HOE Biscornu Arrived

I had a parcel from Iceland waiting for me today in the post from Edda  it was the Hoe Biscornu Exchange 

it is a pattern by Papillon Creations published in The Gift of stitching issue 27. It is stitched in my favorite colour and finished with beads on the edge and is beautifully stitched . She also sent me a lovely Prairie Schooler pattern and some needles.

I have just finished stitching my Biscornu for the exchange I just need to whip stitch the edges then it will be ready to be posted hopefully by Saturday. I have been on Nights this week so have not had much time for stitching.

At last all the snow has gone and the weather has improved my hubby and I went for a walk this morning with our dogs, we went to the beautiful Harewood House the grounds are open now that it is half term week, the Red Kites were active and we saw them flying above us, I have recently seen them on the way to work so they are certainly well established now as there was a release programme about 10 years ago by the RSPB at Harewood House. 

Jayne

More Snow

I thought we had seen the last of the snow! but as I sit here and write this it is snowing and it has been for the last 4 hours, it is starting to settle trying to work up the energy to go to the gym.

I am working on a couple of exchanges so nothing to show yet.

Jayne

Surprise in the Post

Here is my Jack Russell Penny enjoying the snow she loves to catch snowballs and eat them, this snow fall appears to have brought the UK to a stand  still I didn't have the luxuary of staying of work, I work for the NHS and I was expected to be at work as babies do not delivery themselves!! well they do if they are in a hurry!!!

I received a lovely surprise in the post today it was my exchange from The Year Long Prairie Schooler Exchange from Marie, it was very appropriate since we have had so much snow in the last few days it was a Prairie Schooler Snowman entitled Christmas Trees II from Book 87. It is beautifully stitched and finished. I have been working on my exchange piece  so hopefully that will be finished by the end of the week. 

Jayne

Exciting Day

Does anyone like Strictly Come Dancing my Hubby and I went to watch them on Saturday afternoon at Sheffield Arena it was great show the celebrities which took part where Tom Chambers, Julian Clary, Jill Halfpenny, Gethin Jones, Jodie Kidd, Kenny Logan, Cherie Lungi and Rachel Stevens. Julian Clary was so funny he had as much make-up on as all the females and to listen to the banter between the judges and him had us all in stitches. I also have tickets for the Dancing on Ice tour in April.

Does anyone Like chocolate? Saturday we had a 40th Birthday Party to go too as well, as you can see there was a chocolate fountain, the chocolate was to die for and we had healthy options to dip in it as well.
No stitching done today.

Jayne

I forgot to show.

I forgot to show what I had stitched for the Lizzie Kate Exchange on HOE my partner received this early last week she was also called Jayne. I finished it as a needle case which was a new finish for me, I was pleased with the finished result I had also made some counting pins and an unpicker for her to match the colours in the fabric. I enjoy doing exchanges on HOE as you get to try different finishes which you might not have done before so you are learning new things all the time.
Jayne

Busy Week

I have had quite a busy week this week I managed to finish my ornament for the Christmas challenge I am doing the 12 days of Christmas by Just Nan I am pleased with the finish I also stitched on the back "A Partridge in a Pear Tree"

I also received my HOE Lizzie Kate Exchange from Jen Regan, this is our third exchange now, Jen has come up 
with a beautiful finish it is needle work box, it has been lined inside and she added some lovely extras which was very generous I have never had the chocolate mints before as I have never seen then in the UK.
I also signed up this week to the challenge of a basket of biscornu and I even managed to make one and post it for January. It was a freebie design.
Jayne

Exchange stitching

I am working on my Prairie Schooler exchange at the moment so no pictures to show yet. I have a birth sampler that I want to start my Sister is pregnant and due at the beginning of June so I keep telling myself I have plenty of time to start it. I have bought all the threads and have the fabric which I purchased at the Knitting and Stitching Show in November along with the pattern from the Historical Sampler Company.

Jayne

Counting Pins

I had a go at making some counting pins last night and I was quite pleased with my effort I also made a stitch unpicker as well, I finished my Lizzie Kate HOE stitching quite pleased with my finish I hope my partner will like it. Now on to the next exchange which is the Prairie Schooler one, will have to choose a pattern. 

Jayne

Christmas challenge

I have started my ornament for the Christmas challenge I have decided to do a theme so I chose the 12 days of Christmas by Just Nan this was one of the patterns I bought last week. They are small enough that I hope I will be able to complete one every month as you can see I am well on with the 1st one I might even try and do an ornament for each of my family as well.

Jayne

Ready for the New Year

When I started this blog I did wounder if anyone would read it and I am delighted now as people have actually left comments, I really enjoy reading other peoples blogs and seeing what they have stitched and how they finish them, I have learnt alot about different finishes. As you can see I dabble in many crafts I have many UFO's and hope to try and finish a few this year.

Last year I did alot of exchanges so I found I didn't have much time for personal stitching I am going to try and get a better balance this year.

I have finished my stitching for the Lizzie Kate exchange on HOE just have to make it up so once it has been received I will post a picture. I have also signed up for the 2009 Christmas Challenge and the Year long Prairie Schooler exchange.

I am on Holiday at the moment my Hubby and I had a trip out on Friday, in Feb I have to spend a week at Wortly Hall near Sheffield (for work) this means a trip down the M1 I do not like motorway driving so we had a trip out to find it, it is a beautiful Stately  Home turned into a hotel and it was a really cold morning so everything was still covered in ice so it looked wonderful. We then went to Climax Fishing Store the other side of Sheffield as my Hubby is a fisherman then we went to Bakewell which has a lovely needle craft shop  called Wye Needlecraft as you can see I have been adding to my stash I bought some charts for all these exchanges I am going to be doing.

I also popped in to the quilt shop at Darley Dale called Heirs and Graces so it was a good day out the temperature never went above O  so everything had frost on, the moorside just looked spectacular I should have taken pictures but forgot Hubby always has a camera with him on his belt. I also obtained some of these charts from Sew and so a great website I use.

Jayne