Sinister Craftiness

Another Crazy January Challenge finish:  the Shepherd’s Purse by Shepherd’s Bush.   This is a beautiful little purse with a few rows of specialty stitches to keep it interesting, and it finishes up very quickly.

The purse is folded in thirds, and the ribbon ties around the flower button to hold the purse shut.  Lining fabric isn’t included in the kit, but this pattern from Moda’s A Morris Tapestry was a lucky find on the remnant table at the fabric store.  I’ll have to look for more A Morris Tapestry fabric; the small scale designs and color palette are perfect for finishing stitching projects, especially Shepherd’s Bush.

While I was working on the purse, the mail brought the new companion to the Take Joy box top I stitched during the holidays.

Warm Heart by Shepherd’s Bush
Dove WDW linen (30 count)
Stitched with WDW and Threadgatherer Silk ‘N Colors

Warm Heart is just beginning to be available in shops and can also be purchased directly from Shepherd’s Bush.  It’s matched with an antiqued white box (purchased separately) and the pair will make a nice set on my mantle next Christmas.

My Pinkeep by Marie Suarez
40 and 30 count linen

A small and unusual pinkeep.  I love the filigree bone top.

Yesterday’s needlework case is about half done:

Shepherd’s Purse by Shepherd’s Bush
Putty Cashel linen (28 count)
Stitched with Au Ver A Soie and Silk ‘N Colors

You knew I couldn’t leave out Shepherd’s Bush, right?  Tempting as it was to make this an easy day with a small kit, I decided on this needlework purse, which I’ve been putting off far too long in favor of smaller kits.

Here’s a little progress on yesterday’s project:

Take Joy by Shepherd’s Bush
Parchment linen (30 count)
Stitched with Soie d’Alger and hand-dyed silk

The goal is to be good and wait for my LNS to receive the latest Shepherd’s Bush holiday smalls, but I wanted to be sure I got one of these boxes, so I ordered it directly from Shepherd’s Bush.   Thing Two was fascinated with the idea that the box lid could be taken apart to put stitching inside, and is of the opinion that we need more such boxes.   I’m also working on a few older SB Christmas designs, but haven’t chosen a way to finish them yet.

Have a great week!

Busy by Shepherd’s Bush
Light Sand linen (32 ct)
Stitched with Soie d’Alger, Gloriana, Threadgatherer silks

Wishing Sheep by Shepherd’s Bush
Pink Whisper hand-dyed linen (32 ct)
Stitched with Soie d’Alger and Threadgatherer silks

Happy Day needle roll by Shepherd’s Bush
Baby Lotion linen (28 ct)
Stitched with DMC and Weeks Dye Works

Here are two more sheep from the Shepherd’s Bush kit series, and a needle roll.   I spent a sunny morning dodging bees and hummingbirds buzzing around the weigela tree to take pictures of these little stitched pieces.

Hunt by Shepherd’s Bush
Country Creme linen (32 ct)
Stitched with Soie d’Alger, Gloriana, Threadgatherer silks

I had to take this picture very quickly before Thing Two ate all the chocolate eggs!  This Shepherd’s Bush kit series has been around for a while, with a cute little sheep to celebrate nearly every season.

The camera saga continues … the camera we bought for Thing One to take on his spring break trip broke after three days of use.  One of his classmates had an identical camera, and hers broke mid-trip too.  Looking through online ratings (which we should have done ahead of time) we learned that this particular inexpensive camera has a reputation for falling apart after about 500 pictures.  We bought a (hopefully) sturdier camera for him to use for his summer activities and for now I’m getting some use out of it until I get my own.  The memory card in the first camera was luckily undamaged, so we are able to see some of the places Thing One visited:

Why does my camera get to go to more interesting places than I do?  It rained almost every day, but we’re used to that, so Thing One had a fabulous time.  He managed to take about 600 photos before the camera gave out, so it will take some time to sort through them.  A travel photo album and journal will be  posted on the family blog, and I’ll link these pictures to the photo album once it’s up and running.

Happy Easter and happy spring!

2000 Years Ago and In A Stable by Shepherd’s Bush
Vintage Country Mocha Belfast linen (32ct)
Stitched with GAST, WDW, DMC

Thing Two, my stitching helper, loves the simple verses on these Shepherd’s Bush pieces.  He calls them “Christmas stitching stories”.

The framer finished these over the weekend, just in time to put on the mantlepiece by the Christmas tree.  The Jill Rensel mats are beautiful; they make these little stitched pieces into very special holiday decorations.

A star shone with heavenly light
Shepherds gazed with awed delight
Wise men came with hearts alight
The Christ Child was born that night

Holy Night by Shepherd’s Bush
Summer Khaki Cork linen (19ct)
Stitched with Crescent Colours, GAST, WDW, RG Petite Alpaca

While waiting for the others to return, this was a fun piece to stitch up for Christmas.  Currently saving up for its special Rensel mat, to be framed some time next year and displayed for Christmas 2010.

I’d also like to work on three other large “showpiece” Christmas projects next year:  Theresa Wentzler’s Holly and the Ivy, and Victoria Sampler’s Heirloom Nativity and Carol Singers samplers.  I’d be happy if I could get any one of these done.

Christmas Treat Bag by Shepherd’s Bush
Natural linen (32ct)
Stitched with DMC

Tall Stocking by Shepherd’s Bush
Elf Green linen (30ct)
Stitched with DMC, WDW

It’s stopped raining and we are lucky enough to have a little daylight today, so I can finally take pictures.  The pendant is another one of the Shepherd’s Bush shop exclusives.

So far the cats are being kinder to the Christmas tree than they were last year:  they haven’t tried to climb it or swat ornaments off the branches.  Most of the ornaments in swatting range are heavy pewter, so the cats can’t do any damage to those ornaments even if they do succeed in knocking them loose.  A lesson learned from last year!

Thanksgiving needle roll by Shepherd’s Bush
Antique Ivory linen (32ct)
Stitched with DMC and Needle Necessities

Christmas Sheep by Shepherd’s Bush
Cranberry linen (30ct)
Stitched with DMC

Here are a couple of Shepherd’s Bush smalls I stitched up over the holiday weekend.  The little sheep pendant is a shop exclusive, a souvenir from this summer’s vacation.

I’ve also made a start on Holy Night, a new Shepherd’s Bush design for Christmas.

It’s progressing nicely.  Lots of pretty overdyed flosses, and it’s stitched on 19 count (Cork) linen, which is certainly easier on the eyes than Belfast!  The sheep are stitched with with RG Petite Alpaca,which makes them soft and fuzzy.

My Jill Rensel mats arrived this week, so I took 2000 Years Ago and In A Stable to the framing shop.  It’s always a little scary handing your “babies” over to somebody else’s care, but they did a super job with my niece’s band sampler last year, so I’m hopeful that all will turn out well, and I’ll have two lovely sets to display for Christmas.  They should be ready in about two weeks.

Scaredy Sheep scissor fob by Shepherd’s Bush
Vintage Country Mocha Belfast linen (32ct)
Stitched with DMC and Weeks Dye Works

A little late for Halloween but here it is.  Thing Two is a big fan of Shaun the Sheep so he has been very excited about this scissor fob.  I like the scissor fob too, but I really geeked out at the display & costume shop when I saw the little pumpkin from ‘Tis Halloween:  “It’s the BBD pumpkin!”  Nobody else in the family knew what I was talking about, except for Thing Two.  We understand each other.