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Tuesday, 28 September 2010
Sew Joyful Preview




A little sneak preview of Sew Joyful. Designed as a companion to last year's Sew Peaceful this small sampler chart will be released in late October. I would have released it earlier but there are so many new charts being released for the Fall market that I decided to leave it a little longer which will also give me more time to take a much better picture than the one I have.

I am having problems uploading pictures from my computer to Blogger as they seem to have changed the format. I had to upload to Picasa and then use their 'blog this' option. This is ok for a single picture but would prove a nuisance for more than one. Is anyone else having the same problem?

And while I am in a complaining mode - don't you just hate bloggers who hold giveaways and then don't follow through? It's happened to me twice now and whilst I am a very understanding person who realises that sometimes 'life' gets in the way, little things like this annoy me so if you have no intention of sending out giveaways - please don't hold them!

OK grumbling over ... on with my post.

Tommy is almost ready to go into his box for his long winter's sleep and I am keeping an eye on him so that he doesn't bury himself like he did last year. These past few days it's been quite chilly and often raining and I am so ready for my trip to a much warmer climate. I will still be posting whilst I am away as I am taking my Macbook with me together with a few new projects to stitch. One of these is the LHN's Travelling Stitcher which I will doing in a SAL with Valerie our Fog City Dweller. Our SAL starts on October 1 so if anyone wants to join in please do - there are no rules, no blog, just SAL with us.

Thanks for visiting
Take care

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Photobucket posted by Carol R at 19:23 | Permalink | 16 comments Photobucket
Thursday, 23 September 2010
Sew Patchwork and another giveaway!






Cécile from Mon blog de brodeuse has kindly agreed that I can show off her beautiful version of Sew Patchwork. Stitched with a deep red DMC thread on 32ct Belfast Country Mocha, Cécile finished her work as a pillow but a pillow with a difference because on the reverse she added two little pockets to keep scissors and a thread holder. What a wonderful idea and I am sure we will see more of these finishes in blogland! Thank you Cécile for allowing me to post your pictures.






And now for another giveaway. Lana from It Seams to be Sew is holding a giveaway for a Honeybun from Blackbird Designs called Beach House for Moda. To enter you need to post the giveaway on your own blog and leave a comment on her post. You have until Monday, September 27 to enter.

Thanks for visiting
Take care

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Photobucket posted by Carol R at 17:25 | Permalink | 5 comments Photobucket
Tuesday, 21 September 2010
Sew Easy pinkeeps





Click on the picture for a closeup view


Brenda (no blog) has today sent me pictures of two beautiful pinkeeps she made using the Sew Easy free chart. The first is stitched 1*2 on 32ct raw Belfast linen with HDF premium silk thread in 6211/13/15 combo, white 5201 and Zaffre Colbalt.




Click on the picture for a closeup view


Her second pinkeep is stitched 1*2 on white Belfast linen with HDF Winterberry 1423 premium silk thread. I'm glad I do not have to choose which one I prefer as they are both absolutely gorgeous! Thank you Brenda for allowing me to show these on my blog.

And check out her stunning Longaberger 25th Anniversary basket in the first picture. My dear friend Diana has just sent a small antique Longaberger basket to me. I will post a picture in the next day or so. Thank you Diana!

The Sew Easy free chart is still available *here* or by clicking on the CHARTS button on the sidebar and while you are there please check out my other charts.


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Edgar is having a birthday giveaway on his blog *here* so pop over and leave him a comment. You have until October 4 to enter and, if you are very lucky, one of his adorable little pooches will pick your name from the Bowl of Destiny.

It's been a lovely day here today so I took advantage and took my book out into the garden.

Thanks for visiting
Take care


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Photobucket posted by Carol R at 18:57 | Permalink | 2 comments Photobucket
Monday, 20 September 2010
Jane Rees




As promised, here is an update on Jane. The bottom two lines are from page 2, the rest is the whole of page 1. I guess this one is going to be a long haul but I am enjoying working on it so if I put a few letters in each day I will eventually get there. For those of you who have missed previous posts about Jane click on the label link. It is stitched on 55ct (yes I said 55ct) blanc cassé French Gander linen with AVAS Soie Surfine thread (109). My last 'biggie' was Beatrix Potter - remember her - how I hated it? If I can finish Beatrix, I can finish Jane!

I have three new charts that need to be stitched up - two of these are for Christmas and I hope to get these done shortly.

Kirby is on her way back to Loughborough Uni and, although we will be able to Skype', I will miss her a lot. She is making a weekend trip home before she comes home for Christmas but we will be away then so we will not get to see her. 

Autumn is definitely in the air, the leaves are starting to drop and the nights are closing in. Tommy is very lethargic and it won't be long before he settles down for his long winter sleep. I will miss him too.

Thanks for visiting
Take care


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Photobucket posted by Carol R at 13:02 | Permalink | 11 comments Photobucket
Saturday, 18 September 2010
Sew Spooky





Despite being laid up last week, I managed to put the final stitches into Sew Spooky as I had only to do the witches hair and the spiders web. I am planning on either framing this or finishing as a small cushion in time for Kirby to decorate her room at Uni. It is stitched on 40ct raw Newcastle linen with DMC 310, B5200, 535 and 367. The pumpkins are stitched with Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe hand dyed floss C and the spider's web is a strand of silver thread.

Sew Spooky is available *here* or by clicking on the CHARTS button on the side bar.







And talking of spiders this strange little fellow appeared in the garden a couple of weeks ago. I must say I have never seen a green spider and this one was a rather luminous green!

Thanks for visiting, have a great weekend
Take care

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Photobucket posted by Carol R at 11:10 | Permalink | 5 comments Photobucket
Friday, 17 September 2010
No stitching!




No stitching for me these past few days, in fact not much at all as I've been sick! I won't go into details but let's say it involved numerous trips to the bathroom! I still feel dehydrated and and somewhat delicate but hopefully I'm on the mend.

I did manage to kit up a few projects for my upcoming trip although I'm not sure if I have kitted up enough but I  suppose I can always buy more whilst I'm away if necessary. My shopping list is growing daily ... as if I actually need any more stash!

I did put a few more stitches into Jane before I got sick but don't have the energy to iron out the wrinkles and photograph her but will do so shortly. 

The picture is of my new Christmas cactus that I picked up at the Garden Centre last week for the princely sum of £1.99. Isn't it pretty? And just look at all those buds. My original cactus is still outside on the patio where it has some new leaves and, hopefully, when I bring it indoors it will produce lots of flowers!

Thanks for visiting
Take care
 
Photobucket posted by Carol R at 11:00 | Permalink | 10 comments Photobucket
Sunday, 12 September 2010
Kirby's Sew In Love and a giveaway






Kirby has now framed her Sew In Love and she has decided to give this to her friend as part of her 21st birthday gift. It is stitched on 28ct evenweave with DMC 115. Nice work Kirby!

Sew In Love is still available *here*. You will need to scroll nearly to the bottom of the page.







Over on her blog *here* Anita is having a very generous giveaway of a $100 gift certificate to spend on her web site. You need to be a follower, then leave your name, blog url and an email address - that's it! You have until September 15 to enter.

Blogger will now not show all of my posts on one page of the Charts blog despite the settings, and nor will it allow me to link to separate pages from the sidebar! I have been checking out Wordpress and iWeb as different options for blogging. Is anyone else having a problem like this?

Thank you for all the wonderful comments on Sew Spooky.

Thanks for visiting
Take care

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Photobucket posted by Carol R at 18:52 | Permalink | 3 comments Photobucket
Thursday, 9 September 2010
Sew Spooky








In time for Halloween stitching is Sew Spooky. Spiders and bats compete for space with two jolly little pumpkins and two little black cats. A ghostly apparition and a witch looking rather like the Wicked Witch of the West flies into the scene. The most talented Valie stitched this model for me and took this wonderful picture too. Thank you Valie for making my design come to life!

You can find this chart *here* or by clicking on the CHARTS button on the sidebar. Please remember you can also have this chart and any other charts you wish to purchase on a cd-rom. for a small fee I can also add any previously purchased charts on the same cd at no extra charge. Please email me for details - my email address can be found on my profile.

Would you like to receive an email when a new chart is released? If so, please email me and join my mailing list. Again you can find my email address on my profile.

Thanks for visiting
Take care

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Photobucket posted by Carol R at 22:39 | Permalink | 13 comments Photobucket
Wednesday, 8 September 2010
A giveaway





To celebrate having 35,000 visitors, Pilar is having a giveaway *here* for this pair of Stork scissors with a beautiful beaded fob made by Pilar. In order to participate you need to firstly leave a comment on the post and secondly to advertise the draw on your own blog. If you do not have a blog you need to leave your email address. The draw is open to everyone no matter when you live. You have until September 30 to enter.

Thanks for visiting
Take care

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Photobucket posted by Carol R at 09:35 | Permalink | 0 comments Photobucket
Monday, 6 September 2010
An unusual Sew Easy finish!




Christine from Mes Petites Croix et Mes Chats recently sent me this picture of her finish of Sew Easy. She took a piece of wood, some fuschia and green braid and a tiny calendar and finished her stitching as a very pretty and unusual calendar. It is stitched on flax Belfast linen with 'Bahia' by Atalie threads. There are some more pictures on Christine's blog so do go over and have a look at these and her other stitches and finishes. Thank you Christine for allowing me to post this here.

Sew Easy is an iStitch free chart and is still available *here* and while you are there please check out my other charts on sale at a reasonable cost.


Thanks for visting
Take care

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Photobucket posted by Carol R at 08:57 | Permalink | 8 comments Photobucket
Sunday, 5 September 2010
Giveaway



Wawanna over at Silver Threads and Golden Needles is having a birthday giveaway! First is a beautiful beaded scissor fob, secondly your choice of one of her beautiful laying tools (I've chosen which one I like best already) and thirdly a package of hand decorated 'Dazzling Drops'. There are pictures of these wonderful prizes over on Wawanna's blog and you have three chances to win so go take a look and enter before October 2. 

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Although I finished stitching the chart supplied by Niky for her contest, unfortunately I have not got round to finishing it as yet as I have been laid up with a bad back for the past few days and have been in so much pain I have not felt like stitching let alone finishing. I need to get this done today in time to enter the contest. 

I am still working on the model for Sew Spooky so this won't be too long now. 

Thanks for visiting. Enjoy the weekend!
Take care

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Photobucket posted by Carol R at 09:29 | Permalink | 2 comments Photobucket
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