Welcome to Stitching in Crosses and More ...

Hello and welcome. It was suggested to us to share a little about ourselves... so here it goes ...

I am Lija and I am an addict. I have been hooked up on cross for some time now. I have learnt to stitch at the age of 6 or 7 and one of my first finishes I remember to be was some snowdrops - the flowers. I have then over the years picked up knitting, and other crafts. Most get picked up and put away for spells of time over the years, but when I picked up cross stitch up again about 2 years ago I couldn't stop ... so here I am, blogging about this small part of my life.

that's me

I have graduated as a Master of Mathematics last year and am now studying towards being a Chartered Accountant. In my spare time I stitch, blog, collect stamps, knit, paint, draw, read books ...

Me pretending to read War and Peace
for the picture - I will finish it one day! 

My favourite authors are Paulo Coelho, Dostoyevsky, and Margaret Atwood. I was a World Book Night giver last year, which was a lot of fun, and I got to pass on Coelho's book to unsuspecting victims. I am part of a reading group, ran by the library (aren't they wonderful - all the books you can borrow for free, mine even does e-magazines so I get Crossstitcher for free now). Of course I also happen to be a part-time librarian so maybe a little prejudiced, an artist (participated in about 13 exhibition over the past 5 years), and recently I have started an online business, selling handmade bags and accessories - a sort of a family run online store.

me modelling the scarf ...

From our website:

ILiNi designs is a creative enterprise based in the North East of England. The handmade bags and accessories that we design and make are unique, each one individually thought out. The products available for purchase range from everyday use to special occasions. You will find exclusive leather handbags, hand painted silk scarves, jewellery, and many more treasures waiting to be picked. 

And if you would like to check us out, Click here! for our website and here if you would like to find us on facebook. I would appreciate any likes we get.

Another one of ILiNi designs bags

And a progress picture of a scarf with my oil painting hiding in the background:

So where are all the cross stitch pictures you ask, after all this is a blog mainly about cross stitch. There is a tab on the top of this page for all the finishes I had in the last 2 years which feel free to browse. And here are some highlights:

the first of eight
John Clayton

Fizzy Moon

Where would I be without Margaret Sherry?

Aren't they beautiful ...
I am stitching another one by the same designer at the moment

 And finally my progress on the HAED 'Christmas Candle':

This is the biggest project I have ever attempted and so far has taken half a year to do ... maybe a finish in a few years time. After all I can't say I am a heavy cross stitcher without having attempted one of these.

I should probably stop now, I have most likely disclosed too much about my life (personal information which we are told not to broadcast over the internet). 

I am looking forward to browsing all the blogs out there, and seeing what everyone else stitches/knits.

Bye for now and thanks for looking,

                                                             

P.S. Don't forget to check out all the other wonderful blogs that are here for the party at 2 Bags Full. I am very grateful to Vicki for organising this.