On my desk 31.12.08 ...

Weekly theme hosted at:
kootoyoo.blogspot.com/2008/06/on-my-desk-players.html

Another Needlefelted Postcard - this one to be embellished for a Winter theme.
The last day of the year .... not too many reflections as several are so sad .... yet John and I are lucky, we keep well, happy,
and appreciate all our lovely family and so many friends.
Home, holidays, and hobbies take up our time in a most enjoyable way.
Many thanks to all friends who visit me here, on Flickr, and Docrafts and a very healthy, happy New Year to all.

Needlefelted Post Cards

"Leaves & Berries on Snow" and
"Winter Sunset"
Needlefelted on Dupion and Felt backgrounds - the sunset one for Flickr monthly personal challenge 6x4lives.
I'd like to improve my hand needlefelting so plan to do a few postcards and then try a bigger picture.

On my desk 24.12.08 ...

Weekly theme hosted at:
kootoyoo.blogspot.com/2008/06/on-my-desk-players.html

...... mat waiting to be ironed - craft room now has sofa bed opened for Christmas guests - family, so they will excuse being cramped and completely surrounded by "mom's things"!

Christmas Eve

Despite having a "schedule" to work to this week there are still lots of things to do today - no time for crafting or sitting here browsing - so off I go!
The pic is a felt pen drawing from long ago.

Mosaic Monday - Memories

For group on Flickr:
www.flickr.com/groups/mosaicmonday/
Created with bighugelabs.com/flickr/


Weiner Christkindlmarkt 1992, in front of City Hall.
Lovely Christmas memories of visiting our daughter Jane who was living in Vienna. A wonderful place all year round but magical at Christmas!

Mosaic Monday - Cakes

For group on Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/mosaicmonday/
I bought the book some years ago at a craft fair - and it has served us well.
Each year John, my husband, makes a lovely cake following Delia to the letter,and usually gets ideas from the book for snowmen and things.
This year it's penguins, but from Sainsbury's magazine, - at the side a few from previous years (not all).
My contribution is the band, and eating lots.

Poinsettia

It must be nearly last posting date for Christmas!
I completed all charity card orders some time ago but I'm still making some for personal use - this was quick to make, just beads added to the centre of the cut out fabric Poinsettia, then matted on gold.

On my desk Dec 10th ....'Stamp Collection'

Weekly theme hosted at:
http://kootoyoo.blogspot.com/2008/06/on-my-desk-players.html
'Stamp' prints,from original work made for cards,made in Flickr toys,to be made into gift tags for personal use.

'Winter'

We don't have our Christmas decorations out too soon but this picture comes out of the cupboard once a year at this time.
I stitched it in 1997.
My addiction to Amazing Circles, easily made in www.dumpr.net continues.
This is one of my favourites.

On my desk Dec 3rd ..... Christmas came early!

Weekly theme hosted at:
http://kootoyoo.blogspot.com/2008/06/on-my-desk-players.html

Yesterday Maureen (khttp://maureen-maureensmixture.blogspot.com)and Roy visited us - the first time we have met, though we have been friends since last year.
She is so generous and brought me these lovely gifts ..... the list reads like The Twelve Days of Christmas theme!

....lots of lovely Aida,
felted knitted brooch,
santa on a christmas card,
lovely yellow braid,
beaut-i-ful lace,
fancy fabric patches,
gorgeous yellow postcard,
and a fab notebook with a felt cover.

.....also an embroidery magazine and exciting looking present for real Christmas!
What an exciting day, many, many thanks Maureen for these lovely gifts.
We took a few photos - sorry I'm no oil painting though!

Mosaic Monday

One for the group in Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/mosaicmonday/




Images from original work, used recently, embellished with beads and/or stitching on cards.

'Still Life' Christmas Card

Not the greatest card I ever made but one of the quickest,
a copy of a photo I took 'earlier', some gold card, fabric, sticker greeting and DS tape ... oh well some friend will say it's nice (maybe!)

Apples ......

The garden looks very dreary today, nothing inspiring to 'snap' - but the apples inside look bright for a photo or two!
Grannie's green dish is nice too ..... so .....

maybe the 'still life' will make a Christmas card .....

Friendship

Many thanks to Maureen, a very talented friend I met on docrafts, for this friendship award.
http://maureen-maureensmixture.blogspot.com/

On my desk Nov 26th ... Mosaic of Patches

Weekly theme hosted at:http://kootoyoo.blogspot.com/2008/06/on-my-desk-players.html

PC monitor crashed out a few days ago, just out of guarantee time, - one more expense to continue life in the manner to which we are accustomed.
Well I had more time to concentrate on stitching for the Christmas cards!

Too soon for Christmas!

Oh! I just had to make an Amazing Circle from Dumpr!

The Blackwork bauble pattern is from Miriam at
http://borduurblog.blogspot.com/
The blue bauble is stitched on silver flecked Aida and it will be used as it is for a card.
The red one is copied and printed, from an original stitched bauble,
on textured Art card. It's then embellished with beads and French knots and matted on gold, red, and a gold card.
I'll print several off and make similar cards to sell for charity.

On my desk ...'Memories'

Weekly theme hosted at:
http://kootoyoo.blogspot.com/2008/06/on-my-desk-players.html


I was delving into an old box last night ...
the Santa card comes out most years ....
the candles are stitched on 10, 14, and 18 count fabrics, to demonstrate the different sizes produced to a primary school craft club.

Blackwork

Today I joined Anne-Marie and Betsy to start a new Flickr Group,
Blackwork and all Black & White Needlework
http://www.flickr.com/groups/921530@N20/

The Icon for the group is this picture of linen embroidered with black silk and silver gilt threads from the last decade of the sixteenth century,
" Stylised Honeysuckle Motif"
Original size 7.5 x 7.5 cm.
From the Embroiderer's Guild collection (EG207), illustrated in 'Blackwork' by Lesley Barnett, Search Press.

We were unable to find a group for Blackwork so decided to start one although it seems it may be a minority interest group.
Anyone interested is invited to join - no need to actually do Blackwork - just enjoy.

Bauble Motif

This afternoon I enjoyed stitching this on gold flecked Aida - for another card.
The photo has not turned out well.
The pattern is from Miriam at
http://borduurblog.blogspot.com/

Blackwork Motifs

I found these in a folder - stitched last year - so I'll make them into Christmas cards

Dylan

Something else "on my desk"!

On my desk .....

Weekly theme hosted by:
http://kootoyoo.blogspot.com/2008/06/on-my-desk-players.html
Fabric patches to be stitched and beaded for cards.

November

'' November comes
And November goes,
With the last red berries
And the first white snows.

With night coming early,
And dawn coming late,
And ice in the bucket
And frost by the gate .......''
Clyde Watson

6x4 lives postcard challenge.
Cross stitch picture from a while ago framed in a mist of fibres,
Hand-Dyed Silk Throwster Waste from Stef Francis.

Remembrance

A personal card for the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.

Mosaic Monday

One for the group.
http://www.flickr.com/groups/mosaicmonday/

Here Comes Santa Claus

I enjoyed stitching this from a Lizzie Kate pattern - Snippet S60.
It's about 16cm square, I may frame it or make a wall hanging - in addition to copying it for cards.

On my desk .......

..... today ongoing cross stitch Christmas pictures.
One I'm making and one our grandson, Joseph, has nearly finished.
He started it on Monday when he spent the day with us - at his own request! So different from his usual physical activities - a ten year old with a passion for football!
I was surprised by his concentration - he was disappointed that time ran out before it was finished but he'll be back soon to get it done.

http://kootoyoo.blogspot.com/2008/06/on-my-desk-players.html

"Herbert"

In between browsing Renoir art on www I stitched this from a Hearts on Hand Needleart pattern, on Rustic Aida.
Another to be scanned, printed on card, and embellished with stitching and beads to make charity Christmas cards.
It's getting time I actually made those cards!

Another Favourite - Deux Soeurs

I'm not sure just how many
'favourites'
I should have but this is another! I love having Renoir pictures coming at the side each day and it seems that he is taking over my blog - well that's OK with me! I've seen many of his paintings but not for many years so this daily reminder is special.
The mosaic is made in Flickr Toys.

Awards

Many thanks Maureen for this award
www.maureen-maureensmixture.blogspot.com
also one from Jackie
www.dogdaisychains.blogspot.com/

I have to pass it on and will do my best, though the technical details of doing this usually confuse me!

"It is awarded to 5 people, 4 who are regular followers of your blog and one from a different country who is new to your blog. Also link back to the blog that the award came from."

I am passing it on to the following five bloggers :-

Kim at www.theweirdandwonderfulworldofkim.blogspot.com/
Sandi at www.blogger.com/profile/06544645551592602766
Dawne at www.blogger.com/profile/03163627309624975282
I can't get comments onto your blog Dawne so I hope you pick this up from here.

Ati at www.malinaplass.blogspot.com/
Kathleen at www.magikquilter.com/

Please all pass the award on to other friends who follow your blog.
Sorry I don't know how to make the simple click link from just a name - it's beyond me!

Today ......

...... two pictures I like .....
one by Renoir and one our garden - with snow in October!

..... and 'On my desk' .......

This week, alongside stitching for Christmas cards, I'm attempting to make four cushion covers to match new covers on a sofa and armchair. I haven't made any for years - it seemed easy then but putting in the piping edges is challenging me now.
Two are completed - they won't stand inspection for neatness but they look OK when they're plumped up a bit!

http://kootoyoo.blogspot.com/2008/06/on-my-desk-players.html

A tag for each friend!

I'm flattered to be tagged by mooneybeams - many thanks Kim.
Well I don't think there are seven very interesting facts about me and I would really like to tag all my friends - so please all save a roses tag, with my thanks for sharing such interesting blogs.
This link to Kim will explain the tag system:

http://theweirdandwonderfulworldofkim.blogspot.com/

"On my desk"

Today I joined this group - to post a pic of ongoing things on my desk each Wednesday. Well I'm hoping it will encourage me to tidy my workspace each week instead of about every six months!
This corner is reasonably tidy - what will Wednesday bring?

http://kootoyoo.blogspot.com/2008/06/on-my-desk-players.html

ATCs for Autumn

"Autumn Gold" & "Autumn Colours"
I haven't made an ATC for many weeks but made Autumn Gold this week to trade for Mo Cross's Autumn Colours.
She made the background on the embellisher and added the lovely hand embroidery.
I enjoyed doing simple stitching on cotton fabric.

Another Favourite Renoir

I don't know the title, but it's another favourite!