Category: Cross Stitch

Cross Stitch, RAK Registry

RAK Registry

Anne S

  It’s been a while since I’ve talked about the RAK (Random Act of Kindness) Registry for stitching bloggers – but seeing as I’ve had a couple of new enquiries recently I thought I’d give it another plug 😀

I thought it would be nice to have a ‘central register’ for my fellow stitching bloggers’ likes and dislikes for sending a small RAK, as it’s often I think I’d like to pop something small into the mail ‘just because’ or for a birthday, but don’t have all the recipients details to hand.  Some people have wishlists and likes/dislikes held in different bulletin boards/groups, of which you need to have membership – this way no membership is required, just an active stitching blog.

If you would like to send any of the RAK Registry participants a small RAK, please send an email to me (shakatak at iinet dot net dot au) and I can arrange for address details of your intended recipient to be given to you. Due to privacy and security reasons I can only release this information to an existing stitching blogger (with an active blog), and preferably to one that is participating in this list (unless I can vouch for you personally).

If you’d like to join the list you just need to complete the short questionnaire below and email it to me, and I’ll add you to the website … it’s as easy as that!  Here’s the questionnaire you need to complete:

Blog URL:
Preferred first name/screen name:
Fave colours:
Fave designers:
Fave styles of designs/stitching styles:
Fave thread types/brands:
Fave fabrics:
Any dislikes:
Pets/children:
Birthday:
Wishlist URL:
Any small RAK’s that would be enjoyed:
Fave holidays:
Holidays not celebrated or liked:
Full snail mail details:

I’d also love to make the birthday list more comprehensive, including those that aren’t actually participating in the RAK Registry, so if you’re a stitching blogger and you’d like your birthday to be included in the list please leave me a comment with your details (either here or the RAK Registry blog), and I’ll add you in straightaway 😀

Lastly, here are some quick links from the RAK blog itself for you:

Here’s the link directly to the birthday list (for stitching bloggers – in date order, but note not all these bloggers are taking part in the RAK Registry)

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

For full RAK blogger details (in alphabetical order by blog name) – click on the letter below to take you straight to the relevant post where you will find their complete information with likes and dislikes, and wishlists where supplied:

A – B – C – D – E – F – G – H – I – J – K – L – M – N – O – P – Q – R – S – T – U – V – W – XYZ

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

Below are links to the blogs of all RAK participants to date (in alphabetical order of blog name):

A Kiwi Stitching (Katrina – NZ)
A Tree Hugger’s Wife (Missy – USA)
Bible en Broderie (Renee – France)
Coffee Cup Thoughts (Christine – Canada)
Colourful Creations (Karen – Canada)
Contemplating My Needle and Thread (Su – UK)
Coonie and Plume (Sylvie – France)
Coral’s Blog (Coral – South Africa)
Craftee Cab (Michelle – USA)
Cross Stitch and Coffee (Tracy – NZ)
Fairy Tales & French Knots (Erin – USA)
Feather Stitching (Anne – Australia)
Garden of Stitches (Carol – USA)
It Will Be Funny Tomorrow (Cathy – USA)
Kitty Couture (Isabelle – France)
Ladybug’s Stitches (Nicole/Elanor – Switzerland)
Lavender Rose Ramblings (Deborah – USA)
Leslie’s Cross Stitch Heaven (Leslie – USA)
Mainely Stitching (Barbara – Netherlands)
Melissa’s Ramblings (Melissa – USA)
Mrs Sew and Sew (Clare – UK)
Mundane Musings By Me (Virginia/Vee – Canada)
My Favourite Things (KarenV – UK)
Mylene’s Blog (Mylene – Netherlands)
Now We Are Six (Carina – USA)
Once Upon A Stitch (Annemiek – Netherlands)
On the Dry Side (Von – USA)
Plush (Nicki – NZ/UK)
Random Stitching Ramblings (Cindy – USA)
Señorita Stitches ¡Ay Carumba! (Veronica – USA)
Smokey of the Netherlands (Judith – Netherlands)
Spirit Blooms (Carissa – Canada)
Stitchcats Thread Garden (Margaret – NZ)
Stitched With Love and Cat Hair (Renee – USA)
Stop The World! I Want To Get Off! (Faye – USA)
Tale of a Shooting Star… (Jenna – USA)
The Craft Room (Andrea – UK)
The Twisted Stitcher (Vonna – USA)
They Came From the LNS… (CathyMK – Australia)
Threads of Desire (Kathryn – USA)
Wendy – Home at Work (Wendy – Canada)
With Needle And Thread (Cathy – USA)
Virpin ristipistoja (Virpi – Finland)

Cross Stitch, Round Robins, SBQ, Works in Progress

Quaker update & Bordeaux

Anne S

I finally managed to get my stitching finished on part one today – I’m using 32ct Country French Linen in Chantilly, with DMC Variations 4030 … definitely a non-traditional Quaker colour 😉 I really enjoyed stitching this one, although it took longer to stitch than I expected, and I’m looking forward to receiving part two as part of this Round Robin 😀

This is my first ever Quaker piece, but I’ve got a few charts waiting in the wings to be stitched, so it definitely won’t be my last!  It’s lovely stitching this one with some of my closest online buddies 😀  (This photo is a lot brighter than it is in real life, but I can’t get a decent one at the moment.)

It’s also Bordeaux SAL time for the week with Carol and Leslie – I actually did my stitching two days ago, as it was still sitting on my floor stand and it was easiest to pick up and stitch without too much effort haha.  I’m still a couple of weeks away from finishing this band, but I could probably say I’m at the halfway mark now of the whole project, give or take a grape or two 😉  I’m really looking forward to the next band, as it looks like a nice easy one … although I hope it’s all Rhodes grapes not over-one ones, or I’ll be slitting my wrists LOL.  This week’s progress sees one new boxer and basket, and a 4-letter “F” word

Thanks for all the lovely words about my new Pyramid Etui thread choices – I’m about to start stitching this soon, so we’ll be able to see if my choices actually work together.  In answer to Terri’s question … I signed up for the class pretty much sight unseen – I put my hand up before knowing which projects were going to be taught, as I was so keen to attend a CA Wells class – then on seeing a photo in someone’s online album the colours didn’t look as pale as the actual threads that turned up … they were still pastels in the photo, but not quite as ‘bland’.  I absolutely ADORE the Etui design, though, and still very glad I signed up for the class … but I have to say I’m MUCH happier now I’ve changed the colours to be more “me”. 

Thanks also to Nicki, who’s sending me some leftover Summer Shadows silk thread to save me having to buy an entire new skein for the Etui … you’re a real sweetheart!

  I’m also aware I’m now very overdue with the SBQ’s so here goes trying to catch up …

7 Feb – Today’s SBQ was suggested by Danielle and is:

“Have you ever been to a stitching retreat?”

My answer would be yes, but only a very small one.  I attended a weekend retreat through the Counties Embroiderers Guild in Auckland when I was a relatively new member (and didn’t know anyone) – and we had the short class taught by Shelley Warner for her Cream button bag (which I only just completed recently).  Other than that I attended a Heart of Cross Stitch festival in Sacramento, CA many years ago … although that probably doesn’t class as a “retreat” in the true sense of the word.

14 Feb – Today’s SBQ is:

“Do you like to buy “chartpacks” that include charms, buttons, and/or beads or do you prefer to gather all materials yourself?”

This is a good question – and my answer depends on the chart itself.  On the whole I’d usually prefer to kit up my own threads, especially if there are pinks in it (yeah, I know, that’s an obsession of mine … for example, I adore the Au Fil de Reves Stitcher’s Bourse and accessories charts, but would replace the pink for a powder blue instead, so would prefer chart only for that).  In saying that, though, sometimes you only need a tiny piece of each thread, in which case I prefer to have them as a partial kit.  I don’t generally need Mill Hill beads, as I have loads in my stash, but if charms or bigger beads are needed I’d prefer to have those as part of the chartpack, as it’s sometimes a pain in the neck to find the right ones or a decent substitute, the same goes with any ribbons etc – the downside to chartpacks, though, is that they generally cost an arm and a leg compared to kitting it up yourself.

21 Feb – Today’s SBQ was suggested by Kathryn and is:

“What is the smallest count fabric you have ever used? Did you stitch over one? Conversely, what is the largest count fabric you have ever used?”

The smallest count I’ve stitched on so far is 36ct, which I’m using for the Bordeaux Sampler, and I’m really loving it.  I wouldn’t mind trying 40ct as well some time in the future, but don’t own any as yet.  On the 36ct for Bordeaux I’m stitching a fair amount over-one with the lettering and grapes … which is interesting.  I don’t know how Carol manages it on 40ct!!  As for the largest count I have to say it’s an 18ct fabric I used for Jenna’s hardanger lavender sachet, which was a big difference to other linens I’ve stitched on.  My favourite is generally 32ct, but now I’ve tried the smaller counts I’m starting to convert 😉

Cross Stitch, Stitching Smalls

Pyramid Etui update

Anne S

Thanks everyone for your helpful comments – I think KarenV hit the nail on the head, the problem I have with the colours are that they really are “drab”! I’m usually quite a bright person where colours are concerned, so I was really disappointed when I opened up the kit to that not-so-wonderful array of colour 😦 And that pink just sticks out like a sore thumb – and of course just happens to be the one shade of pink I absolutely abhor!  Anyway, I’ve scanned a small piece of the colour piccie that came with the kit so you can see the difference of the photo piece and the threads sent (and the scan is pretty accurate for the colours).  I think even in the scan of the stitched panel the pink sticks out like a sore thumb – and the colours are sure as heck a lot different between the scan of the stitched panel and the threads! 

The first instruction is to do the 4-sided stitch around the outlines in the blue thread … right … um, blue … I guess that’s the drab greeny-looking thread second from the right.  I like the idea of perhaps finding a peach thread to soften it a bit, but I have to admit that if I’m truly honest with myself, I want the change the whole lot!  The problem I have is I spent every spare cent I have, pretty much, on the kit costs for these two projects and still have to pay for the airfare etc, and I don’t think I have enough silk in my stash to rekit the whole thing from scratch – I may hunt through my variegated silks, though, to see if it gives me any ideas for rekitting (in the back of my mind, though, I’m thinking rich jewel tones – not blues for a change haha).  I could always stitch up one band in the current colours, but replacing the pink with peach, and see how I feel about it stitched up, as the way I’ve gridded the fabric I’ve been very frugal and have enough left over for one more panel …

In the meantime, though, I may follow the good advice of a few of you and stitch up the peacock one first while I’m mulling over my options for the other one.  I also may re-chart up the design in my XS program and play with the colours on there to see what would work, ie with the peach vs powder blue etc.  I don’t have much time to play with, as I was supposed to have one panel stitched by the end of the weekend, so I’m behind the 8-ball already timewise oops.  Luckily the fact I’m on leave at the moment gives me chance to catch up, though.

Edited to add:  Actually Mum and I have been playing with the colours, and think if we just tone down the pink with a more muted and ‘dusky’ version I could live with it … barely … so we’ve decided DMC 778 is do-able, as long as I can find a silk in similar tonings.  We tried a couple of different colours, and the muted blues/turquoises all mean we’d have to change the variegated silk, and I don’t have anything in my stash that would suit.  I really liked the apricot on the screen, but IRL it was lost between the ‘ecru’ and gold … so, I guess the pink it is for now mutter mutter mutter LOL.  If everything turns pear-shaped trying to find another pink silk, I’ll just use the original pink and stitch with my eyes closed

Edited again to add:  My apologies for not posting this before, but here is a piccie of the actual project I’m harping on about … The photos are compliments of the Needle in a Haystack class they held – you can click on the link for further info and a description of the project itself.  Here’s a photo of the Etui both open and closed (and in fact probably show the colours closer to what I actually have now … perhaps she’s changed the colours since the original photos and instructions were done?).

 

Right now, though I’m off to get my Quaker RR stitched up … fingers crossed my thread choice turns out OK for that one! 😉 (and it’s certainly not drab LOL)

Cross Stitch, Finishes, Gifts TO BE FIXED, Melbourne, Stitching Smalls, Works in Progress

Leporello & more birthday gifts

Anne S

As promised yesterday, I can finally share Nicki’s beautiful gift with you – every time I’ve seen one of Nicki’s gorgeous over-one stitched letters I’ve drooled … now I can drool over my very own one!  I just adore my pinkeep, it’s stitched and finished perfectly as always … and once again very scrummy colours! 😉  As well as my gorgeous pinkeep, Nicki also sent a really cute notebook too, which will come in very handy! 😀  Thanks again Nicki, I love everything and will treasure my pinkeep always! And I love the clever personalisation on the back! 😀

   

The other photos I have to share are of my Stitching Leporello – part one is now all finished.  I just realised I had the stitching on a bit of an angle, so the camera has blurred the bottom part of the ‘frontal’ photo as I used my SLR, but you get the idea … also I tried to take one photo on an angle to show up the beads.  I really need to get a tripod so I can take better photos – another challenge for the year, I think, to improve my photography skills!  In the meantime, though, these’ll have to suffice.  As usual with this sort of design, the photos don’t do the project justice whatsoever … it’s just gorgeous in real life!  Unfortunately, though, it won’t see the light of day for at least another 3 months, as my upcoming stitching time will now be spent on the CA Wells class projects plus a birthday gift or two.

 

And on that note, I’ll shut down for the day, as Mum and I are off to Healesville Sanctuary for the day – and if we have time we’ll call into Emerald Lake Park before coming home.  It will be nice to have a day out in the fresh air.

Thanks again to everyone who has left me birthday wishes – I really appreciate all the comments, e-cards, and private emails I’ve received … thanks for helping to make the day extra special {{hugs}}.

Cross Stitch, Gifts TO BE FIXED, Stitch-alongs

Wonderful birthday today

Anne S

Today was officially my birthday (the 16th), and I had a very very restful day … it was spent unexpectedly stitching with Mum, watching DVD’s and just generally relaxing – I now only have 15 beads left to go on part 1 of my Stitching Leporello … I was so hoping to have it finished today, but I ran out of time before we had to sprint out the door.  I have to say those little pieces are very deceiving – it’s taken me forever to finish that one square, but I did enjoy having a spot of selfish birthday stitching 😉

This afternoon we drove into Camberwell early to clear the PO Box of its contents, and do a bit of shopping to kill time before dinner at Cafe Platia (my favourite Greek & Mediterranean restaurant).  I bought about 12 big packets of chocolate bars (individual little Mars bars, Snickers, Malteser bags, Bounties etc) and took them into work for my work colleagues … they thought it was crazy me going into work on my annual leave just to bring them in choccies for my birthday when I’m not even there to share them, but I couldn’t wait until my return in a week and a half!  Fraze was almost in the dog-box when he rocked up to dinner well over an hour late, but he redeemed himself by bringing me a birthday card 😉  Mum and I shared a bottle of Yellow sparkling wine, and we stocked up at Dan Murphy’s for a day in tomorrow … with another two bottles of wine for me, and a “slab” of Victoria Bitter beer for Mum haha 😀

During the week I received some gorgeous birthday gifties from Katrina and KarenV – my sincere apologies to you both for the delay in posting my gift piccies … I meant to do it yesterday, then realised the piccies I’d taken weren’t very clear against the blue of the sofa, so I re-did them today against my turquoise pashmina.  I also received another beautiful gift from Nicki this afternoon, but the light is shocking in my flat in the evenings so I’ll have to wait until tomorrow to take a piccie.

The first piccie I have to share is of my gorgeous pillow from Katrina … it’s in the most scrummy blue colours, and I just adore the little tassels at the corners!  I feel very honoured to have this beautiful gift, it’s just sooooo lovely!  And to top it off Katrina also sent me a home-made birthday card too, which is just awesome 😀  I love everything Katrina, and feel very spoilt … and how perfect are those colours for me?  Yep, they’re definitely Annie colours! 😀 

Next up is a beautiful pillow from KarenV … it’s quite funny because I’d just sent Katrina an email asking if she would be willing to offer a tutorial in making one of these little flanged pillows for the new finishing blog, ‘cos I’d love to make one myself (and Katrina is the Queen of Pillows, not just Needlerolls!) – and here I have one in the flesh!  The first thing I did was to be nosey to work out how they’re made, and I think I finally have it worked out 🙂  I just adore the fabric and threads used (it’s my all-time favourite Anchor variegated thread), and the design is just so “me” 😀  I adore my little pillow, but to top it off Karen also sent one of the charts off my wishlist, Grandma’s Stitching Accessories, which I can’t wait to stitch (I’m already thinking about silk threads I can substitute for the Dinky Dyes ones) … but there was an added little extra that I truly LOVE – a little ducky keyring!!  How gorgeous and perfect is that??  I’ve been looking for years for a nice duck keyring, and now I have one.  I love everything, Karen, thanks again so much 😀 

I also have a couple of stitching updates for the week – it’s been a couple of weeks since I’ve shown my progress of the Macaw SAL with Carina … I can finally show some actual progress after this week’s stitching on Wednesday – it’s even starting to look like something more than a blob!  It’ll be a long long time before this one is finished though!

Next up is my progress on the Bordeaux Sampler – I did my stitching earlier in the week, and there’s not a great deal to show for it … I unpicked the errors I’d made in the previous band and restitched the leaves in green – probably no point showing a piccie, as it looks no different than last week really … aside from band 3’s leaves, I just added a bit more of the green grapevine ‘stems’ on the left-hand side.  Hopefully next week will show more progress on this one.  Carol has now almost caught me up … I told her it wouldn’t be too long before she’s overtaking me on this one, but she thought I was joking haha.

I was hoping to show my Leporello finish today, but that’ll have to wait until tomorrow now after I’ve attached those last 15 beads – then I can also unveil Nicki’s beautiful gift as well.  For now, though, I’m going to check out Healesville Sanctuary online, and see if it’s close enough to Lake Emerald to visit both in one day … as that’s possibly in the pipeline for tomorrow, if I can get out of bed early enough … especially seeing as it’s midnight already! 😉

Cross Stitch, Gifts TO BE FIXED, Stash

Birthday joy & Finishing blog

Anne S

My face must have told a 1000 words yesterday if you’d seen me open my birthday parcel from Carol  … certainly the girl next to me at work got to share a fair bit of the excitement! 

Thank you so much my dear friend for my gifts – as I said to you via email, I absolutely adore everything!  I’ve never seen a tin-topper in real life, and this one is absolutely perfect in every way!  Carol says the design is reminiscent of New England, her home, which makes it extra special to me.  She was also thoughtful to send the stitching details along with it (what a great idea!) – it is Down East Tin Topper by Samplers & Such, stitched on Dirty Belfast linen with DMC … and I just adore it! 

Not only the tin topper, though, Carol also send a darling pair of scissors and some needles inside the tin (I forgot to take a piccie, sorry) – and I’m going to add the wee scissor fob Carol sent me for Christmas to the scissors, as it’ll fit nicely in the tin … which is going to take pride of place next to me on my stitching table.  The tin topper would have been plenty enough, but I also received a large selection of Crescent Colour threads, which are one of my favourite overdyed threads, and the most scrummy turquoise fabric (that I’m planning a use for already, so you’ll have to watch this space later in the year!) … I still can’t believe it’s all for me!! 😀 

hanks again, Carol, you are a total sweetheart, and I love everything!!

 

My free time over the last couple of days has been spent playing with my photo editing program to get a header together or our new Finishing blog … and Karen and I have been tweaking it a bit so we’re not far away from being able to publish details about it.  I’m really looking forward to this new venture, and already thinking of finishing techniques I’d like to learn.  Anyway, watch this space for the details soon!

The rest of my time this week has been spent on finishing two birthday gifts (which unfortunately will be arriving belatedly at their new homes), and planning my stitching time for the next two months in readiness for the CA Wells class in April.  There is an exceptional amount of work involved, and I’ve worked out what I’ll need to get stitched by the end of each week between now and then to have everything finished in time … all I can say is I’m grateful I’ve got two weeks off work as at 11pm tonight, as I think I’m going to need it!!  I also have to get cracking on another birthday gift … I’ve got my heart set on a project, but it might be a bit ambitious going by the timeframe hmmm.

And on that note I’ll sign off again – partly as it’s now time to go to work (last day for two weeks, yippee!!), and partly ‘cos I have nothing else to say LOL.

Cross Stitch, Gifts TO BE FIXED, Needlerolls

Birthday Gifts

Anne S

This is just a quick post, as Mum and I are busy today … but I just wanted to share the beautiful gifts I received in the mail this week from a couple of dear online friends.  I’ll be floating around on cloud nine all day today grinning like a banshee, as I love my gifts very very much!

First of all, from Becky I received this gorgeous needleroll – it’s one of my favourite needleroll designs, and I just adore it!  I was actually going to stitch this one for myself at some stage, but now I don’t need to 😀 And the extra stationery goodies are wonderful too, as I just adore stationery items.  I love everything, thank you so much Becky … and I’ll always treasure my needleroll stitched by you!

  

Next up is the gorgeous book I received from sweet Isabelle … reading how I’ve been wanting to try my hand at Cartonnage, she chose a cartonnage book that is filled with wonderful projects for stitchers … how perfect is that?  I’m really keen to stitch the button box on the cover, and my head is now getting filled with ideas.  I can’t wait until I can start making one of these!  I really love my gift, Isabelle – as I said to you in my email, it was a perfect choice! 😀

Now I just have to apologise in advance, that I’m not getting much chance to read blogs at the moment while Mum’s here.  I’ll keep popping online every now and then to read, so I can try to keep semi-up-to-date, but I may not be leaving many comments.  As Barbara said in a comment, I need to enjoy the time during Mum’s visit, so my online time will be more limited over the next few weeks.  I’ll pop in and post every now and then when I’ve got something to share though 😀

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

A sip of Bordeaux (updated with finish info)

Anne S

Seeing as Carol as published her progress piccie of Bordeaux, I can now show my week’s progress as well – it’s a good thing I did my night’s stitching a couple of days ago, as I’ve been too busy yapping to Mum to concentrate on much else 🙂  This week I just managed one more little ‘man’ and a few more Rhodes grapes to complete the hanging vines, plus a couple in the border … I’m now exceptionally close to being halfway, and hopefully in about 2 weeks I’ll have met that milestone!

Mum and I just popped over to The Needle Point (old Bustle & Bows in Malvern) to find a couple of buttons, seeing as they have probably the best selection I’ve seen in Melbourne to date … unfortunately they didn’t have what I had in mind, but I managed to find a couple of charms that fit the bill quite nicely, so now I can put the final touch to my best friend’s belated birthday gift, and the last ornie I stitched.  Vicki’s birthday was in November, but that was when I had my financial meltdown and couldn’t afford to buy bread and milk, never mind parcel postage costs, so I’ve been unable to think about mailing it until recent times.  I don’t know if she reads my blog regularly, but I don’t think she’ll mind a sneak preview anyway, as it’s been long overdue … I’ll post another piccie when it’s finished-finished, as I want to make it into a quilted wallhanging (which’ll be a first for me).  But here it is, with all the stitching completed … I ended up choosing a silver heart charm instead of the recommended button/bead, and it seems to compliment the design well (you can click for a bigger piccie on this one).  On the whole I enjoyed stitching this one, but it took a lot longer to stitch than expected … the only part I didn’t enjoy was the outside borders of smyrna crosses in #8 pearl cotton (yuk!).


Friendship by Calico Crossroads
Stitched on mystery 28ct linen with recommended threads
substituted silver heart charm for Mill Hill glass treasure

You can tell Mum’s in the country … from my meagre pantry offerings from the last few months, the following plate is definitely NOT the norm, and probably won’t be seen throughout the rest of Mum’s stay (after that, that is haha) – but it was a wonderful treat for our first night 😀  Yep, we’re both prawn MAD … don’t they look scrummy? 😀  That was our snack in the afternoon … then the rest of the prawns for dinner along with some Turkish bread and a selection of dips (Tzatziki, hummus, spicy capsicum), stuffed green olives, Kalamata olives, stuffed bell peppers, grilled mushrooms and artichokes … yummo!!!

 

Now on to the awesome gifties Mum brought with her … I received a lovely sarong from Auntie Trudy in Auckland – even though it’s not blue haha, I love bright colours, so the orange has gone down a treat, especially as I love all the Hawaiian/Fijian style prints like this. 

Then of course there was the usual ‘Red Cross parcel’ from Mum – this time she came loaded up with Twisties, Griffins Gingernuts (sorry, but they beat Arnott’s gingernuts hands down in my eyes), and Malaysian style noodles packet mix that you can’t buy here … and to top it all off some NZ Cadbury chocolate – believe it or not, it’s very different to the Aussie Cadbury chocolate, and is actually a bit creamier.  Bang goes any thoughts of a diet I might have been having! haha. 

Last, but certainly not least – this is my Christmas present from my very best friend Vicki … my jaw hit the floor when I opened up this gift, and I actually felt quite overcome.  I absolutely ADORE this photo of us at Vicki’s wedding – we just look so ‘in tune’ with one another and completely at ease and loving the moment … I have to say it has been my favourite wedding ever, and it brought some wonderful memories back.  I’d just become a poor student before she got married, so I never could afford to buy some of the official wedding photos from the photographer at the time – it’s just wonderful to have one to grace my walls now.  I have to say out of everything, I adore this gift the most … it has a very special place in my heart!  Thanks so much Vicki, with all my heart!!  (Sorry about the poor photo, with the reflections from the windows etc – but it should be clickable) This is also the wedding that I promised the “Dratteds” (Dolphins Domain) as a wedding gift 😀  Also very special is the necklace I’m wearing – Vicki made that herself … the dangling part is from an earring that was her very favourite pair she bought at the Vatican – she lost one of them, and chose to give me the remaining one as part of my necklace … something I’ll always treasure, as I know how much she loved them!

The last photo I’ll show is of a few of the small gifts I gave to Mum … a couple of Christmas XS mags full of ornies for her to stitch, plus a pair of Gingher’s shears for her dressmaking (an early birthday present, even though her birthday isn’t until May it’s unlikely I’ll be seeing her again before then), plus some small Gingher’s scissors for her embroidery.  I also had a pile of Christmas fabrics for us to share, but we haven’t divvied it up yet, so no piccies. 

And on that note I’d better sign off … I’ve managed to get tomorrow off work, thank goodness, as I’m still really struggling to get over my night shifts this week, even more so than normal.  Even Mum commented how dark the circles are under my eyes today, just to cheer me up haha.  Now we’re off up the road to pick up a few more fresh groceries ready to cook dinner … the final lot of prawns we bought (we’re making a Thai Green Curry from half of them, and Garlic Aioli Prawns from the other half).  Then we’re back to having cheap food like spaghetti bolognaise for the rest of the week LOL. I actually received two other birthday parcels, but I haven’t opened them yet … I think the temptation may finally break tomorrow though! LOL.

Cross Stitch, PhotoHunt, Stitch-alongs, Works in Progress

PhotoHunt – Gross, & Bordeaux Update

Anne S


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It’s that time of the week again … well, almost … seeing as I’m starting night shifts tonight, and I have to get up to do a house inspection at lunchtime tomorrow, I didn’t think I’d be much in the mood for posting tomorrow … so here’s this week’s contribution to the Photo Hunt Saturday. The topic is “Gross”, and I was stuck a bit for choices yet again … but I thought these grasshoppers being on sale at the bird market in Hong Kong was quite gross, so I couldn’t resist taking a photo! (Hopefully I’ve linked it OK so you can click on it for a slightly bigger piccie.)

I also managed to get a couple of stitches into the Bordeaux Sampler today while I watched my Dodgeball DVD for the umpteenth time … I still crack up every time they start throwing the wrenches and dodging cars 😉 Next up is my Macaw SAL – I want to at least get an hour into this piece, because I know my eyes won’t handle the over-one stitching once I start my night shifts … Anyway, here’s my pitiful progress on Bordeaux for the week (the only difference from last week is the bottom row of long-arm XS and the backstitched vines for the 2nd lot of Rhodes grapes):

Cross Stitch, Home & Family TO BE FIXED, Round Robins

Round Robin idea

Anne S

I might be mad, but I’ve just added my name to the latest RR list on the Robin’s Nest BB – even though I haven’t received mine back yet, I’ve still really enjoyed joining in with our RR group and stitching some designs I never would have stitched before.  If I ended up joining the Seasonal RR I’ve chosen Passione Ricamo’s freebie topiaries … but if I end up in a ‘general’ RR I have this idea, and wonder if it would work as a RR choice?

I’ve got these four designs that I bought last year called “Who’s Hiding in the Garden?” by Patricia Ann Designs.  My idea is to have each of the designs stitched individually, with the MH button stitched onto the front of the ‘main’ design, rather than on the back, and having each stitcher add their name and location on the ‘back square’ instead.  Then I thought I’d finish each individual design into an ornie, and have them hanging in a row from a board that’s like a key/coathook kinda thing … what do you think?  The designs would be pretty quick to stitch up (which would make up for my last one!), and I think they might look quite cute that way 🙂

   

In other news I’ve found out at least three people are cancelling their annual leave in April for the three days prior to the CA Wells weekend, so I’m committing myself 100% now.  I’m off to organise a bank cheque today, and the kits are going to be winging their way across to me probably on Friday …

I’m almost feeling quite light-headed from all the excitement lately – heading off to Sydney for the Awards ceremony, and now Perth for CA Wells … not to mention the Little Britain show that I’m still on cloud 9 about (and close friends from work are going tonight, then Ali and I are working overnights together tomorrow night, so guess what we’ll be talking about all night? LOL) … then I receive an email saying a friend from work in Auckland is visiting this week and wants to catch up, and then catching up soon with Nicki before she crosses the Pacific back home again … “life is good” 😀

I have to admit, it will be nice to have some company when I start flatting with Sheree – obviously there are some things that will be a major adjustment for me after living on my own for 1 1/2 years, but I realised recently how much I miss having a chat at home, and more importantly having a laugh … deep down I’m quite a shy person and have definite hermit tendencies, and it’s very easy for me to just immerse myself in my stitching and ignore the outside world to some extent … and now I’m looking forward to being brought back out of my shell again and getting out to enjoy the world a bit more.  I do miss the fun Fraze and I used to have around the flat when we were living together – we’d be giggling with laughter teasing and joking with each other every night like a couple of kids, and it always kept me upbeat … and that only changed when “A” moved in with us.  “Why do you treat Fraze so differently to me, you’re always joking around with him, why don’t you joke like that with me, I feel like a third wheel sometimes …” hmmmm, because you don’t have a wacky sense of humour and I haven’t known you for more than 10 minutes … OK, let’s get back off that train of thought, back to my original thoughts … and I will finish there, ‘cos I’m starting to waffle!

In conclusion … “Life is Good” 😀