Hearts and Flowers

So, the little emergency alphabet hanger I made for my nephew's girlfriend was apparently very well received. She loved it and could only bemoan the fact that she didn't have a house grand enough to display it properly! She is so sweet.

It is lovely isn't it, when something is so appreciated. So, obviously, the only thing to do was to make her another one. And this is it. A little branch with hanging hearts. It is the first time I have stitched anything from this Italian designer, but the design is so - well - clean cut - with beautiful true colours that it certainly won't be the last. The design is called Amore Amour by the Italian designer Renato Parolin.

I began to stitch with the recommended DMC colours and then decided to kit it again with variegated silks, but - you know - it just didn't need it. The variegation just fussied up the design so I carried on with DMC over one on 30 count linen and I really like the result. It is backed with red silk and finished with beads and a little ribbon bow hanger.

As it happens, it is my nephew's birthday on Valentine's Day, so I will give him this early to give to Victoria as extra surprise.

If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?

This is quote from a poem by Shelley which I have just checked out. It has something like 25 verses and this is the only bit I know, the last two lines.

Anyway, you didn't come here for a Literacy lesson, but perhaps it serves as a gentle reminder that in spite of the harsh and unremitting bad weather some people have experienced this year, nature is already girding its loins to blossom forth in a few short months.

To prove that, here are a few sprigs of Pussy Willow collected yesterday when walking with Meghan. They are in a little silver topped antique vase my mum bought me for Christmas, standing on the shelf in front of the range oven, lovingly black-leaded. also by my mum. It is part of a cooking range in my dining room and has an open fire in the middle and a large water boiler to the right. I do light the fire occasionally in the winter when we have a family celebration, but the oven is too unpredictable to use for cooking. Nice to have though!

Well that's all for today folks, thank you so much for taking the time to read this.

Love
Irene xxx

Two ornaments finished - finally

I started both of these ornaments well before Christmas and saw myself presenting them with a flourish (of course) to grateful friends.
Well, yesterday I finished them.

It is in fact so long since I stitched this first little bird heart, that I can't even remember where the chart came from, which is very remiss of me. I will search it out - eventually - and give due credit to the designer because I think it is rather sweet. It is stitched with Vikki Clayton's threads, over one, I think on maybe a 30 count cream even weave linen, so it is quite small, and I finished it using bronze beads, as an edging, little tassels and a hanger.

This second one I can give credit for but there is a tale. I stitched it as far down as the last border and then misplaced the chart - for weeks. I knew it was a freebie, but couldn't remember who by ( is there a theme developing here?). Happily Anne (she who gives wonderful presents) found it as she searched through her own stack of freebies.
So happy thanks go to http://123citrouille.canalblog.com/. She has quite a few sweet little charts like this and a lovely blog, so go visit her. Again this is over one with a Vikki Clayton premium floss on a 32 linen. I used a double silk ribbon held by larger red beads.

So all ready for my tree then - in 11 months time???

I have also stitched a gift for someone which is pretty, but I'll show you that when it reaches its destination.

Thank you for calling by, I love your comments and always pop over to read your blog too.

Love
Irene xxx

BBD Snow Garden

Oooh - this was so nice to stitch. It is, of course, Blackbird Designs Snow Garden, stitched on a 28 count linen called Mushroom with the recommended threads. I needed to buy in most of the threads for this one and as soon as they arrived - I thought 'yummy'. They are such subtle variegated colours.

Alright - I know already - I desperately need lessons in photography. I took several pictures of this, is different places, trying to catch a bit of light, but it is so gloomy here in England at the moment that none of them gave a true representation of the colours.

This is a gift for my sister. It was originally meant for her for Christmas, but I just didn't find the time. When she visited recently she saw Mocking Bird and really liked it, so I gave her the choice of that one or this - as you can see from the initials KHH - she chose this one!

There is a tiny, tiny variation from the original - have you spotted it?

I stitched an upstairs window with a yellow thread, so that a light could be on and the house would look occupied - I'm in that room stitching away! I was amazed at the difference - nine little stitches and suddenly a welcome light shining through the snow.

Well, that's all for today. I have to take my car in for a service. It's really not very well - apparently you have to put oil and water in them now and then. Who ever heard of such a thing???

Thanks for stopping by

Irene xxx

GoD And DoG by Wendy J Francisco

I found this lovely simple song on another blog, so I have posted it here for dog lovers everywhere.

I bet you watch it more than once- it has something very special about it.

Enjoy

Irene xxx

The perfect gift

You must know by now that Anne and I spend a very pleasant evening together every Thursday. We sew, we chat, we gossip, we drink tea and we eat biscuits. Not necessarily in that order.

I have also mentioned before that Anne is a much more adventurous stitcher than me, she will try different techniques and different finishes much more readily than boring old me. This time she made this amazing drawstring pocket - but - she gave it to me!!! Yay!!!

Anne designed this herself and so it is very personal to me. The three little cats are Poppy, Sasha and in the middle, black cat Dicken. And the dog - why - Meghan of course. Isn't that sweet?

The back has our names on it and it is lined inside with a cream fabric on which are printed tiny white fronds and leaves.

I made a real photographic effort to show you a bit of the amazing and careful detailing. Look at the tiny stitched bars which hold the cream satin ribbon. Pretty special eh? Really pretty and really special.

And not only but also - inside - this lovely matching strawberry. It has green felt leaves and a sisal hanger. Anne has made these before and I have envied them and promised myself one, but she remembered and made me one and hid it inside the bag.

Like I said - the Perfect Gift.

Thank you so much Anne.

I love it.

Thank you for your comments they are very much appreciated. Any admiring ones for this beauty will be passed on to Anne.

Irene xxx

PS I have just viewed this post and see that the first picture is on its side. Now why is that? And can I mend it? Mmm not clever enough. Sorry.