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

Wonderful Exchanges and Two New Starts

I love exchanges. Often, I have to remind myself not to over stretch and commit to too many exchanges. It is a pleasure to stitch for others and a double pleasure to receive from others. I have two wonderful exchanges to share.


I joined Swap II hosted by Nina. The theme for this exchange was Autumn. My partner, Julie, stitched for me a design by LHN(one of my favorite designers) and finished it into a box. I love boxes of all shapes and sizes. Julie answered my wish and sent me a box. Here is a picture of the lovely box.

The stitching was done beautifully 1 over 1. Julie also made me a tiny initial scissor fob. She included threads and lots of chocolate for me and my children. Thank you, Julie, for a lovely exchange.

I have joined Nina for the 3rd round of Swap, the theme this time is Christmas. Nina is Hungarian so most of the exchange participants are Hungarians. I am getting ready to stitch for my partner.

Another exchange received was from Clare H. This is the By The Sea Exchange hosted by HoE. Clare made me a lovely pinkeep. I am not sure where the design comes from but it was beautifully stitched on coloured linen. Clare also sent me a chart by Victoria Sampler (another of my favorite designers), some threads, buttons and fabric.

I cannot resist starting new projects. I visit Nina's blog very often. She is a talented lady, visit her blog and see for your self. She stitched "Autumn Song" and finished it into a beautiful sewing box. I love it so much that I immediately kit and start this project. Here is my progress so far.


This chart is by Blackbird Designs. I stitch it on 32ct Lambswool using a mixture of threads (DMC, Anchor and Cosmo). I love this piece because it contains all my favorite colors - Autumn.
I am still not sure about the finishing, not brave enough to try the box finish.


The second start is a design (Sew Red) by Carol R. She starts designing recently and offers two free charts. Please visit her blog if you like copies of her sampler designs. I started my stitching on 32ct Belfast linen using Crescent Color , Apple Fritters. Red is my favorite color beside the autumn colors. Thank you, Carol, for a lovely sampler.



F1 Night Races got underway in Singapore on Friday night. The races run from Sep 25 to 27. I am not a fan of racing but it is a big event in Singapore. There is plenty of entertainment at the Bay.


Thank you for all lovely comments.

Take care and happy stitching until the next update!

Hugs,
Ellen

Fall Biscornu and an Update on Beatrix

Victoria Sampler Yahoo Group is having a Fall Contest. Thea Dueck (the host) has designed a fall biscornu for this contest. This design calls for a combination of hardanger, cross stitch and ribbon embroidery( if you like). Stitchers are free to use their choices of fabrics and threads. Other embellishments like beads, ribbons and buttons etc are allowed. Entries must be posted by 1st October and the winner will be voted by the members of this group. I had finished my version of the biscornu. I stitched the design on 32ct Belfast linen (light sand) using DMC and Anchor threads. The biscornu is small, barely 2 3/4 inches in size.

While I have my attention on hardanger, I decided to finish this Hardanger Runner. It has been an UFO for more than 2 years. I got tired of all the weavings and there were lots of other distractions like starting new hobbies and new designs. This design was stitched on 28ct light yellow Monaco. I hope to finish it soon, only five more of those circles to weave.

Here is another small hardanger project to show. I mounted this heart on a plastic box. The thread using is DMC varigated perle 8.

I got this Kit from Doris, she was finding new homes for her UFOs. It is an Emie Bishop's kit with hardanger and cross stitch. Doris had started with the hardanger and I continue from there. Here is a picture of the progress so far. Thank you, Doris, for this kit. I shall enjoy stitching it.



Here is an update on Beautrix. I have been adding two to three motifs monthly, progress is slow but steady. Pictures are posted to the BP SAL's blog faithfully every month. Posting encourages me to pick up and stitch on this sampler every month. I do not want this to be another UFO. This sampler is unlikely to be completed by end of this year as I originally planned.





Happy Dance! I had completed Joyful and Caring, it was a fun and quick stitch. This is the design I stitched for the LHN's Women SAL. This piece is destinated for my friend's birthday next month. I have not decided on the finishing.





Currently, I am busy stitching for swap and exchange. Thank you all friends for visiting my blog. I appreciate all the comments.

Happy stitching and take care!

Hugs,
Ellen