Life in a zoo and making gifts...

We live a quiet life - Mr E, Princess Sophie and I.

Well we did. 

On Saturday Bob-the-dog moved back home so our numbers increased, and though Princess Sophie was a little miffed at having to tolerate him in our midst once again, all-in-all she remained relatively laid back by assuming the Royal position across the dining table...

 

Bob-the-dog chose the lounge rug, just outside her gaze, to be the safest position during her mental adjustment phase...

Next morning all was well. She knew she was boss, and he knew she was boss.

But a few hours later along came a new visitor to stay for a few months and challenge her imperial feline disposition.

Meet Private Charlie...

His owner has been deployed to the Middle East so we have taken Private Charlie in for a while.

He is an outside dog, so is sleeping up on our large deck amongst the trees, close to us. 

His regular visits to the kitchen door have not yet met with Princess Sophie's approval ...

...in fact she hisses and spits, and Private Charlie runs away in fear. 

Very strange, she has this power over him but is yet to understand she can wander around outside freely if she chooses. Instead, the litter tray is back inside and she's not budging from the table.

Bob-the-dog enjoys some play time with Private Charlie...

...but only whilst Mr E or I am around to supervise. He was mauled a few years back and is hesitant to get too close to big dogs. 

But Private Charlie really is a softie, so in time Bob-the-dog might not fret so...

Of course, number 1 priority is loving all three, giving them individual attention, and allowing each their own space so that they feel secure and safe.

I don't think I've ever been slobbered on so much. Love is messy, yeh?

Between playing Pet Mama to three very different personalities at the moment, I've been working on some Christmas gifts...

...and a dozen or so of my "Stitcher's Friend" needle-books to post away in cards.

If you missed my tutorial for making these needle-books it is HERE and there's a free downloadable printout for the cover...

Month 3 of the Stitchery Club has been emailed to all subscribers, but if you're not a Club member you can still grab this pretty set of patterns HERE in my shop until December 31st. 

I think this afternoon I might sew the final border around the quilt I showed you yesterday, and then do some hand stitching whilst watching another episode of 'Kirstie's Handmade Britain'.

What about you? What are you making at the moment?

hugs

Tutorial - make this simple Stitcher's Friend gift card!

We have moved house 20 times in 23 years.

We have moved towns 11 times in 23 years.

We have moved states 5 times in 23 years.

And we're fairly sure we may move again in 2015.

One thing I like to do is send a Christmas card each year to the far away friends who made an indelible mark on my heart over those 23 years.

Last Tuesday when Mr E and I spent 8 hours driving to and from Cooktown I thought how nice to add something small and useful inside the Christmas cards that will be posted to sewing friends, and as the hours passed by and I stitched carefully on my knee over every bump the old outback road offered up, this idea came to pass.

With 2015 just over the hill, a useful gift for Christmas is a set of fresh sewing needles! 

This little 'Stitcher's Friend' card will fit easily inside your regular Christmas cards, or would be a great addition to swap parcels.

I've made up these pretty labels for the cards...

 There are six on the sheet, which you can download HERE as a free gift.

Gather some supplies. 

I've raided Blossom's papercraft box and found that a pack of 6½” square papers will allow me to make two cards per sheet.

 You'll also need:

* a roll of double sided tape (or glue)

* rotary cutter (use an old blade, not the one you're currently using for your fabrics)

* cutting board and ruler

* some scraps of cotton or wool quilt wadding/batting

* an assortment of needles - both hand sewing and machine are a good choice

Use your rotary cutter, ruler, and cutting board to accurately cut out the six Stitcher's Friend labels from the free sheet you have printed.

Cut the 6½” square of scrapbooking paper in half.

Place strips of double sided tape across the back of a label, covering the four side edges. Peel the backing from the tape and position the label inside the right hand half of your scrapbook paper...

Fold the paper in half to create a card...

 Machine sew a line just inside the folded edge of the card. This helps to keep the card closed when you have finished it...

Gather your assortment of needles. Three or four needles will be enough...

Sew a scrap piece of cotton or wool quilt wadding/batting inside the card. A straight line across the top edge is all you need. Place the needles in the wadding...

A nice touch is to write what size needles you've added...

How easy was that!?

I've made two, only four more to go! 

But, maybe I'll keep making them, after all they will be lovely additions in birthday cards too, don't you think?

If you'd like to stitch a sewing set for a more substantial gift I've just re-released my pretty "Linen Rose" sewing set as a pdf pattern...

The embroidery is quick and easy - simple backstitch and two strands of red thread!

It's also an easy pattern to machine sew once the hand work is complete, and can be made up in an afternoon...

The 'Linen Rose' pattern and your free  'Stitcher's Friend' labels are HERE in the shop now as instant pdf downloads.

Enjoy your day!

I have secret stitching to attend to...

hugs