Can anyone help ....

Victoria Sampler - Alphabet Series

Alphabet is back from the framers and I am VERY pleased. (a rare photograph of me)

Here are some close up of the rows.

Victoria Sampler - Alphabet Series

Victoria Sampler - Alphabet Series

Victoria Sampler - Alphabet Series

Victoria Sampler - Alphabet Series

Can anyone help me find other bloggers who have stitched The Blue Ribbon Sampler by Olwyn Horwood. I am amazed that a google search through images and blogs has not picked anyone up.

Do you know anyone?

Please would you put a request for information on your next post?

I have a few questions I would like to ask before I start.

The sampler has been kitted up with AVS and 36ct Edinburgh Linen in Flax. I am so tempted to start it straight away.

The Blue Ribbon Sampler by Olwyn Horwood

Peacock Garden has progressed well.

Peacock Garden - Chatelaine Designs

I couldn't resist adding a few of the smaller beads to see the effect.

Peacock Garden - Chatelaine Designs

On the cooking front I came across this recipe on joyofbaking.com for apple galettes. It was so popular I ended up making them two days running. It becomes difficult to find new ways of using produce from the garden at the end of the season. 

Apple Galettes

In the garden some of the bulbs that were planted only a few weeks ago have started to come up. Are we going to break our record of daffodils in full bloom the first week of November ?

Trewoon, Poldhu Cove, Mullion - Daffodils

Before I go my sister who is visiting has insisted I post a photo of me blogging taken by her without me knowing.

I am now off to decide where Alphabets is going to hang ........


Warm Wishes from Stitching By A Cornish Sea Shore Nicola xxx

Stitched With A Nana's Love

Victoria Samplers - Alphabet Series

Good progress has been made this week on VS Alphabet series and I really feel if I am back into the swing of things. Hopefully another week or so and it will be finished.

I am umming and aarring about whether or not to sew the hemstitch borders around each alphabet as this will be framed rather than a wall hanging. What would you do?

Victoria Samplers - Alphabet Series

I love bullion roses.

Victoria Samplers - Alphabet Series

The tweed stitch was fun to do and has a great texture.

Victoria Samplers - Alphabet Series

The occasional charm adds interest.

Victoria Samplers - Alphabet Series

I never imagined I would cross stitch a pair of underpants.

Victoria Samplers - Alphabet Series

More bullions.

Victoria Samplers - Alphabet Series

There is lots of sparkle.

Victoria Samplers - Alphabet Series

Thea is such a creative designer.

Victoria Samplers - Alphabet Series

The nutcracker is so cute.

Victoria Samplers - Alphabet Series

I had to go to Truro last week and I could not resist popping into a quilting shop on the way home. As soon as I saw this panel I thought it would be perfect as a play mat for our grandson who is due to be born on December 31st.

I blanket stitched around the squares, added the border panels and backed in navy fleece. 

A package of beautiful silks arrived as part of the Cabinet of Curiosities course. The photograph does not do them justice.

We have enjoyed watching the Ryder Cup this weekend and stayed up late last night, what a thrilling last day.

We got the munchies in the afternoon so I made some cappuccino biscotti and some lemon drizzle cake.

Before I could get my camera out someone had helped themselves.


Finally does anyone know what type of butterfly this is? I haven't seen one like this before in our garden.

Warm Wishes from Stitching By A Cornish Sea Shore Nicola xxx

Happiness is a state of activity

Happiness is a state of activity and I have certainly been active this last week.

Victoria Samplers Alphabet Series

(Please excuse the poor quality of the photograph, I have yet to get all my photographic equipment back out)

I am so pleased that I have finished the third row “M” to “R” of Victoria Sampler’s Alphabet series, only one more row to go. I had to put my stitching away for several months whilst caring for my MIL and it has been a joy to pick up my needle again. 

I have been busy baking and making two batches of chutney, I have had lots of garden produce to use up. We have had  a bumper crop of apples this year.

I treated myself to a bundt pan and have had fun experimenting. The first cake I made in the tin was a spiced apple and ginger which was scrumptious. It then occurred  to me that the shape was very much like a Terry’s chocolate orange so I played around with a marble cake receipe from joyofbaking.com and made a chocolate orange cake. This was a big hit with everyone here.

Joyofbaking.com is well worth checking out. Her recipes are very good and I like watching the videos before baking the recipe.

I went to the WI last week and the wall hanging of scenes from our village is progressing well. 

This is a new contribution which I though was very well executed.

Frazer brought in some Christmas projects and I particularly liked this one.

Ruth Hanke - Millennium Angel

I have decided to stitch Ruth Hanke’s Millenium Angel as my Christmas project for this year. I have placed my order and await delivery. Ruth is a very gifted designer.

My DH has planned a huge bulb planting programme for this winter, over 15,500 bulbs – daffodils, crocuses and bluebells.

The first of three deliveries came in the week and the gardeners have made a good start with the help of Blue and Poppy.

We are having a portrait of the dogs painted by David Sandell a fine artist. This is the working sketch we have approved.

We wanted Millie included and I think that David has done a superb job working from photographs of her. He was able to sketch Blue and Poppy  from real life. He has captured each of their expressions. I cannot wait to see the painting.

Warm Wishes from Stitching By A Cornish Sea Shore Nicola xxx

There is never enough time to do everything, but there is always enough time to do the most important thing

Victoria Sampler Alphabet Series

Well the second row has taken a long time to finish with my mother-in-law being so ill. It has been so very strange not to pick up a needle for days at a time.

Victoria Sampler Alphabet Series

I am totally enchanted with Thea's design.

Victoria Sampler Alphabet Series

It is hard to decide which is my favourite stitch or motif.

Victoria Sampler Alphabet Series

There are so many beautiful stitches.

Victoria Sampler Alphabet Series

I am learning lots of new stitches.

Victoria Sampler Alphabet Series

I love the humming bird

Victoria Sampler Alphabet Series

and could not resist using this crystal heart I have had in my stash for some time.

Victoria Sampler Alphabet Series

I have had great fun with the drawn thread work and hope to do some projects in the the future with more of this type of embroidery.

Victoria Sampler Alphabet Series

I always feel if I have expanded my knowledge after working a Victoria Sampler design.

Victoria Sampler Alphabet Series

The use of gold braid adds some lovely subtle sparkle.

Victoria Sampler Alphabet Series

Here is some ribbon embroidery.

Victoria Sampler Alphabet Series

The juggling lady was such fun to sew.

Victoria Sampler Alphabet Series

The knitting stitch is very effective.

Victoria Sampler Alphabet Series

The little girl with the kite reminds me of my young niece who loves to fly a kite on the beach.

Victoria Sampler Alphabet Series

The rows of stocking stitch in the overdyed thread worked well.

Victoria Sampler Alphabet Series

Victoria Sampler Alphabet Series

The leprechaun is cute.

Victoria Sampler Alphabet Series

I had these ladybirds in my stash as well. I noticed that Thea called them ladybugs.

Add caption

I hope to start on the next row M through to R as soon as possible but:-

"there is never enough time to do everything, but there is always enough time to do the most important thing"

and at the moment for me it is nursing my mother-in-law.

I think that we have got her through the chest infection but she is very frail and is totally dependent on oxygen now. My goal at the moment is to get some weight back on her so that her body has some strength to fight the next infection. She dipped under six stone at one point.

The doctors and nurses are marvelous and giving us tremendous support to enable us to look after her at home. We now have her pain and nausea totally under control. Many, many thanks for all your kind words of support and prayers. God has been looking after her.

I am afraid that I have no news.  I have not left the house for many weeks and haven't really been into the garden. I miss the weekly craft session at the WI and chatting with my blogging friends. I haven't had a chance to participate in the Cabinet of Curiosities course but I have stored the course material to catch up with at a later date.

Until the next time Warm Wishes from Stitching By A Cornish Sea Shore Nicola xxx