My New Year WIPs and Gifts from Friends!

Hi, today finally I can share some cross stitch works (WIPs) with you!
I didn't iron, so they all are wrinkled, though...

Here is "Merry, Merry" © Birds Of A Feather.
I was going to present for my son Tass, though I couldn't finish this until the last Christmas.
There is gold thread that chart calls for, so I quite hesitate to stitch their parts...
So I bought gold thread for sewing machine, don't know how it'll be, but will see!

Here is a piece of "Birth Sampler III" © Prairie Schooler.
About 2 or 3 years ago, there were so many pregnant friends around me, it was about more than 10 people.
And recently there are many pregnant friends around me again, it's 2nd boom!
One of my best friend had have a baby girl the end of the last year, so I'm stitching a birth sampler for her!!
This is quite beautiful pattern, so I'm so looking forward to seeing the finished piece!! :D

And here is a new WIP, "Snowflake Serenade" © Country Cottage Needleworks.
I'm stitching this on 40ct Newcastle (Natural) that my friend gave me, as I wanted to put this piece in the white frame in the photo above, so choose 40ct.
But it's quite tough to stitch on 40ct as I haven't been stitching on 40ct for a long time now...
I hope I will be able to finish this in the winter season! :D

And here are also birth samplers "Bless the baby" © Lizzie*Kate.
I have been stitching them from the last year (actually I was forgetting them...) for my friend's baby boy, and another three are for my brother's children.
I should have finished this earlier and was going to present for them for Christmas, though I had terrible stiff neck the last Dec., so couldn't manage it.
Hope I can finish and present them soon!



I have received some gift and also Christmas cards from friends abroad!
So I share them with you!

Here is a gift from Caro in France.
She sent the parcel to my last address, though the post office forwarded to my present address on 24th of Dec., how nice!!
Thank you Caro for a lovely gift!!

And here is a gift from Carol R. in the UK.
She made a very lovely and beautiful scissors fob for me, and also she sent toy cars for my son! Thank you always so much, Carol R. for your kind heart!

And here is a gift from Nina in Hungary!
She sent me her original over dyed threads and lovely charms!!
Aren't they so beautiful?!

I don't remember that I have mentioned or not, but now the world heritage "Himeji Castle" is restoring old parts.

So here is the Himeji Castle now. Since tourists can't see the castle from outside, there is a big tent which was drew 3D silhouette by graphic art.
Why we went to Himeji Castle yesterday is, the Castle Marathon was held there, and my brother's children run!
So we went to cheer for them and take photos!!
Sweetie Tass made a flag to cheer for them! Tass is going to run Castle Marathon next year with me (under 7 years should run with an adult), so I have to train for it... whew...


Thank you for your visit!

Take care and have a lovely day!

Little Artist and a Miracle Shot!

Hello, sorry that I haven't been posting about cross stitch at all, this year.
Actually I haven't been stitching lately as New Year's holiday is a big event in Japan and Sweetie is also on holiday, so we are playing together a lot.
And also there were many of visitors here my home, so had no time to stitch at the moment.


Today I'm going to share some pictures that my Sweetie Tass (5 years old) drew, recently!
Recently he loves drawing so much, and always asks me to draw together.
I love his drawing, don't know why but his drawing especially faces that he draws are so cute!!
And he is getting much better and better than before recently!
The right object in the above picture is bicycle, and also he drew a signal, car (as always!), balloon, and airplane and beautiful sky!
Isn't it good?!
And here is a car (always he draws Car!!) and rainbow and signal and sky!

And here is a picture of his cousin and car (again, lol).

This is like Anime, isn't this? I like the colours he choose!

And the last, here is a miracle photo that he shoot!
We din't know how to take, but he told me that he dropped camera just when he pressed the shoot button!
Funny photo, isn't this?!


I am going to prepare to stitch from tonight, as from tomorrow Sweetie goes to Preschool
Last year I couldn't stitch at all, so I would like to stitch more like a few years ago, and would like to share photos of my WIP and finished piece with you!


Thank you so much for your visit, even though I haven't been posting about cross stitch at all...

Take care and have a lovely day!
Bye for now,

2010 Mama's Stitching Group Meeting!

Hello, I have forgotten to post our "Mama's stitchin' group"s photos last year!
Since I've mentioned last June, we've started and have been working this "stitchin' group", it's been 7 months now! Wow!
It's so fun to stitch along, chat and have sweets together.
We decided to gather at least twice a month to stitch and chat together!

This time was three friends altogether who could gather, though usually we have 5 members altogether, stitching with tea!




And then, this time (photo below) was "stitch'n group's omelet party" that I held at my house!
The reason why I held this party is, my friends had doubts about my household that they think that I haven't been doing household at all, (LOL), so I held this party to clear my suspicion! haha!

Here is a photo of mushroom omelet (cream sauce) that I'm good at cooking!
But actually at the first try, I burned mushrooms as I was asked about something cross stitch, and totally had forgotten that I was cooking, and so re-tried to cook it (lol)
Everyone was laughing, especially my mum!!!
But, it was taste good and they seemed very happy!! :D

This green-tea cake was made by my friend for dessert!
Thanks a lot!! :D

And here is my friend's work (© Homespun Elegance)!
She likes "Cosmo Congress (like Aida, but very soft)", and always uses it.
One of member is using Linen now, but other members are using "Cosmo Congress" as they say it's the most easy to manage!"


I will take photos of my friends' (members) works, and will share them one day in the near future!
I should finish something and have to update my blog with stitch topics!! :D


Take care and have a lovely week!

Thank you for your visit!

Japanese New Year!!

Happy new year, everyone!
I wish you a very wonderful new year 2011!

Here is a photo of "Kadomatsu" at a shrine near by which was taken in the morning of 1, Jan, 2011, when we went to "Hatsumoude (Hatsumode)" .

Photos below are "Mochibana Kazari".
The real "Mochibana" is made with "mochi", though we use two thin crisp wafers made from mochi.

I made "Mochibana" with Sweetie this year, we used colorful two thin crisp wafers made from mochi and sandwich willow twig between them, like this below.

Sweetie seemed so fun to make them!
I would like to tell Japanese tradition a little by little to him.

Here is a photo of Camellia ("Tsubaki") that was taken near the shrine where we live.


Thank you for visiting!

Take care and have a lovely winter holiday!

Happy New Year 2011!

For Santa and his Reindeer! [Edited]

As every year, Tass and I prepared some foods for Santa and his Reindeer on a Christmas Eve!
I remember that I knew this Western tradition about 3 years ago on some stitcher friends' blog. Tthere is no such romantic tradition in Japan, so I remember I was very touched by this story!


Since then, this is our tradition in our home, Tass looked forward to prepare food for them this year, too!
(Canework fairy doll had made by my mum for many many years ago...)

Same as the last year, we prepared some biscuits and milk for Santa, and carrot for his Reindeer!
Tass seemed so fun to prepare for them if they really come or not!
After he went to bed, I ate biscuits with mum and drunk milk and a bit of carrot!
That was quite funny that we were eating them at midnight at entrance!!
If Tass red this article someday when he grew up, he would be shocked!! :(

A photo above is next morning (a boxing day)!
Whew,,, Carrot was not taste good before go to bed, lol


Here is little Tass Santa, he was very looking forward to have champagne (for kids).
This photo was just after he had some, looks happy, huh?

Belated message, though Happy Merry Christmas!

I do really hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas day!!



[Edited on 29th Dec. 2010]
P.S. Dear Berit : Thank you so much for letting me know about "Reindeer"!
That's why when I've done spell check, it appeared with yellow line as it says they are wrong!

Please everyone teach me English if my sentences were wrong, without any hesitation!! :D
Thank you!!

Take care and have a lovely day!

Thank you for your visit!

Sweetie's Christmas Show and a Bird!

Hi everyone, this time I just share some photos of Tass my son's Christmas Show on 17th of Dec.!
Now he is 5 years old and he played cymbals in concert of his class (4~5 years old).

They played musical instruments so well, and they danced and sung!
It's amazing when I think how they remember everything so quickly, I think they just had lessons for a month, though!

BTW, about a week ago, mum called us to the garden (very small one), then when we went out there were a little bird on the rock near by!
So I just went back into house and took some photos of him!
He was SO cute, we have never met him before!!

After that he stayed a little bit, but when Sweetie came back with his shoes with very loud footsteps (as he was excited), a birdie flied away and never came back to us... Sweetie was very sad and he planned to make birdie's bed. He was so well making a little birdie's house, but he never came back... sigh I hope he comes back to amuse us again!

[Edited] A few days ago, "Annonymous" who loves birds left kind comment here to let me know the name of this bird!
This is a female "Daurian Redstart", thank you so much, Annonymous for your kind comment!!

Take care and have a lovely winter holiday!
Thanks for visiting!

Christmas Cactus Diary

Hi, did you all have a merry Christmas? I do hope so!
Here is Christmas Cactus Diary, just a quick note!

After I posted the last one (30th of Nov's), it has been blooming so beautifully!
Now it's in full bloom now!

Now it's full blooming!!
I love this soft colour so much and their shape!!
They are not lovely at all while they hadn't flowers, it's just a grotesque plant, but it's amazingly beautiful when they are blooming!

The other Christmas cactus isn't blooming at all, I don't know why, but this pot has been blooming beautifully every year!
I hope this will keep have flowers for more years!!

Thanks for visiting!

Take care and have a lovely winter holiday!

Merry Christmas!

"Dog Lessons For People #143" - L*K Finished! [Edited]

Hi, thank you so much for your comments and thanks for visiting my blog, though I haven't been updating often.

Finally "Dog Lessons For People #143" © Lizzie*Kate has finished!!
I don't know why this took me so long time to finish...
When I first saw this pattern online, I thought to stitch for Tass as he loves dog! (me, too!)


The thread colours are very cheerful and so made me happy to stitch along, though why??
It took very long time to finish, lol
Most of my friends (in Mama's stitching group) love this pattern, and also my mum loves this colour combination so much!

Today was the 1st Stitch group's gathering day of Dec., so as I finished this, I passed this pattern to one of my friend.
She was motivated completely by this pattern!

Actually the frame was my son Tass's choice!
Just we went out for shopping, I was with this finished piece, and found some frames which is just the right size.
So I let him choose the frame colour, and he chose this one!
I also was going to choose this colour, so whew...

This time, I didn't insert glass, I added quilt batting between stitched piece and the cut board, so it's a bit puffy and it's so lovely now in the right frame and my son Tass seems very happy with this.
I want to hang this on his room!






Here is "Christmas cactus Diary".
My mum's Christmas cactuses are in full bud now!
So I'm going to take photos and report them how it grows from now!
I remember that my dear friend Carol R. and Angela was posting their Christmas cactus on the blog, so me too!

This photo was taken on 30th of Nov.
There is one more pot of Christmas Cactus, I hope they bloom beautifully soon!!



[Edited on 2nd of Dec.]

I just updated my scissdors blog :
http://yuko-behappyscissors.blogspot.com/

There are new design scissors there!
Please have a look, and please ask me anything you want to know.

Take care and have a lovely day!
Thank you for your visit!

Design : "Dog Lessons For People #143" © Lizzie*Kate
Fabric : 32ct Wichelt Lambswool (maybe...)
Thread : DMC