Storytime Sampler

Cross stitch was one of the very first crafts that I ever attempted...and my love for it was instant :) 

I loved the pretty threads, the evenness of the stitches, and the thrill of creating something beautiful on what started out as a plain piece of fabric.

I completed quite a few pieces, collected quite a few kits, and then moved on to other crafts....until I discovered The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery late in 2013.

This small business is run by two very talented friends, who design the cutest patterns! I started with a couple of their Christmas designs (which are currently at the framers...yay!) and then signed up for their 2014 monthly program called Once Upon A Time.

Each month, a new part of the design is emailed direct to your inbox, and you have all month to work on it. Nothing like a deadline to keep me motivated! Once Upon a Time is based on children's stories, and I thoroughly enjoyed stitching it...although i'll admit I still have about half of December to complete ;)

I wasn't planning on signing up for the 2015 program....hahaha...no, really! The theme is classic literature, and I honestly thought I could resist. And I did for a while...until I saw sneak peeks of the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland, and then I was hooked!

February's block is the Secret Garden, and it is just as cute. The frames are stitched in Weeks Dye Works variegated thread, which gives them a lovely antique look. I'm reading the books as I stitch the blocks...a great excuse to reread some of my favourites, and maybe even add some to that list.

I'm resisting the urge to stitch up the title banner and all of the frames...as I really should finish off Once Upon a Time.

That's what I keep telling myself, anyway ;)

Thanks so much for visiting!

TTFN xxx