Enjoying a sense of peace one stitch at a time
Finished needlework
I guess you can tell that I found the elusive little teeny packet of beads (they were hiding inside the chart in the stitching bag!) … which means all the stitching is now finished, and I just have to do put it all together … but that’s for another day …
“January Accent Sampler” by Periwinkle Promises
stitched with kit materials (Au Ver a Soie silk)
on 28ct natural Cashel linen
Here’s my latest wee finish – I was able to complete the stitching last night after picking up the elusive DMC 368, then I put the beads on this morning. It was supposed to be stitched 1 over 1, but I wimped out and stitched it over-two on 28ct, then just increased the bead size from 40123 to 00123 instead.
“Prancer” by JBW Designs
from 2004 JCS Christmas Ornie issue
stitched on 28ct white Cashel linen
with recommended DMC and Mill Hill beads
Now I’m off to find the ever-elusive bag of beads that I’ve already lost once, then I found them last weekend and put them somewhere safe … I should have known I was in trouble at that point, as “somewhere safe” usually means the equivalent of the Bermuda Triangle … only I can lose something twice in as many weeks!!! … ho-hum 
In fact, I might just hold off the search party and go and have some brunch across the road first, then I may even put together my bookcase … and then I’ll decide whether to start the search party again for my bead bag, or whether to sit in the lounge and finish off Boo! 🙂
Updated: Hmmmm, I’ve just decided to check out my camera settings to work out why all my photos seem to be washed out just lately … sure enough at some stage I’ve managed to change my exposure settings permanently … now I’ve put it back to “0” adjustment, the photos are coming out more more crisply, so I’ve re-uploaded the Prancer photos – slightly darker fabric, but definitely a lot clearer on the beading detail!
Katie and I have been hitting the lounge chairs almost as soon as we’ve walked in home at the end of each day, as we’re both a bit under the weather and really tired this week – it means we’re also now keeping on top of our TV viewing as well, and watching all our favourite shows within 24 hours of taping them … I’ve got Katie into my mindset of taping everything then watching it the next day and forwarding through the adverts … ah, bliss!
Of course all this sitting on my bottom early has meant a bit more stitching time this week … which would be great if I was stitching to my normal levels, but I’ve been stitching like an old snail this week, and it’s taken me 4 nights to complete one little ornie! Oh well, it’s better than nothing, and I have to admit it feels good to see one more kitted up finish off the pile.
“Reindeer Garden” by Threads Through Time
from 2000 JCS Christmas Ornament issue
stitched on 36ct cream Edinburgh linen with DMC
Once I’d finished Reindeer Garden, I also dragged out my Mosey n Me freebie “Love February” – I’ve never been happy with it ever since I stitched it back at the beginning of February … so I unpicked all the cream stitches and re-stitched in the pink colour, plus I was really unhappy with the green used for the rose’s stem, so out that went tonight as well, and I re-stitched the stem with a darker green. While the photo is really really washed out and bad, I’m a LOT happier with this version than the previous one, and really glad I opted to do some frog-stitching tonight! Now this one can officially join the “finished” list as well 😀
Before ……………………………………………. After
“Love February” by Mosey ‘n Me
stitched on 32ct Lambswool linen in DMC
with addition of small red heart button
As it was quite late by this stage, and I need to kit up some more charts/fabrics with their actual threads, I started stitching a simple JBW Designs Christmas ornie that was already kitted up tonight … I have a busy weekend planned, though, so no guarantees it’ll get finished until early next week … unless we have another DVD marathon tomorrow night 😉
With any luck my missing thread won’t be too far away now so I can get back to stitching my canvaswork Sapphire Star … I’ve also completed all the stitching of my Periwinkle Promises January Sampler Accent, but I’ve mislaid the teeny tiny bag of blue beads, and don’t seem to have the colour in my stash (Murphy’s Law!) … once I get a replacement packet, I just need to do the backstitching around the back piece of linen, make the corner tassels, and put it all together (I’ve obviously decided to use the linen backing instead of using the fabric for something else).
And on that note I’d better get my A into G and get some of those threads kitted up so I can jump into bed and get some shut-eye, so I’m a bit fresher for more stitching tomorrow night … and of course it’s a big day at work for a change, so I guess being fresh for work won’t go amiss either 😛
I heard from Becky today that the Postman worked overtime over the weekend, and my little gifties arrived safe and sound. I’ve had the stitching done on these for 3 whole years (!!!) – the pinkeep has been sitting around finished ever since then, waiting for it’s companion needlebook to be finished. As soon as they became a matching pair officially (finally!!!), they were parcelled up and sent over to the US to their new Mum. Becky has a lovely photo on her blog, but here are a couple more from before they were made up into their finished versions (and these show the colours much more accurately):
As you can see, I had all intentions of getting them both finished the year they were stitched, so they still have 2007 stitched on the ‘backsides’ 😉 I have to agree I really love the little backstitched bees, but for the life of me I can’t remember which design I borrowed them from! And here’s the finished duo together all finished, just before packaging them up:
Thank you to those of you who have left birthday wishes on Facebook this morning – that’s the only thing that has reminded me it’s the ‘big day’ today. Unfortunately, due to being unwell the last three days (and I have to say I’m still not 100% today), my full weekend of ‘big plans’ didn’t eventuate, which also included not baking myself a birthday cake to take in to work 😦
I am up and showered, though, and ready to try tackling work today – not entirely sure whether I’ll last the whole day or not, but we’ll just have to wait and see. I definitely can say, though, that we won’t be going to the movies tonight, which was going to be my birthday treat. That doesn’t really matter, though … I just hope I’m OK to be flying tomorrow night 🙂
In between sleeping over the last few days I did manage to get a little bit of stitching in – this is something I’d started earlier, and managed to finish … one pair of initials has been removed, however, as this is winging its way eventually to someone who reads my blog, so it will remain anonymous until they receive it.
“Pins & Needles Tokens & Trifles” by Blackbird Designs
Stitched on 32ct Lugana hand-dyed sample by Countrystitch
with recommended Crescent Colours threads
Then late last night I started a new project – one of Periwinkle Promises Sampler Accent kits that has been sitting around waiting to be started for what seems like forever. This one might just end up being taken to NZ as my stitching companion. I’m only there for a couple of nights for Erin’s service, so no need to take anything bigger, I think – and with all the specialty stitches it’s a lot slower to stitch than with just plain ol’ XS.
Other than that, I’ve got my Pin Pillow Exchange piece finally chosen, and the thread all worked out – now I just have to sort out the fabric then I can start on that as soon as I get home again. I was struggling to decide between two different ideas for finishing – and still may change my mind closer to the time – so I may end up doing both ideas and then deciding once they’re finished 🙂
And on that note, I guess I really should finish getting ready to get into that car … and make a new hair appointment … and arrange another day to go pick up my stitching from the Stitching Post (aka Dragonfly Dreams) … and more importantly think about packing! … Just as soon as I get through today, that is! Fingers crossed food doesn’t continue to rocket straight through my system as it has been … a birthday lunch would still be quite nice today if I can manage it! 🙂
I managed to put the final stitches into Random Hearts just before midnight last night – the only thing I changed is to replace one tiny heart with one little red heart button. I have to say I really enjoyed stitching this one, and absolutely love it now it’s finished! 😀
“Random Hearts” by Erica Michaels
stitched on 32ct Lambswool linen
with Carrie’s Creations thread “Scarlet”
Unfortunately overnight I got attacked by a virus that left me with a touch of vertigo this morning, so I’ve been laid up in bed ever since – while I’m not quite 100% at the moment, I’m OK enough to sit up so I thought I’d jump online for a few minutes while I can. Not entirely sure if I’ll risk doing any stitching … I’ll probably just put the goggle box on with a DVD and jump back into bed again – so much for those wonderful finishing plans I had for the day (plus I had to cancel my haircut this morning which is reaaaaaallllllly overdue – I was going nowhere near a car in that state earlier). Fingers crossed it’s a short-term bug, ‘cos I need to be right by Wednesday night to get on a plane for Erin’s service!!
Rightio, time to go find a DVD that’s really long and means I don’t have to keep getting up …
First up is the tiny wee finish I completed tonight – I started this on Sunday night, and did a bit more stitching tonight, putting the final stitches in about 1/2 an hour ago. As per normal at this late hour of the night, without being taken under a daylight bulb, the photo is appalling … but it’s a finish all the same 🙂
“Love February” old freebie by Mosey ‘n Me
It’s also my very first EVER Valentine’s finish … and also the first finish from the pile that I kitted up over the weekend 😀 I almost swapped the cream inner border with the pale pink from the rose, but then decided last minute to leave it … in hindsight the cream really does blend into the background of the fabric, so the pink would have been much much better … but I don’t love it enough to bother unpicking it all. Not entirely sure how I’ll end up finishing this one – perhaps I’ll just add a ribbon hanger and turn it into a hanging ornament … maybe … 🙂
Next up is a bunch of scissor fobs that I put together weeks ago, but never showed. Eventually most of these will be going into my ArtFire shop for sale … when I get the time to upload them all and type up descriptions etc – but that is unlikely to happen for another couple of weeks thanks to my impending trip home. As there are quite a few new fobs, I’ll just upload a few tonight, and add some more over the next few days.
Tonight’s fobs are brought to you by the colours Red and Pink …
Other than that, nothing much happening out here really … I’m heading out to the Blue Mountains this Sunday to pick up all my stitching I’ve had out there on loan for the last couple of years. There are personal reasons for my doing this, which I won’t share on my blog – but I must say I’m really looking forward to having them home again … and those that are still unframed will be framed by me some time over the coming year as finances allow … so watch this space 😛
Well, I have gone as far as I can with Summer Snapperland – the stitching was completed last night, and now I have to sit and wait for the buttons and snaps to arrive so it can be ‘finish-finished’ … then I will throw it place it gently into the framing pile for a few months time when I can hopefully afford to order some more frames and mattboards 🙂
After I finished the stitching of Summer Snapperland last night, I pulled out a Christmas ornie I started stitching in about November time, and did a couple of stitches in when I was in Auckland at Christmas … I figured enough was enough, time to get it finished, as it’s only a wee thing – and sure enough two episodes of Dawson’s Creek later and it was all finished … FINALLY an actual “finish” for the year 😛
“Tiny Motif Tree” from Christmas Keepsakes II by JBW Designs
Stitched 2 over 2 on 32ct natural Belfast linen
with WDW Garnet and GAST Dried Thyme
Stitch count 41W x 45H
Instead of providing my usual list of finishes for the year, I decided to follow Su’s lead and provide a montage of photos of this year’s finishes – thanks to Picnik and Webshots for making this so much easier to do! I’m just missing one Christmas ornie that for love nor money will not display, so I ended up leaving it off …
Here are my goals for 2010, a little bit expanded from my previous thoughts – I’ve been mulling things over the last couple of days, and figure I might as well chuck them into the mix:
OK, I think that does me for the year – hopefully the goals aren’t too lofty and I’m able to meet the challenge.
I’m currently working on getting my first finish for 2010 completed, which will be Bent Creek’s Summer Snapperland – so far I’ve managed to complete two blocks yesterday evening, and made a start on the third block. I’m about to have my shower and settle into my stitching chair for a while, so hopefully that means seeing the finish of block #3 today, as it has a lot less stitching than the other blocks 😀
Yesterday I ended up coming home from work due to feeling nauseous and hypersensitive hearing – as it was a ‘theme day’ at work, there was much hilarity and it finally sent me over the edge and I ran screaming for the hills. I guess I’m still not 100% over these darned bugs, as it’s been a real struggle at work this week. Oh well, it’s the weekend again, thank goodness, so two more days to chill out and relax 🙂
Once I did start feeling a bit brighter yesterday afternoon in the peace and quiet of home, I managed to get some stitching done, and managed to finish off my Home of a Needleworker Too. I really like this one – I did change one thing, and replaced the Crescent Colours Old Blue Jeans thread with something lighter – the Old Blue Jeans skeins I have in my stash are just revolting, and I really didn’t want my house stitched in it. Rather than buy more threads, I just found something that would be suitable in my existing stash – I like it soooo much more than that manky Old Blue Jeans 😀
“Home of a Needleworker Too” by Little House Needleworks
Stitched on 28ct Vintage linen by Wichelt
using recommended Crescent Colours threads with one exception
– replaced Old Blue Jeans with Crescent Colours Blue Moon
That now means that I can use those scroll bars to start Mirabilia’s Enchanted Mermaid in the Large/BAP rotation slot … all I need to do now is to blow up a big working copy so I can highlight over the stitched sections easily – might take a run over to Officeworks tomorrow and organise that 🙂
Feather Stitching 