Feather Stitching

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

Housewarming Party

7 October, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

I forgot all about adding a couple of photos from a Housewarming Party I went to on Saturday night (what a social butterfly I was this last weekend – very very unusual for me!) … here are a couple of photos taken of me with friends during the evening (I’m the one in the blue top – how unusual LOL).

Alex, Anne and Lisa

Nat, Katie and Anne

Anne, Katie and Lisa

And just to prove this is still a stitching blog, here’s my bit of stitching from Sunday night and late yesterday afternoon – LHN’s “Home Sweet Home” on 28ct cream Jazlyn (I think it’s Jazlyn) (stitched in pink, so obviously this one isn’t for me teehee). Even though I don’t enjoy stitching in pink normally, I DO love the Pink Peony darker pink colour in this one … and have to admit I’d almost be tempted to keep this one, except I already have visions of re-stitching it in scrummy blues 😉 This one, however, is destined to live with Karen at The Stitching Post in Katoomba – finished as a cushion like the cover model. I’ve bought what I hope is the most perfect finishing fabric, but time will tell when it’s stitched up 🙂

I’ve had a couple of pieces where I’ve ironed the fabric all ready for stitching, and the kits all sitting in a shopping bag – I’ve got the fabric hanging up on a “skirt hanger” to keep the pieces crisp and flat, so I’ve been working my way through those pieces before starting on anything else. I still have a serious urge to start some other pieces, especially a Halloween piece, but want to get some of these hung-up projects finished off. This LHN piece was one of those projects – as was Just Nan’s Evening Star and Drawn Thread’s Garden Recipe … at least this project I’m actually enjoying stitching! The remaining two projects with fabric hung up are Victoria Sampler’s Crimson Fire sampler and Calico Crossroads’ Spring cushion – then the fun starts again deciding “what next” … although I’m thinking of using a “pick a number” system like I used to do with my UFO’s, then I don’t have to actually decide! We’ll see what I feel like when I finish this one … ‘cos tomorrow’s another day! LOL 😀

Home & Family TO BE FIXED, Music, Sydney

NRL Grand Final

6 October, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

Yesterday was a fun day as Lisa and I joined 1000’s of Rugby League fans for the Grand Final match between Manly Sea Eagles and Melbourne Storm. Neither Lisa or I are League fans, but at least I’m a Union girl so I knew a fair few of the ‘basic’ rules. It was a really fun trip out, and Melbourne Storm got a total a**-kicking at 40-0 … sorry Melbourne, but that’s just pitiful, especially as the Premier winners from 2007 – I bet a few Melbourne supporters were hanging their heads after last night. Manly had a very deserving win, and the local crowd went nuts at the end, very understandably ‘cos the better team most definitely won on the night!!

Personally we felt the highlights of the match for us (heathens that we are) were the pre-match entertainment sessions. We were treated to songs by Jon Stevens of Noiseworks fame … and loved the “BBQ lids” banging session, it was like a live version of Tap Dogs – it was great fun!

We were then treated to a couple of songs by Living End (including their current hit White Noise) – the pyrotechnics were fun!

Finished off by the National Anthem sung by Anthony Warlow – what a terrific voice … we were unfortunate not to see him sing at Phantom earlier this year, but now at least I’ve seen him perform live, even just for the one song 😉

Our final highlight before the match was when a sea hawk helicopter flew into the stadium and landed smack bang in the middle of the stadium to hand over the trophy … that was awesome!

As for the game, the final 1/4 hour was thrilling watching Manly score try after try … but otherwise to be totally honest I found it a pretty boring game (I’m obviously a Union girl still at heart LOL).

Straight after the game Lisa got the train home and I drove over to Brenda and Nigel’s to stay the night. It was a lovely relaxed evening sat drinking wine and watching a DVD while getting a little bit of stitching in. Then we went out to the local Flower Power garden nursery for lunch today, and I bought a stunning blue pot and a few plants to make a succulent display for our balcony, and a few herbs ready to be potted up this week. Nigel also kindly donated one of his stunning tomato plants to me, along with some basil plants, bless him. I ended up unexpectedly staying for dinner as well tonight, and got to watch the Golden Compass DVD before driving the hour’s trip home.

All in all it was a wonderful weekend full of socialising with good friends 😀

But now it’s time to hit the hay ready for another wee of torture at work …

Cross Stitch, Finishes, The Drawn Thread

Hallelujah!!!!

4 October, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

A few hours glued to the TV set with a needle in hand, and I’ve finally put the last stitches in that dratted sampler. I have to admit it doesn’t look too bad now it’s all finished, but I’m really glad it’s all over now!

“Garden Recipe” by The Drawn Thread
stitched on 32ct Flax Belfast linen
with recommended threads (DMC) and kit embellishments

Sorry for the crappy photos but it’s a rainy overcast day today and not much natural light to be had – even using Photoshop Elements I can’t get a decent representation of the colours ho-hum …

Cross Stitch, Stash, The Drawn Thread, Works in Progress

Can’t wait till tomorrow for stash report

4 October, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

So, I’m doing an extra post today … do you think I’m trying to do anything to put off what I ‘should’ be doing today??? LOL.

Here’s what came in the mail on Thursday … one beloved item from my wishlist, all the way from France, and two new designs that I fell in love with 🙂

Add to that a few embellishment packs I picked up from Karen’s recent 20% off sale … ‘cos at the moment I have a SERIOUS urge to stitch up some of my Halloween designs, which are predominantly Just Nan’s … I just LOVE ’em 😀

And I also forgot to add one more chart to my wishlist pile that I am still drooling over months after seeing it for the first time on Monique’s blog … “Stitching is a Hoot” – I just adore this little fella, and love the colours … yep, it’s a ‘gotta have’!! 😀

In fact, I’ve just remembered that I still haven’t cashed in my $30 gift voucher from Colours Down Under, so I’d better make that another exception to my 25 Project Challenge … although technically that’s not using my own money … hmmm, maybe my Challenge will start on Monday to give me time to get my order in! LOLOL 😉

And finally, here’s proof that I really am NOT getting far with my stitching … the herb flowers band was finished last time, so that pitiful bit of stitching below is what I’ve managed to achieve in the entire week … I should be publicly flogged with wet floss!!! 😉

The good news, however, is that the pink flowers at the bottom is the final part of the sampler – I just have to finish that band, and add one more narrow band of double four-sided stitch, and add the little heart beads and charm … and it’s all finished …

So, what am I still doing here, I hear you ask?? Actually that’s what my head has been saying all morning … but yet I still sit here glued to the computer and trying to ignore that voice in my head … hmmm … 😉

In fact, I’m off to spend that gift voucher … when I should be stitching … c’est la vie … LOL.

25 Project Challenge, Cross Stitch, Wishlist

Still no stitching to show …

4 October, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

Well, I could show you some, but it’s a bit pitiful … so there’s no point, you see?

So what have I been doing instead of stitching? Catching up on a few blogs, building up my wishlist (even though I’ve only just whittled it down a bit hmmm), and just generally being lazy and unmotivated 😉

Just to spice up this post with some piccies, here are the latest designs I’m drooling over on my wishlist:

Indigo Rose – Beads Buttons and Bows; and Just Nan – Pretty Wicked (I’m on a HUGE Halloween kick right now and can’t wait to stitch something up in those scrummy bright colours)

JBW Designs: English Plum Pudding, and Tis the Season

Lizzie*Kate: Don’t get your tinsel in a tangle, and Tiny Tidings XIII

Romy – Austrian Spot Sampler; and GPA – Santa’s Ride

Charland Designs – Beach Needle House; and C Mon Monde – Trosse Fleurs Bleues

Blue Ribbon Designs – Creepy Crawly Set; and Pelin Tezer – Bird Sampler (sorry, don’t know what happened to that picture!!)

Sampler Cove: Part 3 and Part 4 of the Rhapsody in Red stitching smalls series (you’ll have to check out Deb’s blog for the Part 4 photos!)

And to add insult to injury, after drooling over all these luvverly designs, I’m tossing up whether to go back on my 50 Project Challenge (but reducing it down a step to the 25 Project Challenge) … hmmm, decisions decisions … I’m still waiting for an order to be filled locally that I placed a few months ago, so technically that was all ordered before the challenge would be starting … and I have an order in place from SB&B for Mum, so I just HAD to chuck in a couple of extra things to make the most of the postage … so I still have plenty of stash to come … (that was ordered a month ago, but hopefully it will arrive this side of Christmas!!)

Rightio, that’s it … my decision is made!! I am now officially on the 25 Project Challenge – no more stashing for me until I have completed 25 projects!!! I’m pretty motivated already to stitch through my stash (in fact “obsessed” is perhaps more the word to use!), so it should be pretty easy, truth be told … it’s not as if I don’t have hundreds and hundreds of scrummy designs already calling my name to be stitched – in fact the hardest part will be choosing which ones first!! 😀

That means I can buy no new charts from now on (excluding those already on back order) until I have stitched 25 projects. Once I get my stitching mojo back again, that shouldn’t be too difficult … maybe … 😉 I also need to stitch as much as possible from my existing stash for threads etc – but will not limit myself to buy threads if needed to complete a design. My main exception is for a FOTM I still have with Countrystitch (although I’ve been seriously considering cancelling anyway), and a Monthly Bits order from SB&B for Crescent Colours threads (I’ve had some colours on back order for months and months, and finally decided to just get the whole set and be done with it so no more waiting until I need more than one skein!).

Not much chance for stitching this long weekend – we’re off to a party tonight at which I intend to have a few bevvies … which means I probably won’t get much stitching one tomorrow LOL, then on Monday I’m heading out to the other side of the world to visit with Brenda and Nigel as a belated get-together for Nigel’s birthday, which will be lovely, but which means no stitching again! Surely I must get some chance of getting this dratted sampler finished this weekend???? 😉

Ooh, I just realised I received some stash this week that I haven’t mentioned yet … see, I soooo need to do this project challenge!! As this is such a lengthy waffly post, I’ll leave the piccies until another day, but I’ll run over and take on now 🙂

Aboriginal culture, Photo Hunt, PhotoHunt, Sydney, Travel - Australia

Photo Hunt – Sad

4 October, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

PhotoHunt | PhotoHunt

This week’s theme is “Sad” and for some reason I always think this guy looks really sad in this shot … so he’s my choice this week.

Cross Stitch, Just Nan

Just Nan’s Evening Star

2 October, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

You may remember earlier in the month I offered up a prize draw for my finished Just Nan’s Evening Star … well, this morning I pulled out the name from the proverbial hat (actually my Dolce Vita perfume bottle box!) … and the winner is ……………

Karoline!!!

I just need to check your mailing address, and also whether you would prefer me to leave it unfinished so you can frame it, or whether you would like me to turn it into a fabric-edged/quilted wallhanging (and if so whether you have a preference for the border fabric colour). I thought I’d wait to give you the choice 🙂

Thanks again for your interest in this piece – I haven’t forgotten that there are a few people interested in the chart itself, but will work on that later, ‘cos now I need to quickly jump in the shower and get to work 🙂

Home & Family TO BE FIXED

Alien invasion

1 October, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

I’m sure that’s what’s happened to me recently … Aliens have invaded my body!! There’s just no other answer for it! And no, I’m not referring to the fact that my stitching mojo has been struggling – perhaps the alien abduction may be part of that answer as well, though!

Over the last couple of weeks my body has voluntarily been waking up by 6am every day … I repeat, in case Mum thinks she’s made a mistake reading that … yes, that’s right … VOLUNTARILY!!! What the heck is wrong with me??? LOL. I am sooooo NOT a morning person, but it appears I no longer have the urge to sit up stitching or watching TV/DVD’s until midnight … no, NOW I get the urge at 7.30pm to crawl into bed and go to sleep! Oh my goodness, is the world coming to an end?? 😉

Seriously, though, it is really really bizarre – I started making myself turn off the light between 9.30-10.00pm at night, and I have to admit it’s really given me awesome benefits. I get so much more done in the extra hour every morning – I have so much more energy during the day, and my concentration is much better at the moment. To top it off, I’ve also gone back to walking in the mornings before work, which is fantastic and something I really need.

I bought a couple of pieces of clothing at the weekend, because I hardly fit any of my ‘fat clothes’ anymore … after buying a few tops from Autograph, and some jeans from My Size, I strolled into Target and tried on a top ‘just for the sake of it’ … best thing I could have done!! Unlike the other stores, Target have the mirror set-up that shows you all angles, and I was totally horrified at what bad shape I’m in … seriously!! I knew I’d put on weight after working all those stupid hours and not eating properly, but oh boy I hadn’t realised just how bad it had gotten. Seeing those rolls of flesh hanging in the mirror is what has promptly got me back into walking again … bless you Target!!! – my body and my health thank you wholeheartedly! Of course the change in seasons has also helped, ‘cos now it’s light enough in the mornings to get up early and go walking in daylight … another reason I feel soooo much better during the day this week particularly. Although, it’s now 7.15pm and I’m starting to get bleary-eyed already LOL.

Rightio, off I go to finish off the final wording band on the dratted sampler – but I’m so so close to finishing, thank goodness … then I have to find something else to treat myself with! 😀

Friends & Family, Home & Family TO BE FIXED

No stitching to show but … “Da plane, da plane!!”

30 September, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

Today we had a meeting at work with our ‘team’ … and it got sidelined a bit by ‘my boss’s boss’ – she gave us an update of where we’re heading and the fact that they are trying to get some positions confirmed for our team (but obviously no guarantees!). It was good that she said she appreciated some of us had moved interstate and they were aware of the huge commitment that takes, so they are doing what they can (although there are hiring freezes on, so who knows what will happen). All-in-all, though, it was really good to have our situations acknowledged and a faint glimmer of hope that things will become more concrete in time (fingers crossed) 🙂

Added to that we are now taking on the work of three overseas call centres that are closing down (1 down, 2 to go), so our workload is certainly not diminishing in any sense of the word!! It will be ‘all hands on deck’ for a few months yet … and I am brushing up on my fares skills (as I’m the only member of our team that’s Fares & Ticketing II trained) to assist with writing procedures – it’s all a good challenge and keeps the grey matter active!

Aside from being head down, bum up as normal, today we were given a little treat – our bosses nominated everyone in the team to take a bus trip for an hour or two to drive over to the Jet Base … it was great! We had a full tour of the Airbus A380 aircraft sitting in all its glory in the hangar … it was a wonderful opportunity that we just don’t normally get! The biggest highlight prior to that was meeting John Travolta when he visited our call centre in Auckland 6 years ago! 😀

I normally like to keep my work totally separate from my blog, but thought I’d share a couple of the photos of the aircraft in the hangar.

I haven’t shown any photos of the interior (even though I took a sum total of 72 photos this afternoon!), as I wasn’t sure if that would be appropriate to publish. I couldn’t resist taking this shot, though – this view greeted us as we walked back to board the bus … I just love seeing all the planes lined up in a row! Every day I drive to work either under the international runway or under the domestic flight path, and drive past the Jet Base … and I just love to see the aircraft lined up from all the different airlines – puts a smile on my face every morning (but unfortunately due to security and safety reasons we obviously can’t normally get up this close and personal) 🙂

So, all-in-all a pretty good day … definitely can’t complain … and to top it off I’m going to stitch a word or two of that dratted sampler – hey, can’t have TOO good a day, hahaha 😉

I’ll finish off with another work photo … and definitely one of THE highlights of my career to date … yep, the infamous John Travolta in the flesh, in his dashing pilot’s uniform! {{sigh}} 😀

Updated to add: In both the top and bottom photos, that’s me in the blue top (had to be blue, didn’t it?! LOL) – unfortunately I no longer have my VERY expensive blue wool jacket in the bottom photo – Fraze kindly thought he’d do the laundry washing one day (which he’s never done before), and kindly put my pure wool into a hot washing machine along with everything else … I ended up with a toddler-size felted top … not happy Jan!! 😉

Cross Stitch, Works in Progress

Almost at the finishing line

28 September, 200825 February, 2012 Anne S

Thanks for all the support while I’m stitching this ‘dratted design’ – especially to sweet Tannia who has offered to finish stitching this for me. As it’s meant to be a gift for someone, I thought I’d best just knuckle down and get it done … then I can move on to something more fun 🙂

Unfortunately there was a lot of frogging tonight – I changed the honeysuckle flower colour to show up more on the fabric, but then decided I didn’t like it, so I’ve unpicked and restitched it in the original colour.

I’ve since finished one more green narrow band since taking this photo, which means there is just one more band of wording, one more green narrow band, and one more floral band, so hopefully by next weekend a finish will be in sight 🙂