Every Bee that Ever Wuz...

is partly sting and partly buzz - Anon

I couldn't resist starting the Gathering Honey design my friend asked me to stitch for her.  Here is the result of just two day's stitching:

The fabric is quite strange, it's a linen but is very stiff almost like a canvas.  It's 28 count and very open too so you can see the thread ends through the weave.  I'll wait until I've finished then trim them short.  I have decided I still hate lazy daisies (see Papillon Around the World in 80 Stitches).  My problem is getting a nice neat loop, it seems to pull straight when I put the needle in the fabric for the final time.

I'm continuing with my cousin's wedding sampler, the Couers en Boites design, I added the names today so probably shouldn't show it until it's completed now.

I received my copy of the Just Cross Stitch Hallowe'en special from Crafty Kitten this week.  It's a great issue but isn't included in the subscription price.  Here are my favourite designs:

This spider's web by Lucy Lyons Willis would look great stitched in black silk thread on a blue-grey fabric.

This whole selection is great, the skeletons are made from beads, but the Brooke's Books' Belinda the Bat Witch is just amazing!  She's designed to be stitched on perforated paper with her little hat being a separate piece so you can attach it at a jaunty angle.

But this is my absolute top choice!  I'm not sure if my finishing skills are upto making the figure though but I'm going to give it a go.

There are lots of other lovely designs including a great Ink Circles mandala.  Those of you more familiar with American designers may be able to tell me, are there more less-well known designers contributing this year?  There are alot of names I don't recognise and I've been collecting JCS for a couple of years now.

Finally, the latest postcard in the Summer Blog Hop went out to Vickie (and Mabel and Henry).  Here's the full list so far:

My card goes to Debbie at Debbie's Cross Stitch

Debbie's card goes to Christine at The Alchymyst's Study

Christine's card goes to Lynn at Kearnel's Korner

Lynn's card goes to Clare at Aimetu's Stitching

Clare's card goes to Vickie at A Stitcher's Story

Pop over and say Hi to Vickie and gang.