Spring gifts & Stitchin!

Hello! I have just learned that Easter is this Sunday. For the life of me I thought it was on the 27th of this month - NOPE its the 20th! And I also thought my last post was last week - HA! It was over 2 weeks ago. I have much to share with you and again lots of photos. I  wanted to share what I've stitched up till today or otherwise my next post would be really looooong:)
I received my Easter exchange from Terri's (Dixie Sampler Blog) Spring exchange.  The parcel was delivered  from New Zealand. - I have a new friend to introduce you to and if you have not visited her blog before I hope you get to. Clare from Craftlady in Kiwiland blog sent me some very lovely gifts.

I was so surprised at what Clare made for me. A beautiful Easter pillow, stitchers bag, needle roll keeper, chocolate bunnies, and a beautiful skein of floss by Cottage Garden threads - color 705 Burgandy. 

It's exciting when I get to see a new thread brand I have not ever seen before. And all these gifts came from all the way from New Zealand.    Lets have a closer look at what I received shall we?

 I love this sweet sweet Easter pillow. Clare added beads that just sparkle in the right places and stitched the design in my favorite colors:))) You have to see up close her finishing on the edges....

 I have not seen before the way Clare attached the rick rack to the pillow around all the edges. It's such a beautiful finish and look at the sweet buttons on top. All photos are clickable for enlargement. This was the first gift I opened and when I did I was stunned at the beauty of what Clare made.

 The second gift I opened from Clare is this pretty spring quilted stitchers bag. The cover is all embroidered and  shaped like an egg. I just love it. And can you see the darling  flower buttons?
What till you see the inside!

 There are 2 pockets on the left side and a pouch bag in the middle - the bag is flip-able (I think that's a word).

Clare added what I call grapes to the ends of the satin ribbon. And the right side is 2 large felt pages - I think she knows me I love having lots of rooms for needles - hehe. This is going to be my Easter purse. Yes I can't wait to walk in for Easter dinner at Nannies house with this on my arm. I know my aunt's are going to take it right off of me. They are going to go nuts I can't wait for them to see it. My Nannie (100yrs old) is going to especially love it. But its MINE not theirs - LOL!!!

 Then I opened up this long gift and it was a needle roll keeper. Isn't this wonderful! This is something I had been really really wanting. I have heard of needleroll keepers and now I have one. The needleroll helps keep & store your linen. Here is one of my latest samplers that I used to show you how this works.
I unrolled the needleroll  and placed my linen right on top of the flat fabric.

 Then you just roll the tube up with the linen laying flat inside and it helps protect the linen from creasing while being stored! Isn't that cool!!! Yes I think you need one too. I think every stitcher needs to have at least one of these. I hope to learn how to make a needleroll keeper for sure. I think this would be a great way to store my finished pieces that are waiting in the "to be completed pile". I'm using this needleroll is for some of my current stitching projects.
I absolutely adore everything Clare made and sent me.  Thank you so very much Clare!!!

 "Forget Me Not" BBD

Fabric - I think its 30ct linen 

I started stitching "Forget Me Not" by BBD  last Thursday. I am hoping to get this done soon so I can hang it up for display before Spring is over -LOL.  I substituted DMC 472 for GA Cornhusk or DMC 370. I wanted a brighter green. In person it looks great but hard to capture the color in a photo. There's a mix of the recommended threads I used between Gentle Arts & DMC. Trying to use what I have in my stash but when I ordered the chart & linen I did order the 2 blue threads of GA because they are soo pretty. 

Here is my progress as of right now - Monday. Not bad progress for 4 days of stitching on and off.

 Have to share with you all the current blooms of my roses. Because too soon they may wilt. 

 I added my initial "A" in the vase. geez I may have to change that light green thread. The test will be when I hold it up as if its on display on a wall. 

Peace rose

Look how bright yellow and some orange shows when its a bud. then when they open the rose changes its color to such a light cream or pale yellow with the pale pink on the edges. It smells remarkable too.

These pretty roses are bright coral and I love the the one that looks like a pinwheel in the middle (left side large rose).

 "Autumn" by BBD as of March 17th 2014

 progress update

 Martha Washington rose bush

"Cross Stitcher in Residence" by Lizzie Kate 

30ct Woodlawn linen

Here's a small that I started and finished since my last post (but before I started Forget Me Not).

Mary Jane (no blog but you know her as Clamity Jr when she comments) sent me this darling chart with a beautiful floss "Peoria Purple" by WDW which I used it for the lettering for "in Residence". The peach or pink floss I used for the large X's and the door was given to me by Linda of Stitchin with my Furbabies blog. I really do like to use the threads that I am gifted from other stitchers. It gives my stitched piece a added warm feeling to me. Thank you Mary Jane and Linda! 

Needlepoint   "Snow Geese" by Elizabeth Bradley

10ct or 13ct mono canvas & all wool yarns.

WOOHOO!!! Another finish!  This is a very old wip from over 12 - 14 years ago. I think you can tell by the masking tape all around the canvas. I knew nothing different at the time back then. This project reminds me when my mom and I first went to Madonna Needle Works store  located in Moraga Hill. I had needed some Appleton wools and they sold the wools there. That was a very fun trip. To finish this project -  I had needed to fill in all the white on the bottom. Didn't take a before photo but its all done now. Next step will be to block it. That will be interesting -lol. I'm so happy Snow Geese is ALL DONE!

Thank you for stopping by and for your kindness. I love your comments.

With my love and appreciation - Annette

"Jardin en Liberte" my French project & Winners of my Blog Anniversary

Greetings to you! Well I have heard the saying that April brings April showers and this year its true. Lots of much needed wonderful rain today. Actually the rain started over the weekend. Perfect weather for stitching.
I want to thank you blogging friends for all your sweet comments and for participating in my giveaway.
We have a winner of my 2nd year Blog Anniversary.
My son drew the winner (I write down on a piece of paper all the names and assign a number. Then the numbers are written on individual pieces of paper and put into a crystal bowl).

The main & first winner is:

Congratulations to

So Cal Debbie of "Debbie's Cross Stitch Blog"

but wait........I decided to have 2 more winners:) These winners will each receive a medium sized project pouch. Sewn by me!

Congratulations to

Melissa of "Words & Bloom Blog"

&

Vonna of "The Twisted Stitcher Blog"

Please email me your addresses ladies so I can mail your gifts.

If you recall I had mentioned that I was waiting to share my French secret project with you. And now I get to. It's called "Jardin en Liberte" in English it means "Garden of Freedom". This beautiful chart is designed by Irene Marsat Piquet who generously donated the chart to "ICEBERG ated Association". ICEBERG is a charity that raises funds for Children with Autism in France. the lady who I ordered the chart from is Patricia Trinquesse. All communication was is French. And I don't speak or write any French. I use Translator Google - Thank heavens for this very helpful site!  How did I find this beautiful design? Blog hopping one day. The link for the original listing of Jardin en Liberte is HERE.  AND if you go to that link, scroll all the way down and Irene lists 2 darling free charts that compliment this design. It will say "diagramme a telecharger: Jardin en Liberte". Click on the white lettering  "Jardin en Liberte" for the free charts. 

Also on Jura Point de croix website: on their March 18th 2014 listing they showed other stitcher's work who also have stitched this project. I am so impressed with the ladies stitching and at all the different colors that were used in their projects.

Okay after giving you all the links - (I've been waiting to share with you ) When I first saw this incredible design I knew I wanted to stitch it for Lee. It's a birdhouse and a pretty lady on the cover holding a bird. Inside you enter her garden. I will let the photos speak for themselves.

Jardin en Liberte 

32ct Natural belfast linen - threads: DMC & WDW

 Front Cover

 A pocket & if you look every piece of felt for the flowers, leaves, birds are all individually cut by hand - ME! over 68 pieces total.

 Thread fob & Scissor fob - one side. The huge thread rings crack me up but they were what I had in my stash and they are mother of pearl. Lee said their great!!!

 Opposite sides of Fobs to show you the designs

 Pincushion

 Sorry the photo is turned sideways. A needle keeper page of rose wool felt

 The back cover & magnets in the birds are what keeps the birdhouse closed.

Lee just loves it! I cannot tell you how much I learned while making this project. It wasn't so much the stitching of all the individual pieces but it was the assembling of the project. I also improved while moving on to each section. For example the vines on each roof - Cover page I was to chain stitch but so difficult to do on felt, second page I tried just laying threads and couching them down (a hot mess), third & forth page I decided to make thin cords - success. Oh I could go on and on but I think you get the gist of it! I do plan to stitch this project for myself but not NOT NOW!!! LOL.

 Chart by Nancy Turner of "The Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe"

 I was a lucky winner of one of Nancy's beautiful charts & I choose "Leave No tender Word Unsaid".
Thank you for your visit!
With my Love and Appreciation - Annette