Snail mail

I love love love instagram! If you really want to be up to date with my creating it's best to keep track of my instagram account. The link is above. Anyway there  (and on Pinterest) I discovered snail mail. Nobody writes letters aymore due to email so someone (i don't know who) came up with snail mail!

Snail mail is kind of a cross between a care package and letter. You create a little folder with pockets which you then fill with small notes (letters) and items you want to send to your loved one or friend. So cool! People even decorate the envelopes and make them works of art as well!

So I made one for my siter and one for mum and I think they really loved them. Mum said she cried when she opened the packag!

For Sas: I made a needle book, some embroideries, trims and I sent her lots of die cut felt flowers and leaves in all the colours I know she loves! I may have included some die cut tags as well.

Here is Sas's needlebook. The bunny button was made by my friend.

 The embroidery in the backgorund was for Sas.

For mum: I included some embroideries, trims, die cut leaves and feathers, some old hand stamped fabrics she can use in her sewing projects, old fabric and a needlebook. I also made the folders using a heavy cardstock which I gessoed, painted, sprayed, collaged, basically went a little crazy! The pockets inside were created with a die cut pocket (love!), envelopes and antique envelopes.

Mum's folder:

Some of her goodies:

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Vintage embroidered pouches

I have many gorgeous vintage embroidered tables clothes, especially from Eastern Europe. They a gorgeous heavy linen and then use lovely wool threads to embroider them. I love the colours and textures. Slowly, slowly I am repurposing them!

Christmas gifts made!

I'm a little late with my blogging of Christmas gifts! I made these for some of my friends and gave them at a Christmas Eve dinner. I so enjoyed making them and am hoping to make some more for myself and my shop! They were made with antique hemp linens with appliqued vintage embroideries, linens and various embellishments. They are so much prettier in true life, I photographed them when it was getting dark in the mad rush to get them finished before the dinner party!!!! isn't Christmas always a mad rush! No matter how organised I am I always get last minute crazy ideas!!!

French books

I love the French style especially their cross stitch. These are a few books available in my shop.

French cross stitch books

I have these gorgeous French cross stitch books available in my shop full of inspiring projects!

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Noel Magique

I just received this gorgeous French cross stitch book. I've been wanting it for about a year now and finally have it! It's really cute and full of lovely cross stitch patterns for Christmas. I bought a copy for myself and a couple for my shop!

Navy iphone sleeve

This iphone sleeve is for husband. He's sick of those adesive screen protectors which peel off or get dust under them. Finally an idea came to me as usally things I made are much more girlie! This sleeve is navy linen with an exclamation mark cross stitch. He appears to be quite happy with it!

Sewing case antique linen hemp hand embroidered with internal needlecase

I made this lovely sewing case a while ago and forgot to blog it! It's made with beautiful antique linens, vintage trims and lovely French linen mix fabrics. I embellished it with both cross stitch and embroidery.

Storage basket cross stitch B for broderie

I made this basket/storage container about a week ago. Bit slow at blogging things at times!!. I used a few different types of antique linen and then lined the basket with a natural linen. I did a lovely red cross stitch monogram 'B' for broderie. I was thinking this basket would make for a great sewing container. It would also be lovely in the kitchen, bedroom or living room.

Drawstring bag antique linen hemp crown cross stitch

I made this lovely drawstring bag the other day. It's made with some beautiful antique hemp I have and is lined with a lovely French toile fabric. I completed it with a sweet cross stitch done on antique linen. It could make a lovely gift set with the previous sewing case I made. Great to carry around sewing projects or even just a great gift with beautiful soap in it!

Sewing case/Trousse 'Paris'

I have so many projects on the go at the moment! I'm just trying to methodically finish each one off before I move to the next one. It's great because we've really had a stinky hot, humid summer here in Italy. I find it so difficult to work in hot sticky weather so it's been incredibly frustating. We're having our last days of boiling hot weather and then hopefully Monday the temp will drop to the norm! Oh and Lucy starts Elementary school so I'll extra creative time!! Maybe I should out my 2 quilts I have to finish!







Back to my 'Paris' trousse. I've designed a few different ones of these I just love them (others not complete yet). Rather than making just a needlecase this one has a decent sized pocket which can fit a small hoop, trim, scissors and so on. I used some beautiful linen/hemp blend fabric I bought at the antique market. I was going to sell the fabric in my shop but I love the weight and texture so much I decided to use some of it. I do have a three yard piece which is similar which I am selling though. The trim is handmade and antique as well. The other fabrics on the front I bought from this great seller on Etsy 'Homestead treasures', love, love, love her stuff! Inside I used a beautiful wool felt I buy here in Italy for needles and pins, the pocket is a wonderful Japanese linen. Then I embellished with some lovely cross stitch.

Hand embroidered antique linen pouches

Whilst I was away last week I did do a little embroidery, so yesterday I made two of them up into these pouches. On one I did a vintage style cross stitch by Niky's Creations and the other I embroidered with some primitive looking flowers. Both are made on antique Italian linen.

Notebooks

I've had fun the last few days making these notebook covers. I've combined all kinds of fabrics and materials, appliqued and embroidered. These are great journals, ideas books or even for recipes. I know I have a lot of pieces of paper flying around with recipes which need to be written in a book! Maybe I should make one for myself!

Antique linen pouch cross stitch monogram

Well summer is in full swing here in Italy, hot and humid! The air doesn't move the slightest bit so there's no escape. How much do I love my fan at this time of the year! As a result my creations come in dribs and drabs. I'm not nearly as productive in summer as I am in winter!

I did manage to finish off this little pouch today. It's made with antique linen and trims, and is finished off with a lovely cross stitch monogram and vintage button.

Blue toile covered notebook

I covered this A5 notebook with antique linen which I embellished with some lovely toile, cross stitch, applique, embroidery, trim and buttons. The cross stitch papttern came from my gorgeous French book called 'Liberty et point de croix' by Helene Le Berre. The cover can be removed so it can be washed. These notebooks are great to use as journals, ideas books or even as recipe books. I'm making one for myself in which I intend to write recipes I've collected which are flying around on pieces of paper.

My French Cross Stitch

I did this cross stitch from a French book that I brought on French Amazon. I love the book. It's full of different patterns which mostly contain houses. I wasn't sure what to do with the cross stitch once I was done but decided to cover a cardboard box with fabric and put it on the top. I don't know what to put in the box yet but I am sure I will use it for something.

The Floss Box

We have recently discovered 'The Floss Box' website. We have had her as a contact on Flickr for quite some time but for some crazy reason we only just found out that she actually sells the cutest cross-stitch and embroidery patterns on her website. I always admire her photos on Flickr and have lots in our favourites. Rach and I both bought heaps of patterns. They are super cheap. We both love cross-stitch and embroidery so will have fun sewing them. The only problem is which one to start with????

Gera Cross-Stitch

I just found Gera's blog by Kayoko Maruoka and whilst it is in Japanese I absolutely lover her cross-stitch. It is so cute. I haven't done cross-stitch in ages but now I want to do some!! I will have to buy some of her patterns. They are available at the Superbuzzy store. I have seen some of these in my Stitch Ideas magazines, they are great.