Stitch-a-long and Crafting a-plenty

This weekend I took part in a Stitch-a-long on facebook. I have never taken part in one or a swap or anything like that due to not having enough time. I didn't want to commit and so disappoint anyone. But now I have finished studying I have more time to enjoy what I love - stitching! The February Stitch-a-long started on friday 6th Feb at 5pm and finishes at 12pm monday 9th feb. All that was required was for me to post a before and after picture of my stitching. I decided to stitch a picture for a valentines card for Thom. Everyone else taking part was very supportive and nice and there was some magnificent work going on. There was another crafting event going on this weekend which I attended - a craft morning at Sue Ryder in Ely. We paid £2 and in return we got a cup of coffee/tea and a cake, all proceeds to Sue Ryder Care. There was a variety of crafts going on including card making, quilting, knitting and stitching. I met some lovely people and hope to go again when they organise it again. I also took my valentine stitch-a-long project along to stitch on.

A herd of elephants in the burrow..

Whilst browsing in Ely a few weeks ago, I came across a magazine which I had never bought before. It was Mary Hickmott's New Stitches. A design really caught my eye and I couldn't resist buying the magazine. The design was six different versions of a cute blackwork elephant, stitched in variagated thread.
I immediately began to stitch one, using threads from my stash. I found some ivory 14 count aida, which I had bought at a Christmas Fair at Wimpole Hall. I dug deep in my thread box and found some gorgeous thread I had bought from Stef Francis some time ago. I added some gold thread and beads to embellish and was really pleased with the result.
I have now stitched several and some have already found new homes. One has gone to my Aunt and Uncle, who are both textilephiles (they have made the most beautiful cross stitch and blackwork pictures) and one is going to a friend, (also a textilephile) to decorate her new bedroom. Pictured is perhaps the matriarch of the herd, the first one I made. But I see more elephants coming over the horizon very soon....