Flower Diamonds: Additional photos

Above: Photo of how Terry Dryden had her Flower Diamonds neck roll finished.

Below: Additional photos taken while stitching that pilot project:

This completes my photo file on this project.

Windows into my Heart with doubled fabric covered mats

First photo above showing a side view and second photo below showing a front view.

I just got Windows into my Heart from our framer with two fabric covered mats instead of the uncovered one I had before. I think it makes a big difference.
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Don't look at the wallpaper behind as Windows into my Heart is not going to stay there but I found out that it is one of the best place for me to photograph my frames as I almost always have glass over my finished pieces.
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Still working on Terra Rosa but making slow progress, so I won't be able to post anything about it today, but hopefully tomorrow. To make things worst, just cut myself on the right tumb and had to put a small Band-Aid, which is not very conducive to good stitching :-(

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Pierrette =^..^=

Windows into my Heart: Framed

A few days ago I got back Windows into my Heart from the framer. This is a Ruthmarie Hofmann cyberclass that I took a few years back which I have finally finished some months ago. I finally had it framed and it is now on one of ourwalls for us to enjoy :-)
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Since it has been a long time since my last post about this project, I have also added a photo of the stitched project before framing as a refresher.

Previous posts about Windows into my Heart here.

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My finishing pile is slowly diminishing, but there are a bit more finishing to be done before I am completely caught up with my stitched projects.
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Pierrette =^..^=

Going back on Memory Lane with Tropical Fantasy or Fire on Ice: Sue Lentz, designer

I have managed to spend quite a bit of time yesterday on Stichamaze website and had a wonderful time but still need to go back many more evenings to read all of it. While reading the guests' section, all of a sudden I came upon a piece that I have stitched many years ago. I knew this piece by the name of Tropical Fantasy but apparently it was also known by other names like Fire on Ice, which I thought was also a very appropriate name for it. Edith Chapman stitched that one and this is a Sue Lentz's design and a gorgeous one at that.

This was my post about Tropical Fantasy . Unfortunately with the glass over it, I have never been able to really show the details properly. Now by clicking on the close-ups photos on Stitchamaze, you can see a little better, but I can assure you that it does not even come close to showing how beautiful this piece is.
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Tropical Fantasy is one of my stitched piece that sits just in front of me on the wall right behind my computer, so I am in a position to enjoy it all the time. My framer even went shopping for me at a fabric store and found an absolutely perfect piece of fabric to cover the mat with it. I never stitch the same piece twice but this one, I think I could consider doing it. It is that beautiful and I have enjoyed it that much.
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Well, time for me to leave Memory Lane and go back to reality with Persian Fantasy and do step 2 of the burden stitch. Funny, I was reading on the ANG list that many stitchers do not like to do that stitch or even hate it, but I really don't mind it at all and the effect is really quite beautiful, but I am also a person who does not mind spending lots of time with a laying tool, so .......... :-)
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Pierrette =^..^=

Patches of Snow Mini Stocking: Ready for next Christmas

It has been what seems to me a long time since this charming little stocking been waiting for his turn to my finish table. Well I have just done it this morning on a very hot and humid summer day.

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Yesterday I went through my stuff to try to find cordings and ribbons and found these that seems rather perfect for the job at hand, so put everything aside for this morning as I am really not an evening stitching person as I am usually too tired by then and just want to relax with other stuff. I felt that at times I was all tombs as this is rather small, but managed to do it, finally :-)

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This was a little kit I had purchased a long time ago and it is a Kaitlyn Marie Designs (1994). It was mostly beading with a little bit of needlepoint. Now I need to go to my list of finishing on my blog and remove this one.

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Dodecagon ornament series by Jim Wurth: Framing

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After discussions with our framer and my husband, we have finally made the decision to have them framed by groups of three, meaning 4 frames. Because of the different colors involved, we could separate them in two families, so we will have two frames the same and two frames that will be different but will suit that color family better. They will be on the vertical, not horizontal. I will not be putting all four of them together on my walls, so having two different sets of frame will not matter.

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Tomorrow my husband will go back to the framer and bring the first six ornaments of what I call my first color family and will decide on mat and frame. After that he will go back with the other six and do the same thing. We think that this way we will be more happy with mats and frames than having to pick only one mat and one frame and try to please all these diverse colors, so hope it works out nicely.

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Pierrette =^..^=

Flower Diamonds: Pilot class for Terry Dryden

Before writing this blog entry, I checked to see what date I had started working on Terry Dryden's pilot class called "Flower Diamonds" and it was May 10th, so this means that it took me approximately 3 weeks from start to finish. Not bad at all! Time does fly when we are having fun :-)
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Contrary to what I normally do, which is working on multiple projects in some sort of rotation system unknown to me as I pretty much stitch what I want to stitch when I feel like it, this time around I concentrated on this project alone as Terry needed to get our report back by mid June in order to get everything ready for the lucky ones who will be taking her class at the upcoming ANG seminar in Milwaukee and I am the worst person to evaluate how much time this or that will take me. I always always tend to underestimate my time, and I did not want to chance it with this one.
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Flower Diamonds has 3 panels which are yellow, lavender and orchid. Most of the design is the same in each panel except for colors and threads and of course Terry's 9 central flowers. I am including here 4 photographs, one of each panel and one that shows the whole project.
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This first photo here shows the "yellow" panel where you see the three diamonds in the middle with flowers inside.

(yellow panel)

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This second photo shows you the "lavender" panel with different flowers in the middle.

(lavender panel)

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Third photo shows the "orchid" panel with again different flowers and colors in the 3 central diamonds.

(orchid panel)

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And finally the last photo shows the entire project. Since this will be finished as a neck roll, then you have to imagine this as a round circle (round and round it goes) and once finished we will never ever be able to see all sides at the same time. I have already been researching patterns in order to find one that I really like as I intend to finish it myself.

Being a ghost stitcher for a pilot class was an entirely new experience for me and it has turned out to be a lot of fun, a lot of work too :-)

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Terry Dryden had given us lots of different threads, silk ribbons and beads to use in this project in order to entice us in making changes, which I did actually. My best friend Terry from England, (another Terry), will probably faint from astonishment when she reads this as she is always there telling me to change this and that. I sometimes do and often don't, though lately I must say that I do it more and more. My changes involve the 9 flowers in the middle diamonds. If you check my May 10 post, you may see some of the differences. To come back to threads, I think that we all have had bad experiences with kits, not having enough threads, but not this time around I am happy to say and it was a great feeling. I could then concentrate on stitching and not worrying if I am going to run short of this or that.
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I must also add that this project has given me the opportunity to acquaint myself with lots of new threads and ribbons, at least new to me, and that is something that I have been looking for to do in the past. It was also very interesting to find myself in a position to see how a particular color looks like when placed next to different colors. It is just so amazing how absolutely different they look. I normally do not stitch the same project twice. My reason for this is that there are so many beautiful projects out there, why would I want to stitch the same thing twice no matter how beautiful it is when I can use that time to stitch something else. In this case, I had no choice since there were 3 panels and I had to stitch each one of them if I wanted to end up with a beautiful neck roll (grinning).

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All around this was a wonderful learning experience and I am so very happy that Terry Dryden offered me this opportunity to stitch Flower Diamonds for her pilot class as a "ghost".

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Thanks, Terry Dryden :-)
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Pierrette =^..^=

Superstition framed

On Saturday I got my Superstition back from the framer but it was just too dark inside to take a photoas it has been raining a lot lately.
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The frame above has been taken under normal lights and the same frame under lots of light where it is going to live from now on. I chose this place as when the lights are on, Superstition sparkles so much that you can't not look at it even if you wanted to as it draws you to it. I had the framer put a piece of silver lame, which I provided her with and you can see all the sparkle come through each little holes as there are quite a bit of pulled thread in this piece.

"Superstition" as I have mentioned before in my numerous posts is a Loretta Spears' design, her mystery #13 and the material needed to stitch this lovely piece is a piece of congress cloth, white, 8" x 8" with the following threads: Waterlilies by Caron in Flamingo (pink/peach color), Crystal Bay (kind of white blueish color), Opal (white shade) and Opalescent #300 (transparent white silvery color) which is a thread not produced anymore and could probably be replaced by Accentuate. I had purchased this design with its own kit so did not have to bother with tracking down the threads. Oh, I have almost forgotten about the beads, Mill Hill Petite Beads #40161.

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I am still working on Terry Dresden's Flower Diamonds, the pilot class project and I am slowly making progress though not as much as I would like as I have had plenty of distractions lately and gardening is one of them. We are changing things in our backyard garden and though my husband does most of the heavy lifting, there are still plenty of other things to do like going to garden centers buying stuff, giving orders (oups, I meant suggestions) as to where plant this and that (big grin). I have been doing a bit of trimming too. There is just so much to do.

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I will be doing a bit of stitching and gardening again today. It is a nice day so we will take full advantage of it.

See you all soon!

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Pierrette =^..^=

Superstition: Mystery #13 by Loretta Spears, designer

Just finished adding the last beads this morning at 7:30. I know what you are thinking but I am an early riser (grinning).
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As far as I know Loretta Spears has designed 14 mysteries in her series and this one is Mystery #13, also called Superstition. Been wondering why Loretta called this one Superstition and must confess that I have not been able to come up with any clues, except that perhaps she never thought that she would get that far in her series, but that is all speculation from my part.
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This was an absolutely fantastic experience to stitch this gorgeous project, which had in addition to needlepoint which of course was to be expected, pulled thread and beading.
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The project measures 5 inches square, so it would probably go nicely in a box cover, but I will have this little jewel framed. Loretta suggests to put some silver lame under the piece before finishing. That will add even more sparkles than it already has.
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I have also added a photograph of the only other piece I have stitched from Loretta this far. This one has not been blogged as it was stitched before my blogging days.

This is Loretta Spears' Mystery #8 also called Bargello Symphony. This is a much bigger piece and was also an absolute joy to stitch
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I have been lucky enough to get both kits with original threads.

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I am still on a "high" from having stitched Superstition (smiling). I can't say it enough, this was such a beautiful project, with full of surprises at each steps along the way.

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I can't wait to see what my husband and framer will come up for this piece. They are quite a team at finding just the perfect frame and mat, so I always let them surprise me with it and have not been disappointed yet.

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Pierrette =^..^=

LovetoStitch99@comcast.net

"Superstition", Loretta Spears' Mystery #13, Lesson 1, Pattern 4

This is such a wonderful design and to think that I have left this one sitting for so long in my stash. Hard to believe, isn't it?
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On this photo you can see pattern 4 of the first lesson. Can you see the little beads? Cute little details on this pattern. I find working with these colors so relaxing too.
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I will now start doing a little bit of stitching on Peacock Chair to move that project along too. It is amazing how much work you can do by working a little bit on this project and then a little bit on that other one and all this often in the same day. It all depends of course how much work there is in each section that I want to work on and if I need a break from it or not ........... and to think that I used to work on one project at a time. These days now seem long ago.
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Pierrette =^..^=

Florentine bargello little decorative pillow

I have decided earlier today to give my poor back a little break from the big big Hollyhock project and worked on finishing the little florentine bargello pincushion turned miniature pillow in my case. I think this design is way too beautiful to stick needles in it.
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You can read a bit more about this project on Previous posts
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All finishing instructions are included in Brenda Day's book's Bargello; A Fresh Approach to Florentine Embroidery. I really like the bead tassels and it is also so easy to do. That is something that I will probably use in some form or other for other finishing projects. It is wonderful whenever you learn something new, isn't it?
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I have been thinking about my next finishing and I am leaning towards the little Christmas stocking. This project also came with finishing instructions so will use those as I like the way they finished theirs.
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Pierrette =^..^=

Patches of Snow completed

Well, no more beading for this girl for a while :-)

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My mini Xmas stocking is all done and I am happy as could be. I did not dare count the number of beads in this project, but there are lots and lots of them, I can all tell you that. It will certainly draw all eyes when I put it on my Xmas tree with all this gold and off white.

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Now, I will be very good and start working on my latest cyberclass The Sky's the Limit and practice my various stitch samples (3 every two weeks), which can be easily done without taking major chunks of time away from my other projects.

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After that is done, not exactly sure what I will be working on. Will it be an already started project or a new one, big or small? I will have a look around and then decide what I feel like doing, so many choices, so little time, isn't that always the problem?

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Pierrette =^..^=

Patches of Snow: 10 out of 13 patches done

Moving along with my beading, at times with cross-eyes after adding one bead after another and another and another ............. I do love the design and will be very happy to have it as a Christmas ornament, but really not enjoying all this beading. I don't mind at all adding a few beads here and there on a project as it makes it more interesting, but this is a little more than I bargained for when I bidded on Ebay for it, but I am going to see it through, no matter what (big smile).

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The next Christmas project won't have any beading at all, if I can help it as I will need some time to recuperate from all this.

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It is an interesting design though and at some level do not regret having purchased it and will leave it at that :-)

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That is what I like about trying different things, best way to find out the techniques that you enjoy the most and do less of the ones that you don't enjoy as much. I am not saying that I will never do anything like that as I may see some design that I just have to have and will probably go for it.

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Next photo will be with the last 3 patches done and then will move on to another project.

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Today I will also be starting the cyberclass called "The Sky's the Limit" with Beth Robertson and Suzanne Howren, but will probably not be posting any photos unless I get permission as those are samples stitches and I don't want to give away their secrets. I am looking forward to getting started on these. Those classes are based on the numberous books that they have written about "Stitches for Effects". This series should come quite handy the next time I have a sky to stitch.

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Well, better go back to my stitching as I have a lot more stitching to do before the day is over.

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Pierrette =^..^=

Patches of Snow: Middle section completed

Done a little more beading on Patches of Snow. I like beading, but I wish there would be a little more stitching and a little less beading on this one, a bit like the little Emerald one I made some time ago.

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On another note, I have found a new series of adventure books recently, quite by chance as I was investigating something else. They are called the Amelia Peabody Mystery series written by Elizabeth Peters. The first one of the series and the only one I have read so far is called Crocodile on the Sandbank and it did not take too long before I found myself hooked by that new series.

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I was lucky enough to be able to visit Egypt a few times in the past and I have always been fascinated with archeology, so this newly discovered adventure/mystery series is absolutely perfect for me. I thought I would share in the event that some of you might like to investigate this series a bit further.

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Whenever I need to relax a bit, there is nothing better for me than a good book to do the trick. I read a bit and then I can go back to my stitching a bit refreshed.

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Pierrette =^..^=

Patches of Snow: Top section completed

I have been thinking as to the reason(s) why I decided to do a Christmas project and I think I know why. It is a very simple reason, actually. We are having a heat wave and it has been rather uncomfortable for me to stitch in my stitching/computer room, which as luck would have it seems to be the warmest room in the whole house and unfortunately I can't move it :-(

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Stitching some Christmas project brings me back to a place with much cooler temperatures, even if it is only in my mind.

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This new photo shows how much I have been able to accomplish under these warmer/hotter conditions. It has been around 93-95 degrees outside and the air conditioning in the afternoon just can't keep up with it and this is only the beginning of June. What will happen in July and August, and even September? I don't even want to think about it. Last year our air conditioning decided to quit us when the temperatures were over 100 degrees. We have an air conditioning unit for upstairs and a different one for downstairs. Now, my stitching room is upstairs as well as the bedrooms and of course that is the one that broke. Since we were not the only ones that had such bad luck as it puts quite a strain on air conditioning units when temperatures go that high, I think that it took approximately 4 to 5 days before they installed a new unit. Not happy memories, I can tell you that :-(

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A few days ago, I have received a book that I had been wanting for quite some time. The title is Embroidered Knot Gardens (using three-dimensional stumpwork, canvas work & ribbonwork) and the author is Owen Davies from Britain. I really did not know what to expect from the book as I had heard good and not so good comments about it, so it was with a bit of apprehension that I opened it, wondering if I was going to be disappointed or not (again). To my immense relief, I can report that it is a wonderful book and it has already given me some great ideas as to where I will apply some of the information found in the book. I need to say here, that if someone is looking for a very specific project that would be described from start to finish, this is not the right book, but that being said, all necessary information is right there in the book to make it possible to create something wonderful. All stitches are very well explained with charts, lots and lots of beautiful photos with close-ups of some of the stitches. One that has stood out for me is on page 63 where he explains how to make needlelace leaves that are extremely pretty. He even has a photo that shows a small matchbox container that had been adapted to create a courtyard garden inside it, which gave me the idea of finding a box the size I would like to have my little garden and use that instead of having to build some container from scratch. And you should see the brick walls that he has made with threads. I could go on and on as I really love the book. I purchased mine at Amazon as I always want to take advantage of the free shipping, so I added another book to it to cover the minimum $25.00 purchase required to get free shipping.

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I have received my threads and canvas yesterday from Pam for Mystery in a Corner by Gay Ann Rogers, so will be starting to work on that as I have a little bit of catching up to do. Will put some photos a bit later.

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Pierrette =^..^=

Patches of Snow Mini Stocking

Yesterday, I started working on a cute little Christmas stocking that has lots of beading in it. It is a Kaitlyn Marie Designs (1994) which I found on Ebay and it came with everything necessary to stitch it, thank goodness for that. No hunting for this one :-)
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Above is a photo of what it will look like when finished and below is a photo of what I have done so far. Will probably be able to add a progress photo later today as this should go pretty quickly, if all goes according to plan, but we all know that plans do change quickly sometimes :-(

Pierrette =^..^=

Here's My Heart Scissors Sheath

I had purchased that kit a while back from Vintage Vogue and decided it was time for me to tackle this project.

I must say that the instruction pages that come with this kit are extremely well done with plenty of photos. I was really impressed. Janet Stauffacher really makes it easy for us to make this project and I enjoyed myself.

This kit came with a little pair of French scissors which will be great to have around. You can never have too many pairs of scissors.

I have included a photo (above) that shows the little scissors attached to its sheath through a beaded loop and here below when the scissors are tucked in the sheath.

The three-bead edge that goes around the sheath can also be seen here though Janet explains it very nicely in her instructions.

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It is now time for me to think of another project as I don't feel quite ready to go back to my needlepoint. One morning I will get up and feel like doing only needlepoint and will then continue on my already started needlepoint projects, plenty to choose from :-)

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Pierrette =^..^=

Heirloom Purse Necklace

This is something that I don't ordinary do, "beading", but to my great surprise I had a ball and time flew by without me noticing it. This is one of the reason that I like to try different kind of stitching as I never know when I am going to find something that I really love to do and I have just found out that this is one of them that I will do more of in the coming months.

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This is an original design by Susan Clarke, part of her Heirloom Purse Collection. I had that kit for years, and I mean years, and yesterday I decided to have a go at it and what fun it was.

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There is a little silk ribbon stitching on the surface, a few beads and of course putting the little purse together and then it is mostly beading for the dangles, the swag and the straps.

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This is a little decorative purse necklace in which I could put a house key or a few dollar bills inside it, if for some reason I did not want to carry a purse with me.

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Pierrette =^..^=

Scissor Fob

A little scissor fob that I made for my friend Terry, using beads.

Pierrette =^..^=

Triangle Pincushion

This is another pincushion kit designed by Karen Kraus for Moonspun Designs.

If someone is interested in this one and/or others, you can see them on this site: http://www.flightsoffancyboutique.com/cgi-bin/Store/store.cgi?cart_id=5734991.4974.s0&lastmenu=submenu-3400.html&product=Kits_N_Stuff


Pierrette =^..^=
http://community.webshots.com/user/sunshineplus

Victorian Heart Pincushion

This Victorian heart pincushion was designed by Karen Kraus for Moonspun Designs. They were designed after some Victorian pincushions and use some vintage techniques according to the description on their website. They can either be used as a pincushion or even as ornaments for the holiday season, which would look smashing in a Christmas tree.

If someone is interested in this one and/or others, you can see them on this site: http://www.flightsoffancyboutique.com/cgi-bin/Store/store.cgi?cart_id=5734991.4974.s0&lastmenu=submenu-3400.html&product=Kits_N_Stuff

They were much fun to make and did not take too much time either.

Pierrette =^..^=
http://community.webshots.com/user/sunshineplus