Secret Stitching Sweethearts Blog Hop Update

Just thought I'd drop in and give you a quick update on the Secret Stitching Sweethearts Blog Hop that Jo from Serendipitous Stitching organised for Valentine's Day.

Jo's post of the blog hop list is here if you want to have a look at who participated in all the fun over the last 24 hours.

As you will remember from yesterday's post, I received this pic....

This morning I received a comment/email with the reveal of my Secret Sweetheart Stitcher - Elfie from Elfin Stitches.   She stitched this lovely scissor fob for her sister many years ago.

The next pic is the one that I sent to Jo for her to pass onto my Secret Stitching Sweetheart... and this morning when I went on the Blog Hop I found it on Vickie's (A Stitcher's Story) - here is a link to her post

This is "Purrfect Partners" - a Margaret Sherry design that I stitched back in 2011.  Link to the finish post is here....

I will be back later today or tomorrow to give you an update on my "Gifted Gorgeousness SAL 2015" stitching for the last month and then later this week it will be time for an ORT report... and then I think we are also heading into IHSW next weekend...  so you will hopefully be in for a couple of posts over the next week or so!

Time for me to sign off and go and get some camera action happening for my next post!

♥ Til then, happy stitching! ♥

Secret Stitching Sweetheart Blog Hop

Happy Valentine's Day

web image

Today is Valentine's Day... and for those that go all out and celebrate - have a wonderful day!  Hubby and I don't make a big deal about Valentine's Day as much as we used to when we first met... for us everyday is Valentine's Day - we both know that we love and support each other every day of the year regardless of what day it is... but I guess an extra hug on this special day never goes astray! ♥ xxxx ♥

Do you love a mystery?  I know I do... and I have a 2 good ones for you today!

Jo from Serendipitous Stitching is hosting her annual Secret Sweetheart Blog Hop today, and this year I managed to sign up in time!

The idea behind the blog hop is that we all send a photo of our Valentine's or love inspired stitching to Jo and then a couple of days before Valentine's Day Jo sends random photos to everyone on the list.  We post that photo on our blog on Valentine's Day and then we wait for the Secret Sweetheart Stitcher to reveal herself.  That is mystery number 1....

Mystery number 2 is that I now have to go and follow the blog hop to find out who received my photo so that I can reveal myself as the Secret Sweetheart Stitcher to that blogger.

At the moment I am not sure who is participating in the blog hop... so I will have to wait for a few more hours yet... the curse of being one of the first countries in the world to start the day!

But anyway I digress again - it is very easy for me to get sidetracked!

Below is the photo that I received from my Secret Sweetheart Stitcher

♥ Mystery Secret Sweetheart Stitcher photo ♥
all will be revealed soon....

So, if you are like me and you want to see who stitched this lovely hanger/fob pop, and who received my Secret Sweetheart Stitcher photo, pop over to Jo's blog and have a look at the Secret Sweetheart Stitcher blog hop list and go on the Valentine's Day Mystery Hunt - Link is here and also on my side bar where you see Jo's heart icon.

Whether you celebrate Valentine's Day or not.... enjoy your Saturday... and feel the love! ♥

Happy Stitching...

Hugs xx

Valentine's Day Swap

Yesterday was Valentine's Day - the one day of the year that all the romantics are allowed to be romantic and no one can say anything!

For those of you that do celebrate Valentine's Day I hope that you had a lovely day.

Valentine's Day was extra special this year as I participated in Parsley's Valentines Swap along with a number of other bloggers/stitchers around the world.  Everyone has been very busy posting all their lovely pressies and linking via Parley's blog for everyone to see.


My swap partner was a lovely lady from Finland - Lumiruusu (Maija).  It seems that we both share a love of Margaret Sherry cats and were both thinking along the same lines with our stitching - as you will see!

Maija sent me this amazing box full of stitching and kits and threads, some MS charts, lollies, and the list goes on... I have to say that I was totally gob smacked!  The MS cat that she stitched and finished is just so gorgeous.  I was truly speechless going through what was in the box.... and believe me that is hard for me - I am very rarely speechless!!

What an amazing box of goodies!

Isn't this a delightful little MS Cat?
I love the way Maija has finished him off

Maija, thank you so very much for your beautiful gifts.  I really do appreciate all the time and thought that you put into the package.  I hope that we can stay in touch and I look forward to seeing more of your beautiful stitching.

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day.  This swap has been great fun and I look forward to seeing what everyone else got for their Valentine's Swap.   Thank you to Parsley for organising the swap.

Til next time,

The postman has been twice!

It's not very often that I get pressie's in the mail but this week I got 2....

The first one was from a friend that I met through Craft Bubble.  Maribeth lives in New York and she sent me a really gorgeous bookmark that she stitched along with a fabulous kitty Christmas card.  Maribeth also included a picture of her cat Cuddles checking out the Christmas card that I sent her!!  The bookmark is currently sitting in pride of place on the desk in the lounge room so that everyone can see it.  It's too nice to use - I just want to look at it!


Thank you Maribeth



The second package that I received was from Emily.  She sent me a gift for being her 25th Follower!  This came all the way from Florida.  In the package was a box of chocolates (yummy), a roll of bright red ribbon, Valentine's stickers and some Florida stickers, along with a lovely card.



Thank you Emily

So, what has been happening this week.... I haven't been doing much blogging so I must have been doing something else - right?!

Right!  I have been busily stitching my Valentine's exchange so that I can get the package in the mail early to ensure that it will arrive in time for Valentine's Day.

And I am very pleased to announce that it's finished!!! YES!  And on time!!  The package is all ready to be mailed tomorrow to start it's journey to.... nope you can't trick me into telling you where it's going!  You will just have to wait for 2 weeks - all will be revealed on February 14th!!!

So that makes 4 finishes so far for 2011.... aren't you impressed - I know I am!  My little TUSAL jar is getting nice and full, and is looking very pretty with all the new colours that have been added this month.  Which reminds me I must take a photo of it soon as the New Moon is fast approaching.

So what's next on the stitching list....

1. Start stitching "Wings" for Quilts 4 Kids - due 30 March
2. Start stitching a Margaret Sherry Cat for the Margaret Sherry Lovers SAL - (stitch 3 of the Culinary Cats over the next 3 months to have a final viewing in May)
3. Start stitching "Winnie the Pooh" for Quilts 4 Kids - due 15 April

As the biscornu exchange is probably going to be deferred for a couple of months (or possibly cancelled) I have also requested to sign up for another Quilts 4 Kids child - hopefully will hear back this week to see if my "monkey" has been accepted.  There is a fifth child I would like to stitch for but I want to see how I get on with "Wings" before I sign up for yet another one....

I have plenty of stitching to get on with over the next couple of months.  I do hope that we don't get too much more of this sticky humid weather as it is not really the best weather to stitch in!

Well, that my news update for another day... see you on 3rd Feb for the TUSAL update

Til then,

Another Finish, Another Start.. I'm on a roll!

I hope you're sitting down.... yep the title says it all!  I have had another finish for 2011....  Bit excited coz I have also managed to turn the gorgeous "purrfect day" kitty into a birthday card and it is ready to be mailed.  So glad it is a public holiday today for Australia Day as it gave me an extra day off to craft....  (That doesn't sound very patriotic, does it?? - oops)

Sorry, but I can't show you a photo of my latest bit of craft handiwork just yet as I need to send if off to the UK.  Once Julie gives me the nod that she has received her birthday card and magnet all will be revealed!  So stay tuned to this Bat "Cat" Channel!

Ok... so that's the birthday card done for the "Crazy for Kitties" birthday exchange, it's now time to get cracking on my next project - a stitched gift/card for Parsley's Valentine's exchange. 

I actually started that on Monday night after I finished the back stitch on the kitty... so this is well in hand.  The gift part of the exchange has been purchased and is just waiting for me to finish the stitching and then I can pop it in the mail to...... (secret destination)


Oscar helping sort threads
Photo has been cropped to hide
what I am stitching!!

As I don't have a stitching photo to show I thought you might like to see a photo of Oscar helping me get started on my latest project! 

Luckily I had my phone on the table otherwise I probably wouldn't have been able to take this photo.  Usually what happens is the cats (and Daisy) stop doing what they're doing when you go and get the camera!

I was sorting out my threads on Monday night for the Valentine's stitching and the gorgeous puddy tat decided to plant himself in amongst the threads! 

I was fine with him helping sort threads until he decided that he wanted to hold the skein and help me cut the thread to stitching lengths.... then I had to put the thread under the table in my lap so he couldn't see them!!  I was rather nervous that I would end up poking him in the eye with the scissors....

Well, it is back to the Cricket and more stitching for me...  Have a safe and happy week, and if you are an Aussie, have a safe and happy Australia Day!

The Ashes Bears
They are out today while the ODI is on!

Til next time,