Exchanges and Giveaway...

Over the past year I have taken part in all the exchanges that Elaine at Stitched with Love Exchanges has organised.  I have received lots of wonderful stitched pieces, stitching related goodies and just goodies in general.  Thank you to everyone who has sent me something.  As mentioned in an earlier post I did lose the memory card with some of the exchange packages I had received over the year on it, but here is a picture of the the latest one I received from  Jennifer.

She included in the package a beautiful basket with a lovely brown and cream liner, I adore baskets and was so surprised to receive it, I totally forgot that I had mentioned my love of baskets in my exchange questionnaire, duh!

Here is the package I sent to Marjorie.  I had stitched a Lizzize Kate design and just as I went to finish it thought to check Marjorie's questionnaire to find that LK was not one of her favourite designers.  Luckily I had a sampler design stitched just waiting to finish, it was Spring Tuck Pillow by Primitive Bettys, and it was surely fate that meant that I had this already done. 

I also had a birthday giveaway a while back and Toni was the lucky winner, well it took me a while to stitch something and put the package together, but here is a photograph of what I sent her.

I stitched BBD's Remember Me pincushion of merit and made some buttefly pins.  I also made a pincushion and ORT container.  I didn't have buttons to suit the Remember Me but found a little heart charm that said 'Made with Love' on it and I thought it looked really pretty stitched on.  Here is a photograph of the finished piece on the fabric I used to back it with.

I have been busy in the last few weeks with DS#3 basketball.  We spent 5 days in Ireland, I was a parent chaperone.  There was 4 adults and 15 teenage boys, it was great fun, they played 6 games in total against the best teams at U14 in both North and South Ireland.  It was challenging for the boys, but the did really well, and we all returned home exhausted, but it was a fantastic experience for the boys.

At the moment I am stitching a birthday gift for a very dear friend, so I can't let you see it until it is finished and she has received it, so that will be next month.  I am surely going to try and post more regularly, I thank everyone who posts a comment and takes the time to read my mammoth posts.  Hope you all have had a great weekend.

Hugs and Happy Stitching.

Fiona

I have a tree...

I have been stitching on and off, between exchange pieces, on With thy Needle and Thread Birds of a Feather sampler and now have a tree.

The first part of this sampler, the border seemed to take me a real long time, but I stitched the tree up in just a few nights and it was a real pleasure to stitch and gave me my stitching mojo back.  I plan on stitching the 2 bluebirds next, but have to put it away for a bit to stitch on another exchange piece.  Unfortunately, because it is an exchange piece I can't show anyone until the exchange is finished and the gallery is posted.  Hopefully, I won't lose the memory card with the photographs on it again!

I spent today shopping for groceries, I could have put the money spent to better use on prettier things, but sadly my family have to eat.  I did have some girlie fun though.  My DD works for a cosmetic company in one of the department stores and she prettied me up.  I also got some samples from some of the other cosmetic houses.  I received a beautiful Thomas Sabo bracelet and charm from DD and her boyfriend at Christmas and hadn't worn it as I was unsure about the size and whether I would prefer different beads or not.  Well after playing with different combinations in the jewellery store, I stuck with what they had picked.  I love it and the charm has all the different words for Mum on it.  What do you guys think?  Excuse the photographs, but as I've said before photography is not my strong point, maybe I will look for a course on it to try and improve my skills.

I'm also making plans to use the lovely round box that the bracelet came in for something, maybe a pincushion or something.  Thanks everyone for stopping by and I really appreciate all your comments.

Fiona

BOYS IN KILTS...

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas.  It was very quiet here with just my DH, the 3 boys and myself.  Unfortunately, DD couldn't make it home due to work commitments, but we did get to chat to her on her new ipad.

As mentioned in the title, here is a photograph of my 3 boys in their kilts ready to go to the school dance.  They are all wearing the same tartan, the Brown tartan.  They have all worn the kilt the youngest is now wearing and they will be carefully stored to pass on to any grandsons that may come along in the distant future.

As you can see they really wanted to have their photograph taken...LOL.  I also just noticed that you can't really see their kilts, but they are all wearing them honest.

Here are the youngest and my middle son you can see their kilts a bit better. 

Sorry about the fact that my youngest DS looks like he has an angel coming out of his head.  Can you tell photography is not one of my strengths.

The next photograph is of my eldest DS getting tucked into his Christmas dinner, the tie was one of his presents and he had to get dressed up for dinner.  Sometimes even though they are getting older they still do the cutest things.

Just in case you think it is really dark outside, it was only 4pm, you can tell we live in the north.

As far stitching goes, I haven't done very much just been really busy with Christmas.  I did have some photographs of stitching to show you, but misplaced the memory card from my camera with all my exchange stitching on it.  If you would like to see what I have been stitching over the last few months check out the Stitched with Love Exchange blog.  The various exchanges have been fantastic and a huge thank you goes to Lainey and Colleen for organising them.

Will be back in the New Year, see you then.

Fiona

AND THE WINNER IS....

I had my DH choose a name from the bucket tonight and the lucky stitcher is Toni.  I have been busy putting together a package and will get it out to you in the next few days.  I'm also hoping to post some more photographs in the next few days.  Thanks to everyone who entered and helped me to celebrate my blog birthday.

Hugs

Fiona

Blogaversary Give Away...

I just went on to check when I started my blog and guess what it is one year old tomorrow.  To celebrate I will be giving away some goodies to one lucky person.  To win all you have to do is be a follower and comment on this post and I will add you to a draw and have one of my boys pick a name from the hat.

Good Luck everyone and now I will have to source lots of goodies for this fantastic giveaway, and don't forget your e-mail address.

Fiona

A Post at Last...

I suddenly realised that I hadn't posted in a long time.  I always say that I'm going to post regularly and then think that there is nothing happening so decide to wait till there is and then I have lots to tell.  Here goes, I think I will spread everything over a few posts.

This first post will be dedicated to an exchange I took part in over the summer.  This was organised by Elaine at Stitched with Love Exchanges and was the 2nd exchange I took part in.  I really love doing these exchanges and have taken part in more since this one.  This is a photograph of my exchange package that I sent.

This was all the goodies that I included in the package.  The stitched piece was a Blackbird Design from their book A Stitcher's Journery.  I used a piece of Lakeside Linen and a custom dyed Victorian Motto Sampler Thread called Oceans Waves that I had received at a Cross Stitch Pals Retreat a year ago, I love Nancy's threads.  I finished the design as a flatfold, which I think turned out stunning, even I do say so myself.  I used Vonna from a Twisted Stitcher's instructions, which were very easy to follow, this was the first time I had made a flatfold, but it surely will not be my last.  The finished piece is sitting on the fabric that I used for the finishing and the final touch was a piece of ric rac braid hand dyed by Nancy at Victorian Motto Sampler.

Hope you have enjoyed seeing this the first of my exchange pieces and my stitching.

Hugs

Fiona

Summer is almost over...

Well it has been a pretty busy 6 weeks off from work.  Firstly, on the stitching front.  I had taken part in an exchabge on the The Stitched with Love Exchange blog and sent to Catherine here is a photo of what I sent her.

I stitched the Summer Sachet from Blackbird Design's book A Stitcher's Journey.  I made it into a little pin pillow.  I also added some little pins that I had made.  This was the first time I had made any decorative pins, and I think they turned out pretty cute.  I received from Pam in the US, she  had stitched a really cute needlebook with her house and my house on it.  There were lots of really cute and fun things included in my package from Pam, thank you. 

We had decided not to go away on holiday as a family this year as my eldest son didn't want to come with us in our caravan.  He was away on a camp for a week, so the rest of us sneaked off for some time away from home.  We visited Rothiemurchus and did some cycling, there are some fantastic off road trails around this area.  This is a picture of Loch an Eilean Castle, which we passed on one of our cycle trips.

When we got home DS #2 and I headed off to Northern Ireland.  We left at 4am on a wet Saturday morning to travel to the ferry terminal.  We eventually arrived at where we were staying by 5pm, we live really far north and it always takes us a long time to get anywhere.  We had a busy week and on one of the days we took an open top bus tour around Belfast, it is really interesting to hear the history behind the troubles in Northern Ireland and also to see the Peace Wall and the murals that are painted on the walls and the gable ends of buildings.

 

After my week in Northern Ireland it was home again for a few days.  Then my youngest DS travelled to Glasgow for a basketball clinic with Gannon Baker.  He had a fantastic time and learned a lot of new skills.  I didn't travel with him, but his coach and the team manager were there and they both said it all the players involved had a fantastic time. Here he is doing one of the skills that he learned and Gannon Baker doing the same.



 While on holiday I also decoupaged and

painted this handy little set of drawers.

I have also spent some time stitching and sewing.  I made a start on getting my Etui finished.  It has been sitting for months waiting on me having the time to put it together, well it is almost there, I just have to put the back piece of fabric on and sew the binding on to that.  Once I get started on the hand sewing of the binding it should go pretty quickly.  Hopefully, I will get it finished by the weekend.  I also made myself a new handbag.  I had picked the fabric, clasp and pattern up in Myrtle Beach last October and only now got around to making it.  I love how it looks and hope to make some more.

I can't share anymore of my stitching and sewing at the moment as they are for exchanges.  As soon as I am able I will post a photograph.  Hope everyone has a good summer and enjoyed reading and seeing some of the things I have done during my time off work.