Valie and I have now finished BAM IV. Valie chose a pink theme using Litchi linen, Atalie Rubis cotton floss and a buttercup silk braid with a delightful butterfly charm. My friend has such a good eye for colour!

My BAM IV is stitched on 35ct optic white linen with AVAS 1714 silk thread and DMC 12 perle cotton 624. The embellishments are Delica beads in the same green as the perle cotton and a golden key. I think I need to be more adventurous with my stitching.

This picture is for Edgar to show that 'stink eye' has now taken up residence in a tree near me. I like birds but not pidgeons as they are extremely dirty and noisy (cooing at 5am doesn't help). The nest will be removed once the baby has flown the coop to encourage the said birds to return to SF!

I have been awarded the 'Your Blog Makes Us Smile' Award by Patti - thank you Patti. I have to pass this Award on to six of my favourite blogs and tell the blog owner why I chose them. They, in turn, have to pass this Award on to six of their favourite blogs (but not to everyone who reads their blog - you must choose six). So here we go and in no particular order:

1 Loreta - for her beautiful stitching and her stunning photographs.

2 Yuko - for her exquisite stitching and her photographs of dear Sweetie.

3 Edgar - for his great stitching and amusing anecdotes.

4 Dany - for sharing her artistic designs so wonderfully stitched.

5 Coni - for her great stories. Did you read about the spider and her happy chair?

And last but not least:

6 Valie - for her elegant stitching and her valued friendship.

It was so difficult to stop at six blogs that make me smile. I apologise if I've left you out - I read and comment on a lot of my favourite blogs and I think you all deserve an Award!

Thanks for visiting

Take care

A short while ago I won Staci's giveaway of the above patterns. When Staci announced my name I emailed her to say that although I would stitch the A-Z pattern, I doubted that I would stitch the Rainforest Romance so I suggested she draw another name. However, she has sent me both patterns and has no objections to me passing Rainforest on! So ... if anyone is interested in having this pattern, please leave me a comment saying you would like to be entered in the draw and I will announce the winner on Friday (March 6). Good luck. 

Still no stitching to show you although I have worked a little on a gift. I think my cold or whatever it was, is hopefully on it's way out although I am left with a cough, it's not as bad as it was so a doctor's visit skillfully avoided! 

After a really beautiful day yesterday, today is wet and dismal - roll on Summer!

Thank you to everyone who left such great comments on my recent exchanges - they are much appreciated! These are my last exchanges until after my hand surgery but I will resume exchanging once my hand is fully recovered. As I do not yet have a surgery date I will continue to stitch on gifts, ornaments for the 2009 Challenge, Beatrix Potter SAL and, of course, my miniature stitching!

Thanks for visiting

Take care 

The tin topper is part of a freebie SALexandre (here) but I chose to stitch it on 32ct white linen instead of the 28ct listed. It is stitched 1*1 using DMC 899 which colour matched perfectly the velvet ribbon around the bottom of the outside of the Altoids tin. The embroidery sits upon a base of white Dupion silk and the inside is lined with the same silk fabric with a padded base. The inside of the lid is  lined with 2 pieces of white felt tied with a tiny white silk ribbon bow. For the pinkeep I used the same flower border adjusted in size to make a pinkeep small enough to fit inside the tin and I added Amy's name on the front and the year on the back. The needleminder is made from a covered button - I removed the button shank and glued on a pair of tiny magnets and you can see by the needle it works! I also made Amy one of my Swaroski crystal scissor fobs to complete the set.

This is the project that Kirby is stitching for herself in lime green on the same fabric. She hasn't got too far along with it as she has been busy with her studies, her part-time job and she has also caught this awful fluey bug but as soon as it's done I will post a picture. 

Last night our night sky was so clear this was the view from our back garden of the Moon and Venus. The Moon almost looked as though it was laying down and Venus glittered like a diamond. Apparently it is what astronomers call the 'greatest illuminated extent' of this plant's disk - whatever that may mean! It will not appear again until the Spring of 2010 and although it could be seen again tonight, the Moon is now above Venus. Not the best of photos I know but I tried!

No stitching these past few days as I have been feeling too bad to concentrate and I have decided a visit to the doctors is the way to go. On a good note I did manage to sleep for a few hours last night.  

Oh nearly forgot, thank you to Akila for the Blog Award - much appreciated. 

Thanks for visiting

Take care

I have not picked up a needle and thread since last Friday although I have to tried to keep up with reading and commenting on blogs. I just wish I could get a good nights sleep; I am a real grumpy bear when I don't get my sleep! But I did get out my Kumihimo Disc which was given to me by a friend ages ago and which, I am ashamed to admit, I put away and forgot - sorry Caroline! There was a link on someone's blog to a You Tube video (here) showing how to use the disc so I thought I would have a go. OK I won't be able to use the braid for anything but it's my first attempt and I enjoyed having a go. So much so I now want a Marudai and have found a UK supplier so watch this space. The braid in the picture should be down through the hole in the disc but I pulled it through to the front so you can see the braid more clearly (click on picture for a closeup view). 

I have two exchanges to do for the end of the month. One is stitched so just needs to be finished; the other needs both stitching and finishing although I have chosen fabric and floss. I hope I can get these exchanges out on time. 

Back to my sick bed!

Thanks for visiting

Take care