IS IT TOO EARLY?

Can I mention the word 'Snowman' before December?

Our forecast snow last week never arrived, just more rain, so no building snowmen just yet ~ only with stitches!

When I look back at my labels in my sidebar I'm horrified to see I showed this trio back in 2010 and even then I had first started them 2 years previous, all I had left to do was the white crosses for the falling snow ~ I'm surprised they hadn't melted!

What can you do with a small circular stitch other turn it into a card?

I wasn't too keen on doing that so with the help of a small jar of Colman's Mustard I cut some circles into felt, added some stitched snowflakes and then warmed them up with a surrounding blanket stitch, it is still a pillow, although only lightly stuffed, but I'm happy with it :)

I don't feel quite as guilty with the next quartet as the first one of them was stitched and shown in a post back in January . . .

These snowmen are from an ornament kit called Cocoa Snowmen and are stitched on plastic canvas and should be a set of 6!  I say 'should' but oh dear I struggled with these ~ the more I went on the more my fingers got sorer and sorer from pushing the needle through the thickness of the plastic and I literally had tears in my eyes finishing the last one so decided 4 was enough.  I tried and tried to add french knots for the smiles on their faces but how do you do a french knot through 14ct plastic canvas?

  Thank goodness for Mill Hill beads!

I haven't decided quite what to do with them, my fingers haven't forgiven me yet, but maybe next post will be a Happy Dance for them.

One things it is never too early for . . .

and that's watching the sun rise over the sea.

We had a lovely weekend away in Bournemouth, very emotional after not seeing my DD for 3 months but lovely to all be a family again and spend time together.  This was the view from the balcony of our hotel room and although the weather was really really chilly it was so beautiful and peaceful ~ I really didn't want to come home!

But of course I had to and when there's a package waiting at the door addressed to Jane, Tilly and Oscar,  it's time to cheer up because I know there's going to be something very nice inside . . .

Dear Barb, one of my bestest, bestest blogging friends had sent me a belated birthday present, I tell her she's a naughty Barb but how can you tell someone off when they send the very thing you go weak at the knees at?

Cute overload ~ a gorgeous little bunny in summer dungarees and a reel of bunny ribbon ~ big smiles this end!  I love them and both are making their way to my 'Barb Shelf' as we speak, Oh you should see the goodies it now has on it and they all mean so much ~ thank you again Barb xxx

(I've sent you an email, hope you got it your end!)

Well that's me done for now.  I've read on several friends posts that they have completed their Christmas shopping and are set to go ~ I seriously need to get my butt into action ~ I've done nothing and Santa is patiently waiting for the required list!

Thanks for stopping by

HAPPY STITCHING

xxx

ANOTHER HAPPY DANCE FOR THE PILE . . .

I have a funny feeling at the moment that maybe I am invisible or my previous post showing my attempt at something different than cross stitch didn't go down too well?  To the few of you that did pop by and leave your kind words then many thanks ~ they mean a great deal to me and they give me encouragement to continue xxx

Not much going on in my little part of the world this past week, another birthday came and went and DH took me out for a nice lunch and a visit to a couple of lovely craft shops but the weather was dreadful, it was raining when I woke up and still doing the same when I went to bed, so much so even Mr. Postie didn't visit!

My DD couldn't get home from Uni for a visit but with her work load time is precious to her and I'm looking forward to this coming weekend when DH, DSs and I go and visit for a long weekend ~ I haven't seen her since 1st September and there are times when I find it so hard :( 

As you know I had my long awaited new sewing machine for my birthday gift but my boys wrapped up so extra goodies too . . .

Guess How Much I Love You 2014 Calendar, Woolly Gloves and a Calico Bunny which can be decorated however you like ~ fabric pens, buttons, ribbons, patches or clothes
~ Oh! I'm going to have fun with that :)

Oh, and one other birthday present ~ a lung infection and a rapid course of steroids for 1 week (that was a nice present from the Doctor wasn't it? he didn't even put a card with it!!!)

Our Weather forecast is predicting snow for much of the UK on Wednesday and tonight begins the start of plummeting temperatures so before the pictures of fluffy white stuff start, I thought I'd show this Happy Dance which I completed back in August . . .

Shepherds Bush ~ Baby Bug Ball

Beads and embellishments

Baby Bug #1 ~ a butterfly maybe?

Baby Bug #2 ~ Has to be a bee?

Baby Bug #3 ~ Not sure, perhaps another butterfly? But my favourite, how about you?

Oh dear, that's a 5th Happy Dance for the Shepherds Bush collection and as yet none of them framed!

(and ssssshhhh, there's another kit waiting in the Stash Box too!)

I thought I might just add one more picture . . .

I so love this one, and now DD is in her 2nd year at Uni and the boys are busy at College, get-togethers are few and far between ~ love them to bits xxx

Thanks for stopping by
HAPPY STITCHING
xxx

ANGEL BEARS AND FAIRIES . . .

Good afternoon blogging friends from a miserable and very wet England, Winter is most certainly on its way!

Thank you so much everyone for all your messages of 'Welcome Back' after my absence, I truly appreciate them and feel very happy to be back in our wonderful community again xxx

I've something freshly finished to show you . . .

This is my Angel Bear made from a Dandelion Designs pattern and finished literally 10 minutes ago before the quickly fading daylight disappears!

I've made him from soft cream fleece and felt with cotton fabric and wadding for his wings (not sure why I'm calling him a 'him', it just sounds right!) and I've used wooden buttons to attach his arms and legs.  I struggled with his muzzle and this is my 2nd attempt ~ the designer of these patterns insists that all  bears should have upturned lines for their mouths so they look happy but honestly mine looked like it had had one or two drinks and maybe popped a pill or two, it looked that wacky so, sorry, but although mine is a more subdued bear, he does look sane!

He's hanging from the kitchen cabinet door so you can see the fabric I used for his wings, it has little stars on it and they show up lovely with the light behind them.

I'm reckoning if he's an Angel Bear then he's full of love so I've added a felt heart just to remind him!

My other Angel Bears are stitched on plastic canvas and I think they were stitched about 5 years ago from a kit.  They make their annual appearance at Christmas and they've been attached to a wicker ring which usually hangs in the hallway with its festive 'Greetings' message.

Not much cross stitching to show at the moment, I'm so in love with my new sewing machine that that's what I'm doing in every spare minute I can find!  To now have a machine that quietly and happily stitches long with no weird groaning, no messy birds nests at the back of the fabric and one that doesn't pass out at the sight of fleece and wadding is absolute bliss :)

Our apple trees are now virtually bare in the garden and we had a wonderful healthy crop this year.  DS was clearing up some fallen ones last week and putting them on the compost heap and came across this . . .

WOW, this toadstool is some size and I'm convinced there must be a whole family of fairies living under it or with this dreadful wet weather there's probably some wildlife using it as a handy umbrella.

Thanks for stopping by

HAPPY STITCHING

xxx