PhotoHuntThis week’s theme is ”Magical”– and it sure was magical walking into the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles!
A teeny tiny finish
I seem to have got my old energy levels back once again today … I started the day off with spending an hour chatting to Mum on the phone for Mother’s Day, which was a wonderful start to the day. Sadly, though, the phone call revealed that Dad has had another turn, and possibly has had a mild stroke, but we’re waiting for test results from his recent overnight trip to the hospital before we know 😦
The main part of the rest of the day has been spent doing housework – starting with the dishes, then cleaning the bathroom sink, bath and shower grouting … then I popped across the road to pick up some milk and basic essentials after dropping the bags of rubbish off to the bins. While I was as the shops I noticed a huge cauliflower for $1.99 at the local fruit and vege shop – that sent me on a mission to make a very cheap meal … I ended up spending the rest of the night making a nice pot of Cream of Cauliflower Soup, which I just sampled for dinner … mmmmm, yummo 🙂
During the day I also managed to put a few stitches into a new start in-between cooking phases, and managed to get another little freebie chart finished up, with the final stitches going into it this evening after dinner. I’m enjoying doing a couple of really quick stitches before going back to my larger WIPs … actually it’s been really wonderful getting my stitching mojo back in general!
“Peace Joy Love” freebie by Lizzie*Kate
stitched on 32ct Flax linen
with Crescent Colours Spinach and Apple Fritter and DMC blanc
This freebie is still available on the Lizzie*Kate website here.
Mini finish
Over the last two days I’ve managed to start and finish a small freebie called Coffee Break – such a cute little design, that’s for sure! It’ll eventually be turned into a scissor fob when I have a finishing frenzy weekend … some day …
“Coffee Break” freebie
stitched on 32ct Lambswool linen by Wichelt
with recommended DMC threads
The freebie is still available from Cross Stitch Happy blog here 🙂
I also managed to find my ornie photo on my laptop, so I can update with that too 🙂
Prairie Schooler ornie received
For the life of me I can’t find the photo I took of the “finished” ornie, but at least I have one of the stitching to hand – Margaret has let me know that it has arrived (albeit very very late) safely across the oceans, so I can now reveal my other stitching finish for April.
“Santas and Snowmen” leaflet by The Prairie Schooler
stitched on 32ct Pipi linen by Countrystitch
with recommended DMC threads
Another quick Paris drive-by
No time to chat on the PC again, so here’s a quick drive-by once again … with a Parisian visual treat that makes my heart sing 🙂
I haven’t forgotten …
… about posting a write-up on our UK/Paris trip … just haven’t been motivated to sit at the PC for hours at a time … so here’s one of my favourite shots in the meantime … I’ll get around to updating one day – it’s right up there with catching up with over 2000 emails in my inbox … 🙂
Ah Manu …
For my birthday in February I decided to go to L’etoile Restaurant & Bar (in Paddington) as my ultimate treat … mainly because I’m a bit of a Manu fan and that sexy French accent! Anyway I bought Manu’s cookbook and left it for him to sign for me as he was away on holiday – this weekend I was finally well enough to drive over and pick it up 🙂
The traffic was hideous all the way there so I decided to splurge and stay for dinner as an additional celebration for starting to feel better … including my favourite dessert of creme brûlée … ah bliss!!
I have to say I’m also really really impressed with my signed book as well – I expected just a quick signature squiggle but Manu kindly took the time to really personalize it for me … makes me like him all the more! 😀
Walking in a Winter Snapperland
Just a quick drive-by to update with my latest finish – as the final stitches were put into place tonight. That means one more WIP is out of the WIP/UFO list and placed into the finishing pile.
“Walking in a Winter Snapperland” by Bent Creek
stitched on 32ct Parchment Lugana
with recommended threads (GAST/WDW) except for the white where I subbed DMC 3865
WIPocalypse update for May
Some reasonable stitching effort put in over the last month due to being off work with ongoing illness, what between a dreadful head cold/flu, followed by pneumonia, and finishing with a cortisone injection in my heel … I may have felt like crap for weeks, but it’s the most stitching I’ve managed to do in an awfully long time, and I loved every single second of it!!! The last month saw the following updates take place (the only exception is that I had a Prairie Schooler exchange ornie included at the beginning of last month, but can’t show it yet as it’s only just left here on the journey to its new home):
- Tiger Reflection by Dimensions – this was 100% finished
- Walking in a Winter Snapperland by Bent Creek – got halfway through another block, taking it to approx 60% completion
I also started some new projects, which have to be added to the WIP list until I receive some missing silk threads:
- 20 Flowers by Just Nan – 70% completed
- Into the Night by Shepherd’s Bush – 90% completed
As a visual reminder, here are the projects I worked on during the last month, and their state as we go into the month of May:
During the next month I hope to get more stitching done on “Walking in a Winter Snapperland”, and also work on at least one more older WIP/UFO – I’m leaning towards Mirabilia’s “Enchanted Mermaid”, Ruth Schmuff’s “Flight of the Bumblebee” or Just Cross Stitch’s “Le Jardin Silk Sampler” … although I can’t guarantee what the final pieces will be ‘cos I change my mind 20 times a day! Seeing as I’ve mislaid my stitching mojo for a while, I just want to stitch whatever takes my fancy at the time, and whatever builds my stitching enthusiasm up once again 🙂
Prairie Schooler Exchange received & Winter Snapperland
Due to sickness I haven’t managed to get to either a Post Office to post off my Prairie Schooler Exchange to my recipient, or to pick up a couple of weeks worth of mail from my PO Box – finally this week, though, I managed to do both (and my PS exchange is finally winging its way across the oceans).
I was thrilled to find an absolutely gorgeous ornie from Edgar hiding in my PO Box – it is absolutely exquisite, both in its stitching and finishing, and it will be treasured on my Christmas tree every year. Thanks Edgar for a really wonderful exchange! 😀
The other stitching news this week is that I managed to put a few more stitches into my “Walking in a Winter Snapperland” WIP with a new block well underway. Sadly I ran out of DMC 3865 for the snow, but I managed to find a couple of skeins at lunchtime today, so I can continue with this one again shortly (it would be really nice to be able to continue with this one until it’s finished, although I have to admit all that white stitching is doing my head in, and I have to admit I’m not enjoying stitching this one as much as I have done the other Snapperland series that I’ve done).
When I went DMC hunting at lunchtime today I actually popped into Lincraft in the city, as it’s only 2-3 small blocks from where I work – as usual, though, they had a pitiful selection and didn’t have the colour that I needed (I so hate that store, it’s not funny!). Anyway, I had to pop to Officeworks as well, so after I posted off some more mail I walked on the other side of the road further up the block … and lo and behold, what did I see? Needlework on display in a shop window, that’s what!! I cannot believe I’ve worked in the city for 6 months now and never walked that way in daylight, and had no idea that Morris & Sons was in the same block … well colour me stupid!!! They may be a bit pricey, but I did manage to get the DMC I needed and at least know where they are now …
On another note, my flatmate will be moving out in a couple of months to move into a new flat with her boyfriend – which means finances are going to be critically tight from then on while I decide if I can continue to live here on my own (which is doubtful) or whether I’ll have to find a smaller/cheaper place to live … so, what do I do in the meantime, knowing that I need to be saving money? That’s right, I go shopping!!! I decided to take up a sale at Country Bumpkin which gave 50% off a floor-standing Ott-Lite … I have one in the lounge, but I’ve been stitching in my bedroom more than ever of late, and decided rather than having to move it between rooms all the time I can have the 2nd one in my bedroom permanently (and Mum can use one when she visits). Not only that but I’ve also gone a bit mad buying a few extra pairs of Dinky Dyes scissors that are on sale this week at Colours Down Under … I figure they’ll make nice gifts for exchanges or gifts etc in the future … it also meant I could buy an extra WDW skein of Bark and Havana, which I’m going to need to finish off Walking in a Winter Snapperland … which means I really don’t have any excuse not to finish it now (except for lack of desire).
All-in-all that’s probably all from me for now … I’m sure there were a few other things I wanted to talk about, but I’m absolutely shattered and my head is a bit “all over the place”, so I figure I should leave it there … sadly I’m still getting over this stupid pneumonia so I’m getting really tired as the week’s gone on … but still feel so much better than I have been!! 🙂
Feather Stitching 