. Lucy's Light - not started
• Summer and Autumn Challenge with Needlecraft Haven - not started
• Halloween Exchange with Needlecraft Haven - completed

My November plans are: 

• 12 Days of Christmas - Eleven Pipers Piping (PSS and JP designs)
• A set of Christmas gifts
• Making up a special Christmas gift
• Christmas Ornament Exchange with Needlecraft Haven
• Spring design for TT SAL 

And speaking of Topsy Turvy SAL the next theme runs over two months so a chance to do a bigger piece or just enjoy more time to finish. The TT SAL theme for November and December is Spring. 

You can join Topsy Turvy SAL on Facebook, with Needlecraft Haven or by blogging on your own blog. I'm not sure what I'm making for 'spring's but here are a few freebie designs I found:

Jardin Prive - Spring Tree

Kitty & Me - Is it spring yet?

Sarah White - Say hello to spring

The Fat Quarter Shop - Spring 

You'll also find lots of free designs on DMC web page and at Lovecrafts. There are so so many super designs it's going to be a hard choice. I have already stitched the tree from Jardin Prive, it's a lovely design. I did all four trees and change them in the frame for each season. 

Happy stitching, whether you are busy with festive designs or joining in with TTSAL, it's always so lovely to see everyone's projects and finishes. 

Halloween Trick or Treat Blog Hop 2021

 🎃🦇👻🕸 Happy Halloween 🕸👻🦇🎃

It's that time of year when we celebrate anything spooky, All Hallow's Eve is a celebration of the dead the day before All Saint's Day when we celebrate all who did good. Nowadays it's a chance to dress up and decorate our homes with ghosts, spiders, ghouls and most importantly pumpkins. 

I don't carve a pumpkin now our children are grown up but I do decorate the lounge with my Halloween ornaments, although some are more harvest/autumn than Halloween. 

Halloween also means it's Blog Hop time thanks to the lovely Jo at Serendipitous Stitching. You need to collect a letter from each blog to reveal a Mystery Phrase. Pop over to Jo's blog to see the list of bloggers who have a spooky letter ....

..... my letter is 

Jo asked us all to include a photo of something we have stitched for Halloween. My stitching isn't actually mine, it's a cushion stitched by our daughter Philippa in 2006 when she was 12, hard to believe that was 15 years ago! 

Keep my letter safe and follow the Halloween Trick or Treat Blog Hop 2021 by visiting 

http://astridxstitching.blogspot.com

Have a super Halloween be that enjoying a film, dressing up, pumpkin carving or just eating treats (no-one likes a trick), have fun being spooky 👻🕸🦇