Mother of all finishes

I've done it!!!!!!

 

Joan Elliot Madonna and child are finished. It took an absolute mile of backstitch and tons of French knots and plenty of beading to finish. So just in need of a bit of a wash from the coffee staining which I'm so glad and lucky that it has come up a treat.

 

 

I can't wait to see her hung next to Father Christmas. I'll post when I get them together, but he's with the Christmas decs so won't be coming for a little while.

 

It was my father's birthday recently, the boys and I had fun making our own wrapping paper. It's turned out great. I think they will be on gift wrapping duty for Christmas.

 

 One of his gifts was this book mark.

 

I had finished it a little while ago but I have had to wait for posting the picture until now.

 

I finally got the finishing touches to the first two memory angels, made with Grandma's clothes and stashed bots and bobs.

They have now flown off to their new homes. I just need a few finishing touches to mine and I can start all over again as I have orders coming in for more.

 

So with all these finishes I have tidied my work box up and I'm sorting out my stash for new pieces to come into rotation.

 

 

 

Keep stitching...

Sarah Kay FINISHED ~ big cheesey grin~

Well I did it the World of Sarah Kay is completed. Here it is:

So happy!!! A finish! A finish! Woop woop. I have made another slideshow click on the link below, to show progress photos from start to finish. I have no idea what I will be doing with this one but it was an enjoyable stitch.

sarah kay slideshow

They did give rather a lot of beads. I added extra onto the bow rather than French knots as chart only actually has ten on the parcel. Score for the stash I guess!!!

Our local park has illumination on at the moment. They used to have them when me and hubby were little but stopped for a while. It's so nice to be able to take our boys to see them. It's all Alice in wonderland themed, I love that story too. 

Only thing was a shame we got cut short as the heavens opened. Think we'll go again. We had our youngest out on reins and he thought he was a total hero. He looks so funny being so small, but being an early walker he's really confident.

I've had some time on the memory angels. They all have faces and hair now. Just a few more embellishments and they'll be done.

I'm rather pleased with them. I know grandma would have loved them.

I think I will be sorting the cross stitch heart for the Christmas memory Angel to replace Sarah Kay in my rotations.

Keep stitching...

Double update Motherly Devotion and Thimble Fairy

Firstly I thought I'd ask you all if you have any recommendations of online stores for supplies. I normally use Sew and so but I'm wondering if I'm missing any better places for stashing?

I was saddened to hear the news of Cathey's passing. My thoughts and prayers are with her family especially little Junior.

Double update on Motherly Devotion and Thimble Fairy:

Motherly Devotion as it was:

And Now:

So close to being finished all the cross stitch...it's giving me goosebumps. Don't you just love that feeling of nearing the finish of a massive project. It's certainly a thrill for me. I think that the back stitch will take a bit of time too. Looking good for being finished before Christmas. She'll look great with my Joan Elliot Father Christmas. There's only the dove on the right to finish and another dove at the top and the halos.

I have also finished as far as I can on thimble fairy until I sort out getting some more Kreinik thread to finish the thimble and add the needles on.

Here it was before:


And now:

It's hard at the moment to concentrate on keeping to the rotations at the moment with all these looking so close to finishing. But it is such a thrill at the same time to get back round to them wondering if this will be the time it comes together.

 Hubby has been organising the loft, mainly because its his man cave. However it means I now have an area for my stash that I don't have space for under the bed etc. He's even cleared a bookcase for me so I now have all my magazines and books organised. Hopefully should make finding things a bit easier.

 

I have made some more progress on the memory angels and they are now dressed tidied and have wings. Next job faces and hair and then they will just need a few embellishments to finish them off.

 

My folks came to visit and dropped of some more from Grandma's stash as they get through sorting things.

A lovely tin full of fabric. I can't wait to think of some lovely things to stitch. Probably some more cards and mini's they were grandma's favourite things to stitch and I've been enjoying getting some cards and little finishes sneaked in little spaces of time.

Keep stitching...

Angel face, In arms of an Angel update

Last Sunday we had a family walk along to a car boot sale, it was a decent hike but a gorgeous day for it. We passed some houses on the sea front , this one was up for sale ( out of our league) and as we always do hubby and I started a good daydream natter about what we'd do if it was ours etc obviously a craft room comes up.

One of the things we agreed we loved was the turret room on the front there. Now as we walk further hubby says oh that one has a craft room. Same type house and you could see a sewing machine and baskets on shelves organising stash I imagine Cue sad sulky face all the way home. 

I want a craft turret.

Anyhow I've finished a rotation on In the arms of an Angel

Before:

And now:

Oh my she has a face. One over one for the face and baby was a bit hard work but after getting a sharper needle and an hour in I got the rhythm. Especially made tricky as some of the tones are very similar to the fabric.

Totally worth it though. Can't wait to get back round to stitch on this again.

I had a right craft twitch the other day, but I don't drive and have any close craft shops. I did however find some marabou trim for the Christmas memory Angel, which gave me a little fix.

I normally use Sew and so for my craft supplies online but not seeming that they are as good prices before. Anyone got any recommendations?

I am fairly addicted to mini kits at the moment. Nice to fit a couple stitches in here and there on them and watch them quickly grow. So another finish poppy a free kit from world of cross stitching magazine.

So all in all a nice eventful stitching week.

Keep stitching....

Extra time

I've managed a fast turn around on this one, and got up to some extra crafting too. Hubby had some time off for his birthday so we traded time looking after the boys.

Sarah Kay is coming along a treat. I'm loving that some of these are feeling tantalizingly close to finishing.

Before:

After:



We had a trip to Tynemouth market. I didn't get anything but seeing all the stalls with stitching stuff and craft produce gave me plenty of stitchspiration.

I got a bit time to get the sewing machine out while hubby took the boys to play group. It's hard getting time as I don't have anywhere other than the dining table to put the machine, so I can only have it out when the sticky fingers are out.

I've got good progress on the memory angels. I'm pretty much up to hand finishing now.

I had forgot how much fun the roses were to stitch. But did make me think grandma would have loved to be stitching them too.

Today I baked cakes with the boys, for playgroup Macmillan coffee morning. They are definitely better at baking than me.

Keep stitching...

Flying

This week has been flying along. So sit back an relax there's plenty to report, stitching and otherwise.

The weather has still been hot and sunny only a few storms. I think this year us brits can't be moaning we've not had a summer.

Firstly on with the stitching. I've finished a rotation on Sarah Kay.

Before:

And now:

Decent progress and its a nice summery picture to have been stitching this last week. I have been enjoying it more than I have on previous rotations so maybe it's grown on me.

This weekend was Sunderland international air show with it being on the doorstep and free...well apart from all the stalls, games, food vans etc,  so it'd be rude not too. It was it's 25th anniversary. I remember going to airshows as a little un, I got Vincent far to excited telling him from the Friday we were going to see the aeroplanes and on Saturday as soon as he was dressed he was at the door asking for the keys, flying didn't start for it until 1pm but the boys really enjoyed it.

Vincent is having a language explosion this last week, full sentences, he's now babbling on about aeroplanes and we went to a museum in Newcastle to see some lifesize inflatable whales, dolphins and sharks. Vincent is big into fish at the moment and now has learnt loads of marine words.... I was so proud when he actually told grandma he saw a whale. It was also the first time Henry has been out of the pram on his reins, he thought he was amazing being a big boy. People aren't kidding when they say they grow so fast.

I had applied to be a stitched for Crossstitchermagazine but I wasn't successful. However the letter they sent with my returned stitching was nice mentioning my neatness in my work.

I also received prize for having my letter printed. How nice was it to receive this in the post...drool. all the most beautiful variegated colours. I do have an idea that they would be perfect for but I am trying to stay focused...yeah right...bets on showing before I crack lol

I got some time when hubby took the boys out to work on my memory angels.

 

They now are fully stitched and the clothes have been cut out from grandma's clothes. They are just pinned but they look amazing so far.

 

I have one for me, one for my dad and one for my sister and the red one will be a Christmas one. 

 

For mine I had been given a little hat grandma had knit...best is she used to love wearing the same type of hat all the time so makes a perfect addition for my memory Angel.

 

 I also realised that the clip on earrings she had loads of make brilliant brooches for them too.

I just need to get some sewing machine time to fix the clothes together and get the wings sorted. Then its just hair and face. They also have hold of items in the book they are from. So I'm thinking a roses for most of them and probably stitch a pillow with Noel on it for the Christmas one...Grandma used to sing that all year long.

So all in all I'm rather pleased with all my stitching progress and non stitching progress too. I've even managed to be collecting plenty on my thimbles. So I've got that blog to be updating too. And on with the next rotation.

Keep Stitching....