One of the things I have been trying to do now that I am back into cross stitching, is to sharpen my finishing skills. Finishing? As in, once I am done with the stitching, I do it up in some fashion that makes it useful/usable. Whether it’s done up as a simple ornament (as in today’s example) or a needlebook, pincushin or biscornu. I had initially stitched this design with the idea to do it up as a biscornu, but alas I made some mistakes that, when doing it up as a biscornu, the sides were lopsided. Not wanting to throw away such pretty stitching (well I think it is!) I decided to make it...

I grew up in Africa. First in Zambia which is in Central Africa, and then in Ghana, which is in West Africa. I must have had one of the most un-orthodox upbringings, and dear Sue Bradford would have been horrified to see how my parents let me run around without supervision, and with all sorts of folk who I am sure would not have been good company for such a young girl. My backyard was the wild savannahs, the forests and lakes. My pets were elephants, impala and a cute little tortoise… my food was snake, fried grasshoppers and snails the size of a grown man’s fist. I miss living there, and...

Just a quick update, so you know I haven’t fallen off the face of the earth. I’ve been busy stitching a secret squirrely design for a Fantasy themed exchange I am taking part in; and while it isn’t due to be posted until mid-July, I thought I’d get it stitched and out of the way, just in case my life gets really hectic (i.e. I get a job and might need to move cities) and I don’t have time closer to the mailing date. I haven’t quite decided how to finish it yet… sort of going back and forth between a needlebook or a simple ornament. The design is 60×60,...

“Iced Teeaaa… that magical elixir of dreams… and sometimes nightmaresss…” Learn how to make iced tea, and have a good laugh while you’re at it! This guy, Steve Sutton, is apparently the new Marketing Manager for New Zealand tea company TEZA. Also, how do you make iced...

Yesterday, my friend Laura and I checked out Kraft Bomb. Kraft Bomb is a craft fair that caters to the more ecclectic and quirky crafting interests. You’ll find all sorts available for sale, from cupcakes, hand made books, jewellery, plushies, prints, stationary, the list goes on and on! Check out all the stall holder sites (linked off the Kraft Bomb blog’s link list) and also visit Toggle, which sells products by some of the stall holders online. The hall Kraft Bomb was held in was small, and I am glad we arrived early because half an hour later you could barely move, there were just so...