Another Box and Some Finishes

**Edited** I have received an award. Thank you very much, Mbroider, for giving me this Sunshine Award. Rule of this Award is to pass on the award to 12 bloggers. I have a hard time as there are so many blogs that I read, love and admire. So, I am passing this Award to all beautiful and creative bloggers out there!

I am obsessed with boxes, here is another one on show. The stitching (LHN Chocolate Box) was done some time ago and I had just finished it as a box during my cartonage lessons. I love the fabrics used for this box. The box was lined with strip green fabric inside. It was tricky to get the fabric properly aligned.

Next, some finishes to share. Remember the BBD Loose Feathers Pattern I started in September last year? Happy dance, Autumn Song is done. I stitched it on 32ct Lambswool using Cosmo, DMC and Anchor varigated threads. This is going to be another box, lol, but a round one this time.




I am way behind in the LHN Monthly Ornament SAL. Got my charts late and only started stitching early this month. I decided to start with March's ornament - He's A Flake. It was stitched on 28ct Cashel Green Linen using DMC threads as charted except for the tree (DMC 4045). Pear Tree will be the next ornament.



Look at this cute pin pillow! I stitched it for my partner, Lillie, for the Pin Pillow Exchange hosted by Becky SC. The design is a freebie - Winter ABC - by Vavi. I used Cosmo Marble Thread. You can't see it in the picture but the pillow was lined with pretty white and turquoise trim which matched the color of the thread.


As promised in my last post, here is a picture of my new Quaker start - Eiffel Quaker. This design is the creation of Nathalie of Jardin Prive. She gives 3 colorways for this design. I chose the Bois de Rose : DMC 407, 632 and 950. Now, I have 4 Quaker projects in rotation.





Next, an update on my various SALs. I had finished stitching the second instalment of Joei's SAL - Her Flower Garden- Orchid. I am stitching the six instalments individually. They will be finished as stitching accessories at the end of the SAL. Just started on the third instalment - Lavender. This time, I am stitching one over one as I want the design to be small for a scissors fob.




A picture of Oakhaven Design's Months SAL 2010. March was a real quick stitch with only five alphabets. The design is looking very lovely, love all those red hearts.



I join another Hardanger SAL hosted by Mamen Arias. She is Spanish. Here is a picture of my wip, parts 1 and 2. It will be finished into a bag.


Thank you for visiting my blog. All comments are welcomed and appreciated.

Happy stitching and take care until the next update.

Hugs,
Ellen

Many Things To Share

It's time for another update. I have many things to share.

A present arrived from Holland. Mylene sent me a mattress pincushion. Look how beautiful the pincushion is, her stitching and finishing are perfect. It's a PS design. Thank you, Mylene, for granting my wish.

Natasha had received my HoE LHN/CCN Exchange. I stitched for her a LHN design from the "Something Old and Something New" series. The stitched piece was mounted on a fabric box. I am currently taking cartonage lessons from a Japanese teacher. Here are some pictures of the box.

Here is another of my fabric box. The design is a freebie from Carol R. I am now addicted to making fabric boxes. Box finishes is the new technique to showcase my cross stitch.

Next on the show is my hardanger doily. I joined a Hardanger SAL on a French Board. The SAL was organised and designed by Ticoeur. The design is so beautiful and I really enjoyed stitching this doily. I stitched it on 32ct Sand Belfast using white DMC perle 8 and 12. Thank you, Ticoeur, for organised this SAL.

I received my Valentine Exchange from Ellen Sharp. She stitched for me a lovely pin pillow. It's a HIH design and beautifully stitched. I love it. Ellen also sent me some goodies. Thank you, Ellen, for a lovely exchange.

An update on my OakHaven Group's SAL. I had finished stitching February, it was quick and fun.

I did not take a picture of my Eiffel Quaker as promised. Hopefully, you will have a view of it together with my other Quaker updates in my next post.

Thank you, friends, for visiting my blog. I love and appreciate all your comments.

Happy stitching and take care till the next update,

Ellen

Updates and some small finishes

It's February and time for some updates. I wanted to post more regularly but some things always get in the way (is that a excuse for being lazy, lol).

Here are some updates on my quaker projects, Quakers & Quilts(Q &Q) and Beatrix Potter(BP). BP is a year old. I try to work on it every month. My goal is to finish it by this year, I have eight more motifs to go. I am enjoying Q&Q, it stitched on 40ct linen using one thread. I ready love quaker designs and actually started another quaker project, Jardin Prive's Eiffel Quaker. I promise some pictures in my next post.




In between the big projects, I had been stitching for exchanges and quick pieces. In the Holidays Exchange, I stitched for Cindy Mae two heart designs and finished them as a biscornu. These are freebies but I cannot the source, sorry. I included some goodies with this exchange, go to Cindy Mae's blog for more pictures.


Here are more biscornus. You can tell that I love making biscornus, lol.

The blue one is a freebie from Victoria Sampler. I modified the chart to add webbed roses. The hardanger biscornu's chart is found in the magazine - New Stitches. There are 4 designs to choose from.



I currently joint two SALs. I am now stitching Joei's Her Flower Garden Block 2, will post picture soon. The other SAL is the Month SAL 2010 on Oakhaven Designs' group. Here is a picture of January. This is a quick and fun SAL.


I love boxes and tins. Currently, I am taking cartonage lessons from a Japanese teacher. These are my project works so far, a photo frame, a spectacle box and a small green box. In the near future, I want to incorporate my cross stitch into this finishing technique. Look out for the next update, more fabric boxes to come.


Thank you, friends, for visiting my blog. I love all your comments. I will be away for a few days during the Chinese New Year period. For those who celebrate - Happy Chinese New Year!

And Happy Valentine to everyone! (February 14th happens to be the first day of Chinese New Year).

Take care and happy stitching till the next update.

Hugs,
Ellen

A New Year, A New Start

I just cannot resist a new start. I saw this design being stitched in blogland and fell in love with it. Here is my progress so far.



I am stitching this sampler over 2 on 40ct Newcastle linen using Valdani threads as charted. So far, I am enjoying stitching on 40ct.


Here are my stitching resolutions for this year:

1) to complete my three big wips started last year, namely, Christmas Quaker, Beatrix and LK monthly blocks

2) to stitch LHN monthly ornaments,

3) to be timely on Joei's Her Flower Garden SAL, which started in Dec 2009


Joei's SAL consists of six designs, one each month starting from December 2009. I have chosen to stitch the designs individually instead of a sampler. They will be finished later into stitching accessories. Here is a picture of my first instalment - Rose.


Please visit Joei's blog to see the same design stitched on different fabrics. They are all beautifully stitched.

Thank you for visiting my blog. I love and appreciate all the comments in 2009. Looking forward to more visitors in 2010.

Hope everyone had a Happy New Year and all the best in 2010!

Hugs,
Ellen

Another Update on Beatrix

Time flies, it's more than a month since I last posted. I had been busy working on Beatrix, managed to stitch quite a few motifs for the month of November. Here is a picture of my progress so far.
Hope to work on it more in December. I am not sure how much stitching time I have in December as it's the holiday seasons. I am also going away for holiday - a few days in Penang.


Beside working on Beatrix, I managed a few small finishes. These are freebies from Tonia of Oakhaven Designs. Thank you, Tonia, for the freebies. I finished one into a scissors fob and the

other is supposed to be a needlebook to be.









Here is what I stitched for my partner, Suzanne, for the HoE Halloween Exchange. Sorry, Suzanne, I forgot to post this.
This design is by Prairie Schooler in last year Premier Issue of JCS Halloween.


I join a Hardanger SAL on a French Forum. I just love this design, here is the progress so far. Sorry for the poor picture. It's actually very pretty and delicate. I stitch it on 32ct sand linen using DMC perle B5200.



I celebrated my birthday on the 19th. This year is special, I had many parcels from overseas, these are gifts from some of the Birthday Club members. Take a look!

Thank you, ladies, for all the goodies. I love them all and I am already thinking of projects to use them.

I had a yummy oreo cheesecake for my birthday. My family gave me a dinner treat at a Taiwan Restaurant and more money for my stash. Thank you for a great birthday.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends!

Happy stitching until the next update,

Ellen

Finished an UFO and Working on Another

Happy dance! I had finished an UFO. This is the Table Runner I showed in my last post.



Another finish? I wish. This is another UFO that was put in cold storage for a couple of years. I am determined to work on this Table Cloth and get it finished this year. With the encouragement of my finished Table Runner, I am sure I can do it.

I love the cross stitch. There are many more squares to stitch.

I have the work cut out for me, the big unfinished portion. Think I can finish it by this year?


Here is my Sew Red. I stitched it on 32ct Belfast linen using CC Apple Fritters. I just love red. The finished piece measured about 5.3 inches square, it is too big for a pinkeep. I am still not sure how I will finished this beautiful sampler.

As I mentioned in my last post, this sampler is designed by Carol R. Go visit her blog and see all her beautiful works. She has designed another wonderful sampler, Sew Autumn. I am all ready to stitch Sew Autumn, this time on 40ct linen. If you want a copy of the chart, please visit her blog. Thank you, Carol, for your wonderful samplers.



On the Exchange front, here are pictures of the needlebook I stitched for Joan for the Needlebook Swap on the Sapphire Stitching Board. Joan like Fall theme and I chose this design by Plum Pudding Needleart. This is a freebie titled Lookin' Like Fall. I stitched Joan's initial on the back.


The finished needlebook has pockets inside for packet of needles, threads and scissors. I am so happy that Joan love this needlebook.





On the HoE Halloween Exchange, I received these beauties from Mary Jo. The design is Spooky Sheep by Shepherd's Bush. The stitching was beautifully done over 2 for the needlebook and over 1 for the scissors fob. I love them.

Mary also sent me some goodies, a chart from LK(one of my favourite designers) and some lovely GAST and Week Dye threads. These threads are not available in Singapore. Don't you love the Pumpkin Gift Paper? Thank you, Mary, for a lovely exchange.


Currently, I am stitching on Beautrix and BBD Autumn Song. I am all ready for Sew Autumn as well. I love Autumn, so this would be a lovely stitch. I am looking forward to my birthday next month. We are planning on lunch plus a karoake session.

Happy stitching until the next update!

Hugs,
Ellen