Oh my goodness, how can it NOT be added? Love, love, LOVE it!!! 😀
Mallard Duck Collage by Laura J Perin
Month: October 2008
Photo Hunt – Family
PhotoHuntThis week’s theme is “Family” so here’s a photo of my own family – Mum and Dad, and my best male friend Frazier in the middle (this was from Dad’s 70th birthday party back home in Auckland … with the lovely backdrop of our lemon tree – geez I miss that lemon tree!):
Here is another one of part of my ‘extended’ family – this is Mum with Auntie Margaret, and in the front is (the late) Grandy … this is my best friend’s Grandmother who adopted me as her own granddaughter growing up. Even though I didn’t grow up in the arms of my own flesh and blood down under, we have adopted family that have more than made up for it … thanks to the Seagers and Smiths for being more of a family than we could have wished for! 😀
This is the ‘other side’ of my family … the loopy side, that thank goodness I don’t take after!! OK, well, maybe sometimes … sorry Mum and Dad, I couldn’t resist it!!! It’s a good job they don’t know how to upload photos, or they’d have their own ammunition against me, but unfortunately I can’t find any right now LOLOL.
Darn those migraines!
Been chewing Nurofen Migraine tablets today, and have to say they do nothing … will stick to normal Nurofen in the future! My headache has gradually continued to get worse throughout the day, so I opted to call it a day at 2.45pm while I could still drive OK … not even the arrival of my SB&B stash-fest order could cheer me up ho-hum. I did, however, manage to hunt through the latest JCS Xmas ornie magazine and work out which ornies I’d like to stitch. My favourites, along with a couple of ‘maybe’ ornies are as follows:
Pages 10-11:
Definite – Cherished Stitches; The Sweetheart Tree
Maybe – Legacy Designs; Blackbird Designs
Pages 12-13:
Definite – Casey Buonaugurio XS Designs; CCN; Primrose Needleworks
Pages 14-15:
Definite – Prairie Schooler
Maybe – The Victoria Sampler; Julia Lucas Designs
Pages 16-17:
Definite – Full Circle Designs; Cindy Valentine Designs
Maybe – DebBee’s Designs; Glory Bee
Pages 18-19:
Definite – Sue Hillis Designs; The Workbasket
Maybe – Ink Circles
Pages 20-21:
Definite – Wildflower Stitchery & More
Pages 22-23:
Definite – My Mark
Pages 24-25:
Definite – Loopy Lou Designs
Maybe – Patricia Ann Designs; Rosewood Manor
Pages 26-27:
Definite – Charland Designs; Dragon Dreams
Pages 28-29:
Definite – The Cat’s Whiskers Design Studio; Kitty & Me Designs
Maybe – Erica Michaels
Wow, not all that many that have bowled me over and made me ‘itchin to stitch’ … maybe I’ll review the issue again when I’m feeling a bit perkier.
I’ll take a photo of the entire stash-fest later … most of it you’ve already seen, but I had a few MH Treasures and AVAS silks thrown in for good measure … very lovely 🙂
Now it’s time to get off the computer again and rest for the arvo before this migraine settles in for good for the night! Guess there’s no stitching for me again tonight! 😦
Rotation, rotation, rotation
I must say I’m quite excited about my rotation starting – I think I’ve been missing having some ‘organisation’ in my stitching … and I’m quite motivated about it, which is good. I’ve been timing my stitching on Home Sweet Home as my “free choice” project for this rotation … I’ll be so close to getting it finished during the next 4 hours of stitching I’ll probably just keep going if it takes me a bit longer than the allocated 10 hours.
I got a reasonable bit of stitching done on Tuesday, but that was while fighting off a brewing migraine so my stitching was pretty slow, and not as much to show for 6 hours as I would show normally … yesterday, however, not a stitch was done as I woke up to a full-blown migraine that had my flatmate very concerned when she saw me, and myself very fed up when I was heaving up into the toilet bowl … geez I hate migraines that are so bad they make me throw up! Needless to say I just spent the day snoozing and resting and definitely not stitching or playing on the computer.
Today, though, I’m most surprised to see a little red button at the top of the WordPress dashboard – and when I hover my mouse over it it says “add a poll” … when did that little beauty appear? That’s been one of my whines about WP vs Blogger … of course I haven’t tested it yet, so I’m just going to have to test it here to see what it looks like! 🙂
Hmmm, somewhat pretty! I like how you can choose from 19 different layouts … of course I HAD to go with the only blue one!! LOL.
And on that note, it’s time to jump in the shower and head to work … I hate to think what’s waiting there for me after 2 days off ho-hum 😦
Past the halfway mark now
The construction workers have completed the building work, and the landscapers need to finish the rose plantings, then there’s just the rest of the road signage to be completed … and even with all that pink I’m still enjoying stitching this one 🙂
WIP’s and UFO’s
This is especially for Kathy of the Blig Blog … here are photos of the current state of all my UFO’s (I could pretend that they were WIP’s but seeing as the majority haven’t seen a stitch put into them in over 12 months, 95% would definitely be deemed as UFO status!):
Macaw -&- Beaded Fish
Egyptian Garden Mandala -&- English Garden Sampler
Le Jardin Silk Sampler -&- Flight of the Bumblebees
Noah’s Ark -&- Winter Queen
In the Dark Needleroll -&- Love & Affection
Wildflowers Needleroll -&- Apricot Elegance
Monica Hunt Hussif -&- Classical Garden Bookmark
Nature’s Resting Place -&- Wool Beehive Needlebook
Oriental Poppy -&- Summer Fruits Pincushion
Pomegranates & Beetle – Martha Schmidt Hussif
Stumpwork Needlework Accessories
Goldwork Pea -&- Wool hot water bottle cover
Honesty & Heartsease -&- Bullion Rose Facecloth
Long stitch frogs -&- Butterflies & Hearts Needleroll
Stumpwork Dragonfly
Berry Delightful Bag -&- Mediterranean Village XS
Vicki’s Cot Quilt
Stitching Leporello isn’t included in the photos, as I’ve been stitching a complete section each time, so no individual section is in progress at the moment. And I can’t put my hands to either a photo or the actual project of GCC Ornamental Delights, so I guess that one won’t be getting stitched in a hurry haha.
Very sad that some of these projects are over halfway and never finished, however there are many there that are barely started … I’m sorely tempted to just unpick the bullion rose facecloth, for example, as I don’t know if I truly ever want to finish it, the same with a couple more projects in there … will see how I feel after one more stitching session on them, I guess, before I make the ultimate decision to turf out. It’s funny when you look back through the photos and remember why you stopped working on them … for example the Lorri Birmingham Butterflies & Hearts needleroll, I really hated the colours used, as I felt the wording etc just faded into the background, so no doubt that whole piece will be unpicked and started again from scratch with my choice of threads 🙂
I’ve already gone out and pulled numbers out of the hat for the first round, and highlighted the text in bold in the main list in the previous post … and I’m really looking forward to starting my rotation – I just want to finish my current piece first … although I guess I could just choose to start at the “free choice” slot and start counting my hours, that way I can continue with my current project and be starting my actual rotation at the same time – ooh, I like it when a plan comes together!!! 😀
That means my new current rotation is as follows:
- Focus Piece: CA Wells class projects
- Medium/Large: Lavenderblue Celtic Knot Quilt – From Nancy’s Needle
- WIP’s/UFO’s: Berry Delightful Bag
- Focus Piece: CA Wells class projects
- Small/Medium: Jumpin’ Jelly Beans – DKT Originals (freebie)
- Large/BAP’s: Egyptian Garden Mandala
- Focus Piece: CA Wells class projects
- Christmas Ornaments
- Finishing
- Free Choice
Project Listings for Rotation
OK, here goes the first draft, with more to be added later after I unpack two more boxes … plus I have a number of newer projects that I want to add to the list, although they’re not actually kitted up yet (such as the soon-to-arrive Prairie Schooler charts, and various LHN kits and charts). Perhaps I should wait until I actually stitch a few things before I add more … hmmm …
SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED PROJECTS
- January Sampler Accent – Periwinkle Promises
- 20 Flowers – Just Nan
- Angel Collector – Dimensions kit
- * Jumpin’ Jelly Beans – DKT Originals *
- High Hopes – Just Nan
- Mermaid Heart – Just Nan
- Ghastly Ghostly Ghouls – Just Nan
- Petit Ange (freebie: aurelle.over-blog.com)
- Poissons Bleus (freebie: silepointcompte)
- Aegean Twilight Small Sampler (freebie)
- French Garden – Drawn Thread
- Alphabet Tree (freebie) – Blue Ribbon Designs
- Snowflakes in Abundance – Sweetheart Tree
- Quaker Heart (freebie) – Janice Wood
- Quaker Hedgehog (freebie) – The Workbasket
- Treasured Holidays Sampler – Mill Hill
- Teenie Hardanger III – Sweetheart Tree
- Friendship in all Seasons – The Trilogy
- Proud Peacock (freebie: Stitching Parlour)
- Raphael’s Raspberries – FMNIS
- Winter in the Square – Just Nan
- Autumn in the Square – Just Nan
- Quaker Swan Case – Fancy Work
- Minute Spot – Drawn Thread
- Sweet Valentines – Sweetheart Tree
- Schwalm Whitework Pinkeep – Moss Creek
- Lavender Sachet – The Victoria Sampler
- Exercice de Flora (freebie: Couleur d’Etoile)
- Tiny Little Quaker (freebie) – Papillon Creations
- Boo Scissors Keeper & Purse – Drawn Thread
- Summer Grace – Calico Crossroads
- Wildflowers Needleroll – Sweetheart Tree
- In the Dark Needleroll – Designs by Lena Rose
- Topiary tree garden Bookmark
- Star Spangled Scissor Finder – Calico Crossroads
- Seashore Fob – Sweetheart Tree
- Just Ducky Fob – Sweetheart Tree
- Bee Keeper – Cindy Valentine
- Sunflower Sampler – CCN
- What a Hoot! – The Cat’s Whiskers
- Cherry Hill – CCN
- Rainbow Lorikeet (baby) – DMC
- Dragonfly Scissor Purse – Just Nan
- Is it too late? – Lizzie*Kate
- A Good Night – Lizzie*Kate
- Here Comes Santa Claus – Lizzie*Kate
- My Favourite Time – Lizzie*Kate
- Ready or Not – Lizzie*Kate
- Wanted! – Lizzie*Kate
- International Hearts – NZ – Victoria Sampler
- International Hearts – Ireland – Victoria Sampler
- Ladybug, Ladybug – LHN
- Quaker Flowers emery – Anita Diamond
- Merry Little Christmas – Drawn Thread
- Joyeux Noel – Drawn Thread
MEDIUM TO LARGE SIZED PROJECTS
- Blessed with Happiness Box – Cat’s Whiskers
- Christmas Workshop – Just Nan
- Quaker Huswif – Sampler Cove
- Acorn Sampler learning band – Drawn Thread
- Here Comes Santa Claus (2005 Ltd Ed) – Prairie Schooler
- Sapphire Star – Laura J Perin
- Autumn Arbor – Drawn Thread
- My Treasures Workstation – Judy Odell
- Lisianthus Accessory Pocket – Periwinkle Promises
- Acorn Needle Book – Periwinkle Promises
- Silk Pulled Thread Stitchery – Moss Creek
- Tiger Reflection – Dimensions
- A Secret Garden Needlebook – FMNIS
- * Lavenderblue Celtic Knot Quilt – From Nancy’s Needle *
- Treasured Christmas Trees – Mill Hill
- Strawberries & Cream – FMNIS
- Lavender Rose Sewing Case – Fancy Work
- Three Friends – Drawn Thread
- Summer Arbor – Drawn Thread
- Folding Cross Needlebook – Indigo Rose
- Trick or Treat Box – Just Nan
- Strawberries So Faire – With My Needle
- Onyx (Blackwork Blessings) – Paw Printings
- Red Lace Sewing Case – Drawn Thread
- Crimson Fire Sampler – The Victoria Sampler
- Apricot Elegance – Cindy Valentine
- Nature’s Resting Place – Stoney Creek
- Summer Snapperland – Bent Creek
- Winter Snapperland – Bent Creek
- Ete en Grece – Cousines et Compagnie
- Max’s Moon – Cross My Heart
- Walk the Gentle Path – Cross ‘n Patch
- A Little Blackwork – Drawn Thread
- Spot of Autumn, Winter, Summer & Spring – Drawn Thread
- Revival – Inspirations magazine
- Nine Lives – Inspirations magazine
- GCC Beginners Hardanger class
- GCC Gracie Stumpwork class
- Lily Pond – Just Nan
- When Barnabee Met Bella – Just Nan
- Needle Nick – Lizzie*Kate
- Terri’s Needlecase – Lorri Birmingham
- Renaissance Lace – Victoria Sampler
- Frightful – Just Nan
- Witchy Way – Just Nan
- Be Scary – Just Nan
- Dear Diary Hannah Purington – LHN
- Halloween Fairy – Mirabilia
- A is for Annabelle – Mirabilia
- Dragonfly Jewels – The Cat’s Whiskers
LARGE AND BAP SIZED PROJECTS
- Angel of Love – L&L
- Barnabee’s Quest – Just Nan
- Golden Garden Sweet Bag – FMNIS
- Macaw – Ross Originals
- 4 Wishes – Just Nan
- Rainbow Lorikeets – Ross Originals
- Moonlight Guardian – Dragon Dreams
- Koi Pond – Laura J Perin
- Stitching Leporello – Chatelaine
- * Egyptian Garden Mandala – Chatelaine *
- Le Jardin Silk Sampler – JCS
- Flight of the Bumblebees – Ruth Schmuff
- English Garden Sampler – Teresa Wentzler
- Noah’s Ark – Teresa Wentzler
- Winter Queen – Mirabilia
- Mermaid Bag – CA Wells
- Acorn Etui – CA Wells
- Pyramid Etui – CA Wells
- Cottage Etui – CA Wells
- Sailor’s Valentine – CA Wells
- Enchanted Mermaid – Mirabilia
- Crystal Christmas – Mirabilia
- Green Tree Frogs – Country Threads
- Rainbow Lorikeets – Country Threads
- Great Cats – Dimensions Gold
- Rex – Dimples Designs
- Snickerdoodle – Dimples Designs
- Wee Beasties – Dimples Designs
- Polynesian Paradise – Jen’s Jems
- Frangipani – Just Jude
- Hibiscus – Just Jude
- Siberian Tiger – Kustom Krafts
- Water Tiger – Kustom Krafts
- Celtic Spring – L&L
- Angel Proclamation – Mirabilia
- Magical Night – Teresa Wentzler
- Egyptian Sampler – Teresa Wentzler
- Lady of Shalott – Teresa Wentzler
- Frankincense – Victoria Sampler
- Myrrh – Victoria Sampler
- Quaker Samplings – With My Needle
WIP’s & UFO’s:
- Macaw – Ross Originals
- Beaded fish (class project)
- Stitching Leporello – Chatelaine
- Egyptian Garden Mandala – Chatelaine
- Le Jardin Silk Sampler – JCS
- Flight of the Bumblebees – Ruth Schmuff
- English Garden Sampler – Teresa Wentzler
- Noah’s Ark – Teresa Wentzler
- Winter Queen – Mirabilia
- Pyramid Etui – CA Wells
- Cottage Etui – CA Wells
- Sailor’s Valentine – CA Wells
- In the Dark Needleroll – Designs by Lena Rose
- Wildflowers Needleroll – Sweetheart Tree
- Apricot Elegance – Cindy Valentine
- Cream hearts square – JBW Designs
- Monica Hunt hussif
- Topiary tree garden Bookmark
- Nature’s Resting Place – Stoney Creek
- Oriental Poppy – Jane Nicholas
- Summer fruits pincushion – Inspirations magazine
- Wool beehive needlebook – E&XS magazine
- Stumpwork needlework accessory – pincushion wheel
- Pomegranates & Beetle – Jane Nicholas
- Martha Schmidt hussif
- Stumpwork needlework accessory – scissor keeper
- GCC Ornamental Delights
- Mediterranean village scene XS
- Dragonfly – Jane Nicholas
- Stumpwork needlework accessory – needlebook
- Goldwork Pea (class project)
- Stumpwork needlework accessory – bag
- Stumpwork needlework accessory – thimble pip
- Wool hot water bottle cover
- Honesty and Heartsease – Jane Nicholas
- Long stitch frogs
- Butterflies & Hearts needleroll – Lorri Birmingham
- Bullion rose facecloth
- * Berry Delightful Bag *
- Vicki’s Cot Quilt
Let the fun begin … 😀
Thoughts of a Rotation
I used to follow a stitching rotation and loved it immensely, but it fell by the wayside when I started housesitting last year and I became somewhat of a one-at-a-time stitcher. I don’t feel I’ve achieved as much stitching as I have in the past, and wonder if getting back into a formal rotation will help. I’ve been considering this for some time now (since my mojo kept disappearing), and Nicki published a recent post that has helped to spur me into action.
Following are my thoughts on my new rotation …
Half of my trouble is that I can’t decide what to stitch next as so many wonderful, awesome projects are all screaming at me at the same time, so following Nicki’s ideas, I decided to split my kitted-up projects into groups … then I’m using my old “UFO” method to decide what to stitch next – I used to have a numerical list of all my UnFinished Objects, then on Tuesday nights I’d draw a numbered tiddlywink counter/disc out of a pot, and whatever project matched the number on the plastic disc would get my attention for the evening. This worked perfectly for those projects that I truly disliked, but one night was enough to get some progress happening … some projects would only get one length of thread stitched, but eventually those UFO’s on the list started getting whittled down in numbers.
Anyway, I thought I’d keep a numbered list within each of my groups of projects, and randomly draw a number out of my tiddlywink counters/discs whenever I need a new project to start … and I’ve kept a “Free Choice” slot for those occasions when I just HAVE to stitch something in particular and can’t wait for its number to be drawn.
Here’s the new rotation, all designed to be for 10-hour slots:
-
Focus Piece
-
Medium to Large
-
WIP’s & UFO’s
-
Focus Piece
-
Small to Medium
-
Large & BAP’s
-
Focus Piece
-
Christmas Ornaments
-
Finishing
-
Free Choice
As for what projects are on the list, I’ll post a separate post of all those little goodies in the groups, as at the moment it’s a “work in progress” while I find them all! I may end up publishing it, then adding as I find more …
Home again, home again, jiggity-jig
What a wonderful, wonderful weekend away I’ve had … this is probably the first ‘real’ girlie weekend I’ve had away – just me, Brenda and Kerrie, and another lady called Rhonda. Kerrie and her husband own a 2-bdrm unit up in Toowoon Bay, and it’s a beautiful setting up there.
On Friday night we sat and had a drink and nibbles before sitting down properly to have tacos for dinner – then eventually Rhonda faded at about 10 or 11pm, and the rest of us chatted until 1.30am … assisted by a few drinks.
Saturday saw us having a relatively early start to the day, and we wandered down to the beach to the Surf Lifesaving Club Cafe where we had breakfast. After a yummy start to the day of bacon and eggs and coffee we headed back to the unit where Rhonda picked up her beach gear and headed back to soak up the sun that had just started to appear from behind the clouds, while the rest of us went and wandered around the two small shops where I bought part of Brenda’s birthday present plus a couple of bleached starfish. Afterwards we headed off to meet Rhonda on the beach where we lay like beached whales for an hour or two, then Brenda and Kerrie headed off to visit Kerrie’s Dad. I continued to blob out on the beach for another hour until the thunderclaps overhead started getting a bit close for comfort!!
Saturday night we took our food over to the local park and heated up a BBQ for dinner … washed down with yet more wine (we’d already been on the cocktails at about 4pm haha) … it was a wonderfully social day, but I to admit we were all knackered by 9pm and hit the pillows early.
I woke up at 7am this morning and lay in bed for 3 whole lazy hours to finish the book I’d taken with me, while Brenda and Kerrie chatted their heads off in the bedroom. The rest of the morning was finished off by a sort walk around the local streets (but Rhonda left us and went straight to the beach), then walked back up the beach … I managed to saturate my 3/4 pants by going into the ocean over my knees and paddling up the beach … it was awesome!! We ended up at the Surf Lifesaving Club again for lunch where we spent the next two hours just chatting and watching the world go by …
I haven’t been that relaxed in absolutely ages – it was an awesome weekend away … and just what the doctor ordered after a relatively stressful week at work. I didn’t put a single stitch into my stitching, even though I took it with me, but I’m thrilled to finally get my book finished (I’ve been picking it up every now and then since December last year) … it was a great book, that I really enjoyed immensely (Tami Hoag’s Ashes to Ashes). I really should get back into the audiobooks again, I really love reading, and I haven’t done any for so long …
Anyway, time to go start thinking about getting dinner ready, and getting my work clothes ready for tomorrow … or maybe doing a bit of stitching … I’m so relaxed I don’t feel like doing chores, so perhaps stitcing will win out … 😀
Photo Hunt – Lazy
This week’s theme is “Lazy” and these are this week’s choices for me …
We have Dad being Lazy on a quiet beach in Fiji:
Then we have our old cat Rio (no longer with us) being Lazy in Auckland:
And this guy just makes me think “Lazy and relaxed” – one of the artworks/sculptures on display at the Enchanted Maze Gardens on the Mornington Peninsula, Melbourne:
Feather Stitching 