July Monthly Challenge Reveal

It was the Jayne's Attic/Stitch&Stasher Monthly Challenge Reveal Day yesterday (Sunday) and the album was open to view. What a visual feast again: another rainbow of different thread and fabric colours and lots of different finishes. There were a couple of finishes I hadn't seen before: a "pencil case" style bag for one and another member stitched other pieces and finished the whole as a cube-shaped hanging. It's always a fantastic source of inspiration and I love taking part. Many thanks to Karen and Julie.

So what was my finish this time around? Would you believe, yet another first - a tin finish:

Debbie Draper Designs: Love freebie;

Fabric: 28ct cream evenweave;

Thread: Carrie's Creations Grape Medley.

I used Mill Hill beads instead of the individual cross stitches in the border. I didn't have a suitable piece of fabric to cover the whole tin, so compromised by using ribbons and some funky fibre round the edges (yes, there's a bit of glittery stuff in the fibre):

To the right you can just see the ribbon that goes round the lid. I used some Kates Kloths hand dyed felt to line the inside of the lid, base inner and outside base:

Once again my digicam pics have come out a bit blurry but they give you a reasonable view of everything. It's far from perfect but it was another invaluable learning curve, so I hope to do better next time. Thanks again for the tins Julie. :0) Now looking forward to seeing what the choices for August will be - am hoping to take part, despite having our fortnight's holiday. How's that for keen? LOL

I got the Ozark SAL section completed, despite the frog visit, but shall save the pic of that until another time - got to save something to show you because the stitching has slowed right down, thanks to the hot weather. Yes, we are having something of a heat wave at the moment as the sun is still shining down on the UK and looks set to stay for another few days. The electric bill is going to be a horror this time around, thanks to rising prices and the extra used by the electric fans we have to keep running. So glad we're not on water meters: with all the extra cool showers we've all been taking that bill would have been a bad one as well. As we are off on holiday next Saturday what's the odds on that the weather breaks before then? LOL

We didn't do a great deal over the weekend, thanks to the hot weather. DH took the opportunity to paint sealant on the concrete that butts up to the sun lounge roof, in an effort to stop the rain leaching through every time it rains. DShad a trip to Brigg Farmers Market - although he was under strict instructions to only bring back as much as we can finish up this week. So it's our favourite cold smoked salmon and salad for tea tonight. :0)

Sunday we went to my DSis's, had dinner at The Servery then back to hers. Later in the afternoon, when it was marginally cooler, he helped sort out the wooden base struts under DSis's new shed so it sits flatter and is better supported. After our holiday we'll go back so he can make sure it's all screwed down properly and put some more wood round the windows to make sure the windows can't be popped out - then DSis can start transferring things over from the old shed.

Sunday DS had been to Castleton (Blue John Caves area in Derbyshire) for a walk with some of the more energetic LTC members. Good job he took the sun block....... and went in someone else's car! When he got back he was going to drive to a friends house but, when he started to reverse out of the drive, one of the something-or-other arms (real technical! LOL) broke on the front passenger side wheel - it wasn't going anywhere with the wheel at that angle, so he abandoned it and walked. When we got home DH had to get the car jack out to put it under the Mini to support the weight, to stop any further damage to it. He's had a trip to DC Cook's today to get a part for it. Guess what those two will be doing tonight? LOL

Today I got as many of my regular Monday jobs out of the way as I could before it got too hot - the hoovering can wait until it gets cooler. Alex will be here shortly and, as it's the school holidays, she's bringing Grace with her this time, so I'd better be off.

BTW, Dani: I love your blender approach to the flippin' frog. LMAO.

Hope you all had a lovely weekend and a quiet start to the week - will catch up with all your news later. Thank you for visiting. :0)