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.

Cheerio computer

As I will be away from my beloved computer for a couple of weeks I will leave with a plethera of monkey photos. Hope you enjoy them and 'see' you when I'm logged in again. :0)

They have all gone to good homes where they are loved and cuddled. (Either by a child or adult!)

I hope to catch up on my cross stitch (well one of them anyway) and  start a new project that I have in mind. More of that at a later date. Also I hope to come back with the cardi knitted up and finished, I did start on the last part which was the one of the fronts and couldn't believe that I've miscounted the stitches so had to undo it. (is that called frogging or is that cross stitch??) But back on track now. Our local craft shop (which is super-duper BUT you have to have a firm hand on your purse otherwise you will come out completely broke!) sells really unusual buttons...bit expensive but when the cardi is no longer usuable they can be snipped off and re-cycled onto summat else. So might just treat the cardi to 2 buttons from there.
Anyway enough of my ramblings...over and out!

 

This is where I'm upto with the quilt think it's going to be smaller than first thought but still got a few more patches to make up.

This is a closer look at the little houses which I think look OK
in the middle. Still a long way to go tho and need to get batting
etc. It's totally different from when I first thought about making a patchwork quilt and  how I wanted itto be, but that often happens, doesn't it!

sock monkey

Little Miss Stripey with her bag packed already to go her new home.

Just bought some wool at the 99p shop and yes I know its only acrylic BUT the colour was such a bright zingy blue (it's a brighter deeper blue than the photo) that I couldnt resist and I'm knitting a ladies cardigan with it. Have used this pattern 6 times now, really need to find another pattern!

Favourite chair

This is my favourite chair, although it needs a few bottoms on it to loosen it up if you know what I mean. The cushion was only £5 in a sale and the throw was in the 99p shop (that sells other things that arn't 99p!!) it's one of the cosy, soft ones just ready for winter.....hope it wasn't as cold as the last one. (the colours are more red than the photo...can you tell I love red haha)

This is my other bookcase that had a re-vamp.My daughter was going to throw it away, good thing I saw it before she did! It had no back and had brown painted blocks on it (dont ask it looked nice at the time!!) and we added the curved piece of wood at the top of the shelves. Painted with the same Laura Ashley emulsion, it just fits nicely into the alcove.

Here is Maisie....isn't she cute?
I was commissioned by Pooky over on MSE to paint some minature portraits of her two daughters. (The photo that I was sent has my messy paints spilt on her so not part of the photo!)

And this is her older daughter Amber....another beautiful daughter.

They are about 3" tall and I hope that the girls think that they are a true likeness. :0)
I have Pooky's permission to show them on my blog.

Patchwork

Pooky asked me how big the quilt is going to be. Well I first thought that I would only need 12 squares how naive was that...I need at least 20! (to cover the top of a double bed) So I think I will keep going until I run out of material so that will determine the size. This patchworking is addictive and I enjoy embroidering the red houses of an evening.
Here is a piccy of what I did today....I did unpick 2 sides of the square as I realised I should do that in one long bit to join the strips up....I think (if anyone knows differently PLEASE let me know!!
Hubs asked if I was making it for sale......but I don't think so (unless somebody offers mega bucks!!)

 This has so far 4 squares and I think it might need a 7 squares strip so it covers the whole bed top to toe.

On a different note, thank you all for all the nice comments that I've had about the bookcase. It took about a week to do. I also painted the inside which I don't normally do but it had that woody old smell (if you know what I mean) so I primed it with oil based primer which seems to have worked. Glad that I inspired somebody to crack on with their own bookcase!

My first patchwork patch. Not how I expected it when I first set out, but I am really pleased with it

All pressed, lesson learnt....... check the underneath of your iron before pressing!!
I added a redwork embroidery patch in white in the middle as I wanted a homespun feel. Only about another 11 to go!!

The Bookcase

This is the start of the bookcase that we were given free

The next step; stage one primed. Hubs looks at it in horror while I glibbly say it's going to be fine! (all the while thinking the same as him)

Stage two; after another coat of primer and a few coats of Laura Ashley emulsion. Had run out of masking tape so was very  careful doing the moulds in the glass....took ages.

Last stage; Curtains up, handles back on. Would have liked some different handles but re-cycled the old ones with a few coats of gold acyrilic paint.

 Close up of the curtains, which are more red than the pink tinge it shows.



The total cost was £7.50 material (but had loads over for a patchwork) and 4 red beads at 20p each which I hung on the keys.  Had all the paint already in. Found some curtain wires in the shed and cut them down to fit. So was pretty pleased with how it's turned out. As for hubs.....he is pleased that it's turned out OK so he doesnt have to lug it back into the shed!!

The top photo is my stash of bits for a patchwork quilt (small...maybe mini quilt!) I am still mulling over whether to have the squares as they were bought or to make tricky things like triangles etc, also hand or machine sewn? Machine quicker BUT you can sit in a comfy chair and do it in evenings watching tv if doing by hand. Also dont know whether to add a bit of pale green to the red/cream pile. Like to hear your comments on that!
You might recognise the large piece of red fabric with birds on, its left over from the bookcase curtains (I havnt finished that yet still waiting on the wires)
You cant see in the photo on the bottom photo, but the batic fabric is really zingy and bright but only got 5 squares of them. I have started an applique picture with some of the stash.....a small cushion....but run out of inspiration at the moment to finish it :0(

Miss Rose

 

This is Miss Rose.  Made from a pair of cream coloured socks with a pink rose pattern. I will be putting her in my super-duper new Etsy shop very soon.

This little cupboard that I painted used to sit in our bathroom with all the toilet rolls in for many years but when we moved we had to get rid of a lot of our furniture :0(

Well I was hoping to put the curtains up today but need some wire, they are cut out and ready to go tho.

But in the meantime......

These are two unfinished cross stitches that have been languishing for too long in the cupboard. The one of the left I started off for a friend she tried to do some and it went horribly wrong, so she gave it to my dd who then gave it to me as she didn't have time to do it.I had to unpick quite a bit and then started again. So a different meaning to the round robin!!
The one on the right is taken from a cross stitch mag and is a bit brighter than photo.

This is the fabric I purchased for the newly painted bookcase. If it doesnt look nice behind the glass, I will recycle it, perhaps into a patchwork that I want to do.

I have had some interest in these little guys....they are £7.50 each + £1.80 p/p there are only 2 left now!

        A few more watercolours of the kids when they were very young.....where did the time go! They are all approx 3 half inches tall. The paintings not the children!!

pint size wee Jock

pint size monkey...wee Jock!


    All the gang together.

  My favourite bro.

Middle size sockie

W

Will up load his brother tomorrow. This little guy measurers approx 25cm from head to toe.

painting

Had an urge to do some watercolour painting and painted this of my son using an old school photo (the harness was used to hold his 2 hearing aids all they had in those days which was the early 1970's :0(   It's a minature of about 3". Hope you like it.

Barry the Biker

Here is Barry. He's getting excited about getting married

Brenda

Brenda is Barry the Biker's soon to be wife. She is off to her new home next week where the owner's little girl is going to do a wedding ceromony...isn't that sweet. Although Brenda looks hard she is a caring girl and works at the old peoples home and in her spare time helps after school with children doing activities.



back view

Crafted jewellery & monkey's

Triple trouble! Mini monkeys. I popped one in the post for a poorly friend with a little card attached to his hand with 'get well soon'

A lovely necklace daughter made for me. The photo doesn't do it justice as the blues really are zingy, she crochet the chain bit.