Had a lovely day off today

the sun came back out to play today (was rather grey, windy and generally miserable yesterday while I was at work) so I took my dog down to the park for a run around in the sunshine, she loved it and I did remember to take some photos but then the camera battery died so once the battery has charged up again I shall post up a pic or two.

Had the house to myself today as well as my parents went to Wales overnight to catch up with some long-lost cousins of my Dad's so I also managed to get some uninterupted stitching time in today and completed 3 of my exchange pieces :) again no photos just yet because of the camera & the fact that none of them have been posted yet!

I've also been reading alot lately which is nice as I sort of stopped reading as much just before Christmas. I can strongly recommend Confessions of a Jane Austen addict & Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen addict by Laurie Viera Rigler for any JA fan out there. Just about to start reading the Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler (I'm on a bit of an Austen kick atm!) and then I'll hopefully have bought the offical Twilight Saga guide by Stephanie Meyer to sink my teeth into (all puns intended!)

As always happy stitching

xX Fiona Xx

A couple more finishes.

This is the last of my finishes updates (for now!) I stitched this freebie for Easter from primativebetty and finished it into a little pillow for Easter using the fabric photographed.

Designer: primative betty
Fabric: 14ct 'Brown Cloud' Aida by sewitall.com (last remmenant *sobs*)
Threads: recommended DMC threads except the pink which I subbed for a different one as I didn't have it!

I also decided to finally turn 'Fall into Autumn' into a cushion  as I already had the sewing machine out!

Currently I have had to suspend my Mario project & the Sunday night UFO project as I am currently stitching a summer coaster, a coffee themed stitch and another biscornu for exchanges and two patches for the Pokemon Patchwork Gym. We are a group of gaming stitchers who have decided to stitch a quilt which has every pokemon from the first games (blue, red & yellow) plus all the gym leaders and the two trainers (the one you play as and your rival) on. The finished quilt is then going to be auctioned off and all the proceeds will be donated to the Japan Relief fund, click the Pokemon Patchwork Gym button on the right to find out more!!

Needless to say my needles are going to be very busy for the next few weeks!

Happy Stitching to you all!

xX Fiona Xx

Exchanges!

Happy Easter Everyone!!

As promised today's post is all about my Easter exchanges! I joined three exchanges for Easter, a biscornu exchange, a stitched card exchange and a secret Easter bunny exchange (similar to secret santa)

Here is what I sent my biscornu partner:

stitched on 14ct opalescent pale yellow aida with DMC threads, not to shabby for a first attempt at biscornu!

And here is what I received:



For the card exchange I sent this:

design taken from cross stitch card shop and stitched on 14ct white aida using dmc threads.

And I received this:

I love this little felt bag, and the chocolate eggs were just yummy!!

Finally for the secret Easter Bunny exchange, I sent this:

the pinkeep is a free lizzie kate design from the website, stitched using dmc threads (own choice in colours) on a scrap of fabric from a grab-bag at a show.

And I was lucky enough to receive:

Again the chocolate egg was very yummy as it was filled with chocolate covered cornflakes & jelly beans!! I love Ty Beanie Babies & the biscornu is so funny that I can't help but giggle every time I see it!!

Wishing everyone a very happy Easter weekend &

happy stitching...

xX Fiona Xx

So many things to show and tell!

I have lots to show and tell over the next couple of days, far to many photos to show in one post!

Things have been so hectic at home and work the past couple of weeks, I can hardly believe it's the Easter weekend and almost the end of April already! Seems like only last week I was posting my latest TUSAL update and now it's almost time for another!

Anyway, enough raving about 'where does the time go?!' and onto the updates, today's focus is PIF's!

Now long time blog readers will have seen my numerous posts recently about PIF stitching, luckily since they have both been safely received (thank god is all I can say, stupid RM!) I can finally stop going on about them and reveal what it is I have sent!

To the lovely Kath I sent this:

Designer: Lizzie Kate, published in a 2005 issue of Cross Stitcher

Fabric: 14ct brown cloud aida from sewitall.com

Threads: Recommended DMC threads

And this is what I gave to the lovely Gaynor:

Designer: Lizzie Kate, published in a 2005 issue of Cross Stitcher

Fabric: random offcut purchased in a bag of offcuts from a show

Threads: Recommended DMC threads

I really enjoyed stitching both these designs and will be stitching them both again, be my friend for mysef and peace to all for my mum who fell in love with the design when she saw it finished!

See you all tomorrow for a post about exchanges!!

Happy Stitching
xX Fiona Xx







A giveaway over at 'Hooked on Stitches!'

Angela is having a wonderful giveaway over at Hooked on Stitches for her blogoversary, click the link below the picture below to find out more!!

blogoversary giveaway!!

Hoping to post an update on what I've been doing later today!!

Fiona

Only 3 days left in my PIF!!

don't forget to sign up!! Kath I'm glad you're PIF arrived with you safely :)

April TUSAL, a finish (with photos!) & a PIF!!

Well here is my jar for April's new moon - soon be time to squash it down a bit methinks!

New threads in the jar include orts from the wedding sampler (more on that later), 2 exchange pieces, my PIF's, bob the builder (admittedly it's probably only one or two!), Super Mario & Halloween Short Stack.

~x~

As previously mentioned this week, last Tuesday saw my parents celebrating their Silver Wedding Anniversary. This is what I made them and I pleased to say that they loved it!!

We spent the day in Witney and then my brother and I surprised them with a meal out at Parasol, a local Chinese restaurant.

~x~

Last week I entered Lynda's PIF over at a cozy little place for stitching and as only 3 people entered she's decided to send something to everyone which means it's PIF hosting time again!!! If you would like to receive something stitched by me in 2011 all you have to do is simply comment on this post only. I will be picking 3 lovely people next Sunday (the 10th)

Good Luck & Happy Stitching!

xX Fiona Xx