A little finish and a new start

Well I have finished the cushion I have been stitching for my daughter Julie - she loves hares and this will be part of her 44th birthday in May ! It has been stitched on a light olive evenweave with ordinary DMC threads and contrasting fabric on the back which is also around the piped edges ...

I have also started a box - same as Victoria Samplers winter Box , but in different colours ... I am stitching this on pale mint green DMC fabric which is slubbed so looks a litle like linen ...  I am using a beautiful thread for this - a hand dyed thread by Chameleon called DogRose, which I received as part of my  'Calendar Girls'  gift from friendly stitchers members ... I had never heard of these threads, but they are beautiful, and although they are cotton, they have the feel of a fine silk - I shall have to look these up on the net ;)  ..... this box is a gift for a friend but I have another couple to do for non-stitchy friends and have some good ideas as to what to fill them with ....

We have had some nice weather in the part of North East England where I am living, but quite cool and windy today  .... but lots of things growing in the greenhouse, including lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers,carrots and beetroots ( only got a 6' x 6' greenhouse) ..... outside I have three bags of potatoes growing, plus two small apple trees inblossom, and some raspberry bushes and strawberries yummy  :)

I have also been making some more jewellery and will post pictures later as I am now getting a few orders  :)

More Jewellery

Decided to do a bit more jewellery for a couple of family members .... I am enjoying making these things and practice makes perfect !! Had a visit to the local Hobbycraft store but very disappointed  .... they were much more expensive than from the internet, so came basck and went online for more beads and findings ....  I am also gradually getting more tools to work with ....   here are the latest efforts :

These are for my sister in law and include real turquoise beads

For a long time friend



Gifts from a friend

After making some jewellery to give to my emigrating friend (see last post), I was overjoyed to receive some from her when we met for the last time. We had known  each other for some years after meeting when we both worked for the youth service. However we will stay in touch via skype!  Hope you like the necklace and ear-rings she bought for me ... they are silver with a rune (similar to an f ) in lovely purple

Can anyone tell me how to get pics side by side on blogs and how to turn them round - whatever I do I can't manage to get them side by side !

Jewellery for a friend

I have a friend who is emigrating to Australia in a couple of weeks time and wanted to make something for her to take with her .... I decided to make her a jewellery set of ear-rings and bracelet ...  I choose Tai silver, real coral and turquoise and came up with these .... hope she likes them



 Also decided to make a start on the Hare cushion from this months Cross stitch collection magazine . My daughter loves hares so I am sure she will like this .... should be finished in time for her birthday