Little Alphabet Sampler......& Spring Holidays

I just loved stitching this small alphabet sampler. I have stitched it on Belfast Linen 28ct, and used DMC floss. I found it a while ago as a freebie. Its title is " Bluebirds and Daisies", and is a complimentary design from: www.blueribbondesigns.com . I found it very easy to stitch, and I thought I may incorporate the design again along with more motifs to make a larger sampler.

My latest stitching project is a birth sampler for my new little grandson, when finished I will show it on my blog.

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Spring Holiday..... Well a rest for DH anyway....

The weather was beautiful, and silly me I thought that we might go out and about for a few days, especially as it was Easter school holidays and all that. We had even talked about going up to the Fleet Air Arm Museum, and the American Museum up in Somerset, as DS wanted to go there, but no such luck, DH just wanted to rest up. I suppose I can sympathise in a way as he does have a strenuously gruelling job,but I would have driven, and all he had to do was to sit there and look at the countryside.....but no. He just wanted to stay at home. I think that he was just enjoying the fact that my eldest son had moved out the week prior to that, and he just wanted to enjoy the peace that now reigns in our house. I did manage to get DH to go into the garden, and finish digging the veggie patch that we have decided to have this year, especially as people in the UK are being encouraged to grow their own fruit and veg. We have planted Tomatoes, Courgette, Broccoli/Purple sprouting, Lettuce..various varieties, carrots, peas, broad beans,and aubergine, also a custard courgette.

We did however manage to get down to visit the newly arrived Grandson after him being born about 10 days previously. He's so cute,he weighed in at 6lb 6oz and is now gaining weight, and getting stronger every day. They are all coming to see me tomorrow, so I will get to cuddle him again. I do love tiny babes especially when they are not your own and you can hand them back when they start crying.

Easter Saturday, saw a big spring clean out, we had so many old books, and clutter, that we thought it was time to get rid of the excess. Doesn't it take an amazing amount of time, as if you are like me you seem to come across things that you have forgotten and than you start to look through them all particularly photos, or that little memento you had kept for posterity. Eventually we had a huge pile of books which we put on our local Freecycle.com group, www.freecycle.com and there were many takers. We still have loads to do, and get rid of before we can even start to think about decorating. I really must stop hoarding, and stashing.

On Easter Sunday there were many bootsales, and flea markets on, and it was wonderfully warm so we decided to go to one. Yet again I couldn't resist, and found some fabric to add to my stash. Not only do I like doing cross stitch, and blackwork, but from time to time when the mood takes me I do like to do patchwork. I was lucky enough to get about 4 square metres of Calico for £1, and 2 metres of really nice checked material suitable for all sorts of projects. The colours were not too dissimilar to the colours I used in the ABC sampler above.

I also added to my cross-stitch stash, as a lady was selling a piece of 14ct Aida, and all the threads to make a teddy bear sampler. I don't fancy making that up, but the threads, and aida will come in for something. I also was lucky enough to get Donna Kooler's " 555 Fabulous Cross-stitch Patterns" book for 50p. There are so many nice little motifs that I am sure I can incorporate into things that I will make, both for exchanges, and for myself.

Its amazing what people will get rid of for next to nothing. I also had the pick of whatever I wanted out of an old sewing chest. I had a powder bowl full of pins, some with nice heads on, and some buttons for covering, and a velvet press type brush. I shall be covering the little buttons with some cross stitch flowers I think.That all cost me £1 too.

My Antique Porcelain find......

I was just about to leave the bootsale/flea market when I came upon this stall that just had a load of old junk when I found this wonderful little Dresden side plate decorated with purple pansies, and hand gilded with little dots of gold on the pansies, and gilding to the scrolled edges.The age of the plate is around the 1880's-1900.

Yet to be finished Mattress Pin Cushion

I don't know where this pattern came from but I thought it was so pretty. When I first looked at it I thought it was fuchsia's that were depicted in the stitching, but having got halfway through with the purple I realised that the plant was a bleeding heart, and that I had done the wrong colours. C'est la vie. I did originally mean to make a biscornu, but since finishing the pattern I am going to make the stitched piece into a mattress pin cushion.

Weekend Antique Finds

My family really do have the bug for getting up on a Sunday morning, and going to local Boot Sales/Trunk Sales, and flea markets. DH and DS go off looking for PC bits and pieces, as that is what they are into. Under sufferance they start off with me looking for little pretty bits of porcelain of days gone by, but as I get slower and slower with my rummaging, and avid scouring of the stalls they disappear. Only to meet up when our paths cross at the end.


This week I found this beautiful little hand painted Japanese visiting card tray. I just love the colours. I also found a near set of Japanese Lithophane cups, saucers,cream jug and sugar bowl, and cake plate. A lithophane is like a photograph of a person which is incorporated into the eggshell porcelain and when held up to the light you see the picture.


As well as those finds, I also found these darling miniature Victorian Mantle vases which stand approximately 3.5inches tall. Their appeal to me is the little pansies which are on the front. I just have a passion for pansies.