The Creative Cross Stitch Challenge #1

Over at The Gift of Stitching blog, there's a challenge.

As soon as I saw the chart an idea popped into my head, and here is what I came up with. I stitched the design three times and back-stitched it.

And then I joined them all together, stuffed it with lavender - it smells wonderful. Then I added a beaded hanger, and tassel, and here is the finish, hung from my stitching lamp.

Dyeing linen

Today I decided to have a go at dyeing some 40ct linen. I only have white in 40ct, and I really wanted it to be darker, so with the help of tea leaves from the bottom of this mornings pot, here's the colour of my new fabric. It's laid on top of the original white just so you can see the difference. I'm really pleased with the result, and it was so quick and easy to do, I'll certainly be giving it another go. This linen is likely to be used in a Christmas project I have planned. More about that another time.

Cake anyone?

I've just realised that I never shared this pincushion with you. My dd was inspired by the pincushions I'd found on the Internet, and kept sharing with her. So this is what she made me, my own little cake, complete with a cherry on the top.

Yesterday, we had a great day at the show, but I only came home with a small bag of purchases - I did really well! The traveling there was not as bad as anticipated, so we got there in good time, just a little bit of slow moving traffic, mostly due to roadworks. We normally stop at a service station where they have a watch stand, with all watches for £5, and I usually buy a fashion watch, however we stopped at a different service station - so saved £5 - more to spend there. LOL. On the way home we made great progress - thankfully - as I was not well, and was in bed within 5 minutes of stepping in the door. I'm still ropey today, so taking things easy, and hence I'm here blogging AND dh hasn't got his trip out.

It's the weekend

I'm so glad it's the weekend, and today we have a beautiful sunrise. I don't think the photo's do it justice, I just stuck the camera outside the door to take them. I just love it when there's a mist on the field, it's so pretty.

I have a busy three days, I will be out to the hairdressers soon, and then I need to do some food shopping, this afternoon I will be visiting Sally. It's so long since we saw each other, and to be honest we've not been very good at keeping in touch via email either, so looking forward to a good chat. See you later Sally.




I took this photo this morning too. This fuchsia used to flower in the summer, but as gradually got later and later, sometimes flowering at Christmas, but this is what it looks like today. This has been in the ground for years, and often gets a good prune back, I'm surprised it's still living, as there are not too many things that will grow well in my front garden, they usually get eaten by something.


As I have a really hectic weekend, I thought I'd chill last night, and just look at my bath! I used the bath bomb that I got off Maddison, and the bath water turned the deepest pink you have ever seen. If you look really closely you might just see all the little pink and white hearts that were in the water too.





Tomorrow, I'm off to Crafts for Christmas, I really love this show, but the coach journey is horrendous. We usually end up in a traffic jam when we get nearer the NEC. The final few miles take about 1.5 to 2 hours! And then we rush around, as we never have long enough there!

And then on Sunday, dh wants to go to Harrogate for this show. We actually went to this show earlier in the year, when it was at the NEC, and I was just so bored, it really is not my cup of tea.

Chinese proverb pillow

Fortune Cookie
Design by Lucie Heaton
The World of Cross Stitching Magazine
Stitched on 32ct 'Ray of Light' Belfast linen
with DMC threads.

I made this little hanging pillow as a gift for one of my daughters friends, who turned 18 yesterday. I just thought it was cute, the saying on it, is a Chinese Proverb and says 'Keep your face to the sunshine, and you will never see shadows'. I just love that saying. I backed the pillow with the fabric in the background, but I think it's a little too dark to see.

It's November - already!

Just look at this great giveaway I received this week. I received this from Maddy, I just wish you could smell this package. I love it all, that pink velvet heart smells so divine, as does the Lush bath bomb, I love that shop and the smells that come from it when you walk passed. There's also a scented candle, and Rose perfumed DMC-anybody tried this yet? Maddy also included a rose keyring, I'm saving this as I'm looking to change my car again soon, and I will replace the Pudsey bear keyring that I've used for the last year, he's a bit grubby now. Then there was 28ct Cameo Rose Belfast linen. As you can see the theme was rose pink!

And then look at this cute biscornu, in pink blackwork, I love where Maddy added her initials, and the beads added in the middle-not sure they show on this photo.




Now I've been off work this last week, and had a productive week, both stitchy and otherwise. I was going to show you a finish today, but it would seem that dd has borrowed the camera cable-and she's not in, and I can't find it, so that will now be another day.

I would like to thank you all for your continued visits to my blog, and all the comments you wonderful people are leaving me, I really appreciate it. I have 670 blog posts to read so I want to apologise for not leaving comments, but one day I will catch up.