Bookmark, Miss-tree and PIF

I have finished my advanced bookmark. It has more cutting with double overcast bars. The filling stitch is Spider's Web stitch and the edging is shaped. I have used the same fabric, threads and backing felt as the other two; I am going to do them again using coloured perle to show a different effect.

I have also completed another ornament for Miss-tree. I love red shoes and have just finished reading The Lollipop Shoes by Joanne Harris so I thought this chart was perfect.

Chart: The World of Cross Stitching issue 77 November 2003.

Fabric: 14ct aida. Thread: DMC various stranded floss.

Backing Fabric: red felt. Cording: DMC 666.

I had a lovely surprise today. The postie tried to deliver a parcel on Wednesday and today was the first chance I had to go to the sorting office to get it. I had no idea what it was as I wasn't expecting anything and am not in any exchanges. It was a beautiful PIF gift from Elisa. A gorgeous cushion with two floss rings, some scented soap, a strawberry eraser and a cute keyring (oh and some choccie which DD enjoyed). Thank you so much Elisa it's beautiful, you are very kind and thoughtful.

We are going to pop up to the caravan tomorrow to check everything is ok with all the cold weather. We did drain it down and switch off the water but it has been so cold and there is more forecast this week we will feel reassured once we've checked. We do miss it over the winter.

Have a good weekend, wrap up warm.

Miss-tree

I know Christmas is a long way off but I have made a start for this year's tree at church. I am still doing a cross stitch tree with this year's theme being everything and anything to do with being a "girl". The title of the tree will be "Miss-tree" (you need to say it out loud to get the pun).

I have just finished my first ornament - which will also be my ornament for the JA Christmas Ornie SAL. This is my first box finish and I think it has turned out ok.

Last night was JA UFO night and I managed to do the next flower on my Perennial Garden. This one is iris which was my grandmother's favourite flower and her middle name.


I had a bit of a strange day at work today. This afternoon I went back to college to a meeting with the bosses I used to work for. Not to see about going back there to work but for school and some new qualifications. It felt a little weird to be back in the old rooms and on a different level this time with the people around the table. I know one thing - I don't miss my old job or working at college, but it will be nice to work with them on this project.

Happy stitching everyone.

UFO Night and Decoupage Cards

I joined the JA weekly UFO night this week. I need to get my mum's anniversary gift finished by the summer and this seems an ideal way to keep going so it does not get left behind and becomes a mad rush to finish. I managed to do the hydrangea this week.

The Perennial Border by The Drawn Thread,

fabric = 28ct evenweave

threads = various DMC standed cotton,

Weeks Dye Works Overdyed Floss

Needle Necessities Overdyed Floss

I have also been making some cards. They are not for anyone in particular, althoughone is a Mother's Day card; I was just playing around with some ideas. I am really pleased with the finished effect. It takes about one evening to make all four flowers and then another to assemble the cards so not too long for such an intricate effect.

I had a horrendous migraine last night, loss of vision, all sorts of weird feelings but thankfully it has passed over today. I am quite pleased with my headaches at the moment though as this is the first one I've had since mid-December which is very very good for me. I had a Hopi Candle treatment in December so I'm wondering if that has helped. I'm having another one next month so I will see if they get fewer after that too.

I hope everyone is having a good weekend, happy stitching, thanks for reading my news.

Meet Up at Nuneaton

For the last few years I have organised "Meet Ups" here in Nuneaton for fellow stitchers. These have been very successful - there were over 40 people at one event but usually the number is between 15 and 20. This will be the 6th Nuneaton Meet Up.

I have organised another one for this spring with stitchers from Jayne's Attic and Exchanges and Stitchalong Fun coming, but the event is open to anyone. I have put the details below if anyone is interested.

Some people are also staying over for the weekend (Friday and Saturday or just Saturday), there are three main hotel chains nearby, Travelodge, Premier Inn and Day's Inn. Nuneaton has very good train links and I can easily give anyone a lift from the station to the school. After the stitching day we go to a local pub for a meal which makes a lovely end to a great day.


Details:

SATURDAY 14th MARCH 10am - 4pm (plus meal time)

George Eliot Community School, Raveloe Drive, Nuneaton, CV11 4PQ

Tickets cost £3.50 - this covers hiring room, unlimited tea/coffee/squash etc on the day and a raffle ticket. Cost is per stitcher - so if DH, DD, DS or anyone else is coming then all they need to pay is £1 towards drinks. Please note - they will not receive a raffle ticket unless they pay the full price.

Please send cash, cheque (payable to C Hearnden) or postal order to me - if you don't have my address please email me.

I can post the ticket back to you or I can email the ticket for you to print. I will be keeping the raffle ticket to give out on the day.

Details I need:

Full name
Blog Name
Address
Email address
Contact Phone Number (preferably mobile)
How you want to recieve your ticket (email or post)

On the day we have a goodie bag exchange, swop/sell tables and finished work displays (I love these). I will send details nearer the time for those who are coming.

Happy stitching and I hope to see you soon.

Questions and Answers

Jan has chosen to interview me on the promise that I interview 5 others - the instructions are at the end of the post.

Here are Jan's questions along with my answers.

1.Of all the different crafts that you do , if you had the funds which would be the one that you would prefer to do above others and why ? I prefer to do cross stitch, it is versitle and can be made in to many beautiful items.

2. If you could choose to live anywhere in the world where would you live and why? The South of France - I am convinced I was French in a previous life and feel so at home there, the food, the culture and the language realy do feel quite natural to me.

3 . Who would you have as a dinner guest - dead or alive and why? Oh good question - probably my grandad and DH's grandad who both passed on quite a few years ago. Although they have not met since DH and I got together (his grandad died quite young) we think they may have been at the same school and served in the Home Guard together so it would be nice to see if they really did know each other - and their reaction to their grandchildren getting married.

4. What do you value most in a friend ? Happiness - life is too short to be sad

5.How did you meet your husband ? I was in my Scout Leaders Uniform in the pub (on my own) selling raffle tickets. I had done all the bar - including the football team - and was doing the lounge. When I asked DH's table if they would like to buy tickets he said yes and replied he would like to buy me a drink when I'd finished. We've been together ever since, married 20 years this year. He always says although he did not win raffle he got first prize.

I've really enjoyed this so if you would like to join the fun and be interviewed by me then here is what to do.

Instructions:

1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. (I get to pick the questions and I will of course need your email).
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Thanks for reading my answers - I'm off to think up some questions.

Exciting news and another bookmark

I have just finished my second bookmark - this has slightly more hardanger work than the first one. There are internal and external buttonhole corners, wrapped bars, dove's eyes and double cross stitch. The fabric and thread are the same as before:

Fabric - 22ct hardanger in white
Thread - DMC perle 5# in white & DMC 3348 stranded cotton
Backing - Forest Green felt

My big news is I have been asked to teach hardanger on a workshop. There is a stitching shop in Wales where we have our caravan and the owner organises Saturday courses. They have many tutors on the tutor team: last year Linda Paris demonstrated patchwork, Joy Clayton did Indian quilting, Dawn Holden joined the team to demonstrate silk scarves, and Rose demonstrated her gorgeous beading work, which is more and more intricate every year.

I have been asked to join the team to tutor on hardanger, I have demonstrated before but this will be my first paid teaching for stitching. I am so excited and feel very honoured to have been asked. I have decided to teach one of my own designs, hence the two bookmarks, although I might do some tweeking to them. I am not sure what level of hardanger she is wanting so I have designed a beginner and intermediate level bookmark. I may also do an advanced version just in case.

My final piece of news is about the church Christmas tree. The tree for Christmas 2009 will be called "Miss-tree" (say it out loud to get the pun) and I am hoping to fill the tree with small ornaments of shoes, lipsticks, handbags and any other girlie item. I am going to look through my magazines as I am sure I have many charts I can use. I am going to stitch a couple of ornaments each month, if anyone would like to stitch one too please email me clare@hearnden98.freeserve.co.uk for details.

Happy stitching everyone - good luck with your 2009 projects

Hardanger Bookmark

This is my first finish of 2009, I'm really pleased with how it's turned out. It is one of my designs.

Fabric - 22ct hardanger in white

Thread - DMC perle 5# in white & DMC 3348 stranded cotton

Backing - Forest Green felt

The local newspaper has done a two page spread on the Christmas Tree Festival at church. The stitched ornament tree was a main photo feature, I've scanned the paper photo in for you to see the wording.

Back to school and work tomorrow - for everyone else returning "have a good day".