THE COUNTRY FEEL . . .

Happy Sunday afternoon everyone ~ hope your weekend is going well?

I can now show you what I was 'itching to finish' in my last post.

Lurking back in the depths of my craft cupboard was my first unfinished attempt at a patchwork wall hanging and this is the sorry state it had been left in . . .

I'm embarrassed to say I bought this to do back in 2005 and progressed with it really well so why it got hidden away I'm not sure?  I just had to finish making the binding strips for the edging, hand-sew them on and then add buttons to each heart SO two afternoons of stitching last week gave me my first patchwork Happy Dance!
(Am I allowed to add it to my Happy Dance list even though it's not Christmas or cross-stitch? ~ I think Yes, as it is a finish and was from my stash ~ oh please!!!)


DH is, at this very moment, staining some wooden dowelling for me so that I can add some tabs to the top and have it on display next to the fireplace ~ I love the country feel it gives!

'Country Heart' Wall Hanging made with homespun fabrics and finished with buttons

As I was in the mood for 'finishing' I let the sewing machine out for its monthly outing and got 'Such Delight' sewn up and finished . . .

Keeping with the country feel, I added gingham fabric, ric rac and added a cream star button ~ I'm pleased with this one and think it might have to stay out on display for the foreseeable future!

So full steam ahead ~ what's the next choice from the stash list?

'Snowy Morn' kit by Shepherds Bush

My stitching needle was smoking on this until last night!  The design is stitched 1 over 2 on 32-count~ fine except the star in the top left hand corner is stitched over ONE and boy did that cause chaos to my eyes with the added visit of the odd frog or two!

Midnight saw me complete that first star BUT there's one more to do in each corner yet so I'm thinking that my 'smoking needle' will be more like a wet firework tonight!

There's some other interesting stitches to this design too but I'm not brave enough to think ahead to those at the moment ~ one step, hurdle, mountain at a time!

Thanks for stopping by

HAPPY STITCHING

xxx

GIVEAWAY WINNER . . .

Before the big announcement I want to say a very big thank you to everyone who entered my giveaway and left such lovely sweet comments and also a big Hellooooooo to my new followers ~ I'm thrilled to have you join me xxx

OK, Tilly and Oscar time to to pick a winner . . .

amazing what effect a small piece of carrot hidden at the bottom has!

10

Sarah from http://kiwigetscrafty.blogspot.com/

Congratulations Sarah, I'm so happy the bunnies picked your name ~ as a newly wed I'm sure these pink goodies with lots of hearts will be very appropriate.

Let me know your address details and I'll get the package out to you as soon as I can.

It's a short post today, I'm itching to get something finished so I can come back and show you over the weekend???

Thanks for stopping by

HAPPY STITCHING

xxx

A GIVEAWAY OF LOVE . . .

OK, so although Christmas is here to stay on my blog for the whole of 2012, I think I'm still allowed to celebrate next month's day of romance and nearly 2 years of blogging?
 so my giveaway is one of love ........ of cross stitching!

This very pink package will include:

Bent Creek chart with snaps ~ February Glows

Fat Quarter of fabric ~ Sew in Love
14" square of 28-ct Permin Linen ~ Cherub Pink

1 skein Weeks Dye Works ~ Love

5 pink & white DMC threads

Pink Rocailles seed beads

Ric Rac

Reel of organdy ribbon

Heart ribbon
East of India 'With Love' ribbon

Bobble trim

'Bits & Bobs' Tin with 3 cross-stitch needles
6 silver 'made with love' charms

and

'Sewing Notions' by Simone de Jong stitched on 28ct linen with Antique Rose Simply Shaker sampler thread and finished into a pin pillow.  The chart allowed space for initials to be added but I've stitched the word 'sew' instead and added a scissor charm, heart button and, of course, pins!

If you would like to enter my Giveaway all you have to do is be/become a stalker follower and leave a comment on this post only.
The other loves of my life ~ Tilly & Oscar ~ will eat pick a name on Friday 27th January!

GOOD LUCK

Thanks for stopping by

HAPPY STITCHING

xxx

FRIDAY THE 13TH ...

Friday the 13th ~ good or bad?

** GOOD **

 Mr. Postie rang the doorbell just before lunchtime and delivered some packages ~ a chart and some threads from the SewandSo sale, a couple of craft books from Amazon which were not due to arrive until middle of next week YIPEE!, 3 gorgeous charts I just couldn't resist buying from Sally but ... hold on ... another package? ... an unexpected one!

Ummmm?  Fragile? Glass?

Ahhh! I recognise that name on the back ..... Barb  ~ I know this is going to be ** GOOD **

Just look at this . . .

a handcrafted glass and lead bunny

 Barb said she had asked her better half to make me a lop-ear bunny to remind me of Buttons and this he successfully did just before Christmas but then ..... wait for it ...... he dropped it ~ ahhhhhh :(  so this is his second bunny and isn't it just gorgeous?  I have it hanging from my study window where the sun shines most of the day and the colour and light reflection is just beautiful.
I've given Barb strict instructions to spoil her DH rotten on my behalf so I'm hoping that as you read this he is sitting comfy and warm in his favourite chair in his favourite slippers with relentless cups of tea and coffee regularly coming his way!!!

Barb also included this cute chart by The Victoria Sampler of a bunny with a bunch of mistletoe carrots above his head, it did make me giggle, I've never seen it before and I love it!

Thank you to both of you for making Friday 13th a very ** GOOD ** and lucky day for me ~ your kindness means everything to me and your gifts will be treasured always xxx

Now, talking of Bunnies!  Remember a couple of posts ago my photo of Tilly and Oscar's new wicker house?  At that time they had already started their refurbishing project

BUT

this is really taking it a bit too far!!!

By the end of this week I reckon I will have 2 homeless bundles of furry fun!

And finally .... shoes on, I have my first Happy Dance of 2012 to celebrate with you . . .

'Such Delight' by Homespun Elegance stitched on 30-ct 'Irish Creme' R&R Linen with Gentle Art and Weeks threads

I'm so pleased to have at least one completion under my belt and I can transfer this design from the 'Stash to Stitch' list to the '2012 Happy Dance' list but as I transfer one, this week has seen another 5 added on ~ OUCH!
I'm stitching a little 'can't reveal yet' design this weekend and then it's back to the Winter/Christmas list ~ trouble is there are so many on the list, I can't decide which to do next!

Thanks for stopping by

HAPPY STITCHING

xxx

STASH, STASH AND MORE STASH .. .

OK, so as promised in my last post, here's my recent additions to the ever-growing  draw, cupboard, room, garage, extra house, alright, several cupboards of stash . . .

28, 30 and 32 count assorted linens all suitable for ornaments and small pillows

'Glad Tidings' kit by Shepherds Bush

'Salem Sisters' by Plum Street Samplers with threads

'Christmas Trees II', 'Chickadee', '2004 Santa', 'Is It Too Late?' and 'Be Kind' charts

DMC, Gloriana & Crescent Colour threads, mouse felt kit & finishing touches

something to store those 'finishing touches' in!

in the stash box at last ~ so wanted these when they were first published

couldn't resist this scrapbooking punch especially as my blog comments are called 'bunny hops'

I'm holding my hands up, YES! I am totally 100% guilty of self-indulgence and excessive over-spending BUT DH did say I could, maybe in moderation, but he DID say I could!

And to sort of make up for my guilty sins I do hereby pledge to only stitch from my stash and all those stitches will be Winter or Christmas themed  (apart from the Salem Sisters chart, just cannot resist that one!) . . .

I have listed the charts/kits in my sidebar and as you can see from the pic below there is more than enough to keep me going for the whole year which is my excuse for keeping the Christmas countdown logo as my reminder!  I have a feeling that logo might become rather annoying around Spring/Summer/Autumn time but I bet it counts down real real quick!

Oh, nearly forgot ~ this is my current WIP ~ 'Such Delight' by Homespun Elegance . . .

I took this out to Florida with me, already kitted up and did get to start it too, this Santa's quite a cutie don't you think?

Thank you for your sweet comments on Tilly and Oscar's housebuilding, I've told them my stitching plans for 2012 and they seemed a little worried ~ would that mean those wretched reindeer would keep arriving on the roof and pinching their carrots ~ Oscar's already keeping watch on 'their' shelf in the fridge!

Thanks for stopping by

HAPPY STITCHING

xxx

CHRISTMAS KINDNESS

Well, finally normality returns to our house and DH and gang are all back to work, college and school so albeit a little belated ~ HAPPY NEW YEAR!

My own start to 2012 has so far been 2 weeks laundry from Florida, re-stocking the larder, fridges and freezer and a visit to the Doctor yesterday with a toe infection ~ mmmmmmmmmmmmm! good job when I came back there were 3 little parcels waiting to cheer me up . . .

Shell from 'The Raspberry Rabbits' sent me this gorgeous bunny ornament ~isn't it cute?

I've decided this is not one for packing away so it' not seen until the following Christmas so it's hanging from my daylight lamp so I can see it all year round and think of Shell's adorable bunnies ~ Lady Hannah and Sir Walter Harrington ~ who very kindly included a pack of dried banana chips for my duo ~ thank you!

Annette from 'Annette's Pieces' handcrafted 30 of these lovely little heart felt ornaments and I was one of the lucky ones to receive one ~ the perfect colours for me, cream with red stars, it matches my kitchen decor so guess what? this one's staying out all year round too!

and finally Cath from 'The Stitchin' Chicken' sent me this sweet little trio ~ a hand-knitted stocking, a beaded scissor fob and, as always in my house, a much needed pair of crafting scissors!

Thank you to all three of you for your kindness and for thinking of me ~ I love all my gifts and they are all very special to me xxx

I'm having a sort out later today of the already over-flowing stash cupboard, there's literally NO room for my Florida additions so I'll post again shortly with an update on what I'm currently stitching and what's on the agenda for 2012.

Tilly and Oscar survived their Christmas Holiday too and are settled back home happy and content.

Last Christmas when we just had Tilly, we bought her a wicker house which she made a good start on demolising renovating straight away.  The addition of Oscar later in the year sped things up even quicker so this Christmas saw a new property arrive and as you can see work is already in progress.  Tilly is working on a window in the roof and Oscar is thinking a little more light downstairs would be helpful too ~ now can you 2 bunnies work on DH and tell him an addition of my OWN stitching room would be most appreciated!

OOOpps, just noticed I still have the Christmas countdown at the top of my Blog page ~ bah! humbug, I'm keeping it there so none of you forget it will be here again in 355 days, 10 hours ........

Thanks for stopping by

HAPPY STITCHING

xxx