A large project

I didn't think it would be but this took ages. In my stash I have had two pillowcases for a very long time. Over the years I have had many ideas but never really got anything started.

When our daughter got married I did think of stitching Mr & Mrs for their wedding night.... but again I didn't get started.

This year was their second anniversary, I'm not sure where those months went. The gift for a second anniversary is cotton so guess what came to mind, the pillowcases.

But what to stitch? Earlier this year our daughter and son-in-law bought their first house and on one visit she showed me a green lampshade for their bedroom so at least I had a colour idea. 

I know she likes leaves and was so pleased to spot this chart on etsy. It was a wedding sampler and too big but I was hoping the leaf tips would work.

Savanna was very good and although I didn't use it she did chart Philippa and Michael for me so I can always use it on another project.

I used the colours as Savenna had designed and had a rye smile as our daughter and son-in-law started painting their bedroom in near exact same colours.

The leaves took ages to do, I hadn't really looked at how much there was to do. My super Hubby flipped the chart so the pillowcases matched and I added a few to each edge as the chart wasn't quite long enough. 

I finished just in time for their visit, I was really pleased how they turned out and the Anniversary Couple loved them.

A special September

Firstly I would like to thank Rachel for hosting Fully Finished Objects and Jo for hosting Gifted Gorgeousness and so many brilliant blog hops. This September marks a change for me and one change is I'm no longer participating in blog events BUT will be (hopefully) posting more throughout each month, huge thanks Rachel & Jo for your blog event hosting I've really enjoyed them.

So why is this September so special .... well Wednesday 10th was my 60th birthday, I'm not quite sure how I made it here, there's been a few close shaves especially in my fifties but I'm still going.

I've had a fantastic birthday, starting early with a celebration a few days before with my friends and close family. My Hubby, daughter, son-in-law, son and girlfriend decorated the house including putting up my late Dad's scouting pennants in the garden. My daughter designed my beautiful cake and treated me to breakfast out; with her living a couple of hours away we rarely get time for just us.

My early celebration was a great afternoon with friends enjoying bubbly and cake in the garden thanks to it being a sunny day. This was followed by a super meal at a local Turkish restaurant where my elder relatives joined us. 

For my actual birthday Hubby and I took a trip to Ireland, staying in England on the way and Wales on the way back, so quite a tour. I'll be writing about our adventures in my other blog Wine, food and travel with Clare. I have already posted about our English stay in Chester and turning 60 in Dublin and will soon post about the other places we visited.

I have had so many beautiful cards and gifts, everyone has been so kind and generous. I took my cards and non-alcoholic pressies to open in Dublin and our room had the perfect window sill to put them out, quite a collection. There were more cards and gifts waiting here when we came home. I've been a little overwhelmed with everyone's kindness; our son and girlfriend's gifts included a beautiful locket, and our daughter and son-in-law's a smart watch, gifts I will certainly treasure.

So as you can see a very special September and moving on with a few changes, initially the name change of my blog. I'll be posting throughout each month with a variety of crafts including cooking & baking. I do have some stitching to share but I'll leave this post focusing on my birthday and my super family.

Gifted Gorgeousness August

Yesterday was the 15th so it was Gifted Gorgeousness hosted by the lovely Jo at Serendipitous Stitching a lovely chance to share our latest gifts. These can be gifts given or received, or any item made using fabric, threads, buttons, ribbon, chart, backing fabric that has been gifted.

This month I have two gifts to share, norh of which you have probably seen in my FFO blog. The first is a heart I stitched for my friend Julie's birthday. It's a Little House Needleworks design and was fun to stitch. Finishing was a bit fiddly but it came out looking heart shaped.

My second finish also includes a heart, a sampler for our daughter's bridesmaid and her new hubby. They live here so our daughter and son-in-law came home for the weekend which was lovely. The wedding was just family and close friends but as we were playing taxi we did get to see the bride and groom, both looked lovely. 

I have stitched this before, it's a Lizzie Kate design that's quite quick to stitch and easy to align names.

My bigger project is about half way and I hope will be finished soon, as long as last weekend's frog does not visit again.

August's Fully Finished Objects

 

It's Fully Finished Objects time, hosted by Rachel  Ten Hour Stitcher . This year I haven't been stitching as much, mainly as I am not stitching a new theme for church. All my stitching is for others so I can't share progress and as such I'm only posting FFO and Gifted Gorgeousness posts, and they show the same.

I am posting on my other blog Wine, food and travel with Clare

This month I have two 'lovely' finishes to share, the first is a heart I stitched for my friend Julie's birthday. It's a Little House Needleworks design and was fun to stitch. Finishing was a bit fiddly but it came out looking heart shaped.

My second finish also includes a heart, a sampler for our daughter's bridesmaid and her new hubby. They live here so our daughter and son-in-law came home for the weekend which was lovely. The wedding was just family and close friends but as we were playing taxi we did get to see the bride and groom, both looked lovely. 

I have stitched this before, it's a Lizzie Kate design that's quite quick to stitch and easy to align names.

I enjoyed working on these, it gave a break from my other stitching which is a bigger gift and taking longer than I thought it would. Hopefully I finish it in time and will be able to share soon. 

July's Fully Finished Objects

Thank you Rachel for hosting another opportunity for us to share our finishes. Pop over to Rachel's blog Ten Hour Stitcher to find the links to everyone's FFO posts.

I only have one finish this month but it's a very special one. Over 15 years ago I took part in a Round Robin and my piece was about the beach with the idea to make a bag.

Of course that didn't happen and the lovely cross stitch has stayed in my drawer since. A few weeks ago we all went on holiday to Turkey, an early celebration for my upcoming big birthday. 

What better time to finish my bag. The hardest bit was making the cross stitch into the front and back panels. I also added a row of red backstitch to pull the colours together.

It took three days as I did a bit and then left it as I was quite worried about rushing and getting it wrong. I'm not very good when you have to stitch something the wrong way as it will be turned.

Anyway the bag was made, I love it and it received praise from others whilst we were away.

These are the two Round Robin panels.

And this is my fabulous bag

It's fully lined with boxed sides. I might make another but just using two fabrics as it was the panelling that took the time, mainly the calculations.

We had a nice time in Turkey, it was very hot but unfortunately our son-in-law, daughter and son's girlfriend became ill on the second day and ended up in hospital overnight. In fact we all stayed at the hospital as it was quite a worry. We have no idea what caused it, not food poisoning as our son and ourselves were not ill, nor anyone at the hotel.

My lovely hubby, our daughter, me, our son, his girlfriend & our son-in-law

We didn't manage a celebration meal but did manage to have four days making lots of memories and with some very special moments. I'm just so glad everyone was OK and we do have plenty of time to celebrate here.

Gifted Gorgeousness June

Yesterday was Father's Day and also the 15th so it is Gifted Gorgeousness time hosted by the lovely Jo at Serendipitous Stitching a lovely chance to share our latest gifts. These can be gifts given or received, or any item made using fabric, threads, buttons, ribbon, chart, backing fabric that has been gifted

I've shared these gifts already in this month's Fully Finished Objects post. The coasters were for our daughter and her hubby as they have moved into their first house, the bookmark for a friend and the name plaque for our daughter's best friend's second daughter (I stitched one for her first daughter when she was born).

My other gifts are all re-gifted. I stitched them for my family and now they are back with me. I have had some in the attic for a while but I have redone our spare bedroom and they are all now on display, although some have been reframed. 

The Veteran Motors was a gift I stitched for my grandfather in 1998 to celebrate his 90th birthday, he worked in the motor industry in Coventry, retiring from Rolls Royce in the 1970s.

What is this life was my Dad's favourite poem and I stitched this for his 80th birthday in 2006. It was originally in a gold frame on his lounge wall but I have reframed it to match the cars and the following two stitchings.

These two were for my Mum, one for Mother's Day the other for her 75th birthday in 201. They were in plain silver frames in Mum's craft room but they are now in matching frames in our front room. 

It's lovely to have these hanging up again instead of being in the attic. I remember stitching these and gifted them, it's nice they are gifted back to me now. 

I'm so pleased with our spare bedroom now as it has so many family items passed onto me, although it is sad my family members are not with us anymore but I love looking at theses items that remind me of them.

The yacht and flag's picture was my dad's, with Mum's two pictures next to it. The pink vase was my grandmothers and the dried flowers are from our daughters wedding. The biscornu is one I stitched as part of a SAL with Needlecraft Haven, Iris was my grandmother's name so it fits there perfectly. The blue dish was a 10th wedding anniversary gift from my Dad and I've put some shells saved from the beach in Wales where we used to have a holiday caravan. The room is full of gifts from me and to me, it's feels a very peaceful room. 

Thanks for visiting to see my GG posts, as usual |I am stitching another gift at the moment but it won't be ready for a while yet. 

June's Fully Finished Objects

Thank you Rachel for hosting another opportunity for us to share our finishes. Pop over to Rachel's blog Ten Hour Stitcher to find the links to everyone's FFO posts.

I have a very special finish to share this month, our daughter and son-in-law have moved into their first house. When then moved into their apartment I stitched two coasters (link to my previous post) so it seemed appropriate to stitch two more.

I decided not to do cross stitch but embroidery. I drew the design on squared paper and used it as a guide although embroidery does not really follow straight lines. I was so pleased with how they turned out and the new home owners liked them.

I also finished a bookmark for my friend who needed a bit of a hug. My stitchy friend Julie gifted me the bookmark chart, it was a kit she had stitched with lots of threads unused so she passed it on. I had some aida band in my stash and just added a row on the left to make it fit.

I also finished this name plaque for our daughter's best friend's little girl. I stitched one for her first daughter Orlagh,  our daughter is her Godmother, so I wanted to stitch one for Innes too. The design is by Durene Jones and was in a magazine many years ago. I have used it many times changing the letter characters to suit, there's rabbits, cats and butterflies on some letters but I swapped them to be all girls. Orlagh was so pleased her little sister has her name too,  I do my gift stitching to make others smile and that really made me smile.

You'll see these projects again soon in my GG post for June, I will have some special gifts to show too.