Another finish

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It's a lavender sachet holder I made as a birthday gift for a friend. It is fully lined (with an identical piece of linen), and all hand-stitched together. The opening is at the top. I inserted a little gauze bag of lavender.

Yay! - We're half-way to Christmas

Just six more months to go to Christmas Day. That thought brings a smile to my face! It's no accident that I have some little beaded Christmas trees to show today.  They will all be Christmas gifts. I love making these beaded tree ornaments, they always make me feel joyous.


First up, Christmas trees for two friends (former work colleagues) who always visit me at Christmas.

 These two are for neighbour children.

This pair is for an Irish-Aussie brother and sister.

And finally, ornaments for another young sister and brother, members of my niece's extended family.

Gifted Gorgeousness Report for June

This month I have nine Christmas ornaments to show - they are all destined to be Christmas gifts this year.

First up, Christmas gifts for two brothers, members of my extended family.  Mostyn will be celebrating his second Christmas, and Sarben his third.

The teddy is a Dale Burdett design from DB32 "A Mini Christmas".

The Santa is a Barbara Mock design from Dimensions "Christmas Quickies".

I changed floss colours in both of the ornaments.

This ornament is for the newest member of my extended family, a little boy born to Aussie parents in New York.

The stocking design is heavily adapted from a chart in LA's "Christmas Caboodle" leaflet.

The tiny koala is adapted from a Di Noyce design in Jill Oxton's Cross Stitch Australia magazine.

 Another Dale Burdett teddy - this one is  for a little Kiwi, the granddaughter of an old friend.

This ornament is for my nephew and his partner.

The manger design is adapted from a design in Graphworks 

"Mini Motif Designs for Christmas Vol 1"

This one is for my niece and her husband.

The Christmas is Love design is from Sam Hawkins

 "50 Santas to Cross Stitch"

This one is for my niece's much-loved dog - if you have a good imagination you might see bones decorating this Christmas tree. There's no designer to credit for this one - it just grew as I stitched.

And finally, a pair of Santas for two little English boys, more grandchildren of my old friend.

 

The Santa design is by Barbara Mock,

from Dimensions "Christmas Quickies II" booklet.

So, that is it for this month.  I'll still be stitching Christmas ornaments in the coming month - I hope to get ten finished for the July GG report.

WIPocalypse Report for June

So, this month's WIPocalypse discussion topic is:

Do you find yourself more productive with stitching in summer or winter?

Not something I have ever thought about, really.  I live in an area where there is not a great temperature range.  It can get really hot in summer but it never gets very cold in winter.  I don't think the temperature really effects my stitching pattern.  If the weather is cold and wet I have more pain in my hands (from rheumatoid arthritis), so I might have shorter stitching sessions, but I do try to stitch every day.  The only time I don't stitch is in November and December.  That happens to be summer here, but my reason for not stitching is that I am totally engrossed in settling up the house for Christmas and then with Christmas visitors.

In the past month, I have finished up the ornaments I stitched in May, and stitched and finished another four Christmas.  

First, an ornament for a new addition to the extended family, born in New York of Aussie parents.  

The stocking is (heavily) adapted from a design in LA's Christmas Caboodle leaflet. 

The tiny koala is adapted from a design by Di Noyce, 

published in Jill Oxton's Cross Stitch Australia magazine.

Next, Christmas ornaments for two young brothers, honorary great-nephews.

The teddy is a Dale Burdett design, from A Mini Christmas booklet.

Santa is a Barbara Mock design, from Dimensions Christmas Quickies booklet.

And a Christmas ornament, another Dale Burdett teddy, for a little Kiwi, grand-daughter of an old friend.

Then the ornaments stitched in May and finished up this month:

And that's my stitching month.