Smalls SAL_September Update

Hey, here I am after several months, finally posting a Smalls SAL post!

My last Smalls post was at the beginning of May for my March and April Smalls. 

 

The Smalls SAL is hosted by the wonderful Heather from Stitching Lotus.

However, not a lot of Smalls to show you - just these sweet red bird hearts, which will make lovely Christmas ornies.

That's all for me for today, 

hugs, 

Getting ready for a Christmas Ornie Finishing Frenzy....

Just a quick post today (Update: which has somehow taken me two days to get posted - go figure!)

I am getting ready for doing some FFOing on some of the many, many, many Christmas ornies I have stitched but not fully finished over the past few years. So, after a quick trip down to Darn Cheap Fabrics in Heidelberg, I am ready to go!

Here are all of the goodies: pellon, pins, glue sticks and trims.

White pom pom trim, red and green ricrac and some more of the lovely pearl beaded ribbon that I have used successfully before.

... and, of course, I had to buy some more red pompom trim.

Then I found this gorgeous green trim with varying sizes of green beads on it - this could work on some projects, I thought.

I bought five wheels of pins for finishing as well, although I do wish that there were more green and gold ones in a multi-coloured wheel.

 Lastly I found this white, pleated with tiny seed pearls trim - not sure how I will use it yet but I think it will work on something.

After all that trim shopping, I rewarded myself with a chicken caesar salad and a poppy and onion bagel - yum - for lunch.

hugs, 

P.S. Yesterday I had bit of a marathon stitching day for Friday Frolics, click here to check out what WIP I picked to stitch on.

Oh Happy Dance!

As I predicted in my last post, I finished Silent Night last evening.  I am very pleased with how it has turned out - I love its subdued colourway.

But I would love to ask all of you for some advice. I am planning to finish it with possibly a white pom pom trim (like my red pom pom trim on Joyeux Noel) but I would love your opinion on which backing fabric to use: Option 1 (pale blue and silver) or Option 2 (mid blue with yellow stars)?

Option 1....

Option 2....

... and here are both options together....

I think I know which one I will go with but I would still love to hear your opinion.

hugs, 

FNSI and IHSW_September update

Hello! Hello! It is time for my September FNSI and IHSW reports (having missed both July and August).

Click on the logo below to find out all about FNSI.

if you would like to find out more about IHSW, please click on Hermie below:

                                  

It is such a lovely idea - to be stitching with other like-minded people from all over the globe, no matter the time zone, all weekend long - bliss!  In fact, any stitching time is great, isn't it?

For FNSI (and Friday Frolics), I picked up Winter in the Village by Stoney Creek Designs.

This is what my village looked like before I started - as you can see I had to start with a bit of frogging as I had used the wrong green (you should see the floss list for this design  - so many colours!).

This is where I got up to after FNSI:

I then kept stitching on it over the weekend for IHSW and this is now where I am up to:

I also stitched on Silent Night by CCN for IHSW, this is the before photo....

... and the after photo, I am nearly finished so I will keep stitching on this piece this week until it is finished. Such a pretty design.

 ... and just to finish, here is a pic of darling Furio, soaking up some Spring sunshine.

If you would like to see who else took part in FNSI for September, please click on this link here:

FNSI

... and once the link is up for IHSW, I will add that, too.

Update:  Here is the link to this month's IHSW linky party.

Lots of lovely stitchy hugs to you all, 

hugs, 

Pretty flowers.....

... at the National Rhododendron Garden in Olinda (now called the Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden).  Warning: Pic heavy!

Yesterday was such a gorgeous day in Melbourne - 20 degrees and blue skies - so when our dear friends, Marie and Tony, suggested an impromptu trip to the National Rhododendron Garden in Olinda we jumped at the chance. TraderVic and I had never been before and boy, were we in for a treat.

Wide, wandering paths and lots of gorgeous trees, flowers and views to enjoy.

If you look very hard you can see a female lyrebird - they are notoriously shy, so it was amazing to actually see one here.

These ladybird rocks were scattered throughout the whole gardens. So cute!

We then stopped at Dudley's for a late lunch of delicious pizza...

... and a well deserved glass of vino (after all our walking)....

I hope that you have enjoyed this visit to the Rhododendron Garden with me.

Thanks for visiting, 

hugs,