Needle Pouch

I thought this was a really lovely idea for a different kind of finish for keeping needles safe, and have wanted to try it for some time.  It was a mystery SAL organised by Anne Marie in 2009.  Unfortunately by the time I stumbled across it the link to the finishing instructions no longer worked. I thought it looked quite straight forward though, so thought I would give it a go away!  I'm really pleased with how it's turned out!

The design I chose is different to the one used for the SAL - this one is Delicatesse from Dany which I have stitched on 40ct Newcastle Flax with DMC 310.  I would have liked bigger and prettier beads to attach to the ribbon, but all I could find in my stash with a large enough hole to thread the ribbon through were Mill Hill pebble beads!  I will have to keep an eye out for some large hole beads for when I make another.

Pop along to the album on Anne Marie's blog to see all the lovely finishes from the stitchers who participated in the SAL back in 2009.

I'm not sure when I will next be back blogging again because I'm off home soon to the UK for several weeks.  I'm so excited - I can't wait to see my boys, and to spend time with my Mum!  :o)

Our Amazing Weekend!

I don't often post about what I get up to, but wanted to share some photos of the lovely weekend we've just had at the Atlantis on the Palm that the company Colin works for treated us to.  It was AMAZING - the room, the food, everything!  We've been to the Atlantis a couple of times before, but never stayed overnight with access to all the areas.  Last year when the boys and Nic came to stay we took them fine dining at the Ossiano Restaurant.  That truly was an experience - even the menus were on iPads...lol

This is me sitting in the lobby.
The priceless Dale Chihuly sculpture was created using 3,000 hand blown pieces
that were individually placed to create the 10m high centrepiece.

This was our room and that's the bath just beyond the sliding panels. 

Colin checking out the hotel restaurants I should think...lol!

The bathroom.

I know, too many bathroom photos, but it was lovely!  I couldn't get over the size of it - I've never stayed in a hotel before with such a big bathroom...lol!

Colin and I taken from the back of the hotel.

There were several areas around the ground floor were you could stop and see into the Ambassador Lagoon.  It really was amazing.  We took lots of photos but they don't really do it justice.

View looking over our balcony.

 

View of the Arabian sea from our balcony.

We had a brilliant time, but not enough time to do everything we would have liked to have done as there was so much you could do there, which means I suppose we will have to go back again won't we...lol!

Sew & Sew

I've been going through my finishing box again, and this time I've pulled out one which I stitched in 2011.  It's a complimentary design called Sew & Sew from Mary Garry's Sewing Cabin.  I love anything Mary Garry, and can't tell you how excited I was when I received this several years ago with an order I placed from Needlecraft Corner.

I've seen it's finished as a needlebook before, and have always thought it would be the perfect finish for it.  For mine I rotated the top half of the design by 180 degrees, so that when the needlebook was closed the alphabet would be the right way round.  And, as I often like to add another little accessory I've also made a scissor fob and pincushion to go with it. 

I've stitched it one over two on 40ct Creme Brulee Linen from R & R Reproductions, using the listed Gentle Art Sampler Threads.  The fabric for lining the needlebook, the pincushion and backing for the scissor fob is Madeira from Blackbird Designs.  I've used silk ribbon for the needlebook and a piece of Weeks Dye Works wool felt for the needles.  The pincushion is finished with a little chenille trim.

I'm so thrilled that at long last it's finished!

I'm on a roll!

Another from my finishing box, now finally finished!  As you can see from the date on the back I stitched it back in 2010.  I couldn't wait to stitch it up when I bought it, and can't believe how long it's taken to get around to making it up!

The design is A Quaker Pincushion from Carriage House Samplings.  I've stitched it one over two on 40ct Flax Newcastle Linen.  Again, like my last finish I didn't have any of the listed threads, so chose similar colours from my stash - Gentle Art Sampler Threads Brandy and Peacock, Weeks Dye Works Pecan and Polstitches Dragon Floss Sapwood.

It's back to my finishing box again to find another little project to complete!

Bye for now.   :o)

Another little finish for Spring

Hello, I hope you all had a good weekend.  Mine was very quiet - DH had to work, but it gave me a chance to catch up on UK TV and stitch, which I don't usually do a lot of when we're together at the weekends.

I finally got around to making up this sweet pinkeep with little bunnies.  This is To Love And To Be Loved by Ellen Chester of With My Needle, from the booklet A Pinkeep Story, the Unicef fundraiser for 2010.  This is just one of the lovely designs from the 12 designers who participated.  Unfortunately the booklet is no longer available.

I've stitched it on 40ct Flax Newcastle Linen one over two - the wording is one over one.  Not having any of the listed Valdani threads I chose colours as close to the original from my Gentle Art Sampler Threads and Polstitches Dragon Floss.  I actually finished stitching it just over a year ago - it was one of the little projects that I kitted up to bring with me when I first moved here to Dubai.  We hadn't found the villa to move in to then, and my stash hadn't yet arrived from UK, which is why I never got around to making it up at the time.  It feels so good to actually get around to making up older pieces I've stitched, in between starting new projects.  I still have plenty more to finish yet though, some going back several years!

Thanks for visiting.  :o)

Needlecraft Haven Monthly Challenge

Sunday was reveal day for the monthly challenge at Needlcraft Haven.  Each month a complimentary design that can be found online is chosen to stitch, using fabric, floss and making up into a finish of our own choice.  It's been a long time since I've taken part, but when I saw that the design for March was Souvenir de France by Blackbird Designs I just had to join along as it's one I've wanted to stitch for a long time. 

My choice of finish is a needlebook, so I've stitched the design one over one using Crescent Colours Milady's Teal on 28ct cream Cashel linen.  The fabric for the cover and the needle page is from French General's La Petite Ecole.  The little piece of lace was purchased from France, which I've used before and love so wanted to use it again to pretty up the front, and the shell button came from a pair of old pyjamas that I had thrown away - so glad I saved them, as this one was perfect!  The closure is a little twisted cord made from DMC 712 pearl no. 12.

I also made the beaded scissor fob.  I bought the sterling silver Eiffel Tower charm some time ago to make a beaded fob for when I eventually got around to stitching Souvenir de France or Jardin Prive's Eiffel Quaker, which ever came first.  The beads are sterling silver, Swarovski crystal, pearl and Mill Hill seed beads.  It's really pretty and sparkly in real life!

Hope you all enjoyed your Easter weekend.  Hope to be back soon.  :o)

Happy Bunny Bunny Day

A little Spring/Easter finish -  Happy Bunny Bunny Day by The Trilogy.  I bought the chart a few years ago after seeing Nina's lovely finish, and decided right then that it would be my Spring stitching for that year.  As I had stitched it one over two on 40ct, which was a smaller count then listed, I was having trouble finding any buttons I was happy to replace the ones the design called for as they were going to be too big.  It was some time later before I decided on spider rose stitches instead and finally finished the stitching!  The fabric is Summer Khaki 40ct Newcastle linen.  I used the listed WDW and GAST, but think I may have substituted a couple of the WDW.  The fabric for backing the pinkeep is a little print from Blackbird Designs Blueberry Crumb Cake line, and the gorgeous bunny thread keeper was a birthday gift a few years ago from my friend Hilary - I love it!

Thank you for popping by and have a Happy Easter!  :o) 

Magick Spells

Another Halloween finish!  It's been on my to do list for quite some time, and before that on my wish list for a while too, then one day I received a lovely surprise in my inbox from Maria of The Stitcherhood.  Maria had noticed two of her designs, Magick Spells and Stitcher's Samplers (still to be stitched) on my wish list, and very generously sent them both to me.  As you can see from the date on the scissor fob I stitched Magick Spells last year, but have only just made it up into a pinkeep.  I stitched the little scissor fob using a few of the elements from the design and added a little matching border.  I think it turned out really cute, just measuring a little over one and a half inches across.  I've stitched them both one over one, and although you probably wouldn't have noticed a difference I substituted the listed DMC threads for GAST Onyx and WDW Carrot.  The fabric is 28ct Jobelan Hot Potatoes from Polstitches, which I've had in my stash for several years.

The fabric for backing the pinkeep has a tiny pumpkin print and is from Seasonal Little Gatherings by Primitive Gatherings - I just love their fabrics with these tiny little prints!

Thank you for popping by.  :o)

My Love Is True

A little Valentine stitching!

I finished this sweet little freebie as a tiny pillow, stitched one over one on 32ct Platinum Belfast linen.  My personalization was back stitched one over one too, so really tiny!  I used Antique Rose, Baby Spinach, Crystal Lake and Garden Gate Gentle Art Sampler Threads, and Schneckley Weeks Dye Works.  I love the tiny print fabric for backing, it's a piece of Little Gatherings by Primitive Gatherings, I thought it matched really well with the Schneckley thread used for the wording, and as it's Valentines I've also added a little wool felt heart for keeping my needle safe.  The freebie can be found HERE, and finished pictures can be seen HERE.  

Thank you for popping by - hope to be back again soon with another little finish.  :o)

African Flower Pincushion

My little project yesterday.  

Sandra Paul of Cherry Hearts Designs has recently written a brilliant tutorial for this cute crochet pincushion.  I know I've said it before, but I just love pincushions and couldn't resist crocheting this one to add to my very small crochet pincushion collection!  I would have liked to have used a nicer yarn but my yarn stash is very small and I couldn't wait to start it!  I have some lovely Rooster Almerino dk I could have used (which I bought for another little project I must get round to starting one day), but didn't have the cream shade I would have like for the bottom and sides of the pincushion.  I'm happy with how it turned out though. :o) 

Finally a little finish!

It's been a long time coming, but I've finally got around to actually having a finished finish!  I wasn't going to blog about this one just yet, as I have a couple of other Halloween pieces stitched, and was going to wait until they were also finish finished and then show them altogether.  I'm so excited to have at last got around to making something though that I just couldn't wait to blog about it...lol! 

This is The Prairie Schooler Night Owl from the Just Cross Stitch Halloween issue 2008.  Late for Halloween I know, but at least in plenty of time for Halloween this year...lol.  This one has been hanging around for so long waiting to be made up.  I made a start on the border back in 2008 and then didn't complete the stitching until a couple of years ago.  I eventually decided to make it into a pinkeep last year hoping to have it finished in time for Halloween, which didn't happen because I didn't have enough of the DMC 3776 to make the twisted cord and didn't know where I could buy some here in Dubai.  Last week I made the cord, and yesterday finally stitched it to the pinkeep.  After all this time I can't remember which 32ct fabric I've stitched it on, but I do know that I use the listed DMC threads.

I love the backing fabric, it's a piece I've had for a long time and have used before on my Prairie Schooler Autumn Pinkeep.

It's taken a while, but I think I've at last found my stitching mojo - WOO HOO!  I really have missed it - I just hope I don't loose it again!  :o)

I'm still here!

Happy New Year to anyone who may still be following me, and to any new followers too!  

I haven't finished any stitching, but I do have a quick little crafty project I can show you.  I came across this idea for a wedding invitation ornament on a blog just over a year ago, and thought it was absolutely gorgeous and a wonderful idea for a keepsake.  With Jase and Nic only having just had their December wedding (pictures here) I would have loved to have made one for them straight away, but with Christmas looming, and having to prepare for our move to Dubai, I really just didn't have the time.  Also, all the clear baubles I could find on the internet were sold out, so I wouldn't have been able to anyway.  Throughout the year I've been keeping an eye out for when the baubles became available again, and eventually found some during the summer, so was able to make the ornament in time to give to Jase and Nic for Christmas.  Inside the bauble is Jase and Nic's wedding invitation, with the key details cut into quarter inch strips.  Chota, their little Jack Russell played her part at the wedding too, so I've attached a stirling silver Jack Russell charm.  It was so easy to do, and I was absolutely thrilled with how it turned out.  When I get the opportunity I will definitely be using this idea again.  You can find the simple steps to follow here on Christy's blog.

It's been a busy few months for me, with yet again not a lot of stitching getting done, but I've been having a lovely time.  Towards the end of October and the beginning of November, Jason, Matthew and Nic came out to visit us in Dubai.  We had a brilliant time - sightseeing, cocktails at the Burj Al Arab, and going up the Burj Khalifa, currently the tallest building in the world, then staying until the evening for a meal while watching the Dubai Fountain show.  It was so lovely having them here with us, and we missed them terribly when they left to go back home! 

I love this photo that Jason took of the Burj Khalifa in the evening before the fountain show.

Jason, Nic and Matthew at the Souk Madinat, after a fantastic Friday afternoon Brunch at the Al Qasr Hotel, Madinat, Jumeirah.

Colin, Jason, myself and Matthew before cocktails at the Burj Al Arab.

Soon after they left I became very ill, only just recovering in time to make my own flight back home to UK on the 1st December, so that I could start preparing for Christmas.  Colin followed me home on the 18th for our first Christmas together in three years.  Jason, Nic, Matthew and Chota came home for Christmas this year too.  We had yet another brilliant time, and even found time to carry out our family Christmas tradition of doing a puzzle together.  This was a 2000 piece puzzle, not the biggest we've done, we've done one with 3000 pieces before, but this one was a little challenging with a lot of white and pale blue. 

And now here I am!  I arrived back in Dubai on the 7th, and can't believe that by the end of the month I will have been out here with Colin for a year! I'm hoping this year to get plenty of stitching and finishing done.  I know I've said it before, but I really must!  I have all my lovely stash here with me, so no excuse not to really.  So here's hoping to be blogging again soon!