Category: Challenges & SALs

Pay It Forward

Pay It Forward

Anne S

Pay It Forward copy

I’ve been a looooong time signing up for any of the rounds of Pay It Forward (PIF) due to personal circumstances … but I came across Ronel’s PIF round at the perfect time, and I’m feeling really keen to start joining in and getting some little gifties off to people over the next 12 months.

I think everyone knows how it works by now, but if not, here goes – I will send a stitched gift to three people some time over the next 365 days.  Those three people then need to commit to offering the same on their own blog … and so the goodness and caring continues 😀

The closing date for entries is 31 October – if there are only three people wishing to sign up, then all three will be the confirmed winners – if more than three people want to sign up, then I will draw three names out of the proverbial hat 🙂

Please remember to leave an email address, and also your blog details.

I’m really looking forward to choosing something for each person 😀

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

In the meantime I’ve been doing a bit of my own version of Paying It Forward, and sending a number of little RAK’s (Random Acts of Kindness) around the world – I’ve heard that another few have been received in the UK, Melbourne (Australia), New Zealand, the Netherlands and Singapore.  If you want, you can click on each link to the relevant blog post that the recipients have made … as I don’t think I took any photos myself! 🙂

There is still a pile of padded envelopes waiting to be posted out, but the last lot cost nearly AU$80 in postage, so I thought I’d stagger the postings a bit 🙂

Goals, Home & Family TO BE FIXED

2008 Finishes and 2009 Goals

Anne S

Even though 36 finishes is a reasonable amount, it’s not as good as previous years, and I’ve had weeks when I’ve barely touched a needle.  One of my 2009 goals is to rectify that by having some good old-fashioned “me” time at the end of each day where possible.  As I’m about to delete my 2008 Finishes page, and rename it to 2009 Finishes, I thought I’d recap here what my finishes were:

  1. Cathy Jean Designs – Fill With Love ornament
  2. Shepherd’sBush – Shepherd’s Roll
  3. Lizzie*Kate – Joy ornament
  4. Little House Needleworks – Winter Wonderland
  5. Little House Needleworks – Blueberries
  6. Brittercup Designs – Poinsettia ornament
  7. Shepherd’s Bush – Bee Fob
  8. Just Nan – Another Girls Night Out
  9. Lanarte – Seahorse Collage (Sea Life booklet)
  10. Little House Needleworks – The Sampler Lady
  11. Dragon Dreams – Checking It Twice ornament
  12. Just Nan – Barnabee’s Bride
  13. Twisted Oaks Designs – French Monogram III Tuffet
  14. Just Nan – Beach Roses
  15. Sue Hillis Designs – Spool Ornament
  16. Twisted Oaks Designs – Christmas Tree ornament
  17. Prairie Schooler – Duck (from In the Woods)
  18. Freebie – Amitie/Friendship (www.romyeale.blogspot.com)
  19. Melissa Dunajski – Waves (Gift of Stitching magazine)
  20. Pauline’s Needlecraft – Picanini Can Can
  21. Country Cottage Needleworks – Peace ornament
  22. Lanarte – Fish Collage (from Sea Life booklet)
  23. Sunflower Sampler – The Drawn Thread
  24. The Cat’s Whiskers – Alyssum Scissor Pocket
  25. Full Circle Designs – The Decorator ornament
  26. Lanarte – Small Sea Life #2
  27. Lanarte – Small Sea Life #1
  28. Heart in Hand Needleart – Christmas Peace ornament
  29. Val’s Stuff – A Merry Kitty Klaus ornament
  30. Lizzie*Kate – Life’s a Stitch
  31. Just Nan – Evening Star
  32. The Drawn Thread – Garden Recipe
  33. Country Cottage Needleworks – Home Sweet Home
  34. Just Nan – Frightful
  35. The Drawn Thread – Autumn Arbor
  36. Calico Crossroads – Summer Grace

Unfortunately my monthly ornie stitching went out the door (along with all other stitching) when I reached the Garden Recipe project hurdle, and I never got my momentum back again.  This year, though, I hope to pick up my monthly ornie stitching again, as they’re great for some relatively instant gratification.  So, on to my goals for 2009 – not all of them stitching-related …

Stitching:

  • Complete some outstanding tutorials for Focus on Finishing Blog (try to complete one every 2 months)
  • Finish Mirabilia’s Winter Queen
  • Start Mirabilia’s Bluebeard’s Princess (Mirabella)
  • Start Mirabilia’s Enchanted Mermaid
  • Start and finish Mirabilia’s Halloween Fairy (magazine issue)
  • Finish at least two UFO’s
  • Complete a Quaker Friendship RR with some awesome online friends
  • Complete at least one Christmas ornie every month
  • Do the actual finishing of an item at least once every 2 months
  • Stitch at least 8-10 hours every week (trying to stitch for a minimum of 1/2 hour every week night if possible)
  • Continue with my rotation set up in 2008 (but do much better with it in 2009!!)

Sewing:

  • Make a tote bag
  • Make some pyjama pants
  • Start my BOTM patchwork/applique quilt (please note I didn’t say “finish”! LOL)

General:

  • Be more active with my favourite blogs in both reading and commenting more regularly again
  • Be more active with the Focus on Finishing blog
  • Continue with the 2009 Photo Hunt
  • Read the camera manuals for both my point-and-shoot and SLR cameras
  • Read my mobile phone manual and learn how to utilise its functions better
  • Learn how to use my coffee machine (ie cappuccinos etc)
  • Try one new recipe from my recipe/cocktail books every week
  • Lose at least 10-15kg in weight
  • Go walking for an hour a day 3-4 days a week
  • Visit Melbourne and catch up with friends not seen for over a year
  • Be a better friend by remembering birthdays and sending cards and gifts ON TIME (hanging head in shame)
  • Print off these goals and display at my computer desk to keep me on track!
  • Overall, HAVE FUN and enjoy whatever life throws at me this year 😀 
Cross Stitch, Goals, Rotation, Stash

Project Listings for Rotation

Anne S

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

  1. January Sampler Accent – Periwinkle Promises
  2. 20 Flowers – Just Nan
  3. Angel Collector – Dimensions kit
  4. * Jumpin’ Jelly Beans – DKT Originals *
  5. High Hopes – Just Nan
  6. Mermaid Heart – Just Nan
  7. Ghastly Ghostly Ghouls – Just Nan
  8. Petit Ange (freebie: aurelle.over-blog.com)
  9. Poissons Bleus (freebie: silepointcompte)
  10. Aegean Twilight Small Sampler (freebie)
  11. French Garden – Drawn Thread
  12. Alphabet Tree (freebie) – Blue Ribbon Designs
  13. Snowflakes in Abundance – Sweetheart Tree
  14. Quaker Heart (freebie) – Janice Wood
  15. Quaker Hedgehog (freebie) – The Workbasket
  16. Treasured Holidays Sampler – Mill Hill
  17. Teenie Hardanger III – Sweetheart Tree
  18. Friendship in all Seasons – The Trilogy
  19. Proud Peacock (freebie: Stitching Parlour)
  20. Raphael’s Raspberries – FMNIS
  21. Winter in the Square – Just Nan
  22. Autumn in the Square – Just Nan
  23. Quaker Swan Case – Fancy Work
  24. Minute Spot – Drawn Thread
  25. Sweet Valentines – Sweetheart Tree
  26. Schwalm Whitework Pinkeep – Moss Creek
  27. Lavender Sachet – The Victoria Sampler
  28. Exercice de Flora (freebie: Couleur d’Etoile)
  29. Tiny Little Quaker (freebie) – Papillon Creations
  30. Boo Scissors Keeper & Purse – Drawn Thread
  31. Summer Grace – Calico Crossroads
  32. Wildflowers Needleroll – Sweetheart Tree
  33. In the Dark Needleroll – Designs by Lena Rose
  34. Topiary tree garden Bookmark
  35. Star Spangled Scissor Finder – Calico Crossroads
  36. Seashore Fob – Sweetheart Tree
  37. Just Ducky Fob – Sweetheart Tree
  38. Bee Keeper – Cindy Valentine
  39. Sunflower Sampler – CCN
  40. What a Hoot! – The Cat’s Whiskers
  41. Cherry Hill – CCN
  42. Rainbow Lorikeet (baby) – DMC
  43. Dragonfly Scissor Purse – Just Nan
  44. Is it too late? – Lizzie*Kate
  45. A Good Night – Lizzie*Kate
  46. Here Comes Santa Claus – Lizzie*Kate
  47. My Favourite Time – Lizzie*Kate
  48. Ready or Not – Lizzie*Kate
  49. Wanted! – Lizzie*Kate
  50. International Hearts – NZ – Victoria Sampler
  51. International Hearts – Ireland – Victoria Sampler
  52. Ladybug, Ladybug – LHN
  53. Quaker Flowers emery – Anita Diamond
  54. Merry Little Christmas – Drawn Thread
  55. Joyeux Noel – Drawn Thread

MEDIUM TO LARGE SIZED PROJECTS

  1. Blessed with Happiness Box – Cat’s Whiskers
  2. Christmas Workshop – Just Nan
  3. Quaker Huswif – Sampler Cove
  4. Acorn Sampler learning band – Drawn Thread
  5. Here Comes Santa Claus (2005 Ltd Ed) – Prairie Schooler
  6. Sapphire Star – Laura J Perin
  7. Autumn Arbor – Drawn Thread
  8. My Treasures Workstation – Judy Odell
  9. Lisianthus Accessory Pocket – Periwinkle Promises
  10. Acorn Needle Book – Periwinkle Promises
  11. Silk Pulled Thread Stitchery – Moss Creek
  12. Tiger Reflection – Dimensions
  13. A Secret Garden Needlebook – FMNIS
  14. * Lavenderblue Celtic Knot Quilt – From Nancy’s Needle *
  15. Treasured Christmas Trees – Mill Hill
  16. Strawberries & Cream – FMNIS
  17. Lavender Rose Sewing Case – Fancy Work
  18. Three Friends – Drawn Thread
  19. Summer Arbor – Drawn Thread
  20. Folding Cross Needlebook – Indigo Rose
  21. Trick or Treat Box – Just Nan
  22. Strawberries So Faire – With My Needle
  23. Onyx (Blackwork Blessings) – Paw Printings
  24. Red Lace Sewing Case – Drawn Thread
  25. Crimson Fire Sampler – The Victoria Sampler
  26. Apricot Elegance – Cindy Valentine
  27. Nature’s Resting Place – Stoney Creek
  28. Summer Snapperland – Bent Creek
  29. Winter Snapperland – Bent Creek
  30. Ete en Grece – Cousines et Compagnie
  31. Max’s Moon – Cross My Heart
  32. Walk the Gentle Path – Cross ‘n Patch
  33. A Little Blackwork – Drawn Thread
  34. Spot of Autumn, Winter, Summer & Spring – Drawn Thread
  35. Revival – Inspirations magazine
  36. Nine Lives – Inspirations magazine
  37. GCC Beginners Hardanger class
  38. GCC Gracie Stumpwork class
  39. Lily Pond – Just Nan
  40. When Barnabee Met Bella – Just Nan
  41. Needle Nick – Lizzie*Kate
  42. Terri’s Needlecase – Lorri Birmingham
  43. Renaissance Lace – Victoria Sampler
  44. Frightful – Just Nan
  45. Witchy Way – Just Nan
  46. Be Scary – Just Nan
  47. Dear Diary Hannah Purington – LHN
  48. Halloween Fairy – Mirabilia
  49. A is for Annabelle – Mirabilia
  50. Dragonfly Jewels – The Cat’s Whiskers

LARGE AND BAP SIZED PROJECTS

  1. Angel of Love – L&L
  2. Barnabee’s Quest – Just Nan
  3. Golden Garden Sweet Bag – FMNIS
  4. Macaw – Ross Originals
  5. 4 Wishes – Just Nan
  6. Rainbow Lorikeets – Ross Originals
  7. Moonlight Guardian – Dragon Dreams
  8. Koi Pond – Laura J Perin
  9. Stitching Leporello – Chatelaine
  10. * Egyptian Garden Mandala – Chatelaine *
  11. Le Jardin Silk Sampler – JCS
  12. Flight of the Bumblebees – Ruth Schmuff
  13. English Garden Sampler – Teresa Wentzler
  14. Noah’s Ark – Teresa Wentzler
  15. Winter Queen – Mirabilia
  16. Mermaid Bag – CA Wells
  17. Acorn Etui – CA Wells
  18. Pyramid Etui – CA Wells
  19. Cottage Etui – CA Wells
  20. Sailor’s Valentine – CA Wells
  21. Enchanted Mermaid – Mirabilia
  22. Crystal Christmas – Mirabilia
  23. Green Tree Frogs – Country Threads
  24. Rainbow Lorikeets – Country Threads
  25. Great Cats – Dimensions Gold
  26. Rex – Dimples Designs
  27. Snickerdoodle – Dimples Designs
  28. Wee Beasties – Dimples Designs
  29. Polynesian Paradise – Jen’s Jems
  30. Frangipani – Just Jude
  31. Hibiscus – Just Jude
  32. Siberian Tiger – Kustom Krafts
  33. Water Tiger – Kustom Krafts
  34. Celtic Spring – L&L
  35. Angel Proclamation – Mirabilia
  36. Magical Night – Teresa Wentzler
  37. Egyptian Sampler – Teresa Wentzler
  38. Lady of Shalott – Teresa Wentzler
  39. Frankincense – Victoria Sampler
  40. Myrrh – Victoria Sampler
  41. Quaker Samplings – With My Needle

WIP’s & UFO’s:

  1. Macaw – Ross Originals
  2. Beaded fish (class project)
  3. Stitching Leporello – Chatelaine
  4. Egyptian Garden Mandala – Chatelaine
  5. Le Jardin Silk Sampler – JCS
  6. Flight of the Bumblebees – Ruth Schmuff
  7. English Garden Sampler – Teresa Wentzler
  8. Noah’s Ark – Teresa Wentzler
  9. Winter Queen – Mirabilia
  10. Pyramid Etui – CA Wells
  11. Cottage Etui – CA Wells
  12. Sailor’s Valentine – CA Wells
  13. In the Dark Needleroll – Designs by Lena Rose
  14. Wildflowers Needleroll – Sweetheart Tree
  15. Apricot Elegance – Cindy Valentine
  16. Cream hearts square – JBW Designs
  17. Monica Hunt hussif
  18. Topiary tree garden Bookmark
  19. Nature’s Resting Place – Stoney Creek
  20. Oriental Poppy – Jane Nicholas
  21. Summer fruits pincushion – Inspirations magazine
  22. Wool beehive needlebook – E&XS magazine
  23. Stumpwork needlework accessory – pincushion wheel
  24. Pomegranates & Beetle – Jane Nicholas
  25. Martha Schmidt hussif
  26. Stumpwork needlework accessory – scissor keeper
  27. GCC Ornamental Delights
  28. Mediterranean village scene XS
  29. Dragonfly – Jane Nicholas
  30. Stumpwork needlework accessory – needlebook
  31. Goldwork Pea (class project)
  32. Stumpwork needlework accessory – bag
  33. Stumpwork needlework accessory – thimble pip
  34. Wool hot water bottle cover
  35. Honesty and Heartsease – Jane Nicholas
  36. Long stitch frogs
  37. Butterflies & Hearts needleroll – Lorri Birmingham
  38. Bullion rose facecloth
  39. * Berry Delightful Bag *
  40. Vicki’s Cot Quilt

Let the fun begin … 😀

25 Project Challenge, Cross Stitch, Wishlist

Still no stitching to show …

Anne S

Well, I could show you some, but it’s a bit pitiful … so there’s no point, you see?

So what have I been doing instead of stitching?  Catching up on a few blogs, building up my wishlist (even though I’ve only just whittled it down a bit hmmm), and just generally being lazy and unmotivated 😉

Just to spice up this post with some piccies, here are the latest designs I’m drooling over on my wishlist:

Indigo Rose-Beads Buttons and Bows Just Nan-Pretty Wicked
Indigo Rose – Beads Buttons and Bows; and Just Nan – Pretty Wicked (I’m on a HUGE Halloween kick right now and can’t wait to stitch something up in those scrummy bright colours)

JBW-English Plum Pudding JBW-Tis the Season
JBW Designs: English Plum Pudding, and Tis the Season

Lizzie Kate-Don't get your tinsel in a tangle Lizzie Kate-Tiny Tidings XIII
Lizzie*Kate: Don’t get your tinsel in a tangle, and Tiny Tidings XIII

Romy-Austrian-Spot-Sampler GPA-Santa's Ride
Romy – Austrian Spot Sampler; and GPA – Santa’s Ride

Charland Designs-Beach Needle House Complete Kit C Mon Monde-Trousse Fleurs Bleues
Charland Designs – Beach Needle House; and C Mon Monde – Trosse Fleurs Bleues

Blue Ribbon Designs-Creepy Crawly Set Bird Sampler by Pelin Tezer
Blue Ribbon Designs – Creepy Crawly Set; and Pelin Tezer – Bird Sampler (sorry, don’t know what happened to that picture!!)

sampler cove-rhapsody in red part 3
Sampler Cove: Part 3 and Part 4 of the Rhapsody in Red stitching smalls series (you’ll have to check out Deb’s blog for the Part 4 photos!)

And to add insult to injury, after drooling over all these luvverly designs, I’m tossing up whether to go back on my 50 Project Challenge (but reducing it down a step to the 25 Project Challenge) … hmmm, decisions decisions …  I’m still waiting for an order to be filled locally that I placed a few months ago, so technically that was all ordered before the challenge would be starting … and I have an order in place from SB&B for Mum, so I just HAD to chuck in a couple of extra things to make the most of the postage … so I still have plenty of stash to come … (that was ordered a month ago, but hopefully it will arrive this side of Christmas!!)

Rightio, that’s it … my decision is made!!  I am now officially on the 25 Project Challenge – no more stashing for me until I have completed 25 projects!!!  I’m pretty motivated already to stitch through my stash (in fact “obsessed” is perhaps more the word to use!), so it should be pretty easy, truth be told … it’s not as if I don’t have hundreds and hundreds of scrummy designs already calling my name to be stitched – in fact the hardest part will be choosing which ones first!! 😀

That means I can buy no new charts from now on (excluding those already on back order) until I have stitched 25 projects.  Once I get my stitching mojo back again, that shouldn’t be too difficult … maybe … 😉  I also need to stitch as much as possible from my existing stash for threads etc – but will not limit myself to buy threads if needed to complete a design.  My main exception is for a FOTM I still have with Countrystitch (although I’ve been seriously considering cancelling anyway), and a Monthly Bits order from SB&B for Crescent Colours threads (I’ve had some colours on back order for months and months, and finally decided to just get the whole set and be done with it so no more waiting until I need more than one skein!).

Not much chance for stitching this long weekend – we’re off to a party tonight at which I intend to have a few bevvies … which means I probably won’t get much stitching one tomorrow LOL, then on Monday I’m heading out to the other side of the world to visit with Brenda and Nigel as a belated get-together for Nigel’s birthday, which will be lovely, but which means no stitching again!  Surely I must get some chance of getting this dratted sampler finished this weekend???? 😉

Ooh, I just realised I received some stash this week that I haven’t mentioned yet … see, I soooo need to do this project challenge!!  As this is such a lengthy waffly post, I’ll leave the piccies until another day, but I’ll run over and take on now 🙂