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

HALLOWEEN FINISHES

A big HELLO to anyone who might still be following me after rather a long absence!  I am sorry for disappearing but without going into long dreary details I have continued to battle with my health, felt very sorry for myself and at one time decided to give up my blog BUT brighter days have returned, I have been in hospital again and received positive news and after my lovely children nagging at me to return to blogging ... here I am!

So down to business, well blogging business anyway!  I have been treated to a new long-awaited friend and that is .... a new sewing machine!

This is the Janome MC5900 Quilters Companion and apart from making my cups of coffee it literally does everything!  I had resisted for so long but DH, so desperate I think to bring a smile back to my face, has treated me to an early birthday present and I'm absolutely loving it!  There are so many things to try on it but my main aim is to start quilting, starting from the basics and hopefully leading to free-motion quilting and also some design work.

I have kept my cross-stitching going too and have a couple of Happy Dances but will share those next time as I see, looking at the calendar, that tomorrow is Halloween and I have 2 finishes for this occasion to share . . .

Firstly, using my new machine I decided to make a Witch's Stocking . . .

Great fun to make and a good way of using all your scraps of fabric and embellishments, I think most of these fabrics you will have seen over the years in other finishes.  I used the stitch and flip method using some wadding as my base to give it a lovely soft finish and rather than a rounded Christmas stocking shape I made it thinner and more pointed in the foot.

Ric-rac, black ribbon, square & blackbird buttons, decorative machine stitching and pom pom trim

Pumpkin charm and hand-beaded 'BOO'

another charm, more ric-rac and one last button!

Fully lined with ribbon hanging loop

And there we are ~ all ready to be filled with treats (not too keen on the tricks) for any spooky callers tomorrow night!

And secondly some cross stitching  . . .

Ghoul Tidings by Plum Street Samplers

Those of you that know this design from this year's Just Cross Stitch Halloween edition will notice that I've not completed the whole design, main reason being I bought the magazine just as it was released when we were out in Florida in July, made a photocopy to work from and stitched most of it whilst out there, to return to England missing both the magazine and photocopy!  But Hey! I like it as it is, not too much black without the missing top part of the design and, of course, I turned it into a pillow, used what was left of my black pom pom trim and used ribbon and buttons for hanging!

I have so much more to share with you and that is a good reason to stick with my blogging and catch up with you all again.  I hope you are all well and have a wonderful Halloween xxx

Thanks for stopping by

HAPPY STITCHING

A SPECIAL PUMPKIN

I'm so very sad to hear Fridays news about our special pumpkin Cathey and just wanted to share my feelings in written words.

I became blogging buddies with Cathey virtually from my start of joining blogland back in 2010 not only through our mutual love of needle and thread but our love too of bunnies ~ she was of great support to me when I lost Buttons that year after only losing her 11 year old Pickles shortly before and we've shared many stories about our following bunnies ~ her Popcorn and my Tilly and Oscar.

Since then we have remained 'stalkers' to each other and I feel privileged to have been able to share her life with her ~ her beautiful needlework, her wonderful skill of photography, supporting her Pumpkin & Patch Breast Fund silent auctions, sharing her joy of the birth of a precious Son and reading her honest and truthful words about her fight to beat this horrible and cruel condition a second time.

I don't feel Cathey was beaten by Cancer, I feel she won her battle, she kicked its butt well and truly 10 years ago and had led a fulfilled and rewarding life since ~ it was just time for Cathey to escape the pain and struggle and now rest peacefully and sleep.

I send my thoughts and prayers to her loving husband, her beautiful Son and her extended family.

Pumpkin season will always mean something special to us bloggers now but also every time we pick our needles and threads up Cathey will be in our memories too.

xxxx