Jardin Privé, a long love story and a great sal

Hi Stitchers!

I didn't intend to write another post that fast, but a beautiful worthwhile sal has just started and if you want to be part of it, the fun is for NOW! It is a new sal by French designer Nathalie Cichon, aka Jardin Privé.

You can find her site there and she sells pdf files of her designs. On the left part, you can find adorable freebies in differents languages under the name "grilles gratuites".

Jardin privé (Private Garden) is getting famous worldwide (who doesn't know her Quaker Lady and her Quaker Gentleman? The Lady is even proposed with a cat instead of a flower on her blog!) and has a partnership with an American online needlework shop named The Threadbasket. There's a SAL there that started Nov 1st.


I haven't hesitated long and I'm in, with a fabric I didn't think I would ever use as it's DMC321 aida... and I'm having fun with every stitch. It's in four parts, and the first two have been issued.

I have also found out that my love story with Nathalie Cichon's designs is a few years old, as I have stitched this design that she offered on her site "Les Marottes de Nathalie" back in 2005. It was my first try with silks and one on one.

And this design, "aux fils du temps" was sold by A Mon Ami Pierre and Nathalie was the designer...


I was quite new at cross stitching at the time, so of course now I have a very critical eye on my NOEL and the threads you can see underneath... But hey, you gotta start and practice makes perfect...

Edit: I am also stitching her delightful "Douceur de Vivre" that I would translate into "La vie en rose"...



That's what I wanted to -quickly- share with you. I'm a fan... Gotta go now.

Hugs to you all, Stitchers!

Lili

Fall projects

Hi Stitchers!

First of all, I want to thank you for your kind comments that never fail to fill me with joy, and especially Diannthe who so kindly inquired about what I've been up to lately. Diannthe and I have very similar tastes and I've just found out that she and I had picked the same background (I think I did it unconsciously after she did). Lol! I love playing with backgrounds so I'll enjoy myself after writing this post... :D


Well, lately, I've been a lazy blogger but a very active cross stitcher. Though I wish I could do both, and I know people who are very good at it, I can't... I'm the kind of person who would get drowned in a puddle so you imagine with the kids off school, the bedroom repainted pink by courageous DH (I soooooooooooooo love my new bedroom!!!) and all the other rooms filled with things from my own bedroom (we don't have a spare room), well I was quite stressed out, believe it or not... Pathetic... Lol! Now that my aliens have gone back to school/work, things are more peaceful. I can breathe. Breathe, Lili. Breathe.

It smells of fallen leaves and wet earth here in Northern France. Here's JBW's Autumn Harvest. I have stitched it a few months ago (well, may be April or May) but haven't shown it yet. I stitch fall season all year long actually, as I'm part of the Hallosal. This is my August contribution to the SAL.


It is stitched on 25 count lugana, with from left to right Needle Necessities Witch's Brew, DMC fourty something, and Needle Necessities Vixen Red. The bird is Carrie's Creations black coffee. I would encourage everyone I know to try their hands at a JBW design. In fact, I think I have offered my best stitching friends at least one of those designs to stitch. And they have all loved it.


And this is my September-October contribution to the Hallosal. It's a big design according to the Hallosal standards, so I have decided to count it for two months.


And you sure recognize LHN's Autumn Harvest, that took me quite a long time to stitch, with a long pause that almost turned it into a UFO... I love it, but I must admit it was quite a boring project... I used the DMC threads the designer called for, and a French 32 count linen. A little stiff, which probably explains why it took me so long to finish it. A stiff fabric will really put me off stitching a design...

Hugs to you all, Stitchers!

Lili

Is it Xmas yet?

Hi Stitchers!

In France, after our three week summer vacation, we have no celebration to look forward to but Xmas. I must confess that I envy my American and Canadian friends who celebrate Halloween and Thanksgiving while we wait for Xmas and it's looooooooooong... Lol!

Autumn is a wonderful season, with beautiful yellow light and beautiful leaves to kick in while walking, yet it's also dull sometimes, and minds become dull too.

That probably explains why I have stitched for Xmas so much, lately. Lol!
You probably recognize the JCS LHN ornament and its companion piece (same year but can't remember which). Originally, they were not companion pieces though, but I wanted them to be, so I have changed the cardinals' colour to fit the pear tree, and used the same thread colours (my own mix, as always) and fabric (32 count Zweigart Fein Floba evenweave).

I have also stitched my initials in red instead of green. I no longer sign my stitching, but I like to personalize it when possible... ;)))


Here's French stocking by JBW. I'd love to finish it into an ornie for my tree so we'll see if I do. I have stitched it quite a while ago and can't remember neither the fabric nor the thread used.



The kids will be off school next friday night for ten days and it's high time because the're exhausted. My son is obviously still sad after the loss of his teacher, he talked about him last week with my mother and his eyes were filled with tears. My proud, sensitive little guy won't talk with me because he thinks I'm too fragile. I'm glad he found my mum to talk to.

My daughter is still her old self. We should've named her Alcaline... She's a bundle of joy... so energetic and happy. :D

My Dh will also have a week off and we intend to redecorate our bedroom. It was... pink wallpaper and it will be... pink paint. DH loved it so much, he wanted to keep it pink. That's fine with me, I love pink. Lol! I just hope I'm able to help him because I've been under medication for a week now with a very painful back, and thing don't seem to improve at all. I might have to resort to injections. Not fun...

Thanks for your kind comments, I feel so happy when I read them. I know how precious time is, which makes your comments even more precious to me.

Hugs to you all, Stitchers!

Lili

Celebrating?

Hi Stitchers!

Last week was one of those weeks you wish to forget about. My son turned 14 years old but he just didn't want to celebrate and he had good reasons: he had decided to attend his first funerals that very day. His technology teacher had just died of a massive attack. He was 46, he had a wife and a daughter aged 15. Everyone in his school was/is incredibly sad and the teacher will be awfully missed.

It's our daughter's turn to celebrate her birthday this week, next friday. Last year, we hadn't had the heart to celebrate because our dog, Jam, died that very day. I'm afraid 9th October will always be stained in my heart...

Yet good things also happened last week. I have enjoyed blogging again, reading your blogs and your nice comments. The weather was fine (fall has arrived today, for sure) and I was happy to be a stay-at-home mum to take care of my son, be there to listen when he needed to talk. And believe me, with a 14-year-old, you have to seize every opportunity... I felt I was needed and mums love being needed, even under such circumstances...



But still, it's important to celebrate, and I'm in the starting blocks for Xmas. I'm also in the starting blocks for Halloween and Fall but that's another story for another post. ;)))


No need to mention all the unfinished ornies I already have in that drawer, or the dog that will probably enjoy munching the tree branches and my stitched ornies, I don't wanna know. Lol!




This is Santa arrives tonight by Homespun Elegance. There are star charms missing but the rest is complete. I used a 28 count vintage Zweigart, and a combination of DMC and special threads that I have. The trees are green grass by Carrie's Creations and the snow is Polar Bear by Carrie's Creations.The reindeer is Cappuccino also by CC. The sheep are GAST unknown reference.


This one is a freebie by Rosewood Manor, kindly offered by Karen Kluba on her site. I think it's high time to point it out for those of you who haven't found it yet. Isn't it gorgeous? I mean, to me, every reindeer is gorgeous... But this one is... special. It's so elegant...

It's stitched on 32 count Zweigart evenweave with DMC threads, except for the metallic gold that is Madeira.

That's it for now.

Oh, btw, I had to reinstall the word control because of unpleasant spams I was receiving on my post about Phoebe's passing. Sorry because it makes commenting more tedious, but... that was too much for me. I'm talking dozens and dozens of very unpleasant spams on a particularly painful post... I hope it works...

Hugs to you all, Stitchers!

Lili

Is summer really over yet?

Hi Stitchers!

Long time, no post. I think recent events in my life, and the flow of kindest comments I have received -even when my blog was totally neglected- will motivate me to feed this blog more.

Above all, I have missed sharing with you, and there are very special friends among you with whom there's no easy way to share otherwise. I also have more time on my hands, now, which feels pretty cool IMO.

I have had new commenters too, and I would love to point out this blog: The Ohio Farm Girl. I have sooo enjoyed taking a plunge into her lovely autumn home. She definitely deserves a visit and a nice comment, I think. ;)))

I will also update my links when I have more time, so you can discover Pilar's blog. It's written in Spanish (use your memories) but Pilar understands English very well and she does wonders. Say Hi, we all love it, don't we?

Enough talking, let's get to serious matters. A little stitching to share. Much more on the way...


Here's Little House Needleworks, Hannah Purrington, from the Dear Diary series. I have stitched it on 28 count cashel blue linen. I haven't added the key because I'm contemplating turning my favourite Dear Diary stitched designs into a quilt. Not sure yet.


And here's Brightneedle's Season Petites, the summer part. I reassure you: it was finished quite some time ago, and the autumn part is in the hoop. I wanted to stitch it along with seasons, and for the moment, I have stuck to the plan...

That's it for now. Gotta go. No time on my hands now: someone is finally coming to repair my garage door so I can park my car inside, as there's been a series of thefts in homes and cars in the neighbourhood lately. Gotta clean it up as I have no idea how the poor man will reach the door as it is... Shame on me...

Hugs to you all, Stitchers!

Lili

Amazing Xmas designs by LHN, Workbasket and Swappons for the UNICEF

Hi Stitchers!

I just wanted to tell you that there's a wonderful initiative on this blog.

Little House Needleworks, The Workbasket and Sof' from Swappons have associated to offer three charts for Xmas. Two of them are brand new and especially designed for this special cause. All proceeds will go to the children via UNICEF.

Gigi Ries, a famous Belgian designer, speaks current English, everything is explained on her blog in English, Dutch and French, and you can pay through Paypal.
You can even choose to receive a pdf file for a very interesting price.
The charts are great, the cause worthy. Just go there and check it out. You won't be disappointed.

Hugs to you all, Stitchers!

Lili the ghost ;)))

PS: If you could inform as many stitchers as possible on your blogs, that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Plum Street Samplers' First Blogiversary Drawing

Hi Stitchers!
Paulette, Plum Street Samplers' great designer, is having a drawing on her blog tomorrow. There are five charts to win, and you know how talented the Lady is...
Plus a new amazing complimentary chart on her blog.
Just go there and read today. And comment.
I never play but I couldn't resist that one...
Hugs!
Lili