Cross Stitch, Home & Family TO BE FIXED

Stashing not stitching

Anne S

I’ve had the BEST time over the last couple of days cleaning out my stitching stash – while it’s not over yet, I’ve found a bunch of designs that I really want to stitch soon!  And funnily enough many of the designs are non-XS … I have a major urge to start picking up some different techniques once again – some counted thread, some not so counted.  For instance, I’m starting to get the urge to finish off some old stumpwork UFOs (dunno how long that will last, though LOL) … and I really, really want to stitch this one – unfortunately, though, I don’t have the Soie Cristale thread or it would have been kitted up last night (and it needs 4 whole skeins)!!! 😀  This is “Elizabethan Treasures” by Linda Barry.

I have a bunch of older charts that I might end up putting up on Ebay – I haven’t sold anything on there yet, so I’m a bit nervous about setting up the sale pages and working out postage details in particular, but it has to be done sooner or later I guess – anything that doesn’t sell over the next couple of months (either via trade/sale on my blog or via Ebay) will probably get ditched.  Unfortunately the joys of living in an apartment means clutter is much more noticeable and it really is time I culled back on things that I’m just not going to stitch, as much as I still love looking at the charts.  The only designs that have been safe from culling have been my Mirabilia and Teresa Wentzler designs – I have almost all of the TW designs, and even though I’ll never stitch them I do like to flick through every now and then 🙂

Since I’ve been getting all enthused about different stitching techniques, I’ve been thinking that  many of the new techniques that I want to try are very do-able as pincushions, and I’ve found many projects within the Embroidery & Cross Stitch and Inspirations magazines that will fulfil that urge nicely.  I thought I’d share some of the little projects that made me smile and that I’d love to attempt … and believe me, this is just teensy weensy sampling – there are many, many, many more … these are predominantly from Embroidery & XS and Inspirations magazines in my stash.

For now, I’m off to finish off Katie’s birthday cake – she’s due home tonight, and I’ve decided last minute to bake a chocolate cake for her … I must like her a LOT, ‘cos I don’t bake for anyone normally! 😉  Unfortunately, though, I didn’t check the pantry before I went shopping this morning, and I’ve run out of icing sugar … guess that means yet another trip over to the shops – luckily it’s only a 5 minute walk away 😀

And seeing as we’ll hopefully be spending most of the day watching TV tomorrow, I might even have a stitching update by the end of the weekend … maybe … 😀

Home & Family TO BE FIXED

Stitching? What’s that???

Anne S

Alas on my days off work this week I’ve only put a couple of hours into the border of Boo Club – since the last time I posted I haven’t put in a single stitch anywhere, so therefore no stitching update.

I also notice that I’ve also been too busy to put up my daily photos this week – thanks to Mum for reminding me on the phone that I haven’t posted all week!  So, what on earth have I been doing with myself???  After trying to do this on two separate occasions after taking time off work in order to complete it, I ended up failing miserably due to illness the first time and unexpected visitors the second time … so third time is the charm … I’ve been unpacking my ‘junk’ boxes that have still been sitting in my bedroom after 2 years of living in Sydney (ahem, cough …).  Here’s a sneak look at the end result – a few empty boxes (I think I’ve cleaned out 5-6 in total but didn’t think you’d want to see more photos of empty boxes LOL).

I’ve also been clearing out Embroidery & Cross Stitch magazines and patchwork magazines in an attempt to make some room – I’ve been (shock, horror) pulling out pages that interest me and putting them into a ringbinder instead … and scanning the projects into a little mini directory/photo album so I can flick through at a glance to see what takes my fancy (including those that are still intact in their magazines, such as my Inspirations issues) – some things I’m only interested in how they’re finished, but some projects I’d really love to try out … one day before I turn 100.  I’ve already taken one big bag full down to the rubbish bin, and here is another one ready to go down and join its mates!

That’s pretty much all I’ve been doing this week, and have really really enjoyed it.  I’ve been listening to Audiobooks and watching old DVDs at the same time and every now and then jumping online to play a game or three.  Alas, the fun is about to end and it’s back to work again on Monday – and the pile of books etc will be a work in progress for some time yet, but I’ve made a huge inroad to the mess in my bedroom and it should start looking like an actual bedroom by the end of 2010 😛

The other wee job I finally finished today was to re-label my little cottage spice jars – I’ve had these for years and years sitting unused in my parents garage … when I went home for the funeral in February I brought them all home with me, and started filling them up.  Unfortunately there were a number of labels that I just don’t use (such as dried garlic and onion), so I had to wait to buy a pile of batteries for my labelling machine and voila they’re all finished and ready to be used.  The only one I cocked up slightly is the Mixed Herbs label – it’s a bit cock-eyed but it’ll do 😉  I just adore this little set of cottages, and it’s so lovely to finally see them out of their boxes all these years later! 😀  (Haha, I just noticed you can just see a peek of my glass leadlight duck hiding behind it!)

xxx

Cross Stitch, Home & Family TO BE FIXED, Movies

Weeks Dye Works – retired threads

Anne S

A recent blog post referred to the fact that WDW were discontinuing one of their threads used in a particular design, and that we should look at stocking up now while it’s still available … I couldn’t access the link that was provided as it was to the retailer’s page, so I wrote an email to WDW asking how to obtain the information.  Just to put everyone’s minds at rest, the following is the response I received from Cathy at WDW this morning:

“Good afternoon Anne – we have never discontinued colors but we do retire colors. This means that we just simply take the color out of the main collection of floss. The retired colors WILL ALWAYS be available, they just simply appear on the “retired list.” We are striving to keep the order form at 1 page and in order to add new colors, we need to retire the ones that don’t sell as many as the rest.

I do apologize for any confusion. On our web site under FORMS, there are pages titled “retired colors 6-strand floss” and “retired pearls.”

Please let me know if I can further assist you. But please, do not panic as we have never discontinued any colors in our line that go away forever. Have a great week!”

Yippee, that’s great news I think – nice to know their threads only go into ‘semi-retirement’ 😀

As for my own stitching, there’s not much to show really – I managed to complete a tiny bit more of the Boo Club border last night, and another hour will see me able to roll up the scrollbars to a new section … I’ll hold off taking another progress piccie until I’ve done that and more critters have their little buttons sewn on 🙂  I’m going to continue with this one tonight, and in fact may continue until it’s finished … but who knows, tomorrow is another day 😛

Yesterday I spent the afternoon with an extremely hunky young man (very sexy, but very gay LOL), and we went to get a Robert Downey Jnr fix at IMAX in Darling Harbour – Iron Man 2.  Loved, loved, LOVED it!!!  OK, admittedly part of the fact is that I’ve always been a huge fan of Mr Downey, ever since seeing him blitz the screen in Charlie Chaplin … but I seriously do love these movies.  A blend of humour, great characters, special effects, a fun storyline, and a lot of JDJ – what more could a girl want?  This is another one to add to the DVD collection when it is eventually released – an awesome way to spend the afternoon on your day off! 😀

Cross Stitch, Finishes, Lizzie Kate

30th birthday gift

Anne S

Obviously the 30th birthday gift isn’t one I’ve received, as I’m an old coot now … but tonight I managed to put the final stitches into one of the gifts I’m giving Katie for her 30th birthday on Wednesday. I still have to get it framed while she’s away, or turn it into a flatfold, but she’ll hopefully come home to it in some sort of finished version anyway!

LizzieKate-Cindarella is Proof
“Cinderella is Proof” by Lizzie*Kate
stitched on 32ct Limestone hand-dyed Lugana by Countrystitch
with DMC threads

I hope she likes it … she’s crazy about shoes, so as soon as I saw this one I knew I had to stitch it at some stage for her.  Anyway, even if it’s not her ‘cup of tea’, she also has a $30 voucher for JB Hi-Fi and a lovely green glass pendant that I bought at the recent craft show with Alison and Amanda, so I’m sure she’ll be happy 😀

Boo Club, Cross Stitch, Lizzie Kate, Theme Thursday, Theme Thursday, Works in Progress

Theme Thursday – and a WIP

Anne S

I haven’t been following the Theme Thursday meme very long, but I decided to finally do one of them – as the theme doesn’t get published until the Sunday beforehand, by the time we get it ‘down under’ it’s already Monday – then I’m at work and leaving when it’s dark … it basically means I have to have a photo to do with the theme in my files already, which isn’t always the case … but this time I do, so I thought I would … join in, that is! 😀

This week’s “Theme Thursday” theme is “Bicycle”. Here’s an old penny farthing bike at Timbertown.

2008 06 04_0541

In other news, I picked up my needle as planned last night, while Katie and I caught up on a few of our favourite shows – I got burnt out early at work and decided to skive off 1/2 hour earlier than normal and managed to leave just as the sun was going down (geez it felt good leaving in semi-daylight!). Anyway the night was spent with Supernatural, Flash Forward, Bones, Castle, Greys Anatomy … phew! What a difference it makes to the length of a program when taking all the adverts out – love love LOVE my TiVo! 😀

I opted to pick up Boo Club again, and put the wee buttons on the first 6 blocks – managed to do a bit more of the border on each side, so it won’t be long now before I’m officially at the halfway mark (after the Creepy block) – I think I’ll keep doing this one now over the next few nights to try to get it finished (assuming I don’t get too bored and need a break from the border – although I agree that it does go pretty quickly in the scheme of things, and it’s pretty mindless to do in front of the gogglebox with no ‘real’ counting as such).  Alas my WIP photos will be boring for a while though 😛

Home & Family TO BE FIXED

Feel better now …

Anne S

It’s amazing what a night’s sleep can do for you … I no longer want to pierce someone’s heart with a steak knife, and am feeling calm and stress-free-ish for the day ahead.

While I didn’t end up stitching last night, I did a fair bit of playing mindless Facebook games … then watched Kitchen Nightmares USA on TV (a show I never watch normally) … all-in-all a very lazy and very relaxing night!  (I’ll keep the Witches of Eastwick in mind Maria for the next time … because I certainly know there will be a next time – if not sooner, then in 1 month’s time! LOL).

Tonight I’ll be glued in front of the TV because Katie’s home again, so we’ll have to catch up on the shows that we both watch – I don’t watch them until we’re both home, so that’ll take us the next two nights to catch up.  Then Friday night we’re off out for Katie’s 30th birthday dinner in the city, then it’s the weekend again, and then Katie’s best friend Sam comes to stay overnight before they head off to Vanuatu for a week of birthday celebrations.  I’d requested the week off to go as well, but I can’t afford it, so I’m now in two minds about still requesting the week off to do some more finishing and also to sort out my embroidery book stash to clear everything out.  Maybe some time out from work will be good for me too!

Rightio, time to get dressed for another day at the sweat shop … if nothing else at least I’ll get those last 19 procedures rewritten today and that’s one HUGE monkey off my back!

Christmas Ornaments, Cross Stitch, Finishing, Gift of Stitching, Pay It Forward, pillows, pincushions, Stitching Smalls, tin topper, Works in Progress

Final day of finishing

Anne S

Wow, what a spectacular weekend I’ve had finishing-wise – I’ve really enjoyed sitting around in my PJ’s and scruffy clothes on my own all weekend and concentrating on my finishing efforts.  As the hours went on, I felt more confident again in doing finishing – and I’m thinking perhaps I should assign one weekend a month to doing the same thing …

Here are the final efforts from today’s finishing session – there is still one pincushion left to show, but I still have to stitch on the cord edging before I can claim it as being finish-finished 🙂

1 more Christmas ornament
(excuse the greenish tinge, it’s actually white fabric!)
Christmas Ornie

1 tie-on Easter pillow (certainly not my best ever finishing!)
Easter pillow

My first Pay It Forward completed (with my tea-dyed lace)
(name removed so the recipient can be surprised)
Pay It Forward 1 Incognito

1 Tin Topper – LOVE this one –
I’ve been meaning to turn this into a tin topper for EVER!
(now I just need to find some magnet strips for the lid –
I’m sure I have some hiding away somewhere)
Tin Topper 1a

Tin Topper 3

And I also ‘forced’ myself to sit and watch a bit of vintage TV tonight while I sat and stitched for about 2 hours … I’ve been working my way through The Professionals on DVD – from waaaaay back in the 70’s, this used to be one of my absolute favourite shows in my youth.  I had the biggest crush on Bodie (Lewis Collins) at the time … and now just giggle a bit at the outlandish clothes and tight pants 😛

At least that vintage TV session gave me chance to put a few more stitches into Just Nan’s Ghastly Ghostly Ghouls – I managed to complete one side of the garden fencing, and planted a tree (well, OK, maybe HALF a tree!) 😀

And do you remember I said I’d mislaid my teeny white buttons for Lizzie*Kate’s Boo Club? Hmmm, I guess I was a bit smarter than I thought – I found them hiding where they actually should be … in my embellishments box … hmmm.  Anyway, I’ve now thrown in my little black buttons with them too, so during my next stitching session I’ll be tossing up between Sapphire Star, Ghastly Ghostly Ghouls and Boo Club – oh, decisions, decisions 😛

Tomorrow it’s time to back to work again – where I will be putting my hand up for another 12 month secondment (that is of course if I actually get offered it) … it’s basically doing the same job that I’m doing now, and working within the same team, but being paid for by another department and working purely on their projects for 12 months – which means additional exposure to a different side of the business and chance to become more focused (plus it’s a side of the business I’m the most knowledgeable about).  It’s going to be a massive 12 months, going by what I’ve heard about so far, but at least it’ll be a subject I enjoy … I guess I can only stick my hand up and say I’m interested and then see what happens … 😀

Cross Stitch, Finishing, Flatfold, Just Nan, Prairie Schooler, Works in Progress

Flat-fold finish

Anne S

Well, if I thought my hand cramps during the hemstitching of my needlerolls was annoying, the cramps from the ladder stitching of the sides of my flat-fold were downright tortuous … it took me hours just to complete one little flat-fold, and that turned out to be my only finishing completed yesterday.  Now I just need to buy some nice trim for the edges of the front piece and add a nice rich red bow or something on the top.  I’ll take another piccie later when I eventually get around to going shopping.

PS-Santa Ltd Ed 1

PS-Santa Ltd Ed 2

PS-Santa Ltd Ed 3

During my finishing session I watched another couple of movies – the highlight for me was Charlie & Boots, it was a nice lighthearted Aussie movie that I could easily watch again.  On the other end of the scale I watched District 9 … or should I say “started to watch” … that has got to be the biggest waste of celluloid I’ve seen for quite some time!  Thankfully not long afterwards I managed to finish my flat-fold and then sat and finished watching the last half of the Taking of Pelham 123 while I stitched for a short while.  I have to agree with Gina’s comment in my last post that I really enjoyed this one … not enough to stop me from stitching, but then again there isn’t much movie-wise that can manage to do that – it’s one of the reasons I can generally sit and watch movies over and over while I’m stitching 🙂

I must say, though, I was thrilled to see the little ghostie showing up nice and clearly against the slightly darker tea-dyed fabric – definitely worth doing it!  I did start visualising this little piece as a little flat-fold though, so at that point I decided I was getting delirious and had to take myself off to bed … at least it won’t be ready for finishing for a while, so I’m not quite a sucker for punishment just yet 😛

Unfortunately I was woken up at 4.30am to the sound of glass smashing, so I was as nervous as heck sleeping (even though I’m on the 3rd floor of our apartment block!), and I had a very broken sleep – not entirely sure what I’ll finish off today, but it probably won’t be half as productive as Saturday as today is also housekeeping day when I have to tidy everything up as well as doing all the housework in readiness for the working week beginning.