Stash Busting and Bargain Shopping

What a lovely day today, the sun is shining, the weather is mild and we have had the back door open so the boys can run in and out. Perhaps spring is finally on the way.

It took me a while to get to the needlework shop to buy the thread for my sunflowers so in the meantime I worked some small kits that have been in my stash for years. The Easter bunnies and the flowers I have made into cards. The flower basket, a kit from Needlecraft magazine, is the first embroidery I have done this year. I don't know what I will do with it yet.

I have also made two bookmarks. The sampler style one I will keep for myself and the redwork one I am going to pop into a birthday card as a gift.

The book it is resting on is my latest read, The Snowman by Jo Nesbo - a thriller set during a snowy Norwegian winter. A read page turner with two twists in the tail.

Here are my sunflowers, finally finished:

Couldn't resist this bargain from Craft Superstore this week. A cabinet and craft goodies with a retail value of 100 GB pounds for just 25 GB pounds. Too good a bargain to pass up. I have already started using the cabinet to hold some of my fabric stash of which I have loads.

Here are a couple of cards I have made from my papercrafts stash. A card for a pony mad niece and a personalised card for John's brother in Australia.

Work in Progress and Vintage Knits

My sunflower design has ground to a halt as I have run out of thread. It is my own fault because I changed the stitch to one that I thought covered the canvas better. It is the first time I have used stranded cotton on canvas and worked with 6 strands, each skein does not go far. I won't be able to get to the shop until Friday so in the meantime I am working some small kits in my stash.

This Snatch the Dog design came with an issue of Cross Stitcher ages ago and I have made it up into a card.

I got an email advertising this knitting book, Vintage Modern Knits the other day and remembered that I had knitted a similar sweater to the cover design a while back. After rummaging around on top of the wardrobes last night I found it, tried it on and it fits and looks o.k. I cannot remember if I have ever worn it and if so, only once or twice, so I may start to wear it now while the weather is still chilly.

Before you think I knitted that lovely fair isle yoke, I have to fess up - it came from a vintage knitting "instant fair isle" kit. I think it is from the 50's or 60's and still in it's original packaging when I bought it for 3.00 GB pounds at a car boot sale. It just goes to show, if you keep things long enough they will come back in style, LOL.

I don't make many cards these days unless they are stitched ones but made an effort for my other half today. The image was a free download from the Create: website and I found an appropriate verse online too:

Roses are red, violets are blue

I made this card just for you

It's not the neatest, it wouldn't pass a test

But it's made with love - that makes it best.

Happy Valentines Day all,

Shirley

A Monthly Make: Cath Kidston Purse

I am taking part in The Felt Fairy's Monthly Make and this purse from Cath Kidston is my January make. The kit is from CK's book 'Stitch' which I got for Christmas. I have her other two Books, 'Make' and 'Sew' and it took me 18 and 6 months respectively to make those projects so joining has given me the incentive to get on with this one.

I have made a start on the bargain needlepoint kit that I found in a charity/thrift shop for just 2.69 GB pounds. I am working on it on week night evenings whilst watching t.v. I watch two episodes of the US programme 'Unsolved Mysteries' followed by an Australian show called 'Crimescene Forensics'. Nothing like curling up with a good crime show and some stitching on a cold winter evening, LOL.

Had a nice surprise in the post this morning when all these stitching goodies turned up. There was a note saying they were a competition prize but I don't remember the competition or even entering but as most stitchers would agree, you can never had enough stash.

Last week I made this White Chocolate and Cranberry fudge. I am not much of a cook but this was so quick and easy that even I couldn't mess it up. Anyone with a Tesco Clubcard would have seen the recipe with their last statement but I have included it below. Everyone agreed that it was delicious.

There is still time to enter my giveaways which closes midnight on Monday, 31st January. Just add your name to the post below.

Happy crafting

Shirley

Stitching and shopping

I seem to have recovered my stitching mojo this week and have made this birdhouse hanger from Rico, it was very quick to stitch taking just a few evenings. We have been out quite a lot visiting different towns recently and of course, you have to have a peek in their crafts shops, don't you? There are so many lovely new things in the winter ranges that I couldn't resist stocking up.

The first rubber stanps I have bought for ages were these Festive Frolics range from Docrafts, gorgeous mirrored butterflies, glitters, some Tim Holtz products and lots of lovely craft magazines.

Promarkers which are just the best for colouring stamped images. Below are some Border Collie card making kits which look like Higgins and I had to get the Court Street Bobbies papers as they include an Airedale Terrier wearing a police helmet!

I bought two of the Rico birdhouse kits which can be seen at the bottom of the picture above, either side of the Martha Stewart birds punch.

I have been having a play with the rubber stamps I bought. I had seen a lot of easel cards on card blogs that fold flat for posting so after a bit of experimentation I managed to make this one above and another Christmas card below. I have made so many Christmas cards this year that I think we already have enough to send even if I don't make any more!

Also have a few finishes: An armchair pincushion, my first time using plastic canvas - the pattern was free from Annie's Attic. An intarsia knitted cushion, the pattern for which was in Woman's Weekly a few weeks ago and the blue willow cross stitch (a kit from Sew and Sos) which I just made up into a card.

I got a nice surprise through my letter box this morning for winning the crossword competition in Cross Stitcher Magazine: A spring hoop, Madeira shade card, Madeira threads and holder and gold plated scissors. I have been using Madeira threads more and more recently so it is great to add to my collection. Happy stitching.