This years Christmas gifts

As is becoming tradition I made both Daughters beaded gifts this year for Christmas.

Mel's Bookmark unfortunately I can't remember where I got the pattern from :(

Lucy's bookmark  came from Beading patterns 2013 on etsy a seller I have used several times and will use again

Lucy also had Bad Jack designed by Julia Pretl

This years family ornaments

Every year I make ornaments for my parent's, both daughters and my fella.

They are always the same one but I change them a little in some way normally it's a simple as different colours.

This year is a candle in a bottle 

Just so you can see them better here's a close up of fella's one.

This year for once I decided I was going to make one for myself and although it's started it's not as yet finished :(

Skill Swap

Long time readers may remember that last year I did a skill swap with Julie she very kindly knit a penguin for me and Made her an ornament.

Well we've done it again this year.

This time it's an elephant called Hatty

for a 3D star

Julie had no idea what ornament she'd end up with so it was a leap of faith on her part and I'm pleased to say that Julie is very happy with it :)

Ornament exchange

I took part in the Needlecraft Haven ornament exchange again this year and opening day was Dec 1st.  I did open it on time but only got round to taking pics today :(  life has been busy the last couple of weeks and I've hardly been at home during daylight hours to take any.

Here's the one I sent out to Angi, I do love making stars :)

And the gorgeous one I received from Mary in France.  Mary also sent me some fabulous festive coloured threads that just demand to be used on something Christmassy 

Christmas puddings

Last weekend I made 3 Christmas puddings for friends at Bowls, they went down very well :)

The pattern is from Thread a bead and is one that I really enjoy making so every year I try and come up with new people to give them to!

I still have one to make, fella asked if I would make one for him this year and I've said I will but he may not get it until after Christmas now because I've still got to finish the annual ornaments for everyone and a couple of gifts 

Meet Stan (again)

I got up a little earlier yesterday so I could finish off Stan for Mel and here he is

And here he is with his brother Stan :) 

Santa and his Sleigh

Is finished :)

Beading finish

Quick post again or it won't be up before midnight my time and I'm about to go to bed as well.

This is from Jill Oxton's Cross Stitch and beading issue 71.

Beading weekend part 4 AKA I'm finished

First is the label and flowers from the last post that I missed out :(

The table legs, they are actually long needlecases and so I can use them if I want to

And looking down on them.  Now you know why there was a blank circle in the middle of the lid, I thought it would be easier to glue the pincushion in place on bare wood

One of the sides, they all look roughly the same

The top of the box/ with the tablecloth and knob/vase in place

And here it is all laid out ready for tea, the front right leg is straight it just doesn't look it!

A different view of the table

I'm planning to add a teapot and possibly a milk jug and sugar bowl as well but wanted a few days off from tea related items first!

Another ornament done

Just a quick drive by post to share an ornament I finished on Monday before I headed off to a stitching retreat until today.

Very enjoyable and quick make and I hope I'll be able to fit a few more in

First Christmas ornament of the year

I bought the for Sparkle Little Lights kit last year at a bead fair from Oak Tree Crafts and got round to making them at last.

I had great fun making this up although the string for the lights was getting to be rather heavy by the end of it!

One of the bulbs so you can see how lovely they are

I'm off on the annual beading weekend class in a little over 8 hours from writing this :)  really looking forward it so check back on Sunday evening when I will hopefully have remembered to take some pics for you

Christmas in July beading but posted in August :(

You may remember over a month ago I posted about Christmas in July that was taking place in a Facebook group I'm in.  I carried on beading after that post but never got round to posting about it :(

 First I did a Geometric star using a pattern in the group files

While I was working on the star someone posted a pic of a pair of earring's she'd just finished and I fancied making a pair.

I dug out the bag of leftover delica's from Jean Power's Secret beadalong and made myself a pair.

And while I was making the earrings I though it would be nice to have a matching pendant only it turned into a matching necklace instead

I had so much of the mix leftover that I still have enough to make a single star as a pendant but for the time being I'm all starred out!

Christmas in July beading

One of the beading group I'm in on Facebook is having a Christmas in July beadalong with the emphasis on 3d stars. 

 I learnt how to make them back in 2010 and everyone got one that year for their ornament you can see them here here and here

The group has several patterns in the files so I took look through and did this one first in the called for colours and I love it :)

Next I did this one the pattern called for green and white but as you can see I went for red and gold

Then I decided that I wanted to stay with the Christmas in July theme but have a change so I dug this out my stash  St Nick needlecase from Oak Tree Crafts 

pardon the expression but here's St Nick's bottom :)

Tomorrow I'll be starting star number 3 just as soon as I decide which pattern to use and what colour to do it in 

My Cheshire Show entry

The Cheshire show took place on June 21 & 22 this year and as has become normal I entered :)

The theme this year was Holiday time and the class I enter had a theme of among my souvenirs well I don't know about you but I always come back with a stick of rock or two so it made sense to make the Brighton Rock Necklace  from Katie Dean

As you can see I got a second place :) :) :) scoring 19 out of 20 

I also made the clasp which wasn't part of the pattern

Dove farm pendants

This weekend is the annual stitching weekend I attend and it's out 10th year so we will be having a little celebration and doing a goody bag exchange.   The idea was to make/ buy something that reminded you of Dove Farm for all the others attending.   I decided to bead a pen for everyone and make it more of a commemorative item.

But they aren't pens I can hear you thinking :)   That's because the Amazon seller I bought the pens off has let me down :(  I ordered them on June 1st and they should of been here by the 9th but they showed up so I had to come up with an alternate plan Thursday evening and this was it.

Each one is done with a individual in mind expect a few because they didn't give their prefs so I went with what I liked

And just so you can read one clearly

Recent beading finishes

First is the Tetris box from Julia Pretl  I do love making these boxes and have more planned in the future

Next is a Rivoli pendant that I followed a tutorial on you tube for.

I can see more of these in my future as well 

And lastly Rachel necklace from Spellbound.

The pattern is a free download and a bead pack is available if you want it

Beaded pen

A bowling friend had a birthday this week and because I've known her longer than she's known her hubby of 25 years I decided to make her something took me a while to decide what it would be and in the end I settled on a pen.   I picked my pattern and colours and made a start and hated it so started over on a new pattern.

This one wasn't without it's troubles!  I took it along to my weekly beading group only to realise on the way there I'd left the pattern at home :(  but that was OK I'd done enough of it to be able to copy it.   Once I got there tho I discovered I'd left one of the colours behind, the one in the centre of the flowers and not only did no one have it with them but the shop had none either!  So I spent a good chunk of the time looking for a new one and in the end I'm actually happier with it :)

I also managed to forget my thread , really wasn't my day.

She loved it and told me this evening that her hubby is fascinated by it so it was worth the hassle in the end :)

Easter themed finishes

OK so Daffodils aren't exactly an Easter 'thing' but they are abundant at this time of year and it's Easter Monday :) that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it

Heritage Crafts Simply Cross Stitch Mini Daffodils kit.

Now I just need to track down the Mini Sunflower and Poppy kits.

Next is a Simnel Cake designed by Katie Dean I bought the kit to make it when I bought her Sweet Treats book a couple of years ago and finally got round to making it this year

Triangles, Tetrahedrons and a Kaleidocycle

I meant to post these as I worked but it didn't happen for one reason or another so here's the rest of the triangle project

Side 3

Side 4

All 4 sides in a strip just before they became.....

a tetrahedron

The first 2 tetra's joined

4 tetra's joined, makes an interesting shape

6 joined in a strip and when you joined them together you get ......

a Kaleidocycle or as it's also known a hexaflexagon (I hope the video works!)

One of these was posted on a Facebook group and that was it I had to figure it out, far too impatient to wait for the instructions :)