This Christmas piece is a Lynne Nicoletti design and I just love it. 'Robin Redbreasts' have been a favourite since childhood - possibly the influence of all the picture books as we don't have any in New Zealand. This was originally stitched to give away but I couldn't part with him!

Yesterday I got a postcard from Taija (on the Crazy Exchange) - she and her husband had been away for a short holiday to Tuuri pictured on the card. Can you see the stamp I have superimposed on the top left? Its amazing. A "movable skier" - as you tilt the stamp back and forward the skier slaloms left and right!

Have a great day everyone.

Santa Staci's Scissors

A mystery package was waiting for me when I got home from work last night.

I wondered who from and why as all my exchanges were complete and I wasn't expecting any orders of stash to come to home (they all get delivered to work).

But Santa Staci (aka Angel Staci) had made me a cute mmmmmmm ribbon scissor tag with a fantastic flower eyelet. And on the end was a cute pair of scissors.

Thank you very very much Stacy for the wonderful gift and the surprise factor! I love the little card and assure you that I will put these scissors to good use over our Christmas holiday break.

This peacock sampler is the first GPA design I ever did. I still love it and the beautiful colouring of the threads. Peacock will have to retire and hand its wall space to the Susanne Sampler when it gets framed so I thought I'd share this picture with you now. I have been photographing (not very well!!) some of my hanging pieces which are going to make way for other new ones in the New Year.

A New Start

O happy day! I made a start on my Dandelion Clock. A couple of years ago I stitched one for a wedding gift and was so reluctant to part with it that this one is staying in my house! The hardest part is getting the tufts of dandelion that denote the numbers accurately placed so there will be a far number of tacking stitches to make sure!

Happy day everyone!

A great Kiwi weekend!

She told me I could help her with the Christmas gifts for Church Home Group and then dumped the ingredients right on top of me!

What am I supposed to do with candy canes, chocolates, ribbon and those funny Christmas paper bags? Oh I see - put them in then tie a ribbon to decorate. Tie a ribbon?! I only have feet and a beak - doesn't she ever read? Kiwis don't have wings - but someone forgot to tell the Chinese manufacturing plant when I was made -so she's forgiven - nearly ;-)

Done!

Now I can sit back and relax. No? There's more? Goodness me, no wonder she asked for help. Anyway all done now and I can put my feet up!

Christmas Exchanges

Taija (Crazy Exchange) and I did a Christmas Exchange. It was fun deciding what to put in the package. Here's what I sent. My mother knitted the cardigan for Taija's little boy and we put All Blacks boots with it so he's now a real New Zealander! Raspberry Tim Tam chocolate biscuits, Jelly Beans, a cross stitch kit and 'the box'. I've already described the "Merry Christmas" box here. Then yesterday the mail man handed me a return package from Taija. Bless her heart she went to such a lot of trouble to make it a Finnish package - I LOVE it! There were two Christmas Ornaments which have gone on my tree immediately,

a finnish hand towel, cross stitch kits, wool and Finnish chocolate and licorice.

Many many thanks Taija for your great generosity. I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas.

Two reasons for the Happy Dance

Did you hear me? Last night at around 9pm? I was dancing the happy dance. My Midnight Stitching's "Quaker Faith Hope Love" was complete. This was a really satisfying stitch and I am looking forward to getting it framed and hung on the wall. I stitched it on 28 count Vintage Mocha Cashel Linen with the recommended Gentle Arts Sampler Threads. I don't remember the name of the blue one but the red was called Cranberry and its really luscious. Perhaps DMC115 may have a rival for my affections??

Speaking of rivals for affection brings me to the other reason for the happy dance. Totally unrelated to stitching. I went to see Quantum of Solace - for some reason I love James Bond movies - I scrunch my eyes during the shootouts, gasp during the car chase, ooh and aah as the baddies get their dues, oh la la at Bond (how could M be so harsh - doesn't she just melt inside?). Fortunately my pacemaker has an accelerometer and it sure speeds up as I mentally tick off the list to make sure they include all the classic Bond ingredients :-)

I have another finish tonight and tomorrow (watch for the pictures) and then I've promised myself a new start in the weekend. Have a good day everybody.

Some more stash!

Last night I stitched Love and made a good start on Faith - Hope is already done and so I expect to have a photo to show soon. I am enjoying this stitch and the beautiful threads. I'm doing it in the recommended Sampler Threads on a piece of Vintage Mocha Cashel Linen. I got the pattern here - it is Quaker Faith Hope and Love by Midnight Stitching. Watch out for the photo.

In the New Year I will get this and several others to the framer.

And then yesterday a package arrived which delighted me and at the same time increased the stress of an already bulging "must do" pile. Don't you think these are wonderful?

They are from Giulia Manfredini and must say I think having matching beads and buttons for these biscornu is a fantastic idea. I'm looking forward to stitching them. Giulia was so helpful when I emailed her as my LNS didn't have these (they had never heard of her!!!) so this time I had to eat humble pie and purchase from across the Tasman. Trust the Australians to have what NZ doesn't!!