Hooray!! It's finally FINISHED!!
There is a certain 'UFO' that members of Friendly Stitchers will be familiar with. It has been in my UFO file since 2002, would you believe! It got SO fed up with my lack of attention that it appeared on Friendly Stitchers to have a public moan at me - more than once!
When Mouse came to stay, it took the opportunity to rope her on board. I went out of the room to make a cup of tea, and when I got back - too late. Autumn Basket was in her hand and she was commiserating with it. Yes, it was a disgrace I hadn't worked on it for so long, yes, ESPECIALLY when it was supposed to be a gift for my sick mother, and yes, I really SHOULD get it finished in time for my Mum's birthday at the end of this month . .
Well the combined moaning finally got to me, and I set to with my needle on the weekend, determined not to stop until I'd finished. 
There was something strangely satisfying in stabbing my needle repeatedly into the fabric . . 
heh, heh, heh . .
Anyway, my wonderful DH then framed it up for me, and WOW! What a transformation a bit of mountboard and cherry-wood can make! 
It doesn't show up very well, but the blackberries are beaded, as are the stamen-ends on the flowers. The horse-chestnuts (conkers) and the Honesty seed-heads are worked in rayons to give them a sheen. I had to 'invent' some backstitch around the honeysuckle as the original colours got lost on the rustic linen (the piece was charted on white, but rustic WAS suggested as an alternative).
I'm very pleased with it but QUITE happy that it won't be MY wall it hangs from!! 
I hope it brings my Mum much pleasure.
Now then, where did I leave my needle?
Buzzzzzing off . . . 
24/07/08 @ 11:48