Gingie Stitching

Good stitching weather down here. So while I was going through my sewing room looking for a little project to stitch recently in front of the fire, I found one of Michelle's lovely projects I had earmarked in a magazine.

I made a start and a few nights of stitching later, the five cute little stitcheries are finished -

Very cute little gingerbread men if I may say so.

Now to raid the Christmas fabric stash and cut some 2-1/2 inch squares and put it together.  The mag was from 4 or 5 years ago, but Michelle will have the pattern available if you check with her over at www.michelleridgwaydesigns1.blogspot.com.au

I recently participated in a fun swap with the No Fuss Swappers - kitchen themed.  I have shown you my lovely goodies from Illene, but my partner was Kaye from Kitten Stitching blog and this was what I sent to her.

I found this little teapot design on Kathy Schmitz blog. 

 

Couldn't believe my luck in finding a teapot cookie cutter to match.  A favourite recipe, spatula and cookie completed this fun swap.  Cheryl

No Fuss Kitchen Swap

I enjoyed participating in the 4" tin swap with this group last time, so thought the kitchen one sounded fun  also and today was opening day.  Finally!!  My gifts came from Illene -

Hard to see the lovely fabric Illene has used on the tea towel, but it is very cute.  And she must know I love Christmas and there was a wonderful gingerbread man cookie cutter and a lovely recipe card for chocolate brownies.

And the pink spatula matched the tea towel perfectly.

Oops I must have missed taking a picture of the yummy cookie.  I'm sure it was in there somewhere.  Such a fun swap. Thankyou Illene for your gorgeous parcel.  I loved it. Cheryl

A Little Finish

A bit of secret stitching happening so can't show you any of that just yet, but I did finish two gorgeous (well I think so) little cushions.  They were projects from a class I did back in March with Libby Richardson and Liz from Teddlywinks.  These were one of Liz's projects for us -

Bit partial to these little bears.

A bit small for the couch, but they will look lovely in an old suitcase with a bear or two.

And this lovely looking parcel arrived in the mail today.  It is my gift from Illene who was my partner in the No Fuss swap - kitchen themed.  Opening day is the 14th so have to hide it away for a few days, but surely I could eat that yummy looking cookie -

Cheryl

A Couple of Finishes

Well I didn't think I had been achieving too much, but I have got a couple of finishes to show you.  My friend Janet has a big 60 birthday in a few days, so Michelle's gorgeous booklet of stitcheries  "Please Come to Tea" immediately came to mind as the two of us love to share a cup of tea, and when she flies up to visit her old quilting group in Brisbane each year, she always calls into the Brisbane Tea Centre to bring me home a nice packet of flavoured tea.

Hard to get a photo of the three stitcheries I chose from Michelle's book (available for purchase from her at Rag Tag Stitchin"), but I was very happy with how it turned out.

Wish I had bought more of the pretty fabric.

And seeing a photo of Shez's finished Vintage Sewing Collage from a workshop we did with Gail Pan last year reminded me that I had also finished mine recently.

I had fun raiding my vintage sewing bits and pieces and old buttons to finish it off.  It's on loan at the shop where I work for now, but I have a spot ready on my sewing room (cum spare bedroom) wall for it. Cheryl

Tin Swap

I recently joined in a fun swap with No Fuss Swappers. The theme was a tin swap - starting with a tin no bigger than 4 inches and you had to fill it.  My lovely tin came from Julie.  I can't believe how many gorgeous things Julie managed to fit in -

My lovely tin looked like an air mail letter and was wrapped in this beautiful fabric - think definitely a Christmas themed project is needed to use this beautiful fabric.

LOVED what Julie had included - rusty bells, three beautiful buttons and gorgeous birdhouse which I think I will clip onto my scissors.

You also had to include a choccie treat (yum) and Julie had also fitted in  some cream sewing cotton, my favourite DMC color, ric rac, applique pins, floss cards and a diamond template.  I can't believe all the wonderful goodies she fitted in there and you know when  I took them out to play with and admire I did struggle to get them back in there.  Thankyou Julie - I so loved all the gorgeous goodies you sent me.

I sent to Anita and this was what I sent to her. I don't think I managed to fit in nearly as much as what Julie did, but it was fun deciding what to include .   Cheryl

A Lovely Weekend

While the beautiful Autumn weather is still with us, we decided on a weekend away to lovely Warrnambool on the coast.  And the weather did not disappoint - not even any wind. Perfect.

The grandies had fun.

I got to put the feet up and do some stitching and enjoy the sunshine. 

Not much to show in the stitching department - mainly because I have flitting from this to that lol.  But I have a couple of things to show  -

A young girl I used to work with has just started stitching - and this is her first piece. She asked me if I would make it into a sewing bag for her, which I did.

This is one of the two cushions from a class I did  few weeks ago. 

It is a Teddlywinks design. Now to make them into their cushions.

Cheryl

More Special Friends

Well I have been lucky enough to make my birthday last a week - I know, very spoilt.  But mainly because Shez had organised a wonderful day of stitching at her place on Sunday and some more of my lovely friends were there -

Well not much stitching going on here. Did I mention there was lots of talking too.

It was so lovely to catch up with these wonderful girls. We did have fun and Shez had cooked up a storm.  Thankyou my lovely friend for organising this day for me and for all the work you put in.

And she had a lovely goodie bag for each us, with one of her wonderful hand towels and some yummy homemade relish.

And I was spoilt with some beautiful birthday gifts. Karen made me this wonderful zippered sewing pocket - isn't it amazing.  It actually has a clear see-through front, so that is the lining fabric you can see.  It was just beautiful and had inside a very handy red thread and cute little lock and key trinket.

Got very excited when I opened this gorgeous gift from my lovely friend Sue (kiwikids blog).  LOVE vintage kitchen bits and pieces, so a perfect gift Sue, thankyou so much.  Two lovely heart cookie cutters and a herb cutter, all wrapped in a gorgeous piece of fabric with this most beautiful card.  Look wonderful in my kitchen.

And my birthday gifts from Shez included this amazing Christmas light up piece - it is just beautiful - took this piccie at night so you could see the beautiful colors when lit up.  I just love it Shez - thankyou so much. I am very loathe to put it away til xmas. 

And there was lots more - some lovely patterns and this gorgeous apple needlecase in beautiful wool. I had been admiring these on her blog and oohing and aahing.

And this very cute Santa kit and wonderful vintage cake tin - my kitchen is looking wonderful.

And I loved this gorgeous Christmas book from Kerry Swain that Shez also gave me. Full of lovely Christmas sewing and cute little snowmen. Can't wait to start on a project from this.

And look at this gorgeous sewing bag. Just love it -

Lots of zippered pockets and ooh there was some yummy fabric, button, threads and thread holder inside and a yummy block of chocolate hiding in a little secret pocket on the back.  Now that's an idea - grandies won't think to look in there and sustenance on hand while I'm sewing.  Thankyou dear friend for my most amazing pressies and for a lovely day with friends. Cheryl