Cross stitch Corner - Exchange Heaven

Lorna's project to me showed up yesterday. The picture bleached out a bit because the fabric and stitching is a stronger variagated aqua/green/blue. Comes with it's own hanger. Now I just have to decide where to display it.

Thanks Lorna, your gift is lovely and much appreciated.

Exchange Heaven - Cross stitch snowflake

Lindsay received my exchange yesterday and likes it. We had to do something in the color of choice of the recipient. Since she also likes snowmen I chose to do a snowflake since we cannot have snowmen without them :)

The back is a quilted heart with her initial on it and when I work out why the pictures are loading sideways today I'll add it into the posting. 

(Well the back side is not going to happen. I reloaded my photographs, making sure I had them set right and the picture still did not upload right ways up from my original). 

Lindsay has blogged about the exchange at her site http://purplepds.blogspot.com/ You can also go to http://exchangeheaven.blogspot.com/

The design for the snowflake can be found in Vanessa-Ann's Holidays in Cross-Stitch 1995 and was originally a snowflake pillow. I used 14 count Aida, two shades of purple matt cotton floss from Designed for the Needle and DMC variegated Jewel Effects #E130. The back, two purple patterned fabrics is my own design and has her initial machine stitched into the middle of the heart.

Cross Stitch Corner - Exchange Heaven

I'm participating in a swap at Exchange Heaven. This is my first one and the theme is "Colour" (British group spelling). Each participant had to give some color options so I am going to have some fun stitching up this one :) I've picked out a design from one of my books and gridded up my fabric.

I won't start stitching it up till next week because I am helping my kids house sit till Sunday and plan on doing another of my snowmen. It should sew up fairly quickly given that I won't be bouncing around in a vehicle for hours (as per the last one) trying to coordinate eye and hand too needle, floss and fabric :)

Textile Corner - Catching up

We've been out of town hence the no posting for the past few days. We went to visit grandma in Ohio.

I have some unexpected projects coming up that have the potential to be time consuming.

1. Committee member for a charity/volunteer day in April. I'm helping to organize the quilting event. (If I ever find out who told them I can sew well I'll "smack 'em" :) )

2. My kids are supposed to be going on a 3 day pioneer trek (if they meet all the requirements) and I found out last night it's to be in "period" costume. How am I going to break that piece of "delightful" news to my teenage son. Mmmmmm.

3. Earth Day postcard exchange. I forgot I'd signed up for it and fortunately so had a number of others :)

Some other things I need to get moving along with.

1. Beginner landscape wall hanging - haven't started it yet.

2. 4 seasons challenge - I'm having angst about doing the thread painting but I just need to "bite the bullet" so to speak and get the first one finished some time within the next couple of weeks.

3. "How Many Times Round the Block?" Scottie wall hanging. I bought the rick-rack last week so just need to attach it.

4. "I Love Snowmen" - I finally got back to that over the past few days and have almost completed another snowman. They are not very big individually, approx. 4-5", but because of all the changes in color they take a long time (for me) to sew up. So far I've put in about 12-15 hours since Thursday on the current one. A few more cross stitches and the back stitching and it will be done. That will leave 31/2 to finish.

5. "Rose Splendor" - I'm at the metallic threads stage and they are giving me grief. Aaaargh !!! I have to keep reminding myself - "this is a gift, this is a gift, keep going with it , it will soon be done."