Another Biscornu

Ok 4 posts in 4 days and I've updated my 101 page and added a new page for my biscornu challenge. I won't make this a habit as basically I can't see me completing any 101 challenges and I am totally out of craft projects for now. I can't decide which of 3 projects to start - Lottie's biscornu, Travelling pattern or start my band sampler. I have everything for all of them although I'm not sure if I have enough fabric for the sampler. I may check that later and get it all ready. I'm really into my biscornu at the moment having completed 4 in the last week or so. Decisions, decisions.

So here is the latest to the biscornu bowl and my June one for the challenge. The design is a pulled thread one that came from a little Cross Stitcher chart book. I  altered it slightly and added another section to make it square. It's stitched on evenweave, which I find challenging on its own and in a lovely Maderia thread that Laura sent me.

I'm sorry the photo is so poor, I'm really having problems with my camera. I really do thing it's time to get a new one as every pic is rather blury. The little orange button came from a pair of Lottie's old leggings. I quite like the fact that the button has a little history.

I kept the bottom quite simple as I seem to prefer it like this in my biscornu now. I feel that when I display them it is always the main side up so seems a shame if they are as detailed on the bottom and not seen.

Laura said she'd like to see a pic of all my challenge biscornu together so far so here they are.

Top:

• July's crochetted ones

Middle L-R:

• June ~ Pulled thread
• February ~ Chinese New Year
• March ~ Pink and purple beaded flower

Bottom L-R:

• May ~ Blackwork flowers
• April ~ Biscofleur (Kincavel Krosses)
• January ~ Indian themed

I'm off to write a couple of letters to my penpals, It's really time I caught up with them. If you fancy reading a new blog my friend Janet has just started one and she is the person who inspired me to do the 101 things. You can find her blog here .
Hope you all had a lovely bank holiday.
Kerry. xx

101 update

Hi everyone,

Yes my posts are like buses, none for ages then 3 come along (almost) at once!

So here are the latest stats:

• 986days to go
• 4 things done
• 13 in progress
• 84 to do

So Since I lat blogged about it I've baked a cake for Mum, It was an apple and sultana cake and was rather nice (although it sunk in the middle a bit)

I've also been to the theatre. I went up on Friday to the BIrmingiham Hippodrome to see Dirty Dancing. It was FABULOUS. It made me remember why I love the theatre. They used the original soundtrack  and more and there were a few new scenes too. I do love the film and I wasn't disapointed by the stage production either.

And my fab pink tour bag that says "I carried a watermelon?!"

So as for the other ones in progress,

I'm currently reading The Iron Horse by Edward Marston. It's the second book of my challenge as I finished Murder on the Brighton Express by the same author last week.

I've been eating new flavours of ice cream - I tried a honeycomb and fig one last week and had Ben and Jerry's Vermonster last night. 101 Things is great if for doing nothing other than trying new ice cream flavours!

I've been sorting the stash and having a tidy up. I did the magazines and fabric last week. Eating my 5 a day is a bit hit and miss but I'm certainly more aware of what I'm eating.

If anyone would like to look at my 101 list you can find it here.

Thanks for reading. xxx

Biscornu and another win for me!

Hi Everyone,

So don't forget to enter my giveaway here.

I couldnt believe I won another of Laura's giveaways, she was having a mini prize for her 270th, 280th, 290th and 300th comment on her blog. Well I was number 280 and Laura sent me this adorable little mouse that we've named squeak.

Laura also sent me a little present from her day out at the Festival of Quilts at the NEC.

Sorry about the blury photo. I think my camera is on it's last legs *sigh* There was some lovely flower fimo beads, cute green bow buttons and a butterfly charm, a lovely variagated hand dyed thread in lime green. I also have a fabulous green crochet hook. There was also the lovely hand made felt and the green fabric which will look lovely in my hexagon quilt when I start it.

I also made a biscornu for me using an amazing hand dyed thread called Luna Park by Dinky Dyes. Now you know my fondness for using varigated threads in blackwork. I first made this little biscornu for the giveaway from a pattern from here just using one of the squares. I was so pleased with it that I  did one for me too and that makes the May biscornu. I also started the bottom of the June one as I did the top...well in June would you believe. I'm hoping to finish the bottom today and maybe even stitched up too.  Anyhoo here is my Blackwork May Biscornu.

Well that's it for this post. Thanks for popping by. Hope you all are having an enjoyable bank holiday. xxx

100th post and time for a giveaway!

So a little later in the month than planned due to changing internet providers and then would you believe less than 24 hrs after getting t'internet back I dropped my laptop and smashed the screen. So all fixed and fully on line here is the giveway to celebrate 100 posts and my blogversary. I want to thank you for all coming back time after time to support me and a special thank you to those of you who take the time to comment and leave me messages on my makes.

There are two prizes:

First prize is this biscornu, needle felted Russian Doll and a little bag of buttons, charms and what nots.

Here is the second prize, a little biscornu and a bag of charms etc.



To win all you have to do is be (or become) a follower and leave me a comment on this post. If you have a blog and I'm not a follower please leave me a link so I can find you. The closing date for the giveaway is MONDAY 3rd SEPTEMBER. Good luck everyone. xxx

101 things, giveaway wins and thank you's

Hi friends,
So firstly a quick update with my 101/1001. I wrote my letter to myself, that was a bit weird to say the least. I've brought a couple of notebooks to keep a journal of my progress. Me and the Kids visited The Hive which is the new city Library and History Centre. The design has split opinion locally, but I kind of like it and it is such a user friendly place and doesn't feel like a library at all.

Picture taken from Hive website.

My 101 Things box, Journal, prayer diary and 20p tin

I won a giveaway over on Laura's blog. She had a stash sort out and gave away 3 big bags of stash and I was lucky enough to win one of them. Laura also included a pair of earrings and a cute little seal ami.

The bag was full of charts, stickers, ribbons, teddybear fabric, threads and other crafty bits and bobs too. There was also a lovely handbag cross stitch kit too.

Lastly I made a little something for Laura and Steph as a little thank you for sending me beads for my friend Jennie in Thailand. I'm sure the kids there will have fun making jewellery with them.

Parcel of beads for Jennie from Steph, Laura  (and me)

So I made Laura a little needle felted piggy. Here he is sat with a little parcel of fabric I sent Laura for her Hexagon quilt.

And I sent Steph a little needlefelted russian doll as she also sent me a huge pile of felting goodies with the beads for me.

Right I'm off to put the finishing touches to my Giveaway prize, hopefully I'll get it launched this weekend. Woo Hoo!!! xx

101 things in 1001 days

Hi Folks,
A penpal of mine told me about this amazing/mad/crazy/challenging* (*delete as appropriate) idea where you come up with 101 things and then you have 1001 days to complete your list which is about 2yrs and 8months. My list is on this website here

Here are a few highlights

Learn to crochet - well that says it all really, I see all these gorgeous granny blankets and Ami's and I'd love to make my own.

Watch 26 movies, each starting with a different letter of the alphabet  - to clarify this is 26 movies that I've never seen before.

Open a cookbook to a random page and make whatever is on it - again a bit self explanatory

.

get a letter published in a magazine - I think persistance is the key to this one!!!

Right I'm off to finish my list, My lovely friend Liz has given me a list of 45 things so I am going to pick some of them to finish my list. I guess I'll be starting my 1001 days tomorrow!!!!! (eek!!!)

Look what I won!

Hi Folks

Just a quick post to show off the lovely goodies I received from Steph. I was a prize winner in her latest blog giveaway. You can read her fabulous blog here. So I got this fab 'Toad' mushroom, little stacked pincushion and two needle felted 'soot' sprites. Steph also made me a little Buddha charm too.

Thank you Steph!! Right time to finish my next giveaway prize. Happy Sunday. xx

Stitched cards

Hi Everyone,

Well this week was my blogversary and I'm planning to do 2 giveaways over the coming weeks, the first one will be to celebrate my blogversary and my100th post and the other will give a mystery prize to the person who writes my 500th comment. I'm on about 405 at the moment, so keep those comments coming!

I've got a bit of an addiction to the prick and stitch cards at the moment and I've done 5 so far. The patterns are from here and here

This is my favourite design. I've just saved the designs in a folder so I can make up a quick card if I need one.

I did this design for Mum to welcome the new puppy. Thomas had a go at doing this one too. He did all the pricking perfectly and did some of the stitching too.

This was my first attempt, I also did this in purple too, but that has already been made into a card and given away.

I like this wreath too, it's a very pretty design.

I've got about another 8 designs to try and that is just the freebies from the sites and there are some beautiful ones to buy on them. There are some beaded ones too that I'm keen to give a go.

Thanks for reading. I'm off to finish the giveaway prizes (squeals with excitement!) Have a fab weekend. xxx

Biscofleur

Well April's challenge biscornu  is finally done, I did start it back in April, but it was the project that was always put on the back burner, but when I got the travelling box done and a few exchanges and presents out of the way, I decided (3 months on) to make it a priority and here is the result. I did take some photos as I went along.

So here are the 15 squares all stitched in my favourite thread (anchor vari 1335). The design is from Kincavel Krosses 

I cut up the stitching into the 15 induvidual squares, like so... and put them into 3 piles with one of each design in.

So I stitched them together as so...

 and TA DA!!!!!!

and the bottom

I'm so proud of it. Here it is taking pride of place in my biscornu bowl.

I found the making up intructions on this blog. They were very good and easy to follow.

Thanks for stopping by to read, only 4 posts to go for the giveaway, It'll be slightly after my blogversary, but not by much :-)

So that leaves May and June without biscornu, I've done the top for June and I've got the design ready for the May one, so I hope to catch up soon. I've been enjoying doing some stitched cards, but that's another story...

Thanks for stopping by. Please leave me a comment as I love to read them.

Kerry. x



Sam, Biscornu and Nan's crafts

Hi Folks,

Apologies for the radio silence again, Hubby has decided to change internet providers so we have a 2 week window with no internet...Grrrr! So I'm over at Mum's armed with the laptop with the intention of writing 2 or 3 blog posts and scheduling them over the next few days as I have a few things to share with you.

A few weeks ago I shared about Mum's Collie that we sadly lost. Well Mum couldn't be without a dog for long so introducing...SAM. He's an 8 week old Sprocker and is totally adorable.

Last week Sarah in Stitches wrote a post about the influence of her grandmother in her crafting. I was quite inspired and thought I'd share a couple of things my Nan made for me. I treasure this blanket she made for me, using oddments of wool, the wonderful thing is I can see some of the wools and they remind me of things Nan had knitted too such as the darker green which was the left overs from a cardie she wore.

When both my grandparents passed away, Mum found this tapestry that Nan had started. Mum brought it home and I completed it. I'd only been stitching about 6 months by that point so I learnt as I went along, matching the tapestry wools and learning the difference between tent and half cross stitch.

I also got my July biscornu done too last week. I'd seen a picture on t'internet of crochetted biscornu and so I decided to enlist the help of Lori to crochet me a couple of granny squares as I still cannot crochet for toffee. She made me two styles and two sizes, so I whipped them up into biscornu.

I since have put on a couple of buttons and you can see them in my Ami basket (sort of). The green one has a lovely wooden giraffe button on the front and a plain green on the back. The pink and yellow one has a butterfly on the front and I can't remember what I put on the back (oops!)

Well, I shall leave it here and get back to the Tennis final (soooooo exciting!) Thanks for reading. xxx