Biscornu exchange!

Now despite my blog title I don't get to make that many biscornus of late, so when Mini from Miniz Diary made her first one earlier this year and asked my advice I offered to  do an exchange with her when we could both fit it in. So earlier this month the opportunity arose and after exchanging a questionnaire we made each other a biscornu and included some goodies too.

Mini told me one of her favourite animals/birds was the peacock so as I couldn't find a small a small feather design that would fit I used the colours from a pretty freebie design from Sew & So that was designed by Lesley Teare (also one of Mini's favourite designers) and made my own simplified version that included almost a full spool of Kreinik!

I did a simple design for the back that incorporated our names and the date.

I loved making up the parcel and deciding what to put in so I made Mini some beaded items -  a bracelet and earrings in her favourite colours and a hook book mark (made at my jewellery party) and a penguin scissor fob as Mini loves penguins too. I included some DMC variegated threads, a local magnet (to add to Mini's collection) and some chocolate all wrapped up in pretty paper, along with some cover kits that Mini chose.

Mini sent me this wonderful parcel with so many lovely things...The biscornu was a design I was familiar with, I stitched it years ago for a gift so I'm really pleased to have my own one now.

And the back...

Mini also included a detailed letter describing what she had selected all these lovely things for me including a Greek magnet and soap, an increadible bird painting from India on a leaf, a LHN chart, Fig cookies, a tin with charms in and a gorgeous cameo needle minder.

It was so much fun to do an exchange again as it's been over a year since I last did one and I'm looking forward to doing more in the future.

My next post will be for the summer linky party that Jo is hosting so look out for that.

Happy stitching friends.

First finishes of 2015 and Gifted Gorgeousness SAL

Hi everyone,

I'm a bit late to the party but I've joined Jo's SAL for the year called Gifted Gorgeousness. The basic idea is that you stitch on something that is a gift for someone or was a gift to you. Almost all of my stitching this year falls into that so I shall be checking in on the 15th of each month.

So this months check in shows my first 3 finishes of the year. 

I made this little brooch for a friend who has been a bit poorly recently and sent it with this Juicy Lucy card. It's a covered button that was a Cross Stitcher cover kit or free gift!!! 

The next thing is part of the autumn swap I did with Steph, yes I know we are in the full throws of winter but here is the scarf with the little pumpkin I stitched for her too. 

The scarf is a join as you go in Patons Fab yarn. I'm a bit obsessed with variegated yarns and threads so I've tried a fair few in the Fab range. 

Here's a close up of the pumpkin. It's a design from Gazette 94 (keep scrolling, its a long way down) It was stitched over two on a bit of evenweave in 2 shades of DMC. It was really easy to sew up too. I added 2 leaves and a little stalk made from a stack of buttons. I'm thinking of trying out that shape to make an ornament or two for the tree this year. 

So next on the list is to start making for the winter swap and the travelling box is due in the next few weeks too!!! 

Happy crafting and I hope you're having a great weekend.

2014 round up

Hello friends (if you are still there!!)

I'm sorry for my absence, a few secret makes I couldn't share and then starting a new job (an Internship in Youth Ministry for a year) meant I have fallen behind. So I shall wish you Happy New Year and I thought I'd do a quick round up of 2014. I'm setting myself a goal of blogging monthly so that I can realistically keep up as I am doing the Internship until September. 

January
I finished off the Big Bang Theory chart.

February 

Another TV related stitch, this time Game of Thrones

March

It was a month of finishing off WIP's so I shall just add a link to the post. Although the post is dated April, most were completed in March as part of themealicious.

April

The Spring swap with Steph. As you've all seen the posts about this, I'll just put a pic of my favourite make and link back to the original post.
 

May 

This is where all the new stuff comes in as my last post was mid May. Everything below is new to the blog and starts with Lori's birthday...a blackwork cat card and biscornu. 

June

Laura's birthday was at the beginning of July so In June I made her a dragon cushion and biscornu. 

July

July was a very busy month. I went to see the Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, which was a dream come true. Steph and I did our summer swap so I made Wimbledon bunting and a strawberries and cream biscornu.

A tea for two bundle

In the garden was next, which included a stitched bookmark and cushion, beaded insects. I also did a seaside themed book page with the other side being a picnic. I made a small granny blanket too.

Steph made me a fabulous bundle...

August

The travelling box arrived brim full of amazing makes. I made bunting, scissor case, chicken scratch bookmark, necklace, fabric owl, covered notebook and pen holder, biscornu, 2 brooches and an embellished purse. 

I selected the following to keep...

August was also my friend Caroline's birthday so I made a biscornu and Steph made me a brooch to give her as Caroline admires my collection. 

September 

I started making for the autumn swap and Steph's birthday and didn't get very far at all as I started the  Internship and went from working 10 hrs a week to 30. My youngest started school too  Laura and her husband celebrated their anniversary so I did manage this chicken scratch heart. 

October 

This saw much of he same where I was too tired to do anything, bits got done, but nothing finished 😔

November 

My birthday and my kind a generous friends sent me lovely presents. 

This was from Lauren 

Laura sent me these goodies. I love the colours of the bag. 

Steph sent me some beautiful threads and a brooch to match a skirt I have. 

My friend Amanda made me wrist warmers. 

December 

I actually made stuff and completed them!!

Triangle trees, chicken scratch snowflakes and folder fabric trees for Steph and Laura. They were made in different colours and also included bits is picked up at the hobby crafts show in November. 

I made this for my pen pal Janet's little girl from a DMC freebie chart.

I also made a chicken  scratch heart for Caroline but forgot to take a pic. 

I had some lovely presents from my crafty friends. Steph sent me a fabulous bundle carrying on with the autumn theme. 

Laura sent me 

 And Lori sent me these as my birthday present was lost in the post (so sad)

I also sent Steph an autumn bundle with this mini cushion

I was very lucky to win Laura's crafty advent calendar and had all these fab treats that included stash, makes and chocolate goodness. 

I'd forgotten about the swap we did within the travelling box group. Joan made me a fabulous Santa and candy cane holders

And I made a Joy decoration and sent choc and a few buttons from the NEC.

So that was 2014. I hope you've managed to stay awake through all of this. 

Best wishes 

Kerry

Summer swap part 2

Hello again,

 So I showed you all the marvelous goodies that Steph sent me in our summer swap. As I mentioned we each chose colours and Steph chose yellow and purple. I had great fun crafting for this and here are my makes...

So I made a biscornu from a recent pattern in a WOXS chartbook. It's the same design stitched with the colours reversed for the base with different thicknesses of threads.

And then the biscornu's got a little smaller...the one on the necklace is about an inch or so big and the small one is about 3/4". It had been ages since i made really small ones so these worked well with the fabric scraps from the biscornu.

I made a 'Steph' charm bracelet and matching earrings.

I hadn't made any felties for a while so when I brought the made in felt mag I fell in love with the mermaid and little bear so made both of them for Steph, changing the colours to fit our swap. I added some angelina fibres to the mermaid body for some shimmer.

I also made a little pansy bookmark, nailfile cover and a friendly plastic brooch.

I also popped in some fabric, beads, buttons, ribbon and charms along with some wool.

and a jelly belly candle, tissues and 2 handmade soap I picked up at a craft fayre a while back. My son also made Steph a bracelet. He chose all the beads himself ans put it together, just needing a little help with the findings.

The second part of the swap were summer themed ATC's. It's been about 12 months since I made any but I had a couple I'd stitched already and I made the friendly plastic beach hut and needle felted the ice cream.

This swap wa so much fun to do and I think Steph liked her presents.