Wallet wants to have a whinge

Wallet has gone off in a pout after having a real whinge. I tell you the lack of cooperation today was far from acceptable. In the Saturday To Do List Wallet only featured once. I ask you how much energy does it take to open your mouth once or twice in a day? Zilch, micro nano kilojoules, zero, a great big nought!!!

But I am getting ahead of myself. Today again, yes for the third time this month I went to the LNS. I know I know... but when your sister asks for a small Santa locket charm - stitched mind you - no kitset and DIY for Sis :-) what can you do but go to the LNS. I was skipping joyfully all week at the thought but it seems that Wallet was preparing for the monster pout. But size really does matter and when Wallet and I faced up for our stoush I WON!!!! And back home I came with Little Sisters Santa Kit ( and Sis, I know you're reading this - I'm starting to stitch tonight), a couple of lengths of fabric, some threads and a Clover Needle Threader for the half blind half deaf elderly Mother.

And Sis since you feature so prominently in this post here's a photo of what your Santa locket charm will look like.

All the way from Barbados

Today I received an exchange from the beCause its PINK exchange on HOE -all the way from Barbados. Sandra had stitched a cute little pink pendibule and has put pink beads all round the edge. Its great. Thanks for all the goodies too Sandra. And thanks too for the stamps on the package - my young friend Matthew will love to add these to his collection.

Tomorrow we are promised fine weather and I have a long list of jobs that needs be done. Like cleaning the car, digging four bags of compost in to the garden, baking some cookies and a banana cake, grocery shopping - oh yes and visiting my two LNS. So anxious was I to not miss out on my heart's desire I phoned ahead and had them put the goodies aside for me. How's that for cunning?

Have a good weekend everyone.

Mini Santa Giveaway Draw on a special day

Today is my (ssssh don't tell the world) 55th birthday. This is a fun way to end a great day. Thank you to all those who left a comment.

Grandma's bowl is prepared. It was a wedding present to my paternal grandmother and is one of the Royal Doulton Shakespeare series - titled Rosalind. The inside is far more interesting than the outside but it is a special piece and I am pleased to have it. I also have a "Rosalind" milk jug and sugar bowl and a "Romeo" tea pot which were wedding presents of my maternal grandmother's. Must have been the wedding present trend in that generation??

Now for the draw. My half blind half deaf elderly Mother cannot remember which eye she covered last time so this time is a "blind drawing"

And the lucky winner is......

Melissa I will send you an email and post this off to you. Happy stitching.

Thank you all for making this special day extra special.

Labour Day's Labour of Love

Today is Labour Day in New Zealand and a public holiday - what better way to celebrate than to clean up my stash cupboard. I forgot to take a before photo but here is the cupboard after a delightful morning spent going through it all. Then this afternoon I finished a Christmas Ornament for my ?????? - oops his mother reads this blog!! and have only a little hand sewing to complete on my Joy tree. Next is some more work on the ABeCeDaire - here's a progress shot of that. Once have completed the current motif this WIP is going away for a little while and I will work on one of the others I have on going. This ABC, Anne of Green Gables and my Quaker Christmas are screaming for completion. I also have an RR, a winter exchange, and a Christmas Ornament Exchange to get done. "Prioritize Girl" I hear you say, so that is exactly what I intend to do.
have a good evening everyone.

Mini Santa Giveaway

I have all but finished stitching this mini Santa to fit inside the tiny charm locket. There is just the gold metallic cross on the top of the tree and gold trim on his cloak. I put the John James Size 28 needle in the photo too so you can see how small he is.

I have also bought a second kit and am offering this as a giveaway. My Mother always told me my birthday began the countdown to Christmas and as my birthday is next week the lucky winner of this giveaway will have time to stitch Santa for his/her tree. Please leave your name and email on this post and on Wednesday 28 October my half blind half deaf elderly Mother will once again draw a name from Grandma's bowl.

Look what I won and Look what I've made

Earlier this month the company I work for had an online quiz on the company intranet- to increase product knowledge for the sales staff and customer service personnel - but look what I won! There were a few surprised faces and some jealous comments (obviously accounts and admin aren't supposed to have product knowledge) but I am delighted. I already have some songs on it and am enjoying how light it is to carry. My original iPod is an 80GB monster - too heavy really for the gym or long walks. This tiny 1 GB one is perfect.

I have finished the stitching on the "Joy" Christmas tree which I plan on making into a wall hanging. With that in mind I stitched in 2 strands of floss over two linen threads on 32 count linen in my favourite Threadworx red. It has turned out rather well. I put in a sideways shot too so you can see why its called the "Joy" tree .

Now the plan is to get back to the Abecedaire and Anne of Green Gables but before that there is one other Christmas Ornament Exchange to complete.

beCAUSE its Pink

I recently participated in an exchange with the conditions that it had to be pink and sent in October which is Breast Cancer month. I made this needlework tin and sent it to Niceville, Florida - now isn't that a great name for a town :-) - and Jayne has let me know it arrived safely.

Here's a photo of the top which is 30 count pale pink linen and a beautiful candyfloss pink colour variegated floss from threadworx. The chart is Carol's Sew Red which turned into Sew Pink!

Inside I put a small pair of scissors with pink breast Cancer ribbons on the handles.

A puzzle

I have been happily stitching tonight but can't show you anything of that as it is still top secret. What is they say - if I told you I'd need to shoot you? I'm stitching for an exchange so cannot posibly spoil the surprise.

What do you think these will make? This is a bad photo taken under artificial light and proof positive of my amateur status as a photographer.

Hope you have all had a good day - mine turned out better when the thunderstorms stopped and the sun came out. But it was pay day today so not all bad.

Have a good evening everyone!

Christmas is coming

Just 10 weeks until Christmas and I'm working on Christmas Ornaments - again!

One is for an exchange and I can't even show you a glimpse!!

But this one is for me so here it is. Stitched on 32 count Belfast linen with DMC threads 816 and 777 this is a very tiny Christmas Cracker for my tree. As I won't be home for Christmas this year the tree is not going up so into the box goes this wee one to be brought out for Christmas 2010. My isn't that a record for preparation???

Other news is that I went to my LNS yesterday afternoon and found this. Isn't it cute? I should finish the exchange stitching tonight and will start on this little sweetie next. Santa is stitched in one thread of floss over one thread of linen and fits into the tiny locket charm. On the other side of the charm goes Xmas 20?? Do you think he might get finished in time for me to put 2009??

Mystery Biscornu - finished!

I'm pleased to show off my mystery biscornu which is now complete or as the Spinster Stitcher says feenee! Thanks so much for this Hohla - it was a real pleasure to stitch. I love the little "story" on the back too - I won't be able to forget when I did this one!

And now I am off to start another exchange - ingredients in this "recipe" are antique white belfast linen, a holly red and a fir tree green floss and this will make ???? Of course a Christmas Ornament! So ho ho ho its off to stitching I go.

Have a good night everyone. Bye Bye

Update on Mystery Biscornu

The front of my mystery biscornu is almost done now - only four little stars to add. I will try and get the back done tonight so that this can be completed.

Last night I went to a charity concert put on by the talented Balzat family so no stitches added . But I did remember to record Antiques Roadshow and my friend Inspector Barnaby of Midsomer so can enjoy them both tonight. Ah bliss - a night of stitching in such wonderful company!

Hope you have all had a good weekend -the cold Antartic winds seem to have gone now and Spring is back in the air here. Makes for a brighter outlook on life I find!

Look what the mail man brought to me today!

Well, that title is not strictly true as the mail man left me a card and I had to go and collect it. Those pesky cards never say where the package is from so with many "I wonder ifs" off I go and find this!

Kazumi sent me a package for my birthday - which is not for some weeks yet - and what a decorative package it is. Don't you just love all those stamps! I do and so will my little friend Matthew who collects stamps.

But as I say, for another few weeks I remain "youngish" and so will not be opening this until the actual day (ha ha I hear you say! She will succumb to temptation!)

I'm off now to finish the last row of my mystery biscornu and then I will be back with another snapshot. Be good all of you!

Progress Report - Mystery Biscornu

First three rows finished - I am really happy with this and in a moment am going to settle down to watch Grand Designs on TV and do the next rows. This mystery biscornu is addictive!

Hope you have all had a happy day - mine has been busy busy busy!!! Tonight I will relax (and please myself woo hoo!)

Another new start

This mystery biscornu SAL was just too interesting to pass up so here is a photo of progress to date. I decided to use only items from my stash which will mean this is an interesting challenge in colour for me too. So far I have a mixture of DMC (the centre), Gloriana Silk (Row 1) and Weeks Dye Works (Satin stitch row) on antique white belfast linen. I am happy with the combination so far - long may this satisfaction continue. Many thanks Hohla for the inspiration and charts.

A non-stitchy post

Today I've been baking and although I'd love to show you what I've been stitching its forbidden! Both things I'm working on are for exchanges so you'll need to wait for the big reveal.

But these cookies look good don't they! Mother has tried them and although she got the name wrong apparently the taste was excellent. Just to get the record straight - these are called Duskies and the recipe (for any New Zealand readers) is in the Edmonds Classic Cookery Book.

TV tonight has my friend Inspector Barnaby and his Midsomer Murders again so I have everything ready for a stitching marathon to watch - must away now and do the twisted cord to finish my ....oops! Almost told you what I'm stitching/finishing and that's a no no :-)

Have a good weekend everybody and especially you Edgar - Happy Birthday to you.