Final frantic Christmas stitching. Phew!! ...and some house pics.

I have been frantically sewing a Mirabilia freebie as an extra Christmas surprise and have just taken it to my framers to be finished. I must say that I don't normally choose Mirabilia designs to stitch myself, although I can see how pretty and appealing they are, but I am delighted with this one and may well do others in the series - perhaps not at such breakneck speed!

I chose the Holiday Cherub 2000 (http://www.mirabilia.com/) and used DMC cottons on a silver grey linen from my stash. There are tiny iridescent beads stitched on which you may just be able to see on my not-very-good-photo. I used the same background colour cotton to stitch on the beads, which, because the beads were clear with an iridescent coating, gave them a hint of the background colour too. I was pleased with the result.

I was lucky enough to be included on Carol R's 2009 Christmas Ornament Challenge - the challenge being to complete and post a photo of a new Christmas ornament each month for the year on a designated web site http://2009christmaschallenge.blogspot.com/ I had already decided to try to complete ornaments throughout the year and this challenge is the perfect incentive for me. If you haven't already visited Carol's lovely website it is http://istitchaholic.blogspot.com./

Wish me luck!!!

This week I have been decorating the house and had forgotten how time-consuming and tiring it all is. Fun though! I live in a Victorian house, built in 1885, so I have very high ceilings with coving and ceiling roses, tall skirting boards and fireplaces.

I have taken a few pics, but I must join a class or something to learn a little more about this photography thing!! I tried to take them in the dark so that the lights would show and it would be more atmospheric, but the flash just illuminated everything to a stark white light -without the flash - a shadowy gloom in which nothing was recognisable!

This is the front hall.

The statue is an original of a girl called Lauren and she is very beautiful. When all living things are safe, it I wouldis her I would probably grab in a fire. I saved to buy her after pressing my nose up against an art shop window to stare at her for months and months.

This is the lounge, which we tend to use a lot, especially in the winter months.

This is the fireplace in the sitting room which we sadly don't seem to use very often now.

This is the staircase which was painted a dirty white when I bought the house, so I stripped the spindles and the floor which I think looks better. We have a central runner now on the stairs and rugs on the hall, landing and corridor.

This is the final picture for today. This is the cast iron range at the end of the dining room, which must have been the original kitchen and scullery - we have a modern kitchen now of course.
The fire, hidden behind hydrangea flowers, does light and the oven works too, although we only use it for keeping food warm - not for cooking - far too unpredictable!! We only light it on family occasions when we all eat together, so the next time will be Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Hope you enjoyed a glimpse into my home.

Thank you for stopping by,

Irene

Snow.. and some sewing!

I must say that when I log in to blogs that I follow, I have a totally irrational disappointment when the writer has not updated their blog for me to enjoy. I decided that when I started mine, I would update at least every other day - so here I am 22 days after my last posting! Maybe I should not be quite so condemning of others!


We have had our first real taste of winter here in the north east, but for my little corner of the world, maybe not quite as bad as had been forecast. We had snow which hung around for a while, but then freezing temperatures in the early evening turned the melting snow to ice. I took Meg down to the beach yesterday to find that there were still drifts of snow on the dunes and even on the beach itself. I have stopped worrying about the fact that my many layers of clothing make me look like Michelin Man and makes bending down a major feat, and my Aztec bobble hat might really be more suitable for the Andes - I am just grateful for the warmth they provide. My friend Trish made and gave me the hat as an early Christmas present, she felt my need for it was too great to wait. Thanks Trish!


I have done some sewing, snuggled up in front of a real roaring fire. I have another Christmas ornament to show and two scissor fobs. I gave away a third fob to a friend who is recovering from a major operation and for whom sewing is occupying otherwise boring weeks of recovery.



This is the front of 'Woodland Snowfall' by Little House Needleworks from the 2004 JCS Christmas Ornaments special.And this is the back! I used Vikki Clayton silks, which I love, and a really dark linen from my stash, although it looks surprisingly light grey in the photo.Again, I used Vikki Clayton's variegated threads for these scissor fobs. The picture shows a front and a back. The chart is a Debbie Draper freebie. I edged in matching beads and finished with co-ordinating ribbons. I really like the idea of using two ribbons caught together with three or four beads to stop them becoming separated in use.

Off now to finish my Christmas shopping - almost there!

Thanks for stopping by.

Irene