Gifted Gorgeousness - December 2020

Crikey ..... not the best day to write a blog post! 

It is Christmas Day as I write these words, and I think everyone in the world must be on-line as my computer is reacting so slowly!!

I hope you will stop and have a little read here today as I join Jo of Serendipitous Stitching for Gifted Gorgeousness.  If you don't know what it is all about do pop over to Jo's blog to read all about GG HERE.

(Not my stitching, this is Jo's
badge for the SAL0

There are a few gifts to mention this month ;

The only cross stitch to show this month is a page of a calendar from CrossStitcher magazine - January 2021 -   Issue 365 - a Free Gift to be exact, and therefore qualifying for Gifted Gorgeousness. 

I stitched the January picture really fast, to send in to the magazine as part of a competition to see who can stitch this picture first. (Only the picture with the blue edges - the pink edged one is February).

Then I stitched this mask and pouch for a blogging friend:

And, yes I've been really busy this month, also finished and gifted this bag I'd started waaay back at the begining of lockdown, for a non-blogging friend:

Oh, and we received these very tasty little biscuits from our neighbour's children with our  Christmas card  the result of a baking session with her young daughters:

Clare has now fully finished the flower (see photo below) I sent her back in August. You will no doubt have seen all the completed flowers on her web-site HERE. 

What a shame Covid stopped people seeing the tree of flowers in person at the church as Clare had planned, still hopefully they will be able to show them next Christmas!

Thank you so much for visiting, and I do hope you are having a Very Happy Christmas!

Roll on 2021 .....  it has to be better than this year surely! Look forward to seeing you again then!

Hugs,

Barbara xxx

Advent Calendar

Today I’m joining Jo of Serendipitous Stitching for her Christmas Advent.  I’m a bit late telling you this, but each day of December you can visit Jo to see who is posting!  If you haven’t seen the calendar yet perhaps you’d like to pop over to Jo's blog now to catch up! 

So, this is my day for door 22

Jo asks that we show a photo of stitching for Christmas:

“Christmas Cheers” by Lucie Heaton

I started Christmas Cheers in November, inspired by Rachel’s Naughty November (see HERE) and finished it around midnight on Sunday !  I was going to try to FFO yesterday, and write my post, but then I realised that would be  bit of a “tall ask” as I wouldn’t be able to eat all day, and I’d end up with severe back ache, so this is it for now ..... but it’s not going in the pile to linger ..... I’m working on it already!

Unfortunately the weather is awful here today and the photo I took, trying to show the colour of the fabric as well as the stitching has not gone so well ..... 

so I thought you might like to see a close up I took while stitching was in progress:

Pattern from The Ultimate Christmas Cross Stitch Collection - July 2014

I really enjoyed stitching this Lucie Heaton pattern and have already ordered the kit for her latest pattern on the cover of the current CrossStitcher magazine (Issue 365) - a lovely winter scene! I hope I don't have to wait too long as I feel lost without a project to pick up in the evening! The strange thing is I've ordered the kit and only today they have sent me an email saying only certain cottons are available and they are on their way ...... but I'm confused, why are they sending these cottons alone when I've ordered a kit? They're not much use without the fabric!!!!

-----------

Jo also asked us to talk about our favourite Christmas book, and I've enjoyed following the others and finding out what their book choices and memories are ......

but, unfortunately, I don’t really have a Christmas favourite  ..... however I especially love the Agatha Raisin series, and remember reading “Kissing Christmas Goodbye” by M C Beaton.

If you’ve read any of the Agatha Raisin series you will know just what to expect.  It’s a while since I read the book and I've forgotten much of the detail of the plot, so don't worry I won't give a spoiler here, but suffice to say it’s full of the usual light-hearted fun we expect from Aggie! The story wasn't quite what I'd expected but I do love reading about Aggie! However I feel the more books Ms Beaton wrote the quality was perhaps not of the same high standard or as entertaining as her earlier books, but that didn't stop my enjoyment of the story. 

Do pop over to Jo's to see all the beautiful stitching of our blogging friends

I do hope you have a Happy Christmas despite all that is happening with Covid, and let's hope things will be better in 2021!

Hugs.

Barbara xxx

My late "Naughty November " post!

Apologies to Rachel and Tiffany for not posting last Monday. I had this ready to go but somehow didn’t press Publish! I don’t know why, but I’m here now!

I really enjoyed joining in with Tiffany and Rachel for Naughty November! The idea was to make a few new cross stitch starts! Mine were all Christmas projects ..... I never usually manage to start in time for Christmas so a new start thingy seemed ideal to me!

And this is where I was up to last week (it's grown a bit more since though!)

Naughty November - Week 3

Hi everyone,

Naughty November is the Brainchild of Rachel  and Tiffany - the idea was for one new start each weekend in November.

 

Well, this week I got so carried away with my stitching I forgot to make any new starts!

But I do have two finishes to show you!

Naughty November - new starts #2, 3 and 4

Hello My Friends,

Joining Rachel of Ten Hour Stitcher again for Naughty November!

So last week I carried on stitching my first new start for the month and started on the second:

1 - Cosy Christmas Wishes, from LK

2 - Christmas Cheers, from Ultimate Christmas Cross Stitcher Collection - 

Nos 3 & 4 - Christmas Tags, also from Ultimate Christmas Cross Stitcher Collection -

I was hoping to use these for Christmas cards but they are really tiny, only 1 1/4" x 1 1/2"

Then over the weekend I carried on with "Cozy", it's growing quite fast!

 It was nigh on impossible to show the colour of the fabric,
but I was at the top of our stairs when I noticed the light was just right to show the light green!

I've been jumping from one project to the other over the weekend and this is where I'm up to now on 

1 - Christmas Cheers:

Pop over to Rachel's to see who else is joining in this week.

Have a great week! Keep safe and well!

Hugs,

Barbara xxx

Naughty November

Hello Dear Reader,

Today I am joining Rachel of "Ten Hour Stitcher" and her friends for "Naughty November"! As there are a few so many little cross stitch projects I've been meaning to stitch  (and especially the Christmas ones) I decided this was definitely time for me to join in!

Trick or Treat Blog Hop 2020

Today I’m linking to Jo of Serendipitous Stitching for her annual Trick or Treat Blog Hop. (Find out more on Jo’s blog)

DH and I have never really celebrated Halloween ..... much ..... I could tell you about the year when our Halloween decorations almost set our porch on fire, tee hee, but we’re here for some stitching and a little crochet I couldn’t resist making this year!

Previously I’ve watched Jo's Blog Hops and collected a few Halloween cross stitch patterns, and this year  I stitched - Boo, a free pattern from Happiness is Cross Stitching.  Unfortunately I ran out of time and haven’t managed to make it into a “flat fold” ..... yet! I made one tiny change from the pattern though and stitched the little ghost in grey as I don’t think he’d have been visible at all!

On Instagram @chaicoffeecrochet I found this cute little witch - Zena! She is such a sweetie! There is a free pattern and you can find her and others on the blog Chai Coffee Crochet - here 

(Zeena is approximately 4.5" tall)

Zeena 

And I just couldn’t resist making this little guy:

Howl 

There was a competition on Instagram but as my Howl didn't really meet any of the categories I didn't join in.

The free pattern for Howl can be found here at Cafe del Craft!

Zeena and Howl had great fun,
messing around at the photoshoot 

Oh, and one more thing, of course, the letter you’re looking for is: (and just imagine this bit is centred, because I can't find the centering thingy!!!!)

“S”

If you are taking part in the Hop, the next blog to visit is: 

https://lifeoutsidethewashingbasket.blogspot.com/

Thank you for popping in. Have a great Halloween!!

Stay Safe and well!

Hugs,

Barbara xxx

Gifted Gorgeousness - October - Halloween Preparations

Hello my friends, new and old!      

Thank you for all your comments on my last post! It was lovely to catch up with everyone and see what you are all doing.  

It’s been a funny old year, what with COVID! I’ve been a real coward and haven’t been out shopping at all! I don’t know how everyone copes with wearing masks? DH and I have been out walking with a friend on a nearby common and my friend has asthma and is very scared about catching COVID. So we wear masks even though we can distance from each other safely. Maybe it’s because we are walking uphill and talking but I keep finding I can’t breathe with a mask on!

                                                                                                                                Contd/...

Gifted Gorgeousness - August 2020

Hello my lovely blogging friends!

I hope you are all keeping safe and well in these strange times! 

I meant to write last month, but we had a big storm here on 13 August.  That day I stood in our kitchen looking out of the window talking to the cat when lightening forked down towards our house! I suddenly wondered what I was doing standing there when I heard a small "pop" ..... that was the lightening hitting the telepjone lines leading to our house. We had no internet for three weeks while the repairs went on! 

Still, we have our connection again now and so today I’m joining Jo’s Gifted Gorgeousness, where we share gifts given and received over the month. Read all about it on Jo's  blog hhttps://serendipitousstitching.blogspot.com/2020/09/september-gifted-gorgeousness-link-up.htmlere - 

Darn, it's like starting at school all over again!!

This is a gift I received soon after “Lock down”, from one of my handicraft friends:
It is made in the method of EPP (English Paper Piecing) - i.e. lots of tiny pieces of material stitched together with teeny tiny stitches! You can just see the tiny stitches in the third photo.

NOT MY WORK

A tiny finish for Gifted Gorgeousness - July 2020

A big “Hello” to all my blogging friends!

This month I actually have a tiny cross stitch finish to share. 

I’m linking to Jo’s Gifted Gorgeousness and as I don’t often have small finishes I am  taking the opportunity to link to  Mary’s “Small Finishes” also!

I haven’t been shopping since the lockdown began here in March and suddenly realised it was our friends anniversary coming up. So out came all my old cross stitch magazines while I searched for ideas. I was going to stitch a wine bottle with a white blank label but hubby said that no bottle would have a blank label, so I added a backstitched pattern on it.  Then there were patterns for champagne flutes but nothing with red wine so I drafted my own glasses, shorter and wider. 

I know it’s only a small piece but still a lot of love went into it!

Excuse the hasty photos. Once the stitching was finished and attached to the card I had to race to catch the post (well hubby did actually!) for it to arrive in good time. 

So now I’m looking for something similar to whet my appetite for more cross stitching!

I do hope everyone is keeping safe and well, and getting lots of stitching done!!!!

Hugs,

Barbara xxx

Gifted Gorgeousness - June 2020

Hi all,

Gifted Gorgeousness - run by Jo of Serendipitous Stitching - is our chance to show off stitched gifts (primarily cross stitch) we have given or received during the month. The sign up date is 15th, closing at the end of that month.  Visit Jo HERE to read all about it, and maybe "sign up" too?  And go here to see who else joined in this month. 

This picture is the button provided by Jo to show we are joining her.

I only have one gift to show you this month.

Over on Instagram  Zoe Mayson (@zoemayson) offered her lovely scraps to make a hexie pincushion, and I was one of the lucky ones who won some of them, and since finishing it I fell in love with making hexagons again!

After the pincushion one thing led to another and I found this lovely pattern for a hexagon needle book by Emma of Vintage Sewing Box. I have finished but I don’t think I have a photo of the actual finished item!

Since "lock down" started I’ve been stitching more of my Cocoa Sampler, (from Cross Stitcher magazine) and it’s getting pretty close to a finish now!

A reminder of how it was looking. 

Now I've added the white stitches and the Owl is
finished except for the dreaded backstitch! 

 also finished the green and blue chequerboard pattern!

Stitched most of the white in the heading and now I need to decide what to do with the sheep - its too high up and some of the pattern won't fit in ..... its a matter of how to frog it!

I really like cross stitch but I only have two projects on the go. I want to stitch more but can't find anything suitable. I'm going to stitch a flower for Claire (Aimetu's Stitching) but I haven't found one yet. So there will be a few more cross stitch projects in the pipe-line.

If you are passing by on Instagram you can find me as @flashinscissors.

Hugs,

Barbara xxx

This is it! The Perfectly Pleasing Pincushion Parade

Hello my friends,

Oh dear, I thought I'd be able to use the old Blogger system but it seems I am forced into using the new one as it was the only way I could access my photos!

Today I am joining Ida's Perfectly Pleasing Pincushion Parade, you will see the link top right. Do pop over to read all the details ..... there are prizes to be won!!!

• This is my absolute favourite, I call her my Polka Dot Lady, I wonder why, but I never put a pin in her. Do you like her face mask? It's crocheted, based on an actual face mask pattern I saw on the web! It can cover her mouth but then she gets too hot!

 

I am always searching for the perfect sewing kit, and each one I make seems to be the best idea!

I find I use different pincushions in different places!

When I started making this one I was actually meaning to make a pincushion in the shape of a bag, but when I came to fill the pincushion I found I couldn’t help lining it and making it into a bag!

• Inside there is room for two cotton reels, and pockets for scissors, a ripper, and pencil. 

Then, on the front, space to keep a needle threader handy.

The pincushion and thread keeper are attached by poppers 

and can be tucked inside the bag for safekeeping. 

• I use this skinny pinnie (1.5" x 5.5") at the sewing machine: 

with rubber on the base it doesn't slip.

and it sits neatly next to the needle as I stitch!

• This is one I made this year and showed on my Instagram account (@flashinscissors). The fabric came from Zoe Mayson @zoemayson.

• and lastly two I've recently finished - 

It’s not too late to join in - pop over to Ida's to read all the details!

Hugs,

Barbara xxx

Perfectly Pleasing Pincushion Parade

Hello my friends,

I'm back to tell you that Ida's Perfectly Pleasing Pincushion Parade is going to take place:

June 8 - 19th

Read more about it over HERE

And now I’d better put away the scissor case I’ve been making and get started on the new pincushion I’ve been dreaming about!

I hope you’re going to join in?

I was a little slow mentioning the start date but hopefully there’s still time for you to join in!

See you there!




Hugs,
Barbara xxx 

Perfectly Pleasing Pincushion Parade

Hello lovely people,

I just discovered that Ida of My Sister Made Me Do It is thinking of reviving the PPPP this year. If you haven’t heard of PPPP before you can read the post I wrote for my entry in 2016 HERE.

If you like pincushions as much as I do, perhaps you’d like to join in too, so once you’ve seen what it’s all about do pop over to Ida’s blog and let her know in her comments that you are interested, as she doesn’t think enough people will want to join in!

But surely we all like the chance to show off all our lovely pincushions, so, come along with me now and let Ida know you’d like to join in! 😊👍💖

And what better reason do you need to make some new pincushions, maybe? I know I‘ve been thinking of making at least one ..... I want to make another doggy pincushion like the one in my header .....  that one went to a new and loving home!

Hugs,
Barbara xxx

March Gifted Gorgeousness

Hi everyone,

It feels a bit strange, blogging at the moment, but I'm sure we are all trying to carry on with normal life  wherever possible, so here goes ......


It's time for Gifted Gorgeousness, and, once again, I'm a little late!

For those that are new here: 

Gifted Gorgeousness - run by Jo of Serendipitous Stitching - is our chance to show off stitched gifts (primarily cross stitch) we have given or received during the month. The sign up date is 15th, closing at the end of that month.  Visit Jo HERE to read all about it, and maybe "sign up" too?  And go here to see who else joined in this month. 

This picture is the button provided by Jo to show we are joining her.

(Yay! Those of you who visit me regularly might have noticed I don't usually add any photos from other blogs ..... (I'm not very technically minded) but, hey. today I managed it!!!! Whoop, whoop!!)

Received this month:

My dear friend Grace very kindly gave me this really pretty pouch she bought on holiday in India. Grace is very careful where she buys things in India, ensuring that the item has been ethically/fair trade produced.

It is hand embroidered and there are tiny Shisha mirrors in the centre of each flower. You were so right Grace, it’s right up my street ..... I absolutely love Shisha mirrors! 

Which led to me making the little pouch that you might have seen in the Secret Stitching Sweetheart Blog Hop for Grace.

There's only one handle, intentionally, ..... I thought the pouch would be just right to hold wool for knitting or crochet ..... with only one handle making it easier to remove the ball of wool if needed while knitting. And Grace says she will use the pocket for her row counter!

just a little close up on the hand quilting

Found this cute label to add inside:

Received:

Little pewter owl needle minder from my friend Suzie

That's the needle cushion on its back. 

Received:

Bag for lace bobbins from my sister 

And these pretty bobbins were a kind gift from another lace maker, 

And, don’t faint, I have a tiny cross stitch finish.

This was a gift from CrossStitcher, issue 329.

It was stitched using 2 strands. My instinct said to use 3, and I wish I had, but then it could have been too tight getting the needle through the holes.

I must apologise for not being here recently. 

I mentioned last time that I had joined Instagram and I can only say it's actually worse than looking at Pinterest, if you know what I mean! There is just so much to see there!

I've been joining in with a couple of SAL's. I'll share some photos on my next blog post. If you are on Instagram you can visit me there as @flashinscissors. I've been making bags and stitching hexies, and I think I'm totally hooked on EPP.



Well, now I'm off to visit my blogging friends to catch up on what I've been missing here.





Hugs,
Barbara xxx