Warning - This Post Contains Explosives!

As promised in my previous post here are some photos of my exploding book as inspired by Anna the Stitch Bitch.

And here's how you make one:

1. Take some squares of thick paper and fold them in quarters and one diagonal

2. Stick them together so the corner squares overlap

3. Cut up some patterned paper into squares just a little smaller than the quarters of the original squares

4. Stick some of the patterned squares onto the plain paper

5. Cut the rest of the patterned squares in half and stick the triangles on either side of the folded parts

(feet shown for scale)

6. Stick your cross stitched pieces onto the flat squares

7. The whole book, simply attach a front and back cover and some ribbon ties

Obviously they are not full instructions but if you Google "Exploding Book" you will find several tutorials in words and pictures or on YouTube depending which you prefer.

The designs in the book are by Just Nan, her Moon Riders and Crow Jackers minis.

This week I have continued with Little Snap Dragon by Kustom Krafts:

stitched on 32 count Murano Evening Sky by Crafty Kitten

I focused on his tail this week.

I also completed Just Nan's My Fair Ladybug and now my little brass ladybird charm has arrived I can attach that, scrapbook it and show you later.  I started another Just Nan small, this one is Beehive Violets:

stitched on 28 count evenweave

The whole centre of that piece will have a honeycomb stitched in gold metallic and a bee charm added so I'm leaving that until last.

Finally I received a lovely parcel earlier this week.  I was expecting my ladybird charm (and one or two other things to justify postage) so I wasn't surprised when the postman delivered a padded envelope.  But it was yellow, not white like SewandSo's usual envelopes.  And franked US with a customs slip.  Once I opened it I found a present from Susan Yellow Flower Meadow; some L*K charts she offered to me (which I had forgotten about), another cute 3D Nutmeg Cottage chart, some gorgeous purple linen and an awesome Hallowe'en sampler from Primitive Needle!

40 count Zweigart linen

And a floppy parcel wrapped in pretty tissue paper.  What could be inside?  Some more fabric?  A project bag?  Or half a shop of DMC?  Look at all these lovelies!  They are all the DMC needed for the Chatelaine Gardens of London which I intend to purchase for my Special Birthday!

Thank you Susan!  You are awesome!