The cross stitch peacock

I'm afraid progress on this has faltered somewhat.

So close, yet so far!

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Cross stitch peacock latest

Here's the latest update on the cross stitch peacock. See! I have been getting some stitching done! 

He's coming along rather nicely and is going together quite quickly too.

 

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A cross stitch peacock

As predicted, I am now back to having several projects on the go. 

The latest UFO I have picked up is a cross stitch peacock. It's quite big and will be very beautiful when finished. I have no idea why I ever put it down!

This is where I got up to ...

 

I remembered to snap a pic as soon as I started the first stitch. I've already made good progress thanks to lots of motorsport on the telly box and a few good films to keep me going.

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Cross stitch horses update

I have been spending a lot of time on the sofa watching all sorts of random films and working on the horses in the waves cross stitch. 

I *think* I'm making progress ... 

Moves that have kept me entertained during all this fiddly cross stitching include:

Batteries Not Included (simply lovely)

Little Shop of Horrors (never seen it before! amazing!)

Soldier (bit naff but pretty enjoyable)

On Her Majesty's Secret Service (gotta love Bond)

about half an hour of The Hulk (I got very bored of it)

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A revived cross stitch project

Everyone knows that crafters find it impossible to have just one project on the go at a time. We also have problems actually finishing projects. And don't even start on how we are physically unable to walk past a craft shop without going in.

I am very much your typical crafter.

In the corner of my room is a cross stitch project that I started several years ago. It has been untouched for at least a year so I have decided to revive it and make a real effort to get it finished.

This is where I got to last time I worked on it ...

It's quite a time-consuming and complex one as there are LOTS of colours and all that shading calls for endless combinations of blending threads. To complicated things still further, some stitches are only half crosses so I have to check and double-check the pattern constantly.

I have already gone wrong several times (I think that is why I abandoned it last year) but it will be beautiful when finished.

See!

 

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Cross stitching latest

Still getting through the Oriental-style cross stitch flowers. 

Here is Iris finished.

 

This week I also put together the second block for Images of Japan.

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Still cross stitching

I am making good progress on the Oriental-style cross stitch flowers and now have another one finished. In fact, this is a scheduled post and there's a good chance I have another done by the time this goes live.

Here is tree peony. I did a lot of this while in London for the NFWI AGM and made good progress while watching some motorsport last week (TT and Formula 1).

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Cross stitching

I have rediscovered an old love recently - cross stitching.

Cross stitch was what first really got me into crafting a few years ago. In fact, a couple of these pieces were done in those early days - chrysanthemum, wisteria and tiger lily.

There are 12 flowers in the series, each with an Oriental feel.

I now have them all but I have only recently begun to work on them again.

I have another two finished, camellia and lotus blossom ...

And magnolia just needs a few more gold outlines and it will be finished too.

It is also only recently that I have decided what to do with them all once finished - they will become a wall hanging. Or probably, three or four wall hangings.

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A final Christmas present

One final Christmas present to show you now I know it arrived safely.



My lovely friend Kat has a company called Flamingo, so when I found this cross stitch pattern in my stash I knew it wuld be just the ticket.



I only just got it finished in time for Christmas - it was trickier than it looks because of all the fractional stitches.

And I very nearly had an incident with Hayley's staple gun while mounting it on the canvas. I'm not allowed to use it anymore ...

Anyway, it was great to get back into a bit of cross stitching as I've not done it for a while. Maybe I should dig out all those unfinished projects ...

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Presents

I have managed to make a couple of gifts for my loved ones recently.

First up, a cushion for my dad and step mum for their new home.



Cross stitch design on evenweave, made into an envelope cushion. I did rather well actually, even pressing the seams correctly!

And I had a visit to the Candle Factory in Burwardsley and mde candles for Helen and Hayley.



Such good fun to dip them in wax and twist them together. Had to have one for myself too!

I've managed to be very busy with my crafting recently, and have blog posts lined up almost every day, so please come back!

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Surprise blog candy reveal

Time for my Birthday Surprise Blog Candy reveal! I know the lucky winner Veronica has received the goodies now, so I can safely share some pics!

First up is a pouch made with a mobile phone or MP3 player in mind. Fortunately, it fits Veronica's new phone just right! I made this at our Buns & Roses meeting last week using some new fabric that we got from Leeds Kirkgate Market. I just love it!



The back is plain felt and I added the little bit from the edge of the fabric where they check the printing lines up and the colours are right (there is a technical name for it but I forgot!)



Next up a Suffolk puff brooch. Veronica told me she likes autumn colours and this fabric with the leaves was just right!



I used a Stampin' Up! button and ribbon here too. These are so quick and easy to make. Well, unless you keep snapping your thread!

The third item was a cross stitch bookmark. Veronica likes to read crime novels, so I though this would save her hunting around for clues on where she's up to!



The charts were from a magazine and I just put them together on an aida band and added the wording. I made the tassle from gold thread and finished the back off with a piece of felt (handmade by Hayley).



Here's Sherlock Holmes peeking through the keyhole!

Finally, a meander book using the Springtime Vintage DSP.



I went with the lovely blue flower piece and decorated the front using Striped Grosgrain Ribbon and some other random bits in a similar green, and the Fun Flowers and Timesless Type Alphabet dies on my Big Shot.



The little pockets inside each have a tag in for a few words of wisdom.

I loved making all these and I'm glad Veronica enjoyed receiving them! I might even do another blog candy in the future!

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Can I sleep yet?!

Well my crazy week is nearly over and all I can do is prepare for the next one!
The craft fair yesterday was very quiet. I sold a couple of bits and had a nice day eating cake anyway!
Here are some pictures of my stall ...



These little flower embroideries I was very pleased with. I must get my Japanese embroidery stash out and begin learning that, as I planned to do ages ago!



I have just ordered a load more Stampin' Up! goodies for my Christmas sessions coming up. Soooo excited to play with it all! The training event in Manchester was awesome and really inspiring so I have lots of ideas to work on.

Today is F1 and some work. And perhaps a nap!

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Another cuppa?

Here are two more coasters I cross stitched. I really like these and they only took a couple of hours to make. Amazing what you can accomplish while watching the soaps!

My crazy busy week is going fairly well, although I've not quite achieved everything I should have! Still tons to sort for the craft fair and many pieces of work to do, as well as a job interview tomorrow, HMRC workshop Friday morning, SU training session Friday evening and two, yes TWO, visits from UPS bringing more SU goodies. And I can't even sleep on Sunday as next week I still have loads more work to finish and two craft sessions to plan! Keeps me out of trouble I suppose.

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Time for a brew?

Then why not enjoy with one of my funky stitched coasters?! These were great fun to make and really quick too.
I still have lots of other things to make from last week and tons of other work stuff to coordinate and organise as well. Going to be a bit of a crazy week!

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Cupcake keyring

Still cracking on with things for the craft fair!
Today I have been working on some coasters and also stitched this cupcake keyring/scissor fob. It has a touch of sparkle thanks to Madeira Glissen Glass thread and is backed with pink felt. Really quick and easy to make, hope someone wants to take it home!

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I did something crafty!

I have finally managed to do something crafty over the past couple of days!

I'm having a stall at a craft fair in Leeds at the end of September and just started to figure out what I'm going to be doing there! I'll have lots of cards to sell, of course, and have been making some stitched items as well.

The first are these cross stitched bibs. I think they're so cute, hope they sell!



I've also started on some little pictures using designs from the same series, more on those when they're finished!

The fair takes place at Armley Prison on September 25th from 10am. If you're in Leeds please do come along and help raise money for Yorkshire Cancer Centre.

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Normal service will resume shortly ...

Apologies for the lack of updates. I have been battling on with my freelance work and the rest ofthe time enjoying cuddles with Bodd, so haven't done much card making and only a bit of cross stitch to keep me going craft wise.
I'm off home for a few days on Thursday and will be doing a workshop at aunty Shelley's, so expect to see and hear about that at the weekend. Now, I have to start prepping for that and thinking about what clothes I need for a night out in Chester!

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Scissor fobs

My mum made me this scissor fob ...



She bought the kit over a year ago but has only just got round to finishing it! Worth the wait though, it's lovely.
Yesterday I made her a biscornu scissor fob ...

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Peacock update

Am making progress on the peacock I started before going on holiday. Got to crack on with the tail now, which will be tricky and slow going but worth it in the end. I hope!
http://makedoandgem.blogspot.com

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Cross stitch peacock

This is the newest cross stitch project I am working on - a peacock designed by Joan Elliott. I love peacocks and this one will go beautifully with a phoenix I stitched about a year ago. Am making good progress on the body and swirly bits and had thought about taking this one on holiday but I think it's a bit too fiddly to work on by the pool!
http://makedoandgem.blogspot.com

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