Bank Holiday Monday

Well I spent a hour sunday tidying my ribbon tin and winding them all on strips of card. It was such a mess before and had frustrated me when I couldn't see what I had. It was a good job done even if I did have 'help' from the children.
I finished a little ornament yesterday and I'm very pleased with the outcome. It turned out better than I'd hoped despite having to stitch the one side twice. I sat and sketched out a design for the ATC yesterday too and stitched it this morning. the design is from the Cross Stitcher website here (scroll down to the cross stitch collection entry.) It's an interpretation of it as I thought it was a great quick design and took me 90mins to stitch using threads in my left overs pot. I'm very tempted to join the September ATC swap on bubble if I can make them as quicky as that. I have a feeling ATC's will become another addiction, saying that I've not made a biscornu in over a week, but I do have one to do for an exchange very soon.

Day 11: Do you have a “Stitching Hero” or someone that is just way too awesome for their own good? Do share!
Hmm stitching hero, now thats a toughie, I admire anyone who stitches HAED's or designs of a simular size, nature, complexity. My hat's off to you guys. There are 3 people who spring to mind who challenge me as a stitcher. My good friend Rach who keeps me motivated when I need it and was my first stitching friend, Ann for her generosity and kindness and Laura who sent me my first biscornu and inspired me to have a go myself. Thank you lovely ladies.

Day 12: Where do you keep your stash? Post pictures!



My 'boxes under the bed'



Tidied ribbon tin

Here there and everywhere is the correct answer! I have 3 boxes under the bed, one with bits and bobs in, finished pieces and to be honest who knows what else, and 2 other boxes with kits in. One for the the large kits and another for the cover kits, stitchlets etc.  Lastly is the bookcase which has 8 mag files full of stitch and craft mags and a fair few books too. The garage also contains my machine sewing stuff, along with stuff to make cards, jewellery and scrapbooks. Now before I photograph this lot I'm off for a little tidy up (except for the garage as its waaayyyyy too big a job!)
Well I hope the bank holibob was a good one for you all. Thanks for stopping by. Kerry. x

Mamma Mia

Well last night was a rather soggy one spent on the pitch at Worcestershire Country Cricket ground watching the open air screening of Mamma Mia. I went down with my best mate Sarah armed with waterproofs, picnic blankets and some yummy food.

Sarah (left) and me huddled under a brolly

Fortunatly the rain stayed off for most of the film so Sarah and I sat there with a lovely glass of wine (or two) and some nibbles and had a good laugh. loads of people were up and dancing at the end of the film and walking away speculating what we'd see in the wet next year. Guesses are most welcome. So far they've shown Grease and Dirty Dancing. Sarah and I thought maybe the John Travolta version of Hairspray as it needs to be family friendly and with a good soundtrack.

Our Picnic

And so to Craft, whilst sewing up the height chart earlier in the week,  I made a little decoration for my cloakroom. I did alot of the sewing on the machine and spent an hour this morning finishing them off. Hopefully i'll have a pic soon. As for the stitching I shall be starting a little design for an ATC swap that my fellow blogger Deb is doing to raise money for Fibromyalgia. See her blog here. I can relate to this illness so much as I have M.E. This will be the first ATC that i've made so i'm excited and a little nervous about it too.

Lastly the question...

Day 10: Do you have a favorite pattern or designer?I love Sheila Hudson's floral designs, but really I go for the design more than the designer. Margaret Sherry does some very cute and funny animals, I'm not a big fan of her cats, They are brilliantly drawn but I wouldn't want to stitch them, but then i'm not a cat person at all.

Thanks for reading and have a fab bank holiday weekend folks!

Kerry. x

A day without blogging is like a day without chocolate! My laptop died a couple of days ago (R.I.P, you've been a good friend) so I shall blog and bubble as often as I can until I can get a new one. Lessons were learnt when my previous one died and photos were backed up athough not all the rest of the stuff :-( The upside was that I got the sewing machine out and finally made up the height chart! I just need the dowel to hang it by. A good job done.

Hubby brought me some lovely Gladioli to cheer me up after the laptop giving up the ghost, the colours are gorgeous. As for stitching, I've been finishing a present and a card for a friend, so i spent last night beading the design. I've not used beads on a design other than a biscornu for ages so i was very pleased with the outcome. No pics yet but hopefully i'll have some for you over the weekend.

So to the questions for days 7, 8, and 9 thankfully I'd emailed this to Laura so I could retrieve it from my sent box.
Day 7: What is your least favorite piece you have stitched?My least favourite must be a Spurs emblem which I stitched for my footie mad best friend, but after stitching it realised it was the old style emblem and not the new bird on a basket ball one. I've still got it somewhere in the deep dark depths of my stitching odds and ends box.

Day 8: What’s your most challenging project?
My most challenging...I'd say the birth sampler I did for my son. I was still a very new stitcher with this only being my 3 design. It had colour blending, french knots and a tonne of fractionals. 7 years on I'd probably say my HAED, even though with it being whole stitches, just the size of the design, the number of colour changes and the challenge of stitching on 25ct.

Day 9: What fabric and thread do you love working with?
I've been using evenweave alot lately and i'm loving it. I love the fine finish it gives. As for threads, most of my collection is DMC, but I do love 2 of the anchor varigated threads which are rainbow (1335) and a jewel coloured one (harlequin 1375). I've used them quite alot recently in projects and they work really well in blackwork designs.
Well, I'm off to catch up with your blogs. Thanks for reading and have a fab day.
Kerry. x

My favourite piece

So todays question is...
Day 6: What is your favourite piece that you’ve stitched?

It has to be my Irises by Sheila Hudson. I love stitching floral designs and especially ones this vibrant. It took me a while to do as it got shelved for other things including a couple of long stitchy breaks. I finished it last year and i've yet to frame it. (such a shame) but as soon as i've finished the Hydrangea they will be framed in matching frames.

I have another design I love which is a blackwork design called Art Nouveau window. There are 2 other simular designs that i'm hoping to get at the November NEC Hobbycrafts show as it was a lovely stitch and I think it looks fab. it now hangs in my hall in a silver frame which with the blue mount, I think compliments it very well.

I was a very lucky girl today as Mum brought me a pair of dressmaking shears. I went in for some beads and ribbon for a design i'm doing and whilst I was browsing the buttons (another addiction) Mum got me them. She had to wait until I was away from the counter as I would have talked her out of it. It's fab having a Mum who crafts too as she understands the need for stash and good equipment! Thank you Mum!!!xxx

Hope everyone has had a lovely day. I'm off to get sorted in the house ready for my evening stitchy session. Thanks for reading and happy crafting.

Kerry. xx

Monday, Monday

Good morning blogland! The children let me sleep until 6.30am today, seems like such a luxury!

Day 5: Describe what your work space looks like.

Right my workspace. I always sit in the same place on the sofa in the window so I get very good lighting in the day. My floor frame is always up as I use the lamp and chart clip even if I don't use the stand. I have a little unit with 2 baskets in that holds all the bits I use alot like stuffing for the biscornu, cover kits, bags of threads. On top of the spotty box is my stitching diary (made for me by a Bubbler Chloe), my note book and my button tin. It's a gorgeous one with a stitch in time on top. I asked Mum last Christmas to buy me a nice tin to put my ever growing button collection in. We found this one in Boots and was perfect.

You can see some mags behind the table, I keep current issues and mags with designs I'm using down there in a mag file, with my blackwork books. I'm always dipping in and out of them so keep them close to hand. There is also a bag of fabby and my 2 big wips in a pillow case to keep them clean. Sat on the radiator is my pako and also the thread pots, one for oddments to be reused and the other for the rubbish.

My spotty box was a bargain in my local sewing shop. I paid a fiver for it a few months back and it was filled with DMC stuff, so now it has all my essential bits in, it does look rather staged but honestly all I did this morning was open the draw to take the picture. The big tin has a few bobbins of thread in that haven't been put away yet, I always have a pencil in there for sketching out designs etc. The scissors were a present from Mum and are fantastic. I've never used such good ones. I think they are Prym ones. I want to get a longer bladed pair for cutting fabric too. Inside the top of the box is a couple of bits of fabric, my current wip (say no more) and a few more pens and highlighters. 

As I mentioned in yesterdays blog that only got posted this morning for some reason, I've sewn up the biscornu for Ann's necklaces and here they are made up into necklaces. 

So I hope you enjoyed the little peek into my stitching world. Have a fabulous crafty day. We're off to the Post Office later to post the necklaces and no doubt the park too.

Kerry. x  

Sleepy Sunday

My children have been deciding that sleep is for the weak and getting up very early indeed. so I thought at 7.30 this morning that it was time to sew up the last 3 small biscornu for Ann's necklaces.

Day 4: How did you learn how to stitch?

I've embroidered on and off for years, my Nan taught me to embroider when I was about 12, just doing some straight stitches. I stitched this little tray cloth which I still have now. I also did one of those little samplers on binca at school that most kids did aged about 7. As for cross stitching I learnt about 7 years ago with the eeyore kit. I just picked it up and gave it ago. I don't think we ever stop learning about our crafts and developing techniques and methods to make it more challenging and enjoyable.

I finished the purple biscornu and I love how its turned out. It has a beaded border and I've used the star buttons. I'm going to post it off to Steff tomorrow so watch this space for a photo soon.

Well thats me for today. Happy crafting, Kerry. x

30 day challenge - days 2 and 3

As I didn't get chance to post this yesterday, here are questions 2 and 3.

Day 2: What is current stitching project?

Which one is the answer to that one!! If I had to narrow it down to one it would be the purple biscornu. The top is now done, fully backstitched. Last night i started the bottom and got all the cross stitching and back stitching done. It's going to be personalised so I need to get that bit stitched as I sat and charted it yesterday morning. It's not as purple as originally planned but it is stitched on lilac aida with purple and green threads.

Day 3: Do you have any other WIPs (works in progress)?

Yup, certainly do - the two pic's at the bottom of my blog are the 2 big projects that I have on the go. The Hydrangea and the Iris. I love stitching florals. They must be my favourite thing to stitch, saying that I do only have 2 big completed ones. If i'm doing something for me then flowers are what I usually stitch and make up most of my wish and to stitch list too.

I've also been ferreting in the garage for my card making stuff and made up the popcorn card for the exchange. I just need to parcel it up now along with the stitchlet and charms and send it on its merry way.

I tried to make a 1/3" biscornu yesterday morning, utter madness I know. It didn't work as it frayed where i'd only left 1 aida block, so I will persevere as i'd managed to sew up 5 of the 8 sides before this happened. I have 2 choices - iron on some vilene before cutting up and use a sharp to sew it up or leave 2 aida blocks. If neither of those work then I may have to concede defeat, however there may be a third way but then I think I may need the men in white coats.

The children and I had a lovely morning out on Thursday at the bowling alley with some of the boys from DS's class. It was lovely to sit around with a coffee whilst the boys had loads of fun. We all had lunch too  and even after 4 hours it was hard to drag the boys away.

My bead order arrived this morning. I didn't order much just some findings and some pretty glass beads. I did manage to order the wrong jump rings (d'oh) so i'll just have to order some more along with some pretty beads too. so heres a pic of my little bits along with some buttons I found in the garage which have found their way to my button tin, and the buttons I brought for the biscornu (bottom left).

Have a fab and craft filled weekend everyone.
Kerry. x

30 days challenge

Firstly welcome to my new followers and thank you for all your kind comments on my work.

I made great guns on the purple extravaganza yesterday and I'm very pleased with how it looks so far. I've finished the cross stitching on top of the biscornu, so I just need to back stitch. It's a celtic design so needs the backstitch for the definition of the knotwork. The bottom is much simpler so wont take long to stitch. DS helped choose the colours and I must say he has a very good eye for colour.

So to the title of this post. whilst reading Laura's blog Cute Crocheted Creations I came across a post with a 30 days of crocheting. I loved the idea and there doesn't appear to be one I could find based on stitching. I read through the questions on CCC and thought that alot could be applied to stitching too. I've re written all the questions, adding in a few of mine where the question couldn't be made to be stitching related and here goes for my 30 day challenge:

Day 1: What was your first finished project?

My first finished project was an Eeyore design by Designer Stitches. I saw it in a catalogue and thought wonder if I could cross stitch? apparently I could! It came as a pair and I made a fair few mistakes on it. I had no idea about fractionals and no one to ask so I had to frog a fair bit. Dividing the threads seemed barmy to me, but I did do it and looking at it now I don't think it was a bad effort. The pair hang on the wall in DD's pink palace now.

Teeny tiny biscornu

I mentioned yesterday that I wondered if I could make a half inch biscornu - turns out I can! This was stitched on 18ct with some threads from my oddments pot and finshed with a tiny pink seed bead. It does make me wonder whether I can do it any smaller than that...We shall see.

I did some work on my Hydrangea too. It almost has one leaf now. I shall try and do an hour a day and i'll post a weeky WIP pic. There is a pic at the foot of by blog of what the finished design will look like. I also sewed up two of the biscornu's for the jewellery. Only 3 to do and then off to the post office we go.

Next on the stitch list is the exchange biscornu, a purple extravaganza and then I think a little break from them is in order as I have several presents to make along with other exchanges.

We had a lovely morning at Cripplegate Park yesterday. it rained when we first got there but brightened up and the children had a lovely, if somewhat grubby time. the park had area's of very sandy soil where the grass had been scuffed away, they thought it was as much fun as the park its self. i took a few pics of the children including one of DS by the 163 year old fountain. (this pic from Worcester City council website)

Thanks everyone far continuing to read and comment on my blog.

Happy crafting.

Kerry

yay photos!

Hello everyone,

firstly I want to say a huge thank you to all of you who have started following my blog and commenting on it too. I'm loving reading all the blogs i'm following - you're such a talented bunch, and generous too. I've entered myself for 2 giveaways one on Laura's blog and another on Cucki's. I love the idea of a blog giveaway and once I get a few more followers maybe i'll have to have one too.

We had a lovely day yesterday with lunch at my friend Keira's house. The children played so nicely and were very tolerant of DD who is only 15 months old so not bad for 6 yr old boys. We're going for a picnic on thursday together if the weather is ok.

As for the stitching, Popcorn is done and just needs to be made into a card. I'll do that later and parcel up with the goodies for the exchange. I'm going to start sewing up the biscornu today, they're not as fiddly as they look to do. It does make me wonder whether I could do a 1/2" one. something to try when i've 5 mins I guess.  Oh dear there goes another idea. I was looking for a chart for a Bubbler this morning and found a Hello Kitty one that would look lovely in DD's pink palace, so in 24 hrs thats another 3 things on the stitch list, oh and not forgetting the ATC I have said i'll do for Debs for charity.

Popcorn Bear     

Biscornu squares

I mentioned yesterday the UFO SAL - well I got very little done except to frog a mistake i'd made previously. Brita has laid down a challenge of sorts in the group forum so I need to make real progress on it over the next 4 weeks. I'll keep you up to date with that. There is nothing worth showing you yet except a few green blobs that will become leaves.

Well thats my news for today. We're off to the park this morning and hopefully i'll have a little stitchy time this afternoon.

Thanks for reading. Kerry. x

Morning all

Well a busy weekend for me not that I seemed to do much but busy all the same. All my stitchy time on Saturday got blown out the water with taking the car to the garage and DS to a party (I was sooo bored!) so I was determined to make Sunday stitchy Sunday and I like to feel I got somewhere near accomplishing that. I finished the biscornu squares for the beads and did a bit more on popcorn, so that leaves me around 100 stitches and the backstitch.

I designed a little 3D stitched beach hut after seeing the beautiful bakery design that Hippywitch had created. please have a look at her blog, its in my list. I have a bit of an obession with seaside themed stuff and my cloakroom is turning into the display cabinet for all the seasided bits i've picked up so this will be a cute addition. I have 2 cross stitch charts that I can't wait to do for it. Writing a blog is a dangerous thing, my mind wanders and I end up with a huge to stitch list and a million ideas.

over on Bubble it's UFO SAL monday so i'm determined to get a bit done on my Hydrangeas tonight as they've been neglected somewhat over the last month. i've been taking part in the 2011 stash reduction and i've completed 2 of the 5 projects and i've started two as well (hydrangeas and HAED QS Iris) so I really need to get the hydrangea done so I can move on to the last of my projects that i've had in my stash for as long as i've been stitching.

I apolgise for the lack of photos today i'm having camera problems so i'll show pics as soon as possible.

Have a lovely day everyone, the sun is shining here and i've been invited to lunch at a friends with the children. I think it'll be a good day all round. Kerry. x

urm, witty title, witty title, come on think girl...

well yesterday was a good stitching day with me getting in about 3 1/2 hrs on a popcorn design for the stitchlet exchange, the plan is to get it done over the weekend and post off to its recipient on Monday. I might get another pack of the flower charms today when I venture into town as one would work really well on the card. DS wants to spend the day at Nanny's so we'll be off over there later via town.

I 've also been doing some more mini biscornu to match the Earrings I made for Ann so I was pleased to get another 3 squares done yesterday - 5 to go including 2 on black aida in metallic thread , which are a challenge to stitch to say the least. When these mini biscornu are done they'll be made into necklaces and sent to the lovely Ann. I was very lucky and she sent me two blackwork books and some charts as she knows I have a passion for it. I've made some fantastic friends through Bubble.

As for future stitching plans - biscornu and bookmarks. I found a fab WOXS design library yesterday that has some very pretty designs that will work brilliantly for these items. As i'm redundant as of 4.30pm today, I have great plans for sorting out stitchy stash whilst I look for work. I really want to create a spreadsheet with all the WOXS design libraries and alphabets on as much as I love trawling through the mags to find charts, had I known the India themed library had such good charts in i'd have used them ages ago.

Well time is a ticking so I think it's time for a few chores before DS has her sleep. The mess makers have been working flat out in the last 24 hrs so time to reclaim the house for me before I get a bit of stitching in.

(chart from CrossStitchArts)

Sewing stash

So just a quick post to show the stash i picked up yesterday. as i mentioned yesterday the seaside fabric is for little sachets and i'm thinking the floral fabric might be a good bag lining for a Cath Kidston-esque bag. I'm thinking i will use the buckles as a decorative feature on a bag. at 10p each it would have been rude not to add them to the stash so they're now in my button tin. the nautical charms are for the sachets and the flowers for an exchange.

As my blog title references biscornu i thought best i add  a pic of some in my collection. the top one was the first one i made and is a simple blackwork one, the second was made for me by a good craft friend Laura and inspired me to have a go at one myself. the middle one is a dog themed one i made for my son last week from a WOXS pattern. the yellow one is a sewing themed one i designed myself and the bottom one is a patchwork design on top from a very old cross stitcher mag that i stitched 4 years ago and hadn't done anything with. the bottom of it is made up of 9 blackwork sqaures stitched in an anchor variagated thread.

Thanks for reading, i'm off to start a card for one of next weeks exchanges whilst DD sleeps and DS watches a Thomas Tank Engine DVD for the millionth time. Happy crafting everyone. x

The giant leap...

Well here it is my first leap into the bloggasphere! I love to talk about my crafts and my friends and family can't quite see why i get so excited so here's my blog to share with likeminded craft addicts. i hope you will enjoy my ramblings.

As for the craft bit, apart from a few stitches to a biscornu on the bus this morning, it's been the purchase of stash for the sewing machine and for an exchange i'm taking part in on craftbubble next week. i got some lovely fabric with a delicate floral pattern, not sure what for yet but it was very pretty indeed. i got a strip of 'labels' to make up into little sachets for my cloakroom with a seaside theme and also some charms to put on them. i also got some charms for the exhange which is for a cross stitched card, little gift and a stitchlet (mini cross stitch kit). i've got another exchange on bubble planned for next week for a biscornu. i'm just waiting to hear from my exchange partner about colours as i have chosen a lovely design but more on that to follow.

well time to get the needle and thread going so until the next blog happy crafting!