Another Little Bird

Here is what flew into a tree in my garden today. It is The Goode Huswife 'Primitive Bird'. I just loved this design right from when I first saw it and I knew I had to stitch it which is what I did as soon as I got the chart. I stitched him on 32ct linen (chart calls for 36ct) so he is a little bigger but not too big. He measures around 9 inches. I coloured the cord for the hanger with Parisienne Essence to try and keep with the primitive look and it seemed to work well. I really love this piece of linen but unfortunately, I never wrote on it what it was so have made a mental note to myself to make certain I label my linens from now on so I know what they are and can order them again in the future. I really, really love this colour with it's mottled aged appearance and it was just perfect for the look I was trying to achieve.

The Postie brought me some lovely mail today too.


And this is what was inside this nicely wrapped package......



Three beautiful linens ~ Lakeside Linen Vintage Examplar, Birds of a Feather Sparrow and Birds of a Feather Meadowlark.

Now I must make a start on my April ornament. I think Sandra has hers all stitched and probably assembled as well by now.

'Don't the little birds set their tongues in motion as soon as the day has dawned. They never stop their thanks'...

Strawberry Blonde

Today was such a brilliant day I decided to take a photo of my current work in progress. This is my WIP on Carriage House Sampling Strawberry Blonde. Now I don't claim to be the fastest stitcher and this is taking me a while although I have been stitching a few little addition projects along the way. This is such an enjoyable stitch and I love the way it is turning out. The thread is DMC and if I remember correctly the linen is from Stitches and Spice . I love the colours in this.

As I mentioned, it was a really lovely autumn day today so I also took this photo of one of the plants I have growing in a pot. Petrea Volubilis Purple Passion It is flowering right now and is such a pretty flower. I love autumn.

Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.
George Eliot

Craft Expo

Today was the first day of the Suncoast Stitches Craft and Hobby Expo. which goes for three days and I couldn't wait to go and take a look. Some little things caught my eye and I spent a few enjoyable hours browsing around the stalls.

Here is what I bought ~


I did mention I was obsessed with tins!!!

This beautiful Moda Madeira fabric is from Blackbird Design and I am hoping it will be suitable for my Flowers for Sarah Needleroll when I get it stitched.



I also bought a few pretty beads and some charms.

The Contents Revealed

My friend Sandra and I are doing a stitch-a-long this year in which we decided to stitch an ornament each month for a year. I have just finished my March ornament which is "Merry and Bright" by Little by Little Designs from the 2007 Just Cross Stitch Christmas book. We both stitch the same ornament each month and it is exciting seeing how each of us chooses to finish them and how different they look with the selection of our threads and fabrics. Sandra finished her March ornament a while back but I was a bit slow this month as I decided to stitch mine over one thread and I am convinced it takes twice as long to stitch over one. That brings me to the contents of the tin....

I am using the tin to store my years ornaments. It only has three in it so far but it is going to be exciting by the end of the year when it has twelve in it.
Here are our ornaments so far. Mine on the left and Sandra's versions on the right.




I haven't posted a picture of my shadow in a while so here is Ben today doing what he does so well, being very laid back and enjoying a spot of sunshine close by as I was outside taking a photograph of my ornament.


Happy Stitching!
Chrissie and Ben :)

What's In The Tin?

A few weeks ago whilst shopping at my local Spotlight store, I came across this lovely tin and couldn't resist.


I knew the perfect use for it as well......but I am not going to tell you right now. Have a guess?? I will show you the contents soon :)

Exciting Mail

I just love when I get packages like this delivered to my door.


Especially when the contents are like this.


My package contained a piece of beautiful Meadow Rue Lakeside Linen, some gorgeous silk threads and these cute heart shaped scissors which are probably most impractical but very cute none the less. What I couldn't wait to receive was the latest book from Blackbird Designs ~ Thank You, Sarah Tobias. I knew it had the chart for the beautiful Flowers for Sarah needle case in it and you know how it is when you just 'have to have' something . Now that I have that in my hot little hands, I will anxiously be awaiting another package that will arrive soon with the threads and linen for the needle case.

New Season, New Month, New Start

Autumn and Spring are my two favourite seasons and looking at my Frangipani tree has told me that Autumn is here. It is losing its leaves thick and fast. In Queensland we don't really see the beautiful autumnal colours that we used to get back in New Zealand and last year DH and I went back during the autumn to see those beautiful colours once again. As we drove into Central Otago and stopped the car to take photos, I was actually reduced to tears just by the sheer beauty of the autumn colours. Nature is certainly beautiful.

I also love to stitch in natures earthy colours and this months ornament stitchalong with my friend Sandra, is giving me that opportunity. We are stitching an ornament by Little By Little called Merry and Bright. Here are my threads and fabric ready to make a start.