A Mon Ami Pierre Needlebook

There's not been a lot of stitching or finishing going on here since Colin arrived home. I've not spent a lot of time on the computer either, wanting to make the most of having him home, before he is off again for another 6 weeks towards the end of the month. I have managed at last though to finish putting together this needlebook. I had started making it up a month or so ago so it feels like it's been hanging around forever!

The design is another A Mon Ami Pierre freebie which can be downloaded from here. I've stitched it 1 over 2 on 40ct Light Espresso R & R Linen with DMC 779 and made a matching tasseled scissor fob. The fabric for finishing is from Blackbird Designs Harvest Home.

Another Christmas Ornament!

I've had this one on my 'to do list' for ages! It's one of five designs called A Touch of Holly by Teresa Wentzler from the December 1996 issue of Just Cross Stitch. The chart also includes a bell, heart, star and fan and gives instructions so that they can all be finished together as a bellpull. I think I shall probably one day just stitch a couple more of the ornaments though.

I've stitched it as the chart recommends using DMC threads on 28ct Dove Grey Monaco from Charles Craft. The border and background pattern are stitched over 2 and the tree was done 1 over 1. For the back I used the same background pattern as the front and also added the date.




It's good to see a few of my finishes actually getting completed at last! I still have a few more to do though!

Hope everyone has been enjoying their Bank Holiday weekend. I'm having a nice quiet day here. Youngest DS Matthew who is studying at Brighton University came home for a visit on Friday but left to go back again yesterday. It was lovely to have him home even though it was only for a short time. I'm getting very excited - only 11 days left before DH Colin is back home again for another 6 weeks!!

Joy Ornament

Today I finished putting together the first of the Peace, Love and Joy ornaments by Renato Parolin an Italian designer, that I mentioned I had stitched in an earlier post. I changed the listed DMC to 347 and as I want the ornaments to be finished a little smaller then the models on the chart I have stitched them 1 over 2 on 40ct Light Espresso R & R Linen. The front and back are joined together with whip stitch and I have also added the date to the back.




I'm looking forward to having all three completed but will probably finish Peace and Love between other finishes that I still have left to do from last year! Hope to have more to show soon!

Thank you for visiting! :o)

A Mon Ami Pierre Pinkeep and Fob

This week I decided it was about time I put together this pinkeep. I finished stitching it last summer and made a little scissor fob to go with it too using the centre motif of the design. I have also added my initials to the back.



The design is an A Mon Ami Pierre Quaker freebie which was given to me by a dear friend. I've stitched it 1 over 1 on 32ct Belfast Antique White Linen, using DMC 3750.

Thank you to everyone for all your well wishes. I'm still feeling so much better most days and I can't tell you how wonderful that is! :o)

Where has the time gone!!

I can not believe how long it's been since my last post! Both me and my computer have been very poorly. I started to become unwell some weeks before Christmas and became worse at the start of the New Year. Then just into the New Year and only two days after DH Colin left to go back to work overseas for another 6 weeks, my lovely Sony Vaio went down with hardware failure. It was only 6 months out of warranty and Sony were quoting an arm and a leg to take it in for repair, almost as much as it would be to buy a new computer, which is what we ended up doing. I'm now on a new 24" iMac. I'm loving it and having fun finding my way around the new OS as I have only ever used Microsoft before.

I'm not fully 100% yet and still having to pop back to see the doctor from time to time, but I am now having more days where I feel so much more like myself. Colin has been back home for his time off and last Monday left to go back to work again for another 6 weeks. I am getting excited about my stitching again which I've not felt much like doing while I've been unwell. Recently I finished 3 ornaments from the chart Peace, Love, Joy by Renato Parolin an Italian designer. They still need making up but you can see a picture of the chart here. I've also noticed since finishing them that Amy (DSL) now stocks them. I have quite a few pieces I finished last year which I never got around to making up, which I'm looking forward to doing and hope to show soon. I have one small finish that I can share for now though, which I made for my Mum. She should have had it along with her present for Mother's Day but I never even managed that in time and only made it up a couple of days ago.



The design is a freebie by Ariane Jean Pierre which I have stitched on 32ct Antique White Belfast Linen with Polstitches Romance Dragon Floss. For the tassels I used DMC 3836.

Thank you for popping by and I hope to be back again soon. :o)

I've been tagged...

...by Julie to share 6 things all about me! The rules are...

1. Link to the person that tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your Blog.
3. Write 6 random things about yourself.
4. Tag 6 people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their Blog.
6. Let the tagger know your entry is up.

...but rules are there to be broken...heehee, so I'm breaking rule #4 and #5!

1. I was born in Malta.
2. My name is Melita, but everyone calls me Carol.
3. My Father emigrated to South Africa 30 years ago, so I don't get to see him very often.
4. Many moons ago, I was an audio typist etc for an estate agents.
5. I love anything stitched with bees, and have a nice collection of bee themed charts on my 'to do pile'.
6. I love cosy winter evenings, when the curtains are drawn, flames are flickering in the fire, it's raining outside and I can snuggle up on the sofa and stitch. :o)

Halloween Finish!!

I know that Halloween has been and gone, but I still wanted to share what I had stitched now that I've managed to get it finished, and especially as I really wanted to do this one last year! I did also make a start on the The Prairie Schooler's Night Owl, and I really, really wanted to do Smell My Feet from La-D-Da, both from the Halloween issue of Just Cross Stitch. Never mind, I shall look forward to getting them both done next year.



The design is from a Mary Garry's Sewing Cabin OOP leaflet. I've used one of my favourite fabrics again - 40ct Newcastle Flax Linen, 1 over 2 with the listed DMC threads. The fabric I've used for backing the pinkeep is a Thimbleberries print that I have had for a few years. I've also used the same fabric to make the cute pincushion. I've wanted to make one of these pincushions since seeing Mary Kathryn's on her blog. I think it's so cute made from the little bee print fabric she has used. I have the exact same fabric, and will have to make one just like Mary Kathryn's one day!

Edited to add link to pincushion instructions here.

Late Again!!

This is my finish for the monthly challenge for October on the Jayne's Attic forum. As it was breast cancer awareness month we were able to choose from several breast cancer awareness complimentary designs. I chose this design from the Painted Giraffe Stitchery to finish as a little pillow with tassels.


The pretty fabric I used to back the pillow is from the Moda Quilt Pink II collection. Stitched 1 over 2 on 40ct Newcastle cream linen using the listed DMC threads. The little gold heart attached to the ribbon is a Mill Hill glass treasure.

Now to finish making up what I had stitched for Halloween! I WILL catch up eventually! :o)

September's Monthly Challenge

Design: Windy Willows complimentary found here
Fabric: 32ct Belfast Flax Linen
Threads: DMC 347

Better late then never! Last night I finally got around to adding the trim to my finish for the Jayne's Attic September challenge. The design is Noel a complimentary design from Windy Willows which can be find here. I've not been very adventurous with the finish, just a simple little ornament with a ruched ribbon trim. The fabric is 32ct Belfast Flax Linen and was stitched 1 over 1 with DMC 347.

Yet again I've not had many finishes to share. I mentioned in a previous post that DH Colin would be returning to work overseas, so the last few weeks have been a little busy for me. Colin started his new job last month as a marine offshore terminal manager, for export oil operations stationed in the Black Sea. He was away for just over 4 weeks and has been back home again now for just over a week. It's a very short trip home this time, as he's off again next Monday. This will mean that he is able to slot into his regular work schedule of 6 weeks on and 6 weeks off (travelling in his own time of course!), which works out brilliant, as it means he's going to be home for Christmas! It's been several years since Colin last worked overseas and I surprised myself at how quickly I settled back into my old routine, perhaps because it was all I had ever known since before we were married, and we've been married now for 26 years!

Due to bad weather delaying the start of a dive which Colin also had to supervise while he was away, he wasn't able to make it home in time to see our youngest Matthew off to Brighton University, missing it by just a few days! That was one hectic week for me, having to get everything organised and seeing Matthew off on my own, not to mention really, really sad too! I thought this time it would be easier as I'd already gone through it with Jase. It wasn't though, I bawled my eyes out just as much and couldn't walk into his room without bursting into tears for days after, just the same as it was with Jase! Last weekend we went to Brighton and dropped off the last of his things he wanted with him. It was so upsetting again leaving him but I'm a lot happier now, after seeing how well he is settling in.

I know I don't post too often, but thank you so much for continuing to drop by. I really do appreciate it! :o)

Proud Mum Moment!

This is not stitching related, but I am just bursting at the seams to share, with anyone who will listen...lol!! My eldest son Jason has just had his fourth book published. This one's about Prince and it's his biggest one yet - a big photo book with a velvet cover which at the moment is only being sold as an exclusive deluxe edition through Barnes & Noble in America and through their website. You can see it here with additional pictures. I have my very own copy, signed by the author himself of course...lol!!