Finishes – Page 23 – Feather Stitching

Tiny bit of stitching

11 April, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

I’ve been really tired in the evenings this week, so haven’t been game to tackle my CA Wells project … instead it’s taken me three whole nights to finish off The Sampler Lady by LHN. Now the cooler weather has started to arrive, she’s been well overdue have her blouse put on. At one stage, though, she looked like the Venus de Milo in reverse, with only half a sleeve done. (Sorry for the bad photos – I might try to take better ones at the weekend, as I’ve taken these without much natural light coming in!)

“The Sampler Lady” by Little House Needleworks
Stitched on 32ct Lambswool linen
using recommended threads (Crescent Colours and DMC)
but I changed the thread spools by using a satin stitch
for the cotton instead of cross stitch to make it more realistic

I haven’t been online at all really this week – wish I could say I’ve been stitching my little heart out instead, but life has just gotten in the way (mainly work life). Mind you, it was really good to spend a couple of hours last night getting The Sampler Lady finished – it was the perfect end to a long and rigorous day spent writing up training procedures for a new product being launched.

Before I started stitching, however, I spent an hour on the phone to iinet to finally get a home ADSL broadband account set up and active … no longer will I have to rely on my little mobile internet connection (I’ve been having a few dramas with the providers of late ho-hum), but once we actually get the router connected, we can have wireless internet around the flat woohoo!!! 😀

Anyway, time to head to work, so I’d better run!! I may not get online again this weekend, as I’m earmarked the entire weekend for sitting in my stitching chair, and catching up on taped TV programmes, while stitching my heart out on CA Wells’ Cottage Etui … less than 2 weeks left to go for the class now and barely started! Oops …

Cross Stitch, Finishes, Home & Family TO BE FIXED

Final finish for the weekend

24 March, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

I managed to take a photo of the finished needleroll that I stitched for Karen at The Stitching Post as a model for display – here it is all finished up as an actual needleroll, before I drove it over to Karen on Saturday.

“Shepherd’s Roll” by Shepherd’s Bush (kit)

I had a good time visiting with my best friend yesterday … although I have to admit those kids are enough to make you want to get your tubes tied! If I was living with that day in/day out, I’d need to be admitted to a lunatic asylum after a week!! To say they’re a handful is a true understatement … even my Mum, who has the patience of a saint where kids are concerned, would be ready to throttle Orion by the end of the night! Brenda and Nigel are already at breaking point after Athena managed to slam the sliding door shut while in ‘locked’ mode and broke the lock, meaning they now have to replace the entire door and doorframe, as it’s an older model and the new locks don’t fit. Can everyone say “not happy, Jan!!!”? – that’s a much politer version of what actually was being said and thought last night haha.

Anyway, even with the stresses of the night, it was still nice to see them again, especially wee Jayden the youngest fella, he stole my heart with his big cheesy grin every time he saw me -then he came running up to me at full speed and flung his arms around my legs for a cuddle before heading off to bed. He’s a real sweetie! I must admit, though, it was nice to have some ‘adult time’ after 8pm as we settled down to relax in front of a DVD … which means I managed to get a reasonable amount of stitching done too! I also gave Vicki her stitched gift (you may remember the Calico Crossroads quilted wallhanging I finished before Christmas), and she really liked it a lot. I also got a belated birthday gift of some scrummy Nelson ice wine and local Extra Virgin olive oil from Nelson as well … all I need now is some Dukkah and I’m set! 😉

Here’s a very poor photo of the whole family as we were settling down to a yummy pork roast dinner – I couldn’t get a decent photo of everyone in the twilight, so I gave up and this was the best of a bad bunch!

As for the stitching, in the end I opted to take a project already started instead of starting yet another new one – I took Lanarte’s Seahorse Collage with me, and got quite a bit done. Then I sat in front of the goggle box again this morning while watching Series 3 of Black Adder followed by Dante’s Peak, and managed to put the final stitches into this piece.

“Seahorse Collage” by Lanarte (from Sea Life booklet)
Stitched on 32ct white Belfast linen
with DMC threads

That might be the last finish for the month, although yesterday I also managed to finish the hemstitching on my Snow Fall needleroll, so there will be a photo of that showing very very soon – just need to whizz up the seam and stuff it! 🙂

Before I forget … I have to say I saw the largest spider I’ve ever seen in my entire life when I got home at midnight last night! No word of a lie, the leg span would have gone from the tips of my middle finger down the entire length to the base of my palm … I nearly died on the spot!! As I parked my car I started walking over the grass to the path, and it was sitting on the grass in all its ugly glory – it had a big sac body as well, and its legs could have been half the width of my little finger. I opted to turn around and move my car quick smart! But it was so big, I was too scared to get up close to spray it … instead I ran for the safety of my little flat very quickly!!! I just hope I don’t run into it again any time soon … either that or I hope like hell it’s a fake rubber one that the obnoxious kids downstairs left outside, and it’s not real at all – they’re always leaving bikes etc in the driveway where we’re supposed to be parking our cars 😦

Rightio, on that note, time to toddle off again and go food shopping ready for the upcoming week … time to get back into normal eating habits again! 🙂

Cross Stitch, Finishes

On a roll … another finish under my belt!!

21 March, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

I think my needles are possessed!! I can’t believe that I have yet another finish this week – I’ve been superglued to my stitching chair the last two days, and I’ve loved every single minute of it! I had a hair appointment today to get my hair cut and coloured by a work colleague’s sister-in-law, and I almost cancelled due to feeling unwell during the week, but I’m glad I didn’t as I felt a fair bit better today … and I’m now sporting a new hairdo just past shoulder length – after not cutting my hair for almost 6 months, it was really ratty so we had a radical chop done, and I love it! Just what the doctor ordered for cheering me up! 🙂

It also means by feeling better I should be able to drive over to Brenda and Nigel’s over the next two days to see my very best friend and her three children (one of whom I haven’t met yet), plus her Mum, as they’re over visiting from New Zealand. It will be really wonderful to see her again, as I haven’t seen her for about 3 years now.

Rightio, on to my latest finish – this has taken me a full two days to stitch, which really surprised me … thanks mainly to all the many colour changes and over-one stitched faces I think (my heart sank when I saw all the over-one stitching to be done, ho-hum). I’ve taken a couple of close-ups of the little frogs sitting in the cauldron, as well as the wacky hairdo in Kreinik braid – the colours literally pop right off the fabric, I just love the brightness of it!

“Another Girls Night Out” by Just Nan
Stitched on 32ct Vintage linen by Wichelt
using recommended threads

As for what’s up next for stitching, I really don’t know … I’ve been eyeing another couple of LHN designs up over the last 24 hours, either that or Drawn Thread’s Autumn Arbor that I’m really keen to start … I’m just really really loving stitching from my stash right now, and don’t want to stop the rhythm! 🙂

Cross Stitch, Finishes, Stitching Smalls

A whole lotta stitching going on

20 March, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

I went back to the local GP today, and was MUCH more impressed with the doctor I saw today. I woke up feeling a bit dizzy this morning, a new symptom to add to the rest ho-hum … anyway after sitting for 1 1/2 hours in the waiting room at the medical centre everything got the better of me, and I was surprised to find a few tears escaping while sitting there. I think I’m just feeling generally ‘over it’ while struggling to get over these bugs. I felt more embarrassed than anything else by the time I saw the GP, but he definitely had a much better bedside manner than the woman GP I saw earlier in the week. As a new patient I was surprised she didn’t take a family history in general or take my blood pressure etc – I told her I had a small list of things to discuss with her, and her answer was “that’s not the way we do things here, we can only deal with the most important thing” hmmm.

Anyway, at least I have a medical certificate for these last two days, and the male GP has told me to come back to see him if I find I’m still having problems after Easter. I’ve picked up some herbal teas to help me to get fluids down me (at the GP’s suggestion), so fingers crossed my energy levels will pick up soon, and I can stop feeling sorry for myself!

The one great thing that being sick has done, is that it’s given me plenty of time for stitching – I’ve been stitching like a madwoman, and have finished another project – this is Bees scissors fob by Shepherd’s Bush … I replaced the WDW thread for the “Bees” word with a Stef Francis thread called Bluebell that KarenV gifted me with a while ago – I totally ADORE this colour thread, and it is soooooo pretty in real life! (Sorry about the blurry photo, but my hand kept shaking – I really need a tripod!!)

“Bees” scissors fob by Shepherd’s Bush
stitched on 32ct cream/antique white Belfast linen (can’t remember which!)
with DMC threads and Stef Francis “Bluebell” over-dyed floss

I actually should be stitching my CA Wells project pieces, but the terrible thing is that I have no desire whatsoever to stitch either of them – the projects don’t thrill me entirely, but also I need to concentrate on them both and I haven’t had the mental energy to do that for a while. Never mind, I guess I could still attend the class even if I don’t have any stitching done and learn how to put everything together … or fingers crossed, by the end of this weekend I’ll get my mental energy back and can make a start on the Cottage Etui.

In the meantime, it’s time to choose another fun stitching project for me to work on from my existing stash … I’ve been totally LOVING stitching this week and seeing all these finishes … I can’t get enough of it! Without my stitching I think I would have been in tears days ago haha 😀

Christmas Ornaments, Finishes, Stitch-alongs

Small ornie finish

19 March, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

Still feeling like cr*p, so I took another day off work today to blob out … and managed to start and finish this ornie for this month’s SAL challenge on the XSers Yahoo group.

Poinsettia by Brittercup Designs
from 2007 JCS Christmas Ornament magazine
Stitched on 28ct mystery linen
Substituted threads with those in my stash – used GAST Gold Leaf, Crescent Colours Cupid and Weeping Willow

The Nurofen I’ve been chewing every day has been doing wonders for my foot, if nothing else! Probably helped by the fact I’ve been sat on my fat backside all day on my bed … 😉

Cross Stitch, Finishes, Home & Family TO BE FIXED, Works in Progress

Piccies of finishes … and a Frangipani plant

18 March, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

As promised a few days ago, here are my photos of recent finishes:

Winter Wonderland by Little House Needleworks
Stitched on 32ct Golden Harvest linen by Silkweaver
with recommended threads

Blueberries by Little House Needleworks & Crescent Colours
Stitched on 32ct cream Belfast linen
with recommended threads

Also, here is LHN’s Sampler Lady in all her topless work-in-progress glory … she’s still waiting for her blouse to be finished, the poor love – it’s a good job the weather’s still warm down here in Sydney!!! 😉

Next up is a photo for Mum of my wee $9.95 Frangipani tree in its pot on the balcony – as you can see it has some company in the form of fresh herbs … I just adore those blue pots!! No flowers on the frangipani yet, but a new leaf has grown, plus it’s a wee bit taller than when we first arrived. My other (first) Frangipani plant isn’t doing too well since having its top knocked off by Nigel and Brenda’s dog, but I live in hope it might perk up a bit more by next summer before I replace it with something else.

Lucky last is my ‘new’ smalls display in the new flat – complete with my Wessex sampler on the wall – this place is fantastic for all the wall hooks!!

And I’ll finish my post there. Since being sick I haven’t had chance to do housework for two weeks, but once caught up I’ll take piccies of the new abode now we’re almost 100% unpacked (aside from the boxes in my bedroom of ‘unimportant stuff’).

Talking of which, I ended up leaving work early yesterday ‘cos I felt grotty (I survived an entire 1 1/2 hours!), and am now on antibiotics for about 13 days compliments of a local GP … fingers crossed it does the trick! 🙂

The other thing I haven’t spoken about is the excruciating heel pain I’ve been having over the last few months – it’s good to know my self-diagnosis was correct, and I have likely got plantar fascitis (spelling?). I’ve been applying ice packs and anti-inflammatories when it’s been really bad, and have since bought some orthotics for padding the heel that’ve been working a treat. Fingers crossed that my heel pains will soon be a thing of the past (or at least I won’t be woken up in the middle of the night from the throbbing pain!!).

Rightio, time to go chill out again … I’m doing my online things in short bursts …

Finishes, Needlerolls

“Fit”

4 February, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

The post title is apparently what I look like! The removalist who dropped Lisa’s bike off on Saturday said “you’re looking fit -must be all the walking up those stairs” … !!! Well, it’s good to see his eyesight was still working OK after not turning up until 7.3opm hmmm haha 😉

As for what else has been happening – the dining table legs are now firmly wedged onto the table top, but still propped up against the wall until Lisa’s back has strengthened a little bit – it’s still way too heavy for me to manage on my own. Once that’s up, though, it means I can put the sewing machine up and get a few things finished …

Especially as now I have another needleroll ready for finishing! Yes, I finally pulled the needle and scissors out and stitched a needleroll for Dragonfly Dreams – this one is Shepherd’s Bush’ Shepherd’s Roll. It was fun to stitch something ‘easy’ … although I ended up stitching the darning band 3 times due to having a serious blonde moment not once but twice!!

Anyway, here’s my latest finish … don’t expect to see anything else this week haha.

Christmas Ornaments, Cross Stitch, Finishes

A small happy dance

27 January, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

Yesterday’s plan of taking the day/afternoon off was a perfect one! I did a lot of tidying up in my bedroom late at night, then today I’ve pulled out all stops and almost finished off the kitchen by packing away all the Tupperware and baking trays etc (believe me, the Tupperware in itself is a massive feat haha). I also rearranged the lounge furniture today, and ironed the duvet and pillowcases to make Lisa’s bed up for her arriving tonight. She won’t be arriving until about 8pm, after spending the entire day driving from Melbourne on her own, so at least she doesn’t have to worry about where she’s going to sleep when she arrives. I’m also going to cook a roast chicken and baked potatoes with a salad ready for her arriving – and the wine has been chilling ever since the first day the fridge was switched on 😉

Anyway, following is the sum of my stitching efforts yesterday – it was a bit hampered by the fact my threads were all over the place, so I had to ‘un-kit’ a project to find the DMC 814. The only GAST threads I had were Flax and Raspberry Parfait, everything else was substituted with a DMC equivalent. It’s stitched on 28ct mystery Cashel linen (in a light taupe colour) from my stash – which means I’m now up-t0-date with the Christmas Ornie SAL on the XSers Yahoo group – yay 😀

“Fill With Love”
Designs by Cathy Jean
2007 Just Cross Stitch Ornament issue

I’m unsure what the next project will be … I should probably finish the Sweetheart Tree needleroll I started last week, then I think a wee LHN or CCN project might be in order before I start committing myself to my CA Wells class pieces – now I (will soon) have my own stitching space again, I guess it’s time to start tackling those class pieces when I can concentrate on them properly 🙂

Hopefully next week I’ll also have time to start sitting down and catching up on everyone’s blogs again! 🙂

Finishes, Home & Family TO BE FIXED

Another happy dance

29 December, 200725 February, 2012 Anne S

Yippee, I’m so happy to announce yet another happy dance – housesitting has been so good for getting some stitching done, it’s wonderful to get back into the swing of things again, even if it’s shortlived. I’ll be moving back into Brenda and Nigel’s again on 6 Jan for another three weeks, so it’ll be back into the “work-sleep-work” mode again … but after 24 Jan I’ll have a personal life back again during the week, and I can’t wait to make better use of my evening hours rather than spending it all travelling from work. Even if it takes me 1/2 an hour to drive to and from work, it will still give me back another 2 to 2 1/2 hours private home time, ah heaven!!

Next week I’ll finalise the removal truck details (which is costing between $1500-$2000 yikes!!!) , and I have to fly down to Melbourne for a few hours to tidy up the last bit of the storage unit into boxes (we just threw some things into it the last time we were there), then let the removalists into the unit. Then hopefully I can organise for them to arrive Fri 25 Jan, which will give me the whole weekend to unpack things and try to make everything fit. After that, the sofa bed is available for anyone who wants to pop over to visit 😀

Anyway, back to the important stuff … here is my happy dance for the weekend … although in fact it’s three separate happy dances – firstly, there are two happy dances for the two projects I’ve just finished – as well as getting the Necessities Sampler finished, I also sneaked in a new start/finish which is the Geranium House sampler.

Necessities Sampler by Little House Needleworks
Stitched on 32ct hand-dyed Merino linen by Country Stitch
with recommended threads

Geranium House by Country Cottage Needleworks
Stitched on 32ct Light Mocha linen
with recommended threads

The biggest happy dance, though, is that I have now – FINALLY – finished the 50 Project Challenge!! Yippee!!! I have to admit, I didn’t complete the challenge properly in that I did buy a few charts during the year, and I was originally going to stitch a new project for every new chart bought, but to be honest I’m a bit ‘over it’ and want to take the pressure off myself, so I’m not going to bother stitching to make up for the slight splurges. I really want to start off the New Year with no stitching commitments or pressures, aside from my CA Wells class pieces – after such a crappy year in 2007, I’m looking forward to smooth sailing in 2008. And after having precious stitching time over the last few months, I really want to enjoy my stitching again by stitching what I want when I want, and buying new charts on a whim whenever I feel like it as well 😀

One of the first things I’ll be doing in the New Year is fixing up my heap of crap car! I’m still having problems with it, and now it’s starting unlocking itself during the day – it’s like the damned thing is possessed!!! (Maybe I should start calling it “Christine”!) So my first job will be to take it to an auto electrician and have the entire car re-wired, I guess – which means my dashboard light will work again so I can see how fast I’m driving at night … my windows will all actually open again, not just the drivers side window, which is really helpful in this summer heat … my locks will actually stay locked when my back is turned … and the car will stop cutting out on me – then at the end of 2009 I’m hoping I’ll be in a better position to replace that heap of crap with something I actually enjoy driving … Mazda here I come !!!!!!!!

Rightio, enough prattling on … time to do get the housework done before Mark and Leisa return home tonight … then my job this week will be to catch up on a few blogs and outstanding emails, and finally finish the book I started a couple of weeks ago when I was catching the train!! Peace and quiet is shattered out here, as the neighbours are having a party it seems (this is such a noisy neighbourhood, I’m so glad I don’t live here permanently!).

Finishes

At last … a Happy Dance!!

24 December, 200725 February, 2012 Anne S

I can’t believe it’s taken me nearly two months just to stitch two whole blocks of Snapperville! I happened to spy a Spotlight sign on the way home from work today (they let us finish 2 hours early, yippee), so I ducked in and picked up a skein of DMC 434 so I could get Snapperville finished tonight. And here’s the finished product … sorry it’s a bad photo as it’s getting dark outside and I couldn’t get a decent crisp photo of it. I’m not bothering to put the little snaps around the border (mainly because I don’t have any) – I have to say I have really REALLY enjoyed stitching this project. Thanks so much Cathy for your generosity in sending me the charts and fabric, it’s been a real joy to stitch 😀

Snapperville by Bent Creek
Stitched on 32ct natural linen
with recommended threads except for DMC 434 instead of WDW Hazelnut

Next up should be my CA Wells project pieces, but instead I’m going to kit up a smallish LHN design to start stitching tomorrow at Nigel and Brenda’s place for Christmas Day. I can’t guarantee I’ll have another happy dance this side of 2008, but I’ll at least make a start on a new fun piece, and I still have one more selfish stitching day (Boxing Day) before my housesitting people return home and I’m back at work and no stitching again 🙂