Anne S

Bent Creek, Cross Stitch, Finishes, Summer Snapperland

Summer Snapperland – finally finito!

21 November, 20106 April, 2014 Anne S

After waiting for 9 months to finally receive the little buttons needed to finish off Bent Creek’s Summer Snapperland, I then kept forgetting to blow off the dust and put the finishing touches into this little beauty. I finally pulled my finger out today and stitched on the 4 little sand-dollar and seashell buttons and this piece is now finish-finished. I’m totally thrilled with this piece – I adore the fabric I chose (a hand-dyed lugana), and the colours of the project itself … it won’t be long before I get this one framed, I think, after Christmas 😀

Cross Stitch, Finishes, Great Pumpkin Challenge 2010, Halloween, Just Nan

More Just Nan finishes

21 November, 20106 April, 2014 Anne S

I managed to get a whole heap of stitching done yesterday – I put the finishing touches into Scream Girls, then started and finished Pretty Wicked, also by Just Nan.

“Scream Girls” by Just Nan
stitched on 32ct hand-dyed Belfast linen by Countrystitch – Kiwi Illusions colour ‘Pipi’
with recommended DMC threads

“Pretty Wicked!” by Just Nan
stitched on 32ct hand-dyed Belfast linen by Countrystitch – Kiwi Illusions colour ‘Butterfly Dance’
stitched with recommended DMC threads

This afternoon I intend having another lazy afternoon stitching, as I’m still trying to catch up on a month’s TV viewing from when I was on holidays – hopefully by the end of today I’ll be relatively caught up!

And while I’m catching up, I just may pick up one of my old WIPs to try and get one finished (only only has buttons left to be sewn onto it!)

Food, Photo Hunt, PhotoHunt

Photo Hunt – Juicy

21 November, 201025 February, 2012 Anne S

PhotoHunt | PhotoHunt

This week’s theme is ”Juicy” and here are some juicy limes and figs – those juicy figs make me salivate every time I see them!

Cross Stitch, Heartstrings, Just Nan, Works in Progress

As slow as a wet week …

19 November, 201025 February, 2012 Anne S

That’s how my stitching has been going this week … very VERY slowly. Last weekend I only had a couple of hours stitching left on Scream Girls, and it STILL isn’t finished an entire working week later … pffft! Oh well, it’s the weekend, and I just cashed in some “time off work” certificates so I could leave an hour earlier than usual, so it’s time for some self-indulgent time spent in the lounge with stitching in one hand, and a glass of sparkling Shiraz in the other, and some not-necessarily-quality TV on the gogglebox 😛

The piece being worked on tonight, though, won’t be Scream Girls just yet, as I’m still working on Bittersweet Season as my lounge stitching project … by the time I finish this pumpkin my threads just may have arrived hahaha 😛 (Sorry about the fuzziness of the photo, in particular with the bottom section … and that’s even BEFORE the sparkling Shiraz!!)

Cross Stitch, Exchanges, Needlerolls, Photo Hunt, PhotoHunt, Travel - New Zealand

Photo Hunt – Stripes (9 October)

18 November, 201025 February, 2012 Anne S

PhotoHunt | PhotoHunt

The theme on 9 October was ”Stripes” and here are some stripes on the skirts of a Maori cultural group in Rotorua, New Zealand. The Maori name for the skirt is “piupiu”, and it is a traditional item of clothing made from flax leaves. I love the swishing sound it makes when it swirls and the dried flax hit each other. If you want to see some traditional piupiu, you can find some here on the Te Papa Museum website.

And in keeping with trying to find stitching/needlework examples of the weekly themes, here is the unmade needleroll that I stitched for an exchange years ago – it was a self-made design by using some elements from other designs and making some parts up … I was quite pleased with the end result.

Cross Stitch, Entertainment & Activities, Mirabilia, Photo Hunt, PhotoHunt, Winter Queen

Photo Hunt – Sparkle(s) (5 June)

17 November, 201025 February, 2012 Anne S

PhotoHunt | PhotoHunt

On 5 June the theme was ”Sparkle(s)” and this ‘lady’ sure was covered in them!! He/she was part of the evening’s entertainment at a work Christmas party that had a “Carnival” theme.

Then of course there is always those lovely stitching projects that have lots of sparkly beads and metallic braids offering extra sparkle 🙂

Beaches, Photo Hunt, PhotoHunt

Photo Hunt – Natural (25 September)

16 November, 201025 February, 2012 Anne S

PhotoHunt | PhotoHunt

The theme on 25 September was ”Natural” and here is a natural still-life or two just sitting around on a local beach waiting to be photographed.

Food, Heartstrings, Home & Family TO BE FIXED, Photo Hunt, PhotoHunt, Uncategorized

Photo Hunt – Half (15 May)

15 November, 201025 February, 2012 Anne S

PhotoHunt | PhotoHunt

The theme for 15 May was ”Half” and here are a couple of crayfish cut in half and baking in the oven. The dreadful thing is that there were only three of us for dinner, so we got an extra half to share (and mostly for the chef, me – yummo! 😀 I think this is my favourite way to cook crayfish (lobsters to you, up north), however at $50 each crayfish it’s definitely a real “treat” once in a decade! 😛

Then of course there is the Half a pumpkin that I’m still working on in the lounge … it’s almost growing at the same rate as a real pumpkin, very very slowly. Fingers crossed my threads arrive this year so I can get it finished sooner rather than later!

Cross Stitch, Forget-Me-Nots in Stitches, Photo Hunt, PhotoHunt, Uncategorized

Photo Hunt – Miniature (16 October)

14 November, 201025 February, 2012 Anne S

PhotoHunt | PhotoHunt

The theme for 16 October was ”Miniature” and here’s one of the smallest pieces of stitching I’ve completed – and most definitely the smallest I’ve ever had framed (and the smallest the framer had ever completed, they found it quite a challenge!). The stitching is just over an inch tall and just under 2 inches wide 🙂 (The bottom photo is the closest to the actual colour of the fabric etc.)

Friends & Family, Home & Family TO BE FIXED, Photo Hunt, PhotoHunt

Photo Hunt – Mother/Mum (8 May)

14 November, 201025 February, 2012 Anne S

PhotoHunt | PhotoHunt

The theme on 8 May was ”Mother/Mum” and for a change here’s a photo of my Mum’s Mum – Nannan herself. The photo was taken in June 1956.

And if that’s not enough, here’s a photo of my own dear Mum in her younger days 🙂 Unfortunately I don’t know how old Mum was in this photo – can you help me out with this one Mum??