The 8th Day of Advent

Good Morning dear "pin" pals and welcome to the 8th day of the Advent Calendar Blog Hop. 

A BIG THANK YOU to Jo of serendipitousstitching for arranging the blog hop, Jo's events are always great fun to participate in.


I would like to share with you a favourite festive piece

Snowflakes - LHNs

It is dear to me as on the 24th December many years ago Ray and I got married at the Snowflake Inn in Stowe, Vermont on a skiing holiday.


December is the month that I like to use my Gingerbread House etui and it sits next to my sewing chair. 

Gingerbread House Etui - Victoria Sampler

It is such a festive design.

Gingerbread House Etui - Victoria Sampler

The theme for this year's Blog Hop is "Stocking, Sack or Something else". Here at Trewoon we place our presents under the tree.

Not many there yet as I still haven't started my wrapping.

We have two trees and this year there should be quite a few goodies under them as we have nineteen coming to celebrate Christmas.

It is going to be a very special Christmas for us as I have my first grandchild due to be born on New Year's Eve.

Earlier this year I made a christening gown.

Christening Gown

The sleeves were very fiddly.

I added some pearls to the bottom scallop and sleeves.

I loved these little buttons, so sweet.

I have been very busy these last two weeks with Nicola's Scarlet Letter Year. I would like to thank everyone who has supported the challenge. The nicest things in life are always better when shared. 

We are now at 120 + participants (!!!) If you would like to join in please email me but it is essential that you include your email address. We have many who have contacted us that have been no reply bloggers and we have been unable to sign them up. (if you have asked to joined and haven't had a response this could be the reason, please email again)

Marsha Parker, the amazing and very talented designer of The Scarlet Letter is participating with the challenge and will be regularly contributing to the blog with sneak previews of new designs and will be answering questions.

You can imagine my excitement as Marsha is one of my heroes.

The Blue Ribbon Sampler - Olwyn Horwood

Despite being behind schedule I am very nearly there with BRS. The dreaded filet panels are looming. I think that I will only be working on them when my eyes and brain are fresh. It is the 36ct that is making me nervous of cutting the threads  I have bought some new hardanger scissors as mine have had a lot of use.

SDW Sampler - The Scarlet Letter

The SDW sampler that I am stitching one day per week as a SAL with Michele, Elaine, Krista, Shannon and Robyn is great fun and I really enjoying the inter action between us. Thank you my stitching sisters for making this a memorable and loved sampler.

Last weekend was my MIL's birthday and we had family visit with us to celebrate her birthday. On the day they were due to arrive I tore around the house making sure that everything was perfect for their arrival and then I popped out to the supermarket to pick up a few odds and ends.

When I returned home this is what greeted me.

Ray's boat had come out of the water for the winter and he decided to wash his mooring ropes in my clean sink !!!!

He told me that he thought that I would be pleased as he hadn't used the guest bathroom.

Why he couldn't of used the boot room sink I do not know. Don't you just love them.

I may have the last laugh though as he went through a whole bottle of washing up liquid so he might find that he starts to "foam" when the boat goes back in the water in April. 

A warm welcome to my new followers, if you have a blog and I haven't signed up to follow please let me know so that I can do so.


Thank you for visiting and I wish you and your families a merry Christmas, a joyous Hanukkah, a happy Kwanzaa, no matter how you celebrate may it be filled with love, laughter and good food and company.



Warm Wishes from Stitching By A Cornish Sea Shore Nicola xxx

Stitching Progress, More Christmas Decorations, Walks and Garden

I made a start yesterday on VS Alphabet series but after assessing the size of the piece I decided to stitch this on a roller frame rather than a hoop. I have a new floor stand and frame being made so I will wait for it to arrive. Fingers crossed it should be here early next week. All I did on this piece was to cut the fabric, and prepare the edging. I like to do this by running the fabric through my sewing machine with an overcast stitch.

I made a good start on The Lace Garden

The Lace Garden by Cols Creations


The colour of the fabric in the photograph is misleading as it is actually white not cream. I find Hardanger stitches very therapeutic to sew but the cutting is nerve racking. I am looking forward to working on this again later today.

Here is a photograph of my sewing etui which I like to use in December as it  is also a Christmas decoration

Gingerbread House by Victoria Sampler

It is so sweet and I had such fun stitching it, although the chimney pot was very fiddly to attach to the roof.

Inside I can store needles, pins, scissors, ruler and the matching biscorno.

Gingerbread House and Biscornu by Victoria Sampler

I have been busy this morning decorating the holiday cottages for Christmas. Blue came and helped me.

Blue Standing Guard outside The Chocolate Box

I always enjoy decorating the cottages and putting out mince pies on the welcome tray for our visitors. What traditional cakes and biscuits do you have in your country?

The sun has come out today and after a few days of rain and strong winds it has been lovely to open the windows and enjoy the fresh air.

I had a wander around the garden today and spotted some orange toadstools

We made  two wood piles in the garden this summer so that  we could create some homes for insects and small wildlife. These are providing  food, warmth and shelter.  I am hoping that the pond wood pile will provide a snug place for frogs and toads to hibernate.

We get great pleasure from feeding and watching the birds in our garden and the insects will provide them with food.

We walked to Church Cove yesterday and had the beach to ourselves. Poppy and Blue had great fun playing in the sand and sea.

Poppy and Blue at Church Cove

We are now off for today's walk, it will be good to be out in the winter sunshine.

Best wishes from Stitching By A Cornish Sea Shore

Nicola xxx