Some stitching...

I am almost finished with Souvenir de France, the freebie from Blackbird Designs. I was very eager to start this, and the only neutral coloured fabric I could find was not big enough, so I decided to stitch it over one to MAKE it fit!

I quite like how it is turning out, and the over one hasn't been at all tedious. I am using leftover Bali Hai thread from my Quaker Friendship RR, and I am stitching it on Apple Blossom fabric from Countrystitch.

Pictured is a little plastic Eiffel Tower I brought back my Grandmother from my trip to Paris in 1999. She passed away unexpectedly while I was living in Northern Ireland in 2001, and somehow when I returned to NZ the Eiffel Tower ended up back with me. I think it's nice she kept a frivolous piece of plastic from her Grandaughter! :-) I will probably attach it to the finished piece for safekeeping.



Some more stash arrived today - Mrs Darcy from The Sampler Girl. It is a pattern and piecework kit (you get the pattern and the backing fabric). I can't wait to get started on this.



Thank you to everyone who left me advice on beading for Sparkling Shamrocks. I will let you know how I get on once I start the beading.

Hope your week is off to a great start.

Things I love...

New stash (it arrived today)...



and my niece Phoebe (we bought her a cute hat with ears!)



It has been horribly cold here over the last few days, and there is another icy blast on the way. I didn't even realise the first one had finished. LOL.

I have been working on my Sparkling Shamrocks piece, but there is not a great deal of progress as I haven't been stitching much lately. I will show a progress pic another time.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Eeek! Winter is here

Yesterday was lovely and warm, and today is the opposite with sleet, rain and very cool temperatures. DH and I were going to start the Couch to 5K running programme today, but now we both feel like hibernating!

Anyway, here's Forest Snowfall by CCN all finished up. (It's gloomy here today, so not a great photo).



I have also made a start on Sparkling Shamrocks which I am stitching as a memorial piece for someone I knew in Northern Ireland, who died in very sad circumstances last year.



I was a bit hesitant about this piece, as it uses lots of specialty stitches and beads etc. But I decided to just take the bull by the horns and go for it! So far, so good. I really have to stop being such a sissy about trying something new when it comes to stitching and finishing (one day I might share a photo of my bag of 'unfinished finishes'... maybe it will shame me into action!).

I haven't really done much beading, so I would be interested to hear your opinion on keeping my fabric wrinkle free. I intend to finish the stitching, iron it and then attach the beads. I am not sure at this stage how to keep the fabric wrinkle free after that. It's quite a small piece, so my little 6x6 Q-snaps will be no good once the beads start to go on. Your advice would be appreciated - thanks!

Forest Snowfall

I don't seem to have much to say on my blog at the moment. Bloggers block?

I do have a pic to share though. I am nearly there with Forest Snowfall. I love how this one is turning out.



Petal has taught herself to use the cat door, which has it's good points and bad points. Good being she is independant, and bad meaning she keeps bringing us home presents of this variety. (Warning: Don't look if you are squeamish and don't like big, ugly, prehistoric looking bugs!).

My thoughts are with Nicki this weekend, as she has just lost her beloved cat Polo.