I'm over in France at the moment where it's cold & rainy but at least not as stormy as London has been (hence the felled tree outside our house).

I brought my current cross-stitch with me and over the weekend spent some time doing some and looking at stitching my mum has done.

I remember the beautiful tapestry foot-stool cover she made when I was young so well. I used to see it on its frame and it amazed me at a young age that you could create something so beautiful and creative with your own hands. I guess that was the birth of my interest in hand-making items and I'm delighted that wonder and amazement is still with me to this day.

We also looked at some embroidery she did as a school-girl. She had to do this to pass her primary certificate and was only 14 when she did it. It's incredible how beautiful, neat and precise it all is - even the inside!

I won't be showing the back of my sewing any time soon...