Computer black out

Well we had a computer blackout and then router trouble for a couple of days but seems to be sorted for the moment. 

This is the next cross stitch project that I'm doing. It's a series of cats in the kitchen by Margaret Sherry. I have made 4 mistakes on the teapot alone so far so not a good start! But I am determined that it won't defeat me so will plod on. There are a lot of half stitches which I find annoying so maybe that's what is getting the better of me. It measures just over 6" it looks like a fun picture to hang in the kitchen and it's my favourite............ a cuppa and cakes!

While we are on the subject of cross stitch thought you'd like to see this one that I did for my grandson a couple of years ago. To be honest those browns did my head in as they were so similar so I changed the cream bootee's for blue. I was dreading doing the back stitch but it was suprisingly easy to do and wow what a difference it made to the picture. Would I do another one....at the time I said never again but that was before the final stitch was put in......so I changed my mind to yes, as the picture is so lovely (but it took a while to do).
He is growing into a strapping lad so it's hard to imagine that yes, he was once this small!

Finished WIP cross stitch

A little while back I posted this cross stitch that was nearly finished but lay in the ufo drawer. Now it's finished!

It's amazing when just the back stitch (which everybody hates doing!) brings the picture to life. I have some burnt orange velvet fabric so will probably turn in into a cushion....oh no back into the ufo drawer for a little while ;0)

Cuddles

Latest addition called Cuddles because he is made from the cuddliest, softest socks. When I was little I wanted to work in a zoo, well, that never happened so am making my own menagerie! Will have to branch out from monkey's into other creatures. He or one of his mates will be making their way to my Etsy shop later in the week.,

Sockies Galore

A cupboard full of monkeys! Some of which are in my Etsy shop.

 Two of the shelves have the girls and the bottom shelf has the boys.

I actually got the wadding for my quilt today so next week hope to crack on with it. This bit is going into the unknown I have to say, so, will take a deep breath and hope it goes OK and not to much unpicking!

Poppy painting

A picture to brighten up a miserable cold day! The middle and bottom pictures have a much brighter yellow background than the photo shows. These were  painted a couple of years ago. (red again of course!) The middle photo shows a  painting made up into cards.
Will have to get the old paints out again as they have been unused for a few months. At the moment still underneath monkeys and threads and stuffing!

More Sockies

Here is some more of the gang, which are already sold. I will be adding some more onto my Etsy account in the next few days.

Well up here in the far North we have a sort of snow (hail and sleet) and then the sun comes out and then it's dark and horrible again. It's turned quite chilly now, but we have the fire blazing and what better than to draw up a chair and get on with some craft work......so a mixed blessing!

Card making

I don't very often make cards but the urge overtook me to knock a few up, this one went to a poorly friend.
I wouldn't mind having a go a scrapping but after looking at all the bits and pieces that are in the shops and cutters/embellishments etc and seeing how expensive it is, think will give it a miss. Although saying that, I have bought a brown paper bag thingy from Ebay, (is that called tea bag) which is all folded over and it has pockets to slip cards in. So maybe one day that could be used for a sort of scrappy book. Maybe cut my own embellishments to stick on.
Another thing to add to the ever increasing list!

Got stuck into a bit of cross stitching and got a large chunk of it done, hopefully it will be finished soon.

Applique

I just love applique, while browsing bloggers world I have come across some amazing applique quilts....that would be my ultimate goal to do one of those. (well I can dream). So in the meantime I have started this small piece which will be turned into a cushion. It's a funny sort of  fabric as it can be painted on as well as anything else, its very strong but I can't remember the name of it think it beings with M and it comes in different weights. Daughters and myself went to a class and had a lesson on painting on this fabric which was great fun and we come out with some great peices of messy artwork! Will take a photo and put on here some time.

 Not all of it has been stitched down and it's nowhere near finished I was thinking of free machine quilting it. Give me a bit of practise for the BIG one!
Which brings me onto that.....went into the shop to get some wadding (not fancy stuff just 2oz polyester which the purist amongst you will do a big intake of breath....sorry) and they only had 3 metres when I need 4 and half so boo to them. They wont be having a delivery for at least a couple of weeks so double boo. Will go to the craft shop in the other town and hopefully they will have some in or at least get a quicker delivery.

Wow, won a prize!

Can't remember the last time I won something! These are from Paint Drops Keep Falling ((http://paintdropskeepfalling.wordpress.com/) and they are very large postcards of her lovely paintings. I will be framing a couple of these (especially the one with the red spotty background!) I love the way she does her backgrounds I'm sure she'd be delighted if you paid her blog a visit. (sorry I don't know yet how to highlight the name) So thank you very much they are lovely.

Patchwork is coming along a pace and nearly finished the patching together. It has 5 strips so only another one to do and then the sashing around the edges.

Knitting pattern

I was asked which pattern that was used to knit me blue cardi. Well this is it, as I said not grannyish quite modern I did adapt it a bit and moss stitched all of the back and moved the 2 front panels right over to the front band as  it seemed to be nearly underneath the arm pit and not so easily seen.

This bowlful of cooking apples was taken from one patio tree quite an amazing amount for a small tree. They arn't as big as Bramley's but at least I know they are fully organic. Most of them have been turned into crumbles and eve's puddings but still got loads left over.

Surging ahead with the patchwork. When you have to unpick it 3 times that's the time to put it away for the day!! But even with those hiccups there is  only one more panel to be sewn and then the sashing all the way around. So nearing the end......until I get into a puzzle with the actual quilting bit.

Finished cross stitch

This is the finished cross stitch. Not a pattern that I enjoyed doing particularly but as it was for a friend I plodded on! Hope she likes it and it's not going back into a drawer somewhere! There was quite a bit of backstitching to do, sometimes it's easier to do that as you go along and you can see the pattern better so that is what I did with this one. Which leaves me with the cat one to finish off, but as that one is for myself might procrastinate with it. I do have a rule now not to start a new cross stich until current one is all done and dusted and so far that has worked. (but not for all the other projects as I have a few different ones going at the same time!!)

Start of new project

Here is a peek at a new project that will be made over the next month or so (hopefully)

 As with some things it's not coming out how I had it in my head! Still will persevere and see what happens

Knitted cardi

The photos don't do justice to this little cardigan. The blue is more turquoise and a lot brighter than the pale blue shown. I know knitting is coming back into fashion just now but I don't see many people sporting a knitted item yet. The cardi looks much nicer on than off (in my opinion) and is a shorter length (not grannyish at at all :0D )
I've knitted one of these for my d.i.l. and 2 for my daughter and they wear them and they are both in their 20's so cant be bad! This pattern has now been used 6 times in all......time for a change me thinks!

panel down the front which once you get into the rythm is quite easy.

I was going to buy some swanky buttons as only needed two. BUT daughter was throwing out a manky top that had 5 buttons on it. Once more the colours are not right (new camera as well) they match perfectly so was really pleased.  Now when I see some item in cs or cheapo shops will be seeing what the buttons are like and if its worth buying just for them as they are really expensive now.

Finished item. It has moss stitch on the arms and back of the cardi. So all ready now for the blizzards that are supposed to be coming this winter!! Would love to do a big Aran coat that I have lost the pattern for was a really trendy one with trees on the back....anybody know the one I mean? Twas a number of years ago that I first saw it, but at the time had kids at home and just knew I would lose my place if I started knitting it,so  put it away for years and think when we downsized it got thrown :0( boo to me.

Clock

Here is the clock that I bought in Homesense on our foray into the big wide world! Its quite large at 20" circumference but we have an expanse of white wall to fill and we can see it without putting our glasses on!!
Fits very well over the computer and yes it is red!

I'm back!

After our epic journey right down to Kent, back through Ilford and then Bolton before heading back to our beloved cottage in our part of Scotland. I take my hat off to all those that have to juggle the traffic in towns and cities. Everytime we go down we forget how bad the traffic is and how busy everywhere is BUT there is some great shops down there! We came across a shop called Homesense (found out its part of TKmax) and what a lot of lovely stuff for the house there is. (But it wont take first place in my must have shops, that's still reserved for Dunelm!!) Not particularly cheap but nice for a browse. No, I didn't buy owt except for a very large clock. Will post a photo later.

I did take some craft work with me and finished my cardi and one of the ufo cross stitches that was for a friend, it's amazing what can be done when there is no computer to use as I also did a few more of these little patches for the quilt.....more to follow

 So hopefully I will get on with doing some patching in the next few days.