Toyota Commercial
We were just talking at work the other day about our all-time favourite commercials … this has got to be mine! I still crack up each time I see it … and it’s changed my vocabulary for ever! 😉
Month: November 2006
No stitching today
No stitching being done today, as it’s finally time to clean up a bit and do some housework. I’m off into the city later this afternoon for a small treat to have dinner with Fraze – we had to put it off a couple of weeks ago due to the fact I couldn’t even afford the train ticket to go in, let alone dinner. This week I’m still sitting on an unused train ticket that I didn’t end up needing last week, and dinner is dirt cheap at about $7 each where we’re going, so I can justify this one as a little cheap splurge. While I’m in there I’m also going to pick up a couple of fresh veges from the Queen Victoria Markets for some upcoming recipes (mainly mushrooms, but also capsicum and courgettes). My car won’t now be going into the garage until Friday morning, so I’m still limiting myself to almost zero spending until I know how much that’s going to set me back … then I’ll know what spare money I have (if any) from this pay for a bit extra food etc.
Last night I did a bit more stitching – and I now have two half-finished ornies … the Just Nan one I need to the over-one stitching, but after doing all the grapes yesterday morning, I couldn’t face it last night. Then I just have to add the beads and Kreinik braid to the Elizabeth’s Designs tree and that’s finished too. No more ornie stitching now until I get my gift piece finished … plus I really want to make up a couple of pieces into their ‘finished’ items … these last few days have been really uplifting with all this stitching and creativity – definitely just what the doctor ordered!
SBQ and a bit of Bordeaux
Thanks for all your wonderful comments about Su’s scissor fob – I’m still blushing from all the lovely words of praise 🙂
Last night I decided I still wasn’t happy to put the needles down for the night, so did a couple of hours on Bordeaux Sampler – seeing as I didn’t do my stitching on it before Friday, I figured a couple of days late would be OK 😉 For the life of me I can never get a good photo of this one – but I just have the bottom band left and the two sides, all of which are a combination of backstitched leaves/vines and Rhodes stitch grapes, then band number two is completely finished. I’ve been looking ahead to the upcoming bands and my heart is sinking already at the sight of all the over-one grapes coming up {heavy sigh} LOL. I’d really like to get this piece finished by the end of 2007, if possible.
It’s finally time to answer the week’s SBQ before the next one comes out! Today’s SBQ was suggested by Jan and is:
“How many different brands of “complete” embroidery floss sets do you own? How do you keep track of it? (ie, spread sheet program, indexcards, palm pilot, etc)”
That’s very easy to answer – the only “complete” collection I have is of DMC. I’m slowly adding to my over-dyed collections as I come across colours I need for projects, but I’ll never bother getting the entire collections, as I simply won’t use them all. I used to keep an up-to-date inventory on my Cross Magic database of my DMC, but since I gave about 80+ skeins to Mum as a gift to start up her own collection, I haven’t updated things … maybe I’ll get around to that again … one day 😉 Other than that all my other threads are catalogued in Cross Magic – it makes it very very handy when kitting up new projects, as I can see at a glance what I have/don’t have.
On a positive front, today is finally pay-day, and I’m sooooo grateful! I’ve only spent $15 on groceries over the last fortnight (and that was only recently seeing as it was close to payday and no more working days left, so I knew I could go without any further spending), and I’m looking forward to getting my car checked out tomorrow, and my tax bill paid, so I know what money (if any) I have left over for the next fortnight. I’m no longer stressing over it – I figure if the tax bill has to be paid in two hits, so be it … it would be really nice to get some fresh food this week, though 🙂
2nd post today …
I’ve been on a stitching roll (no pun intended), and managed to both start and finish the stitching of my needleroll for this weekend’s SAL. I stitched Summer Solstice by Eventide Designs. I changed the wording, though, to cover the summer months ‘down under’ – instead of stitching June, July, August, I recharted the wording to be Dec – Jan – Feb (after checking out the Winter Solstice chart online) 😀 I wasn’t too sure what else to put in place of the ‘American’ flag on the top band, and I quite like it anyway, so left it as it was designed. I’ve been really keen to stitch this ever since I bought the chart, so I’m thrilled to finally have it completed. I’ll wait to do the actual finishing when I have a few needlerolls to make up. Anyway, here’s the stitching piccie:
Summer Solstice by Eventide Designs
Stitched on 28ct hand-dyed dried thyme Jobelan
with the recommended threads
That also means finish number 11 off my 50 projects challenge list – only 39 left to go woohoo 😀
Next up is to get a few more stitches into a birthday gift – now my Kreinik braid is here I need to get cracking and get it finished. Then I need to get a few more Christmas ornies stitched. Housework? … What housework??? LOL.
Scissor Fob Exchange
Phew, Su has received her scissor fob exchange from me, so I can post a piccie. For a beautiful close-up of the stitching you’ll have to pop over to Su’s blog, as mine is just done on the scanner and much less artistic 😉 I was majorly stressed over this exchange, as Su’s stitching and finishing is so awesome, and I had the huge delays with SB&B with the ‘extra goodies’ arriving. Anyway, it’s finally reached it’s destination safe and sound, and I’m very happy! This is my last exchange for a little while, though – and putting the stress factor aside LOL, I’ve enjoyed each and every one 😀
Silken Roses Scissor Fob by The Sweetheart Tree
stitched on 32ct Lavender Mist Belfast linen
with the recommended threads
but omitting the eyelets on the back and personalising
with our initials and the year
Rightio, time to have brekkie then it’s back to my stitching corner … I’ve decided to stitch Summer Solstice by Eventide Designs for my needleroll SAL, and if I have time I’ll also try and finish my Snow Fall needleroll from last month too … oh dear, I guess that means no housework again today, that’s too bad hahahaha 😀
RR and Turbo Needles
It’s been a very busy day in my household … for my needles! Absolutely nothing else has been done, but my needles have been flying since 8am until 10pm and I totally finished Wendy’s RR piece woohoo!! 😀 It means I should be able to get it in the post next week, well and truly before the Christmas rush. Here’s a scan of my winter block, as well as a very poor photo of the whole thing finished 🙂
I should have been stitching a needleroll for this weekend’s SAL, but I just couldn’t put the RR down until I’d got it all finished. Now I have to decide which needleroll to stitch tomorrow … it’s a choice between Summer Solstice by Eventide Designs, or a freebie on Classic Stitches website – ooh, decisions decisions.
The Blue Collection
All the blue fabric from yesterday’s post is actually for all the applique parts of the Blue Collection quilt – I’ve had this sitting in a cupboard for about 10 years (all kitted up, as I bought a block of the month with all the fabrics as well), and in my current phase of stitching from stash decided it was time I finally pulled it out and learnt how to do applique and stitch it up. All the washing yesterday was for the two big bags of yellow background fabrics – but now they’re all washed and ironed and ready to go. I’ve decided I can’t really wash the applique fabrics as some of them are only a couple of inches square – hopefully they’ll be OK if I don’t. I have to admit it probably is a bit daft to do this as my first quilt – it does seem quite complex, not to mention huge, but I keep telling myself I just have to take one block at a time, and once I’ve got the technique learned it’s just taking it slowly and working through each packet of blocks …
Last night I managed to pick up my needle finally, and put a few stitches into Wendy’s RR piece while watching the new series of The Amazing Race (which is already finished in the US, I think) – I’ll do a bit more on my days off, and hopefully have it finished within the next couple of weeks so it can be posted off to Canada well before Christmas 🙂
Quilting and ‘stuff’
Are things looking up for me or what today?? This morning I found $10 hiding in my rain jacket pocket that I didn’t realise was there … woohoo!! And what did I do with that $10?? I was very very naughty and went shopping and blew the lot! Not grocery shopping, though (I actually already spent most of my last $20 in my wallet at lunchtime on essential items) …
I called in on the way home to pick up my car dashboard cover that was ordered (and thankfully paid for) a few weeks ago, and while I was there called into Spotlight to see if they had any freezer paper. They didn’t, so I called into Amitie in Bentleigh, who had also just sold out … Never fear, though, they made a quick phone call for me to this little place, and they had rolls of it in stock:
I couldn’t believe my eyes – and I’ll definitely be returning there when I have some free cash … all-American goods, including some of the ‘weird’ items that I’d never heard of in my recipe books. Aha, now I’m going to look back into some of those American cookbooks and check it out … plus if there’s anything else in those books that I’ve never heard of, at least they’ll be able to tell me what the local equivalent is, if there is one 😀 Here’s the website if anyone’s interested, as they also do mail order it seems … AND they have ALTOID TINS woohoo!!!!! And I have to say they had those Halloween candy corn lollies I’ve never ever seen before – and Lipton iced tea in cans etc … I’m in heaven! 😉 (I LOVE trying new stuff where food’s concerned … it’s a whole new treasure trove to explore!)
Oh yeah, back to what I splurged my new-found wealth on … a roll of freezer paper 😀 So that means I’m now all set to start thinking more seriously about my applique quilt. I’m about to go and soak all the yellow background fabrics and the blue fabric from the first block ready to start sometime soon. It will be really nice to have a light quilt on the bed for during the summer months … of course, I’m not saying exactly WHICH summer this will get finished, but hopefully some time before I retire – so I’ve got about 25 years to get it done LOL.
Other than that, I’ve got a real pep in my step today – I love the 6am starts (strangely enough, ‘cos I’m not a morning person), ‘cos I can still do a few chores such as shopping straight from work and still have plenty of time to do a bit more when I get home in daylight … LOVE it! Back to a 10am start tomorrow, though, which is not so good … BUT it’s day 7 of work tomorrow, which means the last one, which means I then have a 4 1/2 day break YIPPEE!!!!!!!! Haha, you can tell I’m definitely more like my ‘old self’ today can’t you? LOL.
And on that note I’m dragging myself off to the bathroom-cum-laundry to get these fabrics washed 😀 Here’s the whole kit and caboodle laid out on my bed … that’s if you can see them on the blue of the duvet cover already on the bed LOL. Seeing as I literally have everything to start this thing, it’s criminal to leave it festering in a box.
A bit of allsorts
A few days ago, during my crisis days, I started to finally start scanning chart covers in readiness for posting on Ebay – however KarenV has a great idea, to start selling via blogging first, and I think I’ll steal that one soon. Even if only a few sell via this method, the rest will get dumped on Ebay for ‘open slather’. Anyway, it might still be a few days away before I get around to scanning them all, as it’s a HUGE task – there’s a lot of rubbish in that pile, but someone may find something they like … and if not, there’s nothing lost.
It’s been an interesting few days recently, that’s for sure – surprisingly enough now that I don’t have spare money to buy groceries etc (only one week left to payday thankfully) I’m actually eating healthier … go figure! Admittedly I’m not eating fresh fruit etc at the moment, but that’s just an interim thing until my funds are OK again, but I’m actually being really conscious of what it is I’m putting in my mouth! I’m planning meals again, and not eating junk because it’s quicker and easier … oh boy, it feels really good 😀 I used the timer on the breadmaker last night for the first time, and woke up to the smell of fresh baked bread this morning – I thought I’d died and gone to heaven! 😀
I’m not really stitching at the moment … I’m halfway through a Christmas ornament that I started at work on Sunday (to try to take my mind off things), but don’t have the motivation to finish it yet – I’ll snap back into stitching mode again this weekend, though, I’m sure. I’m slowly starting to get my energy levels back again … earlier in the week it was taking all my energy just to get up and go to work 😦 Now I’m on day 5 of working days, with only 2 left to go, and starting to get my ‘pep’ back. I spent a lot of the day today like my old self laughing my head off with Lucien – it felt really good to be back to normal at work, that’s for sure!
The other thing I did was to look at re-doing my 101 Things list … I’ve gone through and removed all the pricey items, as it’s just not feasible and realistic – it’ll take me the full 18 months to pay off my new lounge suite, and there’s not much left of the challenge time then, so I’ve found challenging items that are within closer grasp – I have a number of embroidery classes that I’ve signed up for (correspondence classes) that will challenge me as a stitcher that I have all the items for, so it makes more sense to include those as items to complete. While it makes the other items no less worthy, it’s just a simple case of being realistic and getting back to the basics 😀
I’m hitting the hay earlier tonight, though, as I’m now on a 6am shift tomorrow to cover someone who’s off sick, so I only have an hour before I have to be fast asleep. Dinner was some fresh soup from the freezer (Pumpkin and Potato) with fresh baked bread … yummo. So now it’s time to get into ‘unwind mode’ ready to drop off to sleep quickly hopefully.
Yet again I’m far behind on reading blogs, but I hope to remedy that this weekend too … it’s a good job I have 4 days off LOL.
Seeing as there are no stitching piccies to post today, here’s something totally different … if you’re ever in the Adelaide region, and want to visit a good vineyard, I can honestly recommend Hugh Hamilton Wines in the McLaren Vale wine region – they’re a small boutique winery that only sell from the cellar door, but their wines are wonderful (especially the reds – love the Sangiovese mmmmm) … they’re a bit on the pricey side, but oh so worth it.
Back to being normal again
Thanks again for all your love and support over the last few days … I must say today is the first time I’ve laughed properly in a good week at least, and I feel much much better. I was telling my colleague Lucien at work today why I was so upset on Saturday, and said after my car breaking down yet again and with all the stress I had a major headache on Saturday … well I had to take some Nurofen and didn’t have any food to line my stomach with, so I spent part of that last $10 I had before payday on the vending machine ($1.70) after much to-ing and fro-ing with should I, shouldn’t I? … Only to put the money in and have the darned muesli bar stick on the bottom shelf …
Well, today I got the tummy rumbles (probably a good sign too, because my appetite’s been so-so this last week too), and couldn’t sit at my desk with my rice and tuna salad lunch … so seeing as my horse got scratched this morning (typical! but I get my $2 back) I opted to head back to the vending machine and spend another $1.70 for another muesli bar … only to have the same thing happen … it’s stuck in the machine!! Well, I had to drag Lucien out to witness this little phenomenon as I’d just finished telling him the story, and he absolutely killed himself laughing for about 10 minutes!!! I just thought it so ridiculous and unbelievable that I couldn’t help but start laughing as well … let’s just say I WON’T be buying a Lotto ticket this week! 😉
I have to admit, the pressure is off a tiny bit too as I’m now halfway through to the next payday, and my car has been behaving itself which is a major relief. I’ve been leaving the car alarm off, and just locking the door manually with the key, and it’s been starting fine. I’ve just been granted Mon/Tue off work next week, so I’ll take it in to an auto electrician and get them to disconnect the alarm … I just have to find the old Nissan remote, and I’ll be all set to go again just using the built-in disabler etc.
Anyway, all-in-all I’m feeling relieved a bit financially – the car shouldn’t cost much to disconnect (I hope), and with the extra money coming in for working today (plus I’ve also worked two Sundays in a row as well in the same pay week), fingers crossed I’ll be able to survive the next payday OK and get that tax paid etc. It’ll still be tight for a few weeks, but I’m in a better frame of mind to handle it again now, and the horizon doesn’t look as bleak as it previously did 🙂
I’ve got a few long weekends coming up which I’m going to fill with selfish stitching … I have a 4-day weekend this weekend due to getting my car fixed, then a 6pm start on Wed, so that makes it almost a 5-day break – then I’m at work for two nights (Wed/Thu) before having another 4-day weekend, as I’d taken two days off work to fly up to Sydney to see Vicki and Brenda for their birthdays (but of course I can’t go now) … then the following week I get a 3-day break due to my actual roster – gotta be loving that! 😀
Geesh, I can tell I’m back to normal again … I can’t stop waffling!! 😉 I’d better sign off and put this new-found energy to good use and get some dinner cracking … Thanks again for putting up with me, and offering those shoulders and comments of support, the last few days – it’s meant a lot, and helped me to keep my head above water 😀 {{hugs}}
Feather Stitching 
