Beading, Cross Stitch, Easter, Finishes, Freebies, Serendipity Designs

Beaded Easter Egg

23 April, 20116 April, 2014 Anne S

After doing some exciting housework (cleaning the shower grouting and scrubbing the bathtub) I decided to treat myself with a little stitching time … I don’t normally “do” pastels nor Easter designs, but for some strange reason this one screamed out to me to be stitched, and seeing as the fabric was already cut out ready for it, all it needed was for me to track down the Mill Hill beads and start stitching (alas I didn’t have two of the colours, and neither did my local Spotlight store, so I ended up substituting the green beads for some other seed beads that seemed similar in pastel shades – thankfully they worked out OK!). Anyway, here is my Easter stitching from today after I just put the finishing touches into it (sorry about the shadows, but it’s a dark autumn night here in Aussie and the photo is taken with the lamp to the side of it):

“Beaded Easter Egg” freebie by Serendipity Designs
stitched on 28ct white Cashel linen
with Mill Hill beads (except for the green ones) and DMC

Unfortunately it seems the website this was originally from is no longer in business, so I can’t provide a link for this one, sorry.

Beading, Boo Club, Cross Stitch, Lizzie Kate, scissor fobs, Works in Progress

Sick flatmate

9 May, 201025 February, 2012 Anne S

Alas, since lunchtime I’d ‘had’ to keep my flatmate and best pal Katie company in the lounge while she’s been suffering from a dodgy tummy from Vanuatu – it was a major hardship having to sit in my stitching chair for 8 or so hours while we watched all the TV shows that have been taping in her absence … which means there’s finally a stitchy progress photo! Only one more week and this little puppy will be finito! As you can see from the bottom piccie, I’ve now turned the corner for the bottom band of the border 😀

On Saturday morning I managed to get a couple of items into the post – my first PIF on it’s way finally … and this little gift to someone else – fingers crossed the recipients like their gifts 🙂

Tomorrow I’ll find out whether I have got the new 12 month secondment position or not … after I drop off my 90+ year old neighbour off at the airport for her next Queensland holiday … that’ll keep me in the good books for a while longer LOL. And seeing as I need to leave home an hour earlier than normal to do that, I’d better get my A into G and get into bed!!! 😀

Beading, Cross Stitch, Home & Family TO BE FIXED

Trip to The Ribbon Rose

21 February, 201025 February, 2012 Anne S

This visit home was quite rushed, so Mum and I only had chance to visit one shop while I was there, and that was on the afternoon immediately after I arrived (after getting to bed at 2.30am yikes) – we went to The Ribbon Rose in Ellerslie, and I was VERY pleasantly surprised to see it was now twice the size it used to be, and has the best range of threads I’ve seen in New Zealand! I was originally going to do a quick drive-by on the way to The Embroiderer in Birkenhead, but we ended up spending all our time in just the one shop checking out every room, and every nook and cranny – and we ran out of time to head over the bridge to go to Birkenhead.

I asked if I could take a few photos of the various rooms at The Ribbon Rose, so I could show you what a little treasure it is now – I did forget to take a photo of the fabric and quilting rooms, though! The great thing about the line of threads that they carry is that they carry the ENTIRE range of colours – most shops over here carry the odd colour or five of most lines, but you VERY rarely find one that has the whole range (I remember years ago having a disagreement with another shop owner in Auckland that, yes, there were more Mill Hill bead colours – just because that’s all you stock doesn’t mean that’s all that exists – and because you won’t order the stock in, ‘cos it’s apparently non-existent, I’ll find another supplier … ah, memories! – The scary thing about the internet is that often you can be more knowledgeable than some shop owners – it’s nice to find a shop that’s as up to date as you are!). Anyway, if you’re ever in the Ellerslie area in Auckland, I definitely suggest you take a trip out there, it’s worth it!

The next time I fly over in October, I’m going to find out what classes are on – there are some beading classes on regularly, and some of the projects are seriously drool-worthy!!! 😀

I ended up flying home earlier than expected today thanks to high loadings on the flights – because I have to travel on standby, it was safer to take an earlier flight that still had seats showing available than getting stuck and not being able to get home (tomorrow’s flights look dreadful too, and that was my back-up travel day) … but at least I have chance now to have a good sleep and catch up on missing zzzzzzz’s, and I then have the day off tomorrow (instead of travelling) to do my washing for the week, yippee … that also means I just might have time to fit in a spot of stitching as well, although I may just do that this afternoon to keep me awake until a reasonable hour to fall over into a deep slumber!

Last but not least, I was asked by Mum why I haven’t been uploading my Scenic Sunday, Blue Monday and Ruby Tuesday p0sts, as she’s missing them. So, to please The Dragon, I’ll try to remember to keep up-t0-date with them again from now on … starting with a Scenic Sunday post shortly 😀

But before I find a Scenic Sunday post, here are a couple of photos of Mum and Dad’s fruit trees (Feijoas, Plums and Lemons) that I really miss having in my backyard (especially having a lemon tree right near your back door) – alas, it was too soon for the Feijoa season … these are only little baby fruit 😦

Beading, Cross Stitch, Erica Michaels, scissor fobs, Works in Progress

Final fobs, Thanks, and a New Start

11 February, 201025 February, 2012 Anne S

A quick note to thank everyone that bought fobs from my original request to donate the proceeds of sales to wee baby Timothy – I managed to send almost US$90 over to Coral towards his medical costs, so I thank you for enabling me to do that for them 🙂

And the final group of fobs today are brought to you by the colours Brown, Wine and Purple (unfortunately these ones didn’t photograph as true to the colours, so I think I’ll have to re-do them before I upload to ArtFire).

And to finish off the post for tonight, here’s my new start for the evening while Katie and I caught up on a tiny bit of TV with Criminal Minds, Biggest Loser and Bones … alas I had a frog attack on the left hand side group of hearts and bottom border, but I quickly frogged the stitches and redid them, and I’m back on track once again. If I don’t manage to get this piece finished tomorrow night, I should definitely see another wee finish on Saturday morning 🙂

“Random Hearts” by Erica Michaels
being stitched on 32ct Lambswool linen in
Carrie’s Creations thread “Scarlet”

Beading, scissor fobs

More fobs …

11 February, 201025 February, 2012 Anne S

I’m still blushing from Barbara’s and Sue’s lovely comments on my fobs – thanks so much ladies for the support! 😀

Which brings me to today’s fobs … which are brought to you by the colours Blue (yum) and Green …

Beading, Cross Stitch, Finishes, Mosey 'n Me, scissor fobs

New Scissor Fobs and a Wee Finish

10 February, 201025 February, 2012 Anne S

First up is the tiny wee finish I completed tonight – I started this on Sunday night, and did a bit more stitching tonight, putting the final stitches in about 1/2 an hour ago. As per normal at this late hour of the night, without being taken under a daylight bulb, the photo is appalling … but it’s a finish all the same 🙂

“Love February” old freebie by Mosey ‘n Me

It’s also my very first EVER Valentine’s finish … and also the first finish from the pile that I kitted up over the weekend 😀 I almost swapped the cream inner border with the pale pink from the rose, but then decided last minute to leave it … in hindsight the cream really does blend into the background of the fabric, so the pink would have been much much better … but I don’t love it enough to bother unpicking it all. Not entirely sure how I’ll end up finishing this one – perhaps I’ll just add a ribbon hanger and turn it into a hanging ornament … maybe … 🙂

Next up is a bunch of scissor fobs that I put together weeks ago, but never showed. Eventually most of these will be going into my ArtFire shop for sale … when I get the time to upload them all and type up descriptions etc – but that is unlikely to happen for another couple of weeks thanks to my impending trip home. As there are quite a few new fobs, I’ll just upload a few tonight, and add some more over the next few days.

Tonight’s fobs are brought to you by the colours Red and Pink …

Other than that, nothing much happening out here really … I’m heading out to the Blue Mountains this Sunday to pick up all my stitching I’ve had out there on loan for the last couple of years. There are personal reasons for my doing this, which I won’t share on my blog – but I must say I’m really looking forward to having them home again … and those that are still unframed will be framed by me some time over the coming year as finances allow … so watch this space 😛

Beading, Home & Family TO BE FIXED

Blogaversary prize draw results

8 November, 200925 February, 2012 Anne S

A thousand apologies, but I’ve been very lax in not drawing names out of a ‘hat’ earlier for the winners of my 4th Blogaversary prize draw. I have finally pulled my finger out and can confirm that the following ladies are the winners of a beaded scissors fob made by yours truly, in a colour of their choice.

Lesley
Mel
Paula D
Kathy A (hope you see this Kathy, as my email has bounced back)

Congrats ladies! Two of you have the same preferred choice, but I should be able to whip a duplicate up (or close to it) 🙂

For anyone interested, I will shortly be adding the remaining items, plus a whole heap more of my fobs, to my ArtFire store shortly and it will then be open for business. Unfortunately it takes me forever to load up one item, so it’ll be a while longer yet before that happens properly. I originally starting setting up an Etsy store, then changed my mind after being charged US$6 just for adding the piccies – ArtFire don’t charge fees, so it’s much better for me if I don’t sell any! 😉

I intend the sale of the first 10 scissor fobs (assuming I actually manage to sell 10 of them!) to go towards a good cause. I am going to donate the proceeds of the fob sales (not including the postage) to help out a fellow kind-hearted blogger, whose family is struggling with the medical costs of one sweet little fella. Anyway, I’ll make a separate announcement as soon as the store has items available for sale!

As well as the blogaversary winners, I can also confirm that the following lovely ladies will be the recipients of a PIF from me some time during the next 12 months. Thanks for the support ladies – I hope you’re not disappointed 😛

I’ll send an email shortly, as I’ll need to ensure I have a current mailing address for you all, and then I have the fun time of starting to choose what to make 🙂

Beading, Boo Club, Cross Stitch, Lizzie Kate, Works in Progress

Another round of Boo Club

17 October, 200925 February, 2012 Anne S

My little needles have been turbo-charged over the last couple of days – and today is the first day that I’ve woken up and actually thought through all the housework that needs to be done etc … signs of this blasted bug finally getting out of my system. While I’m still quite wheezy and trundling through the tissues, I feel much brighter within myself, and ready to start getting out of my stitching chair for more than 5 minutes at a time – yippee 😀

In the meantime I’ll leave you with a latest photo of my progress on Lizzie*Kate’s Boo Club – here are parts 1-4, which leaves me with just 9-12 to go (although in honesty I’ve almost finished part 9, with the exception of the broom handle).

Time to put my rotation to one side briefly, though, as the final round of our Friendship Quaker RR has arrived on my doorstep so I really need to get cracking and get that one finished soon! Mind you, I also have two little gifts that are well overdue being stitched, so those will have to be slotted in as well – oh so many things to stitch, so little time 😛

I’ll finish up with photos of a beaded fish that I made once at a class in Melbourne. I’ve never been able to take a good photo of it, but now my Panasonic Lumix has a fantastic macro setting, I thought I’d give it another shot while it was just sitting there! You probably can’t tell, but it’s hollow all the way through to the tail – I just adore this little fella …

I really need to get the instructions out again and brush up my beading skills so I can get these little guys out of the ‘filleted’ stage and into the finished stage, which will knock off another two UFOs! (UnFinished Objects for those of you who are searching for actual UFOs in this post) In this photo you can clearly see how the little fishies are constructed … I only hope I can work out how to do the beaded stitch once again, as it’s been quite some time since I took the class! 😀

Beading, Gifts TO BE FIXED

Prize Draw offering

7 October, 200925 February, 2012 Anne S

4th Blogaversary

Prize Draw !!!

As I briefly mentioned earlier, I am offering a (slightly belated) prize draw for my home-made beaded scissor fobs to celebrate four years of blogging and waffling online.

I’m offering four prize fobs – one for every year I’ve been blogging. The way it will work is that winner #1 gets first choice from the below selections, winner #2 gets the next choice, winner #3 gets the 3rd choice, with winner #4 getting the final choice. Of course if winner #4 really hates the remaining choices, I may be able to whip something up in a preferred colour scheme, depending on what beads I have to hand at that time 🙂

How do you enter for the prize draw?

Simply leave a comment in this post only, stating that you would like to be entered into the draw. Please ensure that your email address is provided, along with the fobs that you prefer, in order of preference, eg 1st choice = #1, 2nd = #5, 3rd = #2. If you only like 1 of the fobs, feel free to just put your name down for that one – if you are one of the winners and your preferred choice has already been taken, I might be able to whip one up in your preferred colour choice if I have suitable beads available at the time – no guarantees though! 🙂

I will leave the draw open until the end of the month – so you can leave a comment throughout the month of October – at the start of November I’ll draw four lucky winners out of the proverbial hat and get them out in the mail to you.

So, which fobs can you choose from? I’ve tried to have a reasonable selection of colours, so fingers crossed you’ll find something you’d like to win. Here goes (all are numbered to make it easier to request a specific selection in your preferences):

Note: The prize is NOT for the scissors in the photos, it is ONLY for the beaded scissor fob 😀

If you are having difficulties viewing the fobs due to the high number of piccies, please go to my Webshots folder and view them all there 😀

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Beading, Gifts TO BE FIXED

Another gift has been received

6 October, 200925 February, 2012 Anne S

I just heard word that Vonna has received my tiny gift of friendship this week – which means I can now unveil the scissor fob that I made for her. Vonna to me epitomises “the patriot” so I just HAD to make a fob in red, white and blue for her! Thankfully it arrived in one piece, which is always good news. Here’s the fob that I sent: