Easter Wishes and Chocolate Kisses

Happy Easter to you all!  I hope that you all had a wonderful Easter Sunday and have enjoyed the break.

Hubby and I stayed home this weekend except for the odd shopping trip to buy weekend supplies and a wedding present for my brother's big event next weekend.

We have spent the weekend at home with the furry babies, catching up on all the TV shows that have filled the IQ box over the last couple of months and crafting - me stitching kitty cats, hubby sewing up a quilt top.

I have finally finished the third cat for the MS Lovers Blog SAL #1 Culinary Cats. Yes, a big tick off my stitching list for 2012 - little happy dance happening here!!

Margaret Sherry Culinary Cat #3 - finished

MS Blog Lovers SAL #1 - Culinary Cats
Margaret Sherry design - Cross Stitcher issue 222

Remember this little package?

MS Lovers Blog Spring Exchange

Well, it has now arrived at it's destination in Italy so I can now reveal to you the contents....

No, cat wasn't included in the package! He just had to be in the photo!

Contents of the eggs in the basket

Back of the cushion

The design that I stitched was Margaret Sherry's "Make a Wish".  This design was featured in the Cross Stitcher issue 215, August 2009 and was actually the free gift kit.  I have had this sitting in my stash for the last couple of years thinking one day I'll stitch it... and the Spring Exchange was the perfect time to do it!  I stitched little beads in the centre of the flower rather than french knots to add a bit of sparkle!

Once stitched I made it into a small cushion - with hubby's help.  I sewed the front part but I got him to actually make the cushion as he is much better and quicker at cushions than me.  Thank you my dearest clever hubby :o)

The fabric I used was a panel from a range called "Peony Tales" by Betty Wang.  The main panel we used on the back and the side bars trimmed the front of the cushion.  It is so pretty and I still have about 1/2 of the fat quarter left - bonus!

So that's my latest stitching update for this week, however I do have something else to show you.  While playing on my blog today and going through my finishes I noticed that I hadn't shown you two finishes from last year and early this year.  How did I not do that.... no idea at all!!

So here they are!

Back in December I posted about the the MS Blog Lovers Christmas Exchange and I promised to reveal what I sent to my partner... but for some reason I forgot to post about it here after posting on the MS Lovers Blog.....  I found my design in the "Best of  Margaret Sherry" bookazine and then did a 3D image to complement the stitching.  Actually the truth be known I saw the image first that I wanted to do as a 3D card and then looked in the book for a matching design.  The 3D image came from the Margaret Sherry "Snow much Fun" CD that was a freebie with a craft magazine.  (I only bought the magazine for the CD!!)

Both images were then layered onto a Christmas candy stripe paper and placed onto a gold card which I had already covered with a vintage Christmas paper.  The label also came from the CD collection.  The final step was to add some lovely shiny red rub-ons which I put in the bottom corner.

 MS Lovers Blog Exchange Christmas 2011 card for Nia

Now for the other finish that I forgot to show you!  This was a freebie that came with one of my magazines and I stitched this in January.  It is a little Christmas card designed by Joan Elliott.  So cute.. and just what I needed to stitch one weekend as a fill in.  Can't believe that I didn't tell you all about it though!!

Joan Elliott Christmas Card - Cross Stitch Card Shop

After a marathon posting effort I think you are now all up to date with my stitching exploits!  I am now stitching another small Margaret Sherry design that came as a freebie with the last Cross Stitch Card Shop magazine and then I will be starting my second kitty for the MS Blog Lovers SAL #3.  Hopefully I will remember to show them to you when they're finished!!

I will now say bye bye and sign off.  I hope that you all have had a safe and happy Easter.

Til next time, happy stitching.