My Pinkeep Reached Its New Home

I am happy to learn that my partner, Janaina, has received the HOE pinkeep exchange package and she likes her pinkeep. I did not expect the package to arrive so fast - it was a pleasant surprise.
Now I can show you the pictures of what I sent to Janaina. Here is the pinkeep, its close up, back and other goodies:































In the post card I wrote to Janaina that I had been stitching the piece in four countries and she did not understand that.

Well, I am originally from Russia and recently we, my husband and I, made a trip to my home country to see my family and friends. I took a few charts with me so I could rotate them and kill the time during the trip. You know, when the flight lasts 13-18 hours you need a variety of activities not to get bored. So I stitched on board the planes, in between the flights, in the airports and hotels. I started ( just marked and kitted) the piece here in Keithville, Louisiana then stitched a little in Chicago; a little inTokyo, Japan; then in Seoul, Korea; in Russia at home then again in Korea, in Los Angeles and finished it here at home for this exchange. I thought a piece with such history will be interesting for Janaina. Besides I stitched this pattern before and I knew it is pretty. Here are some more pictures of other things with the same design:

a box, a biscornu - my first one,

















that is its back, and a little ring pincushion - hard to take a good picture of it but a very convenient thing.

















Everything can fit inside the box.

I modified the design a little in the corners so it can sit better on the top of the box and added some more beads. I stitched all pieces on 28 ct Antique Evenweave which I coffee dyed a little.

If you have not recognized the design yet, it is Just Nan " Spring Fantazy".

Happy stitching to everybody!

Some New Finish

After a bad spell of weather last week here the Interner connection was acting up. I had to wait for about three hours to publish the previous post. Such waste of time! So I waited till they have fixed everything.

I had "A Lady's Heart" by Just Nan framed and wanted to show you some pictures. It was not so easy to get it framed: the quality of work was very poor, I even had to ask the manager of the store for help. Now you still can see some wrinkles on the fabric but with our humidity I hope they soon must be gone.

I was busy making some more "smalls", thread keeps. For them I used the pieces recently stitched and the pieces which were done about a year ago. They all are stitched on 28 ct Evenweave with DMC floss.

The first one is my "quaker inspired", one of my favorites. It is a motif from "Diminutive Dutch Sampler", Carriage House Samplings.

The second one is also very nice. I took the design for it from The Prairie Schooler Designer Series booklet "Spring Miniatures". I changed the colors in the design and now they perfectly match the color of my Azaleas .

The design for the third one is called "Reprise d'un motif ancien Coeur Muguet", a freebie from a French site. I like the design but I am not so happy with the result, tried different finishes - nothing helped so I decided to leave it as it is. Here is my the least favorite:

Anyway, I like to use them when I go to stitch outside , they can be hung on the arm of the swing or kept on a bigger ring together so the wind does not blow away my flosses.

Happy stitching and take care.

My First Hardanger Experience

At first I want to thank all the cross stitchers who stopped by and left their warm birthday greetings and nice comments on my work. I appreciate this and am looking forward to meeting you at my blog again.

It was really hard to find some time for stitching these few days - my birthday, my foot ( I am not so fast now), great weather outside. Walking in the garden I took some pictures of my flowers and some wild ones. I asked my husband if he knows their names and he only could say - "Weeds". Great! I am just preparing to stitch " Don't Let The Weeds" by Fabienne Reilly and I can keep them in mind while working on the project.

I also tried to learn the ABC of Hardanger and for the first project I chose "Be Mine...Valentine" by The Victoria Sampler, a very bright design with sparkling gold and sharp contrast of white and red, and lots of beads.

I used the stitched piece for making a little wood jewel box. While travelling last summer I realized how handy these boxes can be: they do not take much space but help you keep the jewelry or stitching tools well organized.

I think I found a good companion for the box.

That is Just Nan " Christmas Rose", I made it last December.

And this is how the box looks inside.

I think I can show you some more things tomorrow.

Happy stitching to everybody and take care.

Some Birthday Presents

Oh, yes, one year older...
Happy Stitching to everyone!

A Little Creature

I finished stitching "Hedgehog Quaker" by The Workbasket a long time ago and since then I have been thinking how to finish it. I used 22 ct. white fabric ( of unknown origin) and got such a cute tiny creature so I wanted to find something special for its embellishment.

When yesterday in the store I saw bright rings made of glass I said - "Eureka! They are just for my hedgehog."
Now the thread keeper is already in use and I am thinking of making a couple of them more.

Happy stitching to everybody!

Shamrock Biscornu

Today I have finished "Shamrock Biscornu (March)" by a French designer Fabienne Reilly.

The design is really interesting - the colors are very well chosen, pretty specialty stitches done both in cotton and metallic floss create some rich texture.

I used the recommended DMC floss and only substituted French Knots in metallic by gold Mill Hill beads. I tried both ways - making French knots in metallic and using beads, and prefered the beads because they make a better contrast for the French knots in green floss.

Have a look at the pictures:

The corners of the biscornu form a nice border.

The other side of the biscornu is almost the same, I only left the center of the design blank. Instead of buttons I used a couple of pretty turqoise beads which match the colors of the design so nicely.

I also made some flower pins for this biscornu,
hope they look like shamrock flowers.

Visit Fabienne Reilly blog at www.fabyblog.com and find more designs there.

I enjoyed stitching this design so very much.

Thank youFaby!

One Month Anniversary!

Time flies... Yes, one month has passed since I first started blogging. It was not so easy for me to do it and I started my blog just because of my mistake or... thanks to my mistake, lol. I've learned much since that time and I hope brought my blog a little in order.

But I want to thank CinDC from http://pencilcrossings.blogspot.com/ for pushing me to work on my blog. I was ashamed that at the beginning she wrote more in my blog than I did.

I also want to thank all co-bloggers who stopped by and especially those who left some comments. I really appreciate this.

I try to visit those bloggers who left the messages here and I enjoy doing this. It is wonderful to feel that you are not alone, there are so many other cross stitchers, in so many countries! I saw amazingly beautiful works in every blog, they are like tutorials, like source of inspiration for me and everybody.

Welcome to my blog again and again, enjoy your visit and leave a message - possitive, negative , just short "Hi"- any if you can.

I am sorry but I can't show you pictures of the work that I am stitching now - it is for an exchange. But I will show you the pictures of the things which I made for St.Valentine's day last year.

For the first ornament I used one of the heart designs by Rico Design.

In one of the old magazines I found this adorable design by Saifhon Borisuthibundit, it was recommended to make it into a cross stitch card, I made a little pillow:

And that is my own design, just scraps of cloth + some beads+ some buttons + some time = an ornament:

Have an enjoyable visit, till tomorrow!

Win "Where There Is Life"

Win "Where There Is Life ... "
A good cause to awareness towards Breast Cancer. The kit was generously donated by Chris. For more info and a chance to win this beautiful chart visit Stitch Pink.