Category: Cross Stitch

Just haven’t been in a blogging mood for the rest of the week … and today this is just a quick post before I go sit down in front of a DVD with my stitching – my mission today is to get the majority of the stitching done on one of my exchange pieces, ‘cos I realised I’m seriously running out of time – next week is a really busy one, as Fraze is coming to stay on Wed night, and I have close friends coming over on Fri morning from New Zealand to stay the night, and I’m then heading up the coast to Seaford for the rest of the weekend with a couple of girls from work. So, I’m not allowing myself to be sidetracked with anything else today … that means, of course, I’m behind on blog reading yet again – but only by a few days, so it shouldn’t be too hard to catch up … that’s my job on Monday, if I don’t manage it before then.

Before I go, though, I’ll quickly post my Ebay spoils piccie … here is a HUGE display of my daylight robbery last week – I’m almost embarrassed at the price I got some of it at, although they were through businesses not individuals. The funny thing is that the business I bought the Shepherd’s Bush needlerolls from (as well as all those VS charts very cheaply), is where I’d seen the SB needlerolls here in the flesh … and in the store they were AU$42 each – ridiculous, for what’s actually in the kits! Anyway, I’m very happy I could get my hands on a couple for a reasonable price, to help satiate my current needleroll obsession 🙂 Some of the VS samplers I’ll never stitch in their entirety, but I thought of using parts of them to make up needlerolls … see, totally obsessed!! Most of the other little kits were for use in my charity stitching.

Right, off I trot to my stitching chair – I think the weather is even going to cooperate today and give us a bit of blue sky and sunshine, so I might drag my chair back into the sunlight for a while to save me having to use my daylight lamp at 10am!

I’m tossing up whether to go to the Guild tomorrow, as it’s the guidance group for my favourite technique – Counted Thread … I figure if I haven’t managed to get my exchange piece finished, I could take it with me tomorrow and finish it off … plus pop into Spotlight (sort of like Hobby Lobby, I think) which is nearby, and hopefully get the ribbon I need to finish off my pinkeep … then I can finally post a piccie of it yippee 🙂 Of course, I’ve never managed to get to any Guild guidance groups since I became a member, and it’s a huge undertaking for my psychologically, due to my shyness in ‘social’ situations … but we’ll see if I muster up the courage or not tomorrow …

OK, enough gabbing, off I go … hope you all have a wonderful weekend 😀

My red wine celebration saw me in bed by 6.30pm last night haha … perhaps a little too much reflection and celebration, coupled with still getting over my virus and too little food LOL. Oh well, if nothing else, I got a great nights sleep!

A quick note for Nicki – have to admit, my parapenting was getting me ready for a parachute jump (the photo is us almost ready to start running to the ‘cliff’ edge to jump off). It was a really rough day weather/wind-wise, and when we first got airborne, my stomach was flip-flopping really badly and I absolutely hated it (I get travel sick, and it was an awful sensation) … eventually my guide spun us round is a 360deg circle, then it felt OK, and I enjoyed it immensely from then on … when we landed it was a big hairy, and we hit a pocket of air and plummeted then got dragged a bit when we hit the ground as a wind gust grabbed the chute – the main worry was when the ground crew came over, and said “that was a bit scary, wasn’t it?” … “what was” I asked? … “When the ‘chute collapsed” came the reply. So now I know what free-falling feels like, and parachute jumping is definitely out of my list of things to do ;P Bungy jumping is also on my ‘never’ list. As for the Auckland visit, I’ve already told Mum I’m going to try to catch up with you, so she knows one night I won’t be at home – might even try a get-together from StitchNZ ‘generally’ as well. I’d offer our house, but the lounge is tiny – if it’s OK it’d be safer if I come visit you, as I’ll have Dad’s car … but I’ll chat more about that via email. As soon as I work out which days I can take off work as annual leave, I’ll be able to plan a bit more – looking forward to catching up 😀

Rightio, here’s my squishy mail photo I promised last night – all fabrics from Silkweaver … from the top, and each line from left to right, there is – 40ct Meadow Rue Lakeside Linens (for Quaker Bulb ornie), 40ct Summer Khaki Newcastle linen (for Perfect Gifts ornie), 2 x pieces Cream Belfast linen (for my Stitching Leporello), 32ct Raw Opalescent Belfast linen (for Sweetheart Tree bellpull ornie plus some other SW ones), 36ct Sand Edinborough linen (for Drawn Thread Halloween scissor pocket and fob), 40ct Autumn Gold Lakeside Linen (originally a gift for someone, but it didn’t turn up on time, and has been on backorder for a few months now), and my last Silkweaver FOTM (I cancelled my membership at the end of the last month ready for living in the ‘extreme’ poor house) a 28ct Parkland Cashel linen – I have no plans for the Parkland linen, but thought the shade might come in handy ‘one day’ ;P It means I can now continue kitting up some more projects for the upcoming months (especially my Xmas ornies).

I was just talking to Mum for a couple of hours today (again), and I’ve been planning the whole coming weekend out with her – it’s amazing how uncluttered my mind feels at the moment … mind you, that’s not to say the fog won’t return in a day or two teehee. I feel like I’ve got the head space and energy ready to get back to my routines again … feels good 🙂 Talking of which, I’d better hurry up and post this, as I have housework to tend to before I’m allowing myself to sit down and stitch. I had a bit more of a think a night or two ago about my Melanie’s Exchange piece, and I just have to put it down on paper to see if it will work, but it’s a step closer to getting it actually done …

I’ll close by wishing everyone a safe and Happy Easter, and hope that wherever you spend it, you’re surrounded by love 🙂

And the best part is that it didn’t cost me a cent! Well, OK, it did if I include the cost of the postage … I mentioned that I wanted to do some more charity stitching, but a lot of my old charts were still in NZ, so I gave Mum some of the themes from the Quilts4Kids site, and she hunted through my charts for some options for me … as well as sending some duck charts I asked for. Unfortunately the actual duck ones I wanted were missing in action, so Mum has been sent on another hunting mission into the garage … a place that lesser women would quake in fear of! It’s not a mission that Mum’s looking forward to, but I really really wanted those specific charts for an upcoming round robin (my first one ever) … if they don’t turn up soon, I guess I’ll have to choose another theme, and goodness knows what that will be. I have to have my piece ready to ship by at least 1 July, so my decision will have to be made soon. There are a few charts among this pile that won’t be used for charity blocks, but it’s nice to have them here ‘in case they’re ever needed’ 🙂

This is just a short post, as I’m pretty wrecked tonight … dunno why, but I just feel a bit run-down still. I survived my first day shift today, every last 24 minutes of it LOL – wasn’t too bad, I guess … the job is the same as I’ve been doing for months anyway, so the 24 minutes extra is the only difference really. Haven’t heard from my friends that are supposed to be arriving this weekend – in fact, haven’t heard from them since early February … who knows if the visit is still happening! To be honest, I’m hoping it isn’t, as I could really enjoy the 4 days of Easter off all to myself so I can concentrate on some stitching etc … ah, bliss indeed! I guess time will tell whether I get a surprise phone call saying they’re 5 minutes away from my doorstep …

And in keeping with the Greek theme this week, here’s my final photo for the week (you’re probably grateful just about all my photos are still in NZ haha). Do you get the feeling I love the blues of Greece? LOL.

Thanks for the supportive and caring comments over the last few days – they’ve all been very well received 🙂 Sounds like we all have some horror stories to share with GP visits over the years! I have to admit, I’ve kept going back to this GP/Medical Centre ever since I went to her with high blood pressure about 1 1/2 years ago, as she had a really professional and efficient manner, and she was the one who diagnosed my gallstones after a few years of pains and no-one ever diagnosing it … so I try to go back and see her. It means I have to drive 1/2 hour to get there, but for ‘important’ visits I’d rather have her treat me, with a good knowledge of my medical history, than some quack like I had on the weekend – she doesn’t have bulk billing, so we have to pay for our visits with her, but I haven’t found a decent bulk billing GP since I moved here … I’d rather pay the money myself and get a decent diagnosis. All the GP’s I’ve had there have been really good, until this last one – I guess I should look locally for a Dr in my area for those ‘quick’ visits.

I have to admit, my day back at work on Sunday was a bit rough in the morning, as I still felt a bit ‘crook’ … but it was such a hectic and full-on day with unusual and time-consuming scenarios to fix, the day flew by and after lunchtime I felt a bit more ‘normal’. I’m now on my final day of my ‘weekend’ and can’t say I have much to show for it … I went back into work yesterday for a free ‘flu shot, then called into a LNS to pick up some extra threads as options for my exchange – I especially loved a Silk ‘n Colors thread, but put it back again when I found out it was going to cost $12.95 for one skein! Still struggling with what to make for these exchanges, but I can’t post ‘why’ as it will give the recipients away … oh well, still plenty of time to go yet 🙂

Even though I’m on a tight budget, I have had a bit of a stash splurge this week, though, thanks to Nicki’s generosity, plus the generosity of my last two houseguests … I was going to hold their money as ’emergency money’, but I ended up splurging on some stash (you can start getting the lecture ready now, Mum haha). I ended up using some of the money to order the Stitching Leporella kit of threads and beads from European XS (I already have the fabric coming from Jenna’s gift certificate), which still gave me some money left over. So, thanks to Nicki, I’ve managed to have a wee stash splurge on some other items that I really wanted from SB&B … the Judy Odell finishing book for the Stitching Leporello, some small Q-snaps, some Drawn Thread charts, Floss-away bags, LHN Coffee Menu chart, and Quaker Friendship Sampler by Samplers & Such … phew! And boy, oh boy, it felt good!! My clicky finger has been suffering from serious un-use, but it finally got a good workout haha. I’ll post piccies when it all arrives. I decided to get in quick with my order, as there is a 25% sale off at the moment.

I have to admit, I also did spend some of my own money too, as I had 9 hours of overtime coming in last payday, so I treated myself (that was before I had the option for a big splurge-fest) … after seeing them on other blogs, I ordered some thread keepers from Jodi … they’re just magical!! I’m sure no-one will be surprised when they find I ordered one in the shape of a bird! haha. It’s not a duck, but I’ve already told Jodi if a duck one ever becomes available, I’ll be first in line! LOL. I was originally going to post some of my fave piccies of past holidays overseas, seeing as I can’t post piccies of my stitching progress for a while – but then the thread keepers arrived, so at least I can post something stitchy-related 🙂 My fabric also arrived from my FOTM with Country Stitch – this is the only regular shipment I didn’t cancel, as the benefits are too good (all existing customers got automatic 20% off any fabric purchases, without having to work up to that level of loyalty – too good to resist!). This month’s shipment is a 32ct linen “blue ice” … pictured with last month’s shipment I forgot to post about, a 28ct linen “haystack” (I think this could be perfect for my Coffee Menu sampler).

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to start the needleroll SAL with Katrina et al this last weekend due to total lethargy, then work, but I’ve been scouring the internet for different designs, as it’s starting to become an obsession to find new ones … since I made my first needlerolls last year, I’m dying to have a basket set aside just for needlerolls … I just have to find some more charts first – I have a few sitting in my future wishlist now for a splurge some time in the far future, and in the meantime I’ve managed to find some Sweetheart Tree ones to start working my way through. So, next month, I’ll be able to join in properly, and I’m getting my first two all kitted up ready for starting 🙂 My first three candidates are Summer at the Ocean by Jeannette Douglas Designs, Strawberry needleroll by The Sweetheart Tree, and Sun needleroll by M Designs.

OK, time to sign off and get some errands done – it’s finally a beautiful day outside with blue skies (had started to forget what that looks like!), so I might take a walk up the bay to get some fresh air after getting some mail in the post. It’s my first official day as a day-shift worker tomorrow, so I have to work an extra 24 minutes each day, and fight the peak-hour traffic, so I think I might have use of public transport if it’s fine weather – it means I get extra exercise to/from the train station (about 10-15 mins walk each way), plus I get chance to read a book on the train (it’s only a short trip, so my travel sickness is relatively safe – but it’s not long enough to try stitching, plus the train is sometimes standing room only) … I want to make sure I make the most of my last day as a shift worker haha (fingers crossed it won’t be for long, as the Supervisor job is being announced either today/tomorrow, and I can hopefully moved into their spot if it’s a shift Hotliner that’s chosen for the job).

Geez, I’ve waffled on in this post – so much for ‘not much to say’ … or so I thought! I’ll finish with a fave piccie of mine from Santorini, Greece from about 7 years ago 🙂