And the winner is... and blackwork flowers

Greetings to you all on this rather miserable day.

Today is the draw for my lovely Rhodes Butterfly Biscornu and goodies. I've entered all you who took the time to follow me and to leave me a coment. I got my 6 yr old to draw the winner and...

The winner is... HIPPYWITCH!!!

Congratulations to Lori and I've sent you an email. Thank you to you all for entering.

I showed you all the blackwork wall hanging that was done as part of a round robin last summer, well Kayla gave me a chart of another design that complimented the one she had stitched so over the weekend I stitched it and finished off the hanging. I'm so pleased with the overall look. The final design is a Mary Hickmott design from the New Stitches magazine.

Here's the full hanging. It's the only stitched stitched piece in my lounge apart from the bowl of biscornu and is one of my favourite stitched pieces all that I have. Another big thank you to Debbie, Kayla and Laura for stitching on it.

I started stitching one of the pieces for my 2012 challenge, The Japanese bookmark. I only did a tiny bit as I'd had a migraine all day but was feeling very frustrated that I couldn't do any thing. I stopped after about 50 ish stitches when I realised I could barely read the chart. I've got an idea for a family biscornu so I'm going to spend sometime designing the layout for that.

Thanks for reading and have a fab week everyone. xx

January biscornu

I hope everyone is having a lovely weekend. It's been a busy old crafting week. I finished the January Biscornu for the Biscornu challenge. The design is from an old WOXS design library from 2007 and the little butterfly button from my local sewing shop. It's one that's been in the tin for a while and I thought as the design was fairly simple, it was the perfect addition.

I kept the bottom very simple.

 I was a very lucky girl yesterday and recieved in the post a beautiful necklace in this pretty little pouch from my wonderful friend Rach. It was such a lovely surprise. Rach knows green is my favourite colour so it was perfect.

I told you all about my plans to set up a crafternoon - well I've got it off the ground and the first one is on the 3rd March. I'm very excited about it and I'm starting all the publicity now. I hope I get plenty of folks coming along - I've got a big room to fill!

In other news, I've had the sewing machine out trying a few ideas out, although nothing is finished yet, hopefully I can show you some things next week. I'm also working on bits for the travelling box swop too.

Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog. xx

A box for my ATC's

Hi Everyone,

I hope today finds you all well and it's not too chilly in your neck of the woods. Here it's a bit damp, necessity forces me to go out in an hour or so but it means I will be able to pop into my local sewing shop for some ribbon.

Laura on her Blog posted about the cute Hello Kitty tin she has to keep her ATC's in. Now mine up until yesterday were stored in an ice cream tub, now thats not exactly  attractive so I had been storing the odds and ends I use to make them in a little shoe box so I decided to jazz up the box a little and swap them round. I covered the lid with brown parcel paper, and as I find some fun embelishments I'll add them on too. I left the bottom of the box uncovered as it had a nice pattern on it without any branding. Here it is with all the ATC's I've recieved so far.

I made a little ATC to go on top stitched in one of the Anchor Varigations threads I love so much. I didn't join in with the January swap on bubble, but I've made one ready for February's swap but I'll post a pic of that when I've done the other one. Here's a close up of the ATC on top.

In other news, I've been busy with a few secret makes that I'll reveal in a month or so. I'm pleased with what I've made so far and they are a mix of cross stitch/blackwork, felt work, and sewing machine makes. It's been nice to have a variety of projects to work on. Last night I started the January's biscornu for the challenge, I'll have it finished later so look out for a new post with it on tomorrow. Might have to put one of my favourite buttons on it. Once that is done I'm going to finish my blackwork wall hanging, I'm very excited to be doing that as it's been on the to do list for ages.

Don't forget there is still time to enter my GIVEAWAY. There is a bit of a debate over how we should draw the winner - use the children or random.org. Hubby is also sulking as I won't let him enter, despite having already filled the entry criteria. I really ought to make him a biscornu I guess.

Thanks for reading. x

Cupcakes

Hi Everyone and a big welcome to my new followers.

Just a short post to show off the little felt cupcakes I made earlier. They are from a book I had for Christmas called Made by me. It's aimed more at children, but has some very cute simple projects perfect for a quick make or for my craft fayres. The design just used stitches and felt for the detailling but I thought that a button could be a cherry on top and bugle beads would make great hundreds and thousands. So here they are. The fabric thay are sat on is a fat quarter I picked up in my local shop in the sale for £1.

I also started making some bits for a swop so hopefully I can show those to you soon. I've loads of ideas for this swop that I'm having trouble narrowing it down to focus on actually getting anything done.  I have 2 half started bits that I WILL get done tonight as I chose the pattern for January's biscornu yesterday and I'd like to get that stitched so I can share with you. 

Don't forget my giveaway if you haven't entered yet, Thanks to all of you who have entered, It's great to have your support. Whilst I mention giveaways, The lovely Threadbear has a beautiful travelling cross stitch pattern giveaway on at the moment, there are a few rules around joining in, but worth a punt if you are a stitcher. You can find her blog here.

Hope you've had a good weekend. xx

My 2012 craft challenges

Hi Everyone,
Firstly Hello to my new followers, so pleased to have you on board and secondly don't forget the giveaway I'm running, still plenty of time to enter.
I'm going to set my self a few challenges of crafty things I'd like to achieve this coming year. I won't call them resolutions as they are not changes as such. They fall into 3 catagories:

• Stash Reduction
• Learning new techniques/skills
• The Biscornu challenge

So for the stash reduction I'd like to complete 2 kits from my box and 2 charts I've got on my list. The kits are Giraffe Silhouette and Japanese Bookmark. I haven't decided on the charts yet, maybe a blackwork design. Feel free to badger me for progress reports. I'll post pics on the side of the blog for motivation too.

Giraffe Silhouette by Maia

Japanese Bookmark from the V & A collection by Anchor.



As for the New techniques, I'm hoping these will be a mix of self teaching, attending a course or two at one of my local sewing shops or being taught by someone who is in the know! I'd love to expand my repetoire of makes with the sewing machine - new handbags, maybe a bit of quilting and who knows what else. I'd like to produce a Band sampler with lots of speciallity embroidery stitches on. I've started to learn to knit and I would like to master the basics this year, maybe produce something other than a scarf. Anyway here is my first attempt. I made this a few days after Christmas.

I'm trying to set up a monthly crafternoon too at my local church. This is a project which I'm quite passionate about as my town lacks craft groups that are inexpensive. the last one I went to cost £3.50 a session and was poorly attended. I think the price put people off. It was aimed soley at stitchers and I want a group where all crafts are welcome and people enjoy themselves, share tips and get the support and encouragement from fellow crafters I feel when I blog. I think it's to chase this up a little via email.

Lastly I read a blog last year about a basket  of biscornu challenge . I'd love to create my own basket where each month you make a biscornu for the basket and at the end of the year you have 12 biscornu for yourself. Now last year I made 29 biscornu and gave away all but 5 so I'd love to have a few more of the ones I've made. I've got 6 of the patterns sorted already! I'll still be making them for presents and I've 2 in mind for the next couple of months for mum and a swap.

Thank you for reading and I look forward to sharing more soon.

2011 Review of the year

I saw this idea on two blogs and thought I'd share my crafting year with you too. As I only started blogging in July many of my makes I may not have shared with you so here goes...

January

I joined the stash reduction group on bubble to try and get through some of the charts and kits I had lurking under the bed. My first project I tackled was the half started Humphreys Corner sampler for my Daughter. I've put the finished pic below even though it took me until June to finish it. I seemed to spend the first half of the year stitching cards.

February

The start of the addiction!!! I made my first Biscornu or rather 3 and made this bag charm.

March

I made alot of cards and this is one of my favourites. Stitched for Lottie's Dedication which we celebrated that month. I also stitched this poppy picture for my Mum. It's stitched on 20 bellana, over 2, such a nice fabby to work with.

April

6 months after having my sewing machine, I tackled my first projects. I made a couple of envelope backed cushion covers and also this Cath Kidston handbag, from her book Sew! I also Started my Blackwork RR. Here's the completed design. stitched by from top to bottom, Me, Laura, Kayla and Debbie.

May

I started the Blackwork Round Robin for Laura. Mine was already doing the rounds and Laura who had orgainsed it just couldn't get into it so I decided that the 3 of us would stitch a surprise one for her, Through our numerous emails we knew what Laura wanted to go for and over about 2 months myself and fellow RR'ers produced this for Laura. I stitched the blue and green squares, Debbie the red and Kayla the bronze.

Blackwork featured quite heavily in May as well as having the RR on the go, I stitched this Art Nouveau Window.

 June

I set myself a little challenge to stitch all of the cover kits from cross stitcher that I hadn't gotten round to doing. I challenged myself to do it in 3 weeks, but managed them all in 16 days I think it was.

I also made another CK handbag for my friend Sarah's birthday too.

 

July

It was Laura's birthday so I made her this little set of a notebook and biscornu along with a card. The Notebook was a Joan Elliot design from one of the mags and I adapted the design to make the biscornu. The card was also from a mag too.

August

was the month of the big biscornu jewellery make! I had the idea to make small biscornu measuing less than an inch each. I made 5 pairs of earrings with matching necklaces for my friend Ann. I was very lucky that she sent me a huge fabric parcel in return as a thank you.

We also had a few days away in Durham visiting some very dear friends. I made them a lovely sack with a stitched coffee pot on with a matching tag. I made a little Dog themed biscornu for my Son

and I also stitched a card and Horseshoe for Laura's wedding too.

September

I really wanted to do something for me for a change. I had the Hydrangea chart from a very old Cross Stitcher and decided to stitch that for me. I loved doing it and it stitched up very quickly too. I'm a bit ashamed to say it is still rolled up in the draw waiting to be framed. I also made my first ATC's and I do enjoy stitching them and it's fun to do the swaps on Bubble.

October

I  stitched my biggest biscornu to date for my lovely friend Rachel's birthday. Rach was flying in from Germany so we could go to the NEC Hobbycrafts show in November. I wanted to make her a lovely birthday present as it was her 30th. I made this set for her. It was the first time I'd made a pouch for Scissors. I adapted the biscornu design to fit the front of it. Rach was very good and even though I gave her the present on the 5th of November, She waited until her actual birthday over 3 weeks later to open it. Not sure I would have had the willpower!

November

My Birthday - Yay!!! I recieved this lovely Giraffe themed set from Laura. I love Giraffes and the 5ft wooden ones in my lounge kind of echo that! I also won the Ladybird giveaway on Laura's blog and a knitted bag from MsStitcher. Lucky me!!! November was the Christmas Fayre marathon, exhausting just thinking about it again!

December

I think my favourite must have been the humbug I stitched for the Bubble Ornament exchange. Beautiful design and I plan to stitch one for my tree this year. The design was from Kincavel Krosses. Every year I try and learn a new craft. 2011 was the year of the sewing machine. 2012 will be the year of the knitting needle!!!

Thanks for Reading my blog in 2011 and I'm excited to be able to share with you in 2012. Don't forget to enter my GIVEAWAY too.

******Blog Giveaway******

Oh yes it's that time. I've not reached any particular milestones but decided to have a little giveaway to beat the January blues.

So the prize naturally had to be a little biscornu for the blog's name sake. The design is from Kincavel Krosses - one of my favourite freebie sites, especially for biscornu designs. It's stitched in one of my favourite Anchor varigated threads on butterfly printed aida and has a cute little metal handmade charm.



So here is a close up of the biscornu, I do love it.

And the bottom of the biscornu says "thank you for reading my blog love Kerry". I admit to pinching this sentiment from the biscornu I won in Laura's giveaway.

I've also included some DMC threads, Aida in pink, ice blue, yellow and rustic green and also a selection of beads and buttons. So there is everything to make some very cute biscornu of your own.

All you need to do to be in with a chance is...

• leave me a comment on this post
• be a follower.
•  The giveaway will be open for a couple of weeks and I'll draw the winner on Tuesday 24th January.

A big thank you for all your support  and thank you for coming back time after time to read my nonsense. Good luck everyone!

Kerry. xx