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!!

A Mon Ami Pierre Pinkeep

I've finally got around to making up this pinkeep for myself! It's the pinkeep design from the A Mon Ami Pierre chart Alphabet Brodeuse. I had finished stitching it a few months ago, when I made the Miniatures D' Alphabets' pinkeeps for my Mum and sister Sarah. It is stitched 1/1 on the same 32ct Vintage Antique White Linen and again using DMC 815. I've also used the same fabric for backing the pinkeep but this time instead of the ruched ribbon trim I have finished it with a twisted cord. Is it just me...my reds never look right in my photos? This red looks so much nicer IRL then it does on my screen!

Designer: A Mon Ami Pierre
Design: Alphabet Brodeuse
Fabric: 32ct Belfast Vintage Antique White Linen
Thread: DMC 815

Thank you so much for all the wonderful comments left for my needlebook...I have enjoyed reading them all! A few of you have asked how I had put my needlebook together. It really was very easy and if you have made a pinkeep before you should definitely be able to finish a needlebook this way. I have tried to explain a little of how I finished mine, which you can find HERE. It is not a tutorial with pictures I'm afraid, but it should help if you wanted to have a try at finishing your own.

A finish at last!

The reveal for the August challenge on Jayne's Attic Stitch and Stash forum was on Saturday. The chart chosen was an A Mon Ami Pierre complimentary design which I have finished as a needlebook and made a little fob to go with it too. This is my first EVER needlebook...can you believe that! You would have thought I would have got around to making one before now! Sometime ago I had seen one made up this way on another blog. I can't remember where now but because I couldn't find a tutorial for it at the time I saved a picture to remind of how it looked. I don't suppose I've got it quite right but I'm very pleased with how it turned out. The chart listed Vicky Clayton silks which I substituted for DMC, choosing similar colours as I thought they would go well with the fabric I had already decided to use for the needlebook cover. The scissor fob and needlebook were both stitched 1 over 2 on cream 40ct Newcastle Linen. I stitched Nun's Stitch around the edge of the needle page.

Design: A Mon Ami Pierre (complimentary found here)

Fabric: 40ct Cream Newcastle Linen

Threads: DMC 926, 924, 640, 3721, 223, 632, 3064, 902, 3052

I have a couple of A Mon Ami Pierre pinkeeps to make up which I had finished stitching some time ago, so will hopefully have more finishes to share soon!

I must edit this post to say that I have received a lovely comment from Nataliejo with a link to a picture of her needlebook that she had finished some time ago. Nataliejo thought perhaps it could have been her picture I had seen! I'm so thrilled that she left me a link, because it was definitely Nataliejo's needlebook that inspired me to try the same finish! Please visit Nataliejo's blog and take a look at her needlebook. It's absolutely beautiful, and you will see why I just had to have one too! :o)

It's Me, I'm Back!!

I can't believe it's been over two months since I last blogged! I'm afraid I have no finishes to share just yet! I have done a little stitching while I've been gone but haven't finished making anything up! :o(

I really must say a very big thank you to Elisa, Jessie, Jurga, Jeanne and Sherry for the blog awards they've given me while I've been away. I'm so sorry it's taken me this long to get around to thanking you all, I really do appreciate them though! I hope it's ok but I shall be passing these awards on to all the blogs I visit, as I think you all deserve them and I would find it so hard to choose just a few of you!




Due to the slump in the property market DH Colin and I have had to make some big decisions regarding our self-build at Spire Hill. Still nothing definite decided on yet as we do have a few options still to think about, but for the time being we have decided to stop the build. For the last few years Colin has been working locally, part-time for just two days a week so that he could project manage and contribute as much of his own time with both our self-builds. With the build also being at a stage now where he doesn't need to be spending so many hours there, he's now ready to go back offshore, overseas to work, which looks as though it could be as early as next Saturday! My youngest Matthew is also off at the end of September to study English at Brighton University, so there's going to be lots of big changes! It's going to be soooo quiet here on my own - what will I do with all my extra spare time...lol!

Before I go I must just share this photo I took recently of my two boys outside the O2 Arena. Jason my eldest is on the right and Matthew is on the left. Even when Jase comes home to visit it's not often I get them both together long enough to take a decent photo. Matthew and I caught the train to London earlier in the month to spend the day with Jase. I had a wonderful time - just me with my boys looking after me! We had a lovely lunch before going on to the Tutankhamun Exhibition at the O2.


Will hopefully be back again soon with a finish or two to share. :o)

Acorns and Owls

Yesterday was reveal day for the monthly challenge on Jayne's Attic. We had a choice of several complimentary designs this month and I chose 'Acorns and Owls' by Blue Ribbons Designs. This one has been on my 'to do pile' for a while and I already had the perfect fabric for finishing - you can't see much of it from the photo but it has a little acorn print on it. I used 40ct Light Espresso R & R Linen with the listed Gentle Art Sampler Threads. The little trinket tray/bon bon dish finish is another first for me that I've been wanting to try. I really enjoy these monthly challenges and can't wait to find out what we'll be up to next month!

This morning I received my JCS Christmas Ornaments preview issue. I've been really looking forward to this one arriving and was going to start on the Country Cottage Needleworks 'Silver and Blue' ornament first but now that I've seen 'Joyful Blessings' from Blue Ribbon Designs I just can't make up my mind which to start first! Will definitely be doing them both though!

Look what came in the mail today...

...I absolutely love it! If you've seen my Madeira jelly roll tin I think you'll know why, because it's made from the same blue Blackbird Designs Madeira Sampler print! I must thank Jeanne for my new Scrap/ORT bag. I contacted Jeanne after seeing a picture she had posted on her blog and Jeanne kindly sent me the details I needed so that I could get my own. Thank you Jeanne! :o)

Another Tiny Pinkeep

This one is for my sister Sarah...a extra little something to give her with her pressie for her birthday today. With Mum and Sarah's birthdays being just two weeks apart, I decided that this year I would make them both a little pinkeep. This is 'Corbeilles', another French design by Miniatures D' Alphabets. I've finished it just like Mum's (see previous post), same fabric, thread and ruched ribbon trim. The only difference is the fabric for backing, the print is the same but with a different background colour.

A Tiny Pinkeep for Mum

Yesterday was my Mum's birthday and if I have time I always like to try to stitch a little something I can give her with either her present or money. This year I've made her a tiny pinkeep. This is a little French design, 'Coeur D'Ange' by Miniatures D' Alphabets. The fabric is 32ct Belfast Vintage Antique White Linen and was stitched 1 over 1 with DMC 815. I thought I would have a try at doing a ruched ribbon trim around the pinkeep and was really pleased with how it turned out. Mum really loved it too!

A Friend Is A Gift...

...and this little gift was stitched for a dear friend who has safely received it today so I can now share a picture. I really should have finished it and sent it on it's way well before now. I had completed the stitching in January, finished it into a little pillow and made the cord trim in March, which I finally got around to attaching in April...JUST...lol! The design is The Prairie Schooler's complimentary design, A Friend Is a Gift. Stitched on 32ct Bay Rum Jobelan using the listed DMC.

Today is reveal day...

...on the Jayne's Attic forum and my finish for this month is a floss ring tag. I've been wanting to make one of these since seeing them on other blogs...finished with either an eyelet or ribbon to hold the floss ring. I was going to use the eyelet finish following Staci's tutorial but then last minute when I came to make it up I decided to use ribbon instead of the eyelet to hold the floss ring. I must make one with an eyelet soon though, because I really like these too!

The design chosen this month is The Caron Keeper a complimentary design by The Drawn Thread which you can find here. I used the same 40ct Light Espresso R & R Linen that I used for the March challenge, stitching 1 over 2 with GAST Highland Heather, Mountain Mist, Ohio Lemon Pie, Tin Bucket and a WDW in Whiskey (not using the DMC you see in the photos).




After my previous post on the Madeira Jelly Roll tin, I thought I would contact Jane Timmer's to ask if she would one day be releasing the designs for the Madeira Tin Project. It's going to be a while but yes she is...WOO HOO! She has a couple more classes to teach, the last one being September next year so it's not going to be until after that! Looking at the photos Jane has on her blog there were a couple of the Madeira fabrics I still needed for finishing the accessories. I've at last managed to track them down here in the UK and have received confirmation that they are in the mail. Will have to wait patiently now for the release date! :o)

I have another finish but can't show you that just yet. It's a little gift for a friend but I still need to get to a post office to mail it. Hopefully I'll pass by one this week and will post a picture once I know she has received it.

Blackbird Designs - Madeira Jelly Roll Tin

Look what came in the post this morning...the Blackbird Designs Madeira Jelly Roll Tin! As you can see from the photos I already have some of the Madeira fabrics, so when I found the empty tin on Ebay for 'Buy It Now' I just had to snap it up immediately...lol! Have you seen the pictures of Jane Timmer's (Fancy Work) Madeira Tin Project that she has on her Blog? Isn't it lovely! I would love to be able to make these accessories for my tin too! :o)

Tin top

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