Finally .......An Update

It is almost the end of February and high time for my monthly post.

Firstly, an update on an UFO. Remember this? It was my new year start last year and became an UFO along the way. I am determined to finish it this year.

Design: Quaker & Quilts by Rosewood Manor
Fabric: 40 count cream linen
Threads: Valdani threads

Recently, I join an SAL hosted by Emmanuelle. She is offering an Reproduction Sampler "Mary Glover" as the SAL design. I love this sampler and cannot resist starting another new project. Here I am at part 2 of the SAL. Thank you, Emmanuelle, for this lovely SAL.

Design: Mary Glover by Emmanuelle
Fabric: 32ct Vintage Mocha Belfast
Threads: DMC

Here is a picture of the original Sampler. Isn't it lovely?

On the Hardanger SAL hosted by Mamen, we are now stitching the second item of the Decorative Set. Here is my progress, it is going to be a pincushion mounted on a box. For picture of this Decorative Set, please see my previous post. I am very slow with this second item, got distracted along the way. Mamen already posted the finishing of this pincushion.


This month, I also have a couple of small finishes to show. I had stitched my first Christmas ornament for the year, FA LA LA by LHN. It is stitched on 32ct sand Belfast, the picture did not show the true color of the fabric. Notice, I have not put on the beads?


Another small finish. This is the second contest design by Niky. As usual, I was late for the contest. I completed the stitching but not the finishing. I wanted to make this piece into a needlebook.

I joined the HoE Christmas Ornaments, The Reindeer Round and this was what I stitched for Joke, my partner. This design is by Tonia of Oakhaven Designs. Her designs are cute and quick to stitch.

Late last year, I won two giveaways. I was the winner of Sally's Blogoversary Giveaway. Look at this Beauty that she stitched for me!


This pinkeep is a LHN's design. Look at the trim and charm, they are so beautiful. Thank you so much, Sally, for this gift. It's gorgeous and I will treasure it.





The pinkeep is now residing together with my other beauties!



The other giveaway that I won was this JCS magazine from Gracie. She had a double copy of this issue and graciously give it away. Thank you, Gracie, for this magazine. There are two lovely samplers in the magazine that I am looking forward to stitching.


The two samplers are Winter Wind Sampler by Paulette of Plum Street Samplers and Winter at Beacon House by Pam n Susan of Praiseworthy Stitches.





Thank you for visiting my blog. I appreciate all your comments, they make my day.

Finally, I leave you with pictures of the Annual Flower Show that I visited with my mum. This year being the Year of the Rabbit (Chinese zodiac sign) , there are rabbits made of flowers on display.

Take care and Happy Stitching!

Hugs,
Ellen

First post of 2011

As usual, I am late in my posting. I hope everyone had a lovely New Year and is having a wonderful start to 2011. I notice many stitchers are having fun with their Crazy January 2011 Challenge.

I had lots of stitching time during the new year's holiday and here is my first finish for 2011.

Design: Lo, How A Rose Sampler
Designer: BrightNeedle
Fabric: 32ct unknown
Thread: DMC

This project was support to be my last finish for 2010 but as usual I did not meet my dateline. I put in the last stitches only on the 2nd day of 2011. I love this sampler and enjoyed stitching it.


In 2010, I join two hardanger SALs hosted by Mamen. She stitches beautifully, her works are gorgeous, please visit her blog.

The first SAL is a paperroll holder.

Isn't it beautiful? We are already at part 6 of this SAL. Here are some pictures of my progress.
I stitch this project on 28ct light grey Cashel linen using white DMC perle 8 and 12.


































The next SAL is a Decorative Set comprising of a bookmark, a pincushion and a tray.


The first item is done, here is my bookmark. Stitched on 32ct ivory Belfast linen using DMC 3041 and 3042 perle cotton.



I also stitched a few hardanger angels, one of which is another SAL hosted by Marcelle.


These other angels are from different hardanger books/magazines.

































Sorry, Melissa, I forgot to post the HoE Halloween Exchange received from you. Thank you for this beauty, it's a scissors fob/ornamental needlebook by Just Nan.



I won this beautiful crochet pincushion from Judy. She hosted this giveaway on her blog. I requested for some real acorns and Judy was so gracious to send some to me. Thank you so much, Judy, for the pincushion and the acorns.


On the first day of 2011, I started a new project, the Red House Sampler by Brenda Keyes. I hope to show you some pictures soon. This year, I am determined to finish some of my wips/ufos. Hopefully, I will not start too many new projects along the way.

Thank you, friends, for continuing to visit my blog. Love all your comments!

Take care and happy stitching!

Hugs,
Ellen

Pincushons

As usual, I am late in my posting. I had been busy making pincushions. It's fun to stitch and finish small projects. Look at the tray, I have 6 pincushions to show.

This one is actually a humbug Christmas ornament. The design is by Yvette Stanton from Issue 23 of The Gift of Stitching. I stitched it on 32ct Belfast using DMC Perle Cotton 8. Beads were added to 3 corners of the humbug as tassels.


I have seen many of this style of pincushion in bloggerland and decided to make one for myself. The chart is found in JCS Christmas Ornament Preview Issue, designed by Lori of La-D-Da. Again, I stitched on 32ct belfast linen. This time I using hand-dyed threads(Crimson Fire) from Nina.


This design should be familiar to many of you, it is from Blackbird Designs - Honeysuckle Manor. The base of this pincushion is crocheted by my friend Maria. The tiny pincushion is from Japan, a gift from my quilting teacher.

I stitched this piece some time ago. It is a freebie but sorry I had lost the source. The backing for this cushion is linen fabric, check in front and polka dot at the back. Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of the back.


Now, to show some Halloween stitchings. The first one is a freebie by Homespun Elegance. I stitched it on 36ct greyish blue linen and finished it as a long pillow. Love this style of pin pillow.
The next design is by Tonia of Oakhaven Designs. It is also a freebie. I really love the pumpkin fabric used for the pincushion.


Ok, this one didi not made it to the tray, I just finished it. This is another freebie by Sylvia. DMC colors used - 597 and 938. I have not find suitable buttons for this pincushion yet.



This one is definitely not made by you. I bought this beauty at a flea market. I really love that bear sitting on top of the stitcher's box. I want to learn how to make this. Maybe, I can bring it to my Cartonage Teacher and she can figure out how to do it.


Did I stitch anything besides pincushions? Yes, I did but not much. Here is a little progress on Lo, How a Rose sampler. I love the colors palette for this sampler. Hope to make more progress this month.


Next, is a picture of what I gave my friend for her birthday. The stitching is a design by LHN. "Joyful and Caring" describes my friend perfectly. I left the finishing to her, she is also a stitcher.


I hope to have more progress reports on my wips in my next posting. Thank you for visiting my blog. All comments are welcomed and appreciated.

Happy Stitching and Take Care!

Hugs,
Ellen

Simple Joys

This is Simple Joys by LHN. I finished the stitching but yet to decide on the finishing. The colors are really lovely especially WDW Raspberry and CC Plum Paisley. I really love the red color, it's so rich. What are the simple joys of your life? I was reflecting on this while stitching this piece.
My family, my friends, stitching, reading, coffee and dark chocolate, these are the simple joys of my life.





Is this design familiar with you? You must have seen it many times in bloggerland. Yes, it is Lo, How a Rose Sampler. I took over the project from another stitcher. It is stitched on some hand dyed linen using DMC threads. I have been wanting to stitch this design for a long time. Here is another close up picture of the wip.



Next, an update on my OakHaven Designs Months SAL. I fell behind in my stitching, just managed to catch up at the end of August. I stitched June, July and August in one week as I was determined to get it done. I just got the chart for September, the month is getting longer.



I wanted to participate in Niky's contest. I got the chart from her and finish the stitching. As you can see, I did not made it to the dateline of Sept 6th. I have yet to do the finishing, maybe a pincushion. I changed the color of the bird to blue (DMC 926) and put my initial in place of the key.

Here are some exchanges I received, took me too long to post these pictures.

I participated in Swap 4 hosted by Nina. My partner, Ronel, stitched for me a beautiful Stitcher Book. Ronel is from South Africa, look at those stamps and the postcard. Her stitching and finishing are perfect, I really love this Book. Thank you, Ronel, for a lovely exchange.

I received this gorgeous mattress pincushion from Melissa for the "For the Birds Exchange". The design is from PS Prairie Year II and stitched on 32ct Ivory linen. Look at the side of the pincushion, Melissa stitched a phrase from the poem "Nest Eggs" by Robert Louis Stevenson.

Thank you, Missy Ann, for the pincushion and the poem. I love them.





Currently, I am stitching for exchanges. I plan to start new projects, there are so many designs I wanted to stitch and so little time.

Thank you, my friends, for visiting my blog and your lovely comments. All comments are greatly appreciated.

Happy Stitching and take care!

Hugs,
Ellen