Anne S

Local prices

30 August, 201025 February, 2012 Anne S

I just happened to follow a link this morning to a ONS here in Australia. As a matter of interest I jumped into the area for Shepherd’s Bush kits, and got a nasty surprise. In the past I’ve always tried to spend part of my stitching money each year in local stores – but when money’s tight, I just can’t justify the price difference with items such as this. I thought it would be interesting to compare … so here’s a little comparison of SB Needlerolls:

Here in Australia (only one store, mind you,
but I’ve seen them for sale for over $40 in another store!!):

Over there in SB’s home, in the USA:

Considering the exchange rate:

AU$37.90 = US$34.17
or US$30.74 sale price!!

Is it any wonder we sometimes look offshore for our supplies? Even if you throw in US$12 postage prices, you’re still ahead, especially when you bulk buy a few items at a time. I will still continue to buy some items locally, but if I had to pay these sorts of prices all the time I’d have to give up stitching pretty darn quickly!

And on that note, I’d better hurry up and get dressed so I can earn my day’s pay that allows me to continue stitching…

Cross Stitch, Flowers Trees & Gardens, Paris, Quaker, Scenic Sunday, Travel - France, Works in Progress

Sunday stitching & Scenic Sunday

29 August, 201025 February, 2012 Anne S

No housework or excitement here today – just my little size 28 tapestry needle, Vikki Clayton premium silk floss, and Season 1 of ER on DVD … can you say “happy as a pig in mud?” 😛

Not a great deal of stitching done, but it’s still one step closer to an actual finish. With any luck I’ll be finished with this one by the end of next weekend, and then soon afterwards my missing threads will have arrived so I can go back to picking up some of my older WIPs once again (although the urge to stitch a million new things is still around!) 😀

And I’ll finish with something I haven’t done regularly for a while … here is my choice for this week’s Scenic Sunday – a Parisian garden.

Home & Family TO BE FIXED

Busy and productive morning

28 August, 201025 February, 2012 Anne S

Today I was up bright and early getting my paperwork ready for a trip to the RTA (Road Transport Authority) … armed with a screwdriver (for my licence plates) and my various bits and pieces I trundled off to arrange the transfer of my car registration. $300 later and I am the ‘proud owner’ (perhaps “relieved” would be a better choice of words!) of some ugly yellow NSW number plates, and a 12-month car registration. Hopefully now there will be no further stress (car-wise anyway) for the next 12 months!

Next up was a trip to the ‘PC doctor’ for my laptop. I have finally bitten the bullet to get a quote on how much it will cost to get it fixed – if it means an entire new hard drive etc, then I won’t bother paying to get it fixed, and I need to start saving up for another one … but I guess I need to know what’s wrong with it before I start making judgements. I’m currently not reading many blogs (and haven’t truthfully for months now) because I spend most of the evenings in the lounge with Katie, and my PC is in my bedroom – by the time I come back into my room it’s too late to start blog surfing. Oh well, fingers crossed it’s only something minor, ‘cos I’d dearly love to have it with me in NZ in October.

The next thing I did was to finally replace my laundry hamper which died a horrible death two months ago … gone now are the days of shoving my dirty laundry into bags, or leaving it piled up all over the floor … thanks to the local Bunnings store, I now have a relatively cheap sturdy hamper once again – yippee!!

The final thing I managed to tick off my list today was to finally phone up the TiVo service man. I bought a 2nd TiVo a few months ago at a price that just couldn’t be turned down (a special direct from TiVo for existing owners) – well, but the darned thing hasn’t worked ever since I bought it … I’ve been trying to get it fixed via the Support emails, but have had no luck whatsoever. Today I finally got on the phone and spoke to a real live person and he agrees with me what the problem is, and he’s escalated the issue so hopefully now I can get the unit replaced and have a fully functioning TiVo, which would be awesome ‘cos at the moment it’s a glorified ornament sitting by the TV!!!

And that’s all that my exciting day has unfolded today … this afternoon I intend to be semi-slothful after I’ve done my laundry for the week – the plan is to brew a coffee, and polish off the rest of the leftover cake that my boss bought me yesterday for my 10 year anniversary at work (the one in the picture – an Orange Poppyseed cake from Christopher’s Cakes yummo), then I’m going to settle into my bedroom with my fabric stash and kit up a few Christmas ornaments that I want to stitch for family this year. Tonight I need to get cracking on my autumn exchange piece that is due for posting in 2 weeks time – it’s almost kitted up, and ready to be started tonight, although I found that I’m missing a few threads so I think a Spotlight trip will have to be in order next week if they don’t turn up before then!

I forgot the exciting news too – missing threads and (finally!!!) my border packs for Summer and Winter Snapperlands are on their way in the post (at least they will be very very shortly). I haven’t had a chance to get to the PO Box this week, so that’ll be an awesome treat arriving in another week or two … it’ll be really great to get some of those WIPs that have been pushed to one side because they’re waiting for missing threads and/or embellishments. That means there should be some more finishes coming ‘shortly’ aftwerwards – Halloween Fairy, Sapphire Star and Summer Snapperland … woohoo! 😀

Tonight I’ll be stitching on either my Quaker Huswif or a little bit more of my Gracie stumpwork … depending whether I end up stitching in my room or the lounge … ah decisions, decisions 😛

Chinese Garden of Friendship, Cross Stitch, Flowers Trees & Gardens, Framing, Photo Hunt, PhotoHunt, Sydney

Photo Hunt – Framed

28 August, 201025 February, 2012 Anne S

PhotoHunt | PhotoHunt

This week’s theme is ”Framed” – this is the view through a ‘window’ in the Chinese Garden of Friendship, Darling Harbour, Sydney, providing a natural framed view.

And here are some Framed photos that are stitching-related, from my very first attempt at making my own frames and framing my own work.

Home & Family TO BE FIXED

My life is a Mastercard advert

26 August, 201025 February, 2012 Anne S

>>> Blue Slip (roadworthy test) – $150

>>> CTP Green Slip – $500

>>> Panelbeating repair quote for my car – $2000

>>> The heart attack I got when I found I’ve been driving around uninsured for 12 months … PRICELESS !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yessirree, today has so NOT been the best day of my life!!! As I mentioned in a previous post my car registration is due for renewal in 2 whole days time. This week I’ve had my car booked in for a Blue Slip check – which it passed, thankfully – the blue slip itself is apparently approx $53 … the mechanic just had to replace one headlight globe and sand back the engine number so it is “highlighted clearly” … and my bill came to $153, which he kindly (choke) knocked back to $150. Seriously, $100 to change a bloody lightbulb and some some light sanding I could’ve done myself. But hey, at least I don’t have tyres etc that need to be replaced, so I guess it could have been worse!!

Anyway, I had a small mishap in our staff car park last year, and just kept forgetting to arrange to get the panelbeating done … just putting off doing anything to that stupid car, because I’d only recently spent a thousand dollars getting tyres etc at my last service, and quite frankly I just couldn’t be bothered dealing with it … well, it serves me right, really … I figured this morning I’m going to all the trouble getting all this car stuff sorted out with swapping over interstate licence plates etc, I really should get the car body sorted out, so I called up my insurance company, and that’s when the entire day went pear-shaped …

It turns out not only had the stupid company not updated my address details with my Sydney information that I requested 2 1/2 years ago (!!), but they’d also not even got my previous street address correct in Melbourne either! The company I was with was bought out by Allianz and a letter was sent out to policy holders last September that they had by “x” date to let them know they wanted to continue with their policies. Of course I never received anything, so I wasn’t aware, and my policy has always been on an automatic renewal and direct-debited from my bank monthly, and I hadn’t noticed that the payments were no longer coming out of the account … Apparently they were sitting waiting for me to contact them when they got a “return to sender” advice … they couldn’t actually get on the phone and call my mobile number … oh no … not the mobile number that hasn’t changed for 7 whole years!!!! Oh no, they couldn’t do that (and I soooo wish I had thought about that when I was talking to the patronising sod on the phone this morning, when she kept demanding to know who I spoke to, and at what time/date did I call 2 1/2 years ago … seriously!!!!). If I ever EVER need an insurance policy ever again, C…G…U… will NOT be getting a red cent of mine ever again, that’s for sure!!

So, not only do I all of a sudden find out that I am driving an uninsured vehicle, Allianz can’t start up a new policy for me because I have now been uninsured for 12 months and they can’t touch me with a bargepole. I then called yet another insurance company who told me the same thing, and especially because I have some body damage they wouldn’t insure me either. Let’s just say it’s been a tad stressful … especially after getting a panelbeating quote of $2000 to fix up the side of my car – but hey, if I pay him $2000 CASH he’ll actually spruce up the roof paint job as well (which is dreadful) … and I was told by the Financial Ombudsman that I was referred to for advice, that I would have to pay for this before I can get insured.

One suggestion the panelbeaters gave me was to check out third party insurance to see if I could at least get that for the timebeing until I got my repairs done … so just before I left the office for the night I jumped online and I tried a different insurance provider, and the workflow actually let me continue through to issuing a policy – it’s $950 for the year, but at least I can pay monthly instalments and I know I’m insured with a full comprehensive insurance which is great for my peace of mind, ‘cos I was freaking out about having to drive home uninsured (even though I’ve been doing it unawares for 12 months now anyway!).

I actually changed my mind about how to pay for it during the workflow, and the online system didn’t let me go back to change it, so I gave them a quick phone call. The lady on the phone was really helpful, and I ended up paying for my CTP Green Slip (mandatory in NSW for car registrations) at the same time, so there went another $500 – at least it saved me doing it online when I got home tonight. I just have to make a trip out to Eastgardens shopping centre tomorrow to pick up a hard copy of the CTP Green Slip, then on Saturday morning I have to take all my various bits of paperwork to the RTA, along with my VIC licence plates, and my wallet for the next round of bills (actual car registration costs plus licence plates) …

Thank goodness I don’t have to go through all this again for another 12 months … and all that cost and grief for a car that now has a market value of $3100-$3500 {{{sigh}}}. In some ways it’s almost not worth paying the $2000 repair costs, and just buying a new smaller cheap car! 😦

And on that note I think I’m going to head off and make a stiff drink ‘cos my brain now hurts!!!

Food, recipes

Coconut Biscuits (aka Cookies)

25 August, 201025 February, 2012 Anne S

Seeing as it’s been requested, I’m happy to give you the recipe for Coconut Biscuits/Cookies – I have to say, though, the coconut flavour is very light, and I wasn’t entirely thrilled with how dry the mixture was when mixing, so I added a teensy bit of milk to the mixture to help it stick together. They tasted OK, though, and my work colleagues didn’t complain. I personally think, though, that the Honey Coconut Biscuits/Cookies that I’ve made previously are nicer, so I’ll give you that recipe as well (I’ll be making those this weekend to take into work on Monday).

CRISP COCONUT BISCUITS/COOKIES

125g (4oz) butter
1 cup castor sugar
1 egg
2 cups self-raising flour
pinch of salt
1 cup coconut
extra sugar

Cream butter and sugar, beat in egg, add sifted flour, salt and coconut. Roll into balls and press flat between hands. Dip top side in extra sugar.
Place on greased oven trays sugar side up; allow for spreading. Bake in moderately hot oven (220-230C/425-450F) 10 to 15 minutes.
Makes about 40

HONEY COCONUT BISCUITS/COOKIES

125g (4oz) butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons coconut
2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
1 cup coconut, extra

Cream butter and sugar, add egg, beat until light and fluffy. Add coconut and honey, beat until combined. Fold in sifted flour, mix well. Roll teaspoonfuls of mixture into balls, then roll in extra coconut. Place on lightly greased oven trays, at least 5cm (2in) apart. Cook in moderate oven (190-200C/375-400F) for 15 minutes. Cool on trays.
Makes about 35

Food, Stumpwork, Works in Progress

Gracie progress and Biscuits

22 August, 201025 February, 2012 Anne S

It’s been a rewarding day today – sat on my fat bottom pretty much all day watching DVDs and stitching on Gracie … leaving her looking like this at the end of the day:

I did manage to get off my fat hiney for a short while this afternoon, and whipped up a batch of coconut biscuits … yummo 😀

And now it’s time to hit the hay for the night, for another week of testing at work …

Berrima, EGA, Home & Family TO BE FIXED, Photo Hunt, PhotoHunt, Stumpwork, Works in Progress

Photo Hunt & a new start

22 August, 201025 February, 2012 Anne S

Yesterday I felt as though a weight had been lifted from my shoulders – my feral and miserable mood finally disappeared, plus I had reconnected with my one and only “regret” in life overnight.

I had lost contact with a dear friend (who was, in all honesty, the one true love in my life from those early days – and most definitely the one that got away, or at least that I pushed away – he was the only guys I’ve ever thought I could have married … oh how I wish I had the strength of character and wise mind back then that I do now!) – anyhoo, I got a Facebook request from an old school chum from when I was about 11/12 years old, along with links to some old school class photos, and it brought all those childhood memories flooding back, and that old regret came bubbling back up to the surface … as well as the romantic regret, more so the regret that I had lost a rare and special friendship all those years ago.

Well, I did a quick Google search and found Glen surprisingly easily. He has his own animal dermatology business in Florida, where he lives with his wife and two kids. I received an email back from him on Saturday morning touching base and telling me a little about his life since leaving home. So perhaps that has been the biggest contributor to the weight being lifted from my shoulders, or perhaps it was just coincidence … but I do know it was lovely to share a couple of childhood stories and touch base once again. Mum always thought of him as the son she never had – I’m really glad to hear he’s OK and happy, and knowing that he’s happy may just let me move on too 🙂

Anyway, for the first time in ages my mood gave me a jolt of mental energy – I had an urge to stitch something ‘new’, and put my hand into the kitted up drawers to find something … that “something” ended up being a stumpwork correspondence course from the Embroiderers’ Guild of America. I’d forgotten just how long it takes to stitch one little item in stumpwork (at least it does for me!!) – even with chunky Brazilian embroidery threads being used, it took me the entire afternoon just to stitch 1 1/2 leaves! But I have to say I really enjoyed it, and am about to go and finish off that 2nd leaf.

Here you can see the entire design – called “Gracie”, it’s a big chunky goldfish when it’s finished. The colours are eye-popping vibrant oranges/reds. The leaves are outlined with stem stitch (there is LOTS of stem stitch in this project), padded with chain stitch, then covered with sloping satin stitches. It was quite hard to stitch last night in the poor lighting, so hopefully it will be easier this morning with the natural daylight coming in as well … fingers crossed I’ll get that 2nd leaf finished by lunchtime, to give me time to do some baking (see, I told you I had energy all of a sudden! haha).

PhotoHunt | PhotoHunt

This week’s theme is ”Numerical” – here are some numerical signs outside a shop in Berrima.

And in trying to tie-in some stitching into my photo meme themes, here are a few stitched numbers:

Jane Nicholas, Stumpwork, Theme Thursday, Theme Thursday

Theme Thursday – Brush

19 August, 20106 April, 2014 Anne S

In continuing to try and find a stitching element to my photo memes when I can, I ended up having a mini photography session this morning after taking the first photo … but hopefully it ties in well with the theme!

Here is my choice for this week’s Theme Thursday, where the theme is ”Brush” – I use an eyebrow brush to fluff up my turkey knot stitches in stumpwork to make fluffy little insect bodies. This one is my old UFO not completed yet, but pretty much ready for a trim back into the body shape 🙂

When it grows up, and it’s trimmed back, it’ll look something like this little bee:

Here is another piece that is brushed up and fluffy – gorgeous thistles!

And while I’m showing you the brushed-up parts, I thought I’d share details of the rest of this piece … this is Elizabethan Roundel by Jane Nicholas:

I just love how all the piece stand-up 3-dimensionally on the fabric with the padding and wires.

On a different note, thanks to everyone who has left comments with your preferred ONS. Unfortunately the ONS I’m currently having issues with (accessory packs ordered in January, charts ordered in March) is one of the ‘good’ ones you listed … so I think I just lucked out. Never mind, I’m going through a mini financial crisis with some major bills coming up that I can’t afford, so I won’t have to worry about stitching orders until at least the beginning of next year!

It also may mean I’ll finally have to clear out my stash and put a lot of it up on Ebay, along with my scissor fobs … I have about $1,500 to find in 10 days for my car registration, which is hilarious (both the actual cost itself, which is twice as much as living in Melbourne, but I also have to buy local licence plates which bumps the cost up, along with the hilarity of finding $1,500 in itself in such a short time). So my guess is that my car will be taken off the road until I have the funds available – oh my, I’m sooooo not looking forward to being a bus passenger again 😦 I really need to get my car up and running again by the beginning of October, though, as Mum’s coming over to visit and we’ll need it for running around in. Oh well, I’ve lived on tinned tomatoes once before, I guess I can do it again for a while!

Anyway, enough of these woes and troubles … time to shake it off and jump in the shower for another day of torture in the office … I was feeling so stressed yesterday I almost burst into tears at the end of the day when yet another hurdle cropped up, which almost immediately burst into anger with the next email … this PMT is a right royal b*tch, I haven’t missed it whatsoever over the last few years – and now it’s back, it’s back with a vengeance!! Maybe I should start booking in annual leave every month? LOL.

Cross Stitch

Is it just me?

18 August, 201025 February, 2012 Anne S

I really do struggle with some of the ONS (that’s Online Needlework Stores for your benefit, Mum). I’ve had the border accessories for Summer and Winter Snapperlands on order since approx 13 January – at the same time I requested ordering some hard-to-find charts of designers that are also showing available on their site … believe it or not, I JUST received an email to advise that my Summer Snapperland border pack has arrived … nothing else, just that one … Now I’m normally very patient, but that does seem excessively long (and I’m not telling you about the numerous email sent chasing this issue)!

I have also had some other Kreinik threads on back-order from yet another ONS for my Halloween Fairy – while it was on backorder CCN brought out the Summer at the Shores chart … I quickly emailed to ask if they could ask that to the order (note, it had only just been released), along with the pre-Christmas JCS magazine. Two days ago I receive an email to advise the order is on its way (back-ordered from the first week of June), but no mention of the magazine or chart. On questioning it, they have sent the magazine but not the chart that I was so lusting after … but no mention of it being on backorder yet again, just that they had run out of the chart by the time they filled my order. I’ve just written back to cancel the chart order, and I’ll now just find it locally because I can’t justify the overseas postage just for one chart.

The last time I had a deadline to meet I ordered some graziano checked linen and advised that I had a deadline to meet – the linen had to be backordered, which took 2 months, only to find that they’d ordered the wrong linen colour (they only worked that out because I sent them a chaser email after 2 months to ask where the “pale” blue linen was at in the order process) – which meant the ordering process had to begin all over again. Of course I missed the deadline well and truly, and yet another ‘bad experience’ was added to the list.

Not to mention a local store that I placed orders with on a couple of separate occasions and they’d run out of the item – but the order was never ever filled, with no refund of the value. Because the owner had been good to me previously (and she’s just lovely as a person), I didn’t make a big fuss about it, I just don’t go back there anymore.

I used to complain about a certain ONS that always seems to have sales happening, and refused to deal with them anymore … but considering all the experiences I’ve had since with other ONS, it looks like I’m going to return to the fold once again for my once or twice-a-year orders … ‘cos the competition isn’t much better to what I can see 😦

My dream is that one day I will place an order and it will arrive in the same calendar month, all in one piece, with no hassles and chasing required – communication will be prompt and thorough and not because I have demanded a response after not hearing a solitary thing for 2 months or longer … I know, I have big lofty dreams, but I do still fantasise that it will happen one day …

And now it’s time to go write back to the original ONS to ask what is happening to Winter Snapperland border pack and the remaining charts on order … because alas dreams aren’t reality just yet … But it WILL be awesome to finally get this little beauty into a finished state before 12 months of languishing around in my WIP basket are up! I’m not starting Winter Snapperland until those border pieces arrive in my hot little hands!