Finally, some finishes and some stash buying!

Goodness, I have been stitching my little fingers to the bone!

I've finished Alison's 50th birthday present, just need to get a little chart, floss and fabric to go in her new needlework folder.

The back of it tied up.

The front, with some counting needles, complete with Swarovski crystals.

The inside, with a floss tag, new scsissors and scissor's keeper, counting needles and new needles.

I've also finished Tira's wedding gift. She helped me pick out the frame (without knowing which chart I ended up stitching), but I realised I didn't really need her, as the moulding she chose, I would have chosen too, for her. It's cherry wood, and will match her furniture.

Gosh I can't centre this pic for some reason. It's LHN Always and Forever.

Tira has asked Nicholas to read a poem at her ceremony and I am just tickled pink that she has. I know he will do a great job as he has a loud clear speaking voice, which he uses at school assembly, and he is always practising his 'loud' voice at home- no wait, that's his 'shouting' voice at home. Well, anyway, he's confident at speaking in public and is easy to understand. I am sooo excited, Tira gets married on 31st October, about 9 sleeps away!

Now, onto stash.

Rare Treasures by Tree of Life Samplings. See Jan's blog Here. She has another blog, but I can't remember the name of that one. Anyway, I love her designs! She's got a couple of freebies on the Tree of Life blog too, so just click on the link above!

Here's my 2nd purchase-

It Takes A Village by Homespun Elegance (cos I really believe it does) and Sampler 1764 by Permin (cos I wanted to stitch something that was created 200 years before I was born).

And my annual Homespun Elegance purchase of 2009 Snowman Ornament, Snow Much Joy. I've started collecting them, but haven't actually got around to stitching any (does this surprise you? If you saw my stash pile, it wouldn't!) I got these from Nancy at Liberty Primitives and Needlework. They were carefully packaged- tied with ribbon- and she sent freebies as well with my purchase, as well as the pretty bookmark in the pic above. Nancy has some freebies on her website as well.

I've also been busy sewing dance costumes and have finished the dog blanket. Jack loves his new blanket and has stopped jumping on the lounge to lay on ours, although if ours has made it's way onto the floor, he doesn't care which one he lays on. I guess they're both big, warm, soft and cuddly and he can't tell the difference in colour!

I still have to finish making the Victorian Bushfire Ornaments, but now that I have Alison's and Tira's gifts out they way, they're next and I have already bought the fabric to finish them. I've started ny Christmas ornaments- my lovely friend Jeannette sent me this year's JCS Christmas Issue (she sends it every year- isn't she a darling?!) and I've kitted up this year's lot that I want to stitch. Of course, I haven't finished all the ones from last year that I bought all the bits for, but there's still time to get them stitched for this Christmas!

Happy Stitching, about time I visited your blogs! I've got a couple more charts coming, will post pics when they arrive!